an inland voyage-第11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！





AT　LANDRECIES



AT　Landrecies　the　rain　still　fell　and　the　wind　still　blew；　but　we　　found　a　double…bedded　room　with　plenty　of　furniture；　real　water…　jugs　with　real　water　in　them；　and　dinner：　　a　real　dinner；　not　　innocent　of　real　wine。　　After　having　been　a　pedlar　for　one　night；　　and　a　butt　for　the　elements　during　the　whole　of　the　next　day；　these　　comfortable　circumstances　fell　on　my　heart　like　sunshine。　　There　　was　an　English　fruiterer　at　dinner；　travelling　with　a　Belgian　　fruiterer；　in　the　evening　at　the　CAFE；　we　watched　our　compatriot　　drop　a　good　deal　of　money　at　corks；　and　I　don't　know　why；　but　this　　pleased　us。

It　turned　out　we　were　to　see　more　of　Landrecies　than　we　expected；　　for　the　weather　next　day　was　simply　bedlamite。　　It　is　not　the　place　　one　would　have　chosen　for　a　day's　rest；　for　it　consists　almost　　entirely　of　fortifications。　　Within　the　ramparts；　a　few　blocks　of　　houses；　a　long　row　of　barracks；　and　a　church；　figure；　with　what　　countenance　they　may；　as　the　town。　　There　seems　to　be　no　trade；　and　　a　shopkeeper　from　whom　I　bought　a　sixpenny　flint…and…steel；　was　so　　much　affected　that　he　filled　my　pockets　with　spare　flints　into　the　　bargain。　　The　only　public　buildings　that　had　any　interest　for　us　　were　the　hotel　and　the　CAFE。　　But　we　visited　the　church。　　There　　lies　Marshal　Clarke。　　But　as　neither　of　us　had　ever　heard　of　that　　military　hero；　we　bore　the　associations　of　the　spot　with　fortitude。

In　all　garrison　towns；　guard…calls；　and　REVEILLES；　and　such　like；　　make　a　fine　romantic　interlude　in　civic　business。　　Bugles；　and　　drums；　and　fifes；　are　of　themselves　most　excellent　things　in　　nature；　and　when　they　carry　the　mind　to　marching　armies；　and　the　　picturesque　vicissitudes　of　war；　they　stir　up　something　proud　in　　the　heart。　　But　in　a　shadow　of　a　town　like　Landrecies；　with　little　　else　moving；　these　points　of　war　made　a　proportionate　commotion。　　　Indeed；　they　were　the　only　things　to　remember。　　It　was　just　the　　place　to　hear　the　round　going　by　at　night　in　the　darkness；　with　the　　solid　tramp　of　men　marching；　and　the　startling　reverberations　of　　the　drum。　　It　reminded　you；　that　even　this　place　was　a　point　in　the　　great　warfaring　system　of　Europe；　and　might　on　some　future　day　be　　ringed　about　with　cannon　smoke　and　thunder；　and　make　itself　a　name　　among　strong　towns。

The　drum；　at　any　rate；　from　its　martial　voice　and　notable　　physiological　effect；　nay；　even　from　its　cumbrous　and　comical　　shape；　stands　alone　among　the　instruments　of　noise。　　And　if　it　be　　true；　as　I　have　heard　it　said；　that　drums　are　covered　with　asses'　　skin；　what　a　picturesque　irony　is　there　in　that！　　As　if　this　long…　suffering　animal's　hide　had　not　been　sufficiently　belaboured　during　　life；　now　by　Lyonnese　costermongers；　now　by　presumptuous　Hebrew　　prophets；　it　must　be　stripped　from　his　poor　hinder　quarters　after　　death；　stretched　on　a　drum；　and　beaten　night　after　night　round　the　　streets　of　every　garrison　town　in　Europe。　　And　up　the　heights　of　　Alma　and　Spicheren；　and　wherever　death　has　his　red　flag　a…flying；　　and　sounds　his　own　potent　tuck　upon　the　cannons；　there　also　must　　the　drummer…boy；　hurrying　with　white　face　over　fallen　comrades；　　batter　and　bemaul　this　slip　of　skin　from　the　loins　of　peaceable　　donkeys。

