the complete writings-2-第8章

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ll　the　neighborhood　resorts；　and　I　am　within　the　grounds　of　the　castle。　　I　scarcely　know　where　to　take　you；　for　I　never　know　where　to　go　myself；　and　seldom　do　go　where　I　intend　when　I　set　forth。　We　have　been　here　several　days；　and　I　have　not　yet　seen　the　Great　Tun；　nor　the　inside　of　the　show…rooms；　nor　scarcely　anything　that　is　set　down　as　a　〃sight。〃　I　do　not　know　whether　to　wander　on　through　the　extensive　grounds；　with　splendid　trees；　bits　of　old　ruin；　overgrown；　cozy　nooks；　and　seats　where；　through　the　foliage；　distant　prospects　open　into　quiet　retreats　that　lead　to　winding　walks　up　the　terraced　hill；　round　to　the　open　terrace　overlooking　the　Neckar；　and　giving　the　best　general　view　of　the　great　mass　of　ruins。　　If　we　do；　we　shall　be　likely　to　sit　in　some　delicious　place；　listening　to　the　band　playing　in　the　〃Restauration；〃　and　to　the　nightingales；　till　the　moon　comes　up。　　Or　shall　we　turn　into　the　garden　through　the　lovely　Arch　of　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　with　its　stone　columns　cut　to　resemble　tree…trunks　twined　with　ivy？　　Or　go　rather　through　the　great　archway；　and　under　the　teeth　of　the　portcullis；　into　the　irregular　quadrangle；　whose　buildings　mark　the　changing　style　and　fortune　of　successive　centuries；　from　1300　down　to　the　seventeenth　century？　　There　is　probably　no　richer　quadrangle　in　Europe：　there　is　certainly　no　other　ruin　so　vast；　so　impressive；　so　ornamented　with　carving；　except　the　Alhambra。　　And　from　here　we　pass　out　upon　the　broad　terrace　of　masonry；　with　a　splendid　flanking　octagon　tower；　its　base　hidden　in　trees；　a　rich　facade　for　a　background；　and　below　the　town　the　river；　and　beyond；the　plain　and　floods　of　golden　sunlight。　　What　shall　we　do？　　Sit　and　dream　in　the　Rent　Tower　under　the　lindens　that　grow　in　its　top？　　The　day　passes　while　one　is　deciding　how　to　spend　it；　and　the　sun　over　Heiligenberg　goes　down　on　his　purpose。




ALPINE　NOTES

ENTERING　SWITZERLAND　BERNE　ITS　BEAUTIES　AND　BEARS

If　you　come　to　Bale；　you　should　take　rooms　on　the　river；　or　stand　on　the　bridge　at　evening；　and　have　a　sunset　of　gold　and　crimson　streaming　down　upon　the　wide　and　strong　Rhine；　where　it　rushes　between　the　houses　built　plumb　up　to　it；　or　you　will　not　care　much　for　the　city。　　And　yet　it　is　pleasant　on　the　high　ground；　where　are　some　stately　buildings；　and　where　new　gardens　are　laid　out；　and　where　the　American　consul　on　the　Fourth　of　July　flies　our　flag　over　the　balcony　of　a　little　cottage　smothered　in　vines　and　gay　with　flowers。　I　had　the　honor　of　saluting　it　that　day；　though　I　did　not　know　at　the　time　that　gold　had　risen　two　or　three　per　cent。　under　its　blessed　folds　at　home。　　Not　being　a　shipwrecked　sailor；　or　a　versatile　and　accomplished　but　impoverished　naturalized　citizen；　desirous　of　quick　transit　to　the　land　of　the　free；　I　did　not　call　upon　the　consul；　but　left　him　under　the　no　doubt　correct　impression　that　he　was　doing　a　good　thing　by　unfolding　the　flag　on　the　Fourth。

You　have　not　journeyed　far　from　Bale　before　you　are　aware　that　you　are　in　Switzerland。　　It　was　showery　the　day　we　went　down；　but　the　ride　filled　us　with　the　most　exciting　expectations。　　The　country　recalled　New　England；　or　what　New　England　might　be；　if　it　were　cultivated　and　adorned；　and　had　good　roads　and　no　fences。　　Here　at　last；　after　the　dusty　German　valleys；　we　entered　among　real　hills；　round　which　and　through　which；　by　enormous　tunnels；　our　train　slowly　went：　rocks　looking　out　of　foliage；　sweet　little　valleys；　green　as　in　early　spring；　the　dark　evergreens　in　contrast；　snug　cottages　nestled　in　the　hillsides；　showing　little　else　than　enormous　brown　roofs　that　come　nearly　to　the　ground；　giving　the　cottages　the　appearance　of　huge　toadstools；　fine　harvests　of　grain；　thrifty　apple…trees；　and　cherry…　trees　purple　with　luscious　fruit。　　And　this　shifting　panorama　continues　until；　towards　evening；　behold；　on　a　hill；　Berne；　shining　through　showers；　the　old　feudal　round　tower　and　buildings　overhanging　the　Aar；　and　the　tower　of　the　cathedral　over　all。　　From　the　balcony　of　our　rooms　at　the　Bellevue；　the　long　range　of　the　Bernese　Oberland　shows　its　white　summits　for　a　moment　in　the　slant　sunshine；　and　then　the　clouds　shut　down；　not　to　lift　again　for　two　days。　　Yet　it　looks　warmer　on　the　snow…peaks　than　in　Berne；　for　summer　sets　in　in　Switzerland　with　a　New　England　chill　and　rigor。

