the uncommercial traveller-第69节

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appliances。　　I　wonder　why　only　her　anchors　look　small。



I　have　no　present　time　to　think　about　it；　for　I　am　going　to　see　the

workshops　where　they　make　all　the　oars　used　in　the　British　Navy。　　A

pretty　large　pile　of　building；　I　opine；　and　a　pretty　long　job！　　As

to　the　building；　I　am　soon　disappointed；　because　the　work　is　all

done　in　one　loft。　　And　as　to　a　long　job　…　what　is　this？　　Two　rather

large　mangles　with　a　swarm　of　butterflies　hovering　over　them？　　What

can　there　be　in　the　mangles　that　attracts　butterflies？



Drawing　nearer；　I　discern　that　these　are　not　mangles；　but　intricate

machines；　set　with　knives　and　saws　and　planes；　which　cut　smooth　and

straight　here；　and　slantwise　there；　and　now　cut　such　a　depth；　and

now　miss　cutting　altogether；　according　to　the　predestined

requirements　of　the　pieces　of　wood　that　are　pushed　on　below　them：

each　of　which　pieces　is　to　be　an　oar；　and　is　roughly　adapted　to

that　purpose　before　it　takes　its　final　leave　of　far…off　forests；

and　sails　for　England。　　Likewise　I　discern　that　the　butterflies　are

not　true　butterflies；　but　wooden　shavings；　which；　being　spirted　up

from　the　wood　by　the　violence　of　the　machinery；　and　kept　in　rapid

and　not　equal　movement　by　the　impulse　of　its　rotation　on　the　air；

flutter　and　play；　and　rise　and　fall；　and　conduct　themselves　as　like

butterflies　as　heart　could　wish。　　Suddenly　the　noise　and　motion

cease；　and　the　butterflies　drop　dead。　　An　oar　has　been　made　since　I

came　in；　wanting　the　shaped　handle。　　As　quickly　as　I　can　follow　it

with　my　eye　and　thought；　the　same　oar　is　carried　to　a　turning

lathe。　　A　whirl　and　a　Nick！　　Handle　made。　　Oar　finished。



The　exquisite　beauty　and　efficiency　of　this　machinery　need　no

illustration；　but　happen　to　have　a　pointed　illustration　to…day。　　A

pair　of　oars　of　unusual　size　chance　to　be　wanted　for　a　special

purpose；　and　they　have　to　be　made　by　hand。　　Side　by　side　with　the

subtle　and　facile　machine；　and　side　by　side　with　the　fast…growing

pile　of　oars　on　the　floor；　a　man　shapes　out　these　special　oars　with

an　axe。　　Attended　by　no　butterflies；　and　chipping　and　dinting；　by

comparison　as　leisurely　as　if　he　were　a　labouring　Pagan　getting

them　ready　against　his　decease　at　threescore　and　ten；　to　take　with

him　as　a　present　to　Charon　for　his　boat；　the　man　（aged　about

thirty）　plies　his　task。　　The　machine　would　make　a　regulation　oar

while　the　man　wipes　his　forehead。　　The　man　might　be　buried　in　a

mound　made　of　the　strips　of　thin；　broad；　wooden　ribbon　torn　from

the　wood　whirled　into　oars　as　the　minutes　fall　from　the　clock；

before　he　had　done　a　forenoon's　work　with　his　axe。



Passing　from　this　wonderful　sight　to　the　Ships　again　…　for　my

heart；　as　to　the　Yard；　is　where　the　ships　are　…　I　notice　certain

unfinished　wooden　walls　left　seasoning　on　the　stocks；　pending　the

solution　of　the　merits　of　the　wood　and　iron　question；　and　having　an

air　of　biding　their　time　with　surly　confidence。　　The　names　of　these

worthies　are　set　up　beside　them；　together　with　their　capacity　in

guns　…　a　custom　highly　conducive　to　ease　and　satisfaction　in　social

intercourse；　if　it　could　be　adapted　to　mankind。　　By　a　plank　more

gracefully　pendulous　than　substantial；　I　make　bold　to　go　aboard　a

transport　ship　（iron　screw）　just　sent　in　from　the　contractor's　yard

to　be　inspected　and　passed。　　She　is　a　very　gratifying　experience；

in　the　simplicity　and　humanity　of　her　arrangements　for　troops；　in

her　provision　for　light　and　air　and　cleanliness；　and　in　her　care

for　women　and　children。　　It　occurs　to　me；　as　I　explore　her；　that　I

would　require　a　handsome　sum　of　money　to　go　aboard　her；　at　midnight

by　the　Dockyard　bell；　and　stay　aboard　alone　till　morning；　for

surely　she　must　be　haunted　by　a　crowd　of　ghosts　of　obstinate　old

martinets；　mournfully　flapping　their　cherubic　epaulettes　over　the

changed　times。　　Though　still　we　may　learn　from　the　astounding　ways

and　means　in　our　Yards　now；　more　highly　than　ever　to　respect　the

forefathers　who　got　to　sea；　and　fought　the　sea；　and　held　the　sea；

without　them。　　This　remembrance　putting　me　in　the　best　of　tempers

with　an　old　hulk；　very　green　as　to　her　copper；　and　generally　dim

and　patched；　I　pull　off　my　hat　to　her。　　Which　salutation　a　callow

and　downy…faced　young　officer　of　Engineers；　going　by　at　the　moment；

perceiving；　appropriates　…　and　to　which　he　is　most　heartily

welcome；　I　am　sure。



Having　been　torn　to　pieces　（in　imagination）　by　the　steam　circular

saws；　perpendicular　saws；　horizontal　saws；　and　saws　of　eccentric

action；　I　come　to　the　sauntering　part　of　my　expedition；　and

consequently　to　the　core　of　my　Uncommercial　pursuits。



Everywhere；　as　I　saunter　up　and　down　the　Yard；　I　meet　with　tokens

of　its　quiet　and　retiring　character。　　There　is　a　gravity　upon　its

red　brick　offices　and　houses；　a　staid　pretence　of　having　nothing

worth　mentioning　to　do；　an　avoidance　of　display；　which　I　never　saw

out　of　England。　　The　white　stones　of　the　pavement　present　no　other

trace　of　Achilles　and　his　twelve　hundred　banging　men　（not　one　of

whom　strikes　an　attitude）　than　a　few　occasional　echoes。　　But　for　a

whisper　in　the　air　suggestive　of　sawdust　and　shavings；　the　oar…

making　and　the　saws　of　many　movements　might　be　miles　away。　　Down

below　here；　is　the　great　reservoir　of　water　where　timber　is　steeped

in　various　temperatures；　as　a　part　of　its　seasoning　process。　　Above

it；　on　a　tramroad　supported　by　pillars；　is　a　Chinese　Enchanter's

Car；　which　fishes　the　logs　up；　when　sufficiently　steeped；　and　rolls

smoothly　away　with　them　to　stack　them。　　When　I　was　a　child　（the

Yard　being　then　familiar　to　me）　I　used　to　think　that　I　should　like

to　play　at　Chinese　Enchanter；　and　to　have　that　apparatus　placed　at

my　disposal　for　the　purpose　by　a　beneficent　country。　　I　still　think

that　I　should　rather　like　to　try　the　effect　of　writing　a　book　in

it。　　Its　retirement　is　complete；　and　to　go　gliding　to　and　fro　among

the　stacks　of　timber　would　be　a　convenient　kind　of　travelling　in

foreign　countries　…　among　the　forests　of　North　America；　the　sodden

Honduras　swamps；　the　dark　pine　woods；　the　Norwegian　frosts；　and　the

tropical　heats；　rainy　seasons；　and　thunderstorms。　　The　costly　store

of　timber　is　stacked　and　stowed　away　in　sequestered　places；　with

the　pervading　avoidance　of　flourish　or　effect。　　It　makes　as　little

of　itself　as　possible；　and　calls　to　no　one　'Come　and　look　at　me！'

And　yet　it　is　picked　out　from　the　trees　of　the　world；　picked　out

for　length；　picked　out　for　breadth；　picked　out　for　straightness；

picked　out　for　crookedness；　chosen　with　an　eye　to　every　need　of

ship　and　boat。　　Strangely　twisted　pieces　lie　about；　precious　in　the

sight　of　shipwrights。　　Sauntering　through　these　groves；　I　come　upon

an　open　glade　where　workmen　are　examining　some　timber　recently

delivered。　　Quite　a　pastoral　scene；　with　a　background　of　river　and

windmill！　and　no　more　like　War　than　the　American　States　are　at

present　like　an　Union。



Sauntering　among　the　ropemaking；　I　am　spun　into　a　state　of　blissful

indolence；　wherein　my　rope　of　life　seems　to　be　so　untwisted　by　the

process　as　that　I　can　see　back　to　very　early　days　indeed；　when　my

bad　dreams　…　they　were　frightful；　though　my　more　mature

understanding　has　never　made　out　why　…　were　of　an　interminable　sort

of　ropemaking；　with　long　minute　filaments　for　strands；　which；　when

they　were　spun　home　together　close　to　my　eyes；　occasioned

screaming。　　Next；　I　walk　among　the　quiet　lofts　of　stores　…　of

sails；　spars；　rigging；　ships'　boats　…　determined　to　believe　that

somebody　in　authority　wears　a　girdle　and　bends　beneath　the　weight

of　a　massive　bunch　of　keys；　and　that；　when　such　a　thing　is　wanted；

he　comes　telling　his　keys　like　Blue　Beard；　and　opens　such　a　door。

Impassive　as　the　long　lofts　look；　let　the　electric　battery　send

down　the　word；　and　the　shutters　and　doors　shall　fly　open；　and　such

a　fleet　of　armed　ships；　under　steam　and　under　sail；　shall　burst

forth　as　will　charge　the　old　Medway　…　where　the　merry　Stuart　let

the　Dutch　come；　while　his　not　so　merry　sailors　starved　in　the

streets　…　with　something　worth　looking　at　to　carry　to　the　sea。

Thus　I　idle　round　to　the　Medway　again；　where　it　is　now　flood　tide；

and　I　find　the　river　evincing　a　strong　solicitude　to　force　a　way

into　the　dry　dock　where　Achilles　is　waited　on　by　the　twelve　hundred

bangers；　with　intent　to　bear　the　whole　away　before　they　are　ready。



To　the　last；　the　Yard　puts　a　quiet　face　upon　it；　for　I　make　my　way

to　the　gates　through　a　little　quiet　grove　of　trees；　shading　the

quaintest　of　Dutch　landing…places；　where　the　leaf…speckled　shadow

of　a　shipwright　just　passing　away　at　the　further　end　might　be　the

shadow　of　Russian　Peter　himself。　　So；　the　doors　of　the　great　patent

safe　at　last　close　upon　me；　and　I　take　boat　again：　　somehow；

thinking　as　the　oars　dip；　of　braggart　Pistol　and　his　brood；　and　of

the　quiet　monsters　of　the　Yard；　with　their　'We　don't　particularly

want　to　do　it；　but　if　it　must　be　done　…　！'　　Scrunch。







CHAPTER　XXVII　…　IN　THE　FREN