the twins of table mountain-第22章

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grave　and　wondering　on　the　part　of　the　child。　　But　the　lady　had　a
natural　feminine　desire　for　reciprocity；　particularly　in　the
presence　of　our　emotion…scorning　sex；　and　as　a　last　resource　she
emptied　the　small　silver　of　her　purse　into　the　lap　of　the　coy
maiden。　　It　was　a　declaration　of　love；　susceptible　of　translation
at　the　nearest　cake…shop。　　But　the　little　maid；　whose　dress　and
manner　certainly　did　not　betray　an　habitual　disregard　of　gifts　of
this　kind；　looked　at　the　coin　thoughtfully；　but　not　regretfully。
Some　innate　sense　of　duty；　equally　strong　with　that　of　being　polite
to　strangers；　filled　her　consciousness。　　With　the　utterly
unexpected　remark　that　her　father　'did　not　allow　her　to　take　money'；
the　queer　little　figure　moved　away；　leaving　the　two　Americans
covered　with　mortification。　　The　rare　American　child　who　could　have
done　this　would　have　done　it　with　an　attitude。　　This　little　German
bourgeoise　did　it　naturally。　　I　do　not　intend　to　rush　to　the
deduction　that　German　children　of　the　lower　classes　habitually
refuse　pecuniary　gratuities：　indeed；　I　remember　to　have　wickedly
suggested　to　my　companion；　that；　to　avoid　impoverishment　in　a
foreign　land；　she　should　not　repeat　the　story　nor　the　experiment。
But　I　simply　offer　it　as　a　fact；　and　to　an　American；　at　home　or
abroad；　a　novel　one。

I　owe　to　these　little　figures　another　experience　quite　as　strange。
It　was　at　the　close　of　a　dull　winter's　day；a　day　from　which　all
out…of…door　festivity　seemed　to　be　naturally　excluded：　there　was　a
baleful　promise　of　snow　in　the　air　and　a　dismal　reminiscence　of　it
under　foot；　when　suddenly；　in　striking　contrast　with　the　dreadful
bleakness　of　the　street；　a　half　dozen　children；　masked　and
bedizened　with　cheap　ribbons；　spangles；　and　embroidery；　flashed
across　my　Spion。　　I　was　quick　to　understand　the　phenomenon。　　It　was
the　Carnival　season。　　Only　the　night　before　I　had　been　to　the　great
opening　masquerade；a　famous　affair；　for　which　this　art…loving
city　is　noted；　and　to　which　strangers　are　drawn　from　all　parts　of
the　Continent。　　I　remember　to　have　wondered　if　the　pleasure…loving
German　in　America　had　not　broken　some　of　his　conventional　shackles
in　emigration；　for　certainly　I　had　found　the　Carnival　balls　of　the
〃Lieder　Kranz　Society〃　in　New　York；　although　decorous　and
fashionable　to　the　American　taste；　to　be　wild　dissipations　compared
with　the　practical　seriousness　of　this　native　performance；　and　I
hailed　the　presence　of　these　children　in　the　open　street　as　a
promise　of　some　extravagance；　real；　untrammelled；　and　characteristic。
I　seized　my　hat　andOVERCOAT；a　dreadful　incongruity　to　the
spangles　that　had　whisked　by；　and　followed　the　vanishing　figures
round　the　corner。　　Here　they　were　re…enforced　by　a　dozen　men　and
women；　fantastically；　but　not　expensively　arrayed；　looking　not
unlike　the　supernumeraries　of　some　provincial　opera　troupe。
Following　the　crowd；　which　already　began　to　pour　in　from　the
side…streets；　in　a　few　moments　I　was　in　the　broad；　grove…like　allee；
and　in　the　midst　of　the　masqueraders。

I　remember　to　have　been　told　that　this　was　a　characteristic　annual
celebration　of　the　lower　classes；　anticipated　with　eagerness；　and
achieved　with　difficulty；　indeed；　often　only　through　the
alternative　of　pawning　clothing　and　furniture　to　provide　the　means
for　this　ephemeral　transformation。　　I　remember　being　warned；　also；
that　the　buffoonery　was　coarse；　and　some　of　the　slang　hardly　fit
for　〃ears　polite。〃　　But　I　am　afraid　that　I　was　not　shocked　at　the
prodigality　of　these　poor　people；　who　purchased　a　holiday　on　such
hard　conditions；　and；　as　to　the　coarseness　of　the　performance；　I
felt　that　I　certainly　might　go　where　these　children　could。

