little travels and roadside sketches-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





These　Belgians　have　caught　up；　and　quite　naturally；　the　French

tone。　　We　are　perfide　Albion　with　them　still。　　Here　is　the　Ghent

paper；　which　declares　that　it　is　beyond　a　doubt　that　Louis　Napoleon

was　sent　by　the　English　and　Lord　Palmerston；　and　though　it　states

in　another　part　of　the　journal　（from　English　authority）　that　the

Prince　had　never　seen　Lord　Palmerston；　yet　the　lie　will　remain

uppermostthe　people　and　the　editor　will　believe　it　to　the　end　of

time。　。　。　。　　See　to　what　a　digression　yonder　little　fellow　in　the

tall　hat　has　given　rise！　　Let　us　make　his　picture；　and　have　done

with　him。





I　could　not　understand；　in　my　walks　about　this　place；　which　is

certainly　picturesque　enough；　and　contains　extraordinary　charms　in

the　shape　of　old　gables；　quaint　spires；　and　broad　shining　canals

I　could　not　at　first　comprehend　why；　for　all　this；　the　town　was

especially　disagreeable　to　me；　and　have　only　just　hit　on　the　reason

why。　　Sweetest　Juliana；　you　will　never　guess　it：　it　is　simply　this；

that　I　have　not　seen　a　single　decent…looking　woman　in　the　whole

place；　they　look　all　ugly；　with　coarse　mouths；　vulgar　figures；　mean

mercantile　faces；　and　so　the　traveller　walking　among　them　finds　the

pleasure　of　his　walk　excessively　damped；　and　the　impressions　made

upon　him　disagreeable。



In　the　Academy　there　are　no　pictures　of　merit；　but　sometimes　a

second…rate　picture　is　as　pleasing　as　the　best；　and　one　may　pass　an

hour　here　very　pleasantly。　　There　is　a　room　appropriated　to　Belgian

artists；　of　which　I　never　saw　the　like：　they　are；　like　all　the　rest

of　the　things　in　this　country；　miserable　imitations　of　the　French

schoolgreat　nude　Venuses；　and　Junos　a　la　David；　with　the　drawing

left　out。





BRUGES。



The　change　from　vulgar　Ghent；　with　its　ugly　women　and　coarse

bustle；　to　this　quiet；　old；　half…deserted；　cleanly　Bruges；　was　very

pleasant。　　I　have　seen　old　men　at　Versailles；　with　shabby　coats　and

pigtails；　sunning　themselves　on　the　benches　in　the　walls；　they　had

seen　better　days；　to　be　sure；　but　they　were　gentlemen　still：　and　so

we　found；　this　morning；　old　dowager　Bruges　basking　in　the　pleasant

August　sun；　and　looking　if　not　prosperous；　at　least　cheerful　and

well…bred。　　It　is　the　quaintest　and　prettiest　of　all　the　quaint　and

pretty　towns　I　have　seen。　　A　painter　might　spend　months　here；　and

wander　from　church　to　church；　and　admire　old　towers　and　pinnacles；

tall　gables；　bright　canals；　and　pretty　little　patches　of　green

garden　and　moss…grown　wall；　that　reflect　in　the　clear　quiet　water。

Before　the　inn…window　is　a　garden；　from　which　in　the　early　morning

issues　a　most　wonderful　odor　of　stocks　and　wallflowers；　next　comes

a　road　with　trees　of　admirable　green；　numbers　of　little　children

are　playing　in　this　road　（the　place　is　so　clean　that　they　may　roll

in　it　all　day　without　soiling　their　pinafores）；　and　on　the　other

side　of　the　trees　are　little　old…fashioned；　dumpy；　whitewashed；

red…tiled　houses。　　A　poorer　landscape　to　draw　never　was　known；　nor

a　pleasanter　to　seethe　children　especially；　who　are　inordinately

fat　and　rosy。　　Let　it　be　remembered；　too；　that　here　we　are　out　of

the　country　of　ugly　women：　the　expression　of　the　face　is　almost

uniformly　gentle　and　pleasing；　and　the　figures　of　the　women；

wrapped　in　long　black　monk…like　cloaks　and　hoods；　very　picturesque。

No　wonder　there　are　so　many　children：　the　〃Guide…book〃　（omniscient

Mr。　Murray！）　says　there　are　fifteen　thousand　paupers　in　the　town；

and　we　know　how　such　multiply。　　How　the　deuce　do　their　children

look　so　fat　and　rosy？　　By　eating　dirt…pies；　I　suppose。　　I　saw　a

couple　making　a　very　nice　savory　one；　and　another　employed　in

gravely　sticking　strips　of　stick　betwixt　the　pebbles　at　the　house…

door；　and　so　making　for　herself　a　stately　garden。　　The　men　and

women　don't　seem　to　have　much　more　to　do。　　There　are　a　couple　of

tall　chimneys　at　either　suburb　of　the　town；　where　no　doubt

manufactories　are　at　work；　but　within　the　walls　everybody　seems

decently　idle。



We　have　been；　of　course；　abroad　to　visit　the　lions。　　The　tower　in

the　Grand　Place　is　very　fine；　and　the　bricks　of　which　it　is　built

do　not　yield　a　whit　in　color　to　the　best　stone。　　The　great　building

round　this　tower　is　very　like　the　pictures　of　the　Ducal　Palace　at

Venice；　and　there　is　a　long　market　area；　with　columns　down　the

middle；　from　which　hung　shreds　of　rather　lean…looking　meat；　that

would　do　wonders　under　the　hands　of　Cattermole　or　Haghe。　　In　the

tower　there　is　a　chime　of　bells　that　keep　ringing　perpetually。

They　not　only　play　tunes　of　themselves；　and　every　quarter　of　an

hour；　but　an　individual　performs　selections　from　popular　operas　on

them　at　certain　periods　of　the　morning；　afternoon；　and　evening。　　I

have　heard　to…day　〃Suoni　la　Tromba；〃　〃Son　Vergin　Vezzosa；〃　from　the

〃Puritani；〃　and　other　airs；　and　very　badly　they　were　played　too；

for　such　a　great　monster　as　a　tower…bell　cannot　be　expected　to

imitate　Madame　Grisi　or　even　Signor　Lablache。　　Other　churches

indulge　in　the　same　amusement；　so　that　one　may　come　here　and　live

in　melody　all　day　or　night；　like　the　young　woman　in　Moore's　〃Lalla

Rookh。〃



In　the　matter　of　art；　the　chief　attractions　of　Bruges　are　the

pictures　of　Hemling；　that　are　to　be　seen　in　the　churches；　the

hospital；　and　the　picture…gallery　of　the　place。　　There　are　no　more

pictures　of　Rubens　to　be　seen；　and；　indeed；　in　the　course　of　a

fortnight；　one　has　had　quite　enough　of　the　great　man　and　his

magnificent；　swaggering　canvases。　　What　a　difference　is　here　with

simple　Hemling　and　the　extraordinary　creations　of　his　pencil！　　The

hospital　is　particularly　rich　in　them；　and　the　legend　there　is　that

the　painter；　who　had　served　Charles　the　Bold　in　his　war　against　the

Swiss；　and　his　last　battle　and　defeat；　wandered　back　wounded　and

penniless　to　Bruges；　and　here　found　cure　and　shelter。



This　hospital　is　a　noble　and　curious　sight。　　The　great　hall　is

almost　as　it　was　in　the　twelfth　century；　it　is　spanned　by　Saxon

arches；　and　lighted　by　a　multiplicity　of　Gothic　windows　of　all

sizes；　it　is　very　lofty；　clean；　and　perfectly　well　ventilated；　a

screen　runs　across　the　middle　of　the　room；　to　divide　the　male　from

the　female　patients；　and　we　were　taken　to　examine　each　ward；　where

the　poor　people　seemed　happier　than　possibly　they　would　have　been

in　health　and　starvation　without　it。　　Great　yellow　blankets　were　on

the　iron　beds；　the　linen　was　scrupulously　clean；　glittering　pewter…

jugs　and　goblets　stood　by　the　side　of　each　patient；　and　they　were

provided　with　godly　books　（to　judge　from　the　binding）；　in　which

several　were　reading　at　leisure。　　Honest　old　comfortable　nuns；　in

queer　dresses　of　blue；　black；　white；　and　flannel；　were　bustling

through　the　room；　attending　to　the　wants　of　the　sick。　　I　saw　about

a　dozen　of　these　kind　women's　faces：　one　was　youngall　were

healthy　and　cheerful。　　One　came　with　bare　blue　arms　and　a　great

pile　of　linen　from　an　outhousesuch　a　grange　as　Cedric　the　Saxon

might　have　given　to　a　guest　for　the　night。　　A　couple　were　in　a

laboratory；　a　tall；　bright；　clean　room；　500　years　old　at　least。

〃We　saw　you　were　not　very　religious；〃　said　one　of　the　old　ladies；

with　a　red；　wrinkled；　good…humored　face；　〃by　your　behavior

yesterday　in　chapel。〃　　And　yet　we　did　not　laugh　and　talk　as　we　used

