XXI. THAT OF THE RETIRED PORK-BUTCHER AND THE SPOOK.

 I may as well

Proceed to tell

About a Mister Higgs,

Who grew quite rich

In trade—the which

Was selling pork and pigs.

From trade retired¹,

He much desired

To rank with gentlefolk,

So bought a place

He called "The Chase,"

And furnished it—old oak.

Ancestors got

(Twelve pounds the lot,

In Tottenham Court Road);

A pedigree—

For nine pounds three,—

The Heralds²' Court bestowed³.

Within the hall,

And on the wall,

Hung armour⁴ bright and strong.

"To Ethelbred"—

The label read—

De Higgs, this did belong."

'Twas quite complete,

This country seat,

Yet neighbours stayed away.

Nobody called,—

Higgs was blackballed,—

Which caused him great dismay.

"Why can it be?"

One night said he

When thinking of it o'er.

There came a knock

('Twas twelve o'clock)

Upon his chamber⁵ door.

 

Higgs cried, "Come in!"

A vapour thin

The keyhole wandered through.

Higgs rubbed his eyes

In mild surprise:

A ghost appeared in view.

"I beg," said he,

"You'll pardon me,

In calling rather late.

A family ghost,

I seek a post,

With wage commensurate.

"I'll serve you well;

My 'fiendish yell'

Is certain sure to please.

'Sepulchral⁶ tones,'

And 'rattling⁷ bones,'

I'm very good at these.

"Five bob I charge

To roam at large,

With 'clanking chains' ad lib.;

I do such things

As 'gibberings'

At one-and-three per gib.

"Or, by the week,

I merely seek

Two pounds—which is not dear;

Because I need,

Of course, no feed,

No washing, and no beer."

Higgs thought it o'er

A bit, before

He hired the family ghost,

But, finally,

He did agree

To give to him the post.

It got about—

You know, no doubt,

How quickly such news flies—

Throughout the place,

From "Higgses Chase"

Proceeded ghostly cries.

The rumour⁸ spread,

Folks shook their head,

But dropped in one by one.

A bishop⁹ came

(Forget his name),

And then the thing was done.

For afterwards

All left their cards,

"Because," said they, "you see,

One who can boast

A family ghost

Respectable must be."

* * *

 

When it was due,

The "ghostes's" screw

Higgs raised—as was but right—

They often play,

In friendly way,

A game of cards at night.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 heralds   

n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

4 armour   

（=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队

参考例句：

• His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
• Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 sepulchral   

adj.坟墓的，阴深的

参考例句：

• He made his way along the sepulchral corridors.他沿着阴森森的走廊走着。
• There was a rather sepulchral atmosphere in the room.房间里有一种颇为阴沉的气氛。

7 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

8 rumour   

n.谣言，谣传，传闻

参考例句：

• I should like to know who put that rumour about.我想知道是谁散布了那谣言。
• There has been a rumour mill on him for years.几年来，一直有谣言产生，对他进行中伤。

9 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。