a ride across palestine-第1部分

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A　Ride　Across　Palestine

by　Anthony　Trollope





Circumstances　took　me　to　the　Holy　Land　without　a　companion；　and
compelled　me　to　visit　Bethany；　the　Mount　of　Olives；　and　the　Church
of　the　Sepulchre　alone。　　I　acknowledge　myself　to　be　a　gregarious
animal；　or；　perhaps；　rather　one　of　those　which　nature　has　intended
to　go　in　pairs。　　At　any　rate　I　dislike　solitude；　and　especially
travelling　solitude；　and　was；　therefore；　rather　sad　at　heart　as　I
sat　one　night　at　Z…'s　hotel；　in　Jerusalem；　thinking　over　my　proposed
wanderings　for　the　next　few　days。　　Early　on　the　following　morning　I
intended　to　start；　of　course　on　horseback；　for　the　Dead　Sea；　the
banks　of　Jordan；　Jericho；　and　those　mountains　of　the　wilderness
through　which　it　is　supposed　that　Our　Saviour　wandered　for　the　forty
days　when　the　devil　tempted　him。　　I　would　then　return　to　the　Holy
City；　and　remaining　only　long　enough　to　refresh　my　horse　and　wipe
the　dust　from　my　hands　and　feet；　I　would　start　again　for　Jaffa；　and
there　catch　a　certain　Austrian　steamer　which　would　take　me　to　Egypt。
Such　was　my　programme；　and　I　confess　that　I　was　but　ill　contented
with　it；　seeing　that　I　was　to　be　alone　during　the　time。

I　had　already　made　all　my　arrangements；　and　though　I　had　no　reason
for　any　doubt　as　to　my　personal　security　during　the　trip；　I　did　not
feel　altogether　satisfied　with　them。　　I　intended　to　take　a　French
guide；　or　dragoman；　who　had　been　with　me　for　some　days；　and　to　put
myself　under　the　peculiar　guardianship　of　two　Bedouin　Arabs；　who
were　to　accompany　me　as　long　as　I　should　remain　east　of　Jerusalem。
This　travelling　through　the　desert　under　the　protection　of　Bedouins
was；　in　idea；　pleasant　enough；　and　I　must　here　declare　that　I　did
not　at　all　begrudge　the　forty　shillings　which　I　was　told　by　our
British　consul　that　I　must　pay　them　for　their　trouble；　in　accordance
with　the　established　tariff。　　But　I　did　begrudge　the　fact　of　the
tariff。　　I　would　rather　have　fallen　in　with　my　friendly　Arabs；　as　it
were　by　chance；　and　have　rewarded　their　fidelity　at　the　end　of　our
joint　journeyings　by　a　donation　of　piastres　to　be　settled　by　myself；
and　which；　under　such　circumstances；　would　certainly　have　been　as
agreeable　to　them　as　the　stipulated　sum。　　In　the　same　way　I　dislike
having　waiters　put　down　in　my　bill。　　I　find　that　I　pay　them　twice
over；　and　thus　lose　money；　and　as　they　do　not　expect　to　be　so
treated；　I　never　have　the　advantage　of　their　civility。　　The　world；　I
fear；　is　becoming　too　fond　of　tariffs。

〃A　tariff！〃　said　I　to　the　consul；　feeling　that　the　whole　romance　of
my　expedition　would　be　dissipated　by　such　an　arrangement。　　〃Then
I'll　go　alone；　I'll　take　a　revolver　with　me。〃

〃You　can't　do　it；　sir；〃　said　the　consul；　in　a　dry　and　somewhat　angry
tone。　　〃You　have　no　more　right　to　ride　through　that　country　without
paying　the　regular　price　for　protection；　than　you　have　to　stop　in　Z…
's　hotel　without　settling　the　bill。〃

I　could　not　contest　the　point；　so　I　ordered　my　Bedouins　for　the
appointed　day；　exactly　as　I　would　send　for　a　ticket…porter　at　home；
and　determined　to　make　the　best　of　it。　　The　wild　unlimited　sands；
the　desolation　of　the　Dead　Sea；　the　rushing　waters　of　Jordan；　the
outlines　of　the　mountains　of　Moab；those　things　the　consular　tariff
could　not　alter；　nor　deprive　them　of　the　glories　of　their
association。

