rambling idle excursion-第6章

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borrow　this　fashion　from　the　soldiers；　no　doubt；　England　has　kept　a
garrison　here　for　generations。　　The　younger　men's　custom　of　carrying
small　canes　is　also　borrowed　from　the　soldiers；　I　suppose；　who　always
carry　a　cane；　in　Bermuda　as　everywhere　else　in　Britain's　broad　dominions。

The　country　roads　curve　and　wind　hither　and　thither　in　the　delightfulest
way；　unfolding　pretty　surprises　at　every　turn：　billowy　masses　of　oleander
that　seem　to　float　out　from　behind　distant　projections　like；　the　pink
cloud…banks　of　sunset；　sudden　plunges　among　cottages　and　gardens；　life
and　activity；　followed　by　as　sudden　plunges　into　the　somber　twilight　and
stillness　of　the　woods；　flitting　visions　of　white　fortresses　and　beacon
towers　pictured　against　the　sky　on　remote　hilltops；　glimpses　of　shining
green　sea　caught　for　a　moment　through　opening　headlands；　then　lost　again；
more　woods　and　solitude；　and　by　and　by　another　turn　lays　bare；　without
warning；　the　full　sweep　of　the　inland　ocean；　enriched　with　its　bars　of
soft　color　and　graced　with　its　wandering　sails。

Take　any　road　you　please；　you　may　depend　upon　it　you　will　not　stay　in　it
half　a　mile。　Your　road　is　everything　that　a　road　ought　to　be：　it　is
bordered　with　trees；　and　with　strange　plants　and　flowers；　it　is　shady　and
pleasant；　or　sunny　and　still　pleasant；　it　carries　you　by　the　prettiest
and　peacefulest　and　most　homelike　of　homes；　and　through　stretches　of
forest　that　lie　in　a　deep　hush　sometimes；　and　sometimes　are　alive　with
the　music　of　birds；　it　curves　always；　which　is　a　continual　promise；
whereas　straight　roads　reveal　everything　at　a　glance　and　kill　interest。
Your　road　is　all　this；　and　yet　you　will　not　stay　in　it　half　a　mile；　for
the　reason　that　little　seductive；　mysterious　roads　are　always　branching
out　from　it　on　either　hand；　and　as　these　curve　sharply　also　and　hide　what
is　beyond；　you　cannot　resist　the　temptation　to　desert　your　own　chosen
road　and　explore　them。　　You　are　usually　paid　for　your　trouble；
consequently；　your　walk　inland　always　turns　out　to　be　one　of　the　most
crooked；　involved；　purposeless；　and　interesting　experiences　a　body　can
imagine。　There　is　enough　of　variety。　　Sometimes　you　are　in　the　level
open；　with　marshes　thick　grown　with　flag…lances　that　are　ten　feet　high　on
the　one　hand；　and　potato　and　onion　orchards　on　the　other；　next；　you　are
on　a　hilltop；　with　the　ocean　and　the　islands　spread　around　you；　presently
the　road　winds　through　a　deep　cut；　shut　in　by　perpendicular　walls　thirty
or　forty　feet　high；　marked　with　the　oddest　and　abruptest　stratum　lines；
suggestive　of　sudden　and　eccentric　old　upheavals；　and　garnished　with　here
and　there　a　clinging　adventurous　flower；　and　here　and　there　a　dangling
vine；　and　by　and　by　your　way　is　along　the　sea　edge；　and　you　may　look　down
a　fathom　or　two　through　the　transparent　water　and　watch　the　diamond…like
flash　and　play　of　the　light　upon　the　rocks　and　sands　on　the　bottom　until
you　are　tired　of　itif　you　are　so　constituted　as　to　be　able　to　get　tired
of　it。

You　may　march　the　country　roads　in　maiden　meditation；　fancy　free；　by
field　and　farm；　for　no　dog　will　plunge　out　at　you　from　unsuspected　gate；
with　breath…taking　surprise　of　ferocious　bark；　notwithstanding　it　is　a
Christian　land　and　a　civilized。　　We　saw　upward　of　a　million　cats　in
Bermuda；　but　the　people　are　very　abstemious　in　the　matter　of　dogs。　　Two
or　three　nights　we　prowled　the　country　far　and　wide；　and　never　once　were
accosted　by　a　dog。　　It　is　a　great　privilege　to　visit　such　a　land。　　The
cats　were　no　offense　when　properly　distributed；　but　when　piled　they
obstructed　travel。

