the uncommercial traveller-第4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！



anguish；　and　makes　the　suffering　so　much　easier　to　be　borne。

Considering　the　circumstances　connected　with　my　poor　brother's

fate；　it　does；　indeed；　appear　a　hard　one。　　He　had　been　away　in　all

seven　years；　he　returned　four　years　ago　to　see　his　family。　　He　was

then　engaged　to　a　very　amiable　young　lady。　　He　had　been　very

successful　abroad；　and　was　now　returning　to　fulfil　his　sacred　vow；

he　brought　all　his　property　with　him　in　gold　uninsured。　　We　heard

from　him　when　the　ship　stopped　at　Queenstown；　when　he　was　in　the

highest　of　hope；　and　in　a　few　short　hours　afterwards　all　was　washed

away。





Mournful　in　the　deepest　degree；　but　too　sacred　for　quotation　here；

were　the　numerous　references　to　those　miniatures　of　women　worn

round　the　necks　of　rough　men　（and　found　there　after　death）；　those

locks　of　hair；　those　scraps　of　letters；　those　many　many　slight

memorials　of　hidden　tenderness。　　One　man　cast　up　by　the　sea　bore

about　him；　printed　on　a　perforated　lace　card；　the　following

singular　（and　unavailing）　charm：





A　BLESSING。





May　the　blessing　of　God　await　thee。　　May　the　sun　of　glory　shine

around　thy　bed；　and　may　the　gates　of　plenty；　honour；　and　happiness

be　ever　open　to　thee。　　May　no　sorrow　distress　thy　days；　may　no

grief　disturb　thy　nights。　　May　the　pillow　of　peace　kiss　thy　cheek；

and　the　pleasures　of　imagination　attend　thy　dreams；　and　when　length

of　years　makes　thee　tired　of　earthly　joys；　and　the　curtain　of　death

gently　closes　around　thy　last　sleep　of　human　existence；　may　the

Angel　of　God　attend　thy　bed；　and　take　care　that　the　expiring　lamp

of　life　shall　not　receive　one　rude　blast　to　hasten　on　its

extinction。





A　sailor　had　these　devices　on　his　right　arm。　　'Our　Saviour　on　the

Cross；　the　forehead　of　the　Crucifix　and　the　vesture　stained　red；　on

the　lower　part　of　the　arm；　a　man　and　woman；　on　one　side　of　the

Cross；　the　appearance　of　a　half　moon；　with　a　face；　on　the　other

side；　the　sun；　on　the　top　of　the　Cross；　the　letters　I。H。S。；　on　the

left　arm；　a　man　and　woman　dancing；　with　an　effort　to　delineate　the

female's　dress；　under　which；　initials。'　　Another　seaman　'had；　on

the　lower　part　of　the　right　arm；　the　device　of　a　sailor　and　a

female；　the　man　holding　the　Union　Jack　with　a　streamer；　the　folds

of　which　waved　over　her　head；　and　the　end　of　it　was　held　in　her

hand。　　On　the　upper　part　of　the　arm；　a　device　of　Our　Lord　on　the

Cross；　with　stars　surrounding　the　head　of　the　Cross；　and　one　large

star　on　the　side　in　Indian　Ink。　　On　the　left　arm；　a　flag；　a　true

lover's　knot；　a　face；　and　initials。'　　This　tattooing　was　found

still　plain；　below　the　discoloured　outer　surface　of　a　mutilated

arm；　when　such　surface　was　carefully　scraped　away　with　a　knife。　　It

is　not　improbable　that　the　perpetuation　of　this　marking　custom

among　seamen；　may　be　referred　back　to　their　desire　to　be

identified；　if　drowned　and　flung　ashore。



It　was　some　time　before　I　could　sever　myself　from　the　many

interesting　papers　on　the　table；　and　then　I　broke　bread　and　drank

wine　with　the　kind　family　before　I　left　them。　　As　I　brought　the

Coast…guard　down；　so　I　took　the　Postman　back；　with　his　leathern

wallet；　walking…stick；　bugle；　and　terrier　dog。　　Many　a　heart…broken

letter　had　he　brought　to　the　Rectory　House　within　two　months　many；

