letters from high latitudes-第7章

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　I　give　you　anything　like　a　connected　account　of　what　passed；　you　must　thank　Sigurdr's　more　solid　temperament；　for　the　Doctor　looked　quite　foolish　when　I　asked　himtried　to　feel　my　pulsecould　not　find　itand　then　wrote　the　following　prescription；　which　I　believe　to　be　nothing　more　than　an　invoice　of　the　number　of　bottles　he　himself　disposed　of。

＇Footnote：　Copy　of　Dr。　F。's　prescription　：　　　　vin：　claret：　　　　iii　btls。　　　　vin：　champ：　　　　　iv　btls。　　　　vin：　sherr：　　　　　1/2　btl。　　　　vin：　Rheni：　　　　　ii　btls。　　　　aqua　vitae　　　　　　viii　gls。　　　　trigint：　poc：　aegrot：　cap：　quotid：　　　　　　　　　C。　E。　F。　Reik：　die　Martis；　Junii　27。＇

I　gather；　then；　from　evidenceinternal　and　otherwise　that　the　dinner　was　excellent；　and　that　we　were　helped　in　Benjamite　proportions；　but　as　before　the　soup　was　finished　I　was　already　hard　at　work　hob…nobbing　with　my　two　neighbours；　it　is　not　to　be　expected　I　should　remember　the　bill　of　fare。

With　the　peculiar　manners　used　in　Scandinavian　skoal…　drinking　I　was　already　well　acquainted。　In　the　nice　conduct　of　a　wine…glass　I　knew　that　I　excelled；　and　having　an　hereditary　horror　of　heel…taps；　I　prepared　with　a　firm　heart　to　respond　to　the　friendly　provocations　of　my　host。　I　only　wish　you　could　have　seen　how　his　kind　face　beamed　with　approval　when　I　chinked　my　first　bumper　against　his；　and　having　emptied　it　at　a　draught；　turned　it　towards　him　bottom　upwards；　with　the　orthodox　twist。　Soon；　however；　things　began　to　look　more　serious　even　than　I　had　expected。　I　knew　well　that　to　refuse　a　toast；　or　to　half　empty　your　glass；　was　considered　churlish。　I　had　come　determined　to　accept　my　host's　hospitality　as　cordially　as　it　was　offered。　I　was　willing；　at　a　pinch；　to　payer　de　ma　personne；　should　he　not　be　content　with　seeing　me　at　his　table；　I　was　ready；　if　need　were；　to　remain　UNDER　it！　but　at　the　rate　we　were　then　going　it　seemed　probable　this　consummation　would　take　place　before　the　second　course：　so；　after　having　exchanged　a　dozen　rounds　of　sherry　and　champagne　with　my　two　neighbours；　I　pretended　not　to　observe　that　my　glass　had　been　refilled；　and；　like　the　sea…captain；　who；　slipping　from　between　his　two　opponents；　left　them　to　blaze　away　at　each　other　the　long　night　through；withdrew　from　the　combat。　But　it　would　not　do；　with　untasted　bumpers；　and　dejected　faces；　they　politely　waited　until　I　should　give　the　signal　for　a　renewal　of　HOSTilities；　as　they　well　deserved　to　be　called。　　Then　there　came　over　me　a　horrid；　wicked　feeling。　What　if　I　should　endeavour　to　floor　the　Governor；　and　so　literally　turn　the　tables　on　him！　It　is　true　I　had　lived　for　five…and…twenty　years　without　touching　wine；but　was　not　I　my　great…grandfather's　great…grandson；　and　an　Irish　peer　to　boot？　Were　there　not　traditions；　too；　on　the　other　side　of　the　house；　of　casks　of　claret　brought　up　into　the　dining…room；　the　door　locked；　and　the　key　thrown　out　of　the　window？　With　such　antecedents　to　sustain　me；　I　ought　to　be　able　to　hold　my　own　against　the　staunchest　toper　in　Iceland！　So；　with　a　devil　glittering　in　my　left　eye；　I　winked　defiance　right　and　left；　and　away　we　went　at　it　again　for　another　five…and…forty　minutes。　At　last　their　fire　slackened：　I　had　partially　quelled　both　the　Governor　and　the　Rector；　and　still　survived。　　It　is　true　I　did　not　feel　comfortable；　but　it　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of　my　waistcoat；　not　my　head；　I　suffered。　〃I　am　not　well；　but　I　will　not　out；〃　I　soliloquized；　with　Lepidus　＇footnote：　Antony　and　Cleopatra。＇　（Greek）　〃Sos　moi　ro　prepov；〃　I　would　have　added；　had　I　dared。　　Still　the　neck　of　the　banquet　was　brokenFitzgerald's　chair　was　not　yet　empty；could　we　hold　out　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour　longer；　our　reputation　was　established；　guess　then　my　horror；　when　the　Icelandic　Doctor；　shouting　his　favourite　dogma；　by　way　of　battle　cry；　〃Si　trigintis　guttis；　morbum　curare　velis；　erras；〃　gave　the　signal　for　an　unexpected　onslaught；　and　the　twenty　guests　poured　down　on　me　in　succession。　I　really　thought　I　should　have　run　away　from　the　house；　but　the　true　family　blood；　I　suppose；　began　to　show　itself；　and　with　a　calmness　almost　frightful；　I　received　them　one　by　one。