The　traveler　finds　no　city　with　more　flavor　of　the　picturesque　and　quaint　than　Berne；　and　I　think　it　must　have　preserved　the　Swiss　characteristics　better　than　any　other　of　the　large　towns　in　Helvetia。　It　stands　upon　a　peninsula；　round　which　the　Aar；　a　hundred　feet　below；　rapidly　flows；　and　one　has　on　nearly　every　side　very　pretty　views　of　the　green　basin　of　hills　which　rise　beyond　the　river。　　It　is　a　most　comfortable　town　on　a　rainy　day；　for　all　the　principal　streets　have　their　houses　built　on　arcades；　and　one　walks　under　the　low　arches；　with　the　shops　on　one　side　and　the　huge　stone　pillars　on　the　other。　　These　pillars　so　stand　out　toward　the　street　as　to　give　the　house…fronts　a　curved　look。　　Above　are　balconies；　in　which；　upon　red　cushions；　sit　the　daughters　of　Berne；　reading　and　sewing；　and　watching　their　neighbors；　and　in　nearly　every　window　are　quantities　of　flowers　of　the　most　brilliant　colors。　　The　gray　stone　of　the　houses；　which　are　piled　up　from　the　streets；　harmonizes　well　with　the　colors　in　the　windows　and　balconies；　and　the　scene　is　quite　Oriental　as　one　looks　down；　especially　if　it　be　upon　a　market　morning；　when　the　streets　are　as　thronged　as　the　Strand。　　Several　terraces；　with　great　trees；　overlook　the　river；　and　command　prospects　of　the　Alps。　These　are　public　places；　for　the　city　government　has　a　queer　notion　that　trees　are　not　hideous；　and　that　a　part　of　the　use　of　living　is　the　enjoyment　of　the　beautiful。　　I　saw　an　elegant　bank　building；　with　carved　figures　on　the　front；　and　at　each　side　of　the　entrance　door　a　large　stand　of　flowers；oleanders；　geraniums；　and　fuchsias；　while　the　windows　and　balconies　above　bloomed　with　a　like　warmth　of　floral　color。　　Would　you　put　an　American　bank　president　in　the　Retreat　who　should　so　decorate　his　banking…house？　　We　all　admire　the　tasteful　display　of　flowers　in　foreign　towns：　we　go　home；　and　carry　nothing　with　us　but　a　recollection。　　But　Berne　has　also　fountains　everywhere；　some　of　them　grotesque；　like　the　ogre　that　devours　his　own　children；　but　all　a　refreshment　and　delight。　　And　it　has　also　its　clock…tower；　with　one　of　those　ingenious　pieces　of　mechanism；　in　which　the　sober　people　of　this　region　take　pleasure。　　At　the　hour；　a　procession　of　little　bears　goes　round；　a　jolly　figure　strikes　the　time；　a　cock　flaps　his　wings　and　crows；　and　a　solemn　Turk　opens　his　mouth　to　announce　the　flight　of　the　hours。　　It　is　more　grotesque；　but　less　elaborate；　than　the　equally　childish　toy　in　the　cathedral　at　Strasburg。

We　went　Sunday　morning　to　the　cathedral；　and　the　excellent　woman　who　guards　the　portalwhere　in　ancient　stone　the　Last　Judgment　is　enacted；　and　the　cheerful　and　conceited　wise　virgins　stand　over　against　the　foolish　virgins；　one　of　whom　has　been　in　the　penitential　attitude　of　having　a　stone　finger　in　her　eye　now　for　over　three　hundred　yearsrefused　at　first　to　admit　us　to　the　German　Lutheran　service；　which　was　just　beginning。　　It　seems　that　doors　are　locked；　and　no　one　is　allowed　to　issue　forth　until　after　service。　　There　seems　to　be　an　impression　that　strangers　go　only　to　hear　the　organ；　which　is　a　sort　of　rival　of　that　at　Freiburg；　and　do　not　care　much　for　the　well…prepared　and　protracted　discourse　in　Swiss…German。　　We　agreed　to　the　terms　of　admission；　but　it　did　not　speak　well　for　former　travelers　that　the　woman　should　think　it　necessary　to　say；　〃You　must　sit　still；　and　not　talk。〃　It　is　a　barn…like　interior。　　The　women　all　sit　on　hard；　high…backed　benches　in　the　center　of　the　church；　and　the　men　on　hard；　higher…backed　benches　about　the　sides；　inclosing　and　facing　the　women；　who　are　more　directly　under　the　droppings　of　the　little　pulpit；　hung　on　one　of　the　pillars；a　very　solemn　and　devout　congregation；　who　sang　very　well；　and　paid　strict　attention　to　the　sermon。

