the complete writings-4-第35节

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that　through　the　cloud　thou　break；　　　　　　To　dry　the　rain　on　my　storm…beaten　face；　　　　　　For　no　man　well　of　such　a　salve　can　speak　　　　　　That　heals　the　wound；　and　cures　not　the　disgrace：　　　　　　Nor　can　thy　shame　give　physic　to　my　grief：　　　　　　Though　thou　repent；　yet　I　have　still　the　loss。〃

〃Loss　of　what？〃　　cried　the　Friend；　as　he　whipped　up　his　halting　steed。

〃Loss　of　self…respect。　　I　feel　humiliated　that　I　consented　to　climb　this　mountain。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You'll　live　to　thank　me　for　it；　as　the　best　thing　you　ever　did。　　It's　over　and　done　now；　and　you've　got　it　to　tell　your　friends。〃

〃That's　just　the　trouble。　　They'll　ask　me　if　I　went　up　Mitchell；　and　I　shall　have　to　say　I　did。　　My　character　for　consistency　is　gone。　Not　that　I　care　much　what　they　think；　but　my　own　self…respect　is　gone。　　I　never　believed　I　would　do　it。　　A　man　ca'nt　afford　to　lower　himself　in　his　own　esteem；　at　my　time　of　life。〃

The　Widow　Patten's　was　only　an　advanced　settlement　in　this　narrow　valley　on　the　mountain…side；　but　a　little　group　of　buildings；　a　fence；　and　a　gate　gave　it　the　air　of　a　place；　and　it　had　once　been　better　cared　for　than　it　is　now。　　Few　travelers　pass　that　way；　and　the　art　of　entertaining；　if　it　ever　existed；　is　fallen　into　desuetude。　　We　unsaddled　at　the　veranda；　and　sat　down　to　review　our　adventure；　make　the　acquaintance　of　the　family；　and　hear　the　last　story　from　Big　Tom。　　The　mountaineer；　though　wet；　was　as　fresh　as　a　daisy；　and　fatigue　in　no　wise　checked　the　easy；　cheerful　flow　of　his　talk。　　He　was　evidently　a　favorite　with　his　neighbors；　and　not　unpleasantly　conscious　of　the　extent　of　his　reputation。　　But　he　encountered　here　another　social　grade。　　The　Widow　Patten　was　highly　connected。　　We　were　not　long　in　discovering　that　she　was　an　Alexander。　　She　had　been　a　schoolmate　of　Senator　Vance；〃　Zeb　Vance　〃he　still　was　to　her；and　the　senator　and　his　wife　had　stayed　at　her　house。　　I　wish　I　could　say　that　the　supper；　for　which　we　waited　till　nine　o'clock；　was　as　〃highly　connected　〃　as　the　landlady。　　It　was；　however；　a　supper　that　left　its　memory。　　We　were　lodged　in　a　detached　house；　which　we　had　to　ourselves；　where　a　roaring　wood　fire　made　amends　for　other　things　lacking。　　It　was　necessary　to　close　the　doors　to　keep　out　the　wandering　cows　and　pigs；　and　I　am　bound　to　say　that；　notwithstanding　the　voices　of　the　night；　we　slept　there　the　sleep　of　peace。

In　the　morning　a　genuine　surprise　awaited　us；　it　seemed　impossible；　but　the　breakfast　was　many　degrees　worse　than　the　supper；　and　when　we　paid　our　bill；　large　for　the　region；　we　were　consoled　by　the　thought　that　we　paid　for　the　high　connection　as　well　as　for　the　accommodations。　　This　is　a　regular　place　of　entertainment；　and　one　is　at　liberty　to　praise　it　without　violation　of　delicacy。