At　first　the　masquerading　figures　appeared　to　be　mainly　composed　of
young　girls　of　ages　varying　from　nine　to　eighteen。　　Their　costumes
if　what　was　often　only　the　addition　of　a　broad；　bright…colored
stripe　to　the　hem　of　a　short　dress　could　be　called　a　COSTUMEwere
plain；　and　seemed　to　indicate　no　particular　historical　epoch　or
character。　　A　general　suggestion　of　the　peasant's　holiday　attire
was　dominant　in　all　the　costumes。　　Everybody　was　closely　masked。
All　carried　a　short；　gayly…striped　baton　of　split　wood；　called　a
Pritsche；　which；　when　struck　sharply　on　the　back　or　shoulders　of
some　spectator　or　sister…masker；　emitted　a　clattering；　rasping
sound。　　To　wander　hand　in　hand　down　this　broad　allee；　to　strike
almost　mechanically；　and　often　monotonously；　at　each　other　with
their　batons；　seemed　to　be　the　extent　of　that　wild　dissipation。
The　crowd　thickened。　　Young　men　with　false　noses；　hideous　masks；
cheap　black　or　red　cotton　dominoes；　soldiers　in　uniform；　crowded
past　each　other；　up　and　down　the　promenade；　all　carrying　a
Pritsche；　and　exchanging　blows　with　each　other；　but　always　with　the
same　slow　seriousness　of　demeanor；　which；　with　their　silence；　gave
the　performance　the　effect　of　a　religious　rite。　　Occasionally　some
one　shouted：　perhaps　a　dozen　young　fellows　broke　out　in　song；　but
the　shout　was　provocative　of　nothing；　the　song　faltered　as　if　the
singers　were　frightened　at　their　own　voices。　　One　blithe　fellow；
with　a　bear's　head　on　his　fur…capped　shoulders；　began　to　dance；
but；　on　the　crowd　stopping　to　observe　him　seriously；　he　apparently
thought　better　of　it；　and　slipped　away。　　Nevertheless；　the　solemn
beating　of　Pritschen　over　each　other's　backs　went　on。　　I　remember
that　I　was　followed　the　whole　length　of　the　allee　by　a　little　girl
scarcely　twelve　years　old；　in　a　bright　striped　skirt　and　black
mask；　who　from　time　to　time　struck　me　over　the　shoulders　with　a
regularity　and　sad　persistency　that　was　peculiarly　irresistible　to
me；　the　more　so；　as　I　could　not　help　thinking　that　it　was　not　half
as　amusing　to　herself。　　Once　only　did　the　ordinary　brusque
gallantry　of　the　Carnival　spirit　show　itself。　　A　man　with　an
enormous　pair　of　horns；　like　a　half…civilized　satyr；　suddenly
seized　a　young　girl　and　endeavored　to　kiss　her。　　A　slight　struggle
ensued；　in　which　I　fancied　I　detected　in　the　girl's　face　and　manner
the　confusion　and　embarrassment　of　one　who　was　obliged　to　overlook；
or　seem　to　accept；　a　familiarity　that　was　distasteful；　rather　than
be　laughed　at　for　prudishness　or　ignorance。　　But　the　incident　was
exceptional。　　Indeed；　it　was　particularly　notable　to　my　American
eyes　to　find　such　decorum　where　there　might　easily　have　been　the
greatest　license。　　I　am　afraid　that　an　American　mob　of　this　class
would　have　scarcely　been　as　orderly　and　civil　under　the
circumstances。　　They　might　have　shown　more　humor；　but　there　would
have　probably　been　more　effrontery：　they　might　have　been　more
exuberant；　they　would　certainly　have　been　drunker。　　I　did　not
notice　a　single　masquerader　unduly　excited　by　liquor：　there　was　not
a　word　or　motion　from　the　lighter　sex　that　could　have　been
construed　into　an　impropriety。　　There　was　something　almost　pathetic
to　me　in　this　attempt　to　wrest　gayety　and　excitement　out　of　these
dull　materials；　to　fight　against　the　blackness　of　that　wintry　sky；
and　the　stubborn　hardness　of　the　frozen　soil；　with　these　painted
sticks　of　wood；　to　mock　the　dreariness　of　their　poverty　with　these
flaunting　raiments。　　It　did　not　seem　like　them；　or　rather；
consistent　with　my　idea　of　them。　　There　was　incongruity　deeper　than
their　bizarre　externals；　a　half…melancholy；　half…crazy　absurdity　in
their　action；　the　substitution　of　a　grim　spasmodic　frenzy　for
levity；　that　rightly　or　wrongly　impressed　me。　　When　the　increasing
gloom　of　the　evening　made　their　figures　undistinguishable；　I　turned
into　the　first　cross…street。　　As　I　lifted　my　hat　to　my　persistent
young　friend　with　the　Pritsche；　I　fancied　she　looked　as　relieved　as
myself。　　If；　however；　I　was　mistaken；　if　that　child's　pathway
through　life　be　strewn　with　rosy　recollections　of　the　unresisting
back　of　the　stranger　American；　if　any　burden；　O　Gretchen！　laid　upon
thy　young　shoulders；　be　lighter　for　the　trifling　one　thou　didst　lay
upon　mine；know；　then；　that　I；　too；　am　content。

