personal memoirs-2-第69章

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making　calls　or　at　dinner；　the　custom　of　offering　coffee　and　tobacco

on　these　occasions　being　universal。



The　temptations　to　linger　at　Constantinople　were　many　indeed；　not　the

least　being　the　delightful　climate；　and　as　time　pressed；　we　set　out

with　much　regret　on　the　return　journey；　stopping　a　few　days　at

Athens；　whence　we　made　several　short　excursions　into　the　interior。

King　George　and　Queen　Olga　made　our　stay　in　Athens　one　of　extreme

interest　and　exceeding　pleasure。　　Throwing　aside　all　ceremony；　they

breakfasted　and　dined　us　informally；　gave　us　a　fine　ball；　and　in

addition　to　these　hospitalities　showed　us　much　personal　attention；

his　Majesty　even　calling　upon　me；　and　the　Queen　sending　her　children

to　see　us　at　our　hotel。



Of　course　we　visited　all　that　remained　of　the　city's　ancient

civilizationthe　Acropolis；　temples；　baths；　towers；　and　the　like；

nor　did　we　oinit　to　view　the　spot　where　St。　Paul　once　instructed　the

Athenians　in　lessons　of　Christianity。　　We　traveled　some　little

through　the　country　districts　outside　of　Athens；　and　I　noticed　that

the　peasantry；　in　point　of　picturesqueness　of　dress　and　color　of

complexion；　were　not　unlike　the　gypsies　we　see　at　times　in　America。

They　had　also　much　of　the　same　shrewdness；　and；　as　far　as　I　could

learn；　were　generally　wholly　uneducated；　ignorant；　indeed；　except　as

to　one　subjectpoliticswhich　I　was　told　came　to　them　intuitively；

they　taking　to　it；　and　a　scramble　for　office；　as　naturally　as　a　duck

to　water。　　In　fact；　this　common　faculty　for　politics　seems　a

connecting　link　between　the　ancient　and　modern　Greek。



Leaving　Athens　with　the　pleasantest　recollections；　we　sailed　for

Messina；　Sicily；　and　from　there　went　to　Naples；　where　we　found　many

old　friends；　among　them　Mr。　Buchanan　Reed；　the　artist　and　poet；　and

Miss　Brewster；　as　well　as　a　score　or　more　of　others　of　our

countrymen；　then　or　since　distinguished；　in　art　and　letters　at　home

and　abroad。　　We　remained　some　days　in　Naples；　and　during　the　time

went　to　Pompeii　to　witness　a　special　excavation　among　the　ruins　of

the　buried　city；　which　search　was　instituted　on　account　of　our　visit。

A　number　of　ancient　household　articles　were　dug　up；　and　one；　a　terra

cotta　lamp　bearing　upon　its　crown　in　bas…relief　the　legend　of　〃Leda

and　the　Swan；〃　was　presented　to　me　as　a　souvenir　of　the　occasion；

though　it　is　usual　for　the　Government　to　place　in　its　museums

everything　of　such　value　that　is　unearthed。



》From　Naples　to　Rome　by　rail　was　our　next　journey。　　In　the　Eternal

City　we　saw　picture…galleries；　churches；　and　ruins　in　plenty；　but　all

these　have　been　so　well　described　by　hundreds　of　other　travelers　that

I　shall　not　linger　even　to　name　them。　　While　at　Rome　we　also

witnessed　an　overflow　of　the　Tiber；　that　caused　great　suffering　and

destroyed　much　property。　　The　next　stage　of　our　tour　took　us　to

Venice；　then　to　Florencethe　capital　of　Italyfor　although　the

troops　of　the　King　of　Italy　had　taken　possession　of　Rome　the

preceding　September；　the　Government　itself　had　not　yet　removed

thither。



At　Florence；　our　Minister；　Mr。　Marsh；　though　suffering　with　a　lame

foot；　took　me　in　charge；　and　in　due　course　of　time　I　was　presented　to

King　Victor…Emmanuel。　　His　Majesty　received　me　informally　at　his

palace　in　a　small；　stuffy　roomhis　office；　no　doubtand　an　untidy

one　it　was　too。　　He　wore　a　loose　blouse　and　very　baggy　trousers；　a

comfortable　suit；　certainly；　but　not　at　all　conducing　to　an　ideal

kingliness　of　appearance。



His　Majesty's　hobby　was　hunting；　and　no　sooner　had　I　made　my　bow　than

he　began　a　conversation　on　that　subject；　thrusting　his　hands　nearly

up　to　the　elbows　into　the　pockets　of　his　trousers。　　He　desired　to

learn　about　the　large　game　of　America；　particularly　the　buffalo；　and

when　I　spoke　of　the　herds　of　thousands　and　thousands　I　had　seen　on

the　plains　of　western　Kansas；　he　interrupted　me　to　bemoan　the　fate

which　kept　him　from　visiting　America　to　hunt；　even　going　so　far　as　to

