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小说: little travels and roadside sketches 字数: 每页4000字

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regard to the ducks; I saw the animals gobbled up before my eyes by

an old widow lady and her party just as I was shrieking to the

steward to bring a knife and fork to carve them。  The fellow! (I

mean the widow lady's whiskered companion)I saw him eat pease

with the very knife with which he had dissected the duck!



After dinner (as I need not tell the keen observer of human nature

who peruses this) the human mind; if the body be in a decent state;

expands into gayety and benevolence; and the intellect longs to

measure itself in friendly converse with the divers intelligences

around it。  We ascend upon deck; and after eying each other for a

brief space and with a friendly modest hesitation; we begin anon to

converse about the weather and other profound and delightful themes

of English discourse。  We confide to each other our respective

opinions of the ladies round about us。  Look at that charming

creature in a pink bonnet and a dress of the pattern of a

Kilmarnock snuff…box: a stalwart Irish gentleman in a green coat

and bushy red whiskers is whispering something very agreeable into

her ear; as is the wont of gentlemen of his nation; for her dark

eyes kindle; her red lips open and give an opportunity to a dozen

beautiful pearly teeth to display themselves; and glance brightly

in the sun; while round the teeth and the lips a number of lovely

dimples make their appearance; and her whole countenance assumes a

look of perfect health and happiness。  See her companion in shot

silk and a dove…colored parasol; in what a graceful Watteau…like

attitude she reclines。  The tall courier who has been bouncing

about the deck in attendance upon these ladies (it is his first day

of service; and he is eager to make a favorable impression on them

and the lady's…maids too) has just brought them from the carriage a

small paper of sweet cakes (nothing is prettier than to see a

pretty woman eating sweet biscuits) and a bottle that evidently

contains Malmsey madeira。  How daintily they sip it; how happy they

seem; how that lucky rogue of an Irishman prattles away!  Yonder is

a noble group indeed: an English gentleman and his family。

Children; mother; grandmother; grown…up daughters; father; and

domestics; twenty…two in all。  They have a table to themselves on

the deck; and the consumption of eatables among them is really

endless。  The nurses have been bustling to and fro; and bringing;

first; slices of cake; then dinner; then tea with huge family jugs

of milk; and the little people have been playing hide…and…seek

round the deck; coquetting with the other children; and making

friends of every soul on board。  I love to see the kind eyes of

women fondly watching them as they gambol about; a female face; be

it ever so plain; when occupied in regarding children; becomes

celestial almost; and a man can hardly fail to be good and happy

while he is looking on at such sights。  〃Ah; sir!〃 says a great big

man; whom you would not accuse of sentiment; 〃I have a couple of

those little things at home;〃 and he stops and heaves a great big

sigh and swallows down a half…tumbler of cold something and water。

We know what the honest fellow means well enough。  He is saying to

himself; 〃God bless my girls and their mother!〃 but; being a

Briton; is too manly to speak out in a more intelligible way。

Perhaps it is as well for him to be quiet; and not chatter and

gesticulate like those Frenchmen a few yards from him; who are

chirping over a bottle of champagne。



There is; as you may fancy; a number of such groups on the deck;

and a pleasant occupation it is for a lonely man to watch them and

build theories upon them; and examine those two personages seated

cheek by jowl。  One is an English youth; travelling for the first

time; who has been hard at his Guidebook during the whole journey。

He has a 〃Manuel du Voyageur〃 in his pocket: a very pretty; amusing

little oblong work it is too; and might be very useful; if the

foreign people in three languages; among whom you travel; would but

give the answers set down in the book; or understand the questions

you put to them out of it。  The other honest gentleman in the fur

cap; what can his occupation be?  We know him at once for what he

is。  〃Sir;〃 says he; in a fine German accent; 〃I am a brofessor of

languages; and will gif you lessons in Danish; Swedish; English;