And　so；　day　by　day；　has　my　Spion　reflected　the　various　changing
forms　of　life　before　it。　　It　has　seen　the　first　flush　of　spring　in
the　broad　allee；　when　the　shadows　of　tiny　leaflets　overhead　were
beginning　to　checker　the　cool；　square　flagstones。　　It　has　seen　the
glare　and　fulness　of　summer　sunshine　and　shadow；　the　flying　of
November　gold　through　the　air；　the　gaunt　limbs；　and　stark；　rigid；
death…like　whiteness　of　winter。　　It　has　seen　children　in　their
queer；　wicker　baby…carriages；　old　men　and　women；　and　occasionally
that　grim　usher　of　death；　in　sable　cloak　and　cocked　hat；a　baleful
figure　for　the　wandering　invalid　tourist　to　meet；who　acts　as
undertaker　for　this　ducal　city；　and　marshals　the　last　melancholy
procession。　　I　well　remember　my　first　meeting　with　this　ominous
functionary。　　It　was　an　early　autumnal　morning；　so　early；　that　the
long　formal　perspective　of　the　allee；　and　the　decorous；　smooth
vanishing…lines　of　cream…and…gray　fronted　houses；　were　unrelieved
by　a　single　human　figure。　　Suddenly　a　tall　black　spectre；　as
theatrical　and　as　unreal　as　the　painted　scenic　distance；　turned　the
corner　from　a　cross…street；　and　moved　slowly　towards　me。　　A　long
black　cloak；　falling　from　its　shoulders　to　its　feet；　floated　out　on
either　side　like　sable　wings；　a　cocked　hat　trimmed　with　crape；　and
surmounted　by　a　hearse…like　feather；　covered　a　passionless　face；
and　its　eyes；　looking　neither　left　nor　right；　were　fixed　fatefully
upon　some　distant　goal。　　Stranger　as　I　was　to　this　Continental
ceremonial　figure；　there　was　no　mistaking　his　functions　as　the　grim
messenger；　knocking　〃with　equal　foot〃　on　every　door；　and；　indeed；
so　perfectly　did　he　act　and　look　his　role；　that　there　was　nothing
ludicrous　in　the　extraordinary　spectacle。　　Facial　expression　and
dignity　of　bearing　were　perfect；　the　whole　man　seemed　saturated
with　the　accepted　sentiment　of　his　office。　　Recalling　the　half…
confused　and　half…conscious　ostentatious　hypocrisy　of　the　American
sexton；　the　shameless　absurdities　of　the　English　mutes　and
mourners；　I　could　not　help　feeling；　that；　if　it　were　demanded　that
Grief　and　Fate　should　be　personified；　it　were　better　that　it　should
be　well　done。　　And　it　is　one　observation　of　my　Spion；　that　this
sincerity　and　belief　is　the　characteristic　of　all　Continental
functionaries。

It　is　possible　that　my　Spion　has　shown　me　little　that　is　really
characteristic　of　the　people；　and　the　few　observations　I　have　made
I　offer　only　as　an　illustration　of　the　impressions　made　upon　two…
thirds　of　American　strangers　in　the　larger　towns　of　Germany。
Assimilation　goes　on　more　rapidly　than　we　are　led　to　imagine。　　As　I
have　seen　my　friend　Karl；　fresh　and　awkward　in　his　first　uniform；
lounging　later　down　the　allee　with　the　blase　listlessness　of　a
full…blown　militaire；　so　I　have　seen　American　and　English　residents
gradually　lose　their　peculiarities；　and　melt　and　merge　into　the
general　mass。　　Returning　to　my　Spion　after　a　flying　trip　through
Belgium　and　France；　as　I　look　down　the　long　perspective　of　the
Strasse；　I　am　conscious　of　recalling　the　same　style　of　architecture
and　humanity　at　Aachen；　Brussels；　Lille；　and　Paris；　and　am　inclined
to　believe　that；　even　as　I　would　have　met；　in　a　journey　of　the　same
distance　through