the twins of table mountain-第21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！


Fraulein　Marie；　his　sister；　pink　as　Aurora；　round　as　Hebe；　suddenly
veil　her　blue　eyes　with　a　golden　lorgnette　in　the　midst　of　our
polyglot　conversation？　　Is　it　to　evade　the　direct；　admiring　glance
of　the　impulsive　American？　　Dare　I　say　NO？　　Dare　I　say　that　that
frank；　clear；　honest；　earnest　return　of　the　eye；　which　has　on　the
Continent　most　unfairly　brought　my　fair　countrywomen　under
criticism；　is　quite　as　common　to　her　more　carefully…guarded；
tradition…hedged　German　sisters？　　No；　it　is　not　that。　　Is　it　any
thing　in　these　emerald　and　opal　tinted　skies；　which　seem　so　unreal
to　the　American　eye；　and　for　the　first　time　explain　what　seemed　the
unreality　of　German　art？　in　these　mysterious　yet　restful　Rhine
fogs；　which　prolong　the　twilight；　and　hang　the　curtain　of　romance
even　over　mid…day？　　Surely　not。　　Is　it　not　rather；　O　Herr　Professor
profound　in　analogy　and　philosophy！is　it　not　rather　this
abominable　black…letter；　this　elsewhere…discarded；　uncouth；　slowly…
decaying　text　known　as　the　German　Alphabet；　that　plucks　out　the
bright　eyes　of　youth；　and　bristles　the　gateways　of　your　language
with　a　chevaux　de　frise　of　splintered　rubbish？　　Why　must　I　hesitate
whether　it　is　an　accident　of　the　printer's　press；　or　the　poor
quality　of　the　paper；　that　makes　this　letter　a　〃k〃　or　a　〃t〃？　　Why
must　I　halt　in　an　emotion　or　a　thought　because　〃s〃　and　〃f〃　are　so
nearly　alike？　　Is　it　not　enough　that　I；　an　impulsive　American；
accustomed　to　do　a　thing　first；　and　reflect　upon　it　afterwards；
must　grope　my　way　through　a　blind　alley　of　substantives　and
adjectives；　only　to　find　the　verb　of　action　in　an　obscure　corner；
without　ruining　my　eyesight　in　the　groping？

But　I　dismiss　these　abstract　reflections　for　a　fresh　and　active
resentment。　　This　is　the　fifth　or　sixth　dog　that　has　passed　my
Spion；　harnessed　to　a　small　barrow…like　cart；　and　tugging　painfully
at　a　burden　so　ludicrously　disproportionate　to　his　size；　that　it
would　seem　a　burlesque；　but　for　the　poor　dog's　sad　sincerity。
Perhaps　it　is　because　I　have　the　barbarian's　fondness　for　dogs；　and
for　their　lawless；　gentle；　loving　uselessness；　that　I　rebel　against
this　unnatural　servitude。　　It　seems　as　monstrous　as　if　a　child　were
put　between　the　shafts；　and　made　to　carry　burdens；　and　I　have　come
to　regard　those　men　and　women；　who　in　the　weakest　perfunctory　way
affect　to　aid　the　poor　brute　by　laying　idle　hands　on　the　barrow
behind；　as　I　would　unnatural　parents。　　Pegasus　harnessed　to　the
Thracian　herdsman's　plough　was　no　more　of　a　desecration。　　I　fancy
the　poor　dog　seems　to　feel　the　monstrosity　of　the　performance；　and；
in　sheer　shame　for　his　master；　forgivingly　tries　to　assume　it　is
PLAY；　and　I　have　seen　a　little　〃colley〃　running　along；　barking；　and
endeavoring　to　leap　and　gambol　in　the　shafts；　before　a　load　that
any　one　out　of　this　locality　would　have　thought　the　direst　cruelty。
Nor　do　the　older　or　more　powerful　dogs　seem　to　become　accustomed　to
it。　　When　his　cruel　taskmaster　halts　with　his　wares；　instantly　the
dog；　either　by　sitting　down　in　his　harness；　or　crawling　over　the
shafts；　or　by　some　unmistakable　dog…like　trick；　utterly　scatters
any　such　delusion　of　even　the　habit　of　servitude。　　The　few　of　his
race　who　do　not　work　in　this　ducal　city　seem　to　have　lost　their
democratic　canine　sympathies；　and　look　upon　him　with　something　of
that　indifferent　calm　with　which　yonder　officer　eyes　the　road…
mender　in　the　ditch　below　him。　　He　loses　even　the　characteristics
of　species。　　The　common　cur　and　mastiff　look　alike　in　harness。　　The
burden　levels　all　distinctions。　　I　have　said　that　he　was　generally
sincere　in　his　efforts。　　I　recall　but　one　instance　to　the　contrary。
I　remember　a　young　colley　who　first　attracted　my　attention　by　his