As　we　entered　the　edge　of　the　town　that　Sunday　afternoon；　we　stopped　at　a
cottage　to　get　a　drink　of　water。　　The　proprietor；　a　middle…aged　man　with
a　good　face；　asked　us　to　sit　down　and　rest。　　His　dame　brought　chairs；　and
we　grouped　ourselves　in　the　shade　of　the　trees　by　the　door。　　Mr。　Smith
that　was　not　his　name；　but　it　will　answerquestioned　us　about　ourselves
and　our　country；　and　we　answered　him　truthfully；　as　a　general　thing；　and
questioned　him　in　return。　　It　was　all　very　simple　and　pleasant　and
sociable。　　Rural；　too；　for　there　was　a　pig　and　a　small　donkey　and　a　hen
anchored　out；　close　at　hand；　by　cords　to　their　legs；　on　a　spot　that
purported　to　be　grassy。　　Presently；　a　woman　passed　along；　and　although
she　coldly　said　nothing　she　changed　the　drift　of　our　talk。　　Said　Smith：

〃She　didn't　look　this　way；　you　noticed？　　Well；　she　is　our　next　neighbor
on　one　side；　and　there's　another　family　that's　our　next　neighbors　on　the
other　side；　but　there's　a　general　coolness　all　around　now；　and　we　don't
speak。　　Yet　these　three　families；　one　generation　and　another；　have　lived
here　side　by　side　and　been　as　friendly　as　weavers　for　a　hundred　and　fifty
years；　till　about　a　year　ago。〃

〃Why；　what　calamity　could　have　been　powerful　enough　to　break　up　so　old　a
friendship？〃

〃Well；　it　was　too　bad；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped。　　It　happened　like　this：
About　a　year　or　more　ago；　the　rats　got　to　pestering　my　place　a　good　deal；
and　I　set　up　a　steel　trap　in　my　back　yard。　　Both　of　these　neighbors　run
considerable　to　cats；　and　so　I　warned　them　about　the　trap；　because　their
cats　were　pretty　sociable　around　here　nights；　and　they　might　get　into
trouble　without　my　intending　it。　　Well；　they　shut　up　their　cats　for　a
while；　but　you　know　how　it　is　with　people；　they　got　careless；　and　sure
enough　one　night　the　trap　took　Mrs。　　Jones's　principal　tomcat　into　camp
and　finished　him　up。　　In　the　morning　Mrs。　Jones　comes　here　with　the
corpse　in　her　arms；　and　cries　and　takes　on　the　same　as　if　it　was　a　child。
It　was　a　cat　by　the　name　of　YelvertonHector　G。　Yelvertona　troublesome
old　rip；　with　no　more　principle　than　an　Injun；　though　you　couldn't　make
her　believe　it。　　I　said　all　a　man　could　to　comfort　her；　but　no；　nothing
would　do　but　I　must　pay　for　him。　　Finally；　I　said　I　warn't　investing　in
cats　now　as　much　as　I　was；　and　with　that　she　walked　off　in　a　huff；
carrying　the　remains　with　her。　　That　closed　our　intercourse　with　the
Joneses。　　Mrs。　Jones　joined　another　church　and　took　her　tribe　with　her。
She　said　she　would　not　hold　fellowship　with　assassins。　　Well；　by　and　by
comes　Mrs。　Brown's　turnshe　that　went　by　here　a　minute　ago。　　She　had　a
disgraceful　old　yellow　cat　that　she　thought　as　much　of　as　if　he　was
twins；　and　one　night　he　tried　that　trap　on　his　neck；　and　it　fitted　him
so；　and　was　so　sort　of　satisfactory；　that　he　laid　down　and　curled　up　and
stayed　with　it。　　Such　was　the　end　of　Sir　John　Baldwin。〃

〃Was　that　the　name　of　the　cat？〃

〃The　same。　　There's　cats　around　here　with　names　that　would　surprise　you。
〃Maria〃　（to　his　wife）；　〃what　was　that　cat's　name　that　eat　a　keg　of
ratsbane　by　mistake　over　at　Hooper's；　and　started　home　and　got　struck　by
lightning　and　took　the　blind　staggers　and　fell　in　the　well　and　was　'most
drowned。　　before　they　could　fish　him　out？〃

〃That　was　that　colored　Deacon　Jackson's　cat。　　I　only　remember　the　last
end　of　its　name；　which　was　Hold…The…Fort…For…I…Am…Coming　Jackson。〃

〃Sho！　that　ain't　the　one。　　That's　the　one　that　eat　up　an　entire　box　of
Seidlitz　powders；　and　then　hadn't　any　more　judgment　than　to　go　and　take　a
drink。　　He　was　considered　to　be　a　great　loss；　but　I　never　could　see　it。
Well；　no　matter　about　the　names。　　Mrs。　Brown　wanted　to　be　reasonable；　but
Mrs。　Jones　wouldn't　let　her。　　She　put　her　up　to　going　to　law　for　damages。
So　to　law　she　went；　and　had　the　face　to　claim　seven　shillings　and
sixpence。　　It　made　a　great　stir。　　All　the　neighbors　went　to　court。
Everybody　took　sides。　　It　got　hotter　and　hotter；　and　broke　up　all　the
friendships　for　three　hundred　yards　around　friendships　that　had　lasted
for　generations　and　generations。

