little travels and roadside sketches-第2章

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contains　Malmsey　madeira。　　How　daintily　they　sip　it；　how　happy　they

seem；　how　that　lucky　rogue　of　an　Irishman　prattles　away！　　Yonder　is

a　noble　group　indeed：　an　English　gentleman　and　his　family。

Children；　mother；　grandmother；　grown…up　daughters；　father；　and

domestics；　twenty…two　in　all。　　They　have　a　table　to　themselves　on

the　deck；　and　the　consumption　of　eatables　among　them　is　really

endless。　　The　nurses　have　been　bustling　to　and　fro；　and　bringing；

first；　slices　of　cake；　then　dinner；　then　tea　with　huge　family　jugs

of　milk；　and　the　little　people　have　been　playing　hide…and…seek

round　the　deck；　coquetting　with　the　other　children；　and　making

friends　of　every　soul　on　board。　　I　love　to　see　the　kind　eyes　of

women　fondly　watching　them　as　they　gambol　about；　a　female　face；　be

it　ever　so　plain；　when　occupied　in　regarding　children；　becomes

celestial　almost；　and　a　man　can　hardly　fail　to　be　good　and　happy

while　he　is　looking　on　at　such　sights。　　〃Ah；　sir！〃　says　a　great　big

man；　whom　you　would　not　accuse　of　sentiment；　〃I　have　a　couple　of

those　little　things　at　home；〃　and　he　stops　and　heaves　a　great　big

sigh　and　swallows　down　a　half…tumbler　of　cold　something　and　water。

We　know　what　the　honest　fellow　means　well　enough。　　He　is　saying　to

himself；　〃God　bless　my　girls　and　their　mother！〃　but；　being　a

Briton；　is　too　manly　to　speak　out　in　a　more　intelligible　way。

Perhaps　it　is　as　well　for　him　to　be　quiet；　and　not　chatter　and

gesticulate　like　those　Frenchmen　a　few　yards　from　him；　who　are

chirping　over　a　bottle　of　champagne。



There　is；　as　you　may　fancy；　a　number　of　such　groups　on　the　deck；

and　a　pleasant　occupation　it　is　for　a　lonely　man　to　watch　them　and

build　theories　upon　them；　and　examine　those　two　personages　seated

cheek　by　jowl。　　One　is　an　English　youth；　travelling　for　the　first

time；　who　has　been　hard　at　his　Guidebook　during　the　whole　journey。

He　has　a　〃Manuel　du　Voyageur〃　in　his　pocket：　a　very　pretty；　amusing

little　oblong　work　it　is　too；　and　might　be　very　useful；　if　the

foreign　people　in　three　languages；　among　whom　you　travel；　would　but

give　the　answers　set　down　in　the　book；　or　understand　the　questions

you　put　to　them　out　of　it。　　The　other　honest　gentleman　in　the　fur

cap；　what　can　his　occupation　be？　　We　know　him　at　once　for　what　he

is。　　〃Sir；〃　says　he；　in　a　fine　German　accent；　〃I　am　a　brofessor　of

languages；　and　will　gif　you　lessons　in　Danish；　Swedish；　English；

Bortuguese；　Spanish　and　Bersian。〃　　Thus　occupied　in　meditations；

the　rapid　hours　and　the　rapid　steamer　pass　quickly　on。　　The　sun　is

sinking；　and；　as　he　drops；　the　ingenious　luminary　sets　the　Thames

on　fire：　several　worthy　gentlemen；　watch　in　hand；　are　eagerly

examining　the　phenomena　attending　his　disappearance；rich　clouds

of　purple　and　gold；　that　form　the　curtains　of　his　bed；little

barks　that　pass　black　across　his　disc；　his　disc　every　instant

dropping　nearer　and　nearer　into　the　water。　　〃There　he　goes！〃　says

one　sagacious　observer。　　〃No；　he　doesn't；〃　cries　another。　　Now　he

is　gone；　and　the　steward　is　already　threading　the　deck；　asking　the

passengers；　right　and　left；　if　they　will　take　a　little　supper。

What　a　grand　object　is　a　sunset；　and　what　a　wonder　is　an　appetite

at　sea！　　Lo！　the　horned　moon　shines　pale　over　Margate；　and　the　red

beacon　is　gleaming　from　distant　Ramsgate　pier。



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A　great　rush　is　speedily　made　for　the　mattresses　that　lie　in　the

