按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he moves the world； and asks no lever； if he cannot charm death
into life； as Orpheus feigned to do； he can create Beauty out of
Nought； and defy Death by rendering Thought Eternal。 Ho！ Jemmy；
another flask of Nantz。〃
And the boyfor he who addressed the most brilliant company of
wits in Europe was little moreemptied the contents of the brandy…
flask into a silver flagon； and quaffed it gayly to the health of
the company assembled。 'Twas the third he had taken during the
sitting。 Presently； and with a graceful salute to the Society； he
quitted the coffee…house； and was seen cantering on a magnificent
Arab past the National Gallery。
〃Who is yon spark in blue and silver？ He beats Joe Addison
himself； in drinking；； and pious Joe is the greatest toper in the
three kingdoms；〃 Dick Steele said； good…naturedly。
〃His paper in the Spectator beats thy best； Dick； thou sluggard；〃
the Right Honorable Mr。 Addison exclaimed。 〃He is the author of
that famous No。 996； for which you have all been giving me the
credit。〃
〃The rascal foiled me at capping verses；〃 Dean Swift said； 〃and won
a tenpenny piece of me； plague take him！〃
〃He has suggested an emendation in my 'Homer；' which proves him a
delicate scholar；〃 Mr。 Pope exclaimed。
〃He knows more of the French king than any man I have met with； and
we must have an eye upon him；〃 said Lord Bolingbroke； then
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs； and beckoning a suspicious…
looking person who was drinking at a side…table； whispered to him
something。
Meantime who was he？ where was he； this youth who had struck all
the wits of London with admiration？ His galloping charger had
returned to the City； his splendid court…suit was doffed for the
citizen's gabardine and grocer's humble apron。
George de Barnwell was in Chepein Chepe； at the feet of Martha
Millwood。
VOL III。
THE CONDEMNED CELL。
〃Quid me mollibus implicas lacertis； my Elinor？ Nay；〃 George
added； a faint smile illumining his wan but noble features； 〃why
speak to thee in the accents of the Roman poet； which thou
comprehendest not？ Bright One； there be other things in Life； in
Nature； in this Inscrutable Labyrinth； this Heart on which thou
leanest； which are equally unintelligible to thee！ Yes； my pretty
one； what is the Unintelligible but the Ideal？ what is the Ideal
but the Beautiful？ what the Beautiful but the Eternal？ And the
Spirit of Man that would commune with these is like Him who wanders
by the thina poluphloisboio thalasses； and shrinks awe…struck
before that Azure Mystery。〃
Emily's eyes filled with fresh…gushing dew。 〃Speak on； speak ever
thus； my George；〃 she exclaimed。 Barnwell's chains rattled as the
confiding girl clung to him。 Even Snoggin； the turnkey appointed
to sit with the Prisoner； was affected by his noble and appropriate
language； and also burst into tears。
〃You weep； my Snoggin；〃 the Boy said； 〃and why？ Hath Life been so
charming to me that I should wish to retain it？ hath Pleasure no
after…Weariness？ Ambition no Deception； Wealth no Care； and Glory
no Mockery？ Psha！ I am sick of Success； palled of Pleasure； weary
of Wine and Wit； andnay； start not； my Adelaideand Woman。 I
fling away all these things as the Toys of Boyhood。 Life is the
Soul's Nursery。 I am a Man； and pine for the Illimitable！ Mark
you me！ Has the Morrow any terrors for me； think ye？ Did Socrates
falter at his poison？ Did Seneca blench in his bath？ Did Brutus
shirk the sword when his great stake was lost？ Did even weak
Cleopatra shrink from the Serpent's fatal nip？ And why should I？
My great Hazard hath been played； and I pay my forfeit。 Lie
sheathed in my heart； thou flashing Blade！ Welcome to my Bosom；
thou faithful Serpent； I hug thee； peace…bearing Image of the
Eternal！ Ha； the hemlock cup！ Fill high； boy； for my soul is
thirsty for the Infinite！ Get ready the bath； friends； prepare me
for the feast To…morrowbathe my limbs in odors； and put ointment
in my hair。〃
〃Has for a bath；〃 Snoggin interposed； 〃they're not to be 'ad in
this ward of the prison； but I dussay Hemmy will git you a little
hoil for your 'air。〃
The Prisoned One laughed loud and merrily。 〃My guardian understands
me not； pretty oneand thou？ what sayest thou？ From those dear
lips methinksplura sunt oscula quam sententiaeI kiss away thy
tears； dove！they will flow apace when I am gone； then they will
dry； and presently these fair eyes will shine on another； as they
have beamed on poor George Barnwell。 Yet wilt thou not all forget
him； sweet one。 He was an honest fellow； and had a kindly heart for
all the world said〃
〃That； that he had；〃 cried the gaoler and the girl in voices
gurgling with emotion。 And you who read！ you unconvicted Convict
you murderer； though haply you have slain no oneyou Felon in
posse if not in essedeal gently with one who has used the
Opportunity that has failed theeand believe that the Truthful and
the Beautiful bloom sometimes in the dock and the convict's tawny
Gabardine！
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
In the matter for which he suffered； George could never be brought
to acknowledge that he was at all in the wrong。 〃It may be an
error of judgment；〃 he said to the Venerable Chaplain of the gaol；
〃but it is no crime。 Were it Crime； I should feel Remorse。 Where
there is no remorse； Crime cannot exist。 I am not sorry：
therefore； I am innocent。 Is the proposition a fair one？〃
The excellent Doctor admitted that it was not to be contested。
〃And wherefore； sir； should I have sorrow；〃 the Boy resumed； 〃for
ridding the world of a sordid worm；* of a man whose very soul was
dross； and who never had a feeling for the Truthful and the
Beautiful？ When I stood before my uncle in the moonlight； in the
gardens of the ancestral halls of the De Barnwells； I felt that it
was the Nemesis come to overthrow him。 'Dog；' I said to the
trembling slave； 'tell me where thy Gold is。 THOU hast no use for
it。 I can spend it in relieving the Poverty on which thou
tramplest； in aiding Science； which thou knowest not； in uplifting
Art； to which thou art blind。 Give Gold； and thou art free。' But
he spake not； and I slew him。〃
〃I would not have this doctrine vulgarly promulgated；〃 said the
admirable chaplain； 〃for its general practice might chance to do
harm。 Thou； my son； the Refined； the Gentle； the Loving and
Beloved； the Poet and Sage； urged by what I cannot but think a
grievous error； hast appeared as Avenger。 Think what would be the
world's condition； were men without any Yearning after the Ideal to
attempt to reorganize Society； to redistribute Property； to avenge
Wrong。〃
〃A rabble of pigmies scaling Heaven；〃 said the noble though
misguided young Prisoner。 〃Prometheus was a Giant； and he fell。〃
〃Yes； indeed； my brave youth！〃 the benevolent Dr。 Fuzwig exclaimed；
clasping t