the complete writings-2-第13章
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English；people with no nonsense and strong individuality； and one gets no end of entertainment from the other sort。 Very different from the clergyman on the boat was the old lady at table…d'hote in one of the hotels on the lake。 One would not like to call her a delightfully wicked old woman； like the Baroness Bernstein； but she had her own witty and satirical way of regarding the world。 She had lived twenty…five years at Geneva； where people； years ago； coming over the dusty and hot roads of France； used to faint away when they first caught sight of the Alps。 Believe they don't do it now。 She never did； was past the susceptible age when she first came； was tired of the people。 Honest？ Why； yes； honest； but very fond of money。 Fine Swiss wood…carving？ Yes。 You'll get very sick of it。 It's very nice； but I 'm tired of it。 Years ago； I sent some of it home to the folks in England。 They thought everything of it； and it was not very nice； either；a cheap sort。 Moral ideas？ I don't care for moral ideas： people make such a fuss about them lately （this in reply to her next neighbor； an eccentric； thin man； with bushy hair； shaggy eyebrows； and a high； falsetto voice； who rallied the witty old lady all dinner…time about her lack of moral ideas； and accurately described the thin wine on the table as 〃water… bewitched〃）。 Why did n't the baroness go back to England； if she was so tired of Switzerland？ Well； she was too infirm now； and； besides； she did n't like to trust herself on the railroads。 And there were so many new inventions nowadays； of which she read。 What was this nitroglycerine； that exploded so dreadfully？ No： she thought she should stay where she was。
There is little risk of mistaking the Englishman； with or without his family； who has set out to do Switzerland。 He wears a brandy…flask； a field…glass； and a haversack。 Whether he has a silk or soft hat； he is certain to wear a veil tied round it。 This precaution is adopted when he makes up his mind to come to Switzerland； I think； because he has read that a veil is necessary to protect the eyes from the snow…glare。 There is probably not one traveler in a hundred who gets among the ice and snow…fields where he needs a veil or green glasses： but it is well to have it on the hat； it looks adventurous。 The veil and the spiked alpenstock are the signs of peril。 Everybodyalmost everybodyhas an alpenstock。 It is usually a round pine stick； with an iron spike in one end。 That； also； is a sign of peril。 We saw a noble young Briton on the steamer the other day； who was got up in the best Alpine manner。 He wore a short sack；in fact； an entire suit of light gray flannel； which closely fitted his lithe form。 His shoes were of undressed leather； with large spikes in the soles； and on his white hat he wore a large quantity of gauze； which fell in folds down his neck。 I am sorry to say that he had a red face； a shaven chin； and long side…whiskers。 He carried a formidable alpenstock； and at the little landing where we first saw him； and afterward on the boat； he leaned on it in a series of the most graceful and daring attitudes that I ever saw the human form assume。 Our Oxford student knew the variety； and guessed rightly that he was an army man。 He had his face burned at Malta。 Had he been over the Gemmi？ Or up this or that mountain？ asked another English officer。 〃No； I have not。〃 And it turned out that he had n't been anywhere； and did n't seem likely to do anything but show himself at the frequented valley places。 And yet I never saw one whose gallant bearing I so much admired。 We saw him afterward at Interlaken； enduring all the hardships of that fashionable place。 There was also there another of the same country； got up for the most dangerous Alpine climbing； conspicuous in red woolen stockings that came above his knees。 I could not learn that he ever went up anything higher than the top of a diligence。
THE DILIGENCE TO CHAMOUNY
The greatest diligence we have seen； one of the few of the old…fashioned sort； is the one from Geneva to Chamouny。 It leaves early in the morning； and there is always a crowd about it to see the mount and start。 The great ark stands before the diligence…office； and； for half an hour before the hour of starting； the porters are busy stowing away the baggage； and getting the passengers on board。 On top； in the banquette； are seats for eight； besides the postilion and guard； in the coup6； under the postilion's seat and looking upon the horses； seats for three； in the interior； for three； and on top； behind； for six or eight。 The baggage is stowed in the capacious bowels of the vehicle。 At seven； the six horses are brought out and hitched on； three abreast。 We climb up a ladder to the banquette： there is an irascible Frenchman； who gets into the wrong seat； and before he gets right there is a terrible war of words between him and the guard and the porters and the hostlers； everybody joining in with great vivacity； in front of us are three quiet Americans； and a slim Frenchman with a tall hat and one eye…glass。 The postilion gets up to his place。 Crack； crack； crack； goes the whip； and； amid 〃sensation〃 from the crowd； we are off at a rattling pace； the whip cracking all the time like Chinese fireworks。 The great passion of the drivers is noise； and they keep the whip going all day。 No sooner does a fresh one mount the box than he gives a half…dozen preliminary snaps； to which the horses pay no heed； as they know it is only for the driver's amusement。 We go at a good gait； changing horses every six miles； till we reach the Baths of St。 Gervais； where we dine； from near which we get our first glimpse of Mont Blanc through clouds；a section of a dazzlingly white glacier； a very exciting thing to the imagination。 Thence we go on in small carriages； over a still excellent but more hilly road； and begin to enter the real mountain wonders； until； at length； real glaciers pouring down out of the clouds nearly to the road meet us； and we enter the narrow Valley of Chamouny； through which we drive to the village in a rain。
Everybody goes to Chamouny； and up the Flegere； and to Montanvert； and over the Mer de Glace； and nearly everybody down the Mauvais Pas to the Chapeau； and so back to the village。 It is all easy to do； and yet we saw some French people at the Chapeau who seemed to think they had accomplished the most hazardous thing in the world in coming down the rocks of the Mauvais Pas。 There is； as might be expected； a great deal of humbug about the difficulty of getting about in the Alps； and the necessity of guides。 Most of the dangers vanish on near approach。 The Mer de Glace is inferior to many other glaciers； and is not nearly so fine as the Glacier des Bossons： but it has a reputation； and is easy of access； so people are content to walk over the dirty ice。 One sees it to better effect from below； or he must ascend it to the Jardin to know that it has deep crevasses； and is as treacherous as it is grand。 And yet no one will be disappointed at the view from Montanvert； of the upper glacier； and the needles of rock and snow which rise beyond。
We met at the Chapeau two jolly young fellows from Charleston； S。 C。 who had been in the war； on the wrong side。 They knew no language but American； and were unable to order a cutlet and an omelet for breakfast。 They said they believed they were going over the Tete Noire。 They supposed they had four mules waiting for them somewhere； and a guide； but they couldn't understand a word he said； and he couldn't understand them。 The day before； they had nearly perished of thirst； because they could n't make their guide comprehend that they wanted water。 One of them had slung over his shoulder an Alpine horn； which he blew occasionally； and seemed much to enjoy。 All this while we sit on a rock at the foot of the Mauvais Pas； looking out upon the green glacier； which here piles itself up finely； and above to the Aiguilles de Charmoz and the innumerable ice…pinnacles that run up to the clouds； while our muleteer is getting his breakfast。 This is his third breakfast this morning。
The day after we reached Chamouny； Monseigneur the bishop arrived there on one of his r
