第79章
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  believeforaconsiderabletime;IwassuddenlyawakenedbytheceasingofthejoltingtowhichIhadbecomeaccustomed,andofwhichIwasperfectlysensibleinmysleep。Istartedupandlookedaroundme,themoonwasstillshining,andthefaceoftheheavenwasstuddedwithstars;Ifoundmyselfamidstamazeofbushesofvariouskinds,butprincipallyhazelandholly,throughwhichwasapathordriftwaywithgrassgrowingoneitherside,uponwhichtheponywasalreadydiligentlybrowsing。Iconjecturedthatthisplacehadbeenoneofthehauntsofhisformermaster,and,ondismountingandlookingabout,wasstrengthenedinthatopinionbyfindingaspotunderanashtreewhich,fromitsburntandblackenedappearance,seemedtohavebeenfrequentlyusedasafireplace。Iwilltakeupmyquartershere,thoughtI;itisanexcellentspotformetocommencemynewprofessionin;Iwasquiterighttotrustmyselftotheguidanceofthepony。Unharnessingtheanimalwithoutdelay,Ipermittedhimtobrowseatfreewillonthegrass,convincedthathewouldnotwanderfarfromaplacetowhichhewassomuchattached;IthenpitchedthelittletentclosebesidetheashtreetowhichIhavealluded,andconveyedtwoorthreearticlesintoit,andinstantlyfeltthatIhadcommencedhousekeepingforthefirsttimeinmylife。Housekeeping,however,withoutafireisaverysorryaffair,somethinglikethehousekeepingofchildrenintheirtoyhouses;ofthisIwasthemoresensiblefromfeelingverycoldandshivering,owingtomylateexposuretotherain,andsleepinginthenightair。

  Collecting,therefore,allthedrysticksandfurzeIcouldfind,I

  placedthemuponthefireplace,addingcertainchipsandabilletwhichIfoundinthecart,ithavingapparentlybeenthehabitofSlingsbytocarrywithhimasmallstoreoffuel。Havingthenstruckasparkinatinder-boxandlightedamatch,Isetfiretothecombustibleheap,andwasnotslowinraisingacheerfulblaze;

  Ithendrewmycartnearthefire,and,seatingmyselfononeoftheshafts,hungoverthewarmthwithfeelingsofintensepleasureandsatisfaction。Havingcontinuedinthispostureforaconsiderabletime,Iturnedmyeyestotheheaveninthedirectionofaparticularstar;I,however,couldnotfindthestar,norindeedmanyofthestarrytrain,thegreaternumberhavingfled,fromwhichcircumstance,andfromtheappearanceofthesky,I

  concludedthatmorningwasnigh。AboutthistimeIagainbegantofeeldrowsy;Ithereforearose,andhavingpreparedformyselfakindofcouchinthetent,Iflungmyselfuponitandwenttosleep。

  IwillnotsaythatIwasawakenedinthemorningbythecarollingofbirds,asIperhapsmightifIwerewritinganovel;Iawokebecause,tousevulgarlanguage,Ihadsleptmysleepout,notbecausethebirdswerecarollingaroundmeinnumbers,astheyhadprobablybeenforhourswithoutmyhearingthem。Igotupandleftmytent;themorningwasyetmorebrightthanthatoftheprecedingday。Impelledbycuriosity,Iwalkedaboutendeavouringtoascertaintowhatplacechance,orratherthepony,hadbroughtme;

  followingthedriftwayforsometime,amidstbushesandstuntedtrees,Icametoagroveofdarkpines,throughwhichitappearedtolead;Itrackeditafewhundredyards,butseeingnothingbuttrees,andthewaybeingwetandsloughy,owingtotherecentrain,Ireturnedonmysteps,and,pursuingthepathinanotherdirection,cametoasandyroadleadingoveracommon,doubtlesstheoneIhadtraversedtheprecedingnight。Mycuriositysatisfied,Ireturnedtomylittleencampment,andonthewaybeheldasmallfootpathontheleftwindingthroughthebushes,whichhadbeforeescapedmyobservation。Havingreachedmytentandcart,IbreakfastedonsomeoftheprovisionswhichIhadprocuredthedaybefore,andthenproceededtotakearegularaccountofthestockformerlypossessedbySlingsbythetinker,butnowbecomemyownbyrightoflawfulpurchase。

