cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第55部分

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intercepted　the　principal　gorge　at　almost　a　right　angle；　thus　a　path
which　continued　at　the　same　level　from　the　courtyard　to　the　other　side
of　the　ravine；　represented　the　letter　V　laid　horizontally。　From　the
walnut…tree　across　the　broad　base　of　the　letter　would　be　about　a　hundred
yards；　to　a　series　of　cultivated　terraces　upon　an　equal　level。

This　might　have　been　made　a　lovely　station；　as　no　less　than　three
springs　of　water　issued　from　the　mountain　side　in　various　positions：　the
first　already　mentioned；　the　second　on　the　further　side　of　the　letter　V；
beneath　another　splendid　walnut…tree；　and　the　third　upon　the　same　level
beyond；　which　fell　into　a　trough　beneath　a　large　trellis；　upon　which
some　vines　were　trained　to　produce　a　shade。

The　terraces　formed　an　angular　amphitheatre；　the　outer　courtyard　of　the
monastery　being　the　highest　level；　looking　down　upon　tree…tops　of　planes
and　pines　throughout　the　dark　gorge　to　Phyni。　The　gardens　appeared　much
neglected；　they　were　overcrowded　with　fruit…trees；　including　filberts；
mulberry；　pears；　apples；　figs；　walnuts；　plums；　the　only　grape…vine　was
represented　upon　the　trellis；　the　position　was　too　high　for　apricots。

An　Englishman's　first　idea　is　improvement；　and　I　believe　that　upon
entering　heaven　itself　he　would　suggest　some　alteration。　This　was　not
heaven；　but；　as　a　monastery；　it　was　the　first　step；　and　a　very　high　one
for　this　world；　being　4340　feet　above　the　sea。　We　began　by　cleaning；　and
I　should　have　liked　to　have　engaged　Hercules；　at　the　maximum　of
agricultural　wages；　to　have　cleaned　the　long　line　of　mule　stables；　a
dignified　employment　for　which　the　hero…god　was　famous；　the　Augean　were
a　joke　to　them。　Piles　of　manure　and　filth　of　every　description　concealed
the　pavement　of　the　capacious　outer　yard　of　the　monastery。　The　narrow
path　by　which　we　had　arrived　from　the　spring　was　a　mere　dung…heap；　from
which　the　noxious　weeds　called　docks；　of　Brobdignagian　proportions；
issued　in　such　dense　masses　that　an　agricultural　meeting　of　British
farmers　would　have　been　completely　hidden　by　their　great　enemy。　The
priests　or　monks　had　filthy　habits；　it　would　have　been　impossible　for
civilised　people　to　have　existed　in　this　accumulation　of　impurities；
therefore　we　at　once　set　to　work。　I　had　a　spade　and　pickaxe；　and　we
borrowed　some　other　tools　from　the　monks；　among　which　were　strong
grubbers　（which　combined　the　hoe　and　the　pick）。　There　were　a　number　of
people　belonging　to　the　monastery；　including　some　young　embryo　priests；
that　we　might　accept　as　deacons；　these　I　set　to　work　with　the　pickaxe　at
one　shilling　a　day　wages。　The　boys　who　were　being　educated　for　the
Church　I　employed　in　removing　all　the　loose　stones　which　choked　the
surface　of　the　ground；　and　subsequently　in　sweeping　and　scraping　the
courtyard。　I　gave　them　sixpence　a　day　if　they　worked　from　early　morning；
or　threepence　if　they　came　at　noon　after　their　lessons。　There　was　a
shepherd's　family；　upon　the　hill　about　250　feet　above　the　monastery；　of
seven　handsome　children；　two　boys　of　nineteen　and　seventeen；　and　five
girls。　These　were　hard　at　work；　even　to　a　pretty　little　child　of　four
years　old；　who　carried　her　stones；　and　swept　with　a　little　broom　with
all　her　heart　（this　was　little　Athena）。　Of　course　they　were　all　paid　in
the　evening　with　bright　new　threepenny　pieces　which　they　had　never　seen
before。　Even　the　priests　worked　after　a　few　days；　when　the　spirit　of
industry　and　new　shillings　moved　them；　and　in　the　history　of　the
monastery　there　could　never　have　been　such　a　stirring　picture　and　such　a
dust　as　we　made　in　cleansing　and　alterations。　Nearly　a　month　was
occupied　in　this　necessary　work；　by　which　time　the　place　was　entirely
changed。　I　had　made　a　good　road　as　an　approach　from　the　spring；　with　a
covered　drain；　dignified　by　the　name　of　an　〃aqueduct；〃　which　led　the
water　when　required　to　a　little　garden　that　I　had　constructed　close　to
the　tent；　where　a　nondescript　slope　had　become　a　receptacle　for　filth。　I
had　cut　this　down　from　the　road；　and　mixed　the　earth　with　the
accumulated　dirt　and　manure；　which　I　levelled　off　in　successive　layers；
so　that　the　stream　led　from　the　spring　would　irrigate　my　beds　in
succession。　This　garden　was　carefully　fenced　against　the　intrusion　of
goats　and　donkeys；　to　say　nothing　of　pigs；　and　it　was　already　sown　with
tomatoes；　cucumbers；　melons；　barmia；　and　beet…root。　The　priests　had　a
grand　bed　of　onions　upon　a　terrace；　which　was　usually　occupied　by　the
pigs；　goats；　and　donkeys；　as　they　had　been　too　lazy　to　arrange　a　fence。

