the uncommercial traveller-第25部分

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profound　despondency。　　Arriving　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　and

coming　close　to　the　figure；　you　observe　it　to　be　the　figure　of　a

shabby　young　man。　　He　is　moving　painfully　forward；　in　the　direction

in　which　you　are　going；　and　his　mind　is　so　preoccupied　with　his

misfortunes　that　he　is　not　aware　of　your　approach　until　you　are

close　upon　him　at　the　hill…foot。　　When　he　is　aware　of　you；　you

discover　him　to　be　a　remarkably　well…behaved　young　man；　and　a

remarkably　well…spoken　young　man。　　You　know　him　to　be　well…behaved；

by　his　respectful　manner　of　touching　his　hat：　　you　know　him　to　be

well…spoken；　by　his　smooth　manner　of　expressing　himself。　　He　says

in　a　flowing　confidential　voice；　and　without　punctuation；　'I　ask

your　pardon　sir　but　if　you　would　excuse　the　liberty　of　being　so

addressed　upon　the　public　Iway　by　one　who　is　almost　reduced　to　rags

though　it　as　not　always　been　so　and　by　no　fault　of　his　own　but

through　ill　elth　in　his　family　and　many　unmerited　sufferings　it

would　be　a　great　obligation　sir　to　know　the　time。'　　You　give　the

well…spoken　young　man　the　time。　　The　well…spoken　young　man；　keeping

well　up　with　you；　resumes：　　'I　am　aware　sir　that　it　is　a　liberty　to

intrude　a　further　question　on　a　gentleman　walking　for　his

entertainment　but　might　I　make　so　bold　as　ask　the　favour　of　the　way

to　Dover　sir　and　about　the　distance？'　　You　inform　the　well…spoken

young　man　that　the　way　to　Dover　is　straight　on；　and　the　distance

some　eighteen　miles。　　The　well…spoken　young　man　becomes　greatly

agitated。　　'In　the　condition　to　which　I　am　reduced；'　says　he；　'I

could　not　ope　to　reach　Dover　before　dark　even　if　my　shoes　were　in　a

state　to　take　me　there　or　my　feet　were　in　a　state　to　old　out　over

the　flinty　road　and　were　not　on　the　bare　ground　of　which　any

gentleman　has　the　means　to　satisfy　himself　by　looking　Sir　may　I

take　the　liberty　of　speaking　to　you？'　　As　the　well…spoken　young　man

keeps　so　well　up　with　you　that　you　can't　prevent　his　taking　the

liberty　of　speaking　to　you；　he　goes　on；　with　fluency：　　'Sir　it　is

not　begging　that　is　my　intention　for　I　was　brought　up　by　the　best

of　mothers　and　begging　is　not　my　trade　I　should　not　know　sir　how　to

follow　it　as　a　trade　if　such　were　my　shameful　wishes　for　the　best

of　mothers　long　taught　otherwise　and　in　the　best　of　omes　though　now

reduced　to　take　the　present　liberty　on　the　Iway　Sir　my　business　was

the　law…stationering　and　I　was　favourably　known　to　the　Solicitor…

General　the　Attorney…General　the　majority　of　the　judges　and　the　ole

of　the　legal　profession　but　through　ill　elth　in　my　family　and　the

treachery　of　a　friend　for　whom　I　became　security　and　he　no　other

than　my　own　wife's　brother　the　brother　of　my　own　wife　I　was　cast

forth　with　my　tender　partner　and　three　young　children　not　to　beg

for　I　will　sooner　die　of　deprivation　but　to　make　my　way　to　the　sea…

port　town　of　Dover　where　I　have　a　relative　i　in　respect　not　only

that　will　assist　me　but　that　would　trust　me　with　untold　gold　Sir　in

appier　times　and　hare　this　calamity　fell　upon　me　I　made　for　my

amusement　when　I　little　thought　that　I　should　ever　need　it

excepting　for　my　air　this'　…　here　the　well…spoken　young　man　put　his

hand　into　his　breast　…　'this　comb！　　Sir　I　implore　you　in　the　name

