the complete writings-2-第52章

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Every　walk　that　we　take　here　with　open　mind　and　cheerful　heart　is　sure　to　be　an　adventure。　　Only　yesterday；　we　were　coming　down　a　branch　of　the　great　gorge　which　splits　the　plain　in　two。　　On　one　side　the　path　is　a　high　wall；　with　garden　trees　overhanging。　　On　the　other；　a　stone　parapet；　and　below；　in　the　bed　of　the　ravine；　an　orange　orchard。　　Beyond　rises　a　precipice；　and；　at　its　foot；　men　and　boys　were　quarrying　stone；　which　workmen　raised　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　to　the　platform　above　with　a　windlass。　　As　we　came　along；　a　handsome　girl　on　the　height　had　just　taken　on　her　head　a　large　block　of　stone；　which　I　should　not　care　to　lift；　to　carry　to　a　pile　in　the　rear；　and　she　stopped　to　look　at　us。　　We　stopped；　and　looked　at　her。　This　attracted　the　attention　of　the　men　and　boys　in　the　quarry　below；　who　stopped　work；　and　set　up　a　cry　for　a　little　money。　　We　laughed；　and　responded　in　English。　　The　windlass　ceased　to　turn。　　The　workmen　on　the　height　joined　in　the　conversation。　　A　grizzly　beggar　hobbled　up；　and　held　out　his　greasy　cap。　　We　nonplussed　him　by　extending　our　hats；　and　beseeching　him　for　just　a　little　something。　　Some　passers　on　the　road　paused；　and　looked　on；　amused　at　the　transaction。　　A　boy　appeared　on　the　high　wall；　and　began　to　beg。　　I　threatened　to　shoot　him　with　my　walkingstick；　whereat　he　ran　nimbly　along　the　wall　in　terror　The　workmen　shouted；　and　this　started　up　a　couple　of　yellow　dogs；　which　came　to　the　edge　of　the　wall　and　barked　violently。　　The　girl；　alone　calm　in　the　confusion；　stood　stock　still　under　her　enormous　load　looking　at　us。　　We　swung　out　hats；　and　hurrahed。　　The　crowd　replied　from　above；　below；　and　around　us；　shouting；　laughing；　singing；　until　the　whole　little　valley　was　vocal　with　a　gale　of　merriment；　and　all　about　nothing。　　The　beggar　whined；　the　spectators　around　us　laughed；　and　the　whole　population　was　aroused　into　a　jolly　mood。　　Fancy　such　a　merry　hullaballoo　in　America。　　For　ten　minutes；　while　the　funny　row　was　going　on；　the　girl　never　moved；　having　forgotten　to　go　a　few　steps　and　deposit　her　load；　and　when　we　disappeared　round　a　bend　of　the　path；　she　was　still　watching　us；　smiling　and　statuesque。

As　we　descend；　we　come　upon　a　group　of　little　children　seated　about　a　doorstep；　black…eyed；　chubby　little　urchins；　who　are　cutting　oranges　into　little　bits；　and　playing　〃party；〃　as　children　do　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic。　　The　instant　we　stop　to　speak　to　them；　the　skinny　hand　of　an　old　woman　is　stretched　out　of　a　window　just　above　our　heads；　the　wrinkled　palm　itching　for　money。　　The　mother　comes　forward　out　of　the　house；　evidently　pleased　with　our　notice　of　the　children；　and　shows　us　the　baby　in　her　arms。　　At　once　we　are　on　good　terms　with　the　whole　family。　　The　woman　sees　that　there　is　nothing　impertinent　in　our　cursory　inquiry　into　her　domestic　concerns；　but；　I　fancy；　knows　that　we　are　genial　travelers；　with　human　sympathies。　　So　the　people　universally　are　not　quick　to　suspect　any　imposition；　and　meet　frankness　with　frankness；　and　good…nature　with　good…nature；　in　a　simple…hearted；　primeval　manner。　　If　they　stare　at　us　from　doorway　and　balcony；　or　come　and　stand　near　us　when　we　sit　reading　or　writing　by　the　shore；　it　is　only　a　childlike　curiosity；　and　they　are　quite　unconscious　of　any　breach　of　good　manners。　　In　fact；　I　think　travelers　have　not　much　to　say　in　the　matter　of　staring。　　I　only　pray　that　we　Americans　abroad　may　remember　that　we　are　in　the　presence　of　older　races；　and　conduct　ourselves　with　becoming　modesty；　remembering　always　that　we　were　not　born　in　Britain。

