cambridge pieces-第4部分

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generosity　for　having　paid　a　halfpenny　more　for　a　bottle　of　wine
than　was　expected；　at　Monetier　we　asked　whether　many　English　came
there；　and　they　told　us　yes；　a　great　many；　there　had　been　fifteen
there　last　year；　but　I　should　imagine　that　scarcely　fifteen　could
travel　up　past　Cervieres；　and　yet　the　English　character　be　so　little
known　as　to　be　still　evidently　popular。

I　don't　know　what　o'clock　it　was　when　we　left　Cervieresmidday　I
should　imagine；　we　left　the　river　on　our　left　and　began　to　ascend　a
mountain　pass　called　Izouard；　as　far　as　I　could　make　out；　but　will
not　pledge　myself　to　have　caught　the　name　correctly；　it　was　more
lonely　than　ever；　very　high；　much　more　snow　on　the　top　than　on　the
previous　day　over　the　Col　du　Lautaret；　the　path　scarcely
distinguishable；　indeed　quite　lost　in　many　places；　very　beautiful
but　not　so　much　so　as　the　Col　du　Lautaret；　and　better　on　descending
towards　Queyras　than　on　ascending；　from　the　summit　of　the　pass　the
view　of　the　several　Alpine　chains　about　is　very　fine；　but　from　the
entire　absence　of　trees　of　any　kind　it　is　more　rugged　and　barren
than　I　altogether　liked；　going　down　towards　Queyras　we　found　the
letters　S。I。C。　marked　on　a　rock；　evidently　with　the　spike　of　an
alpine…stock；we　wondered　whether　they　stood　for　St。　John's
College。

We　reached　Queyras　at　about　four　very　tired；　for　yesterday's　work
was　heavy；　and　refresh　ourselves　with　a　huge　omelette　and　some　good
Provence　wine。

Reader；　don't　go　into　that　auberge；　carry　up　provision　from
Briancon；　or　at　any　rate　carry　the　means　of　eating　it：　　they　have
only　two　knives　in　the　place；　one　for　the　landlord　and　one　for　the
landlady；　these　are　clasp　knives；　and　they　carry　them　in　their
pockets；　I　used　the　landlady's；　my　companion　had　the　other；　the　room
was　very　like　a　cow…housedark；　wooden；　and　smelling　strongly　of
manure；　outside　I　saw　that　one　of　the　beams　supporting　a　huge
projecting　balcony　that　ran　round　the　house　was　resting　on　a　capital
of　white　marblea　Lombard　capital　that　had　evidently　seen　better
days；　they　could　not　tell　us　whence　it　came。　　Meat　they　have　none；
so　we　gorge　ourselves　with　omelette；　and　at　half…past　five　trudge
on；　for　we　have　a　long　way　to　go　yet；　and　no　alternative　but　to
proceed。

Abries　is　the　name　of　the　place　we　stopped　at　that　night；　it　was
pitch…dark　when　we　reached　it；　and　the　whole　town　was　gone　to　bed；
but　by　great　good　luck　we　found　a　cafe　still　open　（the　inn　was　shut
up　for　the　night）；　and　there　we　lodged。　　I　dare　not　say　how　many
miles　we　had　walked；　but　we　were　still　plucky；　and　having　prevailed
at　last　on　the　landlord　to　allow　us　clean　sheets　on　our　beds　instead
of　the　dirty　ones　he　and　his　wife　had　been　sleeping　on　since
Christmas；　and　making　the　best　of　the　solitary　decanter　and　pie　dish
which　was　all　the　washing　implements　we　were　allowed　（not　a　toothmug
even　extra）；　we　had　coffee　and　bread　and　brandy　for　supper；　and
retired　at　about　eleven　to　the　soundest　sleep　in　spite　of　our
somewhat　humble　accommodation。　　If　nasty；　at　any　rate　it　was　cheap；
they　charged　us　a　franc　a　piece　for　our　suppers；　beds；　and　two
cigars；　we　went　to　the　inn　to　breakfast；　where；　though　the
accommodation　was　somewhat　better；　the　charge　was　most　extortionate。
Murray　is　quite　right　in　saying　the　travellers　should　bargain
beforehand　at　this　inn　（chez　Richard）；　I　think　they　charged　us　five
francs　for　the　most　ordinary　breakfast。　　From　this　place　we　started
at　about　nine；　and　took　a　guide　as　far　as　the　top　of　the　Col　de　la
Croix　Haute；　having　too　nearly　lost　our　way　yesterday；　the　paths
have　not　been　traversed　much　yet；　and　the　mule　and　sheep　droppings
are　but　scanty　indicators　of　the　direction　of　paths　of　which　the
winds　and　rain　have　obliterated　all　other　traces。

