the complete writings-2-第34章

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er　image　of　the　saint；　half　life…size；　stands　upon　the　rich　marble　altar。　　This　valuable　statue　has　been；；　if　tradition　is　correct；　five　times　captured　and　carried　away　by　marauders；　who　have　at　different　times　sacked　Sorrento　of　its　marbles；　bronzes；　and　precious　things；　and　each　time；　by　some　mysterious　providence；　has　found　its　way　back　again；an　instance　of　constancy　in　a　solid　silver　image　which　is　worthy　of　commendation。　　The　little　chapel　is　hung　all　about　with　votive　offerings　in　wax　of　arms；　legs；　heads；　hands；　effigies；　and　with　coarse　lithographs；　in　frames；　of　storms　at　sea　and　perils　of　ships；　hung　up　by　sailors　who；　having　escaped　the　dangers　of　the　deep；　offer　these　tributes　to　their　dear　saint。　　The　skirts　of　the　image　are　worn　quite　smooth　with　kissing。　　Underneath　it；　at　the　back　of　the　altar；　an　oil　light　is　always　burning；　and　below　repose　the　bones　of　the　holy　man。


The　whole　shore　is　fascinating　to　one　in　an　idle　mood；　and　is　good　mousing…ground　for　the　antiquarian。　　For　myself；　I　am　content　with　one　generalization；　which　I　find　saves　a　world　of　bother　and　perplexity：　it　is　quite　safe　to　style　every　excavation；　cavern；　circular　wall；　or　arch　by　the　sea；　a　Roman　bath。　　It　is　the　final　resort　of　the　antiquarians。　　This　theory　has　kept　me　from　entering　the　discussion；　whether　the　substructions　in　the　cliff　under　the　Poggio　Syracuse；　a　royal　villa；　are　temples　of　the　Sirens；　or　caves　of　Ulysses。　　I　only　know　that　I　descend　to　the　sea　there　by　broad　interior　flights　of　steps；　which　lead　through　galleries　and　corridors；　and　high；　vaulted　passages；　whence　extend　apartments　and　caves　far　reaching　into　the　solid　rock。　　At　intervals　are　landings；　where　arched　windows　are　cut　out　to　the　sea；　with　stone　seats　and　protecting　walls。　　At　the　base　of　the　cliff　I　find　a　hewn　passage；　as　if　there　had　once　been　here　a　way　of　embarkation；　and　enormous　fragments　of　rocks；　with　steps　cut　in　them；　which　have　fallen　from　above。

Were　these　anything　more　than　royal　pleasure　galleries；　where　one　could　sit　in　coolness　in　the　heat　of　summer　and　look　on　the　bay　and　its　shipping；　in　the　days　when　the　great　Roman　fleet　used　to　lie　opposite；　above　the　point　of　Misenum？　　How　many　brave　and　gay　retinues　have　swept　down　these　broad　interior　stairways；　let　us　say　in　the　picturesque　Middle　Ages；　to　embark　on　voyages　of　pleasure　or　warlike　forays！　　The　steps　are　well　worn；　and　must　have　been　trodden　for　ages；　by　nobles　and　robbers；　peasants　and　sailors；　priests　of　more　than　one　religion；　and　traders　of　many　seas；　who　have　gone；　and　left　no　record。　　The　sun　was　slanting　his　last　rays　into　the　corridors　as　I　musingly　looked　down　from　one　of　the　arched　openings；　quite　spellbound　by　the　strangeness　and　dead　silence　of　the　place；　broken　only　by　the　plash　of　waves　on　the　sandy　beach　below。　　I　had　found　my　way　down　through　a　wooden　door　half　ajar；　and　I　thought　of　the　possibility　of　some　one's　shutting　it　for　the　night；　and　leaving　me　a　prisoner　to　await　the　spectres　which　I　have　no　doubt　throng　here　when　it　grows　dark。　　Hastening　up　out　of　these　chambers　of　the　past；　I　escaped　into　the　upper　air；　and　walked　rapidly　home　through　the　narrow　orange　lanes。




ON　TOP　OF　THE　HOUSE

The　tiptop　of　the　Villa　Nardi　is　a　flat　roof；　with　a　wall　about　it　three　feet　high；　and　some　little　turreted　affairs；　that　look　very　much　like　chimneys。　　Joseph；　the　gray…haired　servitor；　has　brought　my　chair　and　table　up　here　to…day；　and　here　I　am；　established　to　write。

