short stories and essays-第21节
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sensibly to realize from the first moment that here you are in America as
the first Americans imagined and meant it； and nowhere in New England is
the original tradition more purely kept than in the beautiful old seaport
of New Hampshire。 In fact； without being quite prepared to defend a
thesis to this effect； I believe that Portsmouth is preeminently
American； and in this it differs from Newburyport and from Salem； which
have suffered from different causes an equal commercial decline； and；
though among the earliest of the great Puritan towns after Boston； are
now largely made up of aliens in race and religion； these are actually
the majority； I believe； in Newburyport。
IV。
The adversity of Portsmouth began early in the century； but before that
time she had prospered so greatly that her merchant princes were able to
build themselves wooden palaces with white walls and green shutters； of a
grandeur and beauty unmatched elsewhere in the country。 I do not know
what architect had his way with them； though his name is richly worth
remembrance； but they let him make them habitations of such graceful
proportion and of such delicate ornament that they have become shrines of
pious pilgrimage with the young architects of our day who hope to house
our well…to…do people fitly in country or suburbs。 The decoration is
oftenest spent on a porch or portal； or a frieze of peculiar refinement；
or perhaps it feels its way to the carven casements or to the delicate
iron…work of the transoms； the rest is a simplicity and a faultless
propriety of form in the stately mansions which stand under the arching
elms； with their gardens sloping； or dropping by easy terraces behind
them to the river； or to the borders of other pleasances。 They are all
of wood； except for the granite foundations and doorsteps； but the stout
edifices rarely sway out of the true line given them； and they look as if
they might keep it yet another century。
Between them； in the sun…shotten shade； lie the quiet streets； whose
gravelled stretch is probably never cleaned because it never needs
cleaning。 Even the business streets； and the quaint square which gives
the most American of towns an air so foreign and Old Worldly； look as if
the wind and rain alone cared for them； but they are not foul； and the
narrower avenues； where the smaller houses of gray； unpainted wood crowd
each other； flush upon the pavements； towards the waterside； are
doubtless unvisited by the hoe or broom； and must be kept clean by a New
England conscience against getting them untidy。
When you get to the river…side there is one stretch of narrow； high…
shouldered warehouses which recall Holland； especially in a few with
their gables broken in steps； after the Dutch fashion。 These； with their
mouldering piers and grass…grown wharves； have their pathos； and the
whole place embodies in its architecture an interesting record of the
past； from the time when the homesick exiles huddled close to the water's
edge till the period of post…colonial prosperity； when proud merchants
and opulent captains set their vast square houses each in its handsome
space of gardened ground。
My adjectives might mislead as to size； but they could not as to beauty；
and I seek in vain for those that can duly impart the peculiar charm of
the town。 Portsmouth still awaits her novelist； he will find a rich
field when he comes； and I hope he will come of the right sex； for it
needs some minute and subtle feminine skill； like that of Jane Austen； to
express a fit sense of its life in the past。 Of its life in the present
I know nothing。 I could only go by those delightful； silent houses； and
sigh my longing soul into their dim interiors。 When now and then a young
shape in summer silk； or a group of young shapes in diaphanous muslin；
fluttered out of them； I was no wiser； and doubtless my elderly fancy
would have been unable to deal with what went on in them。 Some girl of
those flitting through the warm； odorous twilight must become the
creative historian of the place； I can at least imagine a Jane Austen now
growing up in Portsmouth。
V。
If Miss Jewett were of a little longer breath than she has yet shown
herself in fiction； I might say the Jane Austen of Portsmouth was already
with us； and had merely not yet begun to deal with its precious material。
One day when we crossed the Piscataqua from New Hampshire into Maine； and
took the trolley…line for a run along through the lovely coast country；
we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of her own people； who are a
little different sort of New…Englanders from those of Miss Wilkins。 They
began to flock into the car； young maidens and old； mothers and
grandmothers； and nice boys and girls； with a very； very few farmer youth
of marriageable age； and more rustic and seafaring elders long past it；
all in the Sunday best which they had worn to the graduation exercises at
the High School； where we took them mostly up。 The womenkind were in a
nervous twitter of talk and laughter； and the men tolerantly gay beyond
their wont； 〃passing the time of day〃 with one another； and helping the
more tumultuous sex to get settled in the overcrowded open car。 They
courteously made room for one another； and let the children stand between
their knees； or took them in their laps； with that unfailing American
kindness which I am prouder of than the American valor in battle；
observing in all that American decorum which is no bad thing either。 We
had chanced upon the high and mighty occasion of the neighborhood year；
when people might well have been a little off their balance； but there
was not a boisterous note in the subdued affair。 As we passed the
school…house door； three dear； pretty maids in white gowns and white
slippers stood on the steps and gently smiled upon our company。 One
could see that they were inwardly glowing and thrilling with the
excitement of their graduation； but were controlling their emotions to a
calm worthy of the august event； so that no one might ever have it to say
that they had appeared silly。
The car swept on； and stopped to set down passengers at their doors or
gates； where they severally left it； with an easy air as of private
ownership； into some sense of which the trolley promptly flatters people
along its obliging lines。 One comfortable matron； in a cinnamon silk；
was just such a figure as that in the Miss Wilkins's story where the
bridegroom fails to come on the wedding…day； but； as I say； they made me
think more of Miss Jewett's people。 The shore folk and the Down…Easters
are specifically hers； and these were just such as might have belonged in
'The Country of the Pointed Firs'； or 'Sister Wisby's Courtship'； or
'Dulham Ladies'； or 'An Autumn Ramble'； or twenty other entrancing tales。
Sometimes one of them would try her front door； and then； with a bridling
toss of the head； express that she had forgotten locking it； and slip
round to the kitchen； but most of the ladies made their way back at once
between the roses and syringas of their grassy door…yards； which were as
neat and prim as their own persons； or the best chamber in their white…
walled； green…shuttered； story…and…a…half house； and as perfectly kept as
the very kitchen itself。
The trolley…line had been opened only since the last September； but in an
effect of familiar use it was as if it had always been there； and it
climbed and crooked and clambered about with the easy freedom of the
country road which it followed。 It is a land of low hills； broken by
frequent reaches of the sea； and it is most amusing； most amazing； to see
how frankly the trolley…car takes and overcomes its difficulties。 It
scrambles up and down the little steeps like a cat； and whisks round a
sharp and sudden curve with a feline screech； broadening into a loud
caterwaul as it darts over the estuaries on its trestles。 Its course
does not lack excitement； and I suppose it does not lack danger； but as
yet there have been no accidents； and it is not so disfiguring as one
would think。 The landscape has already accepted it； and is making the
best of it； and to the country people it is an inestimable convenience。
It passes everybody's front door or back door； and the farmers can get
themselves or their produce （for it runs an express car） into Portsmouth
in an hour； twice an hour； all day long。 In summer the cars are open；
with transverse seats； and stout curtains that quite shut out a squall of
wind or rain。 In winter the cars are closed； and heated by electricity。
The young motorman whom I spoke with； while we waited on a siding to let
a car from the opposite direction get by； told me that he was caught out
in a blizzard last Winter； and passed the night in a snowdrift。 〃But the
cah was so wa'm； I neva suff'ed a mite。〃
〃Well；〃 I summarized； 〃it must be a great advantage to all the people
along the line。〃
〃Well； you wouldn't 'a' thought so； from the kick they made。〃
〃I suppose the cottagers〃the summer colony〃didn't like the noise。〃
〃Oh yes； that's what I mean。 The's whe' the kick was。 The natives like
it。 I guess the summa folks 'll like it； too。〃
He looked round at me with e