After　this　began　the　public　toasts。

Although　up　to　this　time　I　had　kept　a　certain　portion　of　my　wits　about　me；　the　subsequent　hours　of　the　entertainment　became　henceforth　developed　in　a　dreamy　mystery。　I　can　perfectly　recall　the　look　of　the　sheaf　of　glasses　that　stood　before　me；　six　in　number；　I　could　draw　the　pattern　of　each　remember　feeling　a　lazy　wonder　they　should　always　be　full；　though　I　did　nothing　but　empty　them；and　at　last　solved　the　phenomenon　by　concluding　I　had　become　a　kind　of　Danaid；　whose　punishment；　not　whose　sentence；　had　been　reversed：　then　suddenly　I　felt　as　if　I　were　disembodied；a　distant　spectator　of　my　own　performances；　and　of　the　feast　at　which　my　person　remained　seated。　The　voices　of　my　host；　of　the　〃Rector；　of　the　Chief　Justice；　became　thin　and　low；　as　though　they　reached　me　through　a　whispering　tube；　and　when　I　rose　to　speak；　it　was　as　to　an　audience　in　another　sphere；　and　in　a　language　of　another　state　of　being：　yet；　however　unintelligible　to　myself；　I　must　have　been　in　some　sort　understood；　for　at　the　end　of　each　sentence；　cheers；　faint　as　the　roar　of　waters　on　a　far…off　strand；　floated　towards　me；　and　if　I　am　to　believe　a　report　of　the　proceedings　subsequently　shown　us；　I　must　have　become　polyglot　in　my　cups。　According　to　that　report　it　seems　the　Governor　threw　off　（I　wonder　he　did　not　do　something　else）；　with　the　Queen's　health　in　French：　to　which　I　responded　in　the　same　language。　Then　the　Rector；　in　English；　proposed　my　health；　under　the　circumstances　a　cruel　mockery；but　to　which；　ill　as　I　was；　I　responded　very　gallantly　by　drinking　to　the　beaux　yeux　of　the　Countess。　Then　somebody　else　drank　success　to　Great　Britain；　and　I　see　it　was　followed　by　really　a　very　learned　discourse　by　Lord　D。；　in　honour　of　the　ancient　Icelanders；　during　which　he　alluded　to　their　discovery　of　America；　and　Columbus'　visit。　Then　came　a　couple　of　speeches　in　Icelandic；　after　which　the　Bishop；　in　a　magnificent　Latin　oration　of　some　twenty　minutes；　a　second　time　proposes　my　health；　to　which；　utterly　at　my　wits'　end；　I　had　the　audacity　to　reply　in　the　same　language。　As　it　is　fit　so　great　an　effort　of　oratory　should　not　perish；　I　send　you　some　of　its　choicest　specimens：

〃Viri　illustres；〃　I　began；　〃insolitus　ut　sum　ad　publicum　loquendum；　ego　propero　respondere　ad　complimentum　quod　recte　reverendus　prelaticus　mihi　fecit；　in　proponendo　meam　salutem：　et　supplico　vos　credere　quod　multum　gratificatus　et　flattificatus　sum　honore　tam　distincto。

〃Bibere；　viri　illustres；　res　est；　quae　in　omnibus　terris；　'domum　venit　ad　hominum　negotia　et　pectora：'

＇Footnote：　As　the　happiness　of　these　quotations　seemed　to　produce　a　very　pleasing　effect　on　my　auditors；　I　subjoin　a　translation　of　them　for　the　benefit　of　the　unlearned：

1。　〃Comes　home　to　men's　business　and　bosoms。〃　　　　　Paterfamilias；　Times。

2。　〃A　long　pull；　a　strong　pull；　and　a　pull　all　　　　　together。〃Nelson　at　the　Nile。

3。　〃One　touch　of　nature　makes　the　whole　world　kin。〃　　　　　Jeremy　Bentham。

4。　Apothegm　by　the　late　Lord　Mountcoffeehouse。

5。　〃Love　rules　the　court；　the　camp；　the　grove。〃　　　　Venerable　Bede。＇

（1）　requirit　'haustum　longum；　haustum　fortem；　et　haustum　omnes　simul：'　（2）　ut　canit　Poeta；　'unum　tactum　Naturae　totum　orben　facit　consanguineum；'　（3）　et　hominis　Natura　estbibere　（4）。

