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the bab ballads-第9部分
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Or with her tears anoint him:
She shook his hand; and said 〃Good…bye;〃
With laughter dancing in her eye …
Which seemed to disappoint him。
But ere he went aboard his boat;
He placed around her little throat
A ribbon; blue and yellow;
On which he hung a double…tooth …
A simple token this; in sooth …
'Twas all he had; poor fellow!
〃I often wonder;〃 he would say;
When very; very far away;
〃If ANGELINA wears it?
A plan has entered in my head:
I will pretend that I am dead;
And see how ANGY bears it。〃
The news he made a messmate tell。
His ANGELINA bore it well;
No sign gave she of crazing;
But; steady as the Inchcape Rock;
His ANGELINA stood the shock
With fortitude amazing。
She said; 〃Some one I must elect
Poor ANGELINA to protect
From all who wish to harm her。
Since worthy CAPTAIN TODD is dead;
I rather feel inclined to wed
A comfortable farmer。〃
A comfortable farmer came
(BASSANIO TYLER was his name);
Who had no end of treasure。
He said; 〃My noble gal; be mine!〃
The noble gal did not decline;
But simply said; 〃With pleasure。〃
When this was told to CAPTAIN TODD;
At first he thought it rather odd;
And felt some perturbation;
But very long he did not grieve;
He thought he could a way perceive
To SUCH a situation!
〃I'll not reveal myself;〃 said he;
〃Till they are both in the Ecclesiastical arena;
Then suddenly I will appear;
And paralysing them with fear;
Demand my ANGELINA!〃
At length arrived the wedding day;
Accoutred in the usual way
Appeared the bridal body;
The worthy clergyman began;
When in the gallant Captain ran
And cried; 〃Behold your TODDY!〃
The bridegroom; p'raps; was terrified;
And also possibly the bride …
The bridesmaids WERE affrighted;
But ANGELINA; noble soul;
Contrived her feelings to control;
And really seemed delighted。
〃My bride!〃 said gallant CAPTAIN TODD;
〃She's mine; uninteresting clod!
My own; my darling charmer!〃
〃Oh dear;〃 said she; 〃you're just too late …
I'm married to; I beg to state;
This comfortable farmer!〃
〃Indeed;〃 the farmer said; 〃she's mine:
You've been and cut it far too fine!〃
〃I see;〃 said TODD; 〃I'm beaten。〃
And so he went to sea once more;
〃Sensation〃 he for aye forswore;
And married on her native shore
A lady whom he'd met before …
A lovely Otaheitan。
Ballad: Tempora Mutantur
Letters; letters; letters; letters!
Some that please and some that bore;
Some that threaten prison fetters
(Metaphorically; fetters
Such as bind insolvent debtors) …
Invitations by the score。
One from COGSON; WILES; and RAILER;
My attorneys; off the Strand;
One from COPPERBLOCK; my tailor …
My unreasonable tailor …
One in FLAGG'S disgusting hand。
One from EPHRAIM and MOSES;
Wanting coin without a doubt;
I should like to pull their noses …
Their uncompromising noses;
One from ALICE with the roses …
Ah; I know what that's about !
Time was when I waited; waited
For the missives that she wrote;
Humble postmen execrated …
Loudly; deeply execrated …
When I heard I wasn't fated
To be gladdened with a note!
Time was when I'd not have bartered
Of her little pen a dip
For a peerage duly gartered …
For a peerage starred and gartered …
With a palace…office chartered;
Or a Secretaryship。
But the time for that is over;
And I wish we'd never met。
I'm afraid I've proved a rover …
I'm afraid a heartless rover …
Quarters in a place like Dover
Tend to make a man forget。
Bills for carriages and horses;
Bills for wine and light cigar;
Matters that concern the Forces …
News that may affect the Forces …
News affecting my resources;
Much more interesting are!
And the tiny little paper;
With the words that seem to run
From her little fingers taper
(They are very small and taper);
By the tailor and the draper
Are in interest outdone。
And unopened it's remaining!
I can read her gentle hope …
Her entreaties; uncomplaining
(She was always uncomplaining);
Her devotion never waning …
Through the little envelope!
Ballad: At A Pantomime。 By A Bilious One
An Actor sits in doubtful gloom;
His stock…in…trade unfurled;
In a damp funereal dressing…room
In the Theatre Royal; World。
He comes to town at Christmas…time;
And braves its icy breath;
To play in that favourite pantomime;
HARLEQUIN LIFE AND DEATH。
A hoary flowing wig his weird
Unearthly cranium caps;
He hangs a long benevolent beard
On a pair of empty chaps。
To smooth his ghastly features down
The actor's art he cribs; …
A long and a flowing padded gown。
Bedecks his rattling ribs。
He cries; 〃Go on … begin; begin!
Turn on the light of lime …
I'm dressed for jolly Old Christmas; in
A favourite pantomime!〃
The curtain's up … the stage all black …
Time and the year nigh sped …
Time as an advertising quack …
The Old Year nearly dead。
The wand of Time is waved; and lo!
