5
關燈
小
中
大
redthatthefaithfulswainandtheamorousshepherdessshoulddrinkoutofoneandthesamepot.
''Urryupan''aveyourwhack,'saidCorydon,politelyhandingthefoamingbowlforhisfaironetodrinkfrom.
Phyllis,withoutreplying,raisedittoherlipsanddrankdeep.Theswainwatchedanxiously.
''Ere,giveusachanst!'hesaid,asthepotwasraisedhigherandhigheranditscontentsappearedtobegettinglessandless.
Atthistheamorousshepherdessstoppedandhandedthepottoherlover.
'Well,I'mdashed!'saidCorydon,lookingintoitandadded:'Iguessyouknowathingortwo.'Thenwithcourtlygraceputtinghisownlipstotheplacewherehadbeenthoseofhisbeloved,finishedthepint.
'Go'lumme!'remarkedtheshepherdess,smackingherlips,'thatwassomethin'like!'Andsheputouthertongueandlickedherlips,andthenbreatheddeeply.
Thefaithfulswainhavingfinished,gavealongsigh,andsaid:
'Well,Icoulddowithsomemore!'
'Forthematterofthet,Icoulddowithagargle!'
Thusencouraged,thegallantreturnedtothebar,andsoonbroughtoutasecondpint.
'You'avefustpop,'amorouslyremarkedPhyllis,andhetookalongdrinkandhandedthepottoher.
She,withmaidenmodesty,turneditsoastohaveadifferentparttodrinkfrombutheremarkedashesawher:
'Youarebloomin'particular.'
Then,unwillingtogrievehim,sheturneditbackagainandappliedherrubylipstotheplacewherehishadbeen.
'Nowweshan'tbelong!'sheremarked,asshehandedhimbackthepot.
Thefaithfulswaintookoutofhispocketashortclaypipe,blewthroughit,filledit,andbegantosmoke,whilePhyllissighedatthethoughtofthecoolliquidglidingdownherthroat,andwiththepleasingrecollectiongentlystrokedherstomach.ThenCorydonspat,andimmediatelyhislovesaid:
'Icanspitfartherthanthet.'
'Ibetyeryercan't.'
Shetried,anddid.Hecollectedhimselfandspatagain,furtherthanbefore,shefollowedhim,andinthisidylliccontesttheyremainedtillthetootlinghornwarnedthemtotaketheirplaces.
AtlasttheyreachedChingford,andherethehorsesweretakenoutandthedrag,onwhichtheyweretolunch,drawnupinashelteredspot.Theywereallratherhungry,butasitwasnotyetfeeding-time,theyscatteredtohavedrinksmeanwhile.LizaandTom,withSallyandheryoungman,wentofftogethertothenearestpublic-house,andastheydrankbeer,Harry,whowasagreatsportsman,gavethemagraphicaccountofaprize-fighthehadseenonthepreviousSaturdayevening,whichhadbeenrenderedspeciallymemorablebyonemanbeingsohurtthathehaddiedfromtheeffects.Ithadevidentlybeenaveryfineaffair,andHarrysaidthatseveralswellsfromtheWestEndhadbeenpresent,andherelatedtheirludicrouseffortstogetinwithoutbeingseenbyanyone,andtheirterrorwhensomeonetofrightenthemcalledout'Copper!'ThenTomandheenteredintoadiscussiononthesubjectofboxing,inwhichTom,beingashyandundogmaticsortofperson,wasentirelyworsted.Afterthistheystrolledbacktothebrake,andfoundthingsbeingpreparedforluncheonthehamperswerebroughtoutandemptied,andthebottlesofbeeringreatprofusionmademanyathirstymouththirstier.
'Comealong,lidiesan'gentlemen—ifyouaregentlemen,'shoutedthecoachman'theanimalsisnowgoin'terbefed!'
'Garnawy,'answeredsomebody,'we'renothanimalswedon'tdrinkwater.'
'You'retooclever,'remarkedthecoachman'Icanseeyou'vejustcomefromtheboardschool.'
Astheformerspeakerwasaladyofquitematureappearance,theremarkwasnotwithoutitslittleirony.Theothermanblewhishornbywayofgrace,atwhichLizacalledouttohim:
'Don'tdothet,you'llbust,Iknowyouwill,an'ifyoubustyou'llquitespoilmydinner!'
Thentheyallsetto.Pork-pies,saveloys,sausages,coldpotatoes,hard-boiledeggs,coldbacon,veal,ham,crabsandshrimps,cheese,butter,coldsuet-puddingsandtreacle,gooseberry-tarts,cherry-tarts,butter,bread,moresausages,andyetagainpork-pies!Theydevouredtheprovisionslikeraveningbeasts,stolidly,silently,earnestly,inlargemouthfulswhichtheyshoveddowntheirthroatsunmasticated.TheintelligentforeignerseeingthemthusdisposeoftheirfoodwouldhaveunderstoodwhyEnglandisagreatnation.HewouldhaveunderstoodwhyBritonsnever,neverwillbeslaves.Theyneverstoppedexcepttodrink,andthenateachgulptheyemptiedtheirglassnoheel-taps!Andstilltheyate,andstilltheydrank—butasallthingsmustcease,theystoppedatlast,andalongsighofcontentbrokefromtheirtwo-and-thirtythroats.
Thenthegatheringbrokeup,andthegoodfolkpairedthemselvesandseparated.Harryandhisladystrolledofftosecludedbywaysintheforest,sothattheymightd