第 101 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9322
  act of the Sarmatian horse…tamer; on eight steeds;〃 which we were
  all of us longing to see。  The horse…tamer; to music twenty miles
  an hour; rushed in on four of his horses; leading the other four;
  and skurried round the ring。  You couldn't see him for the sawdust;
  but everybody was delighted; and applauded like mad。  Presently;
  you saw there were only three horses in front: he had slipped one
  more between his legs; another followed; and it was clear that the
  consequences would be fatal; if he admitted any more。  The people
  applauded more than ever; and when; at last; seven and eight were
  made to go in; not wholly; but sliding dexterously in and out; with
  the others; so that you did not know which was which; the house; I
  thought; would come down with applause; and the Sarmatian horse…
  tamer bowed his great feathers to the ground。  At last the music
  grew slower; and he cantered leisurely round the ring; bending;
  smirking; seesawing; waving his whip; and laying his hand on his
  heart; just as we have seen the Ashley's people do。  But fancy our
  astonishment when; suddenly; this Sarmatian horse…tamer; coming
  round with his four pair at a canter; and being opposite our box;
  gave a start; and ahupp! which made all his horses stop stock…
  still at an instant。
  〃Albert!〃 screamed my dear Jemmy: 〃Albert!  Bahbahbahbaron!〃  The
  Sarmatian looked at her for a minute; and turning head over heels;
  three times; bolted suddenly off his horses; and away out of our
  sight。
  It was HIS EXCELLENCY THE BARON DE PUNTER!
  Jemmy went off in a fit as usual; and we never saw the Baron again;
  but we heard; afterwards; that Punter was an apprentice of
  Franconi's; and had run away to England; thinking to better
  himself; and had joined Mr。 Richardson's army; but Mr。 Richardson;
  and then London; did not agree with him; and we saw the last of him
  as he sprung over the barriers at the Tuggeridgeville tournament。
  〃Well; Jemimarann;〃 says Jemmy; in a fury; 〃you shall marry Tagrag;
  and if I can't have a baroness for a daughter; at least you shall
  be a baronet's lady。〃  Poor Jemimarann only sighed: she knew it was
  of no use to remonstrate。
  Paris grew dull to us after this; and we were more eager than ever
  to go back to London: for what should we hear; but that that
  monster; Tuggeridge; of the Cityold Tug's black son; forsooth!
  was going to contest Jemmy's claim to the property; and had filed I
  don't know how many bills against us in Chancery!  Hearing this; we
  set off immediately; and we arrived at Boulogne; and set off in
  that very same 〃Grand Turk〃 which had brought us to France。
  If you look in the bills; you will see that the steamers leave
  London on Saturday morning; and Boulogne on Saturday night; so that
  there is often not an hour between the time of arrival and
  departure。  Bless us! bless us!  I pity the poor Captain that; for
  twenty…four hours at a time; is on a paddle…box; roaring out; 〃Ease
  her!  Stop her!〃 and the poor servants; who are laying out
  breakfast; lunch; dinner; tea; supper;breakfast; lunch; dinner;
  tea; supper again;for layers upon layers of travellers; as it
  were; and most of all; I pity that unhappy steward; with those
  unfortunate tin…basins that he must always keep an eye over。
  Little did we know what a storm was brooding in our absence; and
  little were we prepared for the awful; awful fate that hung over
  our Tuggeridgeville property。
  Biggs; of the great house of Higgs; Biggs; and Blatherwick; was our
  man of business: when I arrived in London I heard that he had just
  set off to Paris after me。  So we started down to Tuggeridgeville
  instead of going to Portland Place。  As we came through the lodge…
  gates; we found a crowd assembled within them; and there was that
  horrid Tuggeridige on horseback; with a shabby…looking man; called
  Mr。 Scapgoat; and his man of business; and many more。  〃Mr。
  Scapgoat;〃 says Tuggeridge; grinning; and handing him over a sealed
  paper; 〃here's the lease; I leave you in possession; and wish you
  good morning。〃
  〃In possession of what?〃 says the rightful lady of Tuggeridgeville;
  leaning out of the carriage…window。  She hated black Tuggeridge; as
  she called him; like poison: the very first week of our coming to
  Portland Place; when he called to ask restitution of some plate
  which he said was his private property; she called him a base…born
  blackamoor; and told him to quit the house。  Since then there had