I　had　submitted；　and　the　arrangements　had　been　made。　　Joseph；　my
dragoman；　was　to　come　to　me　with　the　horses　and　an　Arab　groom　at
five　in　the　morning；　and　we　were　to　encounter　our　Bedouins　outside
the　gate　of　St。　Stephen；　down　the　hill；　where　the　road　turns；　close
to　the　tomb　of　the　Virgin。

I　was　sitting　alone　in　the　public　room　at　the　hotel；　filling　my
flask　with　brandy；for　matters　of　primary　importance　I　never　leave
to　servant；　dragoman；　or　guide；when　the　waiter　entered；　and　said
that　a　gentleman　wished　to　speak　with　me。　　The　gentleman　had　not
sent　in　his　card　or　name；　but　any　gentleman　was　welcome　to　me　in　my
solitude；　and　I　requested　that　the　gentleman　might　enter。　　In
appearance　the　gentleman　certainly　was　a　gentleman；　for　I　thought
that　I　had　never　before　seen　a　young　man　whose　looks　were　more　in
his　favour；　or　whose　face　and　gait　and　outward　bearing　seemed　to
betoken　better　breeding。　　He　might　be　some　twenty　or　twenty…one
years　of　age；　was　slight　and　well　made；　with　very　black　hair；　which
he　wore　rather　long；　very　dark　long　bright　eyes；　a　straight　nose；
and　teeth　that　were　perfectly　white。　　He　was　dressed　throughout　in
grey　tweed　clothing；　having　coat；　waistcoat；　and　trousers　of　the
same；　and　in　his　hand　he　carried　a　very　broad…brimmed　straw　hat。

〃Mr。　Jones；　I　believe；〃　he　said；　as　he　bowed　to　me。　　Jones　is　a　good
travelling　name；　and；　if　the　reader　will　allow　me；　I　will　call
myself　Jones　on　the　present　occasion。

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　pausing　with　the　brandy…bottle　in　one　hand；　and　the
flask　in　the　other。　　〃That's　my　name；　I'm　Jones。　　Can　I　do　anything
for　you；　sir？〃

〃Why；　yes；　you　can；〃　said　he。　　〃My　name　is　Smith；John　Smith。〃

〃Pray　sit　down；　Mr。　Smith；〃　I　said；　pointing　to　a　chair。　　〃Will　you
do　anything　in　this　way？〃　and　I　proposed　to　hand　the　bottle　to　him。
〃As　far　as　I　can　judge　from　a　short　stay；　you　won't　find　much　like
that　in　Jerusalem。〃

He　declined　the　Cognac；　however；　and　immediately　began　his　story。
〃I　hear；　Mr。　Jones；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　are　going　to　Moab　to…
morrow。〃

〃Well；〃　I　replied；　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　shall　cross　the　water。
It's　not　very　easy；　I　take　it；　at　all　times；　but　I　shall　certainly
get　as　far　as　Jordan。　　Can　I　do　anything　for　you　in　those　parts？〃

And　then　he　explained　to　me　what　was　the　object　of　his　visit。　　He
was　quite　alone　in　Jerusalem；　as　I　was　myself；　and　was　staying　at　H…
's　hotel。　　He　had　heard　that　I　was　starting　for　the　Dead　Sea；　and
had　called　to　ask　if　I　objected　to　his　joining　me。　　He　had　found
himself；　he　said；　very　lonely；　and　as　he　had　heard　that　I　also　was
alone；　he　had　ventured　to　call　and　make　his　proposition。　　He　seemed
to　be　very　bashful；　and　half　ashamed　of　what　he　was　doing；　and　when
he　had　done　speaking　he　declared　himself　conscious　that　he　was
intruding；　and　expressed　a　hope　that　I　would　not　hesitate　to　say　so
if　his　suggestion　were　from　any　cause　disagreeable　to　me。

