The Song Book of Quong Lee of Limehouse文档格式.docx
《The Song Book of Quong Lee of Limehouse文档格式.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《The Song Book of Quong Lee of Limehouse文档格式.docx(18页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
![The Song Book of Quong Lee of Limehouse文档格式.docx](https://file1.bingdoc.com/fileroot1/2023-5/4/b461ddb7-1fda-4f4e-93eb-beecf8158078/b461ddb7-1fda-4f4e-93eb-beecf81580781.gif)
ThePowerofMusicInthelittleroombehindmyshopIrefreshmyselfofaneveningwithmymachine-that-sings.
Twosongshasmymachine-that-sings:
Andtheseare'
HitchyKoo'
and'
Wedon'
twanttoloseyou.'
When,intheevening,afriendhonoursmewithavisit,Iengagehisearswiththeairof'
;
ButwhenIamafflictedwithavisit>
Fromthosewhofillmewithaspiritofno-satisfaction,Icommandmymachine-that-singsTorenderthemusicof'
ThenoisethatatthismomentgreetstheearOftheelegantvisitortothisdespicablehovelIstheincomparablemusicof'
Andthepriceofthisperson'
stea,mister,Isbutapaltrysixshillingsthepound.
TheLamplighterThedarkdaysnowbegin,wheninafternoonTheGreatNightLanternmakesarazor-edgeOfblackandwhiteinthestreets.
Andonecomes,calledtheLamplighter,AndthestraightstifflampsofthesestiffLondonstreets,Athisquicktouchburstintolight.
AtthisshyhourIseefrommyunshadedwindowBrightgirls,hairflowing,gobywithshutteredfaces,Holdingclosecaptivetheirwarminsurgentbosoms.
Andthen,atthecorner,SomeslenderladofboldanduprightcarriageGreetsthem,andtheshutteredlanternsoftheirfacesBurstwithlightatthetouchofthelamplighter.
Oh,kindingeniouslamplighter,Willyoupleasestepthisway?
InReplytoanInvitationDon'
tthinkofmeasoneofnocourtesyOelegantandrefinedforeignone,IfIdonotacceptyourhigh-mindedinvitationTodrinkrice-spiritwithyouAtthelittleplacecalledTheBlueLantern,nearPennyfields.
Pleasedon'
tregardmeaslackingingraciousbehaviour,OrasinsufferablyignorantoftheteachingsoftheBookofRitesButIamsojourninghereinastrnageland,Andamnotfullyinformedoftheusagesofyourdignifiedpeople.
AsthewiseMenciusobservedinoneofhisinspiredhours,Doubtlessthinkingforwardtosituationofthisperson:
Childwhohasoncesufferedunpleasantsensationofburning,Everafterwardreluctanttoapproachstove.
Wherefore,asthispersononceacceptedaninvitation,Inwordsasaffableandpolishedasyours,Mister,Todrinkrice-spiritatTheBlueLantern,AndwastheresubjectedtoacustomofthiscountryOfanentirelydisturbingandunpleasingnature,KnownasCeremonyofConfidence,Hehas,sincethatday,viewedTheBlueLanternWithafeelingofmostdecidedrepugnance.
ANight-PieceIclimbedtheotherdayuptotheroofOfthecommandingandpalatialHomeforAsiaticsAndlookedacrossthecityatthehourofno-light.
AcrossgreatspaceofdarkIlooked,Buttheskirtofdarknesshadahundredrents,Madebythelightsofmanypeople'
shomes.
Mylifeisagreatskirtofdarkness,Buthumankindlinesshastornitthrough,SothatitshowstenthousandgapingrentsWherethelightcomesin.
ASmileGivenInPassingAsIwalkedthestreetinthepurringeveningAlittlemaidwithyellowcurlsTossedmeasmile;
andsuddenlyPennyfieldsGrewfromdarknesstolight,andthelightofthestarsGrewpale.
Imaynotseeheragain,butIholdhersmileinmyheart,Andsheiswithmeinmyshopandaboutthestreets.
Myshopmaytumbledown;
WestIndiaDockmaysometimesufferadrought;
GriefandJoycomeforaday;
AndHopeandFear,andDesireandDeedAriseandpass,andarenomore;
ButthebeautybornofherquickenedsmileCanneverdie.
OfaNationalCashRegisterLastweekthisperson,desiringtomakeitknownThathewasinallwaysmovinguptothedate,IntroducedintohisinsignificantshopAmachine-that-counts,CalledaNationalCashRegister,WhichannouncestorefinedandintelligentcustomersTheamountsoftheirpurchases.
Thisweekthispersonpurchasedawholedays'
amusement;
Andtheamounthepaidforthiswasanother'
sdiscomfitureandpain.
And,afteranightofcogitation,Heismovedtoreflectonthefar-reachingandwholesomevalueOfaNationalRegisterwhichwouldannouncetothefaceThecostofsuchpleasuresasthis.
UnderaShiningWindowAlamplitwindow,AtthetopofatenementhousenearPoplarHighStreet,Shinesfluentlyoutofthenight;
AndlookingupwardIseeThatthebricksofthehousesarebrightandfairtotheeye.
