50 bab ballads(50篇巴布歌谣)-第16部分

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THE　sun　was　setting　in　its　wonted　west；　When　HONGREE；　Sub…
Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　Met　MAHRY　DAUBIGNY；　the　Village　Rose；　
Under　the　Wizard's　Oak　…　old　trysting…place　Of　those　who　loved　in　rosy　
Aquitaine。　

They　thought　themselves　unwatched；　but　they　were　not；　For　
HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　Found　in　LIEUTENANTCOLONEL　
JOOLES　DUBOSC　A　rival；　envious　and　unscrupulous；　Who　
thought　it　not　foul　scorn　to　dodge　his　steps；　And　listen；　unperceived；　to　all　
that　passed　Between　the　simple　little　Village　Rose　And　HONGREE；　Sub…
Lieutenant　of　Chassoores。　

A　clumsy　barrack…bully　was　DUBOSC；　Quite　unfamiliar　with　the　
well…bred　tact　That　animates　a　proper　gentleman　In　dealing　with　a　girl　of　
humble　rank。　You'll　understand　his　coarseness　when　I　say　He　would　have　
married　MAHRY　DAUBIGNY；　And　dragged　the　unsophisticated　girl　Into　
the　whirl　of　fashionable　life；　For　which　her　singularly　rustic　ways；　Her　
breeding　（moral；　but　extremely　rude）；　Her　language　（chaste；　but　
ungrammatical）；　Would　absolutely　have　unfitted　her。　How　different　to　this　
unreflecting　boor　Was　HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores。　

Contemporary　with　the　incident　Related　in　our　opening　paragraph；　
Was　that　sad　war　'twixt　Gallia　and　ourselves　That　followed　on　the　treaty　
signed　at　Troyes；　And　so　LIEUTENANT…COLONEL　JOOLES　DUBOSC　
（Brave　soldier；　he；　with　all　his　faults　of　style）　And　HONGREE；　Sub…
Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　Were　sent　by　CHARLES　of　France　against　the　
lines　Of　our　Sixth　HENRY　（Fourteen　twenty…nine）；　To　drive　his　legions　
out　of　Aquitaine。　

When　HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　Returned；　
suspecting　nothing；　to　his　camp；　After　his　meeting　with　the　Village　Rose；　

98　



Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

〃Young　HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　This　night　we　
shall　attack　the　English　camp：　Be　the　'forlorn　hope'　yours　…　you'll　lead　it；　
sir；　And　lead　it　too　with　credit；　I've　no　doubt。　As　every　man　must　certainly　
be　killed　（For　you　are　twenty　'gainst　two　thousand　men）；　It　is　not　likely　
that　you　will　return。　But　what　of　that？　you'll　have　the　benefit　Of　knowing　
that　you　die　a　soldier's　death。〃　

Obedience　was　young　HONGREE'S　strongest　point；　But　he　imagined　
that　he　only　owed　Allegiance　to　his　MAHRY　and　his　King。　〃If　MAHRY　
bade　me　lead　these　fated　men；　I'd　lead　them　…but　I　do　not　think　she　would。　
If　CHARLES；　my　King；　said；　'Go；　my　son；　and　die；'　I'd　go；　of　course　…　my　
duty　would　be　clear。　But　MAHRY　is　in　bed　asleep；　I　hope；　And　
CHARLES；　my　King；　a　hundred　leagues　from　this。　As　for　LIEUTENANTCOLONEL　
JOOLES　DUBOSC；　How　know　I　that　our　monarch　would　
approve　The　order　he　has　given　me　to…night？　My　King　I've　sworn　in　all　
things　to　obey　…　I'll　only　take　my　orders　from　my　King！〃　Thus　HONGREE；　
Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores；　Interpreted　the　terms　of　his　commission。　

And　HONGREE；　who　was　wise　as　he　was　good；　Disguised　himself　
that　night　in　ample　cloak；　Round　flapping　hat；　and　vizor　mask　of　black；　
And　made；　unnoticed；　for　the　English　camp。　He　passed　the　unsuspecting　
sentinels　（Who　little　thought　a　man　in　this　disguise　Could　be　a　proper　
object　of　suspicion）；　And　ere　the　curfew　bell　had　boomed　〃lights　out；〃　He　
found　in　audience　Bedford's　haughty　Duke。　

