第 29 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9321
  Three hundred steel…clad gentlemen; we drove the foe before us;
  And thirty score of British bows kept twanging to the chorus!
  O knights; my noble ancestors! and shall I never hear
  Saint Willibald for Bareacres through battle ringing clear?
  I'd cut me off this strong right hand a single hour to ride;
  And strike a blow for Bareacres; my fathers; at your side!
  〃Dash down; dash down; yon Mandolin; beloved sister mine!
  Those blushing lips may never sing the glories of our line:
  Our ancient castles echo to the clumsy feet of churls;
  The spinning Jenny houses in the mansion of our Earls。
  Sing not; sing not; my Angeline! in days so base and vile;
  'Twere sinful to be happy; 'twere sacrilege to smile。
  I'll hie me to my lonely hall; and by its cheerless hob
  I'll muse on other days; and wishand wish I were。A SNOB。〃
  〃All young Hengland; I'm told; considers the poim bewtifle。
  They're always writing about battleaxis and shivvlery; these young
  chaps; but the ideer of Southdown in a shoot of armer; and his
  cuttin hoff his 'strong right hand;' is rayther too good; the
  feller is about 5 fit hi;as ricketty as a babby; with a vaist
  like a gal; and though he may have the art and curridge of a Bengal
  tyger; I'd back my smallest cab…boy to lick him;that is; if I AD
  a cab…boy。  But io! MY cab…days is over。
  〃Be still my hagnizing Art!  I now am about to hunfoald the dark
  payges of the Istry of my life!〃
  〃My friends! you've seen me ither2 in the full kerear of Fortn;
  prawsprus but not hover prowd of my prawsperraty; not dizzy though
  mounted on the haypix of Good Luckfeasting hall the great (like
  the Good Old Henglish Gent in the song; which he has been my moddle
  and igsample through life); but not forgitting the smallNo; my
  beayvior to my granmother at Healing shows that。  I bot her a new
  donkey cart (what the French call a cart…blansh) and a handsome set
  of peggs for anging up her linning; and treated Huncle Bill to a
  new shoot of close; which he ordered in St。 Jeames's Street; much
  to the estonishment of my Snyder there; namely an olliffgreen
  velvyteen jackit and smalclose; and a crimsn plush weskoat with
  glas…buttns。  These pints of genarawsaty in my disposishn I never
  should have eluded to; but to show that I am naturally of a noble
  sort; and have that kind of galliant carridge which is equel to
  either good or bad forting。
  〃What was the substns of my last chapter?  In that everythink was
  prepayred for my marridgethe consent of the parents of my
  Hangelina was gaynd; the lovely gal herself was ready (as I
  thought) to be led to Himing's halterthe trooso was horderedthe
  wedding dressis were being phitted hona weddinkake weighing half
  a tunn was a gettn reddy by Mesurs Gunter of Buckley Square; there
  was such an account for Shantilly and Honiton laces as would have
  staggerd hennyboddy (I know they did the Commissioner when I came
  hup for my Stiffikit); and has for Injar…shawls I bawt a dozen sich
  fine ones as never was given awayno not by Hiss Iness the Injan
  Prins Juggernaut Tygore。  The juils (a pearl and dimind shoot) were
  from the establishmint of Mysurs Storr and Mortimer。  The honey…
  moon I intended to pass in a continentle excussion; and was in
  treaty for the ouse at Halberd…gate (hopsit Mr。 Hudson's) as my
  town…house。  I waited to cumclude the putchis untle the Share…
  Markit which was rayther deprest (oing I think not so much to the
  atax of the misrable Times as to the prodidjus flams of the Morning
  Erald) was restored to its elthy toan。  I wasn't goin to part with
  scrip which was 20 primmium at 2 or 3: and bein confidnt that the
  Markit would rally; had bought very largely for the two or three
  new accounts。
  〃This will explane to those unfortnight traydsmen to womb I gayv
  orders for a large igstent ow it was that I couldn't pay their
  accounts。  I am the soal of onourbut no gent can pay when he has
  no moneyit's not MY fault if that old screw Lady Bareacres
  cabbidged three hundred yards of lace; and kep back 4 of the
  biggest diminds and seven of the largist Injar Shawlsit's not MY
  fault if the tradespeople didn git their goods back; and that Lady
  B。 declared they were LOST。  I began the world afresh with the
  close on my back; and thirteen and six in money; concealing
  nothink; giving up heverythink; Onist and undismayed; and though
  beat; with pluck in me still; and ready to begin agin。