  been law squabbles between us without end; and all sorts of
  writings; meetings; and arbitrations。
  〃Possession of my estate of Tuggeridgeville; madam;〃 roars he;
  〃left me by my father's will; which you have had notice of these
  three weeks; and know as well as I do。〃
  〃Old Tug left no will;〃 shrieked Jemmy; 〃he didn't die to leave his
  estates to blackamoorsto negroesto base…born mulatto story…
  tellers; if he did may I be …〃
  〃Oh; hush! dearest mamma;〃 says Jemimarann。  〃Go it again; mother!〃
  says Tug; who is always sniggering。
  〃What is this business; Mr。 Tuggeridge?〃 cried Tagrag (who was the
  only one of our party that had his senses)。  〃What is this will?〃
  〃Oh; it's merely a matter of form;〃 said the lawyer; riding up。
  〃For heaven's sake; madam; be peaceable; let my friends; Higgs;
  Biggs; and Blatherwick; arrange with me。  I am surprised that none
  of their people are here。  All that you have to do is to eject us;
  and the rest will follow; of course。〃
  〃Who has taken possession of this here property?〃 roars Jemmy;
  again。
  〃My friend Mr。 Scapgoat;〃 said the lawyer。Mr。 Scapgoat grinned。
  〃Mr。 Scapgoat;〃 said my wife; shaking her fist at him (for she is a
  woman of no small spirit); 〃if you don't leave this ground I'll
  have you pushed out with pitchforks; I willyou and your beggarly
  blackamoor yonder。〃  And; suiting the action to the word; she
  clapped a stable fork into the hands of one of the gardeners; and
  called another; armed with a rake; to his help; while young Tug set
  the dog at their heels; and I hurrahed for joy to see such villany
  so properly treated。
  〃That's sufficient; ain't it?〃 said Mr。 Scapgoat; with the calmest
  air in the world。  〃Oh; completely;〃 said the lawyer。  〃Mr。
  Tuggeridge; we've ten miles to dinner。  Madam; your very humble
  servant。〃  And the whole posse of them rode away。
  LAW LIFE ASSURANCE。
  We knew not what this meant; until we received a strange document
  from Higgs; in Londonwhich begun; 〃Middlesex to wit。  Samuel Cox;
  late of Portland Place; in the city of Westminster; in the said
  county; was attached to answer Samuel Scapgoat; of a plea;
  wherefore; with force and arms; he entered into one messuage; with
  the appurtenances; which John Tuggeridge; Esq。; demised to the said
  Samuel Scapgoat; for a term which is not yet expired; and ejected
  him。〃  And it went on to say that 〃we; with force of arms; viz;
  with swords; knives; and staves; had ejected him。〃  Was there ever
  such a monstrous falsehood? when we did but stand in defence of our
  own; and isn't it a sin that we should have been turned out of our
  rightful possessions upon such a rascally plea?
  Higgs; Biggs; and Blatherwick had evidently been bribed; for would
  you believe it?they told us to give up possession at once; as a
  will was found; and we could not defend the action。  My Jemmy
  refused their proposal with scorn; and laughed at the notion of the
  will: she pronounced it to be a forgery; a vile blackamoor forgery;
  and believes; to this day; that the story of its having been made
  thirty years ago; in Calcutta; and left there with old Tug's
  papers; and found there; and brought to England; after a search
  made by order of Tuggeridge junior; is a scandalous falsehood。
  Well; the cause was tried。  Why need I say anything concerning it?
  What shall I say of the Lord Chief Justice; but that he ought to be
  ashamed of the wig he sits in?  What of Mr。  and Mr。 ; who
  exerted their eloquence against justice and the poor?  On our side;
  too; was no less a man than Mr。 Serjeant Binks; who; ashamed I am;
  for the honor of the British bar; to say it; seemed to have been
  bribed too: for he actually threw up his case!  Had he behaved like
  Mr。 Mulligan; his juniorand to whom; in this humble way; I offer
  my thanksall might have been well。  I never knew such an effect
  produced; as when Mr。 Mulligan; appearing for the first time in
  that court; said; 〃Standing here upon the pidestal of secred
  Thamis; seeing around me the arnymints of a profission I rispict;
  having before me a vinnerable judge; and an enlightened jurythe
  counthry's glory; the netion's cheap defender; the poor man's
  priceless palladium: how must I thrimble; my lard; how must the
  blush bejew my cheek〃(somebody cried out; 〃O CHEEKS!〃  In the
  court there was a dreadful roar of laughing; and when order was
  established; Mr。 Mulligan continued:)〃My lard; I heed them not; I
  come from a counthry accustomed to opprission; an