catherine-a story(凯瑟琳的故事)-第49节
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Billings； who grinned too。 Mrs。 Cat's eyes were turned towards the ground：
but her face was deadly pale。
The party began drinking。 Hayes kept up his reputation as a toper； and
swallowed one； two； three bottles without wincing。 He grew talkative and
merry； and began to sing songs and to cut jokes； at which Wood laughed
hugely； and Billings after him。 Mrs。 Cat could not laugh； but sat silent。
What ailed her？ Was she thinking of the Count？ She had been with
Max that day； and had promised him； for the next night at ten； an interview
near his lodgings at Whitehall。 It was the first time that she would see him
alone。 They were to meet （not a very cheerful place for a love…tryst） at St。
Margaret's churchyard； near Westminster Abbey。 Of this； no doubt； Cat
was thinking； but what could she mean by whispering to Wood； 〃No； no！
for God's sake； not tonight！〃
〃She means we are to have no more liquor；〃 said Wood to Mr。 Hayes；
who heard this sentence； and seemed rather alarmed。
〃That's it；no more liquor；〃 said Catherine eagerly； 〃you have had
enough to…night。 Go to bed； and lock your door； and sleep； Mr。 Hayes。〃
〃But I say I've NOT had enough drink！〃 screamed Hayes； 〃I'm good
for five bottles more； and wager I will drink them too。〃
〃Done； for a guinea！〃 said Wood。
〃Done； and done！〃 said Billings。
〃Be YOU quiet！〃 growled Hayes； scowling at the lad。 〃I will drink
what I please； and ask no counsel of yours。〃 And he muttered some more
curses against young Billings； which showed what his feelings were
towards his wife's son； and which the latter； for a wonder； only received
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with a scornful smile； and a knowing look at Wood。
Well！ the five extra bottles were brought； and drunk by Mr。 Hayes； and
seasoned by many songs from the recueil of Mr。 Thomas d'Urfey and
others。 The chief part of the talk and merriment was on Hayes's part； as；
indeed； was natural；for； while he drank bottle after bottle of wine； the
other two gentlemen confined themselves to small beer；both pleading
illness as an excuse for their sobriety。
And now might we depict； with much accuracy； the course of Mr。
Hayes's intoxication； as it rose from the merriment of the three…bottle point
to the madness of the fourfrom the uproarious quarrelsomeness of the
sixth bottle to the sickly stupidity of the seventh； but we are desirous of
bringing this tale to a conclusion； and must pretermit all consideration of a
subject so curious； so instructive； and so delightful。 Suffice it to say； as a
matter of history； that Mr。 Hayes did actually drink seven bottles of
mountain…wine； and that Mr。 Thomas Billings went to the 〃Braund's
Head；〃 in Bond Street； and purchased another； which Hayes likewise
drank。
〃That'll do；〃 said Mr。 Wood to young Billings； and they led Hayes up
to bed； whither； in truth； he was unable to walk himself。
* * *
Mrs。 Springatt； the lodger； came down to ask what the noise was。 〃'Tis
only Tom Billings making merry with some friends from the country；〃
answered Mrs。 Hayes； whereupon Springatt retired； and the house was
quiet。
* * *
Some scuffling and stamping was heard about eleven o'clock。
* * *
After they had seen Mr。 Hayes to bed； Billings remembered that he
had a parcel to carry to some person in the neighbourhood of the Strand；
and； as the night was remarkably fine； he and Mr。 Wood agreed to walk
together； and set forth accordingly。
（Here follows a description of the THAMES AT MIDNIGHT； in a fine
historical style； with an account of Lambeth； Westminster； the Savoy；
Baynard's Castle； Arundel House； the Temple； of Old London Bridge； with
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its twenty arches； 〃on which be houses builded； so that it seemeth rather a
continuall street than a bridge；〃of Bankside； and the 〃Globe〃 and the
〃Fortune〃 Theatres； of the ferries across the river； and of the pirates who
infest the samenamely； tinklermen； petermen； hebbermen； trawlermen； of
the fleet of barges that lay at the Savoy steps； and of the long lines of slim
wherries sleeping on the river banks and basking and shining in the
moonbeams。 A combat on the river is described； that takes place between
the crews of a tinklerman's boat and the water…bailiffs。 Shouting his war…
cry； 〃St。 Mary Overy a la rescousse！〃 the water…bailiff sprung at the throat
of the tinklerman captain。 The crews of both vessels； as if aware that the
struggle of their chiefs would decide the contest； ceased hostilities； and
awaited on their respective poops the issue of the death…shock。 It was not
long coming。 〃Yield； dog！〃 said the water…bailiff。 The tinklerman could
not answerfor his throat was grasped too tight in the iron clench of the
city champion； but drawing his snickersnee； he plunged it seven times in
the bailiff's chest： still the latter fell not。 The death…rattle gurgled in the
throat of his opponent； his arms fell heavily to his side。 Foot to foot； each
standing at the side of his boat； stood the brave menTHEY WERE
BOTH DEAD！ 〃In the name of St。 Clement Danes；〃 said the master； 〃give
way； my men！〃 and； thrusting forward his halberd （seven feet long； richly
decorated with velvet and brass nails； and having the city arms； argent； a
cross gules； and in the first quarter a dagger displayed of the second）； he
thrust the tinklerman's boat away from his own； and at once the bodies of
the captains plunged down； down； down； down in the unfathomable
waters。
After this follows another episode。 Two masked ladies quarrel at the
door of a tavern overlooking the Thames： they turn out to be Stella and
Vanessa； who have followed Swift thither； who is in the act of reading
〃Gulliver's Travels〃 to Gay； Arbuthnot； Bolingbroke； and Pope。 Two
fellows are sitting shuddering under a doorway； to one of them Tom
Billings flung a sixpence。 He little knew that the names of those two
young men wereSamuel Johnson and Richard Savage。）
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ANOTHER LAST CHAPTER。
Mr。 Hayes did not join the family the next day； and it appears that the
previous night's reconciliation was not very durable； for when Mrs。
Springatt asked Wood for Hayes； Mr。 Wood stated that Hayes had gone
away without saying whither he was bound； or how long he might be
absent。 He only said； in rather a sulky tone； that he should probably pass
the night at a friend's house。 〃For my part； I know of no friend he hath；〃
added Mr。 Wood； 〃and pray Heaven that he may not think of deserting his
poor wife； whom he hath beaten and ill…used so already！〃 In this prayer
Mrs。 Springatt joined； and so these two worthy people parted。
What business Billings was about cannot be said； but he was this night
bound towards Marylebone Fields； as he was the night before for the
Strand and Westminster； and； although the night was very stormy and
rainy； as the previous evening had been fine； old Wood good…naturedly
resolved upon accompanying him； and forth they sallied together。
Mrs。 Catherine； too； had HER business； as we have seen； but this was
of a very delicate nature。 At nine o'clock； she had an appointment with the
Count； and faithfully； by that hour； had found her way to Saint Margaret's
churchyard； near Westminster Abbey； where she awaited Monsieur de
Galgenstein。
The spot was convenient； being very lonely； and at the same time close
to the Count's lodgings at Whitehall。 His Excellency came； but somewhat
after the hour； for； to say the truth； being a freethinker； he had the most
firm belief in ghosts and demons； and did not care to pace a churchyard
alone。 He was comforted； therefore； when he saw a woman muffled in a
cloak； who held out her hand to h