  Besidesthepony,thecart,andthetent,IfoundIwaspossessedofamattressstuffedwithstrawonwhichtolie,andablankettocoverme,thelastquitecleanandnearlynew;thentherewasafrying-panandakettle,thefirstforcookinganyfoodwhichrequiredcooking,andthesecondforheatinganywaterwhichI

  mightwishtoheat。Ilikewisefoundanearthenteapotandtwoorthreecups;ofthefirstIshouldrathersayIfoundtheremains,itbeingbrokeninthreeparts,nodoubtsinceitcameintomypossession,whichwouldhaveprecludedthepossibilityofmyaskinganybodytoteaforthepresent,shouldanybodyvisitme,evensupposingIhadteaandsugar,whichwasnotthecase。Ithenoverhauledwhatmightmorestrictlybecalledthestockintrade;

  thisconsistedofvarioustools,anironladle,achafing-panandsmallbellows,sundrypansandkettles,thelatterbeingoftin,withtheexceptionofonewhichwasofcopper,allinastateofconsiderabledilapidation-ifImayusetheterm;ofthesefirstSlingsbyhadspokeninparticular,advisingmetomendthemassoonaspossible,andtoendeavourtosellthem,inorderthatImighthavethesatisfactionofreceivingsomereturnupontheoutlaywhichIhadmade。Therewaslikewiseasmallquantityofblocktin,sheettin,andsolder。’ThisSlingsby,’saidI,’iscertainlyaveryhonestman,hehassoldmemorethanmymoney’sworth;I

  believe,however,thereissomethingmoreinthecart。’ThereuponIrummagedthefartherendofthecart,and,amidstaquantityofstraw,Ifoundasmallanvilandbellowsofthatkindwhichareusedinforges,andtwohammerssuchassmithsuse,onegreat,andtheothersmall。

  Thesightoftheselastarticlescausedmenolittlesurprise,asnowordwhichhadescapedfromthemouthofSlingsbyhadgivenmereasontosupposethathehadeverfollowedtheoccupationofasmith;yet,ifhehadnot,howdidhecomebythem?Isatdownupontheshaft,andponderedthequestiondeliberatelyinmymind;

  atlengthIconcludedthathehadcomebythembyoneofthosenumerouscasualtieswhichoccurupontheroads,ofwhichI,beingayounghandupontheroads,musthaveaveryimperfectconception;

  honestly,ofcourse-forIscoutedtheideathatSlingsbywouldhavestolenthisblacksmith’sgear-forIhadthehighestopinionofhishonesty,whichopinionIstillretainatthepresentday,whichisupwardsoftwentyyearsfromthetimeofwhichIamspeaking,duringthewholeofwhichperiodIhaveneitherseenthepoorfellownorreceivedanyintelligenceofhim。

  CHAPTERLXX

  Newprofession-Beautifulnight-Jupiter-Sharpandshrill-TheRommanychi-Allalone-Three-and-sixpence-WhatisRommany?Becivil-Parracotute-Slightstart-Shewillbegrateful-Therustling。

  IPASSEDthegreaterpartofthedayinendeavouringtoteachmyselfthemysteriesofmynewprofession。IcannotsaythatIwasverysuccessful,butthetimepassedagreeably,andwasthereforenotillspent。TowardseveningIflungmyworkaside,tooksomerefreshment,andafterwardsawalk。

  ThistimeIturnedupthesmallfootpathofwhichIhavealreadyspoken。Itledinazigzagmannerthroughthicketsofhazel,elder,andsweet-brier;afterfollowingitswindingsforsomewhatbetterthanafurlong,Iheardagentlesoundofwater,andpresentlycametoasmallrill,whichrandirectlyacrossthepath。

  Iwasrejoicedatthesight,forIhadalreadyexperiencedthewantofwater,whichIyetknewmustbenighathand,asIwasinaplacetoallappearanceoccasionallyfrequentedbywanderingpeople,whoIwasawarenevertakeuptheirquartersinplaceswherewaterisdifficulttobeobtained。ForthwithIstretchedmyselfontheground,andtookalonganddeliciousdraughtofthecrystalstream,andthen,seatingmyselfinabush,Icontinuedforsometimegazingonthewaterasitpurledtinklingawayinitschannelthroughanopeninginthehazels,andshouldhaveprobablycontinuedmuchlongerhadnotthethoughtthatIhadleftmypropertyunprotectedcompelledmetoriseandreturntomyencampment。