The　Col　de　la　Croix　Haute　is　rightly　named；　it　was　very　high；　but
not　so　hard　to　ascend　until　we　reached　the　snow。　　On　the　Italian
side　it　is　terribly　steep；　from　the　French　side；　however；　the　slope
is　more　gradual。　　The　snow　was　deeper　at　the　top　of　this　pass　than
on　either　of　the　two　previous　days；　in　many　places　we　sank　deep　in；
but　had　no　real　difficulty　in　crossing；　on　the　Italian　side　the　snow
was　gone　and　the　path　soon　became　clear　enough；　so　we　sent　our　guide
to　the　right　about　and　trudged　on　alone。

A　sad　disappointment；　however；　awaited　us；　for　instead　of　the　clear
air　that　we　had　heretofore　enjoyed；　the　clouds　were　rolling　up　from
the　valley；　and　we　entirely　lost　the　magnificent　view　of　the　plains
of　Lombardy　which　we　ought　to　have　seen；　this　was　our　first　mishap；
and　we　bore　it　heroically。　　A　lunch　may　be　had　at　Prali；　and　there
the　Italian　tongue　will　be　heard　for　the　first　time。

We　must　have　both　looked　very　questionable　personages；　for　I
remember　that　a　man　present　asked　me　for　a　cigar；　I　gave　him　two；
and　he　proffered　a　sou　in　return　as　a　matter　of　course。

Shortly　below　Prali　the　clouds　drew　off；　or　rather　we　reached　a
lower　level；　so　that　they　were　above　us；　and　now　the　walnut　and　the
chestnut；　the　oak　and　the　beech　have　driven　away　the　pines　of　the
other　side；　not　that　there　were　many　of　them；　soon；　too；　the
vineyards　come　in；　the　Indian　corn　again　flourishes　everywhere；　the
cherries　grow　ripe　as　we　descend；　and　in　an　hour　or　two　we　felt　to
our　great　joy　that　we　were　fairly　in　Italy。

The　descent　is　steep　beyond　compare；　for　La　Tour；　which　we　reached
by　four　o'clock；　is　quite　on　the　plain；　very　much　on　a　level　with
TurinI　do　not　remember　any　descent　between　the　twoand　the　pass
cannot　be　much　under　eight　thousand　feet。

Passports　are　asked　at　Bobbio；　but　the　very　sight　of　the　English
name　was　at　that　time　sufficient　to　cause　the　passport　to　be
returned　unscrutinised。

La　Tour　is　a　Protestant　place；　or　at　any　rate　chiefly　so；　indeed　all
the　way　from　Cervieres　we　have　been　among　people　half　Protestant　and
half　Romanist；　these　were　the　Waldenses　of　the　Middle　Ages；　they　are
handsome；　particularly　the　young　women；　and　I　should　fancy　an　honest
simple　race　enough；　but　not　over　clean。

As　a　proof　that　we　were　in　Italy　we　happened　while　waiting　for　table
d'hote　to　be　leaning　over　the　balcony　that　ran　round　the　house　and
passed　our　bedroom　door；　when　a　man　and　a　girl　came　out　with　two
large　pails　in　their　hands；　and　we　watched　them　proceed　to　a　cart
with　a　barrel　in　it；　which　was　in　a　corner　of　the　yard；　we　had　been
wondering　what　was　in　the　barrel　and　were　glad　to　see　them　commence
tapping　it；　when　lo！　out　spouted　the　blood…red　wine　with　which　they
actually　half　filled　their　pails　before　they　left　the　spot。　　This
was　as　Italy　should　be。　　After　dinner；　too；　as　we　stroll　in　the
showy　Italian　sort　of　piazza　near　the　inn；　the　florid　music　which
fills　the　whole　square；　accompanied　by　a　female　voice　of　some
pretensions；　again　thoroughly　Italianises　the　scene；　and　when　she
struck　up　our　English　national　anthem　（with　such　a　bass
accompaniment！）　nothing　could　be　imagined　more　incongruous。