I　am　here　above　most　earthly　annoyances；　and　on　a　level　with　the　heavenly　influences。　　It　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　the　higher　one　gets；　the　easier　it　must　be　to　write；　and　that；　especially　at　a　great　elevation；　one　could　strike　into　lofty　themes；　and　launch　out；　without　fear　of　shipwreck　on　any　of　the　earthly　headlands；　in　his　aerial　voyages。　　Yet；　after　all；　he　would　be　likely　to　arrive　nowhere；　I　suspect；　or；　to　change　the　figure；　to　find　that；　in　parting　with　the　taste　of　the　earth；　he　had　produced　a　flavorless　composition。　　If　it　were　not　for　the　haze　in　the　horizon　to…day；　I　could　distinguish　the　very　house　in　Naplesthat　of　Manso；　Marquis　of　Villa；where　Tasso　found　a　home；　and　where　John　Milton　was　entertained　at　a　later　day　by　that　hospitable　nobleman。　　I　wonder；　if　he　had　come　to　the　Villa　Nardi　and　written　on　the　roof；　if　the　theological　features　of　his　epic　would　have　been　softened；　and　if　he　would　not　have　received　new　suggestions　for　the　adornment　of　the　garden。　　Of　course；　it　is　well　that　his　immortal　production　was　not　composed　on　this　roof；　and　in　sight　of　these　seductive　shores；　or　it　would　have　been　more　strongly　flavored　with　classic　mythology　than　it　is。　　But；　letting　Milton　go；　it　may　be　necessary　to　say　that　my　writing　to…day　has　nothing　to　do　with　my　theory　of　composition　in　an　elevated　position；　for　this　is　the　laziest　place　that　I　have　yet　found。

I　am　above　the　highest　olive…trees；　and；　if　I　turned　that　way；　should　look　over　the　tops　of　what　seems　a　vast　grove　of　them；　out　of　which　a　white　roof；　and　an　old　time…eaten　tower　here　and　there；　appears；　and　the　sun　is　flooding　them　with　waves　of　light；　which　I　think　a　person　delicately　enough　organized　could　hear　beat。　　Beyond　the　brown　roofs　of　the　town；　the　terraced　hills　arise；　in　semicircular　embrace　of　the　plain；　and　the　fine　veil　over　them　is　partly　the　natural　shimmer　of　the　heat；　and　partly　the　silver　duskiness　of　the　olive…leaves。　　I　sit　with　my　back　to　all　this；　taking　the　entire　force　of　this　winter　sun；　which　is　full　of　life　and　genial　heat；　and　does　not　scorch　one；　as　I　remember　such　a　full　flood　of　it　would　at　home。　　It　is　putting　sweetness；　too；　into　the　oranges；　which；　I　observe；　are　getting　redder　and　softer　day　by　day。　　We　have　here；　by　the　way；　such　a　habit　of　taking　up　an　orange；　weighing　it　in　the　hand；　and　guessing　if　it　is　ripe；　that　the　test　is　extending　to　other　things。　　I　saw　a　gentleman　this　morning；　at　breakfast；　weighing　an　egg　in　the　same　manner；　and　some　one　asked　him　if　it　was　ripe。

It　seems　to　me　that　the　Mediterranean　was　never　bluer　than　it　is　to…day。　　It　has　a　shade　or　two　the　advantage　of　the　sky：　though　I　like　the　sky　best；　after　all；　for　it　is　less　opaque；　and　offers　an　illimitable　opportunity　of　exploration。　　Perhaps　this　is　because　I　am　nearer　to　it。　　There　are　some　little　ruffles　of　air　on　the　sea；　which　I　do　not　feel　here；　making　broad　spots　of　shadow；　and　here　and　there　flecks　and　sparkles。　　But　the　schooners　sail　idly；　and　the　fishing…boats　that　have　put　out　from　the　marina　float　in　the　most　dreamy　manner。　　I　fear　that　the　fishermen　who　have　made　a　show　of　industry；　and　got　away　from　their　wives；　who　are　busily　weaving　nets　on　shore；　are　yielding　to　the　seductions　of　the　occasion）　and　making　a　day　of　it。　　And；　as　I　look　at　them；　I　find　myself　debating　which　I　would　rather　be；　a　fisherman　there　in　the　boat；　rocked　by　the　swell；　and　warmed　by　the　sun；　or　a　friar；　on　the　terrace　of　the　garden　on　the　summit　of　Deserto；　lying　perfectly　tranquil；　and　also　soaked　in　the　sun。　　There　is　one　other　person；　now　that　I　think　of　it；　who　may　be　having　a　good　time　to…day；　though　I　do　not　know　that　I　envy　him。　His　business　is　a　new　one　to　me；　and　is　an　occupation　that　one　would　not　care　to　recommend　to　a　friend　until　he　had　tried　it：　it　is　being　carried　about　in　a　basket。　　As　I　went　up　the　new　Massa　road　the　other　day；　I　met　a　ragged；　stout；　and　rather　dirty　woman；　with　a　large　shallow　basket　on　her　head。　　In　it　lay　her　husband；　a　large　man；　though　I　think　a　little　abbreviated　as　to　his　legs。　　The　woman　asked　alms。　　Talk　of　Diogenes　in　his　tub！　　How　must　the　world　look　to　a　man　in　a　basket；　riding　about　on　his　wife's　head？　　When　I　returned；　she　had　put　him　down　beside　the　road　in　the　sun；　and　almost　in　danger　of　the　passing　vehicles。　　I　suppose　that　the　affectionate　creature　thought　that；　if　he　got　a　new　injury　in　this　way；　his　value　in　the　beggar　market　would　be　increased。　　I　do　not　mean　to　do　this　exemplary　wife　any　injustice；　and　I　only　suggest　the　idea　in　this　land；　where　every　beggar　who　is　born　with　a　deformity　has　something　to　thank　the　Virgin　for。　　This　custom　of　carrying　your　husband　on　your　head　in　a　basket　has　something　to　recommend　it；　and　is　an　exhibition　of　faith　on　the　one　hand；　and　of　devotion　on　the　other；　that　is　seldom　met　with。　　Its　consideration　is　commended　to　my　countrywomen　at　home。　　It　is；　at　least；　a　new　commentary　on　the　apostolic　remark；　that　the　man　is　the　head　of　the　woman。　　It　is；　in　some　respects；　a　happy　division　of　labor　in　the　walk　of　life：　she　furnishes　the　locomotive　power；　and　he　the　directing　brains；　as　he　lies　in　the　sun　and　looks　abroad；　which　reminds　me　that　the　sun　is　getting　hot　on　my　back。　　The　little　bunch　of　bells　in　the　convent　tower　is　jangling　out　a　suggestion　of　worship；　or　of　the　departure　of　the　hours。　　It　is　time　to　eat　an　orange。

