LILLY'S EUPHUES.
Among the worthies4 of the village, that enjoy the peculiar5 confidence of Master Simon, is one who has struck my fancy so much that I have thought him worthy6 of a separate notice. It is Slingsby, the schoolmaster, a thin, elderly man, rather threadbare and slovenly7, somewhat indolent in manner, and with an easy, good-humoured look, not often met with in his craft. I have been interested in his favour by a few anecdotes8 which I have picked up concerning him.
He is a native of the village, and was a contemporary and playmate of Ready-Money Jack9 in the days of their boyhood. Indeed, they carried on a kind of league of mutual10 good offices. Slingsby was rather puny11, and withal somewhat of a coward, but very apt at his learning; Jack, on the contrary, was a bully-boy out of doors, but a sad laggard12 at his books. Slingsby helped Jack, therefore, to all his lessons: Jack fought all Slingsby's battles; and they were inseparable friends. This mutual kindness continued even after they left school, notwithstanding the dissimilarity of their characters. Jack took to ploughing and reaping, and prepared himself to till his paternal13 acres; while the other loitered negligently14 on in the path of learning, until he penetrated15 even into the confines of Latin and mathematics.
In an unlucky hour, however, he took to reading voyages and travels, and was smitten16 with a desire to see the world. This desire increased upon him as he grew up; so, early one bright, sunny morning, he put all his effects in a knapsack, slung17 it on his back, took staff in hand, and called in his way to take leave of his early schoolmate. Jack was just going out with the plough: the friends shook hands over the farm-house gate; Jack drove his team afield, and Slingsby whistled "Over the hills, and far away," and sallied forth18 gaily19 to "seek his fortune."
Years and years passed by, and young Tom Slingsby was forgotten: when, one mellow20 Sunday afternoon in autumn, a thin man, somewhat advanced in life, with a coat out at elbows, a pair of old nankeen gaiters, and a few things tied in a handkerchief, and slung on the end of a stick, was seen loitering through the village. He appeared to regard several houses attentively21, to peer into the windows that were open, to eye the villagers wistfully as they returned from church, and then to pass some time in the churchyard, reading the tombstones.
At length he found his way to the farm-house of Ready-Money Jack, but paused ere he attempted the wicket; contemplating23 the picture of substantial independence before him. In the porch of the house sat Ready-Money Jack, in his Sunday dress, with his hat upon his head, his pipe in his mouth, and his tankard before him, the monarch24 of all he surveyed. Beside him lay his fat house-dog. The varied25 sounds of poultry26 were heard from the well-stocked farm-yard; the bees hummed from their hives in the garden; the cattle lowed in the rich meadow: while the crammed27 barns and ample stacks bore proof of an abundant harvest.
The stranger opened the gate and advanced dubiously28 towards the house. The mastiff growled29 at the sight of the suspicious-looking intruder, but was immediately silenced by his master, who, taking his pipe from his mouth, awaited with inquiring aspect the address of this equivocal personage. The stranger eyed old Jack for a moment, so portly in his dimensions, and decked out in gorgeous apparel; then cast a glance upon his own threadbare and starveling condition, and the scanty30 bundle which he held in his hand; then giving his shrunk waistcoat a twitch31 to make it meet his receding32 waistband; and casting another look, half sad, half humorous at the sturdy yeoman, "I suppose," said he, "Mr. Tibbets, you have forgot old times and old playmates?"
The latter gazed at him with scrutinizing33 look, but acknowledged that he had no recollection of him.
Slingsby and Ready-Money Jack
"Like enough, like enough," said the stranger; "everybody seems to have forgotten poor Slingsby?"
"Why, no sure! it can't be Tom Slingsby?"
"Yes, but it is, though!" replied the stranger, shaking his head.
Ready-Money Jack was on his feet in a twinkling; thrust out his hand, gave his ancient crony the gripe of a giant, and slapping the other hand on a bench, "Sit down there," cried he, "Tom Slingsby!"
A long conversation ensued about old times, while Slingsby was regaled with the best cheer that the farm-house afforded; for he was hungry as well as wayworn, and had the keen appetite of a poor pedestrian. The early playmates then talked over their subsequent lives and adventures. Jack had but little to relate, and was never good at a long story. A prosperous life, passed at home, has little incident for narrative34; it is only poor devils, that are tossed about the world, that are the true heroes of story. Jack had stuck by the paternal farm, followed the same plough that his forefathers35 had driven, and had waxed richer and richer as he grew older. As to Tom Slingsby, he was an exemplification of the old proverb, "A rolling stone gathers no moss1." He had sought his fortune about the world, without ever finding it, being a thing oftener found at home than abroad. He had been in all kinds of situations, and had learned a dozen different modes of making a living; but had found his way back to his native village rather poorer than when he left it, his knapsack having dwindled36 down to a scanty bundle.
As luck would have it, the squire37 was passing by the farm-house that very evening, and called there, as is often his custom. He found the two schoolmates still gossiping in the porch, and, according to the good old Scottish song, "taking a cup of kindness yet, for auld3 lang syne38." The squire was struck by the contrast in appearance and fortunes of these early playmates. Ready-Money Jack, seated in lordly state, surrounded by the good things of this life, with golden guineas hanging to his very watch chain, and the poor pilgrim Slingsby, thin as a weasel, with all his worldly effects, his bundle, hat, and walking-staff, lying on the ground beside him.
