three men on the bummel-第28节

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prevent　any　suggestion　of　unseemliness；　the　waitresses　at
restaurants　frequented　by　students　are　always　carefully　selected
from　among　a　staid　and　elderly　classy　of　women；　by　reason　of　which
the　German　student　can　enjoy　the　delights　of　flirtation　without
fear　and　without　reproach　to　anyone。

They　are　a　law…abiding　people；　the　Germans。



CHAPTER　X



Baden　from　the　visitor's　point　of　viewBeauty　of　the　early
morning；　as　viewed　from　the　preceding　afternoonDistance；　as
measured　by　the　compassDitto；　as　measured　by　the　legGeorge　in
account　with　his　conscienceA　lazy　machineBicycling；　according
to　the　poster：　　its　restfulnessThe　poster　cyclist：　　its　costume；
its　methodThe　griffin　as　a　household　petA　dog　with　proper　self…
respectThe　horse　that　was　abused。

From　Baden；　about　which　it　need　only　be　said　that　it　is　a　pleasure
resort　singularly　like　other　pleasure　resorts　of　the　same
description；　we　started　bicycling　in　earnest。　　We　planned　a　ten
days'　tour；　which；　while　completing　the　Black　Forest；　should
include　a　spin　down　the　Donau…Thal；　which　for　the　twenty　miles　from
Tuttlingen　to　Sigmaringen　is；　perhaps；　the　finest　valley　in
Germany；　the　Danube　stream　here　winding　its　narrow　way　past　old…
world　unspoilt　villages；　past　ancient　monasteries；　nestling　in
green　pastures；　where　still　the　bare…footed　and　bare…headed　friar；
his　rope　girdle　tight　about　his　loins；　shepherds；　with　crook　in
hand；　his　sheep　upon　the　hill　sides；　through　rocky　woods；　between
sheer　walls　of　cliff；　whose　every　towering　crag　stands　crowned　with
ruined　fortress；　church；　or　castle；　together　with　a　blick　at　the
Vosges　mountains；　where　half　the　population　is　bitterly　pained　if
you　speak　to　them　in　French；　the　other　half　being　insulted　when　you
address　them　in　German；　and　the　whole　indignantly　contemptuous　at
the　first　sound　of　English；　a　state　of　things　that　renders
conversation　with　the　stranger　somewhat　nervous　work。

We　did　not　succeed　in　carrying　out　our　programme　in　its　entirety；
for　the　reason　that　human　performance　lags　ever　behind　human
intention。　　It　is　easy　to　say　and　believe　at　three　o'clock　in　the
afternoon　that：　　〃We　will　rise　at　five；　breakfast　lightly　at　half…
past；　and　start　away　at　six。〃

〃Then　we　shall　be　well　on　our　way　before　the　heat　of　the　day　sets
in；〃　remarks　one。

〃This　time　of　the　year；　the　early　morning　is　really　the　best　part
of　the　day。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃　adds　another。

〃Oh；　undoubtedly。〃

〃So　cool　and　fresh。〃

〃And　the　half…lights　are　so　exquisite。〃

The　first　morning　one　maintains　one's　vows。　　The　party　assembles　at
half…past　five。　　It　is　very　silent；　individually；　somewhat　snappy；
inclined　to　grumble　with　its　food；　also　with　most　other　things；　the
atmosphere　charged　with　compressed　irritability　seeking　its　vent。
In　the　evening　the　Tempter's　voice　is　heard：

〃I　think　if　we　got　off　by　half…past　six；　sharp；　that　would　be　time
enough？〃

The　voice　of　Virtue　protests；　faintly：　　〃It　will　be　breaking　our
resolution。〃

The　Tempter　replies：　　〃Resolutions　were　made　for　man；　not　man　for
resolutions。〃　　The　devil　can　paraphrase　Scripture　for　his　own
purpose。　　〃Besides；　it　is　disturbing　the　whole　hotel；　think　of　the
poor　servants。〃

