an inland voyage-第4部分

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Maubeuge　is　a　fortified　town；　with　a　very　good　inn；　the　GRAND　CERF。　　　It　seemed　to　be　inhabited　principally　by　soldiers　and　bagmen；　at　　least；　these　were　all　that　we　saw；　except　the　hotel　servants。　　We　　had　to　stay　there　some　time；　for　the　canoes　were　in　no　hurry　to　　follow　us；　and　at　last　stuck　hopelessly　in　the　custom…house　until　　we　went　back　to　liberate　them。　　There　was　nothing　to　do；　nothing　to　　see。　　We　had　good　meals；　which　was　a　great　matter；　but　that　was　　all。

The　CIGARETTE　was　nearly　taken　up　upon　a　charge　of　drawing　the　　fortifications：　　a　feat　of　which　he　was　hopelessly　incapable。　　And　　besides；　as　I　suppose　each　belligerent　nation　has　a　plan　of　the　　other's　fortified　places　already；　these　precautions　are　of　the　　nature　of　shutting　the　stable　door　after　the　steed　is　away。　　But　I　　have　no　doubt　they　help　to　keep　up　a　good　spirit　at　home。　　It　is　a　　great　thing　if　you　can　persuade　people　that　they　are　somehow　or　　other　partakers　in　a　mystery。　　It　makes　them　feel　bigger。　　Even　the　　Freemasons；　who　have　been　shown　up　to　satiety；　preserve　a　kind　of　　pride；　and　not　a　grocer　among　them；　however　honest；　harmless；　and　　empty…headed　he　may　feel　himself　to　be　at　bottom；　but　comes　home　　from　one　of　their　COENACULA　with　a　portentous　significance　for　　himself。

It　is　an　odd　thing；　how　happily　two　people；　if　there　are　two；　can　　live　in　a　place　where　they　have　no　acquaintance。　　I　think　the　　spectacle　of　a　whole　life　in　which　you　have　no　part　paralyses　　personal　desire。　　You　are　content　to　become　a　mere　spectator。　　The　　baker　stands　in　his　door；　the　colonel　with　his　three　medals　goes　by　　to　the　CAFE　at　night；　the　troops　drum　and　trumpet　and　man　the　　ramparts；　as　bold　as　so　many　lions。　　It　would　task　language　to　say　　how　placidly　you　behold　all　this。　　In　a　place　where　you　have　taken　　some　root；　you　are　provoked　out　of　your　indifference；　you　have　a　　hand　in　the　game；　your　friends　are　fighting　with　the　army。　　But　in　　a　strange　town；　not　small　enough　to　grow　too　soon　familiar；　nor　so　　large　as　to　have　laid　itself　out　for　travellers；　you　stand　so　far　　apart　from　the　business；　that　you　positively　forget　it　would　be　　possible　to　go　nearer；　you　have　so　little　human　interest　around　　you；　that　you　do　not　remember　yourself　to　be　a　man。　　Perhaps；　in　a　　very　short　time；　you　would　be　one　no　longer。　　Gymnosophists　go　into　　a　wood；　with　all　nature　seething　around　them；　with　romance　on　every　　side；　it　would　be　much　more　to　the　purpose　if　they　took　up　their　　abode　in　a　dull　country　town；　where　they　should　see　just　so　much　of　　humanity　as　to　keep　them　from　desiring　more；　and　only　the　stale　　externals　of　man's　life。　　These　externals　are　as　dead　to　us　as　so　　many　formalities；　and　speak　a　dead　language　in　our　eyes　and　ears。　　　They　have　no　more　meaning　than　an　oath　or　a　salutation。　　We　are　so　　much　accustomed　to　see　married　couples　going　to　church　of　a　Sunday　　that　we　have　clean　forgotten　what　they　represent；　and　novelists　are　　driven　to　rehabilitate　adultery；　no　less；　when　they　wish　to　show　us　　what　a　beautiful　thing　it　is　for　a　man　and　a　woman　to　live　for　each　　other。

