the uncommercial traveller-第52部分

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eyes　off　the　half　a　ton　of　copper　or　the　bushel　of　tenpenny　nails；

for　nails　and　copper　are　a　shipwright's　sweethearts；　and

shipwrights　will　run　away　with　them　whenever　they　can。　　So；　the

Devil　said；　'I　see　what　you　are　looking　at；　Chips。　　You　had　better

strike　the　bargain。　　You　know　the　terms。　　Your　father　before　you

was　well　acquainted　with　them；　and　so　were　your　grandfather　and

great…grandfather　before　him。'　　Says　Chips；　'I　like　the　copper；　and

I　like　the　nails；　and　I　don't　mind　the　pot；　but　I　don't　like　the

rat。'　　Says　the　Devil；　fiercely；　'You　can't　have　the　metal　without

him　…　and　HE'S　a　curiosity。　　I'm　going。'　　Chips；　afraid　of　losing

the　half　a　ton　of　copper　and　the　bushel　of　nails；　then　said；　'Give

us　hold！'　　So；　he　got　the　copper　and　the　nails　and　the　pot　and　the

rat　that　could　speak；　and　the　Devil　vanished。　　Chips　sold　the

copper；　and　he　sold　the　nails；　and　he　would　have　sold　the　pot；　but

whenever　he　offered　it　for　sale；　the　rat　was　in　it；　and　the　dealers

dropped　it；　and　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　the　bargain。　　So；

Chips　resolved　to　kill　the　rat；　and；　being　at　work　in　the　Yard　one

day　with　a　great　kettle　of　hot　pitch　on　one　side　of　him　and　the

iron　pot　with　the　rat　in　it　on　the　other；　he　turned　the　scalding

pitch　into　the　pot；　and　filled　it　full。　　Then；　he　kept　his　eye　upon

it　till　it　cooled　and　hardened；　and　then　he　let　it　stand　for　twenty

days；　and　then　he　heated　the　pitch　again　and　turned　it　back　into

the　kettle；　and　then　he　sank　the　pot　in　water　for　twenty　days　more；

and　then　he　got　the　smelters　to　put　it　in　the　furnace　for　twenty

days　more；　and　then　they　gave　it　him　out；　red　hot；　and　looking　like

red…hot　glass　instead　of　iron…yet　there　was　the　rat　in　it；　just　the

same　as　ever！　　And　the　moment　it　caught　his　eye；　it　said　with　a

jeer：





'A　Lemon　has　pips；

And　a　Yard　has　ships；

And　I'll　have　Chips！'





（For　this　Refrain　I　had　waited　since　its　last　appearance；　with

inexpressible　horror；　which　now　culminated。）　　Chips　now　felt

certain　in　his　own　mind　that　the　rat　would　stick　to　him；　the　rat；

answering　his　thought；　said；　'I　will　…　like　pitch！'



