Among the loungers who loitered at the door of the "Cock and Anchor," as the day wore on, there appeared a personage whom it behoves us to describe. This was a small man, with a very red face and little grey eyes—he wore a cloth coat of sky blue, with here and there a piece of silver lace laid upon it without much regard to symmetry; for the scissors had evidently displaced far the greater part of the original decorations, whose primitive1 distribution might be traced by the greater freshness of the otherwise faded cloth which they had covered, as well as by some stray threads, which stood like stubbles here and there to mark the ravages2 of the sickle3. One hand was buried in the deep flap pocket of a waistcoat of the same hue4 and material, and bearing also, in like manner, the evidences of a very decided5 retrenchment6 in the article of silver lace. These symptoms of economy, however, in no degree abated7 the evident admiration8 with which the wearer every now and then stole a glance on what remained of its pristine9 splendours—a glance which descended10 not ungraciously upon a leg in whose fascinations11 its owner reposed12 an implicit13 faith. His right hand held a tobacco-pipe, which, although its contents were not ignited, he carried with a luxurious14 nonchalance15 ever and anon to the corner of his mouth, where it afforded him sundry16 imaginary puffs—a cheap and fanciful luxury, in which my Irish readers need not be told their humbler countrymen, for lack of better, are wont17 to indulge. He leaned against one of the stout18 wooden pillars on which the front of the building was reared, and interlarded his economical pantomime of pipe-smoking with familiar and easy conversation with certain of the outdoor servants of the inn—a familiarity which argued not any sense of superiority proportionate to the pretension19 of his attire20.
"And so," said the little man, turning with an aristocratic ease towards a stout fellow in a jerkin, with bluff21 visage and folded arms, who stood beside him, and addressing him in a most melodious22 brogue—"and so, for sartain, you have but five single gintlemen in the house—mind, I say single gintlemen—for, divil carry me if ever I take up with a family again—it doesn't answer—it don't shoot me—I was never made for a family, nor a family for me—I can't stand their b——y regularity23; and—" with a sigh of profound sentiment, and lowering his voice, he added—"and, the maid-sarvants—no, devil a taste—they don't answer—they don't shoot. My disposition24, Tom, is tindher—tindher to imbecility—I never see a petticoat but it flutters my heart—the short and the long of it is, I'm always falling in love—and sometimes the passion is not retaliated25 by the object, and more times it is—but, in both cases, I'm aiqually the victim—for my intintions is always honourable27, and of course nothin' comes of it. My life was fairly frettin' away in a dhrame of passion among the housemaids—I felt myself witherin' away like a flower in autumn—I was losing my relish28 for everything, from bacon and table-dhrink upwards—dangers were thickening round me—I had but one way to execrate29 myself—I gave notice—I departed, and here I am."
Having wound up the sentence, the speaker leaned forward and spat30 passionately31 on the ground—a pause ensued, which was at length broken by the same speaker.
"Only two out of the five," said he, reflectively, "only two unprovided with sarvants."
"And neither of 'em," rejoined Tom, a blunt English groom32, "very likely to want one. The one is a lawyer, with a hack33 as lean as himself, and more holes, I warrant, than half-pence in his breeches pocket. He's out a-looking for lodgings34, I take it."
"He's not exactly what I want," rejoined the little man. "What's th'other like?"
"A gentleman, every inch, or I'm no judge," replied the groom. "He came last night, and as likely a bit of horseflesh under him as ever my two hands wisped down. He chucked me a crown-piece this morning, as if it had been no more nor a cockle shell—he did."
"By gorra, he'll do!" exclaimed the little man energetically. "It's a bargain—I'm his man."
"Ay, but you mayn't answer, brother; he mayn't take you," observed Tom.
"Wait a bit—jist wait a bit, till he sees me," replied he of the blue coat.
"Ay, wait a bit," persevered35 the groom, coolly—"wait a bit, and when he does see you, it strikes me wery possible he mayn't like your cut."
"Not like my cut!" exclaimed the little man, as soon as he had recovered breath; for the bare supposition of such an occurrence involved in his opinion so utter and astounding36 a contradiction of all the laws by which human antipathies37 and affections are supposed to be regulated, that he felt for a moment as if his whole previous existence had been a dream and an illusion. "Not like my cut!"
"No," rejoined the groom, with perfect imperturbability38.
The little man deigned39 no other reply than that conveyed in a glance of the most inexpressible contempt, which, having wandered over the person and accoutrements of the unconscious Tom, at length settled upon his own lower extremities40, where it gradually softened41 into a gaze of melancholy42 complacency, while he muttered, with a pitying smile, "Not like my cut—not like it!" and then, turning majestically43 towards the groom, he observed, with laconic44 dignity,—
This rebuke46 had hardly been administered when the subject of their conference in person passed from the inn into the street.