a　benignantly　painstaking　answer　had　he　carried　back。



As　I　rode　along；　I　thought　of　the　many　people；　inhabitants　of　this

mother　country；　who　would　make　pilgrimages　to　the　little　churchyard

in　the　years　to　come；　I　thought　of　the　many　people　in　Australia；

who　would　have　an　interest　in　such　a　shipwreck；　and　would　find

their　way　here　when　they　visit　the　Old　World；　I　thought　of　the

writers　of　all　the　wreck　of　letters　I　had　left　upon　the　table；　and

I　resolved　to　place　this　little　record　where　it　stands。

Convocations；　Conferences；　Diocesan　Epistles；　and　the　like；　will　do

a　great　deal　for　Religion；　I　dare　say；　and　Heaven　send　they　may！

but　I　doubt　if　they　will　ever　do　their　Master's　service　half　so

well；　in　all　the　time　they　last；　as　the　Heavens　have　seen　it　done

in　this　bleak　spot　upon　the　rugged　coast　of　Wales。



Had　I　lost　the　friend　of　my　life；　in　the　wreck　of　the　Royal

Charter；　had　I　lost　my　betrothed；　the　more　than　friend　of　my　life；

had　I　lost　my　maiden　daughter；　had　I　lost　my　hopeful　boy；　had　I

lost　my　little　child；　I　would　kiss　the　hands　that　worked　so　busily

and　gently　in　the　church；　and　say；　'None　better　could　have　touched

the　form；　though　it　had　lain　at　home。'　　I　could　be　sure　of　it；　I

could　be　thankful　for　it：　　I　could　be　content　to　leave　the　grave

near　the　house　the　good　family　pass　in　and　out　of　every　day；

undisturbed；　in　the　little　churchyard　where　so　many　are　so

strangely　brought　together。



Without　the　name　of　the　clergyman　to　whom　…　I　hope；　not　without

carrying　comfort　to　some　heart　at　some　time　…　I　have　referred；　my

reference　would　be　as　nothing。　　He　is　the　Reverend　Stephen　Roose

Hughes；　of　Llanallgo；　near　Moelfra；　Anglesey。　　His　brother　is　the

Reverend　Hugh　Robert　Hughes；　of　Penrhos；　Alligwy。







CHAPTER　III　…　WAPPING　WORKHOUSE







My　day's　no…business　beckoning　me　to　the　East…end　of　London；　I　had

turned　my　face　to　that　point　of　the　metropolitan　compass　on　leaving

Covent…garden；　and　had　got　past　the　India　House；　thinking　in　my

idle　manner　of　Tippoo…Sahib　and　Charles　Lamb；　and　had　got　past　my

little　wooden　midshipman；　after　affectionately　patting　him　on　one

leg　of　his　knee…shorts　for　old　acquaintance'　sake；　and　had　got　past

Aldgate　Pump；　and　had　got　past　the　Saracen's　Head　（with　an

ignominious　rash　of　posting　bills　disfiguring　his　swarthy

countenance）；　and　had　strolled　up　the　empty　yard　of　his　ancient

neighbour　the　Black　or　Blue　Boar；　or　Bull；　who　departed　this　life　I

don't　know　when；　and　whose　coaches　are　all　gone　I　don't　know　where；

and　I　had　come　out　again　into　the　age　of　railways；　and　I　had　got

past　Whitechapel　Church；　and　was　…　rather　inappropriately　for　an

Uncommercial　Traveller　…　in　the　Commercial　Road。　　Pleasantly

wallowing　in　the　abundant　mud　of　that　thoroughfare；　and　greatly

enjoying　the　huge　piles　of　building　belonging　to　the　sugar

refiners；　the　little　masts　and　vanes　in　small　back　gardens　in　back

streets；　the　neighbouring　canals　and　docks；　the　India　vans

lumbering　along　their　stone　tramway；　and　the　pawnbrokers'　shops

where　hard…up　Mates　had　pawned　so　many　sextants　and　quadrants；　that

I　should　have　bought　a　few　cheap　if　I　had　the　least　notion　how　to

use　them；　I　at　last　began　to　file　off　to　the　right；　towards

Wapping。



Not　that　I　intended　to　take　boat　at　Wapping　Old　Stairs；　or　that　I