One　person　in　Maubeuge；　however；　showed　me　something　more　than　his　　outside。　　That　was　the　driver　of　the　hotel　omnibus：　　a　mean　enough　　looking　little　man；　as　well　as　I　can　remember；　but　with　a　spark　of　　something　human　in　his　soul。　　He　had　heard　of　our　little　journey；　　and　came　to　me　at　once　in　envious　sympathy。　　How　he　longed　to　　travel！　he　told　me。　　How　he　longed　to　be　somewhere　else；　and　see　　the　round　world　before　he　went　into　the　grave！　　'Here　I　am；'　said　　he。　　'I　drive　to　the　station。　　Well。　　And　then　I　drive　back　again　　to　the　hotel。　　And　so　on　every　day　and　all　the　week　round。　　My　God；　　is　that　life？'　　I　could　not　say　I　thought　it　was　…　for　him。　　He　　pressed　me　to　tell　him　where　I　had　been；　and　where　I　hoped　to　go；　　and　as　he　listened；　I　declare　the　fellow　sighed。　　Might　not　this　　have　been　a　brave　African　traveller；　or　gone　to　the　Indies　after　　Drake？　　But　it　is　an　evil　age　for　the　gypsily　inclined　among　men。　　　He　who　can　sit　squarest　on　a　three…legged　stool；　he　it　is　who　has　　the　wealth　and　glory。

I　wonder　if　my　friend　is　still　driving　the　omnibus　for　the　Grand　　Cerf？　　Not　very　likely；　I　believe；　for　I　think　he　was　on　the　eve　of　　mutiny　when　we　passed　through；　and　perhaps　our　passage　determined　　him　for　good。　　Better　a　thousand　times　that　he　should　be　a　tramp；　　and　mend　pots　and　pans　by　the　wayside；　and　sleep　under　trees；　and　　see　the　dawn　and　the　sunset　every　day　above　a　new　horizon。　　I　think　　I　hear　you　say　that　it　is　a　respectable　position　to　drive　an　　omnibus？　　Very　well。　　What　right　has　he　who　likes　it　not；　to　keep　　those　who　would　like　it　dearly　out　of　this　respectable　position？　　　Suppose　a　dish　were　not　to　my　taste；　and　you　told　me　that　it　was　a　　favourite　amongst　the　rest　of　the　company；　what　should　I　conclude　　from　that？　　Not　to　finish　the　dish　against　my　stomach；　I　suppose。

Respectability　is　a　very　good　thing　in　its　way；　but　it　does　not　　rise　superior　to　all　considerations。　　I　would　not　for　a　moment　　venture　to　hint　that　it　was　a　matter　of　taste；　but　I　think　I　will　　go　as　far　as　this：　　that　if　a　position　is　admittedly　unkind；　　uncomfortable；　unnecessary；　and　superfluously　useless；　although　it　　were　as　respectable　as　the　Church　of　England；　the　sooner　a　man　is　　out　of　it；　the　better　for　himself；　and　all　concerned。



ON　THE　SAMBRE　CANALISED



TO　QUARTES


ABOUT　three　in　the　afternoon　the　whole　establishment　of　the　GRAND　　CERF　accompanied　us　to　the　water's　edge。　　The　man　of　the　omnibus　　was　there　with　haggard　eyes。　　Poor　cage…bird！　　Do　I　not　remember　　the　time　when　I　myself　haunted　the　station；　to　watch　train　after　　train　carry　its　complement　of　freemen　into　the　night；　and　read　the　　names　of　distant　places　on　the　time…bills　with　indescribable　　longings？

We　were　not　clear　of　the　fortifications　before　the　rain　began。　　The　　wind　was　contrary；　and　blew　in　furious　gusts；　nor　were　the　aspects　　of　nature　any　more　clement　than　the　doings　of　the　sky。　　For　we　　passed　through　a　stretch　of　blighted　country；　sparsely　covered　with　　brush；　but　handsomely　enough　diversified　with　factory　chimneys。　　We　　landed　in　a　soiled　meadow　among　some　pollards；　and　there　smoked　a　　pipe　in　a　flaw　of　fair　weather。　　But　the　wind　blew　so　hard；　we　　could　get　little　else　to　smoke。　　There　were　no　natural　objects　in　　the　neighbourhood；　but　some　sordid　workshops。　　A　group　of　children　　headed　by　a　tall　girl　stood　and　watched　us　from　a　little　distance　　all　the　time　we　stayed。　　I　heartily　wonder　what　they　thought　of　us。

