the complete writings-2-第46节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　cold　and　cheerless。　　They　experienced　very　rough　treatment；　if　I　can　credit　my　informant；　who　says　she　hates　the　government；　and　would　not　even　look　out　of　her　lattice　that　day　to　see　the　carriages　drive　past。

And　when　the　Lady　Superior　was　driven　away　from　the　gate；　she　said　to　the　officials；　and　the　few　faithful　attendants；　prophesying　in　the　midst　of　the　rain　that　poured　about　her；　　〃The　day　will　come　shortly；　when　you　will　want　rain；　and　shall　not　have　it；　and　you　will　pray　for　my　return。〃

And　it　did　not　rain；　from　that　day　for　three　years。

And　the　simple　people　thought　of　the　good　Superior；　whose　departure　had　been　in　such　a　deluge；　and　who　had　taken　away　with　her　all　the　moisture　of　the　land；　and　they　did　pray　for　her　return；　and　believed　that　the　gates　of　heaven　would　be　again　opened　if　only　the　nunnery　were　repeopled。　　But　the　government　could　not　see　the　connection　between　convents　and　the　theory　of　storms；　and　the　remnant　of　pious　women　was　permitted　to　remain　in　their　lodgings　at　Massa。　　Perhaps　the　government　thought　they　could；　if　they　bore　no　malice；　pray　as　effectually　for　rain　there　as　anywhere。

I　do　not　know；　said　my　informant；　that　the　curse　of　the　Lady　Superior　had　anything　to　do　with　the　drought；　but　many　think　it　had；　and　those　are　the　facts。




CHILDREN　OF　THE　SUN

The　common　people　of　this　region　are　nothing　but　children；　and　ragged；　dirty；　and　poor　as　they　are；　apparently　as　happy；　to　speak　idiomatically；　as　the　day　is　long。　　It　takes　very　little　to　please　them；　and　their　easily…excited　mirth　is　contagious。　　It　is　very　rare　that　one　gets　a　surly　return　to　a　salutation；　and；　if　one　shows　the　least　good…nature；　his　greeting　is　met　with　the　most　jolly　return。　The　boatman　hauling　in　his　net　sings；　the　brown　girl；　whom　we　meet　descending　a　steep　path　in　the　hills；　with　an　enormous　bag　or　basket　of　oranges　on　her　head；　or　a　building…stone　under　which　she　stands　as　erect　as　a　pillar；　sings；　and；　if　she　asks　for　something；　there　is　a　merry　twinkle　in　her　eye；　that　says　she　hardly　expects　money；　but　only　puts　in　a　〃beg〃　at　a　venture　because　it　is　the　fashion；　the　workmen　clipping　the　olive…trees　sing；　the　urchins；　who　dance　about　the　foreigner　in　the　street；　vocalize　their　petitions　for　un　po'　di　moneta　in　a　tuneful　manner；　and　beg　more　in　a　spirit　of　deviltry　than　with　any　expectation　of　gain。　　When　I　see　how　hard　the　peasants　labor；　what　scraps　and　vegetable　odds　and　ends　they　eat；　and　in　what　wretched；　dark；　and　smoke…dried　apartments　they　live；　I　wonder　they　are　happy；　but　I　suppose　it　is　the　all…nourishing　sun　and　the　equable　climate　that　do　the　business　for　them。　　They　have　few　artificial　wants；　and　no　uneasy　expectationbred　by　the　reading　of　books　and　newspapersthat　anything　is　going　to　happen　in　the　world；　or　that　any　change　is　possible。　　Their　fruit…trees　yield　abundantly　year　after　year；　their　little　patches　of　rich　earth；　on　the　built…up　terraces　and　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks；　produce　fourfold。　　The　sun　does　it　all。

