the complete writings-2-第9章

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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　old　houses；　and　streets　that　go　upstairs；　and　its　delicious　cherries；　which　you　can　eat　while　you　sit　in　the　square　by　the　famous　linden…tree；　and　wait　for　the　time　when　the　organ　will　be　played　in　the　cathedral。　　For　all　the　world　stops　at　Freiburg　to　hear　and　enjoy　the　great　organ；all　except　the　self…satisfied　English　clergyman；　who　says　he　does　n't　care　much　for　it；　and　would　rather　go　about　town　and　see　the　old　walls；　and　the　young　and　boorish　French　couple；　whose　refined　amusement　in　the　railway…carriage　consisted　in　the　young　man's　catching　his　wife's　foot　in　the　window…strap；　and　hauling　it　up　to　the　level　of　the　window；　and　who　cross　themselves　and　go　out　after　the　first　tune；　and　the　two　bread…and…butter　English　young　ladies；　one　of　whom　asks　the　other　in　the　midst　of　the　performance；　if　she　has　thought　yet　to　count　the　pipes；a　thoughtful　verification　of　Murray；　which　is　very　commendable　in　a　young　woman　traveling　for　the　improvement　of　her　little　mind。

One　has　heard　so　much　of　this　organ；　that　he　expects　impossibilities；　and　is　at　first　almost　disappointed；　although　it　is　not　long　in　discovering　its　vast　compass；　and　its　wonderful　imitations；　now　of　a　full　orchestra；　and　again　of　a　single　instrument。　　One　has　not　to　wait　long　before　he　is　mastered　by　its　spell。　　The　vox　humana　stop　did　not　strike　me　as　so　perfect　as　that　of　the　organ　in　the　Rev。　Mr。　Hale's　church　in　Boston；　though　the　imitation　of　choir…voices　responding　to　the　organ　was　very　effective。　　But　it　is　not　in　tricks　of　imitation　that　this　organ　is　so　wonderful：　it　is　its　power　of　revealing；　by　all　its　compass；　the　inmost　part　of　any　musical　composition。

The　last　piece　we　heard　was　something　like　this：　the　sound　of　a　bell；　tolling　at　regular　intervals；　like　the　throbbing　of　a　life　begun；　about　it　an　accompaniment　of　hopes；　inducements；　fears；　the　flute；　the　violin；　the　violoncello；　promising；　urging；　entreating；　inspiring；　the　life　beset　with　trials；　lured　with　pleasures；　hesitating；　doubting；　questioning；　its　purpose　at　length　grows　more　certain　and　fixed；　the　bell　tolling　becomes　a　prolonged　undertone；　the　flow　of　a　definite　life；　the　music　goes　on；　twining　round　it；　now　one　sweet　instrument　and　now　many；　in　strife　or　accord；　all　the　influences　of　earth　and　heaven　and　the　base　underworld　meeting　and　warring　over　the　aspiring　soul；　the　struggle　becomes　more　earnest；　the　undertone　is　louder　and　clearer；　the　accompaniment　indicates　striving；　contesting　passion；　an　agony　of　endeavor　and　resistance；　until　at　length　the　steep　and　rocky　way　is　passed；　the　world　and　self　are　conquered；　and；　in　a　burst　of　triumph　from　a　full　orchestra；　the　soul　attains　the　serene　summit。　　But　the　rest　is　only　for　a　moment。　Even　in　the　highest　places　are　temptations。　　The　sunshine　fails；　clouds　roll　up；　growling　of　low；　pedal　thunder　is　heard；　while　sharp　lightning…flashes　soon　break　in　clashing　peals　about　the　peaks。　　This　is　the　last　Alpine　storm　and　trial。　　After　it　the　sun　bursts　out　again；　the　wide；　sunny　valleys　are　disclosed；　and　a　sweet　evening　hymn　floats　through　all　the　peaceful　air。　　We　go　out　from　the　cool　church　into　the　busy　streets　of　the　white；　gray　town　awed　and　comforted。

