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the wind in the willows(柳间风)-第27部分

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everywheresleeping   in   some   cool   temple   or   ruined   cistern   during   the 

heat of the dayfeasting and song after sundown; under great stars set in a 

velvet   sky!   Thence   we   turned      and   coasted   up   the   Adriatic;   its   shores 

swimming   in   an   atmosphere   of   amber;   rose;   and   aquamarine;   we   lay   in 

wide land…locked harbours;  we  roamed through   ancient   and   noble  cities; 

until at last one morning; as the sun rose royally behind us; we rode into 

Venice   down   a   path   of   gold。   O;   Venice   is   a   fine   city;   wherein   a   rat   can 

wander at his ease and take his pleasure! Or; when weary of wandering; 

can sit at the edge of the Grand Canal at night; feasting with his friends; 

when the air is full of music and the sky full of stars; and the lights flash 

and shimmer on the polished steel prows of the swaying gondolas; packed 

so that you could walk across the canal on them from side to side! And 

then the fooddo you like shellfish? Well; well; we won't linger over that 

now。' 

     He was silent for a time; and the Water Rat; silent too and enthralled; 



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floated on dream…canals and heard a phantom song pealing high between 

vaporous grey wave…lapped walls。 

     ‘Southwards we sailed again at last;' continued the Sea Rat; ‘coasting 

down the Italian shore; till finally we made Palermo; and there I quitted 

for a long; happy spell on shore。 I never stick too long to one ship; one 

gets   narrow…minded   and   prejudiced。   Besides;   Sicily   is   one   of   my   happy 

hunting…grounds。 I know everybody  there; and their ways   just suit me。  I 

spent   many   jolly   weeks   in   the   island;   staying   with   friends   up   country。 

When I grew restless again I took advantage of a ship that was trading to 

Sardinia and Corsica; and very glad I was to feel the fresh breeze and the 

sea…spray in my face once more。' 

     ‘But isn't it very hot and stuffy; down in thehold; I think you call it?' 

asked the Water Rat。 

     The seafarer looked at him with the suspicion go a wink。 ‘I'm an old 

hand;'    he  remarked     with   much     simplicity。   ‘The   captain's   cabin's   good 

enough for me。' 

     ‘It's   a   hard   life;   by   all   accounts;'   murmured   the   Rat;   sunk   in   deep 

thought。 

     ‘For the crew it is;' replied the seafarer gravely; again with the ghost of 

a wink。 

     ‘From Corsica;' he went on; ‘I made use of a ship that was taking wine 

to the   mainland。 We   made Alassio   in   the   evening;  lay  to;  hauled   up   our 

wine…casks; and hove them overboard; tied one to the other by a long line。 

Then   the   crew   took   to   the   boats   and   rowed   shorewards;   singing   as   they 

went; and drawing after them the long bobbing procession of casks; like a 

mile of porpoises。 On the sands they had horses waiting; which dragged 

the casks up the steep street of the little town with a fine rush and clatter 

and scramble。 When the last cask was in; we went and refreshed and rested; 

and sat late into the night; drinking with our friends; and next morning I 

took to the great olive…woods for a spell and a rest。 For now I had done 

with islands for the time; and ports and shipping were plentiful; so I led a 

lazy life among the peasants; lying and watching them work; or stretched 

high on the hillside with the blue Mediterranean far below me。 And so at 

length; by easy stages; and partly on foot; partly by sea; to Marseilles; and 



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the    meeting    of   old  shipmates;     and    the  visiting   of   great   ocean…bound 

vessels;   and   feasting   once   more。   Talk   of   shell…fish!   Why;   sometimes   I 

dream of the shell…fish of Marseilles; and wake up crying!' 

     ‘That     reminds    me;'   said   the   polite   Water    Rat;   ‘you    happened      to 

mention   that   you   were   hungry;   and   I   ought   to   have   spoken   earlier。   Of 

course;   you   will   stop   and   take   your   midday   meal   with   me?   My   hole   is 

close by; it is some time past noon; and you are very welcome to whatever 

there is。' 

     ‘Now I call that kind and brotherly of you;' said the Sea Rat。 ‘I was 

indeed hungry when I sat down; and ever since I inadvertently happened 

to mention shell…fish; my pangs have been extreme。 But couldn't you fetch 

it along out here? I am none too fond of going under hatches; unless I'm 

obliged to; and then; while we eat; I could tell you more concerning my 

voyages and the pleasant life I leadat least; it is very pleasant to me; and 

by   your   attention   I   judge   it   commends   itself   to   you;   whereas   if   we   go 

indoors it is a hundred to one that I shall presently fall asleep。' 

