contributions to all the year round-第2部分

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reading…desk　within；　and　inquiring　its　use：



〃I　have　Service　there；〃　said　Friar　Bacon。　　〃They　never　went　anywhere

to　hear　prayers；　and　of　course　it　would　be　hopeless　to　help　them　to

be　happier　and　better；　if　they　had　no　religious　feeling　at　all。〃



〃The　whole　place　is　very　pretty。〃　　Thus　the　sage。



〃I　am　glad　you　think　so。　　I　built　it　for　the　holders　of　the

Allotment…grounds；　and　gave　it　them：　　only　requiring　them　to　manage

it　by　a　committee　of　their　own　appointing；　and　never　to　get　drunk

there。　　They　never　have　got　drunk　there。〃



〃Yet　they　have　their　beer　freely？〃



〃O　yes。　　As　much　as　they　choose　to　buy。　　The　club　gets　its　beer

direct　from　the　brewer；　by　the　barrel。　　So　they　get　it　good；　at　once

much　cheaper；　and　much　better；　than　at　the　public…house。　　The

members　take　it　in　turns　to　be　steward；　and　serve　out　the　beer：　　if

a　man　should　decline　to　serve　when　his　turn　came；　he　would　pay　a

fine　of　twopence。　　The　steward　lasts；　as　long　as　the　barrel　lasts。

When　there　is　a　new　barrel；　there　is　a　new　steward。〃



〃What　a　noble　fire　is　roaring　up　that　chimney！〃



〃Yes；　a　capital　fire。　　Every　member　pays　a　halfpenny　a　week。〃



〃Every　member　must　be　the　holder　of　an　Allotment…garden？〃



〃Yes；　for　which　he　pays　five　shillings　a　year。　　The　Allotments　you

see　about　us；　occupy　some　sixteen　or　eighteen　acres；　and　each　garden

is　as　large　as　experience　shows　one　man　to　be　able　to　manage。　　You

see　how　admirably　they　are　tilled；　and　how　much　they　get　off　them。

They　are　always　working　in　them　in　their　spare　hours；　and　when　a　man

wants　a　mug　of　beer；　instead　of　going　off　to　the　village　and　the

public…house；　he　puts　down　his　spade　or　his　hoe；　comes　to　the　club…

house　and　gets　it；　and　goes　back　to　his　work。　　When　he　has　done

work；　he　likes　to　have　his　beer　at　the　club；　still；　and　to　sit　and

look　at　his　little　crops　as　they　thrive。〃



〃They　seem　to　manage　the　club　very　well。〃



〃Perfectly　well。　　Here　are　their　own　rules。　　They　made　them。　　I

never　interfere　with　them；　except　to　advise　them　when　they　ask　me。〃





RULES　AND　REGULATIONS

MADE　BY　THE　COMMITTEE

From　the　21st　September；　1857



One　half…penny　per　week　to　be　paid　to　the　club　by　each　member



1。Each　member　to　draw　the　beer　in　order；　according　to　the　number

of　his　allotment；　on　failing；　a　forfeit　of　twopence　to　be　paid　to

the　club。



2。The　member　that　draws　the　beer　to　pay　for　the　same；　and　bring

his　ticket　up　receipted　when　the　subscriptions　are　paid；　on　failing

to　do　so；　a　penalty　of　sixpence　to　be　forfeited　and　paid　to　the

club。



3。The　subscriptions　and　forfeits　to　be　paid　at　the　club…room　on

the　last　Saturday　night　of　each　month。



4。The　subscriptions　and　forfeits　to　be　cleared　up　every　quarter；

if　not；　a　penalty　of　sixpence　to　be　paid　to　the　club。



5。The　member　that　draws　the　beer　to　be　at　the　club…room　by　six

o'clock　every　evening；　and　stay　till　ten；　but　in　the　event　of　no

member　being　there；　he　may　leave　at　nine；　on　failing　so　to　attend；　a

penalty　of　sixpence　to　be　paid　to　the　club。



6。Any　member　giving　beer　to　a　stranger　in　this　club…room；

excepting　to　his　wife　or　family；　shall　be　liable　to　the　penalty　of

one　shilling。



7。Any　member　lifting　his　hand　to　strike　another　in　this　club…room

