第20章

but，then，hiswaysandmanners!-IconfessIdonotlikethem，andthattheygivemenolittleuneasiness-IknowthathekeptverystrangecompanywhenhewasinIreland；peopleofevilreport，ofwhomterriblethingsweresaid-horse-witchesandthelike。I

questionedhimonceortwiceuponthematter，andeventhreatenedhim，butitwasofnouse；heputonalookasifhedidnotunderstandme，aregularIrishlook，justsuchaoneasthoserascalsassumewhentheywishtoappearallinnocenceandsimplicity，andtheyfullofmaliceanddeceitallthetime。I

don’tlikethem；theyarenofriendstooldEngland，oritsoldking，Godblesshim!Theyarenotgoodsubjects，andneverwere；

alwaysinleaguewithforeignenemies。WhenIwasintheColdstream，longbeforetheRevolution，IusedtohearenoughabouttheIrishbrigadeskeptbytheFrenchkings，tobeathorninthesideoftheEnglishwheneveropportunityserved。OldSergeantMeredithoncetoldmethatinthetimeofthePretendertherewerealways，inLondonalone，adozenoffellowsconnectedwiththesebrigades，withtheviewofseducingtheking’ssoldiersfromtheirallegiance，andpersuadingthemtodeserttoFrancetojointhehonestIrish，astheywerecalled。Oneofthesetraitorsonceaccostedhimandproposedthemattertohim，offeringhandfulsofgoldifhecouldinduceanyofhiscomradestogoover。Meredithappearedtoconsent，butsecretlygaveinformationtohiscolonel；

thefellowwasseized，andcertaintraitorouspapersfounduponhim；hewashangedbeforeNewgate，anddiedexultinginhistreason。HisnamewasMichaelNowlan。ThateversonofmineshouldhavebeenintimatewiththePapistIrish，andhavelearnttheirlanguage!’

’Buthethinksofotherthingsnow，’saidmymother。

’Otherlanguages，youmean，’saidmyfather。’Itisstrangethathehasconceivedsuchazestforthestudyoflanguages；nosoonerdidhecomehomethanhepersuadedmetosendhimtothatoldpriesttolearnFrenchandItalian，and，ifIrememberright，youabettedhim；but，asIsaidbefore，itisinthenatureofwomeninvariablytotakethepartofthesecond-born。Well，thereisnoharminlearningFrenchandItalian，perhapsmuchgoodinhiscase，astheymaydrivetheothertongueoutofhishead。Irish!why，hemightgototheuniversitybutforthat；buthowwouldhelookwhen，onbeingexaminedwithrespecttohisattainments，itwasdiscoveredthatheunderstoodIrish？Howdidyoulearnit？theywouldaskhim；howdidyoubecomeacquaintedwiththelanguageofPapistsandrebels？Theboywouldbesentawayindisgrace。’

’Beundernoapprehension，Ihavenodoubtthathehaslongsinceforgottenit。’

’Iamgladtohearit，’saidmyfather；’for，betweenourselves，I

lovethepoorchild；ay，quiteaswellasmyfirst-born。Itrusttheywilldowell，andthatGodwillbetheirshieldandguide；I

havenodoubtHewill，forIhavereadsomethingintheBibletothateffect。Whatisthattextabouttheyoungravensbeingfed？’

’Iknowabetterthanthat，’saidmymother；’oneofDavid’sownwords，“Ihavebeenyoungandnowamgrownold，yetneverhaveI

seentherighteousmanforsaken，orhisseedbeggingtheirbread。“’

Ihaveheardtalkofthepleasuresofidleness，yetitismyownfirmbeliefthatnooneeveryettookpleasureinit。Mereidlenessisthemostdisagreeablestateofexistence，andbothmindandbodyarecontinuallymakingeffortstoescapefromit。Ithasbeensaidthatidlenessistheparentofmischief，whichisverytrue；butmischiefitselfismerelyanattempttoescapefromthedrearyvacuumofidleness。Therearemanytasksandoccupationswhichamanisunwillingtoperform，butletnoonethinkthatheisthereforeinlovewithidleness；heturnstosomethingwhichismoreagreeabletohisinclination，anddoubtlessmoresuitedtohisnature；butheisnotinlovewithidleness。Aboymayplaythetruantfromschoolbecausehedislikesbooksandstudy；but，dependuponit，heintendsdoingsomethingthewhile-togofishing，orperhapstotakeawalk；andwhoknowsbutthatfromsuchexcursionsbothhismindandbodymayderivemorebenefitthanfrombooksandschool？Manypeoplegotosleeptoescapefromidleness；theSpaniardsdo；and，accordingtotheFrenchaccount，JohnBull，the’squire，hangshimselfinthemonthofNovember；buttheFrench，whoareaverysensiblepeople，attributetheactionAUNEGRANDE

ENVIEDESEDESENNUYER；hewishestobedoingsomething，saythey，andhavingnothingbettertodo，hehasrecoursetothecord。

Itwasforwantofsomethingbettertodothat，shortlyaftermyreturnhome，Iappliedmyselftothestudyoflanguages。BytheacquisitionofIrish，withthefirstelementsofwhichIhadbecomeacquaintedunderthetuitionofMurtagh，Ihadcontractedacertainzestandinclinationforthepursuit。YetitisprobablethathadIbeenlaunchedaboutthistimeintosomeagreeablecareer，thatofarmsforexample，forwhich，beingthesonofasoldier，Ihad，aswasnatural，asortofpenchant，Imighthavethoughtnothingmoreoftheacquisitionoftonguesofanykind；but，havingnothingtodo，Ifollowedtheonlycoursesuitedtomygeniuswhichappearedopentome。

