the silverado squatters-第5章
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proud anxiety。 I tasted all。 I tasted every variety and
shade of Schramberger; red and white Schramberger; Burgundy
Schramberger; Schramberger Hock; Schramberger Golden
Chasselas; the latter with a notable bouquet; and I fear to
think how many more。 Much of it goes to London … most; I
think; and Mr。 Schram has a great notion of the English
taste。
In this wild spot; I did not feel the sacredness of ancient
cultivation。 It was still raw; it was no Marathon; and no
Johannisberg; yet the stirring sunlight; and the growing
vines; and the vats and bottles in the cavern; made a
pleasant music for the mind。 Here; also; earth's cream was
being skimmed and garnered; and the London customers can
taste; such as it is; the tang of the earth in this green
valley。 So local; so quintessential is a wine; that it seems
the very birds in the verandah might communicate a flavour;
and that romantic cellar influence the bottle next to be
uncorked in Pimlico; and the smile of jolly Mr。 Schram might
mantle in the glass。
But these are but experiments。 All things in this new land
are moving farther on: the wine…vats and the miner's
blasting tools but picket for a night; like Bedouin
pavillions; and to…morrow; to fresh woods! This stir of
change and these perpetual echoes of the moving footfall;
haunt the land。 Men move eternally; still chasing Fortune;
and; fortune found; still wander。 As we drove back to
Calistoga; the road lay empty of mere passengers; but its
green side was dotted with the camps of travelling families:
one cumbered with a great waggonful of household stuff;
settlers going to occupy a ranche they had taken up in
Mendocino; or perhaps Tehama County; another; a party in dust
coats; men and women; whom we found camped in a grove on the
roadside; all on pleasure bent; with a Chinaman to cook for
them; and who waved their hands to us as we drove by。
CHAPTER IV … THE SCOT ABROAD
A FEW pages back; I wrote that a man belonged; in these days;
to a variety of countries; but the old land is still the true
love; the others are but pleasant infidelities。 Scotland is
indefinable; it has no unity except upon the map。 Two
languages; many dialects; innumerable forms of piety; and
countless local patriotisms and prejudices; part us among
ourselves more widely than the extreme east and west of that
great continent of America。 When I am at home; I feel a man
from Glasgow to be something like a rival; a man from Barra
to be more than half a foreigner。 Yet let us meet in some
far country; and; whether we hail from the braes of Manor or
the braes of Mar; some ready…made affection joins us on the
instant。 It is not race。 Look at us。 One is Norse; one
Celtic; and another Saxon。 It is not community of tongue。
We have it not among ourselves; and we have it almost to
perfection; with English; or Irish; or American。 It is no
tie of faith; for we detest each other's errors。 And yet
somewhere; deep down in the heart of each one of us;
something yearns for the old land; and the old kindly people。
Of all mysteries of the human heart; this is perhaps the most
inscrutable。 There is no special loveliness in that gray
country; with its rainy; sea…beat archipelago; its fields of
dark mountains; its unsightly places; black with coal; its
treeless; sour; unfriendly looking corn…lands; its quaint;
gray; castled city; where the bells clash of a Sunday; and
the wind squalls; and the salt showers fly and beat。 I do
not even know if I desire to live there; but let me hear; in
some far land; a kindred voice sing out; 〃Oh; why left I my
hame?〃 and it seems at once as if no beauty under the kind
heavens; and no society of the wise and good; can repay me
for my absence from my country。 And though I think I would
rather die elsewhere; yet in my heart of hearts I long to be
buried among good Scots clods。 I will say it fairly; it
grows on me with every year: there are no stars so lovely as
Edinburgh street…lamps。 When I forget thee; auld Reekie; may
my right hand forget its cunning!
The happiest lot on earth is to be born a Scotchman。 You
must pay for it in many ways; as for all other advantages on
earth。 You have to learn the paraphrases and the shorter
catechism; you generally take to drink; your youth; as far as
I can find out; is a time of louder war against society; of
more outcry and tears and turmoil; than if you had been born;
for instance; in England。 But somehow life is warmer and
closer; the hearth burns more redly; the lights of home shine
softer on the rainy street; the very names; endeared in verse
and music; cling nearer round our hearts。 An Englishman may
meet an Englishman to…morrow; upon Chimborazo; and neither of
them care; but when the Scotch wine…grower told me of Mons
Meg; it was like magic。
〃From the dim shieling on the misty island
Mountains divide us; and a world of seas;
Yet still our hearts are true; our hearts are Highland;
And we; in dreams; behold the Hebrides。〃
And; Highland and Lowland; all our hearts are Scotch。
Only a few days after I had seen M'Eckron; a message reached
me in my cottage。 It was a Scotchman who had come down a
long way from the hills to market。 He had heard there was a
countryman in Calistoga; and came round to the hotel to see
him。 We said a few words to each other; we had not much to
say … should never have seen each other had we stayed at
home; separated alike in space and in society; and then we
shook hands; and he went his way again to his ranche among
the hills; and that was all。
Another Scotchman there was; a resident; who for the more
love of the common country; douce; serious; religious man;
drove me all about the valley; and took as much interest in
me as if I had been his son: more; perhaps; for the son has
faults too keenly felt; while the abstract countryman is
perfect … like a whiff of peats。
And there was yet another。 Upon him I came suddenly; as he
was calmly entering my cottage; his mind quite evidently bent
on plunder: a man of about fifty; filthy; ragged; roguish;
with a chimney…pot hat and a tail coat; and a pursing of his
mouth that might have been envied by an elder of the kirk。
He had just such a face as I have seen a dozen times behind
the plate。
〃Hullo; sir!〃 I cried。 〃Where are you going?〃
He turned round without a quiver。
〃You're a Scotchman; sir?〃 he said gravely。 〃So am I; I come
from Aberdeen。 This is my card;〃 presenting me with a piece
of pasteboard which he had raked out of some gutter in the
period of the rains。 〃I was just examining this palm;〃 he
continued; indicating the misbegotten plant before our door;
〃which is the largest spAcimen I have yet observed in
Califoarnia。〃
There were four or five larger within sight。 But where was
the use of argument? He produced a tape…line; made me help
him to measure the tree at the level of the ground; and
entered the figures in a large and filthy pocket…book; all
with the gravity of Solomon。 He then thanked me profusely;
remarking that such little services were due between
countrymen; shook hands with me; 〃for add lang syne;〃 as he
said; and took himself solemnly away; radiating dirt and
humbug as he went。
A month or two after this encounter of mine; there came a
Scot to Sacramento … perhaps from Aberdeen。 Anyway; there
never was any one more Scotch in this wide world。 He could
sing and dance; and drink; I presume; and he played the pipes
with vigour and success。 All the Scotch in Sacramento became
infatuated with him; and spent their spare time and money;
driving him about in an open cab; between drinks; while he
blew himself scarlet at the pipes。 This is a very sad story。
After he had borrowed money from ever