the complete writings-2-第14章

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　morning。

The　day　after　we　reached　Chamouny；　Monseigneur　the　bishop　arrived　there　on　one　of　his　rare　pilgrimages　into　these　wild　valleys。　　Nearly　all　the　way　down　from　Geneva；　we　had　seen　signs　of　his　coming；　in　preparations　as　for　the　celebration　of　a　great　victory。　　I　did　not　know　at　first　but　the　Atlantic　cable　had　been　laid；　or　rather　that　the　decorations　were　on　account　of　the　news　of　it　reaching　this　region。　　It　was　a　holiday　for　all　classes；　and　everybody　lent　a　hand　to　the　preparations。　　First；　the　little　church　where　the　confirmations　were　to　take　place　was　trimmed　within　and　without；　and　an　arch　of　green　spanned　the　gateway。　　At　Les　Pres；　the　women　were　sweeping　the　road；　and　the　men　were　setting　small　evergreen…trees　on　each　side。　　The　peasants　were　in　their　best　clothes；　and　in　front　of　their　wretched　hovels　were　tables　set　out　with　flowers。　　So　cheerful　and　eager　were　they　about　the　bishop；　that　they　forgot　to　beg　as　we　passed：　the　whole　valley　was　in　a　fever　of　expectation。　　At　one　hamlet　on　the　mulepath　over　the　Tete　Noire；　where　the　bishop　was　that　day　expected；　and　the　women　were　sweeping　away　all　dust　and　litter　from　the　road；　I　removed　my　hat；　and　gravely　thanked　them　for　their　thoughtful　preparation　for　our　coming。　　But　they　only　stared　a　little；　as　if　we　were　not　worthy　to　be　even　forerunners　of　Monseigneur。

I　do　not　care　to　write　here　how　serious　a　drawback　to　the　pleasures　of　this　region　are　its　inhabitants。　　You　get　the　impression　that　half　of　them　are　beggars。　　The　other　half　are　watching　for　a　chance　to　prey　upon　you　in　other　ways。　　I　heard　of　a　woman　in　the　Zermatt　Valley　who　refused　pay　for　a　glass　of　milk；　but　I　did　not　have　time　to　verify　the　report。　　Besides　the　beggars；　who　may　or　may　not　be　horrid…looking　creatures；　there　are　the　grinning　Cretins；　the　old　women　with　skins　of　parchment　and　the　goitre；　and　even　young　children　with　the　loathsome　appendage；　the　most　wretched　and　filthy　hovels；　and　the　dirtiest；　ugliest　people　in　them。　　The　poor　women　are　the　beasts　of　burden。　　They　often　lead；　mowing　in　the　hayfield；　they　carry　heavy　baskets　on　their　backs；　they　balance　on　their　heads　and　carry　large　washtubs　full　of　water。　　The　more　appropriate　load　of　one　was　a　cradle　with　a　baby　in　it；　which　seemed　not　at　all　to　fear　falling。　　When　one　sees　how　the　women　are　treated；　he　does　not　wonder　that　there　are　so　many　deformed；　hideous　children。　　I　think　the　pretty　girl　has　yet　to　be　born　in　Switzerland。

This　is　not　much　about　the　Alps？　　Ah；　well；　the　Alps　are　there。　　Go　read　your　guide…book；　and　find　out　what　your　emotions　are。　　As　I　said；　everybody　goes　to　Chamouny。　　Is　it　not　enough　to　sit　at　your　window；　and　watch　the　clouds　when　they　lift　from　the　Mont　Blanc　range；　disclosing　splendor　after　splendor；　from　the　Aiguille　de　Goute　to　the　Aiguille　Verte；white　needles　which　pierce　the　air　for　twelve　thousand　feet；　until；　jubilate！　　the　round　summit　of　the　monarch　himself　is　visible；　and　the　vast　expanse　of　white　snow…fields；　the　whiteness　of　which　is　rather　of　heaven　than　of　earth；　dazzles　the　eyes；　even　at　so　great　a　distance？　　Everybody　who　is　patient　and　waits　in　the　cold　and　inhospitable…looking　valley　of　the　Chamouny　long　enough；　sees　Mont　Blanc；　but　every　one　does　not　see　a　sunset　of　the　royal　order。　　The　clouds　breaking　up　and　clearing；　after　days　of　bad　weather；　showed　us　height　after　height；　and　peak　after　peak；　now　wreathing　the　summits；　now　settling　below　or　hanging　in　patches　on　the　sides；　and　again　soaring　above；　until　we　had　the　whole　range　lying；　far　and　brilliant；　in　the　evening　light。　　The　clouds　took　on　gorgeous　colors；　at　length；　and　soon　the　snow　caught　the　hue；　and　whole　fields　were　rosy　pink；　while　uplifted　peaks　glowed　red；　as　with　internal　fire。　　Only　Mont　Blanc；　afar　off；　remained　purely　white；　in　a　kind　of　regal　inaccessibility。　　And；　afterward；　one　star　came　out　over　it；　and　a　bright　light　shone　from　the　hut　on　the　Grand　Mulets；　a　rock　in　the　waste　of　snow；　where　a　Frenchman　was　passing　the　night　on

his　way　to　the　summit。

Shall　I　describe　the　passage　of　the　Tete　Noire？　　My　friend；　it　is　twenty…four　miles；　a　road　somewhat　hilly；　with　splendid　views　of　Mont　Blanc　in　the　morning；　and　of　the　Bernese　Oberland　range　in　the　afternoon；　when　you　descend　into　Martigny；a　hot　place　in　the　dusty　Rhone　Valley；　which　has　a　comfortable　hotel；　with　a　pleasant　garden；　in　which　you　sit　after　dinner　and　let　the　mosquitoes　eat　you。




