appendix-b-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！






APPENDIX　B

Heidelberg　Castle



Heidelberg　Castle　must　have　been　very　beautiful　before

the　French　battered　and　bruised　and　scorched　it　two　hundred

years　ago。　　The　stone　is　brown；　with　a　pinkish　tint；

and　does　not　seem　to　stain　easily。　　The　dainty　and　elaborate

ornamentation　upon　its　two　chief　fronts　is　as　delicately

carved　as　if　it　had　been　intended　for　the　interior　of　a

drawing…room　rather　than　for　the　outside　of　a　house。　

Many　fruit　and　flower　clusters；　human　heads　and　grim

projecting　lions'　heads　are　still　as　perfect　in　every　detail

as　if　they　were　new。　　But　the　statues　which　are　ranked

between　the　windows　have　suffered。　　These　are　life…size

statues　of　old…time　emperors；　electors；　and　similar

grandees；　clad　in　mail　and　bearing　ponderous　swords。　

Some　have　lost　an　arm；　some　a　head；　and　one　poor　fellow

is　chopped　off　at　the　middle。　　There　is　a　saying　that　if

a　stranger　will　pass　over　the　drawbridge　and　walk　across

the　court　to　the　castle　front　without　saying　anything；

he　can　made　a　wish　and　it　will　be　fulfilled。　　But　they

say　that　the　truth　of　this　thing　has　never　had　a　chance

to　be　proved；　for　the　reason　that　before　any　stranger　can

walk　from　the　drawbridge　to　the　appointed　place；　the　beauty

of　the　palace　front　will　extort　an　exclamation　of　delight　from

him。　



A　ruin　must　be　rightly　situated；　to　be　effective。　

This　one　could　not　have　been　better　placed。　　It　stands

upon　a　commanding　elevation；　it　is　buried　in　green　words；

there　is　no　level　ground　about　it；　but；　on　the　contrary；

there　are　wooded　terraces　upon　terraces；　and　one　looks

down　through　shining　leaves　into　profound　chasms　and

abysses　where　twilight　reigns　and　the　sun　cannot　intrude。　

Nature　knows　how　to　garnish　a　ruin　to　get　the　best　effect。　

One　of　these　old　towers　is　split　down　the　middle；　and　one

half　has　tumbled　aside。　　It　tumbled　in　such　a　way　as　to

establish　itself　in　a　picturesque　attitude。　　Then　all　it

lacked　was　a　fitting　drapery；　and　Nature　has　furnished　that；

she　has　robed　the　rugged　mass　in　flowers　and　verdure；

and　made　it　a　charm　to　the　eye。　　The　standing　half

exposes　its　arched　and　cavernous　rooms　to　you；　like　open；

toothless　mouths；　there；　too；　the　vines　and　flowers　have

done　their　work　of　grace。　　The　rear　portion　of　the　tower

has　not　been　neglected；　either；　but　is　clothed　with　a

clinging　garment　of　polished　ivy　which　hides　the　wounds

and　stains　of　time。　　Even　the　top　is　not　left　bare；　but　is

crowned　with　a　flourishing　group　of　trees　and　shrubs。　

Misfortune　has　done　for　this　old　tower　what　it　has　done

for　the　human　character　sometimesimproved　it。　



A　gentleman　remarked；　one　day；　that　it　might　have　been

fine　to　live　in　the　castle　in　the　day　of　its　prime；

but　that　we　had　one　advantage　which　its　vanished

inhabitants　lackedthe　advantage　of　having　a　charming

ruin　to　visit　and　muse　over。　　But　that　was　a　hasty　idea。　

Those　people　had　the　advantage　of　US。　　They　had　the　fine

castle　to　live　in；　and　they　could　cross　the　Rhine　valley

and　muse　over　the　stately　ruin　of　Trifels　besides。　

The　Trifels　people；　in　their　day；　five　hundred　years　ago；

could　go　and　muse　over　majestic　ruins　that　have　vanished；

now；　to　the　last　stone。　　There　have　always　been　ruins；

no　doubt；　and　there　have　always　been　pensive　people　to　sigh