The　broken　shoe　of　Jack　required　attention；　and　we　were　all　the　morning　hunting　a　blacksmith；　as　we　rode　down　the　valley。　　Three　blacksmith's　shanties　were　found；　and　after　long　waiting　to　send　for　the　operator　it　turned　out　in　each　case　that　he　had　no　shoes；　no　nails；　no　iron　to　make　either　of。　　We　made　a　detour　of　three　miles　to　what　was　represented　as　a　regular　shop。　　The　owner　had　secured　the　service　of　a　colored　blacksmith　for　a　special　job；　and　was；　not　inclined　to　accommodate　us；　he　had　no　shoes；　no　nails。　　But　the　colored　blacksmith；　who　appreciated　the　plight　we　were　in；　offered　to　make　a　shoe；　and　to　crib　four　nails　from　those　he　had　laid　aside　for　a　couple　of　mules；　and　after　a　good　deal　of　delay；　we　were　enabled　to　go　on。　　The　incident　shows；　as　well　as　anything；　the　barrenness　and　shiftlessness　of　the　region。　　A　horseman　with　whom　we　rode　in　the　morning　gave　us　a　very　low　estimate　of　the　trustworthiness　of　the　inhabitants。　　The　valley　is　wild　and　very　pretty　all　the　way　down　to　Colonel　Long's；twelve　miles；but　the　wretched…looking　people　along　the　way　live　in　a　wretched　manner。

Just　before　reaching　Colonel　Long's　we　forded　the　stream　（here　of　good　size）；　the　bridge　having　tumbled　down；　and　encountered　a　party　of　picnickers　under　the　treessigns　of　civilization；　a　railway　station　is　not　far　off。　　Colonel　Long's　is　a　typical　Southern　establishment：　a　white　house；　or　rather　three　houses；　all　of　one　story；　built　on　to　each　other　as　beehives　are　set　in　a　row；　all　porches　and　galleries。　　No　one　at　home　but　the　cook；　a　rotund；　broad…　faced　woman；　with　a　merry　eye；　whose　very　appearance　suggested　good　cooking　and　hospitality；　the　Missis　and　the　children　had　gone　up　to　the　river　fishing；　the　Colonel　was　somewhere　about　the　place；　always　was　away　when　he　was　wanted。　　Guess　he'd　take　us　in；　mighty　fine　man　the　Colonel；　and　she　dispatched　a　child　from　a　cabin　in　the　rear　to　hunt　him　up。　　The　Colonel　was　a　great　friend　of　her　folks　down　to　Greenville；　they　visited　here。　　Law；　no；　she　didn't　live　here。　　Was　just　up　here　spending　the　summer；　for　her　health。　　God…forsaken　lot　of　people　up　here；　poor　trash。　　She　wouldn't　stay　here　a　day；　but　the　Colonel　was　a　friend　of　her　folks；　the　firstest　folks　in　Greenville。　Nobody　round　here　she　could　'sociate　with。　　She　was　a　Presbyterian；　the　folks　round　here　mostly　Baptists　and　Methodists。　　More　style　about　the　Presbyterians。　　Married？　　No；　she　hoped　not。　　She　did　n't　want　to　support　no　husband。　　Got　'nuff　to　do　to　take　care　of　herself。　That　her　little　girl？　　No；　she'd　only　got　one　child；　down　to　Greenville；　just　the　prettiest　boy　ever　was；　as　white　as　anybody。　How　did　she　what？　reconcile　this　state　of　things　with　not　being　married　and　being　a　Presbyterian？　　Sho！　she　liked　to　carry　some　religion　along；　it　was　mighty　handy　occasionally；　mebbe　not　all　the　time。　　Yes；　indeed；　she　enjoyed　her　religion。

The　Colonel　appeared　and　gave　us　a　most　cordial　welcome。　　The　fat　and　merry　cook　blustered　around　and　prepared　a　good　dinner；　memorable　for　its　〃light〃　bread；　the　first　we　had　seen　since　Cranberry　Forge。　　The　Colonel　is　in　some　sense　a　public　man；　having　been　a　mail　agent；　and　a　Republican。　　He　showed　us　photographs　and　engravings　of　Northern　politicians；　and　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　been　in　Washington。　This　was　a　fine　country　for　any　kind　of　fruit；apples；　grapes；　pears；　it　needed　a　little　Northern　enterprise　to　set　things　going。　The　travelers　were　indebted　to　the　Colonel　for　a　delightful　noonday　rest；　and　with　regret　declined　his　pressing　invitation　to　pass　the　night　with　him。

The　ride　down　the　Swannanoa　to　Asheville　was　pleasant；　through　a　cultivated　region；　over　a　good　road。　　The　Swannanoa　is；　however；　a　turbid　stream。　　In　order　to　obtain　the　most　impressive　view　of　Asheville　we　approached　it　by　the　way　of　Beaucatcher　Hill；　a　sharp　elevