lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第3章

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colours　（and　more）　flying；　and　was　making　great　way　through　a　sea

of　a　regular　pattern；　like　a　lady's　collar。　　A　benevolent；　elderly

gentleman　of　the　last　century；　with　a　powdered　head；　kept　guard；　in

oil　and　varnish；　over　a　most　perplexing　piece　of　furniture　on　a

table；　in　appearance　between　a　driving　seat　and　an　angular　knife…

box；　but；　when　opened；　a　musical　instrument　of　tinkling　wires；

exactly　like　David's　harp　packed　for　travelling。　　Everything　became

a　nick…nack　in　this　curious　room。　　The　copper　tea…kettle；　burnished

up　to　the　highest　point　of　glory；　took　his　station　on　a　stand　of

his　own　at　the　greatest　possible　distance　from　the　fireplace；　and

said：　　'By　your　leave；　not　a　kettle；　but　a　bijou。'　　The

Staffordshire…ware　butter…dish　with　the　cover　on；　got　upon　a　little

round　occasional　table　in　a　window；　with　a　worked　top；　and

announced　itself　to　the　two　chairs　accidentally　placed　there；　as　an

aid　to　polite　conversation；　a　graceful　trifle　in　china　to　be

chatted　over　by　callers；　as　they　airily　trifled　away　the　visiting

moments　of　a　butterfly　existence；　in　that　rugged　old　village　on　the

Cumberland　Fells。　　The　very　footstool　could　not　keep　the　floor；　but

got　upon　a　sofa；　and　there…from　proclaimed　itself；　in　high　relief

of　white　and　liver…coloured　wool；　a　favourite　spaniel　coiled　up　for

repose。　　Though；　truly；　in　spite　of　its　bright　glass　eyes；　the

spaniel　was　the　least　successful　assumption　in　the　collection：

being　perfectly　flat；　and　dismally　suggestive　of　a　recent　mistake

in　sitting　down　on　the　part　of　some　corpulent　member　of　the　family。



There　were　books；　too；　in　this　room；　books　on　the　table；　books　on

the　chimney…piece；　books　in　an　open　press　in　the　corner。　　Fielding

was　there；　and　Smollett　was　there；　and　Steele　and　Addison　were

there；　in　dispersed　volumes；　and　there　were　tales　of　those　who　go

down　to　the　sea　in　ships；　for　windy　nights；　and　there　was　really　a

choice　of　good　books　for　rainy　days　or　fine。　　It　was　so　very

pleasant　to　see　these　things　in　such　a　lonesome　by…place　…　so　very

agreeable　to　find　these　evidences　of　a　taste；　however　homely；　that

went　beyond　the　beautiful　cleanliness　and　trimness　of　the　house　…

so　fanciful　to　imagine　what　a　wonder　a　room　must　be　to　the　little

children　born　in　the　gloomy　village　…　what　grand　impressions　of　it

those　of　them　who　became　wanderers　over　the　earth　would　carry　away；

and　how；　at　distant　ends　of　the　world；　some　old　voyagers　would　die；

cherishing　the　belief　that　the　finest　apartment　known　to　men　was

once　in　the　Hesket…Newmarket　Inn；　in　rare　old　Cumberland　…　it　was

such　a　charmingly　lazy　pursuit　to　entertain　these　rambling　thoughts

over　the　choice　oatcake　and　the　genial　whiskey；　that　Mr。　Idle　and

Mr。　Goodchild　never　asked　themselves　how　it　came　to　pass　that　the

men　in　the　fields　were　never　heard　of　more；　how　the　stalwart

landlord　replaced　them　without　explanation；　how　his　dog…cart　came

to　be　waiting　at　the　door；　and　how　everything　was　arranged　without

the　least　arrangement　for　climbing　to　old　Carrock's　shoulders；　and

standing　on　his　head。



Without　a　word　of　inquiry；　therefore；　the　Two　Idle　Apprentices

drifted　out　resignedly　into　a　fine；　soft；　close；　drowsy；

penetrating　rain；　got　into　the　landlord's　light　dog…cart；　and

rattled　off　through　the　village　for　the　foot　of　Carrock。　　The

journey　at　the　outset　was　not　remarkable。　　The　Cumberland　road　went

up　and　down　like　all　other　roads；　the　Cumberland　curs　burst　out

from　backs　of　cottages　and　barked　like　other　curs；　and　the

Cumberland　peasantry　stared　after　the　dog…cart　amazedly；　as　long　as

it　was　in　sight；　like　the　rest　of　their　race。　　The　approach　to　the

foot　of　the　mountain　resembled　the　approaches　to　the　feet　of　most

other　mountains　all　over　the　world。　　The　cultivation　gradually

ceased；　the　trees　grew　gradually　rare；　the　road　became　gradually

rougher；　and　the　sides　of　the　mountain　looked　gradually　more　and

more　lofty；　and　more　and　more　difficult　to　get　up。　　The　dog…cart

was　left　at　a　lonely　farm…house。　　The　landlord　borrowed　a　large

umbrella；　and；　assuming　in　an　instant　the　character　of　the　most

cheerful　and　adventurous　of　guides；　led　the　way　to　the　ascent。　　Mr。

Goodchild　looked　eagerly　at　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and；　feeling