At　Hautmont；　the　lock　was　almost　impassable；　the　landing…place　　being　steep　and　high；　and　the　launch　at　a　long　distance。　　Near　a　　dozen　grimy　workmen　lent　us　a　hand。　　They　refused　any　reward；　and；　　what　is　much　better；　refused　it　handsomely；　without　conveying　any　　sense　of　insult。　　'It　is　a　way　we　have　in　our　countryside；'　said　　they。　　And　a　very　becoming　way　it　is。　　In　Scotland；　where　also　you　　will　get　services　for　nothing；　the　good　people　reject　your　money　as　　if　you　had　been　trying　to　corrupt　a　voter。　　When　people　take　the　　trouble　to　do　dignified　acts；　it　is　worth　while　to　take　a　little　　more；　and　allow　the　dignity　to　be　common　to　all　concerned。　　But　in　　our　brave　Saxon　countries；　where　we　plod　threescore　years　and　ten　　in　the　mud；　and　the　wind　keeps　singing　in　our　ears　from　birth　to　　burial；　we　do　our　good　and　bad　with　a　high　hand　and　almost　　offensively；　and　make　even　our　alms　a　witness…bearing　and　an　act　of　　war　against　the　wrong。

After　Hautmont；　the　sun　came　forth　again　and　the　wind　went　down；　　and　a　little　paddling　took　us　beyond　the　ironworks　and　through　a　　delectable　land。　　The　river　wound　among　low　hills；　so　that　　sometimes　the　sun　was　at　our　backs；　and　sometimes　it　stood　right　　ahead；　and　the　river　before　us　was　one　sheet　of　intolerable　glory。　　　On　either　hand；　meadows　and　orchards　bordered；　with　a　margin　of　　sedge　and　water　flowers；　upon　the　river。　　The　hedges　were　of　great　　height；　woven　about　the　trunks　of　hedgerow　elms；　and　the　fields；　as　　they　were　often　very　small；　looked　like　a　series　of　bowers　along　　the　stream。　　There　was　never　any　prospect；　sometimes　a　hill…top　　with　its　trees　would　look　over　the　nearest　hedgerow；　just　to　make　a　　middle　distance　for　the　sky；　but　that　was　all。　　The　heaven　was　bare　　of　clouds。　　The　atmosphere；　after　the　rain；　was　of　enchanting　　purity。　　The　river　doubled　among　the　hillocks；　a　shining　strip　of　　mirror　glass；　and　the　dip　of　the　paddles　set　the　flowers　shaking　　along　the　brink。

In　the　meadows　wandered　black　and　white　cattle　fantastically　　marked。　　One　beast；　with　a　white　head　and　the　rest　of　the　body　　glossy　black；　came　to　the　edge　to　drink；　and　stood　gravely　　twitching　his　ears　at　me　as　I　went　by；　like　some　sort　of　　preposterous　clergyman　in　a　play。　　A　moment　after　I　heard　a　loud　　plunge；　and；　turning　my　head；　saw　the　clergyman　struggling　to　　shore。　　The　bank　had　given　way　under　his　feet。

Besides　the　cattle；　we　saw　no　living　things　except　a　few　birds　and　　a　great　many　fishermen。　　These　sat　along　the　edges　of　the　meadows；　　sometimes　with　one　rod；　sometimes　with　as　many　as　half　a　score。　　　They　seemed　stupefied　with　contentment；　and　when　we　induced　them　to　　exchange　a　few　words　with　us　about　the　weather；　their　voices　　sounded　quiet　and　far　away。　　There　was　a　strange　diversity　of　　opinion　among　them　as　to　the　kind　of　fish　for　which　they　set　their　　lures；　although　they　were　all　agreed　in　this；　that　the　river　was　　abundantly　supplied。　　Where　it　was　plain　that　no　two　of　them　had　　ever　caught　the　same　kind　of　fish；　we　could　not　help　suspecting　　that　perhaps　not　any　one　of　them　had　ever　caught　a　fish　at　all。　　I　　hope；　since　the　afternoon　was　so　lovely；　that　they　were　one　and　all　　rewarded；　and　that　a　silver　booty　went　home　in　every　basket　for　the　　pot。　　Some　of　my　friends　would　cry　shame　on　me　for　this；　but　I　　prefer　a　man；　were　he　only　an　angler；　to　the　bravest　pair　of　gills　　in　all　God's　waters。　　I　do　not　affect　fishes　unless　when　cooked　in　　sauce；　whereas　an　angler　is　an　important　piece　of　river　scenery；　　and　hence　deserves　some　recognition　among　canoeists。　　He　can　always　　tell　you　where　you　are　after　a　mild　fashion；　and　his　quiet　presence　　serves　to　accentuate　the　solitude　and　stillness；　and　remind　you　of　　the　glittering　c