〃Your　Grace；〃　he　said；　〃start　not　…　be　not　alarmed；　Although　a　
Frenchman　stands　before　your　eyes。　I'm　HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　
Chassoores。　My　Colonel　will　attack　your　camp　to…night；　And　orders　me　to　
lead　the　hope　forlorn。　Now　I　am　sure　our　excellent　KING　CHARLES　
Would　not　approve　of　this；　but　he's　away　A　hundred　leagues；　and　rather　
more　than　that。　So；　utterly　devoted　to　my　King；　Blinded　by　my　attachment　
to　the　throne；　And　having　but　its　interest　at　heart；　I　feel　it　is　my　duty　to　
disclose　All　schemes　that　emanate　from　COLONEL　JOOLES；　If　I　believe　
that　they　are　not　the　kind　Of　schemes　that　our　good　monarch　would　

99　



Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

〃But　how；〃　said　Bedford's　Duke；　〃do　you　propose　That　we　should　
overthrow　your　Colonel's　scheme？〃　And　HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　
Chassoores；　Replied　at　once　with　never…failing　tact：　〃Oh；　sir；　I　know　this　
cursed　country　well。　Entrust　yourself　and　all　your　host　to　me；　I'll　lead　you　
safely　by　a　secret　path　Into　the　heart　of　COLONEL　JOOLES'　array；　And　
you　can　then　attack　them　unprepared；　And　slay　my　fellow…countrymen　
unarmed。〃　

The　thing　was　done。　The　DUKE　of　BEDFORD　gave　The　order；　and　
two　thousand　fighting　men　Crept　silently　into　the　Gallic　camp；　And　slew　
the　Frenchmen　as　they　lay　asleep；　And　Bedford's　haughty　Duke　slew　
COLONEL　JOOLES；　And　gave　fair　MAHRY；　pride　of　Aquitaine；　To　
HONGREE；　Sub…Lieutenant　of　Chassoores。　

100　



Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

THE　BALLYSHANNON　foundered　off　the　coast　of　Cariboo；　And　
down　in　fathoms　many　went　the　captain　and　the　crew；　Down　went　the　
owners　…　greedy　men　whom　hope　of　gain　allured：　Oh；　dry　the　starting　tear；　
for　they　were　heavily　insured。　

Besides　the　captain　and　the　mate；　the　owners　and　the　crew；　The　
passengers　were　also　drowned　excepting　only　two：　Young　PETER　GRAY；　
who　tasted　teas　for　BAKER；　CROOP；　AND　CO。；　And　SOMERS；　who　
from　Eastern　shores　imported　indigo。　

These　passengers；　by　reason　of　their　clinging　to　a　mast；　Upon　a　desert　
island　were　eventually　cast。　They　hunted　for　their　meals；　as　
ALEXANDER　SELKIRK　used；　But　they　couldn't　chat　together　…　they　had　
not　been　introduced。　

For　PETER　GRAY；　and　SOMERS　too；　though　certainly　in　trade；　Were　
properly　particular　about　the　friends　they　made；　And　somehow　thus　they　
settled　it　without　a　word　of　mouth　…　That　GRAY　should　take　the　northern　
half；　while　SOMERS　took　the　south。　

On　PETER'S　portion　oysters　grew　…　a　delicacy　rare；　But　oysters　were　a　
delicacy　PETER　couldn't　bear。　On　SOMERS'　side　was　turtle；　on　the　
shingle　lying　thick；　Which　SOMERS　couldn't　eat；　because　it　always　made　
him　sick。　

GRAY　gnashed　his　teeth　with　envy　as　he　saw　a　mighty　store　Of　turtle　
unmolested　on　his　fellow…creature's　shore。　The　oysters　at　his　feet　aside　
impatiently　he　shoved；　For　turtle　and　his　mother　were　the　only　things　he　
loved。　

And　SOMERS　sighed　in　sorrow　as　he　settled　in　the　south；　For　the　
thought　of　PETER'S　oysters　brought　the　water　to　his　mouth。　He　longed　to　
lay　him　down　upon　the　shelly　bed；　and　stuff：　He　had　often　eaten　oysters；　
but　had　never　had　enough。　

How　they　wished　an　introduction　to　each　other　they　had　had　When　on　
board　the　BALLYSHANNON！　And　it　drove　them　nearly　mad　To　think　
how　very　friendly　with　each　other　they　might　get；　If　it　wasn't　for　the　

