the miscellaneous writings and speeches-1-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

and　long　bills　enraged　the　poor　tenants　so　much　as　this　cruel　measure。

Yet　for　a　long　time；　in　spite　of　all　these　inconveniences；　St　Dennis's　was　a　very　pleasant　place。　　The　people　could　not　refrain　from　capering　if　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　fiddle。　　And；　if　they　were　inclined　to　be　riotous；　Sir　Lewis　had　only　to　send　for　Punch；　or　the　dancing　dogs；　and　all　was　quiet　again。　　But　this　could　not　last　forever；　they　began　to　think　more　and　more　of　their　condition；　and；　at　last；　a　club　of　foul…mouthed；　good…for…　nothing　rascals　was　held　at　the　sign　of　the　Devil；　for　the　purpose　of　abusing　the　squire　and　the　parson。　　The　doctor；　to　own　the　truth；　was　old　and　indolent；　extremely　fat　and　greedy。　　He　had　not　preached　a　tolerable　sermon　for　a　long　time。　　The　squire　was　still　worse；　so　that；　partly　by　truth　and　partly　by　falsehood；　the　club　set　the　whole　parish　against　their　superiors。　The　boys　scrawled　caricatures　of　the　clergyman　upon　the　church…　door；　and　shot　at　the　landlord　with　pop…guns　as　he　rode　a…　hunting。　　It　was　even　whispered　about　that　the　Lord　of　the　Manor　had　no　right　to　his　estate；　and　that；　if　he　were　compelled　to　produce　the　original　title…deeds；　it　would　be　found　that　he　only　held　the　estate　in　trust　for　the　inhabitants　of　the　parish。

In　the　meantime　the　squire　was　pressed　more　and　more　for　money。　The　parish　could　pay　no　more。　　The　rector　refused　to　lend　a　farthing。　　The　Jews　were　clamorous　for　their　money；　and　the　landlord　had　no　other　resource　than　to　call　together　the　inhabitants　of　the　parish；　and　to　request　their　assistance。　　They　now　attacked　him　furiously　about　their　grievances；　and　insisted　that　he　should　relinquish　his　oppressive　powers。　　They　insisted　that　his　footmen　should　be　kept　in　order；　that　the　parson　should　pay　his　share　of　the　rates；　that　the　children　of　the　parish　should　be　allowed　to　fish　in　the　trout…stream；　and　to　gather　blackberries　in　the　hedges。　　They　at　last　went　so　far　as　to　demand　that　he　should　acknowledge　that　he　held　his　estate　only　in　trust　for　them。　　His　distress　compelled　him　to　submit。　　They；　in　return；　agreed　to　set　him　free　from　his　pecuniary　difficulties；　and　to　suffer　him　to　inhabit　the　manor…house；　and　only　annoyed　him　from　time　to　time　by　singing　impudent　ballads　under　his　window。

The　neighbouring　gentlefolks　did　not　look　on　these　proceedings　with　much　complacency。　　It　is　true　that　Sir　Lewis　and　his　ancestors　had　plagued　them　with　law…suits；　and　affronted　them　at　county　meetings。　　Still　they　preferred　the　insolence　of　a　gentleman　to　that　of　the　rabble；　and　felt　some　uneasiness　lest　the　example　should　infect　their　own　tenants。