THE　MAN　WHO　SPEAKS　ENGLISH

It　was　eleven　o'clock　at　night　when　we　reached　Sion；　a　dirty　little　town　at　the　end　of　the　Rhone　Valley　Railway；　and　got　into　the　omnibus　for　the　hotel；　and　it　was　also　dark　and　rainy。　　They　speak　German　in　this　part　of　Switzerland；　or　what　is　called　German。　　There　were　two　very　pleasant　Americans；　who　spoke　American；　going　on　in　the　diligence　at　half…past　five　in　the　morning；　on　their　way　over　the　Simplex。　　One　of　them　was　accustomed　to　speak　good；　broad　English　very　distinctly　to　all　races；　and　he　seemed　to　expect　that　he　must　be　understood　if　he　repeated　his　observations　in　a　louder　tone；　as　he　always　did。　　I　think　he　would　force　all　this　country　to　speak　English　in　two　months。　　We　all　desired　to　secure　places　in　the　diligence；　which　was　likely　to　be　full；　as　is　usually　the　case　when　a　railway　discharges　itself　into　a　postroad。

We　were　scarcely　in　the　omnibus；　when　the　gentleman　said　to　the　conductor：

〃I　want　two　places　in　the　coupe　of　the　diligence　in　the　morning。　　Can　I　have　them？　〃

〃Yah〃　replied　the　good…natured　German；　who　did　n't　understand　a　word。

〃Two　places；　diligence；　coupe；　morning。　　Is　it　full？〃

〃Yah；〃　replied　the　accommodating　fellow。　　〃Hotel　man　spik　English。〃

I　suggested　the　banquette　as　desirable；　if　it　could　be　obtained；　and　the　German　was　equally　willing　to　give　it　to　us。　　Descending　from　the　omnibus　at　the　hotel；　in　a　drizzling　rain；　and　amidst　a　crowd　of　porters　and　postilions　and　runners；　the　〃man　who　spoke　English〃　immediately　presented　himself；　and　upon　him　the　American　pounced　with　a　torrent　of　questions。　　He　was　a　willing；　lively　little　waiter；　with　his　moony　face　on　the　top　of　his　head；　and　he　jumped　round　in　the　rain　like　a　parching　pea；　rolling　his　head　about　in　the　funniest　manner。

The　American　steadied　the　little　man　by　the　collar；　and　began；　〃I　want　to　secure　two　seats　in　the　coupe　of　the　diligence　in　the。　morning。〃

〃Yaas；〃　jumping　round；　and　looking　from　one　to　another。　　〃Diligence；　coupe；　morning。〃

〃Iwanttwo　seatsincoupe。　　If　I　can't　get　them；　twoin　banquette。〃

〃Yaas　banquette；　coupe；yaas；　diligence。〃

〃Do　you　understand？　　Two　seats；　diligence；　Simplon；　morning。　　Will　you　get　them？〃

〃Oh；　yaas！　　morning；　diligence。　　Yaas；　sirr。〃

〃Hang　the　fellow！　　Where　is　the　office？　　〃And　the　gentleman　left　the　spry　little　waiter　bobbing　about　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　speaking　English；　but　probably　comprehending　nothing　that　was　said　to　him。　　I　inquired　the　way　to　the　office　of　the　conductor：　it　was　closed；　but　would　soon　be　open；　and　I　waited；　and　at　length　the　official；　a　stout　Frenchman；　appeared；　and　I　secured　places　in　the　interior；　the　only　ones　to　be　had　to　Visp。　　I　had　seen　a　diligence　at　the　door　with　three　places　in　the　coupe；　and　one　perched　behind；　no　banquette。　　The　office　is　brightly　lighted；　people　are　waiting　to　secure　places；　there　is　the　usual　crowd　of　loafers；　men　and　women；　and　the　Frenchman　sits　at　his　desk。　　Enter　the　American。

〃I　want　two　places　in　coupe；　in　the　morning。　　Or　banquette。　　Two　places；　diligence。〃　The　official　waves　him　off；　and　says　something。

〃What　does　he　say？〃

〃He　tells　you　to　sit　down　on　that　bench　till　he　is　ready。〃

Soon　the　Frenchman　has　run　over　his　big　waybills；　and　turns　to　us。

〃I　want　two　places　in　the　diligence；　coupe；〃　etc；　etc；　says　the　American。

This　remark　being　lost　on　the　official；　I　explain　to　him　as　well　as　I　can　what　is　wanted；　at　first；two　places　in　the　coupe。

〃One　is　taken；〃　is　his　reply。

〃The　gentleman　will　take　two；〃　I　said；　having　in　mind　the　diligence　in　the　yard；　with　three　places　in　the　coupe。

〃One　is　taken；〃　he　repeats。

〃Then　the　gentleman　will　take　the　other　two。〃

〃One　is　taken！　　〃he　cries；　jumping　up　and　smiting　the　table；〃　one　is　taken；　I　tell　you！〃

〃How　many　are　t