confessions of an english opium-eater-第17章

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hat　from　age　and　rubbing　resembled　oak；　and　looking　more　like　a　rustic　hall　of　entrance　than　a　kitchen；　stood　the　Malayhis　turban　and　loose　trousers　of　dingy　white　relieved　upon　the　dark　panelling。　　He　had　placed　himself　nearer　to　the　girl　than　she　seemed　to　relish；　though　her　native　spirit　of　mountain　intrepidity　contended　with　the　feeling　of　simple　awe　which　her　countenance　expressed　as　she　gazed　upon　the　tiger…cat　before　her。　　And　a　more　striking　picture　there　could　not　be　imagined　than　the　beautiful　English　face　of　the　girl；　and　its　exquisite　fairness；　together　with　her　erect　and　independent　attitude；　contrasted　with　the　sallow　and　bilious　skin　of　the　Malay；　enamelled　or　veneered　with　mahogany　by　marine　air；　his　small；　fierce；　restless　eyes；　thin　lips；　slavish　gestures　and　adorations。　　Half…hidden　by　the　ferocious…looking　Malay　was　a　little　child　from　a　neighbouring　cottage　who　had　crept　in　after　him；　and　was　now　in　the　act　of　reverting　its　head　and　gazing　upwards　at　the　turban　and　the　fiery　eyes　beneath　it；　whilst　with　one　hand　he　caught　at　the　dress　of　the　young　woman　for　protection。　　My　knowledge　of　the　Oriental　tongues　is　not　remarkably　extensive；　being　indeed　confined　to　two　wordsthe　Arabic　word　for　barley　and　the　Turkish　for　opium　（madjoon）；　which　I　have　learned　from　Anastasius；　and　as　I　had　neither　a　Malay　dictionary　nor　even　Adelung's　Mithridates；　which　might　have　helped　me　to　a　few　words；　I　addressed　him　in　some　lines　from　the　Iliad；　considering　that；　of　such　languages　as　I　possessed；　Greek；　in　point　of　longitude；　came　geographically　nearest　to　an　Oriental　one。　　He　worshipped　me　in　a　most　devout　manner；　and　replied　in　what　I　suppose　was　Malay。　　In　this　way　I　saved　my　reputation　with　my　neighbours；　for　the　Malay　had　no　means　of　betraying　the　secret。　　He　lay　down　upon　the　floor　for　about　an　hour；　and　then　pursued　his　journey。　　On　his　departure　I　presented　him　with　a　piece　of　opium。　　To　him；　as　an　Orientalist；　I　concluded　that　opium　must　be　familiar；　and　the　expression　of　his　face　convinced　me　that　it　was。　　Nevertheless；　I　was　struck　with　some　little　consternation　when　I　saw　him　suddenly　raise　his　hand　to　his　mouth；　and；　to　use　the　schoolboy　phrase；　bolt　the　whole；　divided　into　three　pieces；　at　one　mouthful。　　The　quantity　was　enough　to　kill　three　dragoons　and　their　horses；　and　I　felt　some　alarm　for　the　poor　creature；　but　what　could　be　done？　　I　had　given　him　the　opium　in　compassion　for　his　solitary　life；　on　recollecting　that　if　he　had　travelled　on　foot　from　London　it　must　be　nearly　three　weeks　since　he　could　have　exchanged　a　thought　with　any　human　being。　　I　could　not　think　of　violating　the　laws　of　hospitality　by　having　him　seized　and　drenched　with　an　emetic；　and　thus　frightening　him　into　a　notion　that　we　were　going　to　sacrifice　him　to　some　English　idol。　　No：　　there　was　clearly　no　help　for　it。　　He　took　his　leave；　and　for　some　days　I　felt　anxious；　but　as　I　never　heard　of　any　Malay　being　found　dead；　I　became　convinced　that　he　was　used　｛17｝　to　opium；　and　that　I　must　have　done　him　the　service　I　designed　by　giving　him　one　night　of　respite　from　the　pains　of　wandering。

This　incident　I　have　digressed　to　mention；　because　this　Malay　（partly　from　the　picturesque　exhibition　he　assisted　to　frame；　partly　from　the　anxiety　I　connected　with　his　image　for　some　days）　fastened　afterwards　upon　my　dreams；　and　brought　other　Malays　with　him；　worse　than　himself；　that　ran　〃a…muck〃　｛18｝　at　me；　and　led　me　into　a　world　of　troubles。　　But　to　quit　this　episode；　and　to　return　to　my　intercalary　year　of　happiness。　　I　have　said　already；　that　on　a　subject　so　important　to　us　all　as　happiness；　we　should　listen　with　pleasure　to　any　man's　experience　or　experiments；　even　though　he　were　but　a　plough…boy；　who　cannot　be　supposed　to　have　ploughed　very　deep　into　such　an　intractable　soil　as　that　of　human　pains　and　pleasures；　or　to　have　conducted　his　researches　upon　any　very　enlightened　principles。　　But　I　who　have　taken　happiness　both　in　a　solid　and　liquid　shape；　both　boiled　and　unboiled；　both　East　India　and　Turkey　who　have　conducted　my　experiments　upon　this　interesting　subject　with　a　sort　of　galvanic　battery；　and　have；　for　the　general　benefit　of　the　world；　inoculated　myself；　as　it　were；　with　the　poison　of　8000　drops　of　laudanum　per　day　（just　for　the　same　reason　as　a　French　surgeon　inoculated　himself　lately　with　cancer；　an　English　one　twenty　years　ago　with　plague；　and　a　third；　I　know　not　of　what　nation；　with　hydrophobia）；　I　（it　will　be　admitted）　must　surely　know　what　happiness　is；　if　anybody　does。　　And　therefore　I　will　here　lay　down　an　analysis　of　happiness；　and　as　the　most　interesting　mode　of　communicating　it；　I　will　give　it；　not　didactically；　but　wrapped　up　and　involved　in　a　picture　of　one　evening；　as　I　spent　every　evening　during　the　intercalary　year　when　laudanum；　though　taken　daily；　was　to　me　no　more　than　the　elixir　of　pleasure。　　This　done；　I　shall　quit　the　subject　of　happiness　altogether；　and　pass　to　a　very　different　oneTHE　PAINS　OF　OPIUM。

