第 14 节
作者:世纪史诗      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9321
  Oh! the horror of that agonizing thrill! (I can feel the place in frosty
  weather   still)。   For   a   week   from   ten   to   four   I   was   fastened   to   the   floor;
  While a mercenary wopped me with a will
  They branded   me   and   broke   me   on   a wheel; And   they  left   me   in   an
  hospital   to   heal; And;   upon   my   solemn   word;   I   have   never   never   heard
  What those Tartars had determined to reveal。
  But that day of sorrow; misery; and rage; I shall carry to the Catacombs
  of    Age;   Photographically        lined   On   the   tablet   of  my    mind;    When     a
  yesterday has faded from its page
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  Ballad: Ellen McJones Aberdeen
  MACPHAIRSON   CLONGLOCKETTY  ANGUS   McCLAN   Was   the
  son of an elderly labouring man; You've guessed him a Scotchman; shrewd
  reader; at sight; And p'r'aps altogether; shrewd reader; you're right。
  From the bonnie blue Forth to the lovely Deeside; Round by Dingwall
  and Wrath to the mouth of the Clyde; There wasn't a child or a woman or
  man Who could pipe with CLONGLOCKETTY ANGUS McCLAN。
  No    other   could   wake   such   detestable   groans;   With   reed  and   with
  chaunter … with bag and with drones: All day and ill night he delighted the
  chiels With sniggering pibrochs and jiggety reels。
  He'd     clamber    a   mountain    and    squat   on   the  ground;    And    the
  neighbouring maidens would gather around To list to the pipes and to gaze
  in his een; Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
  All   loved   their   McCLAN;   save   a   Sassenach   brute; Who   came   to   the
  Highlands to fish and to shoot; He dressed himself up in a Highlander way;
  Tho' his name it was PATTISON CORBY TORBAY。
  TORBAY        had   incurred   a  good    deal  of  expense    To   make    him   a
  Scotchman   in   every  sense;   But this   is   a  matter;   you'll   readily  own; That
  isn't a question of tailors alone。
  A Sassenach chief may be bonily built; He may purchase a sporran; a
  bonnet; and kilt; Stick a skean in his hose … wear an acre of stripes … But he
  cannot assume an affection for pipes。
  CLONGLOCKETY'S pipings all night and all day Quite frenzied poor
  PATTISON   CORBY   TORBAY;   The   girls   were   amused   at   his   singular
  spleen; Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN;
  〃MACPHAIRSON             CLONGLOCKETTY              ANGUS;      my    lad;  With
  pibrochs and reels you are driving me mad。 If you really must play on that
  cursed affair; My goodness! play something resembling an air。〃
  Boiled over the   blood   of   MACPHAIRSON McCLAN   … The   Clan   of
  Clonglocketty rose as one man; For all were enraged at the insult; I ween …
  Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
  〃Let's   show;〃    said  McCLAN;       〃to   this  Sassenach    loon   That   the
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  bagpipes CAN play him a regular tune。 Let's see;〃 said McCLAN; as he
  thoughtfully sat; 〃'IN MY COTTAGE' is easy … I'll practise at that。〃
  He   blew   at   his   〃Cottage;〃   and   blew   with   a   will;   For   a   year;   seven
  months; and a fortnight; until (You'll hardly believe it) McCLAN; I declare;
  Elicited something resembling an air。
  It was wild … it was fitful … as wild as the breeze … It wandered about
  into several keys; It was jerky; spasmodic; and harsh; I'm aware; But still it
  distinctly suggested an air。
  The   Sassenach   screamed;   and   the   Sassenach   danced;   He   shrieked   in
  his agony … bellowed and pranced; And the maidens who gathered rejoiced
  at the scene … Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
  〃Hech gather; hech gather; hech gather around; And fill a' ye lugs wi'
  the exquisite sound。 An air fra' the bagpipes … beat that if ye can! Hurrah
  for CLONGLOCKETTY ANGUS McCLAN!〃
  The   fame   of   his   piping   spread   over   the   land:   Respectable   widows
  proposed for his   hand; And maidens   came flocking   to sit on the green   …
  Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
  One morning the fidgety Sassenach swore He'd stand it no longer … he
  drew his claymore; And (this was; I think; in extremely bad taste) Divided