TherearenoflowersinWestIndiaDockRoad;
Nothingbutbrickandstone,andironandspentair.
Butwhenroughbrickandstoneareashrineforbeauty,Theybecomethemselvesbeautiful.
PerhapsifthispersonencloseswithinhimselfBeautifulthoughtsandamiableintentions,HisinsignificantframemayacquireThenobleoutlinesofthattenementhouse.
ExchangeofComplimentsAtteno'
clocklastnightanuglyfellow,Ofskinnyexteriorandmostungraciousmanner,Wasthrownwithatotallossofgravity>
FromtheflappingdoorsoftheBlueLantern.
Helurchedinmostungainlyfashionpastthisperson'
sshop--
Thispersonstandingathisdoor--
Andusedbaselanguageofanunpolishednature,CallinghimUglyYellowBastard,HopFiendandDirtyDoper,EaterofDogsandCheateratPuckapoo,Son-of-a-Bitchanddevoteeofvice.
Thispersondidnotrespondinlikemanner,Knowingthatheisnothimselfall-perfect,NorevenineveryhourAdevoutfolloweroftheteachingsoftheFourBooks.
Hecontentedhimselfwithrepeatinginafar-reachingtone,ThewordsoftheloftyLaoTzu:
Whenpotuponstovereprovethkettleforblackness,Potspeakingoutofturn.
ASongofLittleGirlsIwanttomakeasongofthelittlegirlsThatliveaboutthisquarter.
Icouldmakeasongofboysquiteeasilywithwords,Butwordsaretoobluntforsuchdelicatethingsasgirls.
Iwouldliketomakemysongofthemwithbeesandbutterflies.
Onelooksattheboy,andsaysBoy;
Andlo,onehasdescribedhim.
Butlittlegirlsaremorninglightandmelody;
Theirhappyhairfluttersandflies,orcurtainstheirlaughingfaces--
Facesgladasthesunatdawn.
Theirclear,coolskinislikewinetotheeyes,Thelinesoftheirfluentlimbsrunlikeasong,Andeverystepisanoteofgracewhichthefrockrepeats.
Don'
tyouthinkitapity,andgreatlytobedeploredThattheseshouldlosethisbeauty,Andpassfromittotheguileandtrickeryofwoman?
OfShopWindowsLookingcloselyattheglasswindowsofmyshop,Iseeinthemthewholeofmyshopreflected.
Lookingatmywindowscloselyfromthestreet,Iseeinthemthelifeofthestreetreflected.
YetifIstandaway,theglassremainstransparent,AndIseeclearlythroughittothethingsbeyond.
IfIlookwithclosevisionIntotheheartsofmen,Iseemyownsmallheartreflected.
Iwilltryhenceforthnottolookatthemtooclosely.
AttheFeastofLanternsLithelyontheirstringsswingthemany-colouredlanterns,ForthisistheFeastofLanterns;
AndPennyfieldsandWestIndiaDockRoadAreto-nightapartofmyowncountry,AglowwiththehuesofthePeacock'
sTail,Veryamiabletotheeye.
InarecessofmyheartIsapoorstreethungwithlanterns.
Theselanternsaremythoughts,Andtheyarelightedatthelasthoursoftheevenings,WhenthroughthisstreetWalksthewillowymaidenfromthetea-shopacrosstheroad.
OneServiceBreedsAnotherOneofthisperson'
swhite-skinnedfriends,BillHawkins,Wholaboursatthewaterside,Hadoccasion,atthetimeofunkindweather,TorescuefromthecertainperilofdrowningOnewhohadslippedfromtheedgeofawharftothedock.
Withoutrewardtheflowerservesthebee.
Themotherservesthechildwithpainandtoil.
Thesoldierserveshiskingwithoutking'
sgratitutde.
Andthispersonhasnotedwithmuchprivateamusement,How,sincethisoneservicerendered,BillHawkinsgoeseverfromhisaccustomedpathToaddservicetoservicetotheoneherescued;
WhiletherescuedonelookseveruponBillHawkinsWitheyesofno-approval,indeed,withintensedisgust.
AnOfferofaLodgingLittlemaidoftheyellowcurlsYoulooksadasyoupassmywindow.
Youlookasthoughyouwouldliketocreepintosomewarmnest,Andhideyourgoldenhead.
Oh,look,littlemaid!
Ihavemadeyouanest!
Creepintoit,andIwillhideyouaway,Quietly,inthenestofmyheart,Iwillwrapyouaroundwithversesandcoveryouwithfairthoughts.
Thereisyetonelittlecornerleft,Freefromtheworld'
sdefilement;
OnelittlecornerwherenotabreathofwrongShallentertodisturbyourslumbering.
AndIwillcherishyouthereInthenestyouwillmakesopure.
Iwillholdyouandguardyousafefromthesnaresofthestonystreets.
Beatpeace,littlemaid,andlieintrust;
Forthoughmyfeetmaystumble,andImayfall,ThecornerthathousesyouIwilleverkeepwhole.
OfTwoDwellingsAtthelowerendofLimehouseCausewayIsahousewheregirlssurrendertheirbodiesTo