of　charity　to　purchase　a　tortoiseshell　comb　which　is　a　genuine

article　at　any　price　that　your　humanity　may　put　upon　it　and　may　the

blessings　of　a　ouseless　family　awaiting　with　beating　arts　the

return　of　a　husband　and　a　father　from　Dover　upon　the　cold　stone

seats　of　London…bridge　ever　attend　you　Sir　may　I　take　the　liberty

of　speaking　to　you　I　implore　you　to　buy　this　comb！'　　By　this　time；

being　a　reasonably　good　walker；　you　will　have　been　too　much　for　the

well…spoken　young　man；　who　will　stop　short　and　express　his　disgust

and　his　want　of　breath；　in　a　long　expectoration；　as　you　leave　him

behind。



Towards　the　end　of　the　same　walk；　on　the　same　bright　summer　day；　at

the　corner　of　the　next　little　town　or　village；　you　may　find　another

kind　of　tramp；　embodied　in　the　persons　of　a　most　exemplary　couple

whose　only　improvidence　appears　to　have　been；　that　they　spent　the

last　of　their　little　All　on　soap。　　They　are　a　man　and　woman；

spotless　to　behold　…　John　Anderson；　with　the　frost　on　his　short

smock…frock　instead　of　his　'pow；'　attended　by　Mrs。　Anderson。　　John

is　over…ostentatious　of　the　frost　upon　his　raiment；　and　wears　a

curious　and；　you　would　say；　an　almost　unnecessary　demonstration　of

girdle　of　white　linen　wound　about　his　waist　…　a　girdle；　snowy　as

Mrs。　Anderson's　apron。　　This　cleanliness　was　the　expiring　effort　of

the　respectable　couple；　and　nothing　then　remained　to　Mr。　Anderson

but　to　get　chalked　upon　his　spade　in　snow…white　copy…book

characters；　HUNGRY！　and　to　sit　down　here。　　Yes；　one　thing　more

remained　to　Mr。　Anderson　…　his　character；　Monarchs　could　not

deprive　him　of　his　hard…earned　character。　　Accordingly；　as　you　come

up　with　this　spectacle　of　virtue　in　distress；　Mrs。　Anderson　rises；

and　with　a　decent　curtsey　presents　for　your　consideration　a

certificate　from　a　Doctor　of　Divinity；　the　reverend　the　Vicar　of

Upper　Dodgington；　who　informs　his　Christian　friends　and　all　whom　it

may　concern　that　the　bearers；　John　Anderson　and　lawful　wife；　are

persons　to　whom　you　cannot　be　too　liberal。　　This　benevolent　pastor

omitted　no　work　of　his　hands　to　fit　the　good　couple　out；　for　with

half　an　eye　you　can　recognise　his　autograph　on　the　spade。



Another　class　of　tramp　is　a　man；　the　most　valuable　part　of　whose

stock…in…trade　is　a　highly　perplexed　demeanour。　　He　is　got　up　like

a　countryman；　and　you　will　often　come　upon　the　poor　fellow；　while

he　is　endeavouring　to　decipher　the　inscription　on　a　milestone　…

quite　a　fruitless　endeavour；　for　he　cannot　read。　　He　asks　your

pardon；　he　truly　does　（he　is　very　slow　of　speech；　this　tramp；　and

he　looks　in　a　bewildered　way　all　round　the　prospect　while　he　talks

to　you）；　but　all　of　us　shold　do　as　we　wold　be　done　by；　and　he'll

take　it　kind；　if　you'll　put　a　power　man　in　the　right　road　fur　to

jine　his　eldest　son　as　has　broke　his　leg　bad　in　the　masoning；　and

is　in　this　heere　Orspit'l　as　is　wrote　down　by　Squire　Pouncerby's

own　hand　as　wold　not　tell　a　lie　fur　no　man。　　He　then　produces　from

under　his　dark　frock　（being　always　very　slow　and　perplexed）　a　neat

but　worn　old　leathern　purse；　from　which　he　takes　a　scrap　of　paper。

On　this　scrap　of　paper　is　written；　by　Squire　Pouncerby；　of　The

Grove；　'Please　to　direct　the　Bearer；　a　poor　but　very　worthy　man；　to

the　Sussex　County　Hospital；　near　Brighton'　…　a　matter　of　some

difficulty　at　the　moment；　seeing　that　the　request　comes　suddenly