Soitcametopassthatoneday，whilstwanderinglistlesslyaboutthestreetsoftheoldtown，Icametoasmallbook-stall，andstopping，commencedturningoverthebooks；Itookupatleastadozen，andalmostinstantlyflungthemdown。Whatweretheytome？

Atlast，comingtoathickvolume，Iopenedit，andafterinspectingitscontentsforafewminutes，Ipaidforitwhatwasdemanded，andforthwithcarriedithome。

Itwasatessaraglotgrammar；astrangeoldbook，printedsomewhereinHolland，whichpretendedtobeaneasyguidetotheacquirementoftheFrench，Italian，LowDutch，andEnglishtongues，bymeansofwhichanyoneconversantinanyoneoftheselanguagescouldmakehimselfmasteroftheotherthree。IturnedmyattentiontotheFrenchandItalian。Theoldbookwasnotofmuchvalue；Iderivedsomebenefitfromit，however，and，conningitintensely，attheendofafewweeksobtainedsomeinsightintothestructureofthesetwolanguages。AtlengthIhadlearntallthatthebookwascapableofinformingme，yetwasstillfarfromthegoaltowhichithadpromisedtoconductme。’IwishIhadamaster!’I

exclaimed；andthemasterwasathand。Inanoldcourtoftheoldtownlivedacertainelderlypersonage，perhapssixty，orthereabouts；hewasrathertall，andsomethingofarobustmake，withacountenanceinwhichbluffnesswassingularlyblendedwithvivacityandgrimace；andwithacomplexionwhichwouldhavebeenruddy，butforayellowhuewhichratherpredominated。Hisdressconsistedofasnuff-colouredcoatanddrabpantaloons，theformerevidentlyseldomsubjectedtotheannoyanceofabrush，andthelatterexhibitinghereandtherespotsofsomethingwhich，ifnotgrease，boreastrongresemblancetoit；addtothesearticlesanimmensefrill，seldomofthepurestwhite，butinvariablyofthefinestFrenchcambric，andyouhavesomeideaofhisdress。Hehadratheraremarkablestoop，buthisstepwasrapidandvigorous，andashehurriedalongthestreets，hewouldglancetotherightandleftwithapairofbigeyeslikeplums，andonrecognisinganyonewouldexaltapairofgrizzledeyebrows，andslightlykissatawnyandunglovedhand。Atcertainhoursofthedaybemightbeseenenteringthedoorsoffemaleboarding-schools，generallywithabookinhishand，andperhapsanotherjustpeeringfromtheorificeofacapaciousbackpocket；andatacertainseasonoftheyearhemightbeseen，dressedinwhite，beforethealtarofacertainsmallpopishchapel，chantingfromthebreviaryinveryintelligibleLatin，orperhapsreadingfromthedeskinutterlyunintelligibleEnglish。SuchwasmypreceptorintheFrenchandItaliantongues。’Exulsacerdos；vonebanishedpriest。IcameintoEnglandtwenty-fiveyearago，“mydear。“’

CHAPTERXV

MonsieurDante-Condemnedmusket-Sporting-Sweetrivulet-TheEarl’sHome-Thepool-Thesonorousvoice-Whatdostthouread？-

Manofpeace-ZoharandMishna-Money-changers。

SoIstudiedFrenchandItalianunderthetuitionofthebanishedpriest，towhosehouseIwentregularlyeveryeveningtoreceiveinstruction。Imadeconsiderableprogressintheacquisitionofthetwolanguages。IfoundtheFrenchbyfarthemostdifficult，chieflyonaccountoftheaccent，whichmymasterhimselfpossessedinnogreatpurity，beingaNormanbybirth。TheItalianwasmyfavourite。

’Vousserezunjourungrandphilologue，moncher，’saidtheoldman，onourarrivingattheconclusionofDante’sHell。

’IhopeIshallbesomethingbetter，’saidI，’beforeIdie，orI

shallhavelivedtolittlepurpose。’

’That’strue，mydear!philologist-onesmallpoordog。Whatwouldyouwishtobe？’

’Manythingssoonerthanthat；forexample，Iwouldratherbelikehimwhowrotethisbook。’

’Quoi，MonsieurDante？Hewasavagabond，mydear，forcedtoflyfromhiscountry。No，mydear，ifyouwouldbelikeonepoet，belikeMonsieurBoileau；heisthepoet。’

’Idon’tthinkso。’

’How，notthinkso？Hewroteveryrespectableverses；livedanddiedmuchrespectedbyeverybody。T’other，onebaddog，forcedtoflyfromhiscountry-diedwithnotenoughtopayhisundertaker。’

’Wereyounotforcedtofleefromyourcountry？’

’Thatverytrue；butthereismuchdifferencebetweenmeandthisDante。Hefledfromcountrybecausehehadonebadtonguewhichheshookathisbetters。Iflybecausebeneficegone，andheadgoing；

notonaccountofthebadnessofmytongue。’

’Well，’saidI，’youcanreturnnow；theBourbonsarerestored。’

’Ifindmyselfverywellhere；notbadcountry。IlestvraiquelaFranceseratoujourslaFrance；butallaredeadtherewhoknewme。

Ifindmyselfverywellhere。Preachinpopishchapel，teachschismatic，thatisProtestant，childtonguesandliterature。I

findmyselfverywell；andwhy？BecauseIknowhowtogovernmytongue；nevercallpeoplehardnames。Mafoi，ilyabeaucoupdedifferenceentremoietcesacredeDante。’