the complete writings-2-第52节

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with　a　whole　day　in　which　to　wander　in　it　without　a　care　or　a　responsibility。　　We　walk　briskly　up　the　walled　road　of　the　piano；　striking　at　the　overhanging　golden　fruit　with　our　staves；　greeting　the　orange…girls　who　come　down　the　side　lanes；　chaffing　with　the　drivers；　the　beggars；　the　old　women　who　sit　in　the　sun；　looking　into　the　open　doors　of　houses　and　shops　upon　women　weaving；　boys　and　girls　slicing　up　heaps　of　oranges；　upon　the　makers　of　macaroni；　the　sellers　of　sour　wine；　the　merry　shoemakers；　whose　little　dens　are　centers　of　gossip　here；　as　in　all　the　East：　the　whole　life　of　these　people　is　open　and　social；　to　be　on　the　street　is　to　be　at　home。

We　wind　up　the　steep　hill　behind　Meta；　every　foot　of　which　is　terraced　for　olive…trees；　getting；　at　length；　views　over　the　wayside　wall　of　the　plain　and　bay　and　rising　into　the　purer　air　and　the　scent　of　flowers　and　other　signs　of　coming　spring；　to　the　little　village　of　Arola；　with　its　church　and　bell；　its　beggars　and　idlers；just　a　little　street　of　houses　jammed　in　between　the　hills　of　Camaldoli　and　Pergola；　both　of　which　we　know　well。

Upon　the　cliff　by　Pergola　is　a　stone　house；　in　front　of　which　I　like　to　lie；　looking　straight　down　a　thousand　or　two　feet　upon　the　roofs　of　Meta；　the　map　of　the　plain；　and　the　always　fascinating　bay。　　I　went　down　the　backbone　of　the　limestone　ridge　towards　the　sea　the　other　afternoon；　before　sunset；　and　unexpectedly　came　upon　a　group　of　little　stone　cottages　on　a　ledge；　which　are　quite　hidden　from　below。　The　inhabitants　were　as　much　surprised　to　see　a　foreigner　break　through　their　seclusion　as　I　was　to　come　upon　them。　　However；　they　soon　recovered　presence　of　mind　to　ask　for　a　little　money。　　Half　a　dozen　old　hags　with　the　parchment　also　sat　upon　the　rocks　in　the　sun；　spinning　from　distaffs；　exactly　as　their　ancestors　did　in　Greece　two　thousand　years　ago；　I　doubt　not。　　I　do　not　know　that　it　is　true；　as　Tasso　wrote；　that　this　climate　is　so　temperate　and　serene　that　one　almost　becomes　immortal　in　it。　　Since　two　thousand　years　all　these　coasts　have　changed　more　or　less；　risen　and　sunk；　and　the　temples　and　palaces　of　two　civilizations　have　tumbled　into　the　sea。　　Yet　I　do　not　know　but　these　tranquil　old　women　have　been　sitting　here　on　the　rocks　all　the　while；　high　above　change　and　worry　and　decay；　gossiping　and　spinning；　like　Fates。　　Their　yarn　must　be　uncanny。

But　we　wander。　　It　is　difficult　to　go　to　any　particular　place　here；　impossible　to　write　of　it　in　a　direct　manner。　　Our　mulepath　continues　most　delightful；　by　slopes　of　green　orchards　nestled　in　sheltered　places；　winding　round　gorges；　deep　and　ragged　with　loose　stones；　and　groups　of　rocks　standing　on　the　edge　of　precipices；　like　medieval　towers；　and　through　village　after　village　tucked　away　in　the　hills。　The　abundance　of　population　is　a　constant　surprise。　　As　we　proceed；　the　people　are　wilder　and　much　more　curious　about　us；　having；　it　is　evident；　seen　few　strangers　lately。　　Women　and　children；　half…dressed　in　dirty　rags　which　do　not　hide　the　form；　come　out　from　their　low　stone　huts　upon　the　windy　terraces；　and　stand；　arms　akimbo；　staring　at　us；　and　not　seldom　hailing　us　in　harsh　voices。　　Their　sole　dress　is　often　a　single　split　and　torn　gown；　not　reaching　to　the　bare　knees；　evidently　the　original　of　those　in　the　Naples　ballet　（it　will；　no　doubt；　be　different　when　those　creatures　exchange　the　ballet　for　the　ballot）；　and；　with　their　tangled　locks　and　dirty　faces；　they　seem　rather　beasts　than　women。　　Are　their　husbands　brigands；　and　are　they　in　wait　for　us　in　the　chestnut…grove　yonder？