Revealed Old Christmas stands;
And little children chuckle and crow;
And laugh and clap their hands。
The cruel old scoundrel brightens up
At the death of the Olden Year;
And he waves a gorgeous golden cup;
And bids the world good cheer。
The little ones hail the festive King; …
No thought can make them sad。
Their laughter comes with a sounding ring;
They clap and crow like mad!
They only see in the humbug old
A holiday every year;
And handsome gifts; and joys untold;
And unaccustomed cheer。
The old ones; palsied; blear; and hoar;
Their breasts in anguish beat …
They've seen him seventy times before;
How well they know the cheat!
They've seen that ghastly pantomime;
They've felt its blighting breath;
They know that rollicking Christmas…time
Meant Cold and Want and Death; …
Starvation … Poor Law Union fare …
And deadly cramps and chills;
And illness … illness everywhere;
And crime; and Christmas bills。
They know Old Christmas well; I ween;
Those men of ripened age;
They've often; often; often seen
That Actor off the stage!
They see in his gay rotundity
A clumsy stuffed…out dress …
They see in the cup he waves on high
A tinselled emptiness。
Those aged men so lean and wan;
They've seen it all before;
They know they'll see the charlatan
But twice or three times more。
And so they bear with dance and song;
And crimson foil and green;
They wearily sit; and grimly long
For the Transformation Scene。
Ballad: King Borria Bungalee Boo
KING BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO
Was a man…eating African swell;
His sigh was a hullaballoo;
His whisper a horrible yell …
A horrible; horrible yell!
Four subjects; and all of them male;
To BORRIA doubled the knee;
They were once on a far larger scale;
But he'd eaten the balance; you see
(〃Scale〃 and 〃balance〃 is punning; you see)。
There was haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH;
There was lumbering DOODLE…DUM…DEY;
Despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH;
And good little TOOTLE…TUM…TEH …
Exemplary TOOTLE…TUM…TEH。
One day there was grief in the crew;
For they hadn't a morsel of meat;
And BORRIA BUNGALEE BOO
Was dying for something to eat …
〃Come; provide me with something to eat!
〃ALACK…A…DEY; famished I feel;
Oh; good little TOOTLE…TUM…TEH;
Where on earth shall I look for a meal?
For I haven't no dinner to…day! …
Not a morsel of dinner to…day!
〃Dear TOOTLE…TUM; what shall we do?
Come; get us a meal; or; in truth;
If you don't; we shall have to eat you;
Oh; adorable friend of our youth!
Thou beloved little friend of our youth!〃
And he answered; 〃Oh; BUNGALEE BOO;
For a moment I hope you will wait; …
TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO
Is the Queen of a neighbouring state …
A remarkably neighbouring state。
〃TIPPY…WIPPITY TOL…THE…ROL…LOO;
She would pickle deliciously cold …
And her four pretty Amazons; too;
Are enticing; and not very old …
Twenty…seven is not very old。
〃There is neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH;
There is rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH;
There is jocular WAGGETY…WEH;
There is musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH …
There's the nightingale DOH…REH…MI…FAH!〃
So the forces of BUNGALEE BOO
Marched forth in a terrible row;
And the ladies who fought for QUEEN LOO
Prepared to encounter the foe …
This dreadful; insatiate foe!
But they sharpened no weapons at all;
And they poisoned no arrows … not they!
They made ready to conquer or fall
In a totally different way …
An entirely different way。
With a crimson and pearly…white dye
They endeavoured to make themselves fair;
With black they encircled each eye;
And with yellow they painted their hair
(It was wool; but they thought it was hair)。
And the forces they met in the field:…
And the men of KING BORRIA said;
〃Amazonians; immediately yield!〃
And their arrows they drew to the head …
Yes; drew them right up to the head。
But jocular WAGGETY…WEH
Ogled DOODLE…DUM…DEY (which was wrong);
And neat little TITTY…FOL…LEH
Said; 〃TOOTLE…TUM; you go along!
You naughty old dear; go along!〃
And rollicking TRAL…THE…RAL…LAH
Tapped ALACK…A…DEY…AH with her fan;
And musical DOH…REH…MI…FAH
Said; 〃PISH; go away; you bad man!
Go away; you delightful young man!〃
And the Amazons simpered and sighed;
And they ogled; and giggled; and flushed;
And they opened their pretty eyes wide;
And they chuckled; and flirted; and blushed
(At least; if they could; they'd have blushed)。
But haughty PISH…TUSH…POOH…BAH
Said; 〃ALACK…A…DEY; what does this mean?〃
And despairing ALACK…A…DEY…AH
Said; 〃They think us uncommonly green!
Ha! ha! most uncommonly green!〃
Even blundering DOODLE…DUM…DEY
Was insensible quite to their leers;
And said good little TOOTLE…TUM…TEH;
〃It's your blood we de
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