The　voice　of　Virtue　continues；　but　even　feebler：　　〃But　everybody
gets　up　early　in　these　parts。〃

〃They　would　not　if　they　were　not　obliged　to；　poor　things！　　Say
breakfast　at　half…past　six；　punctual；　that　will　be　disturbing
nobody。〃

Thus　Sin　masquerades　under　the　guise　of　Good；　and　one　sleeps　till
six；　explaining　to　one's　conscience；　who；　however；　doesn't　believe
it；　that　one　does　this　because　of　unselfish　consideration　for
others。　　I　have　known　such　consideration　extend　until　seven　of　the
clock。

Likewise；　distance　measured　with　a　pair　of　compasses　is　not
precisely　the　same　as　when　measured　by　the　leg。

〃Ten　miles　an　hour　for　seven　hours；　seventy　miles。　　A　nice　easy
day's　work。〃

〃There　are　some　stiff　hills　to　climb？〃

〃The　other　side　to　come　down。　　Say；　eight　miles　an　hour；　and　call
it　sixty　miles。　　Gott　in　Himmel！　if　we　can't　average　eight　miles　an
hour；　we　had　better　go　in　bath…chairs。〃　　It　does　seem　somewhat
impossible　to　do　less；　on　paper。

But　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　voice　of　Duty　rings　less
trumpet…toned：

〃Well；　I　suppose　we　ought　to　be　getting　on。〃

〃Oh；　there's　no　hurry！　don't　fuss。　　Lovely　view　from　here；　isn't
it？〃

〃Very。　　Don't　forget　we　are　twenty…five　miles　from　St。　Blasien。〃

〃How　far？〃

〃Twenty…five　miles；　a　little　over　if　anything。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　we　have　only　come　thirty…five　miles？〃

〃That's　all。〃

〃Nonsense。　　I　don't　believe　that　map　of　yours。〃

〃It　is　impossible；　you　know。　　We　have　been　riding　steadily　ever
since　the　first　thing　this　morning。〃

〃No；　we　haven't。　　We　didn't　get　away　till　eight；　to　begin　with。〃

〃Quarter　to　eight。〃

〃Well；　quarter　to　eight；　and　every　half…dozen　miles　we　have
stopped。〃

〃We　have　only　stopped　to　look　at　the　view。　　It's　no　good　coming　to
see　a　country；　and　then　not　seeing　it。〃

〃And　we　have　had　to　pull　up　some　stiff　hills。〃

〃Besides；　it　has　been　an　exceptionally　hot　day　to…day。〃

〃Well；　don't　forget　St。　Blasien　is　twenty…five　miles　off；　that's
all。〃

〃Any　more　hills？〃

〃Yes；　two；　up　and　down。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　it　was　downhill　into　St。　Blasien？〃

〃So　it　is　for　the　last　ten　miles。　　We　are　twenty…five　miles　from
St。　Blasien　here。〃

〃Isn't　there　anywhere　between　here　and　St。　Blasien？　　What's　that
little　place　there　on　the　lake？〃

〃It　isn't　St。　Blasien；　or　anywhere　near　it。　　There's　a　danger　in
beginning　that　sort　of　thing。〃

〃There's　a　danger　in　overworking　oneself。　　One　should　study
moderation　in　all　things。　　Pretty　little　place；　that　Titisee；
according　to　the　map；　looks　as　if　there　would　be　good　air　there。〃

〃All　right；　I'm　agreeable。　　It　was　you　fellows　who　suggested　our
making　for　St。　Blasien。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　so　keen　on　St。　Blasien！　poky　little　place；　down　in　a
valley。　　This　Titisee；　I　should　say；　was　ever　so　much　nicer。〃

〃Quite　near；　isn't　it？〃

〃Five　miles。〃

General　chorus：　　〃We'll　stop　at　Titisee。〃

George　made　discovery　of　this　difference　between　theory　and
practice　on　the　very　first　day　of　our　ride。