Generally　a　man　is　never　more　uselessly　employed　than　when　he　is　at　　this　trick　of　bastinadoing　asses'　hide。　　We　know　what　effect　it　has　　in　life；　and　how　your　dull　ass　will　not　mend　his　pace　with　beating。　　　But　in　this　state　of　mummy　and　melancholy　survival　of　itself；　when　　the　hollow　skin　reverberates　to　the　drummer's　wrist；　and　each　dub…　a…dub　goes　direct　to　a　man's　heart；　and　puts　madness　there；　and　　that　disposition　of　the　pulses　which　we；　in　our　big　way　of　talking；　　nickname　Heroism：…　is　there　not　something　in　the　nature　of　a　　revenge　upon　the　donkey's　persecutors？　　Of　old；　he　might　say；　you　　drubbed　me　up　hill　and　down　dale；　and　I　must　endure；　but　now　that　I　　am　dead；　those　dull　thwacks　that　were　scarcely　audible　in　country　　lanes；　have　become　stirring　music　in　front　of　the　brigade；　and　for　　every　blow　that　you　lay　on　my　old　greatcoat；　you　will　see　a　comrade　　stumble　and　fall。

Not　long　after　the　drums　had　passed　the　CAFE；　the　CIGARETTE　and　the　　ARETHUSA　began　to　grow　sleepy；　and　set　out　for　the　hotel；　which　was　　only　a　door　or　two　away。　　But　although　we　had　been　somewhat　　indifferent　to　Landrecies；　Landrecies　had　not　been　indifferent　to　　us。　　All　day；　we　learned；　people　had　been　running　out　between　the　　squalls　to　visit　our　two　boats。　　Hundreds　of　persons；　so　said　　report；　although　it　fitted　ill　with　our　idea　of　the　town　…　hundreds　　of　persons　had　inspected　them　where　they　lay　in　a　coal…shed。　　We　　were　becoming　lions　in　Landrecies；　who　had　been　only　pedlars　the　　night　before　in　Pont。

And　now；　when　we　left　the　CAFE；　we　were　pursued　and　overtaken　at　　the　hotel　door　by　no　less　a　person　than　the　JUGE　DE　PAIX：　　a　　functionary；　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　of　the　character　of　a　Scots　　Sheriff…Substitute。　　He　gave　us　his　card　and　invited　us　to　sup　with　　him　on　the　spot；　very　neatly；　very　gracefully；　as　Frenchmen　can　do　　these　things。　　It　was　for　the　credit　of　Landrecies；　said　he；　and　　although　we　knew　very　well　how　little　credit　we　could　do　the　place；　　we　must　have　been　churlish　fellows　to　refuse　an　invitation　so　　politely　introduced。

The　house　of　the　Judge　was　close　by；　it　was　a　well…appointed　　bachelor's　establishment；　with　a　curious　collection　of　old　brass　　warming…pans　upon　the　walls。　　Some　of　these　were　most　elaborately　　carved。　　It　seemed　a　picturesque　idea　for　a　collector。　　You　could　　not　help　thinking　how　many　night…caps　had　wagged　over　these　　warming…pans　in　past　generations；　what　jests　may　have　been　made；　　and　kisses　taken；　while　they　were　in　service；　and　how　often　they　　had　been　uselessly　paraded　in　the　bed　of　death。　　If　they　could　only　　speak；　at　what　absurd；　indecorous；　and　tragical　scenes　had　they　not　　been　present！

The　wine　was　excellent。　　When　we　made　the　Judge　our　compliments　　upon　a　bottle；　'I　do　not　give　it　you　as　my　worst；'　said　he。　　I　　wonder　when　Englishmen　will　learn　these　hospitable　graces。　　They　　are　worth　learning；　they　set　off　life；　and　make　ordinary　moments　　ornamental。

There　were　two　other　Landrecienses　present。　　One　was　the　collector　　of　something　or　other；　I　forget　what；　the　other；　we　were　told；　was　　the　principal　notary　of　the　place。　　So　it　happened　that　we　all　five　　more　or　less　followed　the　law。　　At　this　rate；　the　talk　was　pretty　　certain　to　become　technical。　　The　CIGARETTE　expounded　the　Poor　Laws　　very　magisterially。　　And　a　little　later　I　found　myself　laying　down　　the　Scots　Law　of　Illegitimacy；　of　which　I　am　glad　to　say　I　know　　nothing。　　The　collector　and　the　notary；　who　were　both　married　men；　　accused　the　Judge；　who　was　a　bachelor；　of　having　started　the　　subject。　　He　deprecated　the　charge；　with　a　conscious；　pleased　air；　　just　like　all　the　men　I　have　ever　seen；　be　they　French　or　English。　　　How　strange　that　we　should　all；　in　our　unguarded　moments；　rather　　like　to　be　thought　a　bit　of　a　rogue　with　the　women！

As　the　evening　went　on；　the　wine　grew　more　to　my　taste；　the　spirits　　proved　better　than　the　wine；　the　company　was　genial。　　This　was　the　　highest　water　mark　of　popular　favour　on　the