Every　walk　that　we　take　here　with　open　mind　and　cheerful　heart　is　sure　to　be　an　adventure。　　Only　yesterday；　we　were　coming　down　a　branch　of　the　great　gorge　which　splits　the　plain　in　two。　　On　one　side　the　path　is　a　high　wall；　with　garden　trees　overhanging。　　On　the　other；　a　stone　parapet；　and　below；　in　the　bed　of　the　ravine；　an　orange　orchard。　　Beyond　rises　a　precipice；　and；　at　its　foot；　men　and　boys　were　quarrying　stone；　which　workmen　raised　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　to　the　platform　above　with　a　windlass。　　As　we　came　along；　a　handsome　girl　on　the　height　had　just　taken　on　her　head　a　large　block　of　stone；　which　I　should　not　care　to　lift；　to　carry　to　a　pile　in　the　rear；　and　she　stopped　to　look　at　us。　　We　stopped；　and　looked　at　her。　This　attracted　the　attention　of　the　men　and　boys　in　the　quarry　below；　who　stopped　work；　and　set　up　a　cry　for　a　little　money。　　We　laughed；　and　responded　in　English。　　The　windlass　ceased　to　turn。　　The　workmen　on　the　height　joined　in　the　conversation。　　A　grizzly　beggar　hobbled　up；　and　held　out　his　greasy　cap。　　We　nonplussed　him　by　extending　our　hats；　and　beseeching　him　for　just　a　little　something。　　Some　passers　on　the　road　paused；　and　looked　on；　amused　at　the　transaction。　　A　boy　appeared　on　the　high　wall；　and　began　to　beg。　　I　threatened　to　shoot　him　with　my　walkingstick；　whereat　he　ran　nimbly　along　the　wall　in　terror　The　workmen　shouted；　and　this　started　up　a　couple　of　yellow　dogs；　which　came　to　the　edge　of　the　wall　and　barked　violently。　　The　girl；　alone　calm　in　the　confusion；　stood　stock　still　under　her　enormous　load　looking　at　us。　　We　swung　out　hats；　and　hurrahed。　　The　crowd　replied　from　above；　below；　and　around　us；　shouting；　laughing；　singing；　until　the　whole　little　valley　was　vocal　with　a　gale　of　merriment；　and　all　about　nothing。　　The　beggar　whined；　the　spectators　around　us　laughed；　and　the　whole　population　was　aroused　into　a　jolly　mood。　　Fancy　such　a　merry　hullaballoo　in　America。　　For　ten　minutes；　while　the　funny　row　was　going　on；　the　girl　never　moved；　having　forgotten　to　go　a　few　steps　and　deposit　her　load；　and　when　we　disappeared　round　a　bend　of　the　path；　she　was　still　watching　us；　smiling　and　statuesque。

As　we　descend；　we　come　upon　a　group　of　little　children　seated　about　a　doorstep；　black…eyed；　chubby　little　urchins；　who　are　cutting　oranges　into　little　bits；　and　playing　〃party；〃　as　children　do　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic。　　The　instant　we　stop　to　speak　to　them；　the　skinny　hand　of　an　old　woman　is　stretched　out　of　a　window　just　above　our　heads；　the　wrinkled　palm　itching　for　money。　　The　mother　comes　forward　out　of　the　house；　evidently　pleased　with　our　notice　of　the　children；　and　shows　us　the　baby　in　her　arms。　　At　once　we　are　on　good　terms　with　the　whole　family。　　The　woman　sees　that　there　is　nothing　impertinent　in　our　cursory　inquiry　into　her　domestic　concerns；　but；　I　fancy；　knows　that　we　are　genial　travelers；　with　human　sympathies。　　So　the　people　universally　are　not　quick　to　suspect　any　imposition；　and　meet　frankness　with　frankness；　and　good…nature　with　good…nature；　in　a　simple…hearted；　primeval　manner。　　If　they　stare　at　us　from　doorway　and　balcony；　or　come　and　stand　near　us　when　we　sit　reading　or　writing　by　the　shore；　it　is　only　a　childlike　curiosity；　and　they　are　quite　unconscious　of　any　breach　of　good　manners。　　In　fact；　I　think　travelers　have　not　much　to　say　in　the　matter　of　staring。　　I　only　pray　that　we　Americans　abroad　may　remember　that　we　are　in　the　presence　of　older　races；　and　conduct　ourselves　with　becoming　modesty；　remembering　always　that　we　were　not　born　in　Britain。

