three men on the bummel-第20节

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the　most　romantic　ravine　to　be　found　in　the　Black　Forest。　　The　last
time　I　walked　down　it　some　hundreds　of　Italian　workmen　were
encamped　there　hard　at　work；　training　the　wild　little　Wehr　the　way
it　should　go；　bricking　the　banks　for　it　here；　blasting　the　rocks
for　it　there；　making　cement　steps　for　it　down　which　it　can　travel
soberly　and　without　fuss。

For　in　Germany　there　is　no　nonsense　talked　about　untrammelled
nature。　　In　Germany　nature　has　got　to　behave　herself；　and　not　set　a
bad　example　to　the　children。　　A　German　poet；　noticing　waters　coming
down　as　Southey　describes；　somewhat　inexactly；　the　waters　coming
down　at　Lodore；　would　be　too　shocked　to　stop　and　write　alliterative
verse　about　them。　　He　would　hurry　away；　and　at　once　report　them　to
the　police。　　Then　their　foaming　and　their　shrieking　would　be　of
short　duration。

〃Now　then；　now　then；　what's　all　this　about？〃　the　voice　of　German
authority　would　say　severely　to　the　waters。　　〃We　can't　have　this
sort　of　thing；　you　know。　　Come　down　quietly；　can't　you？　　Where　do
you　think　you　are？〃

And　the　local　German　council　would　provide　those　waters　with　zinc
pipes　and　wooden　troughs；　and　a　corkscrew　staircase；　and　show　them
how　to　come　down　sensibly；　in　the　German　manner。

It　is　a　tidy　land　is　Germany。

We　reached　Dresden　on　the　Wednesday　evening；　and　stayed　there　over
the　Sunday。

Taking　one　consideration　with　another；　Dresden；　perhaps；　is　the
most　attractive　town　in　Germany；　but　it　is　a　place　to　be　lived　in
for　a　while　rather　than　visited。　　Its　museums　and　galleries；　its
palaces　and　gardens；　its　beautiful　and　historically　rich
environment；　provide　pleasure　for　a　winter；　but　bewilder　for　a
week。　　It　has　not　the　gaiety　of　Paris　or　Vienna；　which　quickly
palls；　its　charms　are　more　solidly　German；　and　more　lasting。　　It　is
the　Mecca　of　the　musician。　　For　five　shillings；　in　Dresden；　you　can
purchase　a　stall　at　the　opera　house；　together；　unfortunately；　with
a　strong　disinclination　ever　again　to　take　the　trouble　of　sitting
out　a　performance　in　any　English；　French；　or；　American　opera　house。

The　chief　scandal　of　Dresden　still　centres　round　August　the　Strong；
〃the　Man　of　Sin；〃　as　Carlyle　always　called　him；　who　is　popularly
reputed　to　have　cursed　Europe　with　over　a　thousand　children。
Castles　where　he　imprisoned　this　discarded　mistress　or　thatone　of
them；　who　persisted　in　her　claim　to　a　better　title；　for　forty
years；　it　is　said；　poor　lady！　　The　narrow　rooms　where　she　ate　her
heart　out　and　died　are　still　shown。　　Chateaux；　shameful　for　this
deed　of　infamy　or　that；　lie　scattered　round　the　neighbourhood　like
bones　about　a　battlefield；　and　most　of　your　guide's　stories　are
such　as　the　〃young　person〃　educated　in　Germany　had　best　not　hear。
His　life…sized　portrait　hangs　in　the　fine　Zwinger；　which　he　built
as　an　arena　for　his　wild　beast　fights　when　the　people　grew　tired　of
them　in　the　market…place；　a　beetle…browed；　frankly　animal　man；　but
with　the　culture　and　taste　that　so　often　wait　upon　animalism。
Modern　Dresden　undoubtedly　owes　much　to　him。

But　what　the　stranger　in　Dresden　stares　at　most　is；　perhaps；　its
electric　trams。　　These　huge　vehicles　flash　through　the　streets　at
from　ten　to　twenty　miles　an　hour；　taking　curves　and　corners　after
the　manner　of　an　Irish　car　driver。　　Everybody　travels　by　them；
excepting　only　officers　in　uniform；　who　must　not。　　Ladies　in
evening　dress；　going　to　ball　or　opera；　porters　with　their　baskets；
sit　side　by　side。　　They　are　all…important　in　the　streets；　and
everything　and　everybody　makes　haste　to　get　out　of　their　way。　　If
you　do　not　get　out　of　their　way；　and　you　still　happen　to　be　alive
when　picked　up；　then　on　your　recovery　you　are　fined　for　having　been
in　their　way。　　This　teaches　you　to　be　wary　of　them。

One　afternoon　Harris　took　a　〃bummel〃　by　himself。　　In　the　evening；
as　we　sat　listening　to　the　band　at　the　Belvedere；　Harris　said；　a
propos　of　nothing　in　particular；　〃These　Germans　have　no　sense　of
humour。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　that？〃　I　asked。

〃Why；　this　afternoon；〃　he　answered；　〃I　jumped　on　one　of　those
electric　tramcars。　　I　wanted　to　see　the　town；　so　I　stood　outside　on
the　little　platformwhat　do　you　call　it？〃

〃The　Stehplatz；〃　I　suggested。

〃That's　it；〃　said　Harris。　　〃Well；　you　know　the　way　they　shake　you
about；　and　how　you　have　to　look　out　for　the　corners；　and　mind
yourself　when　they　stop　and　when　they　start？〃

