little travels and roadside sketches-第6部分

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Ghent　you　come　upon　an　old…fashioned　brick　gate；　that　seems　as　if

it　were　one　of　the　city　barriers；　but；　on　passing　it；　one　of　the

prettiest　sights　possible　meets　the　eye：　　At　the　porter's　lodge　you

see　an　old　lady；　in　black　and　a　white　hood；　occupied　over　her　book；

before　you　is　a　red　church　with　a　tall　roof　and　fantastical　Dutch

pinnacles；　and　all　around　it　rows　upon　rows　of　small　houses；　the

queerest；　neatest；　nicest　that　ever　were　seen　（a　doll's　house　is

hardly　smaller　or　prettier）。　　Right　and　left；　on　each　side　of

little　alleys；　these　little　mansions　rise；　they　have　a　courtlet

before　them；　in　which　some　green　plants　or　hollyhocks　are　growing；

and　to　each　house　is　a　gate；　that　has　mostly　a　picture　or　queer…

carved　ornament　upon　or　about　it；　and　bears　the　name；　not　of　the

Beguine　who　inhabits　it；　but　of　the　saint　to　whom　she　may　have

devoted　itthe　house　of　St。　Stephen；　the　house　of　St。　Donatus；　the

English　or　Angel　Convent；　and　so　on。　　Old　ladies　in　black　are

pacing　in　the　quiet　alleys　here　and　there；　and　drop　the　stranger　a

curtsy　as　he　passes　them　and　takes　off　his　hat。　　Never　were　such

patterns　of　neatness　seen　as　these　old　ladies　and　their　houses。　　I

peeped　into　one　or　two　of　the　chambers；　of　which　the　windows　were

open　to　the　pleasant　evening　sun；　and　saw　beds　scrupulously　plain；

a　quaint　old　chair　or　two；　and　little　pictures　of　favorite　saints

decorating　the　spotless　white　walls。　　The　old　ladies　kept　up　a

quick；　cheerful　clatter；　as　they　paused　to　gossip　at　the　gates　of

their　little　domiciles；　and　with　a　great　deal　of　artifice；　and

lurking　behind　walls；　and　looking　at　the　church　as　if　I　intended　to

design　that；　I　managed　to　get　a　sketch　of　a　couple　of　them。





But　what　white　paper　can　render　the　whiteness　of　their　linen；　what

black　ink　can　do　justice　to　the　lustre　of　their　gowns　and　shoes？

Both　of　the　ladies　had　a　neat　ankle　and　a　tight　stocking；　and　I

fancy　that　heaven　is　quite　as　well　served　in　this　costume　as　in　the

dress　of　a　scowling；　stockingless　friar；　whom　I　had　seen　passing

just　before。　　The　look　and　dress　of　the　man　made　me　shudder。　　His

great　red　feet　were　bound　up　in　a　shoe　open　at　the　toes；　a　kind　of

compromise　for　a　sandal。　　I　had　just　seen　him　and　his　brethren　at

the　Dominican　Church；　where　a　mass　of　music　was　sung；　and　orange…

trees；　flags；　and　banners　decked　the　aisle　of　the　church。



One　begins　to　grow　sick　of　these　churches；　and　the　hideous

exhibitions　of　bodily　agonies　that　are　depicted　on　the　sides　of　all

the　chapels。　　Into　one　wherein　we　went　this　morning　was　what　they

called　a　Calvary：　a　horrible；　ghastly　image　of　a　Christ　in　a　tomb；

the　figure　of　the　natural　size；　and　of　the　livid　color　of　death；

gaping　red　wounds　on　the　body　and　round　the　brows：　the　whole　piece

enough　to　turn　one　sick；　and　fit　only　to　brutalize　the　beholder　of

it。　　The　Virgin　is　commonly　represented　with　a　dozen　swords　stuck

in　her　heart；　bleeding　throats　of　headless　John　Baptists　are

perpetually　thrust　before　your　eyes。　　At　the　Cathedral　gate　was　a

papier…mache　church…ornament　shopmost　of　the　carvings　and　reliefs

of　the　same　dismal　character：　one；　for　instance；　represented　a

heart　with　a　great　gash　in　it；　and　a　double　row　of　large　blood…

