|
||||||||
Chapter 24 I had not gone above two leagues and a half, before the man with his gun began to look at his priming. I had three several times loiterd terribly behind; half a mile at least every time; once, in deep conference with a drum-maker, who was making drums for the fairs of Baucaira and TarasconeI did not understand the principles The second time, I cannot so properly say, I stoppdfor meeting a couple of Franciscans straitened more for time than myself, and not being able to get to the bottom of what I was aboutI had turnd back with them The third, was an affair of trade with a gossip, for a hand-basket of Provence figs for four sous; this would have been transacted at once; but for a case of conscience at the close of it; for when the figs were paid for, it turnd out, that there were two dozen of eggs covered over with vine-leaves at the bottom of the basketas I had no intention of buying eggsI made no sort of claim of themas for the space they had occupied what signified it? I had figs enow for my money But it was my intention to have the basketit was the gossips intention to keep it, without which, she could do nothing with her eggsand unless I had the basket, I could do as little with my figs, which were too ripe already, and most of em burst at the side: this brought on a short contention, which terminated in sundry proposals, what we should both do How we disposed of our eggs and figs, I defy you, or the Devil himself, had he not been there (which I am persuaded he was), to form the least probable conjecture: You will read the whole of itnot this year, for I am hastening to the story of my uncle Tobys amoursbut you will read it in the collection of those which have arose out of the journey across this plainand which, therefore, I call my Plain Stories. How far my pen has been fatigued, like those of other travellers, in this journey of it, over so barren a trackthe world must judgebut the traces of it, which are now all set ovibrating together this moment, tell me tis the most fruitful and busy period of my life; for as I had made no convention with my man with the gun, as to timeby stopping and talking to every soul I met, who was not in a full trotjoining all parties before mewaiting for every soul behindhailing all those who were coming through cross- roadsarresting all kinds of beggars, pilgrims, fiddlers, friarsnot passing by a woman in a mulberry- tree without commending her legs, and tempting her into conversation with a pinch of snuffIn short, by seizing every handle, of what size or shape soever, which chance held out to me in this journeyI turned my plain into a cityI was always in company, and with great variety too; and as my mule loved society as much as myself, and had some proposals always on his part to offer to every beast he metI am confident we could have passed through Pall-Mall, or St. Jamess-Street, for a month together, with fewer adventuresand seen less of human nature. O! there is that sprightly frankness, which at once unpins every plait of a Languedocians dressthat whatever is beneath it, it looks so like the simplicity which poets sing of in better daysI will delude my fancy, and believe it is so. Twas in the road betwixt Nismes and Lunel, where there is the best Muscatto wine in all France, and which by the bye belongs to the honest canons of Montpellierand foul befal the man who has drunk it at their table, who grudges them a drop of it. The sun was setthey had done their work; the nymphs had tied up their hair afreshand the swains were preparing for a carousalmy mule made a dead pointTis the fife and tabourin, said IIm frightend to death, quoth heThey are running at the ring of pleasure, said I, giving him a prickBy saint Boogar, and all the saints at the backside of the door of purgatory, said he(making the same resolution with the abbesse of Andouillets) Ill not go a step furtherTis very well, sir, said II never will argue a point |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details. | ||||||||