Vesuvius　appears　to　be　about　on　a　level　with　my　eyes　and　I　never　knew　him　to　do　himself　more　credit　than　to…day。　　The　whole　coast　of　the　bay　is　in　a　sort　of　obscuration；　thicker　than　an　Indian　summer　haze；　and　the　veil　extends　almost　to　the　top　of　Vesuvius。　　But　his　summit　is　still　distinct；　and　out　of　it　rises　a　gigantic　billowy　column　of　white　smoke；　greater　in　quantity　than　on　any　previous　day　of　our　sojourn；　and　the　sun　turns　it　to　silver。　　Above　a　long　line　of　ordinary　looking　clouds；　float　great　white　masses；　formed　of　the　sulphurous　vapor。　　This　manufacture　of　clouds　in　a　clear；　sunny　day　has　an　odd　appearance；　but　it　is　easy　enough；　if　one　has　such　a　laboratory　as　Vesuvius。　　How　it　tumbles　up　the　white　smoke！　　It　is　piled　up　now；　I　should　say；　a　thousand　feet　above　the　crater；　straight　into　the　blue　sky；a　pillar　of　cloud　by　day。　　One　might　sit　here　all　day　watching　it；　listening　the　while　to　the　melodious　spring　singing　of　the　hundreds　of　birds　which　have　come　to　take　possession　of　the　garden；　receiving　southern　reinforcements　from　Sicily　and　Tunis　every　morning；　and　think　he　was　happy。　　But　the　morning　has　gone；　and　I　have　written　nothing。




THE　PRICE　OF　ORANGES

If　ever　a　northern　wanderer　could　be　suddenly　transported　to　look　down　upon　the　Piano　di　Sorrento；　he　would　not　doubt　that　he　saw　the　Garden　of　the　Hesperides。　　The　orange…trees　cannot　well　be　fuller：　their　branches　bend　with　the　weight　of　fruit。　　With　the　almond…trees　in　full　flower；　and　with　the　silver　sheen　of　the　olive　leaves；　the　oranges　are　apples　of　gold　in　pictures　of　silver。　　As　I　walk　in　these　sunken　roads；　and　between　these　high　walls；　the　orange　boughs　everywhere　hang　over；　and　through　the　open　gates　of　villas　I　look　down　alleys　of　golden　glimmer；　roses　and　geraniums　by　the　walk；　and　the　fruit　above；gardens　of　enchantment；　with　never　a　dragon；　that　I　can　see；　to　guard　them。

All　the　highways　and　the　byways；　the　streets　and　lanes；　wherever　I　go；　from　the　sea　to　the　tops　of　the　hills；　are　strewn　with　orange…peel；　so　that　one；　looking　above　and　below；　comes　back　from　a　walk　with　a　golden　dazzle　in　his　eyes；a　sense　that　yellow　is　the　prevailing　color。　　Perhaps　the　kerchiefs　of　the　dark…skinned　girls　and　women；　which　take　that　tone；　help　the　impression。　　The　inhabitants　are　all　orange…eaters。　　The　high　walls　show　that　the　gardens　are　protected　with　great　care；　yet　the　fruit　seems　to　be　as　free　as　apples　are　in　a　remote　New　England　town　about