101　



Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

One　day；　when　out　a…hunting　for　the　MUS　RIDICULUS；　GRAY　
overheard　his　fellow…man　soliloquizing　thus：　〃I　wonder　how　the　playmates　
of　my　youth　are　getting　on；　M'CONNELL；　S。　B。　WALTERS；　PADDY　
BYLES；　and　ROBINSON？〃　

These　simple　words　made　PETER　as　delighted　as　could　be；　Old　
chummies　at　the　Charterhouse　were　ROBINSON　and　he！　He　walked　
straight　up　to　SOMERS；　then　he　turned　extremely　red；　Hesitated；　hummed　
and　hawed　a　bit；　then　cleared　his　throat；　and　said：　

I　beg　your　pardon　…　pray　forgive　me　if　I　seem　too　bold；　But　you　have　
breathed　a　name　I　knew　familiarly　of　old。　You　spoke　aloud　of　ROBINSON　

…　I　happened　to　be　by。　You　know　him？〃　〃Yes；　extremely　well。〃　〃Allow　me；　
so　do　I。〃　
It　was　enough：　they　felt　they　could　more　pleasantly　get　on；　For　（ah；　the　
magic　of　the　fact！）　they　each　knew　ROBINSON！　And　Mr。　SOMERS'　turtle　
was　at　PETER'S　service　quite；　And　Mr。　SOMERS　punished　PETER'S　
oyster…beds　all　night。　

They　soon　became　like　brothers　from　community　of　wrongs：　They　
wrote　each　other　little　odes　and　sang　each　other　songs；　They　told　each　
other　anecdotes　disparaging　their　wives；　On　several　occasions；　too；　they　
saved　each　other's　lives。　

They　felt　quite　melancholy　when　they　parted　for　the　night；　And　got　up　
in　the　morning　soon　as　ever　it　was　light；　Each　other's　pleasant　company　
they　reckoned　so　upon；　And　all　because　it　happened　that　they　both　knew　
ROBINSON！　

They　lived　for　many　years　on　that　inhospitable　shore；　And　day　by　day　
they　learned　to　love　each　other　more　and　more。　At　last；　to　their　
astonishment；　on　getting　up　one　day；　They　saw　a　frigate　anchored　in　the　
offing　of　the　bay。　

To　PETER　an　idea　occurred。　〃Suppose　we　cross　the　main？　So　good　an　
opportunity　may　not　be　found　again。〃　And　SOMERS　thought　a　minute；　
then　ejaculated；　〃Done！　I　wonder　how　my　business　in　the　City's　getting　
on？〃　

〃But　stay；〃　said　Mr。　PETER：　〃when　in　England；　as　you　know；　I　earned　

102　



Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

Fifty　〃Bab〃　Ballads　…　Much　Sound　and　Little　Sense　

…　my　employers　think　me　dead！〃　〃Then　come　with　me；〃　said　SOMERS；　
〃and　taste　indigo　instead。〃　
But　all　their　plans　were　scattered　in　a　moment　when　they　found　The　
vessel　was　a　convict　ship　from　Portland；　outward　bound；　When　a　boat　
came　off　to　fetch　them；　though　they　felt　it　very　kind；　To　go　on　board　they　
firmly　but　respectfully　declined。　

As　both　the　happy　settlers　roared　with　laughter　at　the　joke；　They　
recognized　a　gentlemanly　fellow　pulling　stroke：　'Twas　ROBINSON　…　a　
convict；　in　an　unbecoming　frock！　Condemned　to　seven　years　for　
misappropriating　stock！！！　

They　laughed　no　more；　for　SOMERS　thought　he　had　been　rather　rash　
In　knowing　one　whose　friend　had　misappropriated　cash；　And　PETER　
thought　a　foolish　tack　he　must　have　gone　upon　In　making　the　acquaintance　
of　a　friend　of　ROBINSON。　

At　first　they　didn't　quarrel　very　openly；　I've　heard；　They　nodded　when　
they　met；　and　now　and　then　exchanged　a　word：　The　word　grew　rare；　and　
rarer　still　the　nodding　of　the　head；　And　when　they　meet　each　other　now；　
they　cut　each　other　dead。　

To　allocate　the　island　they　agreed　by　word　of　mouth；　And　PETER　
takes　the　north　again；　and　SOMERS　takes　the　south；　And　PETER　has　the　
oysters；　which　he　hates；　in　layers　thick；　And　SOMERS　has　the　turtle　turtle　
always　makes　him　sick。　

103　



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