  〃Wellit was the day before that apinted for my Unium。  The
  'Ringdove' steamer was lying at Dover ready to carry us hoff。  The
  Bridle apartmince had been hordered at Salt Hill; and subsquintly
  at Balong sur Marethe very table cloth was laid for the weddn
  brexfst in Ill Street; and the Bride's Right Reverend Huncle; the
  Lord Bishop of Bullocksmithy; had arrived to sellabrayt our unium。
  All the papers were full of it。  Crowds of the fashnable world went
  to see the trooso; and admire the Carridges in Long Hacre。  Our
  travleng charrat (light bloo lined with pink satting; and
  vermillium and goold weals) was the hadmaration of all for quiet
  ellygns。  We were to travel only 4; viz。 me; my lady; my vally; and
  Mary Hann as famdyshamber to my Hangelina。  Far from oposing our
  match; this worthy gal had quite givn into it of late; and laught
  and joakt; and enjoyd our plans for the fewter igseedinkly。
  〃I'd left my lovely Bride very gay the night beforeaving a
  multachewd of bisniss on; and Stockbrokers' and bankers' accounts
  to settle: atsettrey atsettrey。  It was layt before I got these in
  horder: my sleap was feavrish; as most mens is when they are going
  to be marrid or to be hanged。  I took my chocklit in bed about one:
  tride on my wedding close; and found as ushle that they became me
  exeedingly。
  〃One thing distubbed my mindtwo weskts had been sent home。  A
  blush…white satting and gold; and a kinary colored tabbinet
  imbridered in silver: which should I wear on the hospicious day?
  This hadgitated and perplext me a good deal。  I detummined to go
  down to Hill Street and cumsult the Lady whose wishis were
  henceforth to be my HALLINALL; and wear whichever SHE phixt on。
  〃There was a great bussel and distubbans in the Hall in Ill Street:
  which I etribyouted to the eproaching event。  The old porter stared
  meost uncommon when I kem inthe footman who was to enounce me
  laft I thoughtI was going up stairs
  〃'Her ladyship's notnot at HOME;' says the man; 'and my lady's
  hill in bed。'
  〃'Git lunch;' says I; 'I'll wait till Lady Hangelina returns。'
  〃At this the feller loox at me for a momint with his cheex blown
  out like a bladder; and then busts out in a reglar guffau! the
  porter jined in it; the impident old raskle: and Thomas says;
  slapping his and on his thy; without the least respectI say;
  Huffy; old boy! ISN'T this a good un?'
  〃'Wadyermean; you infunnle scoundrel;' says I; 'hollaring and
  laffing at me?'
  〃'Oh; here's Miss Mary Hann coming up;' says Thomas; 'ask HER'and
  indeed there came my little Mary Hann tripping down the stairsher
  &s in her pockits; and when she saw me; SHE began to blush and look
  hod & then to grin too。
  〃'In the name of Imperence;' says I; rushing on Thomas; and
  collaring him fit to throttle him'no raskle of a flunky shall
  insult ME;' and I sent him staggerin up aginst the porter; and both
  of 'em into the hall…chair with a floppwhen Mary Hann; jumping
  down; says; 'O James!  O Mr。 Plush! read this'and she pulled out
  a billy doo。
  〃I reckanized the and…writing of Hangelina。〃
  〃Deseatful Hangelina's billy ran as follows:
  〃'I had all along hoped that you would have relinquished
  pretensions which you must have seen were so disagreeable to me;
  and have spared me the painful necessity of the step which I am
  compelled to take。  For a long time I could not believe my parents
  were serious in wishing to sacrifice me; but have in vain entreated
  them to spare me。  I cannot undergo the shame and misery of a union
  with you。  To the very last hour I remonstrated in vain; and only
  now anticipate by a few hours; my departure from a home from which
  they themselves were about to expel me。
  〃'When you receive this; I shall be united to the person to whom;
  as you are aware; my heart was given long ago。  My parents are
  already informed of the step I have taken。  And I have my own honor
  to consult; even before their benefit: they will forgive me; I hope
  and feel; before long。
  〃'As for yourself; may I not hope that time will calm your
  exquisite feelings too?  I leave Mary Ann behind me to console you。
  She admires you as you deserve to be admired; and with a constancy
  which I entreat you to try and imitate。  Do; my dear Mr。 Plush;
  tryfor the sake of your sincere friend and admirer; A。
  〃'P。S。  I leave the wedding…dresses behind for her: the diamonds
  are beautiful; and will become Mrs。 Plush admirably。'
  〃This was hall!Confewshn!  And there stood the footmen sniggerin;
  and that