But thou hast left unquenched the vital spark
That set Jack Straw on fire.”
Sir H. Taylor.
Nobody knew who Jack Swing was. Most likely he really was more than one person, or rather an impersonal3 being, worked up as a sort of shadowy puppet to act in the cause of future reform.
There were hot spirits abroad, who knew that much was amiss on many points, and who burned to set them right; and there were others who were simply envious4 and jealous of all that had power or authority, and wanted to put these down for their own profit. They thought that the way to get their cause attended to was to make the other party afraid of the people, and they did not know or understand that those who delayed to grant their wishes only desired patience, and to do the work in the best and wisest way. All that they demanded, and more too, has since been given to the people, but gradually, as was expedient5, and without tumult6 or disturbance7.
So there was a desire to frighten the gentry8 by showing the strength of the people, in anticipation9 of the Reform Bill to be proposed the next year. It would not have made much difference to the country people, for no one would have a vote whose rent did not amount to ten pounds a year, and they would not have cared much about it if they had not been told that if it was passed, every man would have a fat pig in his sty, and be able to drink his daily quart of beer, moreover, that the noblemen and gentlemen were resolved on keeping them out of their rights, making bread dear, and depriving them of their wages by setting up machines to do all the work.
This last came near home, and stirred up the minds that would have cared for little else. Just as four hundred years before, Jack Straw was an imaginary champion whose name inflamed10 the people to rise, so now Jack Swing, or whoever it was who acted in that name, sent messages round that such and such a place should be attacked at such and such a time.
There was always some one in the town who could be fired with the idea that inciting11 riot and revolt was patriotism12, and that a good cause could be served by evil methods, who cast aside such warnings as “Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft,” or “The powers that be are ordained13 of God.” Besides, the infection spread, and to hear what Jack Swing was doing elsewhere encouraged others not to be behindhand with their neighbours.
So the mandate14 had gone out, and there were a few at Elchester ready to arrange for a rising at Uphill and Downhill. Dan Hewlett was known to them in the public-house, and he had an especial spite at Captain Carbonel, beginning from his knowledge of the tacit detection of his abstraction of the paper at Greenhow, going through his dismissal from working there, aggravated15 by the endeavour to remove Judith, embittered16 by the convictions as a poacher, and, perhaps, brought to a height by the influence over his eldest17 son. He hated the captain enough to be willing to direct the attack upon Greenhow, especially as it was known that the master was absent and engaged in summoning the yeomanry “to ride down the poor chaps,” as it was said, “who only wanted bread for their children’s mouths.”
There were men both at Uphill and Downhill, and even at Poppleby, who were quite willing to listen. The Poppleby folk, some of them, believed that riot was the only way to get reform, more of the villagers thought it was the only way of getting rid of the machines, the object of mysterious dread18 for the future, and more still, chiefly ne’er-do-wells and great idle lads, were ready for any mischief19 that might be going; and full of curiosity and delight at what Jack Swing might be about to do.
These youths, some of them at work and some not, dispersed20 the news through the village and fields that there was to be a great rising of the people’s friends, and that Gobbleall’s machine was to be somewhere. All were to meet at the randygo—supposed to mean rendezvous—at the cross-road, and as for those who did not, it would be the worse for them, and worse than all for them that told clacking women who might carry the tale up to Greenhow.
The summons was indeed not given till the men were well out of reach of their clacking women, but at work in the fields, and then a party began—not to march—they could not have done that to save their lives, but to tramp out of Poppleby, shouting to any one whom they saw in the fields to come with them and stand up for the people’s rights. At Downhill their numbers increased by all the noisy fellows, and some who fancied great good was to be gained somehow, though some wiser wives called out to them not to get into a row, nor let themselves be drawn21 into what they would be sorry for. At the “Fox and Hounds” they tarried and demanded a glass of beer all round, which Mr Oldfellow was really afraid to refuse. He was a timid man, half on their side, half on that of the gentry, and he saw there were enough of them to sack his cellars if he demurred22.
There, too, amid much laughter, they all disguised themselves, some blackening their faces with soot23, others whitening them with chalk, and some putting on the women’s cloaks, bonnets24, or aprons25.
Then they collected Uphill men.
“We are come for your good,” said Jack Swing, or the man who passed for him, wearing a long Punch-like nose. “We are come to help you; and where’s the mean coward that won’t come along with us in his own cause? There will be no living for poor folks if those new-fangled machines be allowed to go on, and them Parliament folk vote out all that makes for the people. Down with them, I say! Up with Reform, and down with all the fools and cowards who won’t stand up for themselves.”