The　grove　is　charming；　and　the　men　we　meet　there　gathering　sticks　are　not　so　surly　as　the　women。　　They　point　the　way；　and　when　we　emerge　from　the　wood；　St。　Maria　a　Castello　is　before　us　on　a　height；　its　white　and　red　church　shining　in　the　sun。　　We　climb　up　to　it。　　In　front　is　a　broad；　flagged　terrace；　and　on　the　edge　are　deep　wells　in　the　rock；　from　which　we　draw　cool　water。　　Plentifully　victualed；　one　could　stand　a　siege　here；　and　perhaps　did　in　the　gamey　Middle　Ages。　Monk　or　soldier　need　not　wish　a　pleasanter　place　to　lounge。　Adjoining　the　church；　but　lower；　is　a　long；　low　building　with　three　rooms；　at　once　house　and　stable；　the　stable　in　the　center；　though　all　of　them　have　hay　in　the　lofts。　　The　rooms　do　not　communicate。　　That　is　the　whole　of　the　town　of　St。　Maria　a　Castello。

In　one　of　the　apartments　some　rough…looking　peasants　are　eating　dinner；　a　frugal　meal：　a　dish　of　unclean　polenta；　a　plate　of　grated　cheese；　a　basket　of　wormy　figs；　and　some　sour　red　wine；　no　bread；　no　meat。　　They　looked　at　us　askance；　and　with　no　sign　of　hospitality。　We　made　friends；　however；　with　the　ragged　children；　one　of　whom　took　great　delight　in　exhibiting　his　litter　of　puppies；　and　we　at　length　so　far　worked　into　the　good　graces　of　the　family　that　the　mother　was　prevailed　upon　to　get　us　some　milk　and　eggs。　　I　followed　the　woman　into　one　of　the　apartments　to　superintend　the　cooking　of　the　eggs。　It　was　a　mere　den；　with　an　earth　floor。　　A　fire　of　twigs　was　kindled　against　the　farther　wall；　and　a　little　girl；　half…naked；　carrying　a　baby　still　more　economically　clad；　was　stooping　down　to　blow　the　smudge　into　a　flame。　　The　smoke；　some　of　it；　went　over　our　heads　out　at　the　door。　　We　boiled　the　eggs。　　We　desired　salt；　and　the　woman　brought　us　pepper　in　the　berry。　　We　insisted　on　salt；　and　at　length　got　the　rock　variety；　which　we　pounded　on　the　rocks。　　We　ate　our　eggs　and　drank　our　milk　on　the　terrace；　with　the　entire　family　interested　spectators。　　The　men　were　the　hardest…looking　ruffians　we　had　met　yet：　they　were　making　a　bit　of　road　near　by；　but　they　seemed　capable　of　turning　their　hands　to　easier　money…getting；　and　there　couldn't　be　a　more　convenient　place　than　this。

When　our　repast　was　over；　and　I　had　drunk　a　glass　of　wine　with　the　proprietor；　I　offered　to　pay　him；　tendering　what　I　knew　was　a　fair　price　in　this　region。　　With　some　indignation　of　gesture；　he　refused　it；　intimating　that　it　was　too　little。　　He　seemed　to　be　seeking　an　excuse　for　a　quarrel　with　us；　so　I　pocketed　the　affront；　money　and　all；　and　turned　away。　　He　appeared　to　be　surprised；　and　going　indoors　presently　came　out　with　a　bottle　of　wine　and　glasses；　and　followed　us　down　upon　the　rocks；　pressing　us　to　drink。　　Most　singular　conduct；　no　doubt　drugged　wine；　travelers　put　into　deep　sleep；　robbed；　thrown　over　precipice；　diplomatic　correspondence；　flattering；　but　no　compensation　to　them。　　Either　this；　or　a　case　of　hospitality。　　We　declined　to　drink；　and　the　brigand　went　away。