The　docks　in　the　monastery　gardens　were　at　least　six　feet　high；　I　had
these　cut　and　collected　to　thatch　the　sides　of　a　peculiar　shed　（in　which
I　am　writing　at　this　moment）；　which　was　a　great　comfort　and　formed　a
very　original　retreat；　combining　a　seat　in　an　amphitheatre　with　a　modern
summer…house。　This　was　an　oblong；　of　fifteen　feet　by　twelve；　erected
within　three　feet　of　the　tent　beneath　the　walnut…tree　upon　the　extreme
verge　of　the　abrupt　incline。　I　laid　a　foundation　of　stones；　which　I
covered　with　pounded　earth　and　water；　to　produce　a　level　with　the　tent。
I　then　placed　horizontally　a　beam　of　wood；　secured　from　slipping　with
stakes　driven　to　the　heads　into　the　bank　upon　the　edge　of　the　incline。
Upon　this　a　row　of　large　stones　was　cemented　together　with　mud　to　form　a
margin　level　with　the　floor；　from　which　the　abrupt　inclination　at　once
leapt　to　the　lower　terraces　and　the　deep　gorge；　continuing　for　upwards
of　4000　feet　to　the　sea；　this　was　visible　beyond　the　inferior　mountain
tops。

There　was　nothing　pretty　in　the　arrangement　of　this　〃rachkooba；〃　as　it
would　be　called　in　Africa；　it　was　a　simple　square　of　upright　poles；
connected　with　canes　secured　across；　thatched　inside　with　ferns；　and
upon　the　outside　with　docks；　fastened　down　with　the　peeled　willow…like
shoots　of　mulberry…trees。　The　mulberry…trees　for　silkworms　are　always
pollarded　annually；　and　they　throw　out　shoots　about　seven　or　nine　feet
in　length　every　season；　the　wood　is　exceedingly　tough；　and　the　bark　of
these　wands　when　stripped　is　serviceable　for　tying　plants　or　securing
fences　in　lieu　of　cord。　For　lack　of　silkworms　the　monastery
mulberry…trees　had　several　seasons　of　growth；　and　the　shoots　were
serviceable　for　our　work。　The　ceiling　of　our　opera…box　was　cloth；　with　a
curtain　of　about　three　feet　suspended　along　the　front；　which　broke　the
morning　sun　as　it　topped　the　high　ridge　of　the　mountain　on　the　other
side　of　the　gorge；　about　a　thousand　feet　above　us。　The　shed　was　carpeted
with　mats　and　furnished　roughly　with　a　table　and　chairs；　hat…pegs　were
suspended　around；　made　from　the　red…barked　wood　of　the　arbutus；　simply
cut　so　that　by　inverting　the　branch　with　the　stem　attached　to　a　cord；
the　twigs；　cut　at　proper　lengths；　would　form　convenient　hooks。