Let　there　be　a　cottage　standing　in　a　valley；　eighteen　miles　from　any　townno　spacious　valley；　but　about　two　miles　long　by　three…quarters　of　a　mile　in　average　width；　the　benefit　of　which　provision　is　that　all　the　family　resident　within　its　circuit　will　compose；　as　it　were；　one　larger　household；　personally　familiar　to　your　eye；　and　more　or　less　interesting　to　your　affections。　　Let　the　mountains　be　real　mountains；　between　3；000　and　4；000　feet　high；　and　the　cottage　a　real　cottage；　not　（as　a　witty　author　has　it）　〃a　cottage　with　a　double　coach…house；〃　let　it　be；　in　fact　（for　I　must　abide　by　the　actual　scene）；　a　white　cottage；　embowered　with　flowering　shrubs；　so　chosen　as　to　unfold　a　succession　of　flowers　upon　the　walls　and　clustering　round　the　windows　through　all　the　months　of　spring；　summer；　and　autumnbeginning；　in　fact；　with　May　roses；　and　ending　with　jasmine。　Let　it；　however；　NOT　be　spring；　nor　summer；　nor　autumn；　but　winter　in　his　sternest　shape。　　This　is　a　most　important　point　in　the　science　of　happiness。　　And　I　am　surprised　to　see　people　overlook　it；　and　think　it　matter　of　congratulation　that　winter　is　going；　or；　if　coming；　is　not　likely　to　be　a　severe　one。　　On　the　contrary；　I　put　up　a　petition　annually　for　as　much　snow；　hail；　frost；　or　storm；　of　one　kind　or　other；　as　the　skies　can　possibly　afford　us。　　Surely　everybody　is　aware　of　the　divine　pleasures　which　attend　a　winter　fireside；　candles　at　four　o'clock；　warm　hearth…rugs；　tea；　a　fair　tea…maker；　shutters　closed；　curtains　flowing　in　ample　draperies　on　the　floor；　whilst　the　wind　and　rain　are　raging　audibly　without；


And　at　the　doors　and　windows　seem　to　call；　As　heav'n　and　earth　they　would　together　mell；　Yet　the　least　entrance　find　they　none　at　all；　Whence　sweeter　grows　our　rest　secure　in　massy　hall。　Castle　of　Indolence。


All　these　are　items　in　the　description　of　a　winter　evening　which　must　surely　be　familiar　to　everybody　born　in　a　high　latitude。　　And　it　is　evident　that　most　of　these　delicacies；　like　ice…cream；　require　a　very　low　temperature　of　the　atmosphere　to　produce　them；　they　are　fruits　which　cannot　be　ripened　without　weather　stormy　or　inclement　in　some　way　or　other。　　I　am　not　〃PARTICULAR；〃　as　people　say；　whether　it　be　snow；　or　black　frost；　or　wind　so　strong　that　（as　Mr。says）　〃you　may　lean　your　back　against　it　like　a　post。〃　　I　can　put　up　even　with　rain；　provided　it　rains　cats　and　dogs；　but　something　of　the　sort　I　must　have；　and　if　I　have　it　not；　I　think　myself　in　a　manner　ill…used；　for　why　am　I　called　on　to　pay　so　heavily　for　winter；　in　coals　and　candles；　and　various　privations　that　will　occur　even　to　gentlemen；　if　I　am　not　to　have　the　article　good　of　its　kind？　　No；　a　Canadian　winter　for　my　money；　or　a　Russian　one；　where　every　man　is　but　a　co…proprietor　with　the　north　wind　in　the　fee…simple　of　his　own　ears。　　Indeed；　so　great　an　epicure　am　I　in　this　matter　that　I　cannot　relish　a　winter　night　fully　if　it　be　much　past　St。　Thomas's　day；　and　have　degenerated　into　disgusting　tendencies　to　vernal　appearances。　No；　it　must　be　divided　by　a　thick　wall　of　dark　nights　from　all　return　of　light　and　sunshine。　　From　the　latter　weeks　of　October　to　Christmas　Eve；　therefore；　is　the　period　during　which　happiness　is　in　season；　which；　in　my　judgment；　enters　the　room　with　the　tea…tray；　for　t