shall　be　liable　to　the　penalty　of　sixpence。



8。Any　member　swearing　in　this　club…room　shall　be　liable　to　a

penalty　of　twopence　each　time。



9。Any　member　selling　beer　shall　be　expelled　from　the　club。



10。Any　member　wishing　to　give　up　his　allotment；　may　apply　to　the

committee；　and　they　shall　value　the　crop　and　the　condition　of　the

ground。　　The　amount　of　the　valuation　shall　be　paid　by　the　succeeding

tenant；　who　shall　be　allowed　to　enter　on　any　part　of　the　allotment

which　is　uncropped　at　the　time　of　notice　of　the　leaving　tenant。



11。Any　member　not　keeping　his　allotment…garden　clear　from　seed…

weeds；　or　otherwise　injuring　his　neighbours；　may　be　turned　out　of

his　garden　by　the　votes　of　two…thirds　of　the　committee；　one　month's

notice　being　given　to　him。



12。Any　member　carelessly　breaking　a　mug；　is　to　pay　the　cost　of

replacing　the　same。





I　was　soliciting　the　attention　of　Philosewers　to　some　old　old

bonnets　hanging　in　the　Allotment…gardens　to　frighten　the　birds；　and

the　fashion　of　which　I　should　think　would　terrify　a　French　bird　to

death　at　any　distance；　when　Philosewers　solicited　my　attention　to

the　scrapers　at　the　club…house　door。　　The　amount　of　the　soil　of

England　which　every　member　brought　there　on　his　feet；　was　indeed

surprising；　and　even　I；　who　am　professedly　a　salad…eater；　could　have

grown　a　salad　for　my　dinner；　in　the　earth　on　any　member's　frock　or

hat。



〃Now；〃　said　Friar　Bacon；　looking　at　his　watch；　〃for　the　Pig…clubs！〃



The　dreary　Sage　entreated　explanation。



〃Why；　a　pig　is　so　very　valuable　to　a　poor　labouring　man；　and　it　is

so　very　difficult　for　him　at　this　time　of　the　year　to　get　money

enough　to　buy　one；　that　I　lend　him　a　pound　for　the　purpose。　　But；　I

do　it　in　this　way。　　I　leave　such　of　the　club　members　as　choose　it

and　desire　it；　to　form　themselves　into　parties　of　five。　　To　every

man　in　each　company　of　five；　I　lend　a　pound；　to　buy　a　pig。　　But；

each　man　of　the　five　becomes　bound　for　every　other　man；　as　to　the

repayment　of　his　money。　　Consequently；　they　look　after　one　another；

and　pick　out　their　partners　with　care；　selecting　men　in　whom　they

have　confidence。〃



〃They　repay　the　money；　I　suppose；　when　the　pig　is　fattened；　killed；

and　sold？〃



〃Yes。　　Then　they　repay　the　money。　　And　they　do　repay　it。　　I　had　one

man；　last　year；　who　was　a　little　tardy　（he　was　in　the　habit　of　going

to　the　public…house）；　but　even　he　did　pay。　　It　is　an　immense

Advantage　to　one　of　these　poor　fellows　to　have　a　pig。　　The　pig

consumes　the　refuse　from　the　man's　cottage　and　allotment…garden；　and

the　pig's　refuse　enriches　the　man's　garden　besides。　　The　pig　is　the

poor　man's　friend。　　Come　into　the　club…house　again。〃



The　poor　man's　friend。　　Yes。　　I　have　often　wondered　who　really　was

the　poor　man's　friend　among　a　great　number　of　competitors；　and　I　now

clearly　perceive　him　to　be　the　pig。　　HE　never　makes　any　flourishes

about　the　poor　man。　　HE　never　gammons　the　poor　manexcept　to　his

manifest　advantage　in　the　article　of　bacon。　　HE　never　comes　down　to

this　house；　or　goes　down　to　his　constituents。　　He　openly　declares　to

the　poor　man；　〃I　want　my　sty　because　I　am　a　Pig。　　I　desire　to　have

as　much　to　eat　as　you　can　by　any　means　stuff　me　with；　because　I　am　a

Pig。〃　　HE　never　gives　the　poor　man　a　sovereign　for　bringing　up　a

family。　　HE　never　grunts　the　poor　man's　name　in　vain。　　And　when　he