All this, garnished26 with foul27 words and abuse, and roared out from the top of the horse-block, was addressed to the crowd that began to gather.
Dan Hewlett, with a horrid28 white face, was going about persuading the men, and so were others. “Bless you, we don’t want to do no harm to the ladies, nor the children. We only wants to do away with them toady29 machines, as they wants to do all the work instead of men’s hands, as the Almighty30 meant, and is in Scripture31.”
This was the plea to the better disposed, like Tom Seddon, who held out, “You’ll not hurt madam nor the little ones. She’ve been a kind lady, and the captain, he’s a good master, I will say that; and I don’t want to hurt ’em.”
“Nobody wants to hurt them; only to do away with they machines.”
“I tell you what,” was George Truman’s answer, “them machines are the captain’s, none of yours nor mine, and I won’t go for to damage ’em. No! I won’t have my face blacked nor whited, I’m an honest man, and not ashamed to show it. So I be going to my work.”
And off he went to his day’s work at Farmer Goodenough’s, and the others hissed32 him and hooted33 him, but did him no harm. Nobody made such a noise as Softy Sam, and together this frightened Jem Gibbs out of following him, though he much wished to do so. Will Mole34, as soon as he heard any sounds, ran away headlong down towards the meadows, and hid himself in the long rushes. Cox, the constable35, thought discretion36 the better part of valour; and long before the rabble37 rout38 appeared, set off to carry a pair of shoes home to Mrs Pearson at the Lone39 Farm.
Master Hewlett, the carpenter, looked in vain for John, his apprentice40, and growled41 and grumbled42 that he did not appear; then, on perceiving the uproar43, decided44 that he was gone after that “there father of his’n.” He wouldn’t have thought it of Jack. No; he wouldn’t; but sure enough it was “bred in the bone of him!” Master Hewlett went on with his planing; and when the troop, now amounting to about thirty grown men, besides a huge rabble of boys and girls, came along, and Dan shouted to him to come and stand up for the rights of the people, and down with that there “tyrum Gobbleall” and his machine to grind down the poor, he answered—
“Machine ain’t nothing to me. I minds my own business, and thou beest a fool, Dan, not to mind thine! And where’s that lad of thine? A trapesing after mischief, just like all idle fellows?”
“He bain’t a labourer, and has no feeling for them as is,” said Dan. “We wants your axe45, though, George.”
“Not he! I dares you to touch him,” said George Hewlett in his unmoved way, smoothing off a long curled shaving, which fell on the ground. “There, that’s the worth of you all and your Jack Swing! Swing, ye will, Dan, if you don’t take the better care.”
Some one made a move as if to seize the axe, but George made one step, and lifted quietly the stout46 bit of timber he had been planing, and it was plain that a whole armoury of carpenter’s tools was on his side the bench.
“Come along,” said Dan, “he’s a coward and mean-spirited cur. Us shan’t do nothing with he.”
So on they went, all the kindnesses and benefits from Greenhow forgotten, and nothing remembered at the moment but grievances47, mostly past, but more looked forward to as possible!
The women did remember. Judith Grey was in an agony, praying as she lay for Mrs Carbonel and the children. Widow Mole knew nothing, but was weeding the paths at Greenhow; Betsy Seddon and Molly Barnes were crying piteously “at thought of madam and her little girl as might be fraught48 to death by them there rascals49.” But no one knew what to do! Some stayed at home, in fear for their husbands, but a good many followed in the wake of the men, to see what would happen, and to come in for a little excitement—whether it were fright, pity, or indignation.
“’Pon my word and honour,” said Lizzy Morris, “that there will be summat to talk on.”
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1
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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2
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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3
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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4
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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5
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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6
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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7
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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8
gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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9
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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10
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
inciting
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| 刺激的，煽动的 | |
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12
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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13
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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14
mandate
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| n.托管地；命令，指示 | |
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15
aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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16
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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18
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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19
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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20
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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21
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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22
demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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24
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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25
aprons
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| 围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份） | |
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26
garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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28
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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29
toady
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| v.奉承；n.谄媚者，马屁精 | |
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30
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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31
scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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32
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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33
hooted
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
mole
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| n.胎块；痣；克分子 | |
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35
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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36
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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37
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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38
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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39
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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40
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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41
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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42
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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43
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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44
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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45
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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47
grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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48
fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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49
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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