Lord George Sanger - A Fair and a Fire 汉译

I have reason to remember that particular Stepney Fair... There was an enormous rope factory on one side of the green, an establishment that extended over a piece of ground running quite into the country, and on the last day of the fair this was suddenly discovered to be on fire. It was just towards dusk when the flames were first seen, and in a very little time they had made tremendous headway. The excitement was intense, the people flocking from the fair to witness the fire and to render what assistance they could. With the pleasure seekers went the showmen, one and all, to give what aid was possible, and an extraordinary scene was the result. There was no time to take off dresses, and amid the flying sparks, and in and about the burning buildings, could be seen clowns knights in armour, Indian chiefs, jugglers in tights and spangles, rope walkers in fleshings – in fact, all the characters of the fair in full dress, striving with might and main to combat the flames. Here would be seen clown, pantalon, harlequin, and demon passing buckets from hand to hand, while at another point was the feeble parish engine, manned by sweating Saracens, Crusaders, Roman gladiators, and such-like, pumping as though their very lives depended on their exertions. Up on the building, running along beams with crowbars and hatchets, were the tight-rope walkers, vaulters, and acrobats, whose training enabled them to go where no other persons could possibly have clambered, breaking away roofs and walls to prevent the spread of the fire. Over all was the glow of the flames lighting up the faces of the dense multitude that surged and swung and shouted its approval of the efforts of the motley-garbed show-folk to check the advance of the enemy.

It was a picture that would have delighted a painter of weired scenes, though he might have despaired of ever putting its wavering lights and shadows and the strange characters glancing through them effecitvely on canvas. I know it impressed itself indelibly on memory, as in my Hamlet dress I took my share of work with the others in checking the roaring flames. At last our efforts told, and we did check them, but not until enormous demage had been done. A big part of the works was, however, saved, and so pleased were the authorities at the spirit the showmen had exhibited that they gave orders for the fair to continue another day to help make up any losses we had sustained through leaving our booths to become fire fighters.

We did rare business on the extra day, for the story of the fire had spread, and the public came in crowds to view the scene and to patronize the showmen who had worked so well.