A　large　party　of　them　met　at　the　house　of　Lord　Caesar　Germain。　Lord　Caesar　was　the　proudest　man　in　the　county。　　His　family　was　very　ancient　and　illustrious；　though　not　particularly　opulent。　He　had　invited　most　of　his　wealthy　neighbours。　　There　was　Mrs　Kitty　North；　the　relict　of　poor　Squire　Peter；　respecting　whom　the　coroner's　jury　had　found　a　verdict　of　accidental　death；　but　whose　fate　had　nevertheless　excited　strange　whispers　in　the　neighbourhood。　　There　was　Squire　Don；　the　owner　of　the　great　West　Indian　property；　who　was　not　so　rich　as　he　had　formerly　been；　but　still　retained　his　pride；　and　kept　up　his　customary　pomp；　so　that　he　had　plenty　of　plate　but　no　breeches。　　There　was　Squire　Von　Blunderbussen；　who　had　succeeded　to　the　estates　of　his　uncle；　old　Colonel　Frederic　Von　Blunderbussen；　of　the　hussars。　　The　colonel　was　a　very　singular　old　fellow；　he　used　to　learn　a　page　of　Chambaud's　grammar；　and　to　translate　Telemaque；　every　morning；　and　he　kept　six　French　masters　to　teach　him　to　parleyvoo。　Nevertheless　he　was　a　shrewd　clever　man；　and　improved　his　estate　with　so　much　care；　sometimes　by　honest　and　sometimes　by　dishonest　means；　that　he　left　a　very　pretty　property　to　his　nephew。

Lord　Caesar　poured　out　a　glass　of　Tokay　for　Mrs　Kitty。　　〃Your　health；　my　dear　madam；　I　never　saw　you　look　more　charming。　　Pray；　what　think　you　of　these　doings　at　St　Dennis's？〃

〃Fine　doings；　indeed！〃　interrupted　Von　Blunderbussen；　〃I　wish　that　we　had　my　old　uncle　alive；　he　would　have　had　some　of　them　up　to　the　halberts。　　He　knew　how　to　usa　cat…o'…nine…tails。　　If　things　go　on　in　this　way；　a　gentleman　will　not　be　able　to　horsewhip　an　impudent　farmer；　or　to　say　a　civil　word　to　a　milk…　maid。〃

〃Indeed；　it's　very　true；　Sir；〃　said　Mrs　Kitty；　〃their　insolence　is　intolerable。　　Look　at　me；　for　instance：a　poor　lone　woman！　My　dear　Peter　dead！　　I　loved　him：so　I　did；　and；　when　he　died；　I　was　so　hysterical　you　cannot　think。　　And　now　I　cannot　lean　on　the　arm　of　a　decent　footman；　or　take　a　walk　with　a　tall　grenadier　behind　me；　just　to　protect　me　from　audacious　vagabonds；　but　they　must　have　their　nauseous　suspicions；odious　creatures！〃

〃This　must　be　stopped；〃　replied　Lord　Caesar。　　〃We　ought　to　contribute　to　support　my　poor　brother…in…law　against　these　rascals。　　I　will　write　to　Squire　Guelf　on　this　subject　by　this　night's　post。　　His　name　is　always　at　the　head　of　our　county　subscriptions。〃

If　the　people　of　St　Dennis's　had　been　angry　before；　they　were　well…nigh　mad　when　they　heard　of　this　conversation。　　The　whole　parish　ran　to　the　manor…house。　　Sir　Lewis's　Swiss　porter　shut　the　door　against　them；　but　they　broke　in　and　knocked　him　on　the　head　for　his　impudence。　　They　then　seized　the　Squire；　hooted　at　him；　pelted　him；　ducked　him；　and　carried　him　to　the　watch…house。　　They　turned　the　rector　into　the　street；　burnt　his　wig　and　band；　and　sold　the　church…plate　by　auction。　　They　put　up　a　painted　Jezebel　in　the　pulpit　to　preach。　　They　scratched　out　the　texts　which　were　written　round　the　church；　and　scribbled　profane　scraps　of　songs　and　plays　in　their　place。　　They　set　the　organ　playing　to　pot…　house　tunes。　　Instead　of　being　decently　asked　in　church；　they　were　married　over　a　broomstick。　　But；　of　all　their　whims；　the　use　of　the　new　patent　steel…traps　was　the　most　remarkable。

