the canterbury pilgrims-第1章
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THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS
The summer moon; which shines in so many a tale; was beaming over
a broad extent of uneven country。 Some of its brightest rays were
flung into a spring of water; where no traveller; toiling; as the
writer has; up the hilly road beside which it gushes; ever failed
to quench his thirst。 The work of neat hands and considerate art
was visible about this blessed fountain。 An open cistern; hewn
and hollowed out of solid stone; was placed above the waters;
which filled it to the brim; but by some invisible outlet were
conveyed away without dripping down its sides。 Though the basin
had not room for another drop; and the continual gush of water
made a tremor on the surface; there was a secret charm that
forbade it to overflow。 I remember; that when I had slaked my
summer thirst; and sat panting by the cistern; it was my fanciful
theory that Nature could not afford to lavish so pure a liquid;
as she does the waters of all meaner fountains。
While the moon was hanging almost perpendicularly over this spot;
two figures appeared on the summit of the hill; and came with
noiseless footsteps down towards the spring。 They were then in
the first freshness of youth; nor is there a wrinkle now on
either of their brows; and yet they wore a strange; old…fashioned
garb。 One; a young man with ruddy cheeks; walked beneath the
canopy of a broad…brimmed gray hat; he seemed to have inherited
his great…grandsire's square…skirted coat; and a waistcoat that
extended its immense flaps to his knees; his brown locks; also;
hung down behind; in a mode unknown to our times。 By his side was
a sweet young damsel; her fair features sheltered by a prim
little bonnet; within which appeared the vestal muslin of a cap;
her close; long…waisted gown; and indeed her whole attire; might
have been worn by some rustic beauty who had faded half a century
before。 But that there was something too warm and life…like in
them; I would here have compared this couple to the ghosts of two
young lovers who had died long since in the glow of passion; and
now were straying out of their graves; to renew the old vows; and
shadow forth the unforgotten kiss of their earthly lips; beside
the moonlit spring。
〃Thee and I will rest here a moment; Miriam;〃 said the young man;
as they drew near the stone cistern; 〃for there is no fear that
the elders know what we have done; and this may be the last time
we shall ever taste this water。〃
Thus speaking; with a little sadness in his face; which was also
visible in that of his companion; he made her sit down on a
stone; and was about to place himself very close to her side;
she; however; repelled him; though not unkindly。
〃Nay; Josiah;〃 said she; giving him a timid push with her maiden
hand; 〃thee must sit farther off; on that other stone; with the
spring between us。 What would the sisters say; if thee were to
sit so close to me?〃
〃But we are of the world's people now; Miriam;〃 answered Josiah。
The girl persisted in her prudery; nor did the youth; in fact;
seem altogether free from a similar sort of shyness; so they sat
apart from each other; gazing up the hill; where the moonlight
discovered the tops of a group of buildings。 While their
attention was thus occupied; a party of travellers; who had come
wearily up the long ascent; made a halt to refresh themselves at
the spring。 There were three men; a woman; and a little girl and
boy。 Their attire was mean; covered with the dust of the summer's
day; and damp with the night…dew; they all looked woebegone; as
if the cares and sorrows of the world had made their steps
heavier as they climbed the hill; even the two little children
appeared older in evil days than the young man and maiden who had
first approached the spring。
〃Good evening to you; young folks;〃 was the salutation of the
travellers; and 〃Good evening; friends;〃 replied the youth and
damsel。
〃Is that white building the Shaker meeting…house?〃 asked one of
the strangers。 〃And are those the red roofs of the Shaker
village?〃
〃Friend; it is the Shaker village;〃 answered Josiah; after some
hesitation。
The travellers; who; from the first; had looked suspiciously at
the garb of these young people; now taxed them with an intention
which all the circumstances; indeed; rendered too obvious to be
mistaken。
〃It is true; friends;〃 replied the young man; summoning up his
courage。 〃Miriam and I have a gift to love each other; and we are
going among the world's people; to live after their fashion。 And
ye know that we do not transgress the law of the land; and
neither ye; nor the elders themselves; have a right to hinder
us。〃
〃Yet you think it expedient to depart without leave…taking;〃
remarked one of the travellers。
〃Yea; ye…a;〃 said Josiah; reluctantly; 〃because father Job is a
very awful man to speak with; and being aged himself; he has but
little charity for what he calls the iniquities of the flesh。〃
〃Well;〃 said the stranger; 〃we will neither use force to bring
you back to the village; nor will we betray you to the elders。
But sit you here awhile; and when you have heard what we shall
tell you of the world which we have left; and into which you are
going; perhaps you will turn back with us of your own accord。
What say you?〃 added he; turning to his companions。 〃We have
travelled thus far without becoming known to each other。 Shall we
tell our stories; here by this pleasant spring; for our own
pastime; and the benefit of these misguided young lovers?〃
In accordance with this proposal; the whole party stationed
themselves round the stone cistern; the two children; being very
weary; fell asleep upon the damp earth; and the pretty Shaker
girl; whose feelings were those of a nun or a Turkish lady; crept
as close as possible to the female traveller; and as far as she
well could from the unknown men。 The same person who had hitherto
been the chief spokesman now stood up; waving his hat in his
hand; and suffered the moonlight to fall full upon his front。
〃In me;〃 said he; with a certain majesty of utterance;〃in me;
you behold a poet。〃
Though a lithographic print of this gentleman is extant; it may
be well to notice that he was now nearly forty; a thin and
stooping figure; in a black coat; out at elbows; notwithstanding
the ill condition of his attire; there were about him several
tokens of a peculiar sort of foppery; unworthy of a mature man;
particularly in the arrangement of his hair which was so disposed
as to give all possible loftiness and breadth to his forehead。
However; he had an intelligent eye; and; on the whole; a marked
countenance。
〃A poet!〃 repeated the young Shaker; a little puzzled how to
understand such a designation; seldom heard in the utilitarian
community where he had spent his life。 〃Oh; ay; Miriam; he means
a varse…maker; thee must know。〃
This remark jarred upon the susceptible nerves of the poet; nor
could he help wondering what strange fatality had put into this
young man's mouth an epithet; which ill…natured people had
affirmed to be more proper to his merit than the one assumed by
himself。
〃True; I am a verse…maker;〃 he resumed; 〃but my verse is no more
than the material body into which I breathe the celestial soul of
thought。 Alas! how many a pang has it cost me; this same
insensibility to the ethereal essence of poetry; with which you
have here tortured me again; at the moment when I am to
relinquish my profession forever! O Fate! why hast thou warred
with Nature; turning all her higher and more perfect gifts to the
ruin of me; their possessor? What is the voice of song; when the
world lacks the ear of taste? How can I rejoice in my strength
and delicacy of feeling; when they have but made great sorrows
out of little ones? Have I dreaded scorn like death; and yearned
for fame as others pant for vital air; only to find myself in a
middl