I　nodded。

〃There　were　about　half　a　dozen　of　us　standing　there；〃　he　continued；
〃and；　of　course；　I　am　not　experienced。　　The　thing　started　suddenly；
and　that　jerked　me　backwards。　　I　fell　against　a　stout　gentleman；
just　behind　me。　　He　could　not　have　been　standing　very　firmly
himself；　and　he；　in　his　turn；　fell　back　against　a　boy　who　was
carrying　a　trumpet　in　a　green　baize　case。　　They　never　smiled；
neither　the　man　nor　the　boy　with　the　trumpet；　they　just　stood　there
and　looked　sulky。　　I　was　going　to　say　I　was　sorry；　but　before　I
could　get　the　words　out　the　tram　eased　up；　for　some　reason　or
other；　and　that；　of　course；　shot　me　forward　again；　and　I　butted
into　a　white…haired　old　chap；　who　looked　to　me　like　a　professor。
Well；　HE　never　smiled；　never　moved　a　muscle。〃

〃Maybe；　he　was　thinking　of　something　else；〃　I　suggested。

〃That　could　not　have　been　the　case　with　them　all；〃　replied　Harris；
〃and　in　the　course　of　that　journey；　I　must　have　fallen　against
every　one　of　them　at　least　three　times。　　You　see；〃　explained
Harris；　〃they　knew　when　the　corners　were　coming；　and　in　which
direction　to　brace　themselves。　　I；　as　a　stranger；　was　naturally　at
a　disadvantage。　　The　way　I　rolled　and　staggered　about　that
platform；　clutching　wildly　now　at　this　man　and　now　at　that；　must
have　been　really　comic。　　I　don't　say　it　was　high…class　humour；　but
it　would　have　amused　most　people。　　Those　Germans　seemed　to　see　no
fun　in　it　whateverjust　seemed　anxious；　that　was　all。　　There　was
one　man；　a　little　man；　who　stood　with　his　back　against　the　brake；　I
fell　against　him　five　times；　I　counted　them。　　You　would　have
expected　the　fifth　time　would　have　dragged　a　laugh　out　of　him；　but
it　didn't；　he　merely　looked　tired。　　They　are　a　dull　lot。〃

George　also　had　an　adventure　at　Dresden。　　There　was　a　shop　near　the
Altmarkt；　in　the　window　of　which　were　exhibited　some　cushions　for
sale。　　The　proper　business　of　the　shop　was　handling　of　glass　and
china；　the　cushions　appeared　to　be　in　the　nature　of　an　experiment。
They　were　very　beautiful　cushions；　hand…embroidered　on　satin。　　We
often　passed　the　shop；　and　every　time　George　paused　and　examined
those　cushions。　　He　said　he　thought　his　aunt　would　like　one。

George　has　been　very　attentive　to　this　aunt　of　his　during　the
journey。　　He　has　written　her　quite　a　long　letter　every　day；　and
from　every　town　we　stop　at　he　sends　her　off　a　present。　　To　my　mind；
he　is　overdoing　the　business；　and　more　than　once　I　have
expostulated　with　him。　　His　aunt　will　be　meeting　other　aunts；　and
talking　to　them；　the　whole　class　will　become　disorganised　and
unruly。　　As　a　nephew；　I　object　to　the　impossible　standard　that
George　is　setting　up。　　But　he　will　not　listen。

Therefore　it　was　that　on　the　Saturday　he　left　us　after　lunch；
saying　he　would　go　round　to　that　shop　and　get　one　of　those　cushions
for　his　aunt。　　He　said　he　would　not　be　long；　and　suggested　our
waiting　for　him。

We　waited　for　what　seemed　to　me　rather　a　long　time。　　When　he
rejoined　us　he　was　empty　handed；　and　looked　worried。　　We　asked　him
where　his　cushion　was。　　He　said　he　hadn't　got　a　cushion；　said　he
had　changed　his　mind；　said　he　didn't　think　his　aunt　would　care　for
a　cushion。　　Evidently　something　was　amiss。　　We　tried　to　get　at　the
bottom　of　it；　but　he　was　not　communicative。　　Indeed；　his　answers
after　our　twentieth　question　or　thereabouts　became　quite　short。

In　the　evening；　however；　when　he　and　I　happened　to　be　alone；　he
broached　the　subject　himself。　　He　said：

〃They　are　somewhat　peculiar　in　some　things；　these　Germans。〃

I　said：　　〃What　has　happened？〃

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃there　was　that　cushion　I　wanted。〃

〃For　your　aunt；〃　I　remarked。

〃Why　not？〃　he　returned。　　He　was　huffy　in　a　moment；　I　never　knew　a
man　so　touchy　about　an　aunt。　　〃Why　shouldn't　I　send　a　cushion　to　my
aunt？〃

〃Don't　get　excited；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　am　not　objecting；　I　respect　you
for　it。〃

He　recovered　his　temper；　and　went　on：

〃There　were　four　in　the　window；　if　you　remember；　all　very　much
alike；　and　each　one　labelled　in　plain　figures　twenty　marks。　　I
don't　pretend　to　speak　German　fluently；　but　I　can　generally　make
myself　understood　with　a　little　effort；　and　gather　the　sense　of
what　is　said　to　me；　provided　they　don't　gabble。　　I　went　into　the
shop。　　A　young　girl　came　up　to　me；　she　was　a　pretty；　quiet　little
soul；　one　might　almost　say；　demure；　not　at　all　the　sort　of　girl
from　whom　you　would　have　expected　such　a　thing。　　I　was　never　more
surprised　in　all　my　life。〃

〃Surprised　about　what？〃　I　said。

George　always　assumes　you　know　the　end　of　the　story　while　he　is
telling　you　the　beginning；　it　is　an　annoying　method。

〃At　what　happened；〃　replied　George；　〃at　what　I　am　telling　you。　　She
smiled　and　asked　me　what　I　wanted。　　I　understood　that　all　right；
there　could　have　been　no　mistake　about　that。　　I　put　down　a　twenty
mark　piece