The good squire's heart warmed towards the luckless cosmopolite, for he is a little prone39 to like such half-vagrant40 characters. He cast about in his mind how he should contrive41 once more to anchor Slingsby in his native village. Honest Jack had already offered him a present shelter under his roof, in spite of the hints, and winks42, and half remonstrances43 of the shrewd Dame44 Tibbets; but how to provide for his permanent maintenance was the question. Luckily the squire bethought himself that the village school was without a teacher. A little further conversation convinced him that Slingsby was as fit for that as for anything else, and in a day or two he was seen swaying the rod of empire in the very school-house where he had often been horsed in the days of his boyhood.
Here he has remained for several years, and being honoured by the countenance45 of the squire, and the fast friendship of Mr. Tibbets, he has grown into much importance and consideration in the village. I am told, however, that he still shows, now and then, a degree of restlessness, and a disposition46 to rove abroad again, and see a little more of the world; an inclination47 which seems particularly to haunt him about spring-time. There is nothing so difficult to conquer as the vagrant humour, when once it has been fully22 indulged.
Since I have heard these anecdotes of poor Slingsby, I have more than once mused48 upon the picture presented by him and his schoolmate Ready-Money Jack, on their coming together again after so long a separation. It is difficult to determine between lots in life, where each is attended with its peculiar discontents. He who never leaves his home repines at his monotonous49 existence, and envies the traveller, whose life is a constant tissue of wonder and adventure; while he, who is tossed about the world, looks back with many a sigh to the safe and quiet shore which he has abandoned. I cannot help thinking, however, that the man that stays at home, and cultivates the comforts and pleasures daily springing up around him, stands the best chance for happiness. There is nothing so fascinating to a young mind as the idea of travelling; and there is very witchcraft50 in the old phrase found in every nursery tale, of "going to seek one's fortune." A continual change of place, and change of object, promises a continual succession of adventure and gratification of curiosity. But there is a limit to all our enjoyments51, and every desire bears its death in its very gratification. Curiosity languishes52 under repeated stimulants53, novelties cease to excite surprise, until at length we cannot wonder even at a miracle. He who has sallied forth into the world, like poor Slingsby, full of sunny anticipations54, finds too soon how different the distant scene becomes when visited. The smooth place roughens as he approaches; the wild place becomes tame and barren; the fairy tints55 that beguiled56 him on still fly to the distant hill, or gather upon the land he has left behind, and every part of the landscape seems greener than the spot he stands on.
点击收听单词发音
1 moss | |
n.苔,藓,地衣 | |
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2 cleave | |
v.(clave;cleaved)粘着,粘住;坚持;依恋 | |
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3 auld | |
adj.老的,旧的 | |
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4 worthies | |
应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 ); 值得做某事; 可尊敬的; 有(某人或事物)的典型特征 | |
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5 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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6 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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7 slovenly | |
adj.懒散的,不整齐的,邋遢的 | |
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8 anecdotes | |
n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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9 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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10 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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11 puny | |
adj.微不足道的,弱小的 | |
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12 laggard | |
n.落后者;adj.缓慢的,落后的 | |
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13 paternal | |
adj.父亲的,像父亲的,父系的,父方的 | |
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14 negligently | |
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15 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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16 smitten | |
猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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17 slung | |
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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18 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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19 gaily | |
adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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20 mellow | |
adj.柔和的;熟透的;v.变柔和;(使)成熟 | |
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21 attentively | |
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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22 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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23 contemplating | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
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24 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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25 varied | |
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
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26 poultry | |
n.家禽,禽肉 | |
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27 crammed | |
adj.塞满的,挤满的;大口地吃;快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满;填入;临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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28 dubiously | |
adv.可疑地,怀疑地 | |
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29 growled | |
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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30 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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31 twitch | |
v.急拉,抽动,痉挛,抽搐;n.扯,阵痛,痉挛 | |
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32 receding | |
v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 );向后倾斜;自原处后退或避开别人的注视;尤指问题 | |
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33 scrutinizing | |
v.仔细检查,详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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34 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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35 forefathers | |
n.祖先,先人;祖先,祖宗( forefather的名词复数 );列祖列宗;前人 | |
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36 dwindled | |
v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37 squire | |
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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38 syne | |
adv.自彼时至此时,曾经 | |
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39 prone | |
adj.(to)易于…的,很可能…的;俯卧的 | |
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40 vagrant | |
n.流浪者,游民;adj.流浪的,漂泊不定的 | |
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41 contrive | |
vt.谋划,策划;设法做到;设计,想出 | |
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42 winks | |
v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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43 remonstrances | |
n.抱怨,抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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44 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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45 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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46 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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47 inclination | |
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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48 mused | |
v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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49 monotonous | |
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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50 witchcraft | |
n.魔法,巫术 | |
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51 enjoyments | |
愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 ); 令人愉快的事物; 享有; 享受 | |
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52 languishes | |
长期受苦( languish的第三人称单数 ); 受折磨; 变得(越来越)衰弱; 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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53 stimulants | |
n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 );含兴奋剂的饮料;刺激物;激励物 | |
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54 anticipations | |
预期( anticipation的名词复数 ); 预测; (信托财产收益的)预支; 预期的事物 | |
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55 tints | |
色彩( tint的名词复数 ); 带白的颜色; (淡色)染发剂; 痕迹 | |
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56 beguiled | |
v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 );使陶醉;使高兴;消磨(时间等) | |
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