returning home-第1章

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Returning　Home

by　Anthony　Trollope





It　is　generally　supposed　that　people　who　live　at　home；good
domestic　people；　who　love　tea　and　their　arm…chairs；　and　who　keep　the
parlour　hearth…rug　ever　warm；it　is　generally　supposed　that　these
are　the　people　who　value　home　the　most；　and　best　appreciate　all　the
comforts　of　that　cherished　institution。　　I　am　inclined　to　doubt
this。　　It　is；　I　think；　to　those　who　live　farthest　away　from　home；　to
those　who　find　the　greatest　difficulty　in　visiting　home；　that　the
word　conveys　the　sweetest　idea。　　In　some　distant　parts　of　the　world
it　may　be　that　an　Englishman　acknowledges　his　permanent　resting
place；　but　there　are　many　others　in　which　he　will　not　call　his　daily
house；　his　home。　　He　would；　in　his　own　idea；　desecrate　the　word　by
doing　so。　　His　home　is　across　the　blue　waters；　in　the　little
northern　island；　which　perhaps　he　may　visit　no　more；　which　he　has
left；　at　any　rate；　for　half　his　life；　from　which　circumstances；　and
the　necessity　of　living；　have　banished　him。　　His　home　is　still　in
England；　and　when　he　speaks　of　home　his　thoughts　are　there。

No　one　can　understand　the　intensity　of　this　feeling　who　has　not　seen
or　felt　the　absence　of　interest　in　life　which　falls　to　the　lot　of
many　who　have　to　eat　their　bread　on　distant　soils。　　We　are　all　apt
to　think　that　a　life　in　strange　countries　will　be　a　life　of
excitement；　of　stirring　enterprise；　and　varied　scenes；that　in
abandoning　the　comforts　of　home；　we　shall　receive　in　exchange　more
of　movement　and　of　adventure　than　would　come　in　our　way　in　our　own
tame　country；　and　this　feeling　has；　I　am　sure；　sent　many　a　young　man
roaming。　　Take　any　spirited　fellow　of　twenty；　and　ask　him　whether　he
would　like　to　go　to　Mexico　for　the　next　ten　years！　　Prudence　and　his
father　may　ultimately　save　him　from　such　banishment；　but　he　will　not
refuse　without　a　pang　of　regret。

Alas！　it　is　a　mistake。　　Bread　may　be　earned；　and　fortunes；　perhaps；
made　in　such　countries；　and　as　it　is　the　destiny　of　our　race　to
spread　itself　over　the　wide　face　of　the　globe；　it　is　well　that　there
should　be　something　to　gild　and　paint　the　outward　face　of　that　lot
which　so　many　are　called　upon　to　choose。　　But　for　a　life　of　daily
excitement；　there　is　no　life　like　life　in　England；　and　the　farther
that　one　goes　from　England　the　more　stagnant；　I　think；　do　the　waters
of　existence　become。

But　if　it　be　so　for　men；　it　is　ten　times　more　so　for　women。　　An
Englishman；　if　he　be　at　Guatemala　or　Belize；　must　work　for　his
bread；　and　that　work　will　find　him　in　thought　and　excitement。　　But
what　of　his　wife？　　Where　will　she　find　excitement？　　By　what　pursuit
will　she　repay　herself　for　all　that　she　has　left　behind　her　at　her
mother's　fireside？　　She　will　love　her　husband。　　Yes；　that　at　least！
If　there　be　not　that；　there　will　be　a　hell；　indeed。　　Then　she　will
nurse　her　children；　and　talk　of　herhome。　　When　the　time　shall　come
that　her　promised　return　thither　is　within　a　year　or　two　of　its
accomplishment；　her　thoughts　will　all　be　fixed　on　that　coming
pleasure；　as　are　the　thoughts　of　a　young　girl　on　her　first　ball　for
the　fortnight　before　that　event　comes　off。

On　the　central　plain　of　that　portion　of　Central　America　which　is
called　Costa　Rica　stands　the　city　of　San　Jose。　　It　is　the　capital　of
the　Republic；for　Costa　Rica　is　a　Republic；and；　for　Central
America；　is　a　town　of　some　importance。　　It　is　in　the　middle　of　the
coffee　district；　surrounded　by　rich　soil　on　which　the　sugar…cane　is
produced；　is　blessed　with　a　climate　only　moderately　hot；　and　the
native　inhabitants　are　neither　cut…throats　nor　cannibals。　　It　may　be
said；　therefore；　that　by　comparison　with　some　other　spots　to　which
Englishmen　and　others　are　congregated　for　the　gathering　together　of
money；　San　Jose　may　be　considered　as　a　happy　region；　but；
nevertheless；　a　life　there　is　not　in　every　way　desirable。　　It　is　a
dull　place；　with　little　to　interest　either　the　eye　or　the　ear。
Although　the　heat　of　the　tropics　is　but　little　felt　there　on　account
of　its　altitude；　men　and　women　become　too　lifeless　for　much
enterprise。　　There　is　no　society。　　There　are　a　few　Germans　and　a　few
Englishmen　in　the　place；　who　see　each　other　on　matters　of　business
during　the　day；　but；　sombre　as　life　generally　is；　they　seem　to　care
little　for　each　other's　company　on　any　other　footing。　　I　know　not　to
what　point　the　aspirations　of　the　Germans　may　stretch　themselves；
but　to　the　English　the　one　idea　that　gives　salt　to　life　is　the　idea
of　home。　　On　some　day；　however　distant　it　may　be；　they　will　once
more　turn　their　faces　towards　the　little　northern　island；　and　then
all　will　be　well　with　them。