Very　likely　I　am　in　error；　but　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　even　the　funerals　here　are　not　so　gloomy　as　in　other　places。　　I　have　looked　in　at　the　churches　when　they　are　in　progress；　now　and　then；　and　been　struck　with　the　general　good　feeling　of　the　occasion。　　The　real　mourners　I　could　not　always　distinguish；　but　the　seats　would　be　filled　with　a　motley　gathering　of　the　idle　and　the　ragged；　who　seemed　to　enjoy　the　show　and　the　ceremony。　　On　one　occasion；　it　was　the　obsequies　of　an　officer　in　the　army。　　Guarding　the　gilded　casket；　which　stood　upon　a　raised　platform　before　the　altar；　were　four　soldiers　in　uniform。　　Mass　was　being　said　and　sung；　and　a　priest　was　playing　the　organ。　　The　church　was　light　and　cheerful；　and　pervaded。　by　a　pleasant　bustle。　　Ragged　boys　and　beggars；　and　dirty　children　and　dogs；　went　and　came　wherever　they　choseabout　the　unoccupied　spaces　of　the　church。　　The　hired　mourners；　who　are　numerous　in　proportion　to　the　rank　of　the　deceased；　were　clad　in　white　cotton；a　sort　of　nightgown　put　on　over　the　ordinary　clothes；　with　a　hood　of　the　same　drawn　tightly　over　the　face；　in　which　slits　were　cut　for　the　eyes　and　mouth。　　Some　of　them　were　seated　on　benches　near　the　front；　others　were　wandering　about　among　the　pillars；　disappearing　in　the　sacristy；　and　reappearing　with　an　aimless　aspect；　altogether　conducting　themselves　as　if　it　were　a　holiday；　and　if　there　was　anything　they　did　enjoy；　it　was　mourning　at　other　people's　expense。　They　laughed　and　talked　with　each　other　in　excellent　spirits；　and　one　varlet　near　the　coffin；　who　had　slipped　off　his　mask；　winked　at　me　repeatedly；　as　if　to　inform　me　that　it　was　not　his　funeral。　　A　masquerade　might　have　been　more　gloomy　and　depressing。




SAINT　ANTONINO

The　most　serviceable　saint　whom　I　know　is　St。　Antonino。　　He　is　the　patron　saint　of　the　good　town　of　Sorrento；　he　is　the　good　genius　of　all　sailors　and　fishermen；　and　he　has　a　humbler　office；that　of　protector　of　the　pigs。　　On　his　day　the　pigs　are　brought　into　the　public　square　to　be　blessed；　and　this　is　one　reason　why　the　pork　of　Sorrento　is　reputed　so　sweet　and　wholesome。　　The　saint　is　the　friend；　and；　so　to　say；　companion　of　the　common　people。　　They　seem　to　be　all　fond　of　him；　and　there　is　little　of　fear　in　their　confiding　relation。　His　humble　origin　and　plebeian　appearance　have　something　to　do　with　his　popularity；　no　doubt。　　There　is　nothing　awe…inspiring　in　the　brown　stone　figure；　battered　and　cracked；　that　stands　at　one　corner　of　the　bridge；　over　the　chasm　at　the　entrance　of　the　city。　　He　holds　a　crosier　in　one　hand；　and　raises　the　other；　with　fingers　uplifted；　in　act　of　benediction。　　If　his　face　is　an　indication　of　his　character；　he　had　in　him　a　mixtur