say　that　〃he　didn't　wish　to　be　King　of　Italy；　anyhow；　but　would　much

prefer　to　pass　his　days　hunting　than　be　bedeviled　with　the　cares　of

state。〃　On　one　of　his　estates；　near　Pisa；　he　had　several　large　herds

of　deer；　many　wild　boars；　and　a　great　deal　of　other　game。　Of　this

preserve　he　was　very　proud；　and　before　we　separated　invited　me　to　go

down　there　to　shoot　deer；　adding　that　he　would　be　there　himself　if　he

could；　but　feared　that　a　trip　which　he　had　to　take　to　Milan　would

interfere；　though　he　wished　me　to　go　in　any　event。



I　gladly　accepted　the　invitation；　and　in　two　or　three　days　was

notified　when　I　would　be　expected　at　the　estate。　　At　the　designated

time　I　was　escorted　to　Pisa　by　an　aide…de…camp；　and　from　there　we

drove　the　few　miles　to　the　King's　chateau；　where　we　fortified

ourselves　for　the　work　in　hand　by　an　elaborate　and　toothsome

breakfast　of　about　ten　courses。　　Then　in　a　carriage　we　set　out　for

the　King's　stand　in　the　hunting…grounds；　accompanied　by　a　crowd　of

mounted　game…keepers；　who　with　great　difficulty　controlled　the　pack

of　sixty　or　seventy　hounds；　the　dogs　and　keepers　together　almost

driving　me　to　distraction　with　their　yelping　and　yelling。　　On

reaching　the　stand；　I　was　posted　within　about　twenty'　yards　of　a

long；　high　picket…fence；　facing　the　fence　and　covered　by　two　trees

very　close　together。　　It　was　from　behind　these　that　the　King　usually

shot；　and　as　I　was　provided　with　a　double…barreled　shot…gun；　I

thought　I　could　do　well；　especially　since　close　in　rear　of　me　stood

two　game…keepers　to　load　and　hand　me　a　second　gun　when　the　first　was

emptied。



Meantime　the　huntsmen　and　the　hounds　had　made　a　circuit　of　the　park

to　drive　up　the　game。　　The　yelps　of　the　hounds　drawing　near；　I

cautiously　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　and　the　next　moment

saw　a　herd　of　deer　close　in　to　the　fence；　and　coming　down　at　full

speed。　　Without　a　miss；　I　shot　the　four　leading　ones　as　they　tried

to　run　the　gauntlet；　for　in　passing　between　the　stand　and　the　fence；

the　innocent　creatures　were　not　more　than　ten　to　fifteen　paces　from

me。　　At　the　fourth　I　stopped；　but　the　gamekeepers　insisted　on　more

butchery；　saying；　〃No　one　but　the　King　ever　did　the　like〃　（I　guess　no

one　else　had　ever　had　the　chance）；　so；　thus　urged；　I　continued　firing

till　I　had　slaughtered　eleven　with　eleven　shotsan　easy　task　with　a

shot…gun　and　buckshot　cartridges。



The　〃hunt〃　being　endedfor　with　this　I　had　had　enough；　and　no　one

else　was　permitted　to　do　any　shootingthe　aide…decamp　directed　the

game　to　be　sent　to　me　in　Florence；　and　we　started　for　the　chateau。

On　the　way　back　I　saw　a　wild　boar　the　first　and　only　one　I　ever　saw

my　attention　being　drawn　to　him　by　cries　from　some　of　the　game…

keepers。　　There　was　much　commotion；　the　men　pointing　out　the　game　and

shouting　excitedly；　〃See　the　wild　boar！〃　otherwise　I　should　not　have

known　what　was　up；　but　now；　looking　in　the　indicated　direction；　I　saw

scudding　over　the　plain　what　appeared　to　me　to　be　nothing　but　a

halfgrown　black　pig；　or　shoat。　　He　was　not　in　much　of　a　hurry　either；

and　gave　no　evidence　of　ferocity；　yet　it　is　said　that　this

insignificant　looking　animal　is　dangerous　when　hunted　with　the　spear

the　customary　way。　　After　an　early　dinner　at　the　chateau　we

returned　to　Florence；　and　my　venison　next　day　arriving；　it　was

distributed　among　my　American　friends　in　the　city。



Shortly　after　the　hunt　the　King　returned　from　Milan；　and　then　honored

me　with　a　military　dinner；　his　Majesty　and　all　the　guests；　numbering

eighty；　appearing　in　full　uniform。　　The　banqueting　hall　was　lighted

with　hundreds　of　wax　candles；　there　was　a　profusion　of　beautiful

flowers；　and　to　me　the　scene　altogether　was　one　of　unusual

magnificence。　　The　table　service　was　entirely　of　goldthe　celebrated

set　of　the　house　of　Savoyand　behind　the　chair　of　each　guest　stood　a

servant　in　powdered　wig　and　gorgeous　livery　of　red　plush。　　I　sat　at

the　right　of　the　King；　whohis　hands　resting　on　his　sword；　the　hilt

of　which　glittered　with　jewe