To　a　certain　Englishman　there；　and　to　his　dear　little　wife；　this
prospect　came　some　few　years　since　somewhat　suddenly。　　Events　and
tidings；　it　matters　not　which　or　what；　brought　it　about　that　they
resolved　between　themselves　that　they　would　start　immediately；
almost　immediately。　　They　would　pack　up　and　leave　San　Jose　within
four　months　of　the　day　on　which　their　purpose　was　first　formed。　　At
San　Jose　a　period　of　only　four　months　for　such　a　purpose　was
immediately。　　It　creates　a　feeling　of　instant　excitement；　a
necessity　for　instant　doing；　a　consciousness　that　there　was　in　those
few　weeks　ample　work　both　for　the　hands　and　thoughts；work　almost
more　than　ample。　　The　dear　little　wife；　who　for　the　last　two　years
had　been　so　listless；　felt　herself　flurried。

〃Harry；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；　〃how　shall　we　ever　be　ready？〃　　And
her　pretty　face　was　lighted　up　with　unusual　brightness　at　the　happy
thought　of　so　much　haste　with　such　an　object。　　〃And　baby's　things
too；〃　she　said；　as　she　thought　of　all　the　various　little　articles　of
dress　that　would　be　needed。　　A　journey　from　San　Jose　to　Southampton
cannot　in　truth　be　made　as　easily　as　one　from　London　to　Liverpool。
Let　us　think　of　a　month　to　be　passed　without　any　aid　from　the
washerwoman；　and　the　greatest　part　of　that　month　amidst　the
sweltering　heats　of　the　West　Indian　tropics！

In　the　first　month　of　her　hurry　and　flurry　Mrs。　Arkwright　was　a
happy　woman。　　She　would　see　her　mother　again　and　her　sisters。　　It
was　now　four　years　since　she　had　left　them　on　the　quay　at
Southampton；　while　all　their　hearts　were　broken　at　the　parting。　　She
was　a　young　bride　then；　going　forth　with　her　new　lord　to　meet　the
stern　world。　　He　had　then　been　home　to　look　for　a　wife；　and　he　had
found　what　he　looked　for　in　the　younger　sister　of　his　partner。　　For
he；　Henry　Arkwright；　and　his　wife's　brother；　Abel　Ring；　had
established　themselves　together　in　San　Jose。　　And　now；　she　thought；
how　there　would　be　another　meeting　on　those　quays　at　which　there
should　be　no　broken　hearts；　at　which　there　should　be　love　without
sorrow；　and　kisses；　sweet　with　the　sweetness　of　welcome；　not　bitter
with　the　bitterness　of　parting。　　And　people　told　her；the　few
neighbours　around　her；how　happy；　how　fortunate　she　was　to　get　home
thus　early　in　her　life。　　They　had　been　out　some　ten；some　twenty
years；　and　still　the　day　of　their　return　was　distant。　　And　then　she
pressed　her　living　baby　to　her　breast；　and　wiped　away　a　tear　as　she
thought　of　the　other　darling　whom　she　would　leave　beneath　that
distant　sod。

And　then　came　the　question　as　to　the　route　home。　　San　Jose　stands　in
the　middle　of　the　high　plain　of　Costa　Rica；　half　way　between　the
Pacific　and　the　Atlantic。　　The　journey　thence　down　to　the　Pacific
is；　by　comparison；　easy。　　There　is　a　road；　and　the　mules　on　which
the　travellers　must　ride　go　steadily　and　easily　down　to　Punta
Arenas；　the　port　on　that　ocean。　　There　are　inns；　too；　on　the　way；
places　of　public　entertainment　at　which　refreshment　may　be　obtained；
and　beds；　or　fair　substitutes　for　beds。　　But　then　by　this　route　the
traveller　must　take　a　long　additional　sea　voyage。　　He　must　convey
himself　and　his　weary　baggage　down　to　that　wretched　place　on　the
Pacific；　there　wait　for　a　steamer　to　take　him　to　Panama；　cross　the
isthmus；　and　reship　himself　in　the　other　waters　for　his　long　journey
home。　　That　terrible　unshipping　and　reshipping　is　a　sore　burden　to
the　unaccustomed　traveller。　　When　it　is　absolutely　necessary；then
indeed　it　is　done　without　much　thought；　but　in　the　case　of　the
Arkwrights　it　was　n