drops　dribbling　from　it；　nails　and　a　knife　were　thrust　into　the

heart；　round　the　whole　was　a　crown　of　thorns。　　Such　things　are

dreadful　to　think　of。　　The　same　gloomy　spirit　which　made　a　religion

of　them；　and　worked　upon　the　people　by　the　grossest　of　all　means；

terror；　distracted　the　natural　feelings　of　man　to　maintain　its

powershut　gentle　women　into　lonely；　pitiless　conventsfrightened

poor　peasants　with　tales　of　tormenttaught　that　the　end　and　labor

of　life　was　silence；　wretchedness；　and　the　scourgemurdered　those

by　fagot　and　prison　who　thought　otherwise。　　How　has　the　blind　and

furious　bigotry　of　man　perverted　that　which　God　gave　us　as　our

greatest　boon；　and　bid　us　hate　where　God　bade　us　love！　　Thank

heaven　that　monk　has　gone　out　of　sight！　　It　is　pleasant　to　look　at

the　smiling；　cheerful　old　Beguine；　and　think　no　more　of　yonder

livid　face。



One　of　the　many　convents　in　this　little　religious　city　seems　to　be

the　specimen…house；　which　is　shown　to　strangers；　for　all　the　guides

conduct　you　thither；　and　I　saw　in　a　book　kept　for　the　purpose　the

names　of　innumerable　Smiths　and　Joneses　registered。



A　very　kind；　sweet…voiced；　smiling　nun　（I　wonder；　do　they　always

choose　the　most　agreeable　and　best…humored　sister　of　the　house　to

show　it　to　strangers？）　came　tripping　down　the　steps　and　across　the

flags　of　the　little　garden…court；　and　welcomed　us　with　much

courtesy　into　the　neat　little　old…fashioned；　red…bricked；　gable…

ended；　shining…windowed　Convent　of　the　Angels。　　First　she　showed　us

a　whitewashed　parlor；　decorated　with　a　grim　picture　or　two　and　some

crucifixes　and　other　religious　emblems；　where；　upon　stiff　old

chairs；　the　sisters　sit　and　work。　　Three　or　four　of　them　were　still

there；　pattering　over　their　laces　and　bobbins；　but　the　chief　part

of　the　sisterhood　were　engaged　in　an　apartment　hard　by；　from　which

issued　a　certain　odor　which　I　must　say　resembled　onions：　it　was　in

fact　the　kitchen　of　the　establishment。



Every　Beguine　cooks　her　own　little　dinner　in　her　own　little　pipkin；

and　there　was　half　a　score　of　them；　sure　enough；　busy　over　their

pots　and　crockery；　cooking　a　repast　which；　when　ready；　was　carried

off　to　a　neighboring　room；　the　refectory；　where；　at　a　ledge…table

which　is　drawn　out　from　under　her　own　particular　cupboard；　each　nun

sits　down　and　eats　her　meal　in　silence。　　More　religious　emblems

ornamented　the　carved　cupboard…doors；　and　within；　everything　was

as　neat　as　neat　could　be：　shining　pewter…ewers　and　glasses；　snug

baskets　of　eggs　and　pats　of　butter；　and　little　bowls　with　about　a

farthing's…worth　of　green　tea　in　themfor　some　great　day　of　fete；

doubtless。　　The　old　ladies　sat　round　as　we　examined　these　things；

each　eating　soberly　at　her　ledge　and　never　looking　round。　　There

was　a　bell　ringing　in　the　chapel　hard　by。　　〃Hark！〃　said　our　guide；

〃that　is　one　of　the　sisters　dying。　　Will　you　come　up　and　see　the

cells？〃



The　cells；　it　need　not　be　said；　are　the　snuggest　little　nests　in

the　world；　with　serge…curtained　beds　and　snowy　linen；　and　saints

and　martyrs　pinned　against　the　wall。　　〃We　may　sit　up　till　twelve

o'clock；　if　we　like；〃　said　the　nun；　〃but　we　have　no　fire　and

candle；　and　so　what's　the　use　of　sitting　up？　　When　we　have　said　our

prayers　we　are　glad　enough　to　go　to　sleep。〃



I　forget；　although　the　good　soul　told　us；　how　many　times　in　the