at　college；　but　were　profoundly　affected　by　the　scene　that　we　saw

there。　　It　was　a　fete…day：　a　mass　of　Mozart　was　sung　in　the

eveningnot　well　sung；　and　yet　so　exquisitely　tender　and

melodious；　that　it　brought　tears　into　our　eyes。　　There　were　not

above　twenty　people　in　the　church：　all；　save　three　or　four；　were

women　in　long　black　cloaks。　　I　took　them　for　nuns　at　first。　　They

were；　however；　the　common　people　of　the　town；　very　poor　indeed；

doubtless；　for　the　priest's　box　that　was　brought　round　was　not

added　to　by　most　of　them；　and　their　contributions　were　but　two…cent

pieces；five　of　these　go　to　a　penny；　but　we　know　the　value　of

such；　and　can　tell　the　exact　worth　of　a　poor　woman's　mite！　　The

box…bearer　did　not　seem　at　first　willing　to　accept　our　donationwe

were　strangers　and　heretics；　however；　I　held　out　my　hand；　and　he

came　perforce　as　it　were。　　Indeed　it　had　only　a　franc　in　it：　but

que　voulez…vous？　　I　had　been　drinking　a　bottle　of　Rhine　wine　that

day；　and　how　was　I　to　afford　more？　　The　Rhine　wine　is　dear　in　this

country；　and　costs　four　francs　a　bottle。



Well；　the　service　proceeded。　　Twenty　poor　women；　two　Englishmen；

four　ragged　beggars；　cowering　on　the　steps；　and　there　was　the

priest　at　the　altar；　in　a　great　robe　of　gold　and　damask；　two　little

boys　in　white　surplices　serving　him；　holding　his　robe　as　he　rose

and　bowed；　and　the　money…gatherer　swinging　his　censer；　and　filling

the　little　chapel　with　smoke。　　The　music　pealed　with　wonderful

sweetness；　you　could　see　the　prim　white　heads　of　the　nuns　in　their

gallery。　　The　evening　light　streamed　down　upon　old　statues　of

saints　and　carved　brown　stalls；　and　lighted　up　the　head　of　the

golden…haired　Magdalen　in　a　picture　of　the　entombment　of　Christ。

Over　the　gallery；　and；　as　it　were；　a　kind　protectress　to　the　poor

below；　stood　the　statue　of　the　Virgin。







III。WATERLOO。





It　is；　my　dear；　the　happy　privilege　of　your　sex　in　England　to　quit

the　dinner…table　after　the　wine…bottles　have　once　or　twice　gone

round　it；　and　you　are　thereby　saved　（though；　to　be　sure；　I　can't

tell　what　the　ladies　do　up　stairs）you　are　saved　two　or　three

hours'　excessive　dulness；　which　the　men　are　obliged　to　go　through。



I　ask　any　gentleman　who　reads　thisthe　letters　to　my　Juliana　being

written　with　an　eye　to　publicationto　remember　especially　how　many

times；　how　many　hundred　times；　how　many　thousand　times；　in　his

hearing；　the　battle　of　Waterloo　has　been　discussed　after　dinner；

and　to　call　to　mind　how　cruelly　he　has　been　bored　by　the

discussion。　　〃Ah；　it　was　lucky　for　us　that　the　Prussians　came　up！〃

says　one　little　gentleman；　looking　particularly　wise　and　ominous。

〃Hang　the　Prussians！〃　（or；　perhaps；　something　stronger　〃the

Prussians！〃）　says　a　stout　old　major　on　half…pay。　　〃We　beat　the

French　without　them；　sir；　as　beaten　them　we　always　have！　　We　were

thundering　down　the　hill　of　Belle　Alliance；　sir；　at　the　backs　of

them；　and　the　French　were　crying　'Sauve　qui　peut'　long　before　the

Prussians　ever　touched　them！〃　　And　so　the　battle　opens；　and　for

many　mortal　hours；　amid　rounds　of　claret；　rages　over　and　over

again。



I　thought　to　myself　considering　the　above　things；　what　a　fine　thing

it　will　be　in　after…days　to　say　that　I　have　been　to　Brussels　and

never　seen　the　field　of　Waterloo；　indeed；　that　I　am　such　a

philosopher　as　not　to　care　a　fig　about　the　battlenay；　to　regret；

rather；　that　when　Napoleon　came　back；　the　British　Government　had

not　spared　their　men　and　left　him　alone。



But　this　pitch　of　philosophy　was　unattainable。　　This　morning；　after

having　seen　the　Park；　the　fashionable　boulevard；　the　pictures；　the

cafeshaving　sipped；　I　say；　th