Bortuguese; Spanish and Bersian。〃  Thus occupied in meditations;

the rapid hours and the rapid steamer pass quickly on。  The sun is

sinking; and; as he drops; the ingenious luminary sets the Thames

on fire: several worthy gentlemen; watch in hand; are eagerly

examining the phenomena attending his disappearance;rich clouds

of purple and gold; that form the curtains of his bed;little

barks that pass black across his disc; his disc every instant

dropping nearer and nearer into the water。  〃There he goes!〃 says

one sagacious observer。  〃No; he doesn't;〃 cries another。  Now he

is gone; and the steward is already threading the deck; asking the

passengers; right and left; if they will take a little supper。

What a grand object is a sunset; and what a wonder is an appetite

at sea!  Lo! the horned moon shines pale over Margate; and the red

beacon is gleaming from distant Ramsgate pier。



        。        。        。        。        。        。



A great rush is speedily made for the mattresses that lie in the

boat at the ship's side; and as the night is delightfully calm;

many fair ladies and worthy men determine to couch on deck for the

night。  The proceedings of the former; especially if they be young

and pretty; the philosopher watches with indescribable emotion and

interest。  What a number of pretty coquetries do the ladies

perform; and into what pretty attitudes do they take care to fall!

All the little children have been gathered up by the nursery…maids;

and are taken down to roost below。  Balmy sleep seals the eyes of

many tired wayfarers; as you see in the case of the Russian

nobleman asleep among the portmanteaus; and Titmarsh; who has been

walking the deck for some time with a great mattress on his

shoulders; knowing full well that were he to relinquish it for an

instant; some other person would seize on it; now stretches his bed

upon the deck; wraps his cloak about his knees; draws his white

cotton nightcap tight over his head and ears; and; as the smoke of

his cigar rises calmly upwards to the deep sky and the cheerful

twinkling stars; he feels himself exquisitely happy; and thinks of

thee; my Juliana!



        。        。        。        。        。        。



Why people; because they are in a steamboat; should get up so

deucedly early I cannot understand。  Gentlemen have been walking

over my legs ever since three o'clock this morning; and; no doubt;

have been indulging in personalities (which I hate) regarding my

appearance and manner of sleeping; lying; snoring。  Let the wags

laugh on; but a far pleasanter occupation is to sleep until

breakfast…time; or near it。



The tea; and ham and eggs; which; with a beefsteak or two; and

three or four rounds of toast; form the component parts of the

above…named elegant meal; are taken in the River Scheldt。  Little

neat; plump…looking churches and villages are rising here and there

among tufts of trees and pastures that are wonderfully green。  To

the right; as the 〃Guide…book〃 says; is Walcheren; and on the left

Cadsand; memorable for the English expedition of 1809; when Lord

Chatham; Sir Walter Manny; and Henry Earl of Derby; at the head of

the English; gained a great victory over the Flemish mercenaries in

the pay of Philippe of Valois。  The cloth…yard shafts of the

English archers did great execution。  Flushing was taken; and Lord

Chatham returned to England; where he distinguished himself greatly

in the debates on the American war; which he called the brightest

jewel of the British crown。  You see; my love; that; though an

artist by profession; my education has by no means been neglected;

and what; indeed; would be the pleasure of travel; unless these

charming historical recollections were brought to bear upon it?





ANTWERP。



As many hundreds of thousands of English visit this city (I have

met at least a hundred of them in this half…hour walking the

streets; 〃Guide…book〃 in hand); and as the ubiquitous Murray has

already depicted the place; there is no need to enter into a long

description of it; its neatness; its beauty; and its stiff antique

splendor。  The tall pale houses have many of them crimped gables;

that look like Queen Elizabeth's ruffs。  There are as many people

in the streets as in London at three o'clock in the morning; the

market…women wear bonnets of a flower…pot shape; and have shining

brazen milk…pots; which are delightful to the eyes of a painter。

Along the quays of the lazy Scheldt are innumerable good…natured

groups of beer…drinkers (small…beer is the most good…natured drink

in the world)

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