travels with a donkey in the cevennes-第23章
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the Snows。 But this is a different race; and perhaps the same
great…heartedness that upheld them to resist; now enables them to
differ in a kind spirit。 For courage respects courage; but where a
faith has been trodden out; we may look for a mean and narrow
population。 The true work of Bruce and Wallace was the union of
the nations; not that they should stand apart a while longer;
skirmishing upon their borders; but that; when the time came; they
might unite with self…respect。
The merchant was much interested in my journey; and thought it
dangerous to sleep afield。
'There are the wolves;' said he; 'and then it is known you are an
Englishman。 The English have always long purses; and it might very
well enter into some one's head to deal you an ill blow some
night。'
I told him I was not much afraid of such accidents; and at any rate
judged it unwise to dwell upon alarms or consider small perils in
the arrangement of life。 Life itself; I submitted; was a far too
risky business as a whole to make each additional particular of
danger worth regard。 'Something;' said I; 'might burst in your
inside any day of the week; and there would be an end of you; if
you were locked into your room with three turns of the key。'
'CEPENDANT;' said he; 'COUCHER DEHORS!'
'God;' said I; 'is everywhere。'
'CEPENDANT; COUCHER DEHORS!' he repeated; and his voice was
eloquent of terror。
He was the only person; in all my voyage; who saw anything hardy in
so simple a proceeding; although many considered it superfluous。
Only one; on the other hand; professed much delight in the idea;
and that was my Plymouth Brother; who cried out; when I told him I
sometimes preferred sleeping under the stars to a close and noisy
ale…house; 'Now I see that you know the Lord!'
The merchant asked me for one of my cards as I was leaving; for he
said I should be something to talk of in the future; and desired me
to make a note of his request and reason; a desire with which I
have thus complied。
A little after two I struck across the Mimente; and took a rugged
path southward up a hillside covered with loose stones and tufts of
heather。 At the top; as is the habit of the country; the path
disappeared; and I left my she…ass munching heather; and went
forward alone to seek a road。
I was now on the separation of two vast water…sheds; behind me all
the streams were bound for the Garonne and the Western Ocean;
before me was the basin of the Rhone。 Hence; as from the Lozere;
you can see in clear weather the shining of the Gulf of Lyons; and
perhaps from here the soldiers of Salomon may have watched for the
topsails of Sir Cloudesley Shovel; and the long…promised aid from
England。 You may take this ridge as lying in the heart of the
country of the Camisards; four of the five legions camped all round
it and almost within view … Salomon and Joani to the north;
Castanet and Roland to the south; and when Julien had finished his
famous work; the devastation of the High Cevennes; which lasted all
through October and November 1703; and during which four hundred
and sixty villages and hamlets were; with fire and pickaxe; utterly
subverted; a man standing on this eminence would have looked forth
upon a silent; smokeless; and dispeopled land。 Time and man's
activity have now repaired these ruins; Cassagnas is once more
roofed and sending up domestic smoke; and in the chestnut gardens;
in low and leafy corners; many a prosperous farmer returns; when
the day's work is done; to his children and bright hearth。 And
still it was perhaps the wildest view of all my journey。 Peak upon
peak; chain upon chain of hills ran surging southward; channelled
and sculptured by the winter streams; feathered from head to foot
with chestnuts; and here and there breaking out into a coronal of
cliffs。 The sun; which was still far from setting; sent a drift of
misty gold across the hill…tops; but the valleys were already
plunged in a profound and quiet shadow。
A very old shepherd; hobbling on a pair of sticks; and wearing a
black cap of liberty; as if in honour of his nearness to the grave;
directed me to the road for St。 Germain de Calberte。 There was
something solemn in the isolation of this infirm and ancient
creature。 Where he dwelt; how he got upon this high ridge; or how
he proposed to get down again; were more than I could fancy。 Not
far off upon my right was the famous Plan de Font Morte; where Poul
with his Armenian sabre slashed down the Camisards of Seguier。
This; methought; might be some Rip van Winkle of the war; who had
lost his comrades; fleeing before Poul; and wandered ever since
upon the mountains。 It might be news to him that Cavalier had
surrendered; or Roland had fallen fighting with his back against an
olive。 And while I was thus working on my fancy; I heard him
hailing in broken tones; and saw him waving me to come back with
one of his two sticks。 I had already got some way past him; but;
leaving Modestine once more; retraced my steps。
Alas; it was a very commonplace affair。 The old gentleman had
forgot to ask the pedlar what he sold; and wished to remedy this
neglect。
I told him sternly; 'Nothing。'
'Nothing?' cried he。
I repeated 'Nothing;' and made off。
It's odd to think of; but perhaps I thus became as inexplicable to
the old man as he had been to me。
The road lay under chestnuts; and though I saw a hamlet or two
below me in the vale; and many lone houses of the chestnut farmers;
it was a very solitary march all afternoon; and the evening began
early underneath the trees。 But I heard the voice of a woman
singing some sad; old; endless ballad not far off。 It seemed to be
about love and a BEL AMOUREUX; her handsome sweetheart; and I
wished I could have taken up the strain and answered her; as I went
on upon my invisible woodland way; weaving; like Pippa in the poem;
my own thoughts with hers。 What could I have told her? Little
enough; and yet all the heart requires。 How the world gives and
takes away; and brings sweethearts near only to separate them again
into distant and strange lands; but to love is the great amulet
which makes the world a garden; and 'hope; which comes to all;'
outwears the accidents of life; and reaches with tremulous hand
beyond the grave and death。 Easy to say: yea; but also; by God's
mercy; both easy and grateful to believe!
We struck at last into a wide white high…road carpeted with
noiseless dust。 The night had come; the moon had been shining for
a long while upon the opposite mountain; when on turning a corner
my donkey and I issued ourselves into her light。 I had emptied out
my brandy at Florac; for I could bear the stuff no longer; and
replaced it with some generous and scented Volnay; and now I drank
to the moon's sacred majesty upon the road。 It was but a couple of
mouthfuls; yet I became thenceforth unconscious of my limbs; and my
blood flowed with luxury。 Even Modestine was inspired by this
purified nocturnal sunshine; and bestirred her little hoofs as to a
livelier measure。 The road wound and descended swiftly among
masses of chestnuts。 Hot dust rose from our feet and flowed away。
Our two shadows … mine deformed with the knapsack; hers comically
bestridden by the pack … now lay before us clearly outlined on the
road; and now; as we turned a corner; went off into the ghostly
distance; and sailed along the mountain like clouds。 From time to
time a warm wind rustled down the valley; and set all the chestnuts
dangling their bunches of foliage and fruit; the ear was filled
with whispering music; and the shadows danced in tune。 And next
moment the breeze had gone by; and in all the valley nothing moved
except our travelling feet。 On the opposite slope; the monstrous
ribs and gullies of the