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lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第30章

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becomes apparent that there has been a great influx since

yesterday; both of Lunatics and Keepers。  The families of the

tradesmen over the way are no longer within human ken; their places

know them no more; ten; fifteen; and twenty guinea…lodgers fill

them。  At the pastry…cook's second…floor window; a Keeper is

brushing Mr。 Thurtell's hair … thinking it his own。  In the wax…

chandler's attic; another Keeper is putting on Mr。 Palmer's braces。

In the gunsmith's nursery; a Lunatic is shaving himself。  In the

serious stationer's best sitting…room; three Lunatics are taking a

combination…breakfast; praising the (cook's) devil; and drinking

neat brandy in an atmosphere of last midnight's cigars。  No family

sanctuary is free from our Angelic messengers … we put up at the

Angel … who in the guise of extra waiters for the grand Race…Week;

rattle in and out of the most secret chambers of everybody's house;

with dishes and tin covers; decanters; soda…water bottles; and

glasses。  An hour later。  Down the street and up the street; as far

as eyes can see and a good deal farther; there is a dense crowd;

outside the Betting Rooms it is like a great struggle at a theatre

door … in the days of theatres; or at the vestibule of the Spurgeon

temple … in the days of Spurgeon。  An hour later。  Fusing into this

crowd; and somehow getting through it; are all kinds of

conveyances; and all kinds of foot…passengers; carts; with brick…

makers and brick…makeresses jolting up and down on planks; drags;

with the needful grooms behind; sitting cross…armed in the needful

manner; and slanting themselves backward from the soles of their

boots at the needful angle; postboys; in the shining hats and smart

jackets of the olden time; when stokers were not; beautiful

Yorkshire horses; gallantly driven by their own breeders and

masters。  Under every pole; and every shaft; and every horse; and

every wheel as it would seem; the Gong…donkey … metallically

braying; when not struggling for life; or whipped out of the way。



By one o'clock; all this stir has gone out of the streets; and

there is no one left in them but Francis Goodchild。  Francis

Goodchild will not be left in them long; for; he too is on his way;

't'races。'



A most beautiful sight; Francis Goodchild finds 't'races' to be;

when he has left fair Doncaster behind him; and comes out on the

free course; with its agreeable prospect; its quaint Red House

oddly changing and turning as Francis turns; its green grass; and

fresh heath。  A free course and an easy one; where Francis can roll

smoothly where he will; and can choose between the start; or the

coming…in; or the turn behind the brow of the hill; or any out…of…

the…way point where he lists to see the throbbing horses straining

every nerve; and making the sympathetic earth throb as they come

by。  Francis much delights to be; not in the Grand Stand; but where

he can see it; rising against the sky with its vast tiers of little

white dots of faces; and its last high rows and corners of people;

looking like pins stuck into an enormous pincushion … not quite so

symmetrically as his orderly eye could wish; when people change or

go away。  When the race is nearly run out; it is as good as the

race to him to see the flutter among the pins; and the change in

them from dark to light; as hats are taken off and waved。  Not less

full of interest; the loud anticipation of the winner's name; the

swelling; and the final; roar; then; the quick dropping of all the

pins out of their places; the revelation of the shape of the bare

pincushion; and the closing…in of the whole host of Lunatics and

Keepers; in the rear of the three horses with bright…coloured

riders; who have not yet quite subdued their gallop though the

contest is over。



Mr。 Goodchild would appear to have been by no means free from

lunacy himself at 't'races;' though not of the prevalent kind。  He

is suspected by Mr。 Idle to have fallen into a dreadful state

concerning a pair of little lilac gloves and a little bonnet that

he saw there。  Mr。 Idle asserts; that he did afterwards repeat at

the Angel; with an appearance of being lunatically seized; some

rhapsody to the following effect:  'O little lilac gloves!  And O

winning little bonnet; making in conjunction with her golden hair

quite a Glory in the sunlight round the pretty head; why anything

in the world but you and me!  Why may not this day's running…of

horses; to all the rest:  of precious sands of life to me … be

prolonged through an everlasting autumn…sunshine; without a sunset!

Slave of the Lamp; or Ring; strike me yonder gallant equestrian

Clerk of the Course; in the scarlet coat; motionless on the green

grass for ages!  Friendly Devil on Two Sticks; for ten times ten

thousands years; keep Blink…Bonny jibbing at the post; and let us

have no start!  Arab drums; powerful of old to summon Genii in the

desert; sound of yourselves and raise a troop for me in the desert

of my heart; which shall so enchant this dusty barouche (with a

conspicuous excise…plate; resembling the Collector's door…plate at

a turnpike); that I; within it; loving the little lilac gloves; the

winning little bonnet; and the dear unknown…wearer with the golden

hair; may wait by her side for ever; to see a Great St。 Leger that

shall never be run!'



Thursday morning。  After a tremendous night of crowding; shouting;

drinking…house expectoration; Gong…donkey; and correct cards。

Symptoms of yesterday's gains in the way of drink; and of

yesterday's losses in the way of money; abundant。  Money…losses

very great。  As usual; nobody seems to have won; but; large losses

and many losers are unquestionable facts。  Both Lunatics and

Keepers; in general very low。  Several of both kinds look in at the

chemist's while Mr。 Goodchild is making a purchase there; to be

'picked up。'  One red…eyed Lunatic; flushed; faded; and disordered;

enters hurriedly and cries savagely; 'Hond us a gloss of sal

volatile in wather; or soom dommed thing o' thot sart!'  Faces at

the Betting Rooms very long; and a tendency to bite nails

observable。  Keepers likewise given this morning to standing about

solitary; with their hands in their pockets; looking down at their

boots as they fit them into cracks of the pavement; and then

looking up whistling and walking away。  Grand Alliance Circus out;

in procession; buxom lady…member of Grand Alliance; in crimson

riding…habit; fresher to look at; even in her paint under the day

sky; than the cheeks of Lunatics or Keepers。  Spanish Cavalier

appears to have lost yesterday; and jingles his bossed bridle with

disgust; as if he were paying。  Reaction also apparent at the

Guildhall opposite; whence certain pickpockets come out handcuffed

together; with that peculiar walk which is never seen under any

other circumstances … a walk expressive of going to jail; game; but

still of jails being in bad taste and arbitrary; and how would YOU

like it if it was you instead of me; as
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