persistent　barking。　　Whether　he　did　this；　as　the　plough…boy
whistled；　〃for　want　of　thought；〃　or　whether　it　was　a　running
protest　against　his　occupation；　I　could　not　determine；　until　one
day　I　noticed；　that；　in　barking；　he　slightly　threw　up　his　neck　and
shoulders；　and　that　the　two…wheeled　barrow…like　vehicle　behind　him；
having　its　weight　evenly　poised　on　the　wheels　by　the　trucks　in　the
hands　of　its　driver；　enabled　him　by　this　movement　to　cunningly
throw　the　center　of　gravity　and　the　greater　weight　on　the　man；a
fact　which　that　less　sagacious　brute　never　discerned。　　Perhaps　I　am
using　a　strong　expression　regarding　his　driver。　　It　may　be　that　the
purely　animal　wants　of　the　dog；　in　the　way　of　food；　care；　and
shelter；　are　more　bountifully　supplied　in　servitude　than　in
freedom；　becoming　a　valuable　and　useful　property；　he　may　be　cared
for　and　protected　as　such　（an　odd　recollection　that　this　argument
had　been　used　forcibly　in　regard　to　human　slavery　in　my　own　country
strikes　me　here）；　but　his　picturesqueness　and　poetry　are　gone；　and
I　cannot　help　thinking　that　the　people　who　have　lost　this　gentle；
sympathetic；　characteristic　figure　from　their　domestic　life　and
surroundings　have　not　acquired　an　equal　gain　through　his　harsh
labors。

To　the　American　eye　there　is；　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of
this　foreign　city；　no　more　notable　and　striking　object　than　the
average　German　house…servant。　　It　is　not　that　she　has　passed　my
Spion　a　dozen　times　within　the　last　hour；for　here　she　is
messenger；　porter；　and　commissionnaire；　as　well　as　housemaid　and
cook；but　that　she　is　always　a　phenomenon　to　the　American
stranger；　accustomed　to　be　abused　in　his　own　country　by　his　foreign
Irish　handmaiden。　　Her　presence　is　as　refreshing　and　grateful　as
the　morning　light；　and　as　inevitable　and　regular。　　When　I　add　that
with　the　novelty　of　being　well　served　is　combined　the　satisfaction
of　knowing　that　you　have　in　your　household　an　intelligent　being　who
reads　and　writes　with　fluency；　and　yet　does　not　abstract　your
books；　nor　criticise　your　literary　composition；　who　is　cleanly
clad；　and　neat　in　her　person；　without　the　suspicion　of　having
borrowed　her　mistress's　dresses；　who　may　be　good…looking　without
the　least　imputation　of　coquetry　or　addition　to　her　followers；　who
is　obedient　without　servility；　polite　without　flattery；　willing　and
replete　with　supererogatory　performance；　without　the　expectation　of
immediate　pecuniary　return；　what　wonder　that　the　American
householder　translated　into　German　life　feels　himself　in　a　new　Eden
of　domestic　possibilities　unrealized　in　any　other　country；　and
begins　to　believe　in　a　present　and　future　of　domestic　happiness！
What　wonder　that　the　American　bachelor　living　in　German　lodgings
feels　half　the　terrors　of　the　conjugal　future　removed；　and　rushes
madly　into　loveand　housekeeping！　　What　wonder　that　I；　a　long…
suffering　and　patient　master；　who　have　been　served　by　the　reticent
but　too　imitative　Chinaman；　who　have　been　〃Massa〃　to　the　childlike
but　untruthful　negro；　who　have　been　the　recipient　of　the　brotherly
but　uncertain　ministrations　of　the　South…Sea　Islander；　and　have
been　proudly　disregarded　by　the　American　aborigine；　only　in　due
time　to　meet　the　fate　of　my　countrymen　at　the　hands　of　Bridget　the
Celt；what　wonder　that　I　gladly　seize　this　opportunity　to　sing　the
praises　of　my　German　handmaid！　　Honor　to　thee；　Lenchen；　wherever
thou　goest！　　Heaven　bless　thee　in　thy　walks　abroad！　whether　with
that　tightly…booted　cavalryman　in　thy　Sunday　gown　and　best；　or　in
blue　polka…dotted　apron　and　bare　head　as　thou　trottest　nimbly　on
mine　errands；errands　which　Bridget　o'Flaherty　would　scorn　to
undertake；　or；　undertaking；　would　hopelessly　blunder　in。　　Heaven