This　trap　was　constructed　on　a　completely　new　principle。　　It　consisted　of　a　cleaver　hung　in　a　frame　like　a　window；　when　any　poor　wretch　got　in；　down　it　came　with　a　tremendous　din；　and　took　off　his　head　in　a　twinkling。　　They　got　the　squire　into　one　of　these　machines。　　In　order　to　prevent　any　of　his　partisans　from　getting　footing　in　the　parish；　they　placed　traps　at　every　corner。　It　was　impossible　to　walk　through　the　highway　at　broad　noon　without　tumbling　into　one　or　other　of　them。　　No　man　could　go　about　his　business　in　security。　　Yet　so　great　was　the　hatred　which　the　inhabitants　entertained　for　the　old　family；　that　a　few　decent；　honest　people；　who　begged　them　to　take　down　the　steel…　traps；　and　to　put　up　humane　man…traps　in　their　room；　were　very　roughly　handled　for　their　good　nature。

In　the　meantime　the　neighbouring　gentry　undertook　a　suit　against　the　parish　on　the　behalf　of　Sir　Lewis's　heir；　and　applied　to　Squire　Guelf　for　his　assistance。

Everybody　knows　that　Squire　Guelf　is　more　closely　tied　up　than　any　gentleman　in　the　shire。　　He　could；　therefore；　lend　them　no　help；　but　he　referred　them　to　the　Vestry　of　the　Parish　of　St　George　in　the　Water。　　These　good　people　had　long　borne　a　grudge　against　their　neighbours　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream；　and　some　mutual　trespasses　had　lately　occurred　which　increased　their　hostility。

There　was　an　honest　Irishman；　a　great　favourite　among　them；　who　used　to　entertain　them　with　raree…shows；　and　to　exhibit　a　magic　lantern　to　the　children　on　winter　evenings。　　He　had　gone　quite　mad　upon　this　subject。　　Sometimes　he　would　call　out　in　the　middle　of　the　street〃Take　care　of　that　corner；　neighbours；　for　the　love　of　Heaven；　keep　clear　of　that　post；　there　is　a　patent　steel…　trap　concealed　thereabouts。〃　　Sometimes　he　would　be　disturbed　by　frightful　dreams；　then　he　would　get　up　at　dead　of　night；　open　his　window　and　cry　〃fire；〃　till　the　parish　was　roused；　and　the　engines　sent　for。　　The　pulpit　of　the　Parish　of　St　George　seemed　likely　to　fall；　I　believe　that　the　only　reason　was　that　the　parson　had　grown　too　fat　and　heavy；　but　nothing　would　persuade　this　honest　man　but　that　it　was　a　scheme　of　the　people　at　St　Dennis's；　and　that　they　had　sawed　through　the　pillars　in　order　to　break　the　rector's　neck。　　Once　he　went　about　with　a　knife　in　his　pocket；　and　told　all　the　persons　whom　he　met　that　it　had　been　sharpened　by　the　knife…grinder　of　the　next　parish　to　cut　their　throats。　　These　extravagancies　had　a　great　effect　on　the　people；　and　the　more　so　because　they　were　espoused　by　Squire　Guelf's　steward；　who　was　the　most　influential　person　in　the　parish。　　He　was　a　very　fair…spoken　man；　very　attentive　to　the　main　chance；　and　the　idol　of　the　old　women；　because　he　never　played　at　skittles　or　danced　with　the　girls；　and；　indeed；　never　took　any　recreation　but　that　of　drinking　on　Saturday　nights　with　his　friend　Harry；　the　Scotch　pedlar。　　His　supporters　called　him　Sweet　William；　his　enemies　the　Bottomless　Pit。

The　people　of　St　Dennis's；　however；　had　their　advocates。　　There　was　Frank；　the　richest　farmer　in　the　parish；　whose　great　grandfather　had　been　knocked　on　the　head　many　years　before；　in　a　squabble　between　the　parish　and　a　former　landlord。　　There　was　Dick；　the　merry…andrew；　rather　light…fingered　and　riotous；　but　a　clever　droll　fellow。　　Above　all；　there　was　Charley；　the　publican；　a　jolly；　fat；　honest　lad；　a　great　favouri