boat　at　the　ship's　side；　and　as　the　night　is　delightfully　calm；

many　fair　ladies　and　worthy　men　determine　to　couch　on　deck　for　the

night。　　The　proceedings　of　the　former；　especially　if　they　be　young

and　pretty；　the　philosopher　watches　with　indescribable　emotion　and

interest。　　What　a　number　of　pretty　coquetries　do　the　ladies

perform；　and　into　what　pretty　attitudes　do　they　take　care　to　fall！

All　the　little　children　have　been　gathered　up　by　the　nursery…maids；

and　are　taken　down　to　roost　below。　　Balmy　sleep　seals　the　eyes　of

many　tired　wayfarers；　as　you　see　in　the　case　of　the　Russian

nobleman　asleep　among　the　portmanteaus；　and　Titmarsh；　who　has　been

walking　the　deck　for　some　time　with　a　great　mattress　on　his

shoulders；　knowing　full　well　that　were　he　to　relinquish　it　for　an

instant；　some　other　person　would　seize　on　it；　now　stretches　his　bed

upon　the　deck；　wraps　his　cloak　about　his　knees；　draws　his　white

cotton　nightcap　tight　over　his　head　and　ears；　and；　as　the　smoke　of

his　cigar　rises　calmly　upwards　to　the　deep　sky　and　the　cheerful

twinkling　stars；　he　feels　himself　exquisitely　happy；　and　thinks　of

thee；　my　Juliana！



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Why　people；　because　they　are　in　a　steamboat；　should　get　up　so

deucedly　early　I　cannot　understand。　　Gentlemen　have　been　walking

over　my　legs　ever　since　three　o'clock　this　morning；　and；　no　doubt；

have　been　indulging　in　personalities　（which　I　hate）　regarding　my

appearance　and　manner　of　sleeping；　lying；　snoring。　　Let　the　wags

laugh　on；　but　a　far　pleasanter　occupation　is　to　sleep　until

breakfast…time；　or　near　it。



The　tea；　and　ham　and　eggs；　which；　with　a　beefsteak　or　two；　and

three　or　four　rounds　of　toast；　form　the　component　parts　of　the

above…named　elegant　meal；　are　taken　in　the　River　Scheldt。　　Little

neat；　plump…looking　churches　and　villages　are　rising　here　and　there

among　tufts　of　trees　and　pastures　that　are　wonderfully　green。　　To

the　right；　as　the　〃Guide…book〃　says；　is　Walcheren；　and　on　the　left

Cadsand；　memorable　for　the　English　expedition　of　1809；　when　Lord

Chatham；　Sir　Walter　Manny；　and　Henry　Earl　of　Derby；　at　the　head　of

the　English；　gained　a　great　victory　over　the　Flemish　mercenaries　in

the　pay　of　Philippe　of　Valois。　　The　cloth…yard　shafts　of　the

English　archers　did　great　execution。　　Flushing　was　taken；　and　Lord

Chatham　returned　to　England；　where　he　distinguished　himself　greatly

in　the　debates　on　the　American　war；　which　he　called　the　brightest

jewel　of　the　British　crown。　　You　see；　my　love；　that；　though　an

artist　by　profession；　my　education　has　by　no　means　been　neglected；

and　what；　indeed；　would　be　the　pleasure　of　travel；　unless　these

charming　historical　recollections　were　brought　to　bear　upon　it？





ANTWERP。



As　many　hundreds　of　thousands　of　English　visit　this　city　（I　have

met　at　least　a　hundred　of　them　in　this　half…hour　walking　the

streets；　〃Guide…book〃　in　hand）；　and　as　the　ubiquitous　Murray　has

already　depicted　the　place；　there　is　no　need　to　enter　into　a　long

description　of　it；　its　neatness；　its　beauty；　and　its　stiff　antique

splendor。　　The　tall　pale　houses　have　many　of　them　crimped　gables；

that　look　like　Queen　Elizabeth's　ruffs。　　There　are　as　many　people

in　the　streets　as　in　London　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the

