5

關燈
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