We　sat　down　upon　the　jutting　ledge　of　a　precipice；　the　like　of　which　is　not　in　the　world：　on　our　left；　the　rocky；　bare　side　of　St。　Angelo；　against　which　the　sunshine　dashes　in　waves；　below　us；　sheer　down　two　thousand　feet）　the　city　of　Positano；　a　nest　of　brown　houses；　thickly　clustered　on　a　conical　spur；　and　lying　along　the　shore；　the　home　of　three　thousand　people；with　a　running　jump　I　think　I　could　land　in　the　midst　of　it；a　pygmy　city；　inhabited　by　mites；　as　we　look　down　upon　it；　a　little　beach　of　white　sand；　a　sailboat　lying　on　it；　and　some　fishermen　just　embarking；　a　long　hotel　on　the　beach；　beyond；　by　the　green　shore；　a　country　seat　charmingly　situated　amid　trees　and　vines；　higher　up；　the　ravine…seamed　hill；　little　stone　huts；　bits　of　ruin；　towers；　arches。　　How　still　it　is！　　All　the　stiller　that　I　can；　now　and　then；　catch　the　sound　of　an　axe；　and　hear　the　shouts　of　some　children　in　a　garden　below。　　How　still　the　sea　is！　　How　many　ages　has　it　been　so？　　Does　the　purple　mist　always　hang　there　upon　the　waters　of　Salerno　Bay；　forever　hiding　from　the　gaze　Paestum　and　its　temples；　and　all　that　shore　which　is　so　much　more　Grecian　than　Roman？

After　all；　it　is　a　satisfaction　to　turn　to　the　towering　rock　of　St。　Angelo；　not　a　tree；　not　a　shrub；　not　a　spire　of　grass；　on　its　perpendicular　side。　　We　try　to　analyze　the　satisfaction　there　is　in　such　a　bald；　treeless；　verdureless　mass。　　We　can　grasp　it　intellectually；　in　its　sharp　solidity；　which　is　undisturbed　by　any　ornament：　it　is；　to　the　mind；　like　some　complete　intellectual　performance；　the　mind　rests　on　it；　like　a　demonstration　in　Euclid。　And　yet　what　a　color　of　beauty　it　takes　on　in　the　distance！

When　we　return；　the　bandits　have　all　gone　to　their　road…making：　the　suspicious　landlord　is　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　We　call　the　woman　from　the　field；　and　give　her　money；　which　she　seemed　not　to　expect；　and　for　which　she　shows　no　gratitude。　　Life　appears　to　be　indifferent　to　these　people。　　But；　if　these　be　brigands；　we　prefer　them　to　those　of　Naples；　and　even　to　the　innkeepers　of　England。　　As　we　saunter　home　in　the　pleasant　afternoon；　the　vesper…bells　are　calling　to　each　other；　making　the　sweetest　echoes　of　peace　everywhere　in　the　hills；　and　all　the　piano　is　jubilant　with　them；　as　we　come　down　the　steeps　at　sunset。

〃You　see　there　was　no　danger；〃　said　the　giant　to　his　wife　that　evening　at　the　supper…table。

〃You　would　have　found　there　was　danger；　if　you　had　gone；〃　returned　the　wife　of　the　giant　significantly。




THE　MYTH　OF　THE　SIRENS

I　like　to　walk　upon　the　encircling　ridge　behind　Sorrento；　which　commands　both　bays。　　From　there　I　can　look　down　upon　the　Isles　of　the　Sirens。　　The　top　is　a　broad；　windy　strip　of　pasture；　which　falls　off　abruptly　to　the　Ba