upon　you　in　the　depths　of　Hertfordshire。　　The　more　you　endeavour　to

indicate　where　Brighton　is　…　when　you　have　with　the　greatest

difficulty　remembered　…　the　less　the　devoted　father　can　be　made　to

comprehend；　and　the　more　obtusely　he　stares　at　the　prospect；

whereby；　being　reduced　to　extremity；　you　recommend　the　faithful

parent　to　begin　by　going　to　St。　Albans；　and　present　him　with　half…

a…crown。　　It　does　him　good；　no　doubt；　but　scarcely　helps　him

forward；　since　you　find　him　lying　drunk　that　same　evening　in　the

wheelwright's　sawpit　under　the　shed　where　the　felled　trees　are；

opposite　the　sign　of　the　Three　Jolly　Hedgers。



But；　the　most　vicious；　by　far；　of　all　the　idle　tramps；　is　the　tramp

who　pretends　to　have　been　a　gentleman。　　'Educated；'　he　writes；　from

the　village　beer…shop　in　pale　ink　of　a　ferruginous　complexion；

'educated　at　Trin。　Coll。　Cam。　…　nursed　in　the　lap　of　affluence　…

once　in　my　small　way　the　pattron　of　the　Muses；'　&c。　&c。　&c。　…

surely　a　sympathetic　mind　will　not　withhold　a　trifle；　to　help　him

on　to　the　market…town　where　he　thinks　of　giving　a　Lecture　to　the

FRUGES　CONSUMERE　NATI；　on　things　in　general？　　This　shameful

creature　lolling　about　hedge　tap…rooms　in　his　ragged　clothes；　now

so　far　from　being　black　that　they　look　as　if　they　never　can　have

been　black；　is　more　selfish　and　insolent　than　even　the　savage

tramp。　　He　would　sponge　on　the　poorest　boy　for　a　farthing；　and

spurn　him　when　he　had　got　it；　he　would　interpose　（if　he　could　get

anything　by　it）　between　the　baby　and　the　mother's　breast。　　So　much

lower　than　the　company　he　keeps；　for　his　maudlin　assumption　of

being　higher；　this　pitiless　rascal　blights　the　summer　road　as　he

maunders　on　between　the　luxuriant　hedges；　where　（to　my　thinking）

even　the　wild　convolvulus　and　rose　and　sweet…briar；　are　the　worse

for　his　going　by；　and　need　time　to　recover　from　the　taint　of　him　in

the　air。



The　young　fellows　who　trudge　along　barefoot；　five　or　six　together；

their　boots　slung　over　their　shoulders；　their　shabby　bundles　under

their　arms；　their　sticks　newly　cut　from　some　roadside　wood；　are　not

eminently　prepossessing；　but　are　much　less　objectionable。　　There　is

a　tramp…fellowship　among　them。　　They　pick　one　another　up　at　resting

stations；　and　go　on　in　companies。　　They　always　go　at　a　fast　swing　…

though　they　generally　limp　too　…　and　there　is　invariably　one　of　the

company　who　has　much　ado　to　keep　up　with　the　rest。　　They　generally

talk　about　horses；　and　any　other　means　of　locomotion　than　walking：

or；　one　of　the　company　relates　some　recent　experiences　of　the　road

…　which　are　always　disputes　and　difficulties。　　As　for　example。　　'So

as　I'm　a　standing　at　the　pump　in　the　market；　blest　if　there　don't

come　up　a　Beadle；　and　he　ses；　〃Mustn't　stand　here；〃　he　ses。　　〃Why

not？〃　I　ses。　　〃No　beggars　allowed　in　this　town；〃　he　ses。　　〃Who's　a

beggar？〃　I　ses。　　〃You　are；〃　he　ses。　　〃Who　ever　see　ME　beg？　　Did

YOU？〃　I　ses。　　〃Then　you're　a　tramp；〃　he　ses。　　〃I'd　rather　be　that

than　a　Beadle；〃　I　ses。'　　（The　company　express　great　approval。）

'〃Would　you？〃　he　ses　to　me。　　〃Yes；　I　would；〃　I　ses　to　him。　　〃Well；〃

he　ses；　〃anyhow；　get　out　of　this　town。〃　　〃Why；　blow　your　little

town！〃　I　ses；　〃who　wants　to　be　in　it？　　Wot　does　your　dirty　little

town　mean　by　comin'　and　stickin'　itself　in　the　road　to　anywhere？

Why　don't　you　get　a　shovel　and　a　barrer；　and　clear　your　town　out