Now；　as　the　rat　leaped　out　of　the　pot　when　it　had　spoken；　and　made

off；　Chips　began　to　hope　that　it　wouldn't　keep　its　word。　　But；　a

terrible　thing　happened　next　day。　　For；　when　dinner…time　came；　and

the　Dock…bell　rang　to　strike　work；　he　put　his　rule　into　the　long

pocket　at　the　side　of　his　trousers；　and　there　he　found　a　rat　…　not

that　rat；　but　another　rat。　　And　in　his　hat；　he　found　another；　and

in　his　pocket…handkerchief；　another；　and　in　the　sleeves　of　his

coat；　when　he　pulled　it　on　to　go　to　dinner；　two　more。　　And　from

that　time　he　found　himself　so　frightfully　intimate　with　all　the

rats　in　the　Yard；　that　they　climbed　up　his　legs　when　he　was　at

work；　and　sat　on　his　tools　while　he　used　them。　　And　they　could　all

speak　to　one　another；　and　he　understood　what　they　said。　　And　they

got　into　his　lodging；　and　into　his　bed；　and　into　his　teapot；　and

into　his　beer；　and　into　his　boots。　　And　he　was　going　to　be　married

to　a　corn…chandler's　daughter；　and　when　he　gave　her　a　workbox　he

had　himself　made　for　her；　a　rat　jumped　out　of　it；　and　when　he　put

his　arm　round　her　waist；　a　rat　clung　about　her；　so　the　marriage　was

broken　off；　though　the　banns　were　already　twice　put　up　…　which　the

parish　clerk　well　remembers；　for；　as　he　handed　the　book　to　the

clergyman　for　the　second　time　of　asking；　a　large　fat　rat　ran　over

the　leaf。　　（By　this　time　a　special　cascade　of　rats　was　rolling　down

my　back；　and　the　whole　of　my　small　listening　person　was　overrun

with　them。　　At　intervals　ever　since；　I　have　been　morbidly　afraid　of

my　own　pocket；　lest　my　exploring　hand　should　find　a　specimen　or　two

of　those　vermin　in　it。）



You　may　believe　that　all　this　was　very　terrible　to　Chips；　but　even

all　this　was　not　the　worst。　　He　knew　besides；　what　the　rats　were

doing；　wherever　they　were。　　So；　sometimes　he　would　cry　aloud；　when

he　was　at　his　club　at　night；　'Oh！　　Keep　the　rats　out　of　the

convicts'　burying…ground！　　Don't　let　them　do　that！'　　Or；　'There's

one　of　them　at　the　cheese　down…stairs！'　　Or；　'There's　two　of　them

smelling　at　the　baby　in　the　garret！'　　Or；　other　things　of　that

sort。　　At　last；　he　was　voted　mad；　and　lost　his　work　in　the　Yard；

and　could　get　no　other　work。　　But；　King　George　wanted　men；　so

before　very　long　he　got　pressed　for　a　sailor。　　And　so　he　was　taken

off　in　a　boat　one　evening　to　his　ship；　lying　at　Spithead；　ready　to

sail。　　And　so　the　first　thing　he　made　out　in　her　as　he　got　near

her；　was　the　figure…head　of　the　old　Seventy…four；　where　he　had　seen

the　Devil。　　She　was　called　the　Argonaut；　and　they　rowed　right　under

the　bowsprit　where　the　figure…head　of　the　Argonaut；　with　a

sheepskin　in　his　hand　and　a　blue　gown　on；　was　looking　out　to　sea；

and　sitting　staring　on　his　forehead　was　the　rat　who　could　speak；

and　his　exact　words　were　these：　　'Chips　ahoy！　　Old　boy！　　We've

pretty　well　eat　them　too；　and　we'll　drown　the　crew；　and　will　eat

them　too！'　　（Here　I　always　became　exceedingly　faint；　and　would　have

asked　for　water；　but　that　I　was　speechless。）



The　ship　was　bound　for　the　Indies；　and　if　you　don't　know　where　that

is；　you　ought　to　it；　and　angels　will　never　love　you。　　（Here　I　felt

myself　an　outcast　from　a　future　state。）　　The　ship　set　sail　that

very　night；　and　she　sailed；　and　sailed；　and　sailed。　　Chips's

feelings　were　dreadful。　　Nothing　ever　equalled　his　terrors。　　No

wonder。　　At　last；　one　day　he　asked　leave　to　speak　to　the　Admiral。

The　Admiral　giv'　leave。　　Chips　went　down　on　his　knees　in　the　Great

State　Cabin。　　'Your　Honour；　unless　your　Honour；　without　a　moment's

loss　of　time；　makes　sail　for　the　nearest　shore；　this　is　a　doomed

ship；　and　her　name　is　the　Coffin！'　　'Young　man；　your　words　are　a

madman's　words。'　　'Your　Honour　no；　they　are　nibbling　us　away。'

'They？'　　'Your　Honour；　them　dreadful　rats。　　Dust　and　hollowness

where　solid　oak　ought　to　be！　　Rats　nibbling　a　grave　for　every　man

on　board！　　Oh！　　Does　your　Honour　love　your　Lady　and　your　pretty

children？'　　'Yes；　my　man；　to　be　sure。'　　'Then；　for　God's　sake；　make

for　the　nearest　shore；　for　at　this　present　moment　the　rats　are　all

stopping　in　their　work；　and　are　all　looking　straight　towards　you

with　bare　teeth；　and　are　all　saying　to　one　another　that　you　shall

never；　never；　never；　never；　see　your　Lady　and　your　children　more。'

'My　poor　fellow；　you　are　a　case　for　the　doctor。　　Sentry；　take　care

of　this　man！'



So；　he　was　bled　and　he　was　blistered；　and　he　was　this　and　that；　for

six　whole　days　and　nights。　　So；　then　he　again　asked　leave　to　speak

to　the　Admiral。　　The　Admiral　giv'　leave。　　He　went　down　on　his　knees

in　the　Great　State　Cabin。　　'Now；　Admiral；　you　must　die！　　You　took

no　warning；　you　must　die！　　The　rats　are　never　wrong　in　their

calculations；　and　they　make　out　that　they'll　be　through；　at　twelve

to…night。　　So；　you　must　die！　…　With　me　and　all　the　rest！'　　And　so

at　twelve　o'clock　there　was　a　great　leak　reported　in　the　ship；　and

a　torrent　of　wa