The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Part 53

they fly into each other's arms, and both drop down dead for joy.

There is a soft aera in every gentle mortal's life, where such a story affords more pabulum to the brain, than all the Frusts, and Crusts, and Rusts of antiquity, which travellers can cook up for it.

-'Twas all that stuck on the right side of the cullender in my own, of what Spon and others, in their accounts of Lyons, had strained into it; and finding, moreover, in some Itinerary, but in what G.o.d knows-That sacred to the fidelity of Amandus and Amanda, a tomb was built without the gates, where, to this hour, lovers called upon them to attest their truths-I never could get into a sc.r.a.pe of that kind in my life, but this tomb of the lovers would, somehow or other, come in at the close-nay such a kind of empire had it establish'd over me, that I could seldom think or speak of Lyons-and sometimes not so much as see even a Lyons-waistcoat, but this remnant of antiquity would present itself to my fancy; and I have often said in my wild way of running on-tho' I fear with some irreverence-'I thought this shrine (neglected as it was) as valuable as that of Mecca, and so little short, except in wealth, of the Santa Casa itself, that some time or other, I would go a pilgrimage (though I had no other business at Lyons) on purpose to pay it a visit.'

In my list, therefore, of Videnda at Lyons, this, tho' last,-was not, you see, least; so taking a dozen or two of longer strides than usual cross my room, just whilst it pa.s.sed my brain, I walked down calmly into the ba.s.se cour, in order to sally forth; and having called for my bill-as it was uncertain whether I should return to my inn, I had paid it-had moreover given the maid ten sous, and was just receiving the dernier compliments of Monsieur Le Blanc, for a pleasant voyage down the Rhone-when I was stopped at the gate-

Chapter 4.XIII.

-'Twas by a poor a.s.s, who had just turned in with a couple of large panniers upon his back, to collect eleemosynary turnip-tops and cabbage-leaves; and stood dubious, with his two fore-feet on the inside of the threshold, and with his two hinder feet towards the street, as not knowing very well whether he was to go in or no.

Now, 'tis an animal (be in what hurry I may) I cannot bear to strike-there is a patient endurance of sufferings, wrote so unaffectedly in his looks and carriage, which pleads so mightily for him, that it always disarms me; and to that degree, that I do not like to speak unkindly to him: on the contrary, meet him where I will-whether in town or country-in cart or under panniers-whether in liberty or bondage-I have ever something civil to say to him on my part; and as one word begets another (if he has as little to do as I)-I generally fall into conversation with him; and surely never is my imagination so busy as in framing his responses from the etchings of his countenance-and where those carry me not deep enough-in flying from my own heart into his, and seeing what is natural for an a.s.s to think-as well as a man, upon the occasion. In truth, it is the only creature of all the cla.s.ses of beings below me, with whom I can do this: for parrots, jackdaws, &c.-I never exchange a word with them-nor with the apes, &c. for pretty near the same reason; they act by rote, as the others speak by it, and equally make me silent: nay my dog and my cat, though I value them both-(and for my dog he would speak if he could)-yet somehow or other, they neither of them possess the talents for conversation-I can make nothing of a discourse with them, beyond the proposition, the reply, and rejoinder, which terminated my father's and my mother's conversations, in his beds of justice-and those utter'd-there's an end of the dialogue-

-But with an a.s.s, I can commune for ever.

Come, Honesty! said I,-seeing it was impracticable to pa.s.s betwixt him and the gate-art thou for coming in, or going out?

The a.s.s twisted his head round to look up the street-

Well-replied I-we'll wait a minute for thy driver:

-He turned his head thoughtful about, and looked wistfully the opposite way-

I understand thee perfectly, answered I-If thou takest a wrong step in this affair, he will cudgel thee to death-Well! a minute is but a minute, and if it saves a fellow-creature a drubbing, it shall not be set down as ill-spent.