day；　in　public　and　in　private；　these　devotions　are　made；　but　fancy

that　the　morning　service　in　the　chapel　takes　place　at　too　early　an

hour　for　most　easy　travellers。　　We　did　not　fail　to　attend　in　the

evening；　when　likewise　is　a　general　muster　of　the　seven　hundred；

minus　the　absent　and　sick；　and　the　sight　is　not　a　little　curious

and　striking　to　a　stranger。



The　chapel　is　a　very　big　whitewashed　place　of　worship；　supported　by

half　a　dozen　columns　on　either　side；　over　each　of　which　stands　the

statue　of　an　Apostle；　with　his　emblem　of　martyrdom。　　Nobody　was　as

yet　at　the　distant　altar；　which　was　too　far　off　to　see　very

distinctly；　but　I　could　perceive　two　statues　over　it；　one　of　which

（St。　Laurence；　no　doubt）　was　leaning　upon　a　huge　gilt　gridiron　that

the　sun　lighted　up　in　a　blazea　painful　but　not　a　romantic

instrument　of　death。　　A　couple　of　old　ladies　in　white　hoods　were

tugging　and　swaying　about　at　two　bell…ropes　that　came　down　into　the

middle　of　the　church；　and　at　least　five　hundred　others　in　white

veils　were　seated　all　round　about　us　in　mute　contemplation　until

the　service　began；　looking　very　solemn；　and　white；　and　ghastly；

like　an　army　of　tombstones　by　moonlight。



The　service　commenced　as　the　clock　finished　striking　seven：　the

organ　pealed　out；　a　very　cracked　and　old　one；　and　presently　some

weak　old　voice　from　the　choir　overhead　quavered　out　a　canticle；

which　done；　a　thin　old　voice　of　a　priest　at　the　altar　far　off　（and

which　had　now　become　quite　gloomy　in　the　sunset）　chanted　feebly

another　part　of　the　service；　then　the　nuns　warbled　once　more

overhead；　and　it　was　curious　to　hear；　in　the　intervals　of　the　most

lugubrious　chants；　how　the　organ　went　off　with　some　extremely

cheerful　military　or　profane　air。　　At　one　time　was　a　march；　at

another　a　quick　tune；　which　ceasing；　the　old　nuns　began　again；　and

so　sung　until　the　service　was　ended。



In　the　midst　of　it　one　of　the　white…veiled　sisters　approached　us

with　a　very　mysterious　air；　and　put　down　her　white　veil　close　to

our　ears　and　whispered。　　Were　we　doing　anything　wrong；　I　wondered？

Were　they　come　to　that　part　of　the　service　where　heretics　and

infidels　ought　to　quit　the　church？　　What　have　you　to　ask；　O　sacred；

white…veiled　maid？



All　she　said　was；　〃Deux　centiemes　pour　les　suisses；〃　which　sum　was

paid；　and　presently　the　old　ladies；　rising　from　their　chairs　one　by

one；　came　in　face　of　the　altar；　where　they　knelt　down　and　said　a

short　prayer；　then；　rising；　unpinned　their　veils；　and　folded　them

up　all　exactly　in　the　same　folds　and　fashion；　and　laid　them　square

like　napkins　on　their　heads；　and　tucked　up　their　long　black　outer

dresses；　and　trudged　off　to　their　convents。



The　novices　wear　black　veils；　under　one　of　which　I　saw　a　young；

sad；　handsome　face；　it　was　the　only　thing　in　the　establishment　that

was　the　least　romantic　or　gloomy：　and；　for　the　sake　of　any　reader

of　a　sentimental　turn；　let　us　hope　that　the　poor　soul　has　been

crossed　in　love；　and　that　over　some　soul…stirring　tragedy　that

black　curtain　has　fallen。



Ghent　has；　I　believe；　been　called　a　vulgar　Venice。　　It　contains

dirty　canals　and　old　houses　that　must　satisfy　the　most　eager

antiquary；　though　the　buildings　are　not　quite　in　so　good

preservation　as　others　that　may　be　seen　in　the　Netherlands。　　The

commercial　bustle　of　the　place　seems　considerable；　and　it　contains

more　beer…shops