burlesques-第7节
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do more for you； my lord； than thisI'm busy。 Good…by！〃 And
Rafael waved his hand to the peer； and fell to smoking his
narghilly。
A man with a square face； cat…like eyes； and a yellow moustache；
came next。 He had an hour…glass of a waist； and walked uneasily
upon his high…heeled boots。 〃Tell your master that he shall have
two millions more； but not another shilling；〃 Rafael said。 That
story about the five…and…twenty millions of ready money at
Cronstadt is all bosh。 They won't believe it in Europe。 You
understand me； Count Grogomoffski？〃
〃But his Imperial Majesty said four millions； and I shall get the
knout unless〃
〃Go and speak to Mr。 Shadrach； in room Z 94； the fourth court；〃
said Mendoza good…naturedly。 〃Leave me at peace； Count： don't you
see it is Friday； and almost sunset？〃 The Calmuck envoy retired
cringing； and left an odor of musk and candle…grease behind him。
An orange…man； an emissary from Lola Montes； a dealer in piping
bullfinches； and a Cardinal in disguise； with a proposal for a new
loan for the Pope； were heard by turns； and each； after a rapid
colloquy in his own language； was dismissed by Rafael。
〃The queen must come back from Aranjuez； or that king must be
disposed of；〃 Rafael exclaimed； as a yellow…faced amabassador from
Spain； General the Duke of Olla Podrida； left him。 〃Which shall it
be； my Codlingsby？〃 Codlingsby was about laughingly to answerfor
indeed he was amazed to find all the affairs of the world
represented here； and Holywell Street the centre of Europewhen
three knocks of a peculiar nature were heard； and Mendoza starting
up； said； 〃Ha！ there are only four men in the world who know that
signal。〃 At once； and with a reverence quite distinct from his
former nonchalant manner； he advanced towards the new…comer。
He was an old manan old man evidently； too； of the Hebrew race
the light of his eyes was unfathomableabout his mouth there
played an inscrutable smile。 He had a cotton umbrella； and old
trousers； and old boots； and an old wig； curling at the top like a
rotten old pear。
He sat down； as if tired； in the first seat at hand； as Rafael made
him the lowest reverence。
〃I am tired；〃 says he； 〃I have come in fifteen hours。 I am ill at
Neuilly；〃 he added with a grin。 〃Get me some eau sucree； and tell
me the news； Prince de Mendoza。 These bread rows； this unpopularity
of Guizot； this odious Spanish conspiracy against my darling
Montpensier and daughter； this ferocity of Palmerston against
Coletti； makes me quite ill。 Give me your opinion； my dear duke。
But ha！ whom have we here？〃
The august individual who had spoken； had used the Hebrew language
to address Mendoza； and the Lord Codlingsby might easily have
pleaded ignorance of that tongue。 But he had been at Cambridge；
where all the youth acquire it perfectly。
〃SIRE；〃 said he； 〃I will not disguise from you that I know the
ancient tongue in which you speak。 There are probably secrets
between Mendoza and your Maj〃
〃Hush！〃 said Rafael； leading him from the room。 〃Au revoir； dear
Codlingsby。 His Majesty is one of US；〃 he whispered at the door；
〃so is the Pope of Rome； so is 。 。 。〃a whisper concealed the
rest。
〃Gracious powers！ is it so？〃 said Codlingsby； musing。 He entered
into Holywell Street。 The sun was sinking。
〃It is time；〃 said he； 〃to go and fetch Armida to the Olympic。〃
PHIL FOGARTY。
A TALE OF THE FIGHTING ONETY…ONETH。
BY HARRY ROLLICKER。
I。
The gabion was ours。 After two hours' fighting we were in
possession of the first embrasure； and made ourselves as comfortable
as circumstances would admit。 Jack Delamere； Tom Delancy； Jerry
Blake； the Doctor； and myself； sat down under a pontoon； and our
servants laid out a hasty supper on a tumbrel。 Though Cambaceres had
escaped me so provokingly after I cut him down； his spoils were
mine； a cold fowl and a Bologna sausage were found in the Marshal's
holsters； and in the haversack of a French private who lay a corpse
on the glacis； we found a loaf of bread； his three days' ration。
Instead of salt； we had gunpowder； and you may be sure； wherever
the Doctor was； a flask of good brandy was behind him in his
instrument…case。 We sat down and made a soldier's supper。 The