     ‘That    is  indeed    an   excellent    suggestion;'    said   the   Water    Rat;   and 

hurried   off   home。   There   he   got   out   the   luncheon…basket   and   packed   a 

simple meal; in which; remembering the stranger's origin and preferences; 

he   took   care   to   include   a   yard   of   long   French   bread;   a   sausage   out   of 

which the garlic sang; some cheese which lay down and cried; and a long… 

necked      straw…covered       flask   wherein     lay   bottled    sunshine     shed    and 

garnered on far Southern slopes。 Thus laden; he returned with all speed; 

and blushed for pleasure at the old seaman's commendations of his taste 

and    judgment;     as   together    they   unpacked     the   basket   and   laid  out   the 

contents on the grass by the roadside。 

     The Sea Rat; as soon as his hunger was somewhat assuaged; continued 

the history of his latest voyage; conducting his simple hearer from port to 

port of Spain; landing him at Lisbon; Oporto; and Bordeaux; introducing 

him   to    the  pleasant    harbours    of   Cornwall     and   Devon;     and   so  up   the 

Channel to that final quayside; where; landing after winds long contrary; 

storm…driven and weather…beaten; he had caught the first magical hints and 

heraldings of another Spring; and; fired by these; had sped on a long tramp 

inland; hungry for the experiment of life on some quiet farmstead; very far 



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from the weary beating of any sea。 

     Spell…bound   and   quivering   with   excitement;   the   Water   Rat   followed 

the   Adventurer      league    by   league;   over   stormy   bays;     through    crowded 

roadsteads; across harbour bars on a racing tide; up winding rivers that hid 

their busy little towns round a sudden turn; and left him with a regretful 

sigh    planted    at  his  dull   inland   farm;   about    which    he   desired   to   hear 

nothing。 

     By   this   time   their   meal   was   over;   and   the   Seafarer;   refreshed   and 

strengthened;   his   voice   more   vibrant;   his   eye   lit   with   a   brightness   that 

seemed caught   from  some   far…away  sea…beacon; filled his   glass   with   the 

red and glowing vintage of the South; and; leaning towards the Water Rat; 

compelled his gaze and held him; body and soul; while he talked。 Those 

eyes were of the changing foam…streaked grey…green of leaping Northern 

seas; in the glass shone a hot ruby that seemed the very heart of the South; 

beating   for   him   who   had   courage   to   respond   to   its   pulsation。   The   twin 

lights; the shifting grey and the steadfast red; mastered the Water Rat and 

held him bound; fascinated; powerless。 The quiet world outside their rays 

receded far away and ceased to be。 And the talk; the wonderful talk flowed 

onor was it speech entirely; or did it pass at times into songchanty of 

the sailors weighing the dripping anchor; sonorous hum of the shrouds in a 

tearing North…Easter; ballad of the fisherman hauling his nets at sundown 

against   an   apricot   sky;   chords   of   guitar   and   mandoline   from   gondola   or 

caique? Did it change into the cry of the wind; plaintive at first; angrily 

shrill   as   it   freshened;   rising   to   a   tearing   whistle;   sinking   to   a   musical 

trickle of air from the leech of the bellying sail? All these sounds the spell… 

bound listener seemed to hear; and with them the hungry complaint of the 

gulls and the sea…mews; the soft thunder of the breaking wave; the cry of 

the protesting shingle。 Back into speech again it passed; and with beating 

heart he was following the adventures of a dozen seaports; the fights; the 

escapes;     the  rallies;  the   comradeships;      the   gallant   undertakings;      or  he 

searched islands for treasure; fished in still lagoons and dozed day…long on 

warm   white   sand。   Of   deep…sea   fishings   he   heard   tell;   and   mighty   silver 

gatherings of the mile… long net; of sudden perils; noise of breakers on a 

moonless night; or the tall bows of the great liner taking shape overhead 



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through   the   fog;   of   the   merry   home…coming;   the   headland   rounded;   the 

harbour lights opened out; the groups seen dimly on the quay; the cheery 

hail; the splash of the hawser; the trudge up the steep little street towards 

the comforting glow of red…curtained windows。 

     Lastly; in his waking dream it seemed to him that the Adventurer had 

risen to his feet; but was still speaking; still holding him fast with his sea… 

grey eyes。 

     ‘And now;' he was softly saying; ‘I take to the road again; holding on 

southwestwards for many a long and dusty day; 
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