From　this　cool　hermitage　we　looked　down　upon　the　dense　foliage　of
rounded　mulberry…tops　and　the　fruit…trees　of　the　gardens　within　the
gorge；　while　exactly　in　our　front；　a　hundred　yards　across　the　deep
ravine；　was　the　rocky　steep　of　the　mountain　side；　densely　clothed　with
ilex　and　arbutus；　until　the　still　higher　altitudes　banished　all
underwood；　and　the　upper　ranges　of　Troodos　exhibited　a　surface　of　barren
rocks　clothed　with　tall　pines　and　cypress；　2000　feet　above　us。

By　the　time　we　had　completed　our　permanent　camp　a　certain　degree　of
improvement　had　taken　place　in　the　people；　as　well　as　in　the　actual
cleanliness　of　the　locality。　Everybody　washed　his；　or　her；　face　and
hands。　The　customs　of　the　monks　had　so　far　reformed　that　the　immediate
neighbourhood　was　no　longer　offensive。　When　strangers　with　mules　arrived
the　road　was　immediately　swept；　and　upon　Saturday　evenings　a　general
embellishment　took　place　in　honour　of　the　approaching　Sunday。　The　young
clergy　were　remarkably　good　and　active；　they　worked　in　my　little　garden
at　a　shilling　a　day；　went　on　errands　to　Platraes　and　the　camp　at
Troodos；　and　made　themselves　generally　useful　for　a　most　moderate
consideration。　I　can　strongly　recommend　all　young　curates　who　are
waiting　in　vain　for　livings　to　come　and　work　upon　the　holy　soil　of
Trooditissa　at　one　shilling　per　diem；　and　should　they　（as　curates
frequently　are）　be　poor　in　this　world's　goods；　but　nevertheless　strong
in　amorous　propensities；　and　accordingly　desirous　of　matrimony；　they
will　find　a　refuge　within　the　walls　of　this　monastery　from　all　the
temptations　of　the　outer　world；　far　from　garden…parties；　balls；　picnics；
church…decorations　assisted　by　young　ladies；　and　all　those　snares　of　the
Evil　One；　and　the　wholesome　diet　of　the　monks；　including　a　course　of
soaked　broad…beans　and　barley　bread；　with　repeated　fastings　upon
innumerable　saints'　days；　will　affect　them　sensibly；　both　morally　and
physically；　under　this　discipline　they　will　come　to　the　conclusion　that
a　wife　and　large　family　upon　an　income　of　500　pounds　a　year　in　England
would　not　confer　the　same　happiness　as　one　shilling　a　day　with　the
pickaxe；　broad…beans　and　independence；　at　Trooditissa；　which　is　true
〃muscular　Christianity。〃

It　was　extraordinary　to　see　the　result　of　a　life…long　diet　of　beans　and
barley…bread　in　the　persons　of　the　monks；　who　very　seldom　indulged　in
flesh。　The　actual　head　of　the　monastery　was　a　handsome　man　of　seventy；
perfectly　erect　in　figure；　as　though　fresh　from　military　drill；　and　as
strong　and　active　as　most　men　of　fifty。　The　younger　priests　were　all
good…looking；　active；　healthy　men；　who　thought　nothing　of　a　morning's
walk　over　the　fatiguing　rocky　paths　to　Troodos　and　back　（twelve　miles）；
to　be　refreshed　on　their　return　by　an　afternoon's　work　in　their　gardens。
The　head　of　the　Church　was　an　especial　friend　of　ours；　and　was　a　dear
old　fellow　of　about　seventy；　with　a　handsome　face；　a　pair　of　greasy
brass　spectacles　bound　with　some　substance　to　retain　them　that　was　long
since　past　recognition；　and　swelled　feet　that　prevented　him　from　walking
beyond　the　precincts　of　the　monastery；　which　he　had　never　quitted　for
twelve　years。　The　feet　looked　uncommonly　like　the　gout；　but　I　can　hardly
believe　in　the　co…existence　of　that　complaint　with　dry　beans　and
barley…bread；　although　the　truth　must　be　confessed；　that　the　monks　are
fond　of　commanderia；　or　any　other　production　of　the　vineyard。