the complete writings-4-第22章

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　a　long…stepping　trotter　in　a　sulky；　man　in　a　brown　linen　coat　and　wide…awake　hat；dissolute；　horsey…looking　man。　　They　turn　up；　of　course。　　Ah；　there　is　an　establishment　he　knows　well：　a　sorrel　horse　and　an　old　chaise。　　The　sorrel　horse　scents　the　water　afar　off；　and　begins　to　turn　up　long　before　he　reaches　the　trough；　thrusting　out　his　nose　in　anticipation　of　the　coot　sensation。　　No　check　to　let　down；　he　plunges　his　nose　in　nearly　to　his　eyes。　　in　his　haste　to　get　at　it。　　Two　maiden　ladies　unmistakably　such；　though　they　appear　neither　〃anxious　nor　aimless　〃…　…within　the　scoop…top　smile　benevolently　on　the　sorrel　back。　　It　is　the　deacon's　horse；　a　meeting…going　nag；　with　a　sedate；　leisurely　jog　as　he　goes；　and　these　are　two　of　the　〃salt　of　the　earth；〃the　brevet　rank　of　the　women　who　stand　and　wait；going　down　to　the　village　store　to　dicker。　　There　come　two　men　in　a　hurry；　horse　driven　up　smartly　and　pulled　up　short；　but　as　it　is　rising　ground；　and　the　horse　does　not　easily　reach　the　water　with　the　wagon　pulling　back；　the　nervous　man　in　the　buggy　hitches　forward　on　his　seat；　as　if　that　would　carry　the　wagon　a　little　ahead！　　Next；　lumber…wagon　with　load　of　boards；　horse　wants　to　turn　up；　and　driver　switches　him　and　cries　〃G'lang；〃　and　the　horse　reluctantly　goes　by；　turning　his　head　wistfully　towards　the　flowing　spout。　　Ah；　here　comes　an　equipage　strange　to　these　parts；　and　John　stands　up　to　look；　an　elegant　carriage　and　two　horses；　trunks　strapped　on　behind；　gentleman　and　boy　on　front　seat　and　two　ladies　on　back　seat；city　people。　　The　gentleman　descends；　unchecks　the　horses；　wipes　his　brow；　takes　a　drink　at　the　spout　and　looks　around；　evidently　remarking　upon　the　lovely　view；　as　he　swings　his　handkerchief　in　an　explanatory　manner。　Judicious　travelers。　　John　would　like　to　know　who　they　are。　　Perhaps　they　are　from　Boston；　whence　come　all　the　wonderfully　painted　peddlers'　wagons　drawn　by　six　stalwart　horses；　which　the　driver；　using　no　rein；　controls　with　his　long　whip　and　cheery　voice。　　If　so；　great　is　the　condescension　of　Boston；　and　John　follows　them　with　an　undefined　longing　as　they　drive　away　toward　the　mountains　of　Zoar。　Here　is　a　footman；　dusty　and　tired；　who　comes　with　lagging　steps。　　He　stops；　removes　his　hat；　as　he　should　to　such　a　tree；　puts　his　mouth　to　the　spout；　and　takes　a　long　pull　at　the　lively　water。　　And　then　he　goes　on；　perhaps　to　Zoar；　perhaps　to　a　worse　place。

So　they　come　and　go　all　the　summer　afternoon；　but　the　great　event　of　the　day　is　the　passing　down　the　valley　of　the　majestic　stage…coach；　the　vast　yellow…bodied；　rattling　vehicle。　　John　can　hear　a　mile　off　the　shaking　of　chains；　traces；　and　whiffle…trees；　and　the　creaking　of　its　leathern　braces；　as　the　great　bulk　swings　along　piled　high　with　trunks。　　It　represents　to　John；　somehow；　authority；　government；　the　right　of　way；　the　driver　is　an　autocrat；　everybody　must　make　way　for　the　stage…coach。　　It　almost　satisfies　the　imagination；　this　royal　vehicle；　one　can　go　in　it　to　the　confines　of　the　world；to　Boston　and　to　Albany。

There　were　other　influences　that　I　daresay　contributed　to　the　boy's　education。　　I　think　his　imagination　was　stimulated　by　a　band　of　gypsies　who　used　to　come　every　summer　and　pitch　a　tent　on　a　little　roadside　patch　of　green　turf　by　the　river…bank　not　far　from　his　house。　　It　was　shaded　by　elms　and　butternut…trees；　and　a　long　spit　of　sand　and　pebbles　ran　out　from　it　into　the　brawling　stream。　　Probably　they　were　not　a　very　good　kind　of　gypsy；　although　the　story　was　that　the　men　drank　and　beat　the　women。　　John　didn't　know　much　about　drinking；　his　experience　of　it　was　confined　to　sweet　cider；　yet　he　had　already　set　himself　up　as　a　reformer；　and　joined　the　Cold　Water　Band。　　The　object　of　this　Band　was　to　walk　in　a　procession　under　a　banner　that　declared；