As　a　rule　I　am　rather　shy　of　chance　travelling　English　friends。　　It
has　so　frequently　happened　to　me　that　I　have　had　to　blush　for　the
acquaintances　whom　I　have　selected；　that　I　seldom　indulge　in　any
close　intimacies　of　this　kind。　　But；　nevertheless；　I　was　taken　with
John　Smith；　in　spite　of　his　name。　　There　was　so　much　about　him　that
was　pleasant；　both　to　the　eye　and　to　the　understanding！　　One　meets
constantly　with　men　from　contact　with　whom　one　revolts　without
knowing　the　cause　of　such　dislike。　　The　cut　of　their　beard　is
displeasing；　or　the　mode　in　which　they　walk　or　speak。　　But；　on　the
other　hand；　there　are　men　who　are　attractive；　and　I　must　confess
that　I　was　attracted　by　John　Smith　at　first　sight。　　I　hesitated；
however；　for　a　minute；　for　there　are　sundry　things　of　which　it
behoves　a　traveller　to　think　before　he　can　join　a　companion　for　such
a　journey　as　that　which　I　was　about　to　make。　　Could　the　young　man
rise　early；　and　remain　in　the　saddle　for　ten　hours　together？　　Could
he　live　upon　hard…boiled　eggs　and　brandy…and…water？　　Could　he　take
his　chance　of　a　tent　under　which　to　sleep；　and　make　himself　happy
with　the　bare　fact　of　being　in　the　desert？　　He　saw　my　hesitation；
and　attributed　it　to　a　cause　which　was　not　present　in　my　mind　at　the
moment；　though　the　subject　was　one　of　the　greatest　importance　when
strangers　consent　to　join　themselves　together　for　a　time；　and　agree
to　become　no　strangers　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。

〃Of　course　I　will　take　half　the　expense；〃　said　he；　absolutely
blushing　as　he　mentioned　the　matter。

〃As　to　that　there　will　be　very　little。　　You　have　your　own　horse；　of
course？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃My　dragoman　and　groom…boy　will　do　for　both。　　But　you'll　have　to　pay
forty　shillings　to　the　Arabs！　　There's　no　getting　over　that。　　The
consul　won't　even　look　after　your　dead　body；　if　you　get　murdered；
without　going　through　that　ceremony。〃

Mr。　Smith　immediately　produced　his　purse；　which　he　tendered　to　me。
〃If　you　will　manage　it　all；〃　said　he；　〃it　will　make　it　so　much　the
easier；　and　I　shall　be　infinitely　obliged　to　you。〃　　This　of　course　I
declined　to　do。　　I　had　no　business　with　his　purse；　and　explained　to
him　that　if　we　went　together　we　could　settle　that　on　our　return　to
Jerusalem。　　〃But　could　he　go　through　really　hard　work？〃　I　asked。　　He
answered　me　with　an　assurance　that　he　would　and　could　do　anything　in
that　way　that　it　was　possible　for　man　to　perform。　　As　for　eating　and
drinking　he　cared　nothing　about　it；　and　would　undertake　to　be　astir
at　any　hour　of　the　morning　that　might　be　named。　　As　for　sleeping
accommodation；　he　did　not　care　if　he　kept　his　clothes　on　for　a　week
together。　　He　looked　slight　and　weak；　but　he　spoke　so　well；　and　that
without　boasting；　that　I　ultimately　agreed　to　his　proposal；　and　in　a
few　minutes　he　took　his　leave　of　me；　promising　to　be　at　Z…'s　door
with　his　horse　at　five　o'clock　on　the　following　morning。

〃I　wish　you'd　allow　me　to　leave　my　purse　with　you；〃　he　said　again。

〃I　cannot　think　of　it。　　There　is　no　possible　occasion　for　it；〃　I
said　again。　　〃If　there　is　anything　to　pay；　I'll　ask　you　for　it　when
the　journey　is　over。　　That　forty　shillings　you　must　fork　out。　　It's
a　law　of　the　Medes　and　Persians。〃

〃I'd　better　give　it　you　at　once；〃　he　said　again；　offering　me　money。
But　I　would　not　have　it。　　It　would　be　quite　time　enough　for　that
when　the　Arabs　were　leaving　us。

〃Because；〃　he　added；　〃strangers；　I　know；　are　sometimes　suspicious
about　money；　and　I　would　not；　for　worlds；　have　you　think　that　I
would　put　you　to　expense。〃　　I　assured　him　that　I　did　not　think　so；
and　then　the　subject　was　dropped。

He　was；　at　any　rate；　up　to　his　time；　for　when　I　came　down　on　the
following　morning　I　found　him　in　the　narrow　street；　the　first　on
horseback。　　Joseph；　the　Frenchman；　was　strapping　on　to　a　rough　pony
our　belongings；　and　was　staring　at　Mr。　Smith。　　My　new　friend；
unfortunately；　could　not　speak　a　word　of　French；　and　therefore　I　had
to　explain　to　the　dragoman　how　it　had　c