友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
the uncommercial traveller-第38部分
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
the shepherdess character of the few milkwomen who purvey so little
milk that it would be worth nobody's while to adulterate it; if
anybody were left to undertake the task。 On the crowded sea…shore;
the great demand for milk; combined with the strong local
temptation of chalk; would betray itself in the lowered quality of
the article。 In Arcadian London I derive it from the cow。
The Arcadian simplicity of the metropolis altogether; and the
primitive ways into which it has fallen in this autumnal Golden
Age; make it entirely new to me。 Within a few hundred yards of my
retreat; is the house of a friend who maintains a most sumptuous
butler。 I never; until yesterday; saw that butler out of superfine
black broadcloth。 Until yesterday; I never saw him off duty; never
saw him (he is the best of butlers) with the appearance of having
any mind for anything but the glory of his master and his master's
friends。 Yesterday morning; walking in my slippers near the house
of which he is the prop and ornament … a house now a waste of
shutters … I encountered that butler; also in his slippers; and in
a shooting suit of one colour; and in a low…crowned straw…hat;
smoking an early cigar。 He felt that we had formerly met in
another state of existence; and that we were translated into a new
sphere。 Wisely and well; he passed me without recognition。 Under
his arm he carried the morning paper; and shortly afterwards I saw
him sitting on a rail in the pleasant open landscape of Regent…
street; perusing it at his ease under the ripening sun。
My landlord having taken his whole establishment to be salted down;
I am waited on by an elderly woman labouring under a chronic sniff;
who; at the shadowy hour of half…past nine o'clock of every
evening; gives admittance at the street door to a meagre and mouldy
old man whom I have never yet seen detached from a flat pint of
beer in a pewter pot。 The meagre and mouldy old man is her
husband; and the pair have a dejected consciousness that they are
not justified in appearing on the surface of the earth。 They come
out of some hole when London empties itself; and go in again when
it fills。 I saw them arrive on the evening when I myself took
possession; and they arrived with the flat pint of beer; and their
bed in a bundle。 The old man is a weak old man; and appeared to me
to get the bed down the kitchen stairs by tumbling down with and
upon it。 They make their bed in the lowest and remotest corner of
the basement; and they smell of bed; and have no possession but
bed: unless it be (which I rather infer from an under…current of
flavour in them) cheese。 I know their name; through the chance of
having called the wife's attention; at half…past nine on the second
evening of our acquaintance; to the circumstance of there being
some one at the house door; when she apologetically explained;
'It's only Mr。 Klem。' What becomes of Mr。 Klem all day; or when he
goes out; or why; is a mystery I cannot penetrate; but at half…past
nine he never fails to turn up on the door…step with the flat pint
of beer。 And the pint of beer; flat as it is; is so much more
important than himself; that it always seems to my fancy as if it
had found him drivelling in the street and had humanely brought him
home。 In making his way below; Mr。 Klem never goes down the middle
of the passage; like another Christian; but shuffles against the
wall as if entreating me to take notice that he is occupying as
little space as possible in the house; and whenever I come upon him
face to face; he backs from me in fascinated confusion。 The most
extraordinary circumstance I have traced in connexion with this
aged couple; is; that there is a Miss Klem; their daughter;
apparently ten years older than either of them; who has also a bed
and smells of it; and carries it about the earth at dusk and hides
it in deserted houses。 I came into this piece of knowledge through
Mrs。 Klem's beseeching me to sanction the sheltering of Miss Klem
under that roof for a single night; 'between her takin' care of the
upper part in Pall Mall which the family of his back; and a 'ouse
in Serjameses…street; which the family of leaves towng ter…morrer。'
I gave my gracious consent (having nothing that I know of to do
with it); and in the shadowy hours Miss Klem became perceptible on
the door…step; wrestling with a bed in a bundle。 Where she made it
up for the night I cannot positively state; but; I think; in a
sink。 I know that with the instinct of a reptile or an insect; she
stowed it and herself away in deep obscurity。 In the Klem family;
I have noticed another remarkable gift of nature; and that is a
power they possess of converting everything into flue。 Such broken
victuals as they take by stealth; appear (whatever the nature of
the viands) invariably to generate flue; and even the nightly pint
of beer; instead of assimilating naturally; strikes me as breaking