over　them；　and　asses　to　scratch　upon　them　their　names

and　the　important　date　of　their　visit。　　Within　a　hundred

years　after　Adam　left　Eden；　the　guide　probably　gave

the　usual　general　flourish　with　his　hand　and　said：　〃Place

where　the　animals　were　named；　ladies　and　gentlemen；

place　where　the　tree　of　the　forbidden　fruit　stood；

exact　spot　where　Adam　and　Eve　first　met；　and　here；

ladies　and　gentlemen；　adorned　and　hallowed　by　the　names

and　addresses　of　three　generations　of　tourists；　we　have

the　crumbling　remains　of　Cain's　altarfine　old　ruin！〃

Then；　no　doubt；　he　taxed　them　a　shekel　apiece　and　let

them　go。　



An　illumination　of　Heidelberg　Castle　is　one　of　the

sights　of　Europe。　　The　Castle's　picturesque　shape；

its　commanding　situation；　midway　up　the　steep　and

wooded　mountainside；　its　vast　sizethese　features　combine

to　make　an　illumination　a　most　effective　spectacle。　

It　is　necessarily　an　expensive　show；　and　consequently

rather　infrequent。　　Therefore　whenever　one　of　these　exhibitions

is　to　take　place；　the　news　goes　about　in　the　papers　and

Heidelberg　is　sure　to　be　full　of　people　on　that　night。　

I　and　my　agent　had　one　of　these　opportunities；　and　improved　it。　



About　half　past　seven　on　the　appointed　evening　we

crossed　the　lower　bridge；　with　some　American　students；

in　a　pouring　rain；　and　started　up　the　road　which　borders

the　Neunheim　side　of　the　river。　　This　roadway　was　densely

packed　with　carriages　and　foot…passengers；　the　former

of　all　ages；　and　the　latter　of　all　ages　and　both　sexes。　

This　black　and　solid　mass　was　struggling　painfully　onward；

through　the　slop；　the　darkness；　and　the　deluge。　

We　waded　along　for　three…quarters　of　a　mile；　and　finally

took　up　a　position　in　an　unsheltered　beer…garden　directly

opposite　the　Castle。　　We　could　not　SEE　the　Castleor

anything　else；　for　that　matterbut　we　could　dimly

discern　the　outlines　of　the　mountain　over　the　way；

through　the　pervading　blackness；　and　knew　whereabouts

the　Castle　was　located。　　We　stood　on　one　of　the　hundred

benches　in　the　garden；　under　our　umbrellas；　the　other

ninety…nine　were　occupied　by　standing　men　and　women；

and　they　also　had　umbrellas。　　All　the　region　round　about；

and　up　and　down　the　river…road；　was　a　dense　wilderness　of

humanity　hidden　under　an　unbroken　pavement　of　carriage　tops

and　umbrellas。　　Thus　we　stood　during　two　drenching　hours。　

No　rain　fell　on　my　head；　but　the　converging　whalebone

points　of　a　dozen　neighboring　umbrellas　poured　little

cooling　steams　of　water　down　my　neck；　and　sometimes　into

my　ears；　and　thus　kept　me　from　getting　hot　and　impatient。　

I　had　the　rheumatism；　too；　and　had　heard　that　this　was

good　for　it。　　Afterward；　however；　I　was　led　to　believe

that　the　water　treatment　is　NOT　good　for　rheumatism。　

There　were　even　little　girls　in　that　dreadful　place。　

A　men　held　one　in　his　arms；　just　in　front　of　me；　for　as　much

as　an　hour；　with　umbrella…drippings　soaking　into　her　clothing

all　the　time。　



In　the　circumstances；　two　hours　was　a　good　while　for　us

to　have　to　wait；　but　when　the　illumination　did　at　last　come；

we　felt　repaid。　　It　came　unexpectedly；　of　coursethings

always　do；　that　have　been　long　looked　and　longed　for。　

With　a　perfectly　breath…taking　suddenness　several　mast

sheaves　of　varicolored　rockets　were　vomited　skyward　out

