Лавка древностей

Chapter 62

           Idon’tbelievehe’dmindthrottlingme,anddroppingmesoftlyintotheriverwhenthetidewasatitsstrongest,anymorethanhe’dmindkillingaratindeedIdon’tknowwhetherhewouldn’tconsideritapleasantjoke.Hark!Nowhe’ssinging!’

           MrQuilpwascertainlyentertaininghimselfwithvocalexercise,butitwasratherakindofchantthanasong;beingamonotonousrepetitionofonesentenceinaveryrapidmanner,withalongstressuponthelastword,whichheswelledintoadismalroar.Nordidtheburdenofthisperformancebearanyreferencetolove,orwar,orwine,orloyalty,oranyother,thestandardtopicsofsong,buttoasubjectnotoftensettomusicorgenerallyknowninballads;thewordsbeingthese:‘Theworthymagistrate,afterremarkingthattheprisonerwouldfindsomedifficultyinpersuadingajurytobelievehistale,committedhimtotakehistrialattheapproachingsessions;anddirectedthecustomaryrecognisancestobeenteredintoforthepros-e-cu-tion.’

           Everytimehecametothisconcludingword,andhadexhaustedallpossiblestressuponit,Quilpburstintoashriekoflaughter,andbeganagain.

           ‘He’sdreadfullyimprudent,’mutteredBrass,afterhehadlistenedtotwoorthreerepetitionsofthechant.‘Horriblyimprudent.Iwishhewasdumb.Iwishhewasdeaf.Iwishhewasblind.Hanghim,’criedBrass,asthechantbeganagain.

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