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第10章

an inland voyage-第10章

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eminded 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 whole cruise。  After  all; being in a Judge's house; was there not something semi… official in the tribute?  And so; remembering what a great country  France is; we did full justice to our entertainment。  Landrecies  had been a long while asleep before we returned to the hotel; and  the sentries on the ramparts were already looking for daybreak。



SAMBRE AND OISE CANAL



CANAL BOATS


NEXT day we made a late start in the rain。  The Judge politely  escorted us to the end of the lock under an umbrella。  We had now  brought ourselves to a pitch of humility in the matter of weather;  not often attained except in the Scottish Highlands。  A rag of blue  sky or a glimpse of sunshine set our hearts singing; and when the  rain was not heavy; we counted the day almost fair。

Long lines of barges lay one after another along the canal; many of  them looking mighty spruce and shipshape in their jerkin of  Archangel tar picked out with white and green。  Some carried gay  iron railings; and quite a parterre of flower…pots。  Children  played on the decks; as heedless of the rain as if they had been  brought up on Loch Carron side; men fished over the gunwale; some  of them under umbrellas; women did their washing; and every barge  boasted its mongrel cur by way of watch…dog。  Each one barked  furiously at the canoes; running alongside until he had got to the  end of his own ship; and so passing on the word to the dog aboard  the next。  We must have seen something like a hundred of these  embarkations in the course of that day's paddle; ranged one after  another like the houses in a street; and from not one of them were  we disappointed of this accompaniment。  It was like visiting a  menagerie; the CIGARETTE remarked。

These little cities by the canal side had a very odd effect upon  the mind。  They seemed; with their flower…pots and smoking  chimneys; their washings and dinners; a rooted piece of nature in  the scene; and yet if only the canal below were to open; one junk  after another would hoist sail or harness horses and swim away into  all parts of France; and the impromptu hamlet would separate; house  by house; to the four winds。  The children who played together to… day by the Sambre and Oise Canal; each at his own father's  threshold; when and where might they next meet?

For some time past the subject of barges had occupied a great deal  of our talk; and we had projected an old age on the canals of  Europe。  It was to be the most leisurely of progresses; now on a  swift river at the tail of a steam…boat; now waiting horses for  days together on some inconsiderable junction。  We should be seen  pottering on deck in all the dignity of years; our white beards  falling into our laps。  We were ever to be busied among paint…pots;  so that there should be no white fresher; and no green more emerald  than ours; in all the navy of the canals。  There should be books in  the cabin; and tobacco…jars; and some old Burgundy as red as a  November sunset and as odorous as a violet in April。  There should  be a flageolet; whence the CIGARETTE; with cunning touch; should  draw melting musi

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