I　noticed　that　the　names　of　the　owners；　and　sometimes　their　coats…of…　arms；　were　carved　or　painted　on　the　backs　of　the　seats；　as　if　the　pews　were　not　put　up　at　yearly　auction。　　One　would　not　call　it　a　dressy　congregation；　though　the　homely　women　looked　neat　in　black　waists　and　white　puffed　sleeves　and　broadbrimmed　hats。

The　only　concession　I　have　anywhere　seen　to　women　in　Switzerland；　as　the　more　delicate　sex；　was　in　this　church：　they　sat　during　most　of　the　service；　but　the　men　stood　all　the　time；　except　during　the　delivery　of　the　sermon。　　The　service　began　at　nine　o'clock；　as　it　ought　to　with　us　in　summer。　　The　costume　of　the　peasant　women　in　and　about　Berne　comes　nearer　to　being　picturesque　than　in　most　other　parts　of　Switzerland；　where　it　is　simply　ugly。　You　know　the　sort　of　thing　in　pictures；the　broad　hat；　short　skirt）　black；　pointed　stomacher；　with　white　puffed　sleeves；　and　from　each　breast　a　large　silver　chain　hanging；　which　passes　under　the　arm　and　fastens　on　the　shoulder　behind；a　very　favorite　ornament。　　This　costume　would　not　be　unbecoming　to　a　pretty　face　and　figure：　whether　there　are　any　such　native　to　Switzerland；　I　trust　I　may　not　be　put　upon　the　witness…　stand　to　declare。　　Some　of　the　peasant　young　men　went　without　coats；　and　with　the　shirt　sleeves　fluted；　and　others　wore　butternut…colored　suits；　the　coats　of　which　I　can　recommend　to　those　who　like　the　swallow…tailed　variety。　　I　suppose　one　would　take　a　man　into　the　opera　in　London；　where　he　cannot　go　in　anything　but　that　sort。　　The　buttons　on　the　backs　of　these　came　high　up　between　the　shoulders；　and　the　tails　did　not　reach　below　the　waistband。　　There　is　a　kind　of　rooster　of　similar　appearance。　　I　saw　some　of　these　young　men　from　the　country；　with　their　sweethearts；　leaning　over　the　stone　parapet；　and　looking　into　the　pit　of　the　bear…garden；　where　the　city　bears　walk　round；　or　sit　on　their　hind　legs　for　bits　of　bread　thrown　to　them；　or　douse　themselves　in　the　tanks；　or　climb　the　dead　trees　set　up　for　their　gambols。　　Years　ago　they　ate　up　a　British　officer　who　fell　in；　and　they　walk　round　now　ceaselessly；　as　if　looking　for　another。　　But　one　cannot　expect　good　taste　in　a　bear。

If　you　would　see　how　charming　a　farming　country　can　be；　drive　out　on　the　highway　towards　Thun。　　For　miles　it　is　well　shaded　with　giant　trees　of　enormous　trunks；　and　a　clean　sidewalk　runs　by　the　fine　road。　On　either　side；　at　little　distances　from　the　road；　are　picturesque　cottages　and　rambling　old　farmhouses　peeping　from　the　trees　and　vines　and　flowers。　　Everywhere　flowers；　before　the　house；　in　the　windows；　at　the　railway　stations。　　But　one　cannot　stay　forever　even　in　delightful　Berne；　with　its　fountains　and　terraces；　and　girls　on　red　cushions　in　the　windows；　and　noble　trees　and　flowers；　and　its　stately　federal　Capitol；　and　its　bears　carved　everywhere　in　stone　and　wood；　and　its　sunrises；　when　all　the　Bernese　Alps　lie　like　molten　silver　in　the　early　light；　and　the　clouds　drift　over　them；　now　hiding；　now　disclosing；　the　enchanting　heights。




HEARING　THE　FREIBURG　ORGANFIRST　SIGHT　OF　LAKE　LEMAN

Freiburg；　with　its　aerial　suspension…bridges；　is　also　on　a　peninsula；　formed　by　the　Sarine；　with　its　old　walls；　old　watch…towers；　its　piled…up