apparently　that　he　was　now　going　to　be　very　lazy　indeed；　shone　all

over　wonderfully　to　the　eye；　under　the　influence　of　the　contentment

within　and　the　moisture　without。　　Only　in　the　bosom　of　Mr。　Thomas

Idle　did　Despondency　now　hold　her　gloomy　state。　　He　kept　it　a

secret；　but　he　would　have　given　a　very　handsome　sum；　when　the

ascent　began；　to　have　been　back　again　at　the　inn。　　The　sides　of

Carrock　looked　fearfully　steep；　and　the　top　of　Carrock　was　hidden

in　mist。　　The　rain　was　falling　faster　and　faster。　　The　knees　of　Mr。

Idle　…　always　weak　on　walking　excursions　…　shivered　and　shook　with

fear　and　damp。　　The　wet　was　already　penetrating　through　the　young

man's　outer　coat　to　a　brand…new　shooting…jacket；　for　which　he　had

reluctantly　paid　the　large　sum　of　two　guineas　on　leaving　town；　he

had　no　stimulating　refreshment　about　him　but　a　small　packet　of

clammy　gingerbread　nuts；　he　had　nobody　to　give　him　an　arm；　nobody

to　push　him　gently　behind；　nobody　to　pull　him　up　tenderly　in　front；

nobody　to　speak　to　who　really　felt　the　difficulties　of　the　ascent；

the　dampness　of　the　rain；　the　denseness　of　the　mist；　and　the

unutterable　folly　of　climbing；　undriven；　up　any　steep　place　in　the

world；　when　there　is　level　ground　within　reach　to　walk　on　instead。

Was　it　for　this　that　Thomas　had　left　London？　　London；　where　there

are　nice　short　walks　in　level　public　gardens；　with　benches　of

repose　set　up　at　convenient　distances　for　weary　travellers　…

London；　where　rugged　stone　is　humanely　pounded　into　little　lumps

for　the　road；　and　intelligently　shaped　into　smooth　slabs　for　the

pavement！　　No！　it　was　not　for　the　laborious　ascent　of　the　crags　of

Carrock　that　Idle　had　left　his　native　city；　and　travelled　to

Cumberland。　　Never　did　he　feel　more　disastrously　convinced　that　he

had　committed　a　very　grave　error　in　judgment　than　when　he　found

himself　standing　in　the　rain　at　the　bottom　of　a　steep　mountain；　and

knew　that　the　responsibility　rested　on　his　weak　shoulders　of

actually　getting　to　the　top　of　it。



The　honest　landlord　went　first；　the　beaming　Goodchild　followed；　the

mournful　Idle　brought　up　the　rear。　　From　time　to　time；　the　two

foremost　members　of　the　expedition　changed　places　in　the　order　of

march；　but　the　rearguard　never　altered　his　position。　　Up　the

mountain　or　down　the　mountain；　in　the　water　or　out　of　it；　over　the

rocks；　through　the　bogs；　skirting　the　heather；　Mr。　Thomas　Idle　was

always　the　last；　and　was　always　the　man　who　had　to　be　looked　after

and　waited　for。　　At　first　the　ascent　was　delusively　easy；　the　sides

of　the　mountain　sloped　gradually；　and　the　material　of　which　they

were　composed　was　a　soft　spongy　turf；　very　tender　and　pleasant　to

walk　upon。　　After　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　however；　the　verdant　scene

and　the　easy　slope　disappeared；　and　the　rocks　began。　　Not　noble；

massive　rocks；　standing　upright；　keeping　a　certain　regularity　in

their　positions；　and　possessing；　now　and　then；　flat　tops　to　sit

upon；　but　little　irritating；　comfortless　rocks；　littered　about

anyhow；　by　Nature；　treacherous；　disheartening　rocks　of　all　sorts　of

small　shapes　and　small　sizes；　bruisers　of　tender　toes　and　trippers…

up　of　wavering　feet。　　When　these　impediments　were　passed；　heather

and　slough　followed。　　Here　the　steepness　of　the　ascent　was　slightly

mitigated；　and　here　the　exploring　party　of　three　turned　round　to

look　at　the　view　below　them。　　The　scene　of　the　moorland　and　the

fields　was　like　a　feeble　water…colour　drawing　half　sponged　out。

The　mist　was　darkening；　the　rain　was　thickening；　the　trees　were

dotted　about　like　spots　of　faint　shadow；　the　division…lines　which

mapped　out　the　fields　were　all　getting　blurred　together；　and　the

lonely　farm…house　where　the　dog…cart　had　been　left；　loomed　spectral

in　the　grey　ligh