Doctor pulled a few of the delicious fruit from the lemon…trees
growing near （and round which the Carabineers and the 24th Leger had
made a desperate rally）； and punch was brewed in Jack Delamere's
helmet。
〃'Faith； it never had so much wit in it before；〃 said the Doctor；
as he ladled out the drink。 We all roared with laughing； except
the guardsman； who was as savage as a Turk at a christening。
〃Buvez…en；〃 said old Sawbones to our French prisoner； 〃ca vous fera
du bien； mon vieux coq！〃 and the Colonel； whose wound had been just
dressed； eagerly grasped at the proffered cup； and drained it with
a health to the donors。
How strange are the chances of war！ But half an hour before he and
I were engaged in mortal combat； and our prisoner was all but my
conqueror。 Grappling with Cambaceres； whom I knocked from his
horse； and was about to despatch； I felt a lunge behind； which
luckily was parried by my sabretache； a herculean grasp was at the
next instant at my throatI was on the groundmy prisoner had
escaped； and a gigantic warrior in the uniform of a colonel of the
regiment of Artois glaring over me with pointed sword。
〃Rends…toi； coquin！〃 said he。
〃Allez an Diable！〃 said I： 〃a Fogarty never surrenders。〃
I thought of my poor mother and my sisters； at the old house in
KillalooI felt the tip of his blade between my teethI breathed
a prayer； and shut my eyeswhen the tables were turnedthe butt…
end of Lanty Clancy's musket knocked the sword up and broke the arm
that held it。
〃Thonamoundiaoul nabochlish；〃 said the French officer； with a curse
in the purest Irish。 It was lucky I stopped laughing time enough
to bid Lanty hold his hand； for the honest fellow would else have
brained my gallant adversary。 We were the better friends for our
combat； as what gallant hearts are not？
The breach was to be stormed at sunset； and like true soldiers we
sat down to make the most of our time。 The rogue of a Doctor took
the liver…wing for his sharewe gave the other to our guest； a
prisoner； those scoundrels Jack Delamere and Tom Delaney took the
legsand； 'faith； poor I was put off with the Pope's nose and a
bit of the back。
〃How d'ye like his Holiness's FAYTURE？〃 said Jerry Blake。
〃Anyhow you'll have a MERRY THOUGHT；〃 cried the incorrigible
Doctor； and all the party shrieked at the witticism。
〃De mortuis nil nisi bonum；〃 said Jack； holding up the drumstick
clean。
〃'Faith； there's not enough of it to make us CHICKEN…HEARTED；
anyhow；〃 said I； 〃come； boys； let's have a song。〃
〃Here goes；〃 said Tom Delaney； and sung the following lyric； of his
own composition
〃Dear Jack； this white mug that with Guinness I fill；
And drink to the health of sweet Nan of the hill；
Was once Tommy Tosspot's； as jovial a sot；
As e'er drew a spigot； or drain'd a full pot
In drinking all round 'twas his joy to surpass；
And with all merry tipplers he swigg'd off his glass。
〃One morning in summer； while seated so snug；
In the porch of his garden； discussing his jug；
Stern Death； on a sudden； to Tom did appear；
And said； 'Honest Thomas； come take your last bier；'
We kneaded his clay in the shape of this can；
From which let us drink to the health of my Nan。〃
〃Psha！〃 said the Doctor； 〃I've heard that song before； here's a new
one for you； boys！〃 and Sawbones began； in a rich Corkagian voice
〃You've all heard of Larry O'Toole；
Of the beautiful town of Drumgoole；
He had but one eye；
To ogle ye by
Oh； murther； but that was a jew'l！
A fool
He made of de girls； dis O'Toole。
〃'Twas he was the boy didn't fail；
That tuck down pataties and mail；
He never would shrink
From any sthrong dthrink；
Was it whisky or Drogheda ale；
I'm bail
This Larry would swallow a pail。
〃Oh； many a night at the bowl；
With Larry I've sot cheek by jowl；
He's gone to his rest；
Where there's dthrink of the best；
And so let us give his old sowl
A howl；
For twas he made the noggin to rowl。〃
I observed the French Colonel's eye glistened as he heard these
well…known accents of his country but we were too well…bred to
pretend to remark his emotion。
The sun was setting behind the mountains as our songs were
finished； and each began to look out with some anxiety for the
preconcerted signal； the rocket from Sir Hussey Vivian's quarters；
wh