He was eating the stem of an artichoke as this discourse went on, and in the little peevish contentions of nature betwixt hunger and unsavouriness, had dropt it out of his mouth half a dozen times, and pick'd it up again-G.o.d help thee, Jack! said I, thou hast a bitter breakfast on't-and many a bitter day's labour,-and many a bitter blow, I fear, for its wages-'tis all-all bitterness to thee, whatever life is to others.-And now thy mouth, if one knew the truth of it, is as bitter, I dare say, as soot-(for he had cast aside the stem) and thou hast not a friend perhaps in all this world, that will give thee a macaroon.-In saying this, I pull'd out a paper of 'em, which I had just purchased, and gave him one-and at this moment that I am telling it, my heart smites me, that there was more of pleasantry in the conceit, of seeing how an a.s.s would eat a macaroon-than of benevolence in giving him one, which presided in the act.

When the a.s.s had eaten his macaroon, I press'd him to come in-the poor beast was heavy loaded-his legs seem'd to tremble under him-he hung rather backwards, and as I pull'd at his halter, it broke short in my hand-he look'd up pensive in my face-'Don't thrash me with it-but if you will, you may'-If I do, said I, I'll be d....d.

The word was but one-half of it p.r.o.nounced, like the abbess of Andouillet's-(so there was no sin in it)-when a person coming in, let fall a thundering bastinado upon the poor devil's crupper, which put an end to the ceremony.

Out upon it! cried I-but the interjection was equivocal-and, I think, wrong placed too-for the end of an osier which had started out from the contexture of the a.s.s's panier, had caught hold of my breeches pocket, as he rush'd by me, and rent it in the most disastrous direction you can imagine-so that the

Out upon it! in my opinion, should have come in here-but this I leave to be settled by

The Reviewers of My Breeches, which I have brought over along with me for that purpose.

Chapter 4.XIV.

When all was set to rights, I came down stairs again into the ba.s.se cour with my valet de place, in order to sally out towards the tomb of the two lovers, &c.-and was a second time stopp'd at the gate-not by the a.s.s-but by the person who struck him; and who, by that time, had taken possession (as is not uncommon after a defeat) of the very spot of ground where the a.s.s stood.

It was a commissary sent to me from the post-office, with a rescript in his hand for the payment of some six livres odd sous.

Upon what account? said I.-'Tis upon the part of the king, replied the commissary, heaving up both his shoulders-

-My good friend, quoth I-as sure as I am I-and you are you-

-And who are you? said he.-Don't puzzle me; said I.

Chapter 4.XV.

-But it is an indubitable verity, continued I, addressing myself to the commissary, changing only the form of my a.s.severation-that I owe the king of France nothing but my good will; for he is a very honest man, and I wish him all health and pastime in the world-

Pardonnez moi-replied the commissary, you are indebted to him six livres four sous, for the next post from hence to St. Fons, in your route to Avignon-which being a post royal, you pay double for the horses and postillion-otherwise 'twould have amounted to no more than three livres two sous-

-But I don't go by land; said I.

-You may if you please; replied the commissary-

Your most obedient servant-said I, making him a low bow-

The commissary, with all the sincerity of grave good breeding-made me one, as low again.-I never was more disconcerted with a bow in my life.

-The devil take the serious character of these people! quoth I-(aside) they understand no more of Irony than this-

The comparison was standing close by with his panniers-but something seal'd up my lips-I could not p.r.o.nounce the name-

Sir, said I, collecting myself-it is not my intention to take post-

-But you may-said he, persisting in his first reply-you may take post if you chuse-

-And I may take salt to my pickled herring, said I, if I chuse-

-But I do not chuse-

-But you must pay for it, whether you do or no.

Aye! for the salt; said I (I know)-

-And for the post too; added he. Defend me! cried I-

I travel by water-I am going down the Rhone this very afternoon-my baggage is in the boat-and I have actually paid nine livres for my pa.s.sage-

C'est tout egal-'tis all one; said he.

Bon Dieu! what, pay for the way I go! and for the way I do not go!