Sleeping　at　La　Tour　at　the　hotel　kept　by　M。　Gai　（which　is　very　good；
clean；　and　cheap）；　we　left　next　morning；　i。e。　Tuesday；　June　16；　at
four　by　diligence　for　Pinerolo；　thence　by　rail　to　Turin　where　we
spent　the　day。　　It　was　wet　and　we　saw　no　vestiges　of　the　Alps。

Turin　is　a　very　handsome　city；　very　regularly　built；　the　streets
running　nearly　all　parallel　to　and　at　right　angles　with　each　other；
there　are　no　suburbs；　and　the　consequence　is　that　at　the　end　of
every　street　one　sees　the　country；　the　Alps　surround　the　city　like　a
horseshoe；　and　hence　many　of　the　streets　seem　actually　walled　in
with　a　snowy　mountain。　　Nowhere　are　the　Alps　seen　to　greater
advantage　than　from　Turin。　　I　speak　from　the　experience；　not　of　the
journey　I　am　describing；　but　of　a　previous　one。　　From　the　Superga
the　view　is　magnificent；　but　from　the　hospital　for　soldiers　just
above　the　Po　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　city　the　view　is　very
similar；　and　the　city　seen　to　greater　advantage。　　The　Po　is　a　fine
river；　but　very　muddy；　not　like　the　Ticino　which　has　the　advantage
of　getting　washed　in　the　Lago　Maggiore。　　On　the　whole　Turin　is　well
worth　seeing。　　Leaving　it；　however；　on　Wednesday　morning　we　arrived
at　Arona　about　half…past　eleven：　　the　country　between　the　two　places
is　flat；　but　rich　and　well　cultivated：　　much　rice　is　grown；　and　in
consequence　the　whole　country　easily　capable　of　being　laid　under
water；　a　thing　which　I　should　imagine　the　Piedmontese　would　not　be
slow　to　avail　themselves　of；　we　ought　to　have　had　the　Alps　as　a
background　to　the　view；　but　they　were　still　veiled。　　It　was　here
that　a　countryman；　seeing　me　with　one　or　two　funny　little　pipes
which　I　had　bought　in　Turin；　asked　me　if　I　was　a　fabricante　di　pipi…
…a　pipe…maker。

By　the　time　that　we　were　at　Arona　the　sun　had　appeared；　and　the
clouds　were　gone；　here；　too；　we　determined　to　halt　for　half　a　day；
neither　of　us　being　quite　the　thing；　so　after　a　visit　to　the
colossal　statue　of　San　Carlo；　which　is　very　fine　and　imposing；　we
laid　ourselves　down　under　the　shade　of　some　chestnut　trees　above　the
lake；　and　enjoyed　the　extreme　beauty　of　everything　around　us；　until
we　fell　fast　asleep；　and　yet　even　in　sleep　we　seemed　to　retain　a
consciousness　of　the　unsurpassable　beauty　of　the　scene。　　After
dinner　（we　were　stopping　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste；　a　very　nice　inn
indeed）　we　took　a　boat　and　went　across　the　lake　to　Angera；　a　little
town　just　opposite；　it　was　in　the　Austrian　territory；　but　they　made
no　delay　about　admitting　us；　the　reason　of　our　excursion　was；　that
we　might　go　and　explore　the　old　castle　there；　which　is　seated　on　an
inconsiderable　eminence　above　the　lake。　　It　affords　an　excellent
example　of　Italian　domestic　Gothic　of　the　Middle　Ages；　San　Carlo　was
born　and　resided　here；　and；　indeed；　if　saintliness　were　to　depend
upon　beauty　of　natural　scenery；　no　wonder　at　his　having　been　a
saint。

The　castle　is　only　tenanted　by　an　old　man　who　keeps　the　place；　we
found　him　cooking　his　supper　over　a　small　crackling　fire　of　sticks；
which　he　had　lighted　in　the　main　hall；　his　feeble　old　voice　chirps
about　San　Carlo　this　and　San　Carlo　that　as　we　go　from　room　to　room。
We　have　no　carpets　hereplain　honest　brick　floorsthe　chairs；
indeed；　have　once　been　covered　with　velvet；　but　they　are　now　so　worn
that　one　can　scarc