〃I　thought；〃　said　Georgehe　was　riding　the　single；　Harris　and　I
being　a　little　ahead　on　the　tandem〃that　the　idea　was　to　train　up
the　hills　and　ride　down　them。〃

〃So　it　is；〃　answered　Harris；　〃as　a　general　rule。　　But　the　trains
don't　go　up　EVERY　hill　in　the　Black　Forest。〃

〃Somehow；　I　felt　a　suspicion　that　they　wouldn't；〃　growled　George；
and　for　awhile　silence　reigned。

〃Besides；〃　remarked　Harris；　who　had　evidently　been　ruminating　the
subject；　〃you　would　not　wish　to　have　nothing　but　downhill；　surely。
It　would　not　be　playing　the　game。　　One　must　take　a　little　rough
with　one's　smooth。〃

Again　there　returned　silence；　broken　after　awhile　by　George；　this
time。

〃Don't　you　two　fellows　over…exert　yourselves　merely　on　my　account；〃
said　George。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Harris。

〃I　mean；〃　answered　George；　〃that　where　a　train　does　happen　to　be
going　up　these　hills；　don't　you　put　aside　the　idea　of　taking　it　for
fear　of　outraging　my　finer　feelings。　　Personally；　I　am　prepared　to
go　up　all　these　hills　in　a　railway　train；　even　if　it's　not　playing
the　game。　　I'll　square　the　thing　with　my　conscience；　I've　been　up
at　seven　every　day　for　a　week　now；　and　I　calculate　it　owes　me　a
bit。　　Don't　you　consider　me　in　the　matter　at　all。〃

We　promised　to　bear　this　in　mind；　and　again　the　ride　continued　in
dogged　dumbness；　until　it　was　again　broken　by　George。

〃What　bicycle　did　you　say　this　was　of　yours？〃　asked　George。

Harris　told　him。　　I　forget　of　what　particular　manufacture　it
happened　to　be；　it　is　immaterial。

〃Are　you　sure？〃　persisted　George。

〃Of　course　I　am　sure；〃　answered　Harris。　　〃Why；　what's　the　matter
with　it？〃

〃Well；　it　doesn't　come　up　to　the　poster；〃　said　George；　〃that's
all。〃

〃What　poster？〃　asked　Harris。

〃The　poster　advertising　this　particular　brand　of　cycle；〃　explained
George。　　〃I　was　looking　at　one　on　a　hoarding　in　Sloane　Street　only
a　day　or　two　before　we　started。　　A　man　was　riding　this　make　of
machine；　a　man　with　a　banner　in　his　hand：　　he　wasn't　doing　any
work；　that　was　clear　as　daylight；　he　was　just　sitting　on　the　thing
and　drinking　in　the　air。　　The　cycle　was　going　of　its　own　accord；
and　going　well。　　This　thing　of　yours　leaves　all　the　work　to　me。　　It
is　a　lazy　brute　of　a　machine；　if　you　don't　shove；　it　simply　does
nothing：　　I　should　complain　about　it；　if　I　were　you。〃

When　one　comes　to　think　of　it；　few　bicycles　do　realise　the　poster。
On　only　one　poster　that　I　can　recollect　have　I　seen　the　rider
represented　as　doing　any　work。　　But　then　this　man　was　being　pursued
by　a　bull。　　In　ordinary　cases　the　object　of　the　artist　is　to
convince　the　hesitating　neophyte　that　the　sport　of　bicycling
consists　in　sitting　on　a　luxurious　saddle；　and　being　moved　rapidly
in　the　direction　you　wish　to　go　by　unseen　heavenly　powers。

Generally　speaking；　the　rider　is　a　lady；　and　then　one　feels　that；
for　perfect　bodily　rest　combined　with　entire　freedom　from　mental
anxiety；　slumber　upon　a　water…bed　cannot　compare　with　bicycle…
riding　upon　a　hilly　road。　　No　fairy　t