out in that form; equally on the shabby gown of Mrs。 Klem; and the
threadbare coat of her husband。
Mrs。 Klem has no idea of my name … as to Mr。 Klem he has no idea of
anything … and only knows me as her good gentleman。 Thus; if
doubtful whether I am in my room or no; Mrs。 Klem taps at the door
and says; 'Is my good gentleman here?' Or; if a messenger desiring
to see me were consistent with my solitude; she would show him in
with 'Here is my good gentleman。' I find this to be a generic
custom。 For; I meant to have observed before now; that in its
Arcadian time all my part of London is indistinctly pervaded by the
Klem species。 They creep about with beds; and go to bed in miles
of deserted houses。 They hold no companionship except that
sometimes; after dark; two of them will emerge from opposite
houses; and meet in the middle of the road as on neutral ground; or
will peep from adjoining houses over an interposing barrier of area
railings; and compare a few reserved mistrustful notes respecting
their good ladies or good gentlemen。 This I have discovered in the
course of various solitary rambles I have taken Northward from my
retirement; along the awful perspectives of Wimpole…street; Harley…
street; and similar frowning regions。 Their effect would be
scarcely distinguishable from that of the primeval forests; but for
the Klem stragglers; these may be dimly observed; when the heavy
shadows fall; flitting to and fro; putting up the door…chain;
taking in the pint of beer; lowering like phantoms at the dark
parlour windows; or secretly consorting underground with the dust…
bin and the water…cistern。
In the Burlington Arcade; I observe; with peculiar pleasure; a
primitive state of manners to have superseded the baneful
influences of ultra civilisation。 Nothing can surpass the
innocence of the ladies' shoe…shops; the artificial…flower
repositories; and the head…dress depots。 They are in strange hands
at this time of year … hands of unaccustomed persons; who are
imperfectly acquainted with the prices of the goods; and
contemplate them with unsophisticated delight and wonder。 The
children of these virtuous people exchange familiarities in the
Arcade; and temper the asperity of the two tall beadles。 Their
youthful prattle blends in an unwonted manner with the harmonious
shade of the scene; and the general effect is; as of the voices of
birds in a grove。 In this happy restoration of the golden time; it
has been my privilege even to see the bigger beadle's wife。 She
brought him his dinner in a basin; and he ate it in his arm…chair;
and afterwards fell asleep like a satiated child。 At Mr。
Truefitt's; the excellent hairdresser's; they are learning French
to beguile the time; and even the few solitaries left on guard at
Mr。 Atkinson's; the perfumer's round the corner (generally the most
inexorable gentleman in London; and the most scornful of three…and…
sixpence); condescend a little; as they drowsily bide or recall
their turn for chasing the ebbing Neptune on the ribbed sea…sand。
From Messrs。 Hunt and Roskell's; the jewellers; all things are
absent but the precious stones; and the gold and silver; and the
soldierly pensioner at the door with his decorated breast。 I might
stand night and day for a month to come; in Saville…row; with my
tongue out; yet not find a doctor to look at it for love or money。
The dentists' instruments are rusting in their drawers; and their
horrible cool parlours; where people pretend to read the Every…Day
Book and not to be afraid; are doing penance for their grimness in
white sheets。 The light…weight of shrewd appearance; with one eye
always shut up; as if he were eating a sharp gooseberry in all
seasons; who usually stands at the gateway of the livery…stables on
very little legs under a very large waistcoat; has gone to
Doncaster。 Of such undesigning aspect is his guileless yard now;
with its gravel and scarlet beans; and the yellow Break housed
under a glass roof in a corner; that I almost believe I could not
be taken in there; if I tried。 In the places of business of the
great tailors; the cheval…glasses are dim and dusty for lack of
being looked into。 Ranges of brown paper coat and waistcoat bodies
look as funereal as if they were the hatchments of the customers
with whose names they are inscribed; the measuring tapes hang idle
on the wall; the order…taker; left on the hopeless chance of some
one looking in; yawns in the last extremity over the book of
patterns; as if he were trying to read that entertaining library。
The hotels in Brook…street have no one in them; and the staffs of
servants stare disconsolately for next season out of all the
windows。 The very man who goes about like an erect Turtle; between
two boards recommendatory of the Sixteen Shilling Trousers; is
aware of himself as a hollow mockery; and eats filberts while he
leans his hinder shell against a wall。
Among these tranquillising objects; it is my delig
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!