market…women　wear　bonnets　of　a　flower…pot　shape；　and　have　shining

brazen　milk…pots；　which　are　delightful　to　the　eyes　of　a　painter。

Along　the　quays　of　the　lazy　Scheldt　are　innumerable　good…natured

groups　of　beer…drinkers　（small…beer　is　the　most　good…natured　drink

in　the　world）；　along　the　barriers　outside　of　the　town；　and　by　the

glistening　canals；　are　more　beer…shops　and　more　beer…drinkers。　　The

city　is　defended　by　the　queerest　fat　military。　　The　chief　traffic

is　between　the　hotels　and　the　railroad。　　The　hotels　give　wonderful

good　dinners；　and　especially　at　the　〃Grand　Laboureur〃　may　be

mentioned　a　peculiar　tart；　which　is　the　best　of　all　tarts　that

ever　a　man　ate　since　he　was　ten　years　old。　　A　moonlight　walk　is

delightful。　　At　ten　o'clock　the　whole　city　is　quiet；　and　so　little

changed　does　it　seem　to　be；　that　you　may　walk　back　three　hundred

years　into　time；　and　fancy　yourself　a　majestical　Spaniard；　or　an

oppressed　and　patriotic　Dutchman　at　your　leisure。　　You　enter　the

inn；　and　the　old　Quentin　Durward　court…yard；　on　which　the　old

towers　look　down。　　There　is　a　sound　of　singingsinging　at

midnight。　　Is　it　Don　Sombrero；　who　is　singing　an　Andalusian

seguidilla　under　the　window　of　the　Flemish　burgomaster's　daughter？

Ah；　no！　it　is　a　fat　Englishman　in　a　zephyr　coat：　he　is　drinking

cold　gin…and…water　in　the　moonlight；　and　warbling　softly





　　　　〃Nix　my　dolly；　pals；　fake　away；

　　　　　N…ix　my　dolly；　pals；　fake　aaway。〃*





*　In　1844。





I　wish　the　good　people　would　knock　off　the　top　part　of　Antwerp

Cathedral　spire。　　Nothing　can　be　more　gracious　and　elegant　than　the

lines　of　the　first　two　compartments；　but　near　the　top　there　bulges

out　a　little　round；　ugly；　vulgar　Dutch　monstrosity　（for　which　the

architects　have；　no　doubt；　a　name）　which　offends　the　eye　cruelly。

Take　the　Apollo；　and　set　upon　him　a　bob…wig　and　a　little　cocked

hat；　imagine　〃God　Save　the　King〃　ending　with　a　jig；　fancy　a

polonaise；　or　procession　of　slim；　stately；　elegant　court　beauties；

headed　by　a　buffoon　dancing　a　hornpipe。　　Marshal　Gerard　should　have

discharged　a　bombshell　at　that　abomination；　and　have　given　the

noble　steeple　a　chance　to　be　finished　in　the　grand　style　of　the

early　fifteenth　century；　in　which　it　was　begun。



This　style　of　criticism　is　base　and　mean；　and　quite　contrary　to　the

orders　of　the　immortal　Goethe；　who　was　only　for　allowing　the　eye　to

recognize　the　beauties　of　a　great　work；　but　would　have　its　defects

passed　over。　　It　is　an　unhappy；　luckless　organization　which　will　be

perpetually　fault…finding；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　grand　concert　of

music　will　persist　only　in　hearing　that　unfortunate　fiddle　out　of

tune。



Withinexcept　where　the　rococo　architects　have　introduced　their

ornaments　（here　is　the　fiddle　out　of　tune　again）the　cathedral　is

noble。　　A　rich；　tender　sunshine　is　streaming　in　through　the

windows；　and　gilding　the　stately　edifice　with　the　purest　light。

The　admirable　stained…glass　windows　are　not　too　brilliant　in　their

colors。　　The　organ　is　playing　a　rich；　solemn　music；　some　two

hundred　of　people　are　listening　to　the　service；　and　there　is　scarce

one　of　the　women　kneeling　on　her　chair；　enveloped　in　her　full

majestic　black　drapery；　that　is　not　a　fine　study　for　a　painter。

These　large　black　mantles　of　heavy　silk　brought　over　the　heads　of

the　women；　and　covering　their　persons；　fall　into　such　fine　folds　of

drapery；　that　they　cannot　help　being　picturesque　and　noble。　　See；

kneeling　by　the　side　of　two　of　those　fine　devout…looking　figures；

is　a　lady　in　a　little　twiddling　Parisian　hat　and　feather；　in　a

little　lace　mantelet；　in　a　tight　gown　and　a　bustle。　　She　is　almost

as　monstrous　as　yonder　figure　of　the　Virgin；　in　a　hoop；　and　with　a

huge　crown　and　a　ball　and　a　sceptre；　and　a　bambino　dressed　in　a

little　hoop；　and　in　a　little　crown；　round　which　are　clustered

flowers　and　pots　of　orange…trees；　and　before　which　many　of　the

faithful　are　at　prayer。　　Gentle　clouds　of　incense　come　wafting

through　the　vast　edifice；　and　in　the　lulls　of　the　music　you　hear

the　faint　chant　of　the　priest；　and　the　silver　tinkle　of　the　bell。



Six　Englishmen；　with　the　commissionaires；　and　the　〃Murray's　Guide…

books〃　in　their　hands；　are　looking　at　the　〃Descent　f