was　going　to　look　at　the　locality；　because　I　believe　（for　I　don't）

in　the　constancy　of　the　young　woman　who　told　her　sea…going　lover；

to　such　a　beautiful　old　tune；　that　she　had　ever　continued　the　same；

since　she　gave　him　the　'baccer…box　marked　with　his　name；　I　am

afraid　he　usually　got　the　worst　of　those　transactions；　and　was

frightfully　taken　in。　　No；　I　was　going　to　Wapping；　because　an

Eastern　police　magistrate　had　said；　through　the　morning　papers；

that　there　was　no　classification　at　the　Wapping　workhouse　for

women；　and　that　it　was　a　disgrace　and　a　shame；　and　divers　other

hard　names；　and　because　I　wished　to　see　how　the　fact　really　stood。

For；　that　Eastern　police　magistrates　are　not　always　the　wisest　men

of　the　East；　may　be　inferred　from　their　course　of　procedure

respecting　the　fancy…dressing　and　pantomime…posturing　at　St。

George's　in　that　quarter：　　which　is　usually；　to　discuss　the　matter

at　issue；　in　a　state　of　mind　betokening　the　weakest　perplexity；

with　all　parties　concerned　and　unconcerned；　and；　for　a　final

expedient；　to　consult　the　complainant　as　to　what　he　thinks　ought　to

be　done　with　the　defendant；　and　take　the　defendant's　opinion　as　to

what　he　would　recommend　to　be　done　with　himself。



Long　before　I　reached　Wapping；　I　gave　myself　up　as　having　lost　my

way；　and；　abandoning　myself　to　the　narrow　streets　in　a　Turkish

frame　of　mind；　relied　on　predestination　to　bring　me　somehow　or

other　to　the　place　I　wanted　if　I　were　ever　to　get　there。　　When　I

had　ceased　for　an　hour　or　so　to　take　any　trouble　about　the　matter；

I　found　myself　on　a　swing…bridge　looking　down　at　some　dark　locks　in

some　dirty　water。　　Over　against　me；　stood　a　creature　remotely　in

the　likeness　of　a　young　man；　with　a　puffed　sallow　face；　and　a

figure　all　dirty　and　shiny　and　slimy；　who　may　have　been　the

youngest　son　of　his　filthy　old　father；　Thames；　or　the　drowned　man

about　whom　there　was　a　placard　on　the　granite　post　like　a　large

thimble；　that　stood　between　us。



I　asked　this　apparition　what　it　called　the　place？　　Unto　which；　it

replied；　with　a　ghastly　grin　and　a　sound　like　gurgling　water　in　its

throat：



'Mr。　Baker's　trap。'



As　it　is　a　point　of　great　sensitiveness　with　me　on　such　occasions

to　be　equal　to　the　intellectual　pressure　of　the　conversation；　I

deeply　considered　the　meaning　of　this　speech；　while　I　eyed　the

apparition　…　then　engaged　in　hugging　and　sucking　a　horizontal　iron

bar　at　the　top　of　the　locks。　　Inspiration　suggested　to　me　that　Mr。

Baker　was　the　acting　coroner　of　that　neighbourhood。



'A　common　place　for　suicide；'　said　I；　looking　down　at　the　locks。



'Sue？'　returned　the　ghost；　with　a　stare。　　'Yes！　　And　Poll。

Likewise　Emily。　　And　Nancy。　　And　Jane；'　he　sucked　the　iron　between

each　name；　'and　all　the　bileing。　　Ketches　off　their　bonnets　or

shorls；　takes　a　run；　and　headers　down　here；　they　doos。　　Always　a

headerin'　down　here；　they　is。　　Like　one　o'clock。'



'And　at　about　that　hour　of　the　morning；　I　suppose？'



'Ah！'　said　the　apparition。　　'THEY　an't　partickler。　　Two　'ull　do　for

THEM。　　Three。　　All　times　o'　night。　　On'y　mind　you！'　　Here　the

apparition　rested　his　profile　on　the　bar；　and　gurgled　in　a

sarcastic　manner。　　'There　must　be　somebody　comin'。　　They　don't　go　a

headerin'　down　here；　wen　there　an't　no　Bobby　nor　gen'ral　Cove；　fur

to　hear　the　splash。'



According　to　my　interpretat