of　the　black　throats　of　the　Castle　towers；　accompanied　by

a　thundering　crash　of　sound；　and　instantly　every　detail　of

the　prodigious　ruin　stood　revealed　against　the　mountainside

and　glowing　with　an　almost　intolerable　splendor　of　fire

and　color。　　For　some　little　time　the　whole　building　was

a　blinding　crimson　mass；　the　towers　continued　to　spout

thick　columns　of　rockets　aloft；　and　overhead　the　sky

was　radiant　with　arrowy　bolts　which　clove　their　way　to

the　zenith；　paused；　curved　gracefully　downward；　then　burst

into　brilliant　fountain…sprays　of　richly　colored　sparks。　

The　red　fires　died　slowly　down；　within　the　Castle；

and　presently　the　shell　grew　nearly　black　outside；

the　angry　glare　that　shone　out　through　the　broken　arches

and　innumerable　sashless　windows；　now；　reproduced　the

aspect　which　the　Castle　must　have　borne　in　the　old　time

when　the　French　spoilers　saw　the　monster　bonfire　which

they　had　made　there　fading　and　spoiling　toward　extinction。　



While　we　still　gazed　and　enjoyed；　the　ruin　was　suddenly

enveloped　in　rolling　and　rumbling　volumes　of　vaporous

green　fire；　then　in　dazzling　purple　ones；　then　a　mixture

of　many　colors　followed；　then　drowned　the　great　fabric

in　its　blended　splendors。　　Meantime　the　nearest　bridge

had　been　illuminated；　and　from　several　rafts　anchored

in　the　river；　meteor　showers　of　rockets；　Roman　candles；

bombs；　serpents；　and　Catharine　wheels　were　being　discharged

in　wasteful　profusion　into　the　skya　marvelous　sight　indeed

to　a　person　as　little　used　to　such　spectacles　as　I　was。　

For　a　while　the　whole　region　about　us　seemed　as　bright　as　day；

and　yet　the　rain　was　falling　in　torrents　all　the　time。　

The　evening's　entertainment　presently　closed；　and　we

joined　the　innumerable　caravan　of　half…drowned　strangers；

and　waded　home　again。　



The　Castle　grounds　are　very　ample　and　very　beautiful；

and　as　they　joined　the　Hotel　grounds；　with　no　fences

to　climb；　but　only　some　nobly　shaded　stone　stairways

to　descend；　we　spent　a　part　of　nearly　every　day　in

idling　through　their　smooth　walks　and　leafy　groves。　

There　was　an　attractive　spot　among　the　trees　where　were

a　great　many　wooden　tables　and　benches；　and　there　one　could

sit　in　the　shade　and　pretend　to　sip　at　his　foamy　beaker

of　beer　while　he　inspected　the　crowd。　　I　say　pretend；

because　I　only　pretended　to　sip；　without　really　sipping。　

That　is　the　polite　way；　but　when　you　are　ready　to　go；

you　empty　the　beaker　at　a　draught。　　There　was　a　brass　band；

and　it　furnished　excellent　music　every　afternoon。　

Sometimes　so　many　people　came　that　every　seat　was　occupied；

every　table　filled。　　And　never　a　rough　in　the　assemblaceall

nicely　dressed　fathers　and　mothers；　young　gentlemen

and　ladies　and　children；　and　plenty　of　university

students　and　glittering　officers；　with　here　and　there

a　gray　professor；　or　a　peaceful　old　lady　with　her　knitting；

and　always　a　sprinkling　of　gawky　foreigners。　

Everybody　had　his　glass　of　beer　before　him；　or　his　cup

of　coffee；　or　his　bottle　of　wine；　or　his　hot　cutlet

and　potatoes；　young　ladies　chatted；　or　fanned　themselves；

or　wrought　at　their　crocheting　or　embroidering；

the　students　fed　sugar　to　their　dogs；　or　discussed　duels；

or　illustrated　new　fencing　tricks　with　their　little　canes；

and　everywhere　was　comfort　and　enjoyment；　and　everywhere

peace　and　good…will　to　men。　　The　trees　were　jubi