  Nightcameon,andabeautifulnightitwas;uprosethemoon,andinnumerablestarsdeckedthefirmamentofheaven。Isatontheshaft,myeyesturnedupwards。Ihadfoundit:thereitwastwinklingmillionsofmilesaboveme,mightieststarofthesystemtowhichwebelong:ofallstarstheonewhichhasmostinterestforme-thestarJupiter。

  WhyhaveIalwaystakenaninterestinthee,OJupiter?Iknownothingaboutthee,savewhateverychildknows,thatthouartabigstar,whoseonlylightisderivedfrommoons。Andisnotthatknowledgeenoughtomakemefeelaninterestinthee?Ay,truly;I

  neverlookattheewithoutwonderingwhatisgoingoninthee;whatislifeinJupiter?ThatthereislifeinJupiterwhocandoubt?

  Thereislifeinourownlittlestar,thereforetheremustbelifeinJupiter,whichisnotalittlestar。ButhowdifferentmustlifebeinJupiterfromwhatitisinourownlittlestar!Lifehereislifebeneaththedearsun-lifeinJupiterislifebeneathmoons-fourmoons-nosinglemoonisabletoilluminethatvastbulk。Allknowwhatlifeisinourownlittlestar;itisanythingbutaroutineofhappinesshere,wherethedearsunrisestouseveryday:thenhowsadandmopingmustlifebeinmightyJupiter,onwhichnosunevershines,andwhichisneverlightedsavebypalemoonbeams!ThethoughtthatthereismoresadnessandmelancholyinJupiterthaninthisworldofours,where,alas!

  thereisbuttoomuch,hasalwaysmademetakeamelancholyinterestinthathugedistantstar。

  Twoorthreedayspassedbyinmuchthesamemannerasthefirst。

  DuringthemorningIworkeduponmykettles,andemployedtheremainingpartofthedayasIbestcould。ThewholeofthistimeIonlysawtwoindividuals,rustics,whopassedbymyencampmentwithoutvouchsafingmeaglance;theyprobablyconsideredthemselvesmysuperiors,asperhapstheywere。

  Oneverybrilliantmorning,asIsatatworkinverygoodspirits,forbythistimeIhadactuallymendedinaverycreditableway,asIimagined,twokettlesandafrying-pan,Iheardavoicewhichseemedtoproceedfromthepathleadingtotherivulet;atfirstitsoundedfromaconsiderabledistance,butdrewnearerbydegrees。

  Isoonremarkedthatthetoneswereexceedinglysharpandshrill,withyetsomethingofchildhoodinthem。OnceortwiceI

  distinguishedcertainwordsinthesongwhichthevoicewassinging;thewordswere-butno,IthoughtagainIwasprobablymistaken-andthenthevoiceceasedforatime;presentlyIhearditagain,closetotheentranceofthefootpath;inanothermomentIhearditinthelaneorgladeinwhichstoodmytent,whereitabruptlystopped,butnotbeforeIhadheardtheverywordswhichI

  atfirstthoughtIhaddistinguished。

  Iturnedmyhead;attheentranceofthefootpath,whichmightbeaboutthirtyyardsfromtheplacewhereIwassitting,Iperceivedthefigureofayounggirl;herfacewasturnedtowardsme,andsheappearedtobescanningmeandmyencampment;afteralittletimeshelookedintheotherdirection,onlyforamoment,however;

  probablyobservingnothinginthatquarter,sheagainlookedtowardsme,andalmostimmediatelysteppedforward;and,assheadvanced,sangthesongwhichIhadheardinthewood,thefirstwordsofwhichwerethosewhichIhavealreadyalludedto。

  ’TheRommanychiAndtheRommanychalShalljawtasaulorTodrabthebawlor,AnddookthegryOfthefarmingrye。’

  Averyprettysong,thoughtI,fallingagainhardtoworkuponmykettle;averyprettysong,whichbodesthefarmersmuchgood。Letthemlooktotheircattle。

  ’Allalonehere,brother?’saidavoiceclosebyme,insharpbutnotdisagreeabletones。

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