　　　　　　　　　〃So　here　we　pledge　perpetual　hate　　　　　　　　　　　To　all　that　can　intoxicate；　〃

and　wear　a　badge　with　this　legend；　and　above　it　the　device　of　a　well…　curb　with　a　long　sweep。　　It　kept　John　and　all　the　little　boys　and　girls　from　being　drunkards　till　they　were　ten　or　eleven　years　of　age；　though　perhaps　a　few　of　them　died　meantime　from　eating　loaf…cake　and　pie　and　drinking　ice…cold　water　at　the　celebrations　of　the　Band。

The　gypsy　camp　had　a　strange　fascination　for　John；　mingled　of　curiosity　and　fear。　　Nothing　more　alien　could　come　into　the　New　England　life　than　this　tatterdemalion　band。　　It　was　hardly　credible　that　here　were　actually　people　who　lived　out…doors；　who　slept　in　their　covered　wagon　or　under　their　tent；　and　cooked　in　the　open　air；　it　was　a　visible　romance　transferred　from　foreign　lands　and　the　remote　times　of　the　story…books；　and　John　took　these　city　thieves；　who　were　on　their　annual　foray　into　the　country；　trading　and　stealing　horses　and　robbing　hen…roosts　and　cornfields；　for　the　mysterious　race　who　for　thousands　of　years　have　done　these　same　things　in　all　lands；　by　right　of　their　pure　blood　and　ancient　lineage。　　John　was　afraid　to　approach　the　camp　when　any　of　the　scowling　and　villainous　men　were　lounging　about；　pipes　in　mouth；　but　he　took　more　courage　when　only　women　and　children　were　visible。　　The　swarthy；　black…haired　women　in　dirty　calico　frocks　were　anything　but　attractive；　but　they　spoke　softly　to　the　boy；　and　told　his　fortune；　and　wheedled　him　into　bringing　them　any　amount　of　cucumbers　and　green　corn　in　the　course　of　the　season。　　In　front　of　the　tent　were　planted　in　the　ground　three　poles　that　met　together　at　the　top；　whence　depended　a　kettle。　　This　was　the　kitchen；　and　it　was　sufficient。　　The　fuel　for　the　fire　was　the　driftwood　of　the　stream。　　John　noted　that　it　did　not　require　to　be　sawed　into　stove…lengths；　and；　in　short；　that　the　〃chores〃　about　this　establishment　were　reduced　to　the　minimum。　　And　an　older　person　than　John　might　envy　the　free　life　of　these　wanderers；　who　paid　neither　rent　nor　taxes；　and　yet　enjoyed　all　the　delights　of　nature。　It　seemed　to　the　boy　that　affairs　would　go　more　smoothly　in　the　world　if　everybody　would　live　in　this　simple　manner。　　Nor　did　he　then　know；　or　ever　after　find　out；　why　it　is　that　the　world　permits　only　wicked　people　to　be　Bohemians。




XIX

A　CONTRAST　TO　THE　NEW　ENGLAND　BOY

One　evening　at　vespers　in　Genoa；　attracted　by　a　burst　of　music　from　the　swinging　curtain　of　the　doorway；　I　entered　a　little　church　much　frequented　by　the　common　people。　　An　unexpected　and　exceedingly　pretty　sight　rewarded　me。

It　was　All　Souls'　Day。　　In　Italy　almost　every　day　is　set　apart　for　some　festival；　or　belongs　to　some　saint　or　another；　and　I　suppose　that　when　leap　year　brings　around　the　extra　day；　there　is　a　saint　ready　to　claim　the　29th　of　February。　　Whatever　the　day　was　to　the　elders；　the　evening　was　devoted　to　the　children。　　The　first　thing　I　noticed　was；　that　the　quaint　old　church　was　lighted　up　with　innumerable　wax　tapers；an　uncommon　sight；　for　the　darkness　of　a　Catholic　church　in　the　evening　is　usually　relieved　only　by　a　candle　here　and　there；　and　by　a　blazing　pyramid　of　them　on　the　high　altar。　The　use　of　gas　is　held　to　be　a　vulgar　thing　all　over　Europe；　and　especially　unfit　for　a　church　or　an　aristocratic　palace。

Then　I　saw　that　each　taper　belonged　to　a　little　boy　or　girl；　and　the　groups　of　children　were　scattered　all　about　the　church。　　There　was　a　group　by　every　side　altar　and　chapel；　all　the　benches　were　occupied　by　knots　of　them；　and　there　were　so　many　circles　of　them　seated　on　the　pavement　that　I　could　with　difficulty　make　my　way　among　them。　There　were　hundreds　of　children　in　the　church；　all　dressed　in　their　holiday　apparel；　and　all　intent　upon　the　illumination；　which　seemed　to　be　a　private　affair　to　each　one　of　them。

And　not　much　effect　had　their　tapers　upon　the　darkness　of　the　vast　vaults　above　them。　　The　tapers　were　little　spiral　coils　of　wax；　which　the　children　unrolled　as　fast　as　they　burned；　and　when　they　were　tired　of　holding　them；　they　rested　them　on　the　ground　and　watched　the　burning。　　I　stood　some　time　by　a　group　of　a　dozen　seated　in　a　corner　of　the　church。　　They　had　massed　all　the　tapers　in　the　center　and　formed　a　ring　about　the　spectacle；　sitting　with　their　legs　straight　out　before　them　and　their　toes　turned　up。　　The　light　shone　full　in　their　happy　faces；　and　made　the　group；　enveloped　otherwise　in　darkness；　like　o