three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第22章
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not condemned them to flow respectably through wooden troughs or
drainpipes）； its white villages； its lonely farmsteads。
But I am haunted by the suspicion you might skip all this。 Were you
sufficiently conscientiousor weak…minded enoughnot to do so； I should；
all said and done； succeed in conveying to you only an impression much
better summed up in the simple words of the unpretentious guide book：
〃A picturesque； mountainous district； bounded on the south and the
west by the plain of the Rhine； towards which its spurs descend
precipitately。 Its geological formation consists chiefly of variegated
sandstone and granite； its lower heights being covered with extensive pine
forests。 It is well watered with numerous streams； while its populous
valleys are fertile and well cultivated。 The inns are good； but the local
wines should be partaken of by the stranger with discretion。〃
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CHAPTER VI
Why we went to HanoverSomething they do better abroadThe art
of polite foreign conversation； as taught in English schoolsA true history；
now told for the first timeThe French joke； as provided for the
amusement of British youthFatherly instincts of Harris The road…
waterer； considered as an artistPatriotism of George What Harris ought
to have doneWhat he didWe save Harris's life… …A sleepless cityThe
cab…horse as a critic。
We arrived in Hamburg on Friday after a smooth and uneventful
voyage； and from Hamburg we travelled to Berlin by way of Hanover。 It is
not the most direct route。 I can only account for our visit to Hanover as
the nigger accounted to the magistrate for his appearance in the Deacon's
poultry…yard。
〃Well？〃
〃Yes； sar； what the constable sez is quite true； sar； I was dar； sar。〃
〃Oh； so you admit it？ And what were you doing with a sack； pray； in
Deacon Abraham's poultry…yard at twelve o'clock at night？〃
〃I'se gwine ter tell yer； sar； yes； sar。 I'd been to Massa Jordan's wid a
sack of melons。 Yes； sar； an' Massa Jordan he wuz very 'greeable； an'
axed me for ter come in。〃
〃Yes； sar； very 'greeable man is Massa Jordan。 An' dar we sat a
talking an' a talking〃
〃Very likely。 What we want to know is what you were doing in the
Deacon's poultry…yard？〃
〃Yes； sar； dat's what I'se cumming to。 It wuz ver' late 'fore I left
Massa Jordan's； an' den I sez ter mysel'； sez I； now yer jest step out with
yer best leg foremost； Ulysses； case yer gets into trouble wid de ole
woman。 Ver' talkative woman she is； sar； very 〃
〃Yes； never mind her； there are other people very talkative in this town
besides your wife。 Deacon Abraham's house is half a mile out of your
way home from Mr。 Jordan's。 How did you get there？〃
〃Dat's what I'm a…gwine ter explain； sar。〃
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〃I am glad of that。 And how do you propose to do it？〃
〃Well； I'se thinkin'； sar； I must ha' digressed。〃
I take it we digressed a little。
At first； from some reason or other； Hanover strikes you as an
uninteresting town； but it grows upon you。 It is in reality two towns； a
place of broad； modern； handsome streets and tasteful gardens； side by
side with a sixteenth…century town； where old timbered houses overhang
the narrow lanes； where through low archways one catches glimpses of
galleried courtyards； once often thronged； no doubt； with troops of horse；
or blocked with lumbering coach and six； waiting its rich merchant owner；
and his fat placid Frau； but where now children and chickens scuttle at
their will； while over the carved balconies hang dingy clothes a…drying。
A singularly English atmosphere hovers over Hanover； especially on
Sundays； when its shuttered shops and clanging bells give to it the
suggestion of a sunnier London。 Nor was this British Sunday atmosphere
apparent only to myself； else I might have attributed it to imagination；
even George felt it。 Harris and I； returning from a short stroll with our
cigars after lunch on the Sunday afternoon； found him peacefully
slumbering in the smoke…room's easiest chair。
〃After all；〃 said Harris； 〃there is something about the British Sunday
that appeals to the man with English blood in his veins。 I should be sorry
to see it altogether done away with； let the new generation say what it
will。〃
And taking one each end of the ample settee； we kept George
company。
To Hanover one should go； they say； to learn the best German。 The
disadvantage is that outside Hanover； which is only a small province；
nobody understands this best German。 Thus you have to decide whether
to speak good German and remain in Hanover； or bad German and travel
about。 Germany being separated so many centuries into a dozen
principalities； is unfortunate in possessing a variety of dialects。 Germans
from Posen wishful to converse with men of Wurtemburg； have to talk as
often as not in French or English； and young ladies who have received an
expensive education in Westphalia surprise and disappoint their parents by
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being unable to understand a word said to them in Mechlenberg。 An
English…speaking foreigner； it is true； would find himself equally
nonplussed among the Yorkshire wolds； or in the purlieus of Whitechapel；
but the cases are not on all fours。 Throughout Germany it is not only in
the country districts and among the uneducated that dialects are
maintained。 Every province has practically its own language； of which it
is proud and retentive。 An educated Bavarian will admit to you that；
academically speaking； the North German is more correct； but he will
continue to speak South German and to teach it to his children。
In the course of the century； I am inclined to think that Germany will
solve her difficulty in this respect by speaking English。 Every boy and girl
in Germany； above the peasant class； speaks English。 Were English
pronunciation less arbitrary； there is not the slightest doubt but that in the
course of a very few years； comparatively speaking； it would become the
language of the world。 All foreigners agree that； grammatically； it is the
easiest language of any to learn。 A German； comparing it with his own
language； where every word in every sentence is governed by at least four
distinct and separate rules； tells you that English has no grammar。 A
good many English people would seem to have come to the same
conclusion； but they are wrong。 As a matter of fact； there is an English
grammar； and one of these days our schools will recognise the fact； and it
will be taught to