  CLONGLOCKETTY close to the waist。
  Oh! loud were the wailings for ANGUS McCLAN; Oh! deep was the
  grief for that excellent man; The maids stood aghast at the horrible scene …
  Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
  It   sorrowed   poor   PATTISON   CORBY  TORBAY  To   find   them   〃take
  on〃   in   this   serious   way;   He   pitied   the   poor   little   fluttering   birds;   And
  solaced their souls with the following words:
  〃Oh; maidens;〃 said PATTISON; touching his hat; 〃Don't blubber; my
  dears;  for   a   fellow   like   that;   Observe;   I'm  a   very  superior   man; A  much
  better fellow than ANGUS McCLAN。〃
  They smiled when he winked and addressed them as 〃dears;〃 And they
  all   of   them   vowed;   as   they   dried   up   their   tears; A  pleasanter   gentleman
  never was seen … Especially ELLEN McJONES ABERDEEN。
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  Ballad: Peter The Wag
  Policeman   PETER   forth   I   drag   From   his   obscure   retreat:   He   was   a
  merry genial wag; Who loved a mad conceit。 If he were asked the time of
  day;   By   country   bumpkins      green;   He   not   unfrequently   would      say;  〃A
  quarter past thirteen。〃
  If ever you by word of mouth Inquired of MISTER FORTH The way
  to somewhere in the South; He always sent you North。 With little boys his
  beat along He loved to stop and play; He loved to send old ladies wrong;
  And teach their feet to stray。
  He   would   in   frolic   moments;   when   Such   mischief   bent   upon;   Take
  Bishops up as betting men … Bid Ministers move on。 Then all the worthy
  boys he knew He regularly licked; And always collared people who Had
  had their pockets picked。
  He   was   not   naturally   bad;   Or   viciously   inclined;   But   from   his   early
  youth he had A waggish turn of mind。 The Men of London grimly scowled
  With indignation wild; The Men of London gruffly growled; But PETER
  calmly smiled。
  Against this minion of the Crown The swelling murmurs grew … From
  Camberwell to Kentish Town … From Rotherhithe to Kew。 Still humoured
  he his wagsome turn; And fed in various ways The coward rage that dared
  to burn; But did not dare to blaze。
  Still; Retribution has her day; Although her flight is slow: ONE DAY
  THAT  CRUSHER  LOST  HIS WAY  NEAR  POLAND  STREET;   SOHO。
  The haughty boy; too proud to ask; To find his way resolved; And in the
  tangle of his task Got more and more involved。
  The   Men   of   London;   overjoyed;   Came   there   to   jeer   their   foe;   And
  flocking   crowds   completely   cloyed   The   mazes   of   Soho。   The   news   on
  telegraphic wires Sped swiftly o'er the lea; Excursion trains from distant
  shires Brought myriads to see。
  For   weeks   he   trod   his   self…made   beats   Through   Newport…   Gerrard…
  Bear…    Greek…    Rupert…    Frith…  Dean…    Poland…    Streets;   And    into  Golden
  Square。 But all; alas! in vain; for when He tried to learn the way Of little
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  boys or grown…up men; They none of them would say。
  Their   eyes   would   flash   …   their   teeth   would   grind   …   Their   lips   would
  tightly curl … They'd say; 〃Thy way thyself must find; Thou misdirecting
  churl!〃    And;    similarly;   also;  when    He   tried  a  foreign    friend;  Italians
  answered; 〃IL BALEN〃 … The French; 〃No comprehend。〃
  The Russ would say with gleaming eye 〃 Sevastopol!〃 and groan。 The
  Greek said; 'GREEK TEXT WHICH CANNOT BE REPRODUCED'。〃 To
  wander   thus   for   many   a   year   That   Crusher   never   ceased   …   The   Men   of
  London dropped a tear; Their anger was appeased
  At length exploring gangs were sent To find poor FORTH'S remains …
  A  handsome   grant by  Parliament Was   voted   for   their   pains。 To   seek   the
  poor policeman out Bold spirits volunteered; And when they swore they'd
  solve the doubt; The Men of London cheered。
  And in a yard; dark; dank; and drear; They found him; on the floor … It
  leads    from   Richmond      Buildings     …  near  The   Royalty    stage…door。    With
  brandy cold and brandy hot They plied him; starved and wet; And made
  him sergeant on the spot … The Men of London's pet!
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