〃Well；　I　proved　by　eleven　witnesses　that　the　cat　was　of　a　low　character
and　very　ornery；　and　warn't　worth　a　canceled　postage…stamp；　anyway；
taking　the　average　of　cats　here；　but　I　lost　the　case。　　What　could　I
expect？　　The　system　is　all　wrong　here；　and　is　bound　to　make　revolution
and　bloodshed　some　day。　　You　see；　they　give　the　magistrate　a　poor　little
starvation　salary；　and　then　turn　him　loose　on　the　public　to　gouge　for
fees　and　costs　to　live　on。　　What　is　the　natural　result？　　Why；　he　never
looks　into　the　justice　of　a　casenever　once。　　All　he　looks　at　is　which
client　has　got　the　money。　　So　this　one　piled　the　fees　and　costs　and
everything　on　to　me。　　I　could　pay　specie；　don't　you　see？　and　he　knew
mighty　well　that　if　he　put　the　verdict　on　to　Mrs。　Brown；　where　it
belonged；　he'd　have　to　take　his　swag　in　currency。〃

〃Currency？　　Why；　has　Bermuda　a　currency？〃

〃Yes…onions。　　And　they　were　forty　per　cent。　discount；　too；　then；　because
the　season　had　been　over　as　much　as　three　months。　　So　I　lost　my　case。
I　had　to　pay　for　that　cat。　　But　the　general　trouble　the　case　made　was　the
worst　thing　about　it。　　Broke　up　so　much　good　feeling。　　The　neighbors
don't　speak　to　each　other　now。　　Mrs。　Brown　had　named　a　child　after　me。
But　she　changed　its　name　right　away。　　She　is　a　Baptist。　　Well；　in　the
course　of　baptizing　it　over　again　it　got　drowned。　　I　was　hoping　we　might
get　to　be　friendly　again　some　time　or　other；　but　of　course　this　drowning
the　child　knocked　that　all　out　of　the　question。　　It　would　have　saved　a
world　of　heartbreak　and　ill　blood　if　she　had　named　it　dry。〃

I　knew　by　the　sigh　that　this　was　honest。　　All　this　trouble　and　all　this
destruction　of　confidence　in　the　purity　of　the　bench　on　account　of　a
seven…shilling　lawsuit　about　a　cat！　　Somehow；　it　seemed　to　〃size〃　the
country。

At　this　point　we　observed　that　an　English　flag　had　just　been　placed　at
half…mast　on　a　building　a　hundred　yards　away。　　I　and　my　friends　were　busy
in　an　instant　trying　to　imagine　whose　death；　among　the　island
dignitaries；　could　command　such　a　mark　of　respect　as　this。　　Then　a
shudder　shook　them　and　me　at　the　same　moment；　and　I　knew　that　we　had
jumped　to　one　and　the　same　conclusion：　〃The　governor　has　gone　to　England；
it　is　for　the　British　admiral！〃

At　this　moment　Mr。　Smith　noticed　the　flag。　　He　said　with　emotion：

〃That's　on　a　boarding…house。　　I　judge　there's　a　boarder　dead。〃

A　dozen　other　flags　within　view　went　to　half…mast。

〃It's　a　boarder；　sure；〃　said　Smith。

〃But　would　they　half…mast　the　flags　here　for　a　boarder；　Mr。　Smith？〃

〃Why；　certainly　they　would；　if　he　was　dead。〃

That　seemed　to　size　the　country　again。



IV

The　early　twilight　of　a　Sunday　evening　in　Hamilton；　Bermuda；　is　an
alluring　time。　　There　is　just　enough　of　whispering　breeze；　fragrance　of
flowers；　and　sense　of　repose　to　raise　one's　thoughts　heavenward；　and　just
enough　amateur　piano　music　to　keep　him；　reminded　of　the　other　place。
There　are　many　venerable　pianos　in　Hamilton；　and　they　all　play　at
twilight。　　Age　enlarges　and　enriches　the　powers　of　some　musical
instrumentsnotably　those　of　the　violinbut　it　seems　to　set　a　piano's
teeth　on　edge。　　Most　of　the　music　in　vogue　there　is　the　same　that　those
pianos　prattled　in　their　innocent　infancy；　and　there　is　something　very
pathetic　about　it　when　they　go　over　it　now；　in　their　asthmatic　second
childhood；　dropping　a　note　here　and　there　where　a　tooth　is　gone。

We　attended　evening　service　at　the　stately　Episcopal　church　on　the　hill；
where　five　or　six　hundred　people；　half　of　them　white　and　the　other　half
black