bless　thee；　child；　in　thy　early　risings　and　in　thy　later　sittings；
at　thy　festive　board　overflowing　with　Essig　and　Fett；　in　the
mysteries　of　thy　Kuchen；　in　the　fulness　of　thy　Bier；　and　in　thy
nightly　suffocations　beneath　mountainous　and　multitudinous
feathers！　　Good；　honest；　simple…minded；　cheerful；　duty…loving
Lenchen！　　Have　not　thy　brothers；　strong　and　dutiful　as　thou；　lent
their　gravity　and　earnestness　to　sweeten　and　strengthen　the　fierce
youth　of　the　Republic　beyond　the　seas？　and　shall　not　thy　children
inherit　the　broad　prairies　that　still　wait　for　them；　and　discover
the　fatness　thereof；　and　send　a　portion　transmuted　in　glittering
shekels　back　to　thee？

Almost　as　notable　are　the　children　whose　round　faces　have　as
frequently　been　reflected　in　my　Spion。　　Whether　it　is　only　a　fancy
of　mine　that　the　average　German　retains　longer　than　any　other　race
his　childish　simplicity　and　unconsciousness；　or　whether　it　is
because　I　am　more　accustomed　to　the　extreme　self…assertion　and
early　maturity　of　American　children；　I　know　not；　but　I　am　inclined
to　believe　that　among　no　other　people　is　childhood　as　perennial；
and　to　be　studied　in　such　characteristic　and　quaint　and　simple
phases　as　here。　　The　picturesqueness　of　Spanish　and　Italian
childhood　has　a　faint　suspicion　of　the　pantomime　and　the　conscious
attitudinizing　of　the　Latin　races。　　German　children　are　not
exuberant　or　volatile：　they　are　serious；a　seriousness；　however；
not　to　be　confounded　with　the　grave　reflectiveness　of　age；　but　only
the　abstract　wonderment　of　childhood；　for　all　those　who　have　made　a
loving　study　of　the　young　human　animal　will；　I　think；　admit　that
its　dominant　expression　is　GRAVITY；　and　not　playfulness；　and　will
be　satisfied　that　he　erred　pitifully　who　first　ascribed　〃light…
heartedness〃　and　〃thoughtlessness〃　as　part　of　its　phenomena。　　These
little　creatures　I　meet　upon　the　street；whether　in　quaint　wooden
shoes　and　short　woollen　petticoats；　or　neatly　booted　and　furred；
with　school　knapsacks　jauntily　borne　upon　little　square　shoulders；
all　carry　likewise　in　their　round　chubby　faces　their　profound
wonderment　and　astonishment　at　the　big　busy　world　into　which　they
have　so　lately　strayed。　　If　I　stop　to　speak　with　this　little　maid
who　scarcely　reaches　to　the　top…boots　of　yonder　cavalry　officer；
there　is　less　of　bashful　self…consciousness　in　her　sweet　little
face　than　of　grave　wonder　at　the　foreign　accent　and　strange　ways　of
this　new　figure　obtruded　upon　her　limited　horizon。　　She　answers
honestly；　frankly；　prettily；　but　gravely。　　There　is　a　remote
possibility　that　I　might　bite；　and；　with　this　suspicion　plainly
indicated　in　her　round　blue　eyes；　she　quietly　slips　her　little　red
hand　from　mine；　and　moves　solemnly　away。　　I　remember　once　to　have
stopped　in　the　street　with　a　fair　countrywoman　of　mine　to
interrogate　a　little　figure　in　sabots；the　one　quaint　object　in
the　long；　formal　perspective　of　narrow；　gray　bastard…Italian
facaded　houses　of　a　Rhenish　German　Strasse。　　The　sweet　little
figure　wore　a　dark…blue　woollen　petticoat　that　came　to　its　knees；
gray　woollen　stockings　covered　the　shapely　little　limbs　below；　and
its　very　blonde　hair；　the　color　of　a　bright　dandelion；　was　tied　in
a　pathetic　little　knot　at　the　back　of　its　round　head；　and　garnished
with　an　absurd　green　ribbon。　　Now；　although　this　gentlewoman's
sympathies　were　catholic　and　universal；　unfortunately　their
expression　was　limited　to　her　own　mother…tongue。　　She　could　not
help　pouring　out　upon　the　child　the　maternal　love　that　was　in　her
own　womanly　breast；　nor　could　she　withhold　the　〃baby…talk〃　through
which　it　was　expressed。　　But；　alas！　it　was　in　English。　　Hence
ensued　a　colloquy；　tender　and　extravagant　on　the　part　of　the　elder；
grave　and　wondering　on　the　part　of　the　child。　　But　the　lady　had　a
natural　fe