dies　in　the　odour　of　Porkity；　he　cuts　up；　a　highly　useful　creature

and　a　blessing　to　the　poor　man；　from　the　ring　in　his　snout　to　the

curl　in　his　tail。　　Which　of　the　poor　man's　other　friends　can　say　as

much？　　Where　is　the　M。P。　who　means　Mere　Pork？



The　dreary　Sage　had　glided　into　these　reflections；　when　he　found

himself　sitting　by　the　club…house　fire；　surrounded　by　green　smock…

frocks　and　shapeless　hats：　　with　Friar　Bacon　lively；　busy；　and

expert；　at　a　little　table　near　him。



〃Now；　then；　come。　　The　first　five！〃　said　Friar　Bacon。　　〃Where　are

you？〃



〃Order！〃　cried　a　merry…faced　little　man；　who　had　brought　his　young

daughter　with　him　to　see　life；　and　who　always　modestly　hid　his　face

in　his　beer…mug　after　he　had　thus　assisted　the　business。



〃John　Nightingale；　William　Thrush；　Joseph　Blackbird；　Cecil　Robin；

and　Thomas　Linnet！〃　cried　Friar　Bacon。



〃Here；　sir！〃　and　〃Here；　sir！〃　　And　Linnet；　Robin；　Blackbird；　Thrush；

and　Nightingale；　stood　confessed。



We；　the　undersigned；　declare；　in　effect；　by　this　written　paper；　that

each　of　us　is　responsible　for　the　repayment　of　this　pig…money　by

each　of　the　other。　　〃Sure　you　understand；　Nightingale？〃



〃Ees；　sur。〃



〃Can　you　write　your　name；　Nightingale？〃



〃Na；　sur。〃



Nightingale's　eye　upon　his　name；　as　Friar　Bacon　wrote　it；　was　a

sight　to　consider　in　after　years。　　Rather　incredulous　was

Nightingale；　with　a　hand　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　and　his　head　on

one　side；　as　to　those　drawings　really　meaning　him。　　Doubtful　was

Nightingale　whether　any　virtue　had　gone　out　of　him　in　that　committal

to　paper。　　Meditative　was　Nightingale　as　to　what　would　come　of　young

Nightingale's　growing　up　to　the　acquisition　of　that　art。　　Suspended

was　the　interest　of　Nightingale；　when　his　name　was　doneas　if　he

thought　the　letters　were　only　sown；　to　come　up　presently　in　some

other　form。　　Prodigious；　and　wrong…handed　was　the　cross　made　by

Nightingale　on　much　encouragementthe　strokes　directed　from　him

instead　of　towards　him；　and　most　patient　and　sweet…humoured　was　the

smile　of　Nightingale　as　he　stepped　back　into　a　general　laugh。



〃Order！〃　cried　the　little　man。　　Immediately　disappearing　into　his

mug。



〃Ralph　Mangel；　Roger　Wurzel；　Edward　Vetches；　Matthew　Carrot；　and

Charles　Taters！〃　said　Friar　Bacon。



〃All　here；　sir。〃



〃You　understand　it；　Mangel？〃



〃Iss；　sir；　I　unnerstaans　it。〃



〃Can　you　write　your　name；　Mangel？〃



〃Iss；　sir。〃



Breathless　interest。　　A　dense　background　of　smock…frocks　accumulated

behind　Mangel；　and　many　eyes　in　it　looked　doubtfully　at　Friar　Bacon；

as　who　should　say；　〃Can　he　really　though？〃　　Mangel　put　down　his　hat；

retired　a　little　to　get　a　good　look　at　the　paper；　wetted　his　right

hand　thoroughly　by　drawing　it　slowly　across　his　mouth；　approached

the　paper　with　great　determination；　flattened　it；　sat　down　at　it；

and　got　well　to　his　work。　　Circuitous　and　sea…serpent…like；　were　the

movements　of　the　tongue　of　Mangel　while　he　formed　the　letters；

elevated　were　the　eyebrows　of　Mangel　and　sidelong　the　eyes；　as；　with

his　left　whisker　reposing　on　his　left　arm；　they　followed　his

performance；　many　were　the　misgivings　of　Mangel；　and　slow　was　his

retrospective　meditation　touching　the　junction　of　the　letter　p　with

h；　something　too　active　was　the　big　fore