〃Viri　illustres；　alterum　est　sentimentum　equaliter　universale：　　terra　communis　super　quam　septentrionales　et　meridionales；　eadem　enthusiasma　convenire　possunt：　est　necesse　quod　id　nominarem？　Ad　pulchrum　sexum　devotio！

〃Amor　regit　palatium；　castra；　lucum：　（5）　Dubito　sub　quo　capite　vestram　jucundam　civitatem　numerare　debeam。　Palatium？　non　Regem！　Castra？　non　milites！　lucum？　non　ullam　arborem　habetis！　Tamen　Cupido　vos　dominat　haud　aliter　quam　alios；et　virginum　Islandarum　pulchritudo；　per　omnes　regiones　cognita　est。

〃Bibamus　salutem　earum；　et　confusionem　ad　omnes　bacularios：　speramus　quod　eae　carae　et　benedictae　creaturae　invenient　tot　maritos　quot　velint；quod　geminos　quottanis　habeant；　et　quod　earum　filiae；　maternum　exemplum　sequentes；　gentem　Islandicam　perpetuent　in　saecula　saeculorum。〃

The　last　words　mechanically　rolled　out；　in　the　same　〃ore　rotundo〃　with　which　the　poor　old　Dean　of　Christchurch　used　to　finish　his　Gloria；　etc。　in　the　Cathedral。

Then　followed　more　speeches；a　great　chinking　of　glasses；　a　Babel　of　conversation；a　kind　of　dance　round　the　table；　where　we　successively　gave　each　alternate　hand；　as　in　the　last　figure　of　the　Lancers；a　hearty　embrace　from　the　Governor；and　finally；silence；　daylight；　and　fresh　air；　as　we　stumbled　forth　into　the　street。

Now　what　was　to　be　done？　To　go　to　bed　was　impossible。　It　was　eleven　o'clock　by　our　watches；　and　as　bright　as　noon。　　Fitz　said　it　was　twenty…two　o'clock；　but　by　this　time　he　had　reached　that　point　of　enlargement　of　the　mind；　and　development　of　the　visual　organs；　which　is　expressed　by　the　term　〃seeing　double；〃though　he　now　pretends　he　was　only　reckoning　time　in　the　Venetian　manner。　We　were　in　the　position　of　three　fast　young　men　about　Reykjavik；　determined　to　make　a　night　of　it；　but　without　the　wherewithal。　　There　were　neither　knockers　to　steal；　nor　watchmen　to　bonnet。　　At　last　we　remembered　that　the　apothecary's　wife　had　a　conversazione；　to　which　she　had　kindly　invited　us；　and　accordingly；　off　we　went　to　her　house。　Here　we　found　a　number　of　French　officers；　a　piano；　and　a　young　lady；　in　consequence　of　which　the　drum　soon　became　a　ball。　Finally；　it　was　proposed　we　should　dance　a　reel；　the　second　lieutenant　of　the　〃Artemise〃　had　once　seen　one　when　his　ship　was　riding　out　a　gale　in　the　Clyde；the　little　lady　had　frequently　studied　a　picture　of　the　Highland　fling　on　the　outside　of　a　copy　of　Scotch　music；I　could　dance　a　jigthe　set　was　complete；　all　we　wanted　was　the　music。　Luckily　the　lady　of　the　house　knew　the　song　of　〃Annie　Laurie；〃played　fast　it　made　an　excellent　reel　tune。　As　you　may　suppose；　all　succeeded　admirably；　we　nearly　died　of　laughing；　and　I　only　wish　Lord　Breadalbane　had　been　by　to　see。

At　one　in　the　morning；　our　danseuse　retiring　to　rest；　the　ball　necessarily　terminated；　but　the　Governor's　dinner　still　forbidding　bed；　we　determined　on　a　sail　in　the　cutter　to　some　islands　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　out　to　sea；　and　I　do　not　think　I　shall　ever　forget　the　delicious　sensation　of　lying　down　lazily　in　the　stern…sheets；　and　listening　to　the　rippling　of　the　water　against　the　bows　of　the　boat；　as　she　glided　away　towards　them。　The　dreamy；　misty　landscape；each　headland　silently　sleeping　in　the　unearthly　light；Snoefell；　from　whose　far…off　peaks　the　midnight　sun；　though　lost　to　us；　had　never　faded；the　Plutonic　crags　that　stood　around；　so　gaunt　and　weird；the　quaint　fresh　life　I　had　been　lately　leading；all　combined　to　promise　such　an　existence　of　novelty　and　excitement　in　that　strange　Arctic　region　on　the　threshold　of　which　we　were　now　pausing；　that　I　could　not　sufficiently　congratulate　myself　on　our　good　fortune。　Soon；　however；　the　grating　of　our　keel　upon　the　strand　disturbed　my　reflections；　and　by　the　time　I　had　unaccountably　stepped　up　to　my　knees　in　the　water；　I　was　thoroughly　awake；　and　in　a　condition　to　explore　the　island。　It　seemed　to　be　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　long；　not　very