"There he goes," observed Tom.
"And here I go after him," added the candidate for a place; and in a moment he was following O'Connor with rapid steps through the narrow streets of the town, southward. It occurred to him, as he hurried after his intended master, that it might not be amiss to defer47 his interview until they were out of the streets, and in some more quiet place; nor in all probability would he have disturbed himself at all to follow the young gentleman, were it not that even in the transient glimpse which he had had of the person and features of O'Connor, the little man thought, and by no means incorrectly, that he recognized the form of one whom he had often seen before.
"That's Mr. O'Connor, as sure as my name's Larry Toole," muttered the little man, half out of breath with his exertions—"an' it's himself'll be proud to get me. I wondher what he's afther now. I'll soon see, at any rate."
Thus communing within himself, Larry alternately walked and trotted48 to keep the chase in view. He might very easily have come up with the object of his pursuit, for on reaching St. Patrick's Cathedral, O'Connor paused, and for some minutes contemplated49 the old building. Larry, however, did not care to commence his intended negotiation50 in the street; he purposed giving him rope enough, having, in truth, no peculiar51 object in following him at that precise moment, beyond the gratification of an idle curiosity; he therefore hung back until O'Connor was again in motion, when he once more renewed his pursuit.
O'Connor had soon passed the smoky precincts of the town, and was now walking at a slackened pace among the green fields and the trees, all clothed in the rich melancholy hues52 of early autumn. The evening sun was already throwing its mellow53 tint26 on all the landscape, and the lengthening54 shadows told how far the day was spent. In the transition from the bustle55 of a town to the lonely quiet of the country at eventide, and especially at that season of the year when decay begins to sadden the beauties of nature, there is something at once soothing56 and unutterably melancholy. Leaving behind the glare, and dust, and hubbub57 of the town, who has not felt in his inmost heart the still appeal of nature? The saddened beauty of sear autumn, enhanced by the rich and subdued58 light of gorgeous sunset—the filmy mist—the stretching shadows—the serene59 quiet, broken only by rural sounds, more soothing even than silence—all these, contrasted with the sounds and sights of the close, restless city, speak tenderly and solemnly to the heart of man of the beauty of creation, of the goodness of God, and, along with these, of the mournful condition of all nature—change, decay, and death. Such thoughts and feelings, stealing in succession upon the heart, touch, one by one, the springs of all our sublimest60 sympathies, and fill the mind with the beautiful sense of brotherhood61, under God, with all nature. Under the not unpleasing influence of such suggestions, O'Connor slackened his pace to a slow irregular walk, which sorely tried the patience of honest Larry Toole.
"After all," exclaimed that worthy62, "it's nothin' more nor less than an evening walk he's takin', God bless the mark! What business have I followin' him? unless—see—sure enough he's takin' the short cut to the manor63. By gorra, this is worth mindin'—I must not folly64 him, however—I don't want to meet the family—so here I'll plant myself until sich times as he's comin' back again."
So saying, Larry Toole clambered to the top of the grassy65 embankment which fenced the road, and seating himself between a pair of aged66 hawthorn-trees, he watched young O'Connor as he followed the wanderings of a wild bridle-road until he was at length fairly hidden from view by the intervening trees and brushwood.
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1
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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2
ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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3
sickle
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| n.镰刀 | |
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4
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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retrenchment
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| n.节省，删除 | |
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7
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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8
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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9
pristine
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| adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的 | |
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10
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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11
fascinations
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| n.魅力( fascination的名词复数 )；有魅力的东西；迷恋；陶醉 | |
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12
reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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14
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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15
nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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16
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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17
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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19
pretension
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| n.要求；自命，自称；自负 | |
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20
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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21
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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22
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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23
regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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24
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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25
retaliated
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| v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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27
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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28
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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29
execrate
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| v.憎恶；厌恶；诅咒 | |
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30
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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31
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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32
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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33
hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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34
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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35
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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37
antipathies
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| 反感( antipathy的名词复数 )； 引起反感的事物； 憎恶的对象； （在本性、倾向等方面的）不相容 | |
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38
imperturbability
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| n.冷静；沉着 | |
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39
deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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41
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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42
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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43
majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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44
laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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45
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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46
rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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47
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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48
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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49
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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50
negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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51
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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52
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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53
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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54
lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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55
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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56
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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57
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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58
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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59
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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60
sublimest
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| 伟大的( sublime的最高级 )； 令人赞叹的； 极端的； 不顾后果的 | |
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61
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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62
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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63
manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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64
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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65
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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66
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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