Very　likely　I　am　in　error；　but　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　even　the　funerals　here　are　not　so　gloomy　as　in　other　places。　　I　have　looked　in　at　the　churches　when　they　are　in　progress；　now　and　then；　and　been　struck　with　the　general　good　feeling　of　the　occasion。　　The　real　mourners　I　could　not　always　distinguish；　but　the　seats　would　be　filled　with　a　motley　gathering　of　the　idle　and　the　ragged；　who　seemed　to　enjoy　the　show　and　the　ceremony。　　On　one　occasion；　it　was　the　obsequies　of　an　officer　in　the　army。　　Guarding　the　gilded　casket；　which　stood　upon　a　raised　platform　before　the　altar；　were　four　soldiers　in　uniform。　　Mass　was　being　said　and　sung；　and　a　priest　was　playing　the　organ。　　The　church　was　light　and　cheerful；　and　pervaded。　by　a　pleasant　bustle。　　Ragged　boys　and　beggars；　and　dirty　children　and　dogs；　went　and　came　wherever　they　choseabout　the　unoccupied　spaces　of　the　church。　　The　hired　mourners；　who　are　numerous　in　proportion　to　the　rank　of　the　deceased；　were　clad　in　white　cotton；a　sort　of　nightgown　put　on　over　the　ordinary　clothes；　with　a　hood　of　the　same　drawn　tightly　over　the　face；　in　which　slits　were　cut　for　the　eyes　and　mouth。　　Some　of　them　were　seated　on　benches　near　the　front；　others　were　wandering　about　among　the　pillars；　disappearing　in　the　sacristy；　and　reappearing　with　an　aimless　aspect；　altogether　conducting　themselves　as　if　it　were　a　holiday；　and　if　there　was　anything　they　did　enjoy；　it　was　mourning　at　other　people's　expense。　They　laughed　and　talked　with　each　other　in　excellent　spirits；　and　one　varlet　near　the　coffin；　who　had　slipped　off　his　mask；　winked　at　me　repeatedly；　as　if　to　inform　me　that　it　was　not　his　funeral。　　A　masquerade　might　have　been　more　gloomy　and　depressing。




SAINT　ANTONINO

The　most　serviceable　saint　whom　I　know　is　St。　Antonino。　　He　is　the　patron　saint　of　the　good　town　of　Sorrento；　he　is　the　good　genius　of　all　sailors　and　fishermen；　and　he　has　a　humbler　office；that　of　protector　of　the　pigs。　　On　his　day　the　pigs　are　brought　into　the　public　square　to　be　blessed；　and　this　is　one　reason　why　the　pork　of　Sorrento　is　reputed　so　sweet　and　wholesome。　　The　saint　is　the　friend；　and；　so　to　say；　companion　of　the　common　people。　　They　seem　to　be　all　fond　of　him；　and　there　is　little　of　fear　in　their　confiding　relation。　His　humble　origin　and　plebeian　appearance　have　something　to　do　with　his　popularity；　no　doubt。　　There　is　nothing　awe…inspiring　in　the　brown　stone　figure；　battered　and　cracked；　that　stands　at　one　corner　of　the　bridge；　over　the　chasm　at　the　entrance　of　the　city。　　He　holds　a　crosier　in　one　hand；　and　raises　the　other；　with　fingers　uplifted；　in　act　of　benediction。　　If　his　face　is　an　indication　of　his　character；　he　had　in　him　a　mixture　of　robust　good…nature　with　a　touch　of　vulgarity；　and　could　rough　it　in　a　jolly　manner　with　fishermen　and　peasants。　　He　may　have　appeared　to　better　advantage　when　he　stood　on　top　of　the　massive　old　city　gate；　which　the　present　government；　with　the　impulse　of　a　vandal；　took　down　a　few　years　ago。　　The　demolition　had　to　be　accomplished　in　the　night；　under　a　guard　of　soldiers；　so　indignant　were　the　populace。　　At　that　time　the　homely　saint　was　deposed；　and　he　wears　now；　I　think；　a　snubbed　and　cast…aside　aspect。　Perhaps　he　is　dearer　to　the　people　than　ever；　and　I　confess　that　I　like　him　much　better　than　many　grander　saints；　in　stone；　I　have　seen　in　more　conspicuous　places。　　If　ever　I　am　in　rough　water　and　foul　weather；　I　hope　he　will　not　take　amiss　anything　I　have　here　written　about　him。

Sunday；　and　it　happened　to　be　St。　Valentine's　also；　was　the　great　fete…day　of　St。　Antonino。　　Early　in　the　morning　there　was　a　great　clanging　of　bells；　and　the　ceremony　of　the　blessing　of　the　pigs　took　place；I　heard；　but　I　was　not　abroad　early　enough　to　see　it；a　laziness　for　which　I　fancy　I　need　not　apologize；　as　the　Catholic　is　known　to　be　an　earlier　religion　than　the　Protestant。　　When　I　did　go　out；　the　streets　were　thronged　with　people；　the　countryfolk　having　come　in　for　miles　around。　　The　church　of　the　patron　saint　was　the　great　center　of　attraction。　　The　blank　walls　of　the　little　square　in　front；　and　of　the　narrow　streets　near；　were　hung　with　cheap　and　highly…colored　lithographs　of　sacred　subjects；　for　sale；　tables　and　booths　were　set　up　in　every　available　space　for　the　traffic　in　pre…Raphaelite　gingerbread；　molasses　candy；　strings　of　dried　nuts；　pinecone　and　pumpkin　seeds；　scarfs；　boots　and　shoes；　and　all　sorts　of　trumpery。　　One　dealer　had　preempted　a　large　space　on　the　pavement；　where　he　had　spread　out　an　assortment　of　bits　of　old　iron；　nails；　pieces　of　steel　traps；　and　various　fragments　which　might　be　useful　to　the　peasants。　　The　press　was　so　great；　that　it　was　difficult　to　get　t