Chapter 47

Departure From Horncastle — Recruiting Sergeant¹ — Kauloes and Lolloes.

Leaving Horncastle I bent² my steps in the direction of the east. 179 I walked at a brisk rate, and late in the evening reached a large town, 180 situate at the entrance of an extensive firth, or arm of the sea, which prevented my further progress eastward³. Sleeping that night in the suburbs of the town, I departed early next morning in the direction of the south. A walk of about twenty miles brought me to another large town, 181 situated⁴ on a river, where I again turned towards the east. At the end of the town I was accosted⁵ by a fiery-faced individual, somewhat under the middle size, dressed as a recruiting sergeant.

‘Young man,’ said the recruiting sergeant, ‘you are just the kind of person to serve the Honourable⁶ East India Company.’

‘I had rather the Honourable Company should serve me,’ said I.

‘Of course, young man. Well, the Honourable East India Company shall serve you — that’s reasonable. Here, take this shilling; ‘t is service-money. The Honourable Company engages to serve you, and you the Honourable Company; both parties shall be thus served; that’s just and reasonable.’

‘And what must I do for the Company?’

‘Only go to India; that’s all.’

‘And what should I do in India?’

‘Fight, my brave boy! fight, my youthful hero!’

‘What kind of country is India?’

‘The finest country in the world! Rivers bigger than the Ouse! Hills higher than anything near Spalding! Trees — you never saw such trees! Fruits — you never saw such fruits!’

‘And the people — what kind of folk are they?’

‘Pah! Kauloes — blacks — a set of rascals⁷ not worth regarding.’

‘Kauloes!’ said I; ‘blacks!’

‘Yes,’ said the recruiting sergeant; ‘and they call us lolloes, which in their beastly gibberish means reds.’

‘Lolloes!’ said I; ‘reds!’

‘Yes,’ said the recruiting sergeant, ‘kauloes and lolloes; and all the lolloes have to do is to kick and cut down the kauloes, and take from them their rupees, which mean silver money. Why do you stare so?’

‘Why,’ said I, ‘this is the very language of Mr. Petulengro.’

‘Mr. Pet —?’

‘Yes,’ said I, ‘and Tawno Chikno.’

‘Tawno Chik —? I say, young fellow, I don’t like your way of speaking; no, nor your way of looking. You are mad, sir; you are mad; and what’s this? Why your hair is grey! You won’t do for the Honourable Company — they like red. I’m glad I didn’t give you the shilling. Good day to you.’

‘I shouldn’t wonder,’ said I, as I proceeded rapidly along a broad causeway, in the direction of the east, ‘if Mr. Petulengro and Tawno Chikno came originally from India. I think I’ll go there.’

1 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

4 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

5 accosted   

v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭

参考例句：

• She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 honourable   

adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的

参考例句：

• I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
• I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

7 rascals   

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

参考例句：

• "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。
• "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。