And　such　a　ride　afterwards！　　It　was　as　if　the　organ　music　still　continued。　　All　the　world　knows　the　exquisite　views　southward　from　Freiburg；　but　such　an　atmosphere　as　we　had　does　not　overhang　them　many　times　in　a　season。　　First　the　Moleross；　and　a　range　of　mountains　bathed　in　misty　blue　light；rugged　peaks；　scarred　sides；　white　and　tawny　at　once；　rising　into　the　clouds　which　hung　large　and　soft　in　the　blue；　soon　Mont　Blanc；　dim　and　aerial；　in　the　south；　the　lovely　valley　of　the　River　Sense；　peasants　walking　with　burdens　on　the　white　highway；　the　quiet　and　soft…tinted　mountains　beyond；　towns　perched　on　hills；　with　old　castles　and　towers；　the　land　rich　with　grass；　grain；　fruit；　flowers；　at　Palezieux　a　magnificent　view　of　the　silver；　purple；　and　blue　mountains；　with　their　chalky　seams　and　gashed　sides；　near　at　hand；　and　at　length；　coming　through　a　long　tunnel；　as　if　we　had　been　shot　out　into　the　air　above　a　country　more　surprising　than　any　in　dreams；　the　most　wonderful　sight　burst　upon　us；the　low…lying；　deep…blue　Lake　Leman；　and　the　gigantic　mountains　rising　from　its　shores；　and　a　sort　of　mist；　translucent；　suffused　with　sunlight；　like　the　liquid　of　the　golden　wine　the　Steinberger　poured　into　the　vast　basin。　　We　came　upon　it　out　of　total　darkness；　without　warning；　and　we　seemed；　from　our　great　height；　to　be　about　to　leap　into　the　splendid　gulf　of　tremulous　light　and　color。

This　Lake　of　Geneva　is　said　to　combine　the　robust　mountain　grandeur　of　Luzerne　with　all　the　softness　of　atmosphere　of　Lake　Maggiore。　Surely；　nothing　could　exceed　the　loveliness　as　we　wound　down　the　hillside；　through　the　vineyards；　to　Lausanne；　and　farther　on；　near　the　foot　of　the　lake；　to　Montreux；　backed　by　precipitous　but　tree…clad　hills；　fronted　by　the　lovely　water；　and　the　great　mountains　which　run　away　south　into　Savoy；　where　Velan　lifts　up　its　snows。　Below　us；　round　the　curving　bay；　lies　white　Chillon；　and　at　sunset　we　row　down　to　it　over　the　bewitched　water；　and　wait　under　its　grim　walls　till　the　failing　light　brings　back　the　romance　of　castle　and　prisoner。　　Our　garcon　had　never　heard　of　the　prisoner；　but　he　knew　about　the　gendarmes　who　now　occupy　the　castle。




OUR　ENGLISH　FRIENDS

Not　the　least　of　the　traveler's　pleasure　in　Switzerland　is　derived　from　the　English　people　who　overrun　it：　they　seem　to　regard　it　as　a　kind　of　private　park　or　preserve　belonging　to　England；　and　they　establish　themselves　at　hotels；　or　on　steamboats　and　diligences；　with　a　certain　air　of　ownership　that　is　very　pleasant。　　I　am　not　very　fresh　in　my　geology；　but　it　is　my　impression　that　Switzerland　was　created　especially　for　the　English；　about　the　year　of　the　Magna　Charta；　or　a　little　later。　　The　Germans　who　come　here；　and　who　don't　care　very　much　what　they　eat；　or　how　they　sleep；　provided　they　do　not　have　any　fresh　air　in　diningroom　or　bedroom；　and　provided；　also；　that　the　bread　is　a　little　sour；　growl　a　good　deal　about　the　English；　and　declare　that　they　have　spoiled　Switzerland。　　The　natives；　too；　who　live　off　the　English；　seem　to　thoroughly　hate　them；　so　that　one　is　often　compelled；　in　self…defense；　to　proclaim　his　nationality；　which　is　like　running　from　Scylla　upon　Charybdis；　for；　while　the　American　is　more　popular；　it　is　believed　that　there　is　no　bottom　to　his　pocket。

There　was　a　sprig　of　the　Church　of　England　on　the　steamboat　on　Lake　Leman；　who　spread　himself　upon　a　center　bench；　and　discoursed　very　instructively　to　his　friends；a　stout；　fat…faced　young　man　in　a　white　cravat；　whose　voice　was　at　once　loud　and　melodious；　and　whom　our　manly　Oxford　student　set　down　as　a　man　who　had　just　rubbed　through　the　university；　and　got　into　a　scanty　living。

〃I　met　an　American　on　the　boat　yesterday；〃　the　oracle　was　saying　to　his　friends；　〃who　was　really　quite　a　pleasant　fellow。　　Heah　really　was；　you　know；　quite　a　sensible　man。　　I　asked　him　if　they　had　anything　like　this　in　America；　and　he　was　obliged　to　say　that　they　had　n't　anything　like　it　in　his　country；　they　really　had　n't。　　He　was　really　quite　a　sensible　fellow；　said　he　was　over　here　to　do　the　European　tour；　as　he　called　it。〃

Small；　sympathetic　laugh　from　the　attentive；　wiry；　red…faced　woman　on　the　oracle's　left；　and　also　a　chuckle；　at　the　expense　of　the　American；　from　the　thin　Englishman　on　his　right；　who　wore　a　large　white　waistcoat；　a　blue　veil　on　his　hat；　and　a　face　as　red　as　a　live　coal。

〃Quite　an　admission；　was　n't　it；　from　an　American？　　But　I　think　they　have　changed　since　the　wah；　you　know。〃

At　the　next　landing；　the　smooth　and　beaming　churchman　was　left　by　his　friends；　and　he　soon　retired　to　the　cabin；　where　I　saw　him　self…sacrificingly　denying　himself　the　views　on　deck；　and　consoling　himself　with　a　substantial　lunch　and　a　bottle　of　English　ale。

There　is　one　thing　to　be　said　about　the　English　abroad：　the　variety　is　almost　infinite。　　The　best　acquaintances　one　makes　will　be　English；people　with　no　nonsense　and　strong　individuality；　and　one　gets　no　end　of　entertainment　from　the　other　sort。　　Very　different　from　the　clergyman　on　the　boat　was　the　old　lady　at　table…d'hote　in　one　of　the　hotels　on　the　lake。　　One　would　not　like　to　call　her　a　delightfully　wicked　old　woman；　like　the　Baroness　Bernstein；　but　she　had　her　own　witty　and　satirical　way　of　regarding　the　world。　　She　had　lived　twenty…five　years　at　Geneva；　where　people；　years　ago；　coming　over　the　dusty　and　hot　roads　of　France；　used　to　faint　away　when　they　first　caught　sight　of　the　Alps。　　Believe　they　don't　do　it　now。　　She　never　did；　was　past　the　susceptible　age　when　she　first　came；　was　tired　of　the　people。　　Honest？　　　Why；　yes；　honest；　but　very　fond　of　money。　　Fine　Swiss　wood…carving？　　Yes。　　You'll　get　very　sick　of　it。　It's　very　nice；　but　I　'm　tired　of　it。　　Years　ago；　I　sent　some　of　it　home　to　the　folks　in　England。　　They　thought　everything　of　it；　and　it　was　not　very　nice；　either；a　cheap　sort。　　Moral　ideas？　　I　don't　care　for　moral　ideas：　people　make　such　a　fuss　about　them　lately　（this　in　reply　to　her　next　neighbor；　an　eccentric；　thin　man；　with　bushy　hair；　shaggy　eyebrows；　and　a　high；　falsetto　voice；　who　rallied　the　witty　old　lady　all　dinner…time　about　her　lack　of　moral　ideas；　and　accurately　described　the　thin　wine　on　the　table　as　〃water…　bewitched〃）。　　Why　did　n't　the　baroness　go　back　to　England；　if　she　was　so　tired　of　Switzerland？　　Well；　she　was　too　infirm　now；　and；　besides；　she　did　n't　like　to　trust　herself　on　the　railroads。　　And　there　were　so　many　new　inventions　nowadays；　of　which　she　read。　　What　was　this　nitroglycerine；　that　exploded　so　dreadfully？　　No：　she　thought　she　should　stay　where　she　was。

There　is　little　risk　of　mistaking　the　Englishman；　with　or　without　his　family；　who　has　set　out　to　do　Switzerland。　　He　wears　a　brandy…flask；　a　field…glass；　and　a　haversack。　　Whether　he　has　a　silk　or　soft　hat；　he　is　certain　to　wear　a　veil　tied　round　it。　　This　precaution　is　adopted　when　he　makes　up　his　mind　to　come　to　Switzerland；　I　think；　because　he　has　read　that　a　veil　is　necessary　to　protect　the　eyes　from　the　snow…glare。　　There　is　probably　not　one　traveler　in　a　hundred　who　gets　among　the　ice　and　snow…fields　where　he　needs　a　veil　or　green　glasses：　but　it　is　well　to　have　it　on　the　hat；　it　looks　adventurous。　The　veil　and　the　spiked　alpenstock　are　the　signs　of　peril。　Everybodyalmost　everybodyhas　an　alpenstock。　　It　is　usually　a　round　pine　stick；　with　an　iron　spike　in　one　end。　　That；　also；　is　a　sign　of　peril。　　We　saw　a　noble　young　Briton　on　the　steamer　the　other　day；　who　was　got　up　in　the　best　Alpine　manner。　　He　wore　a　short　sack；in　fact；　an　entire　suit　of　light　gray　flannel；　which　closely　fitted　his　lithe　form。　　His　shoes　were　of　undressed　leather；　with　large　spikes　in　the　soles；　and　on　his　white　hat　he　wore　a　large　quantity　of　gauze；　which　fell　in　folds　down　his　neck。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　he　had　a　red　face；　a　shaven　chin；　and　long　side…whiskers。　He　carried　a　formidable　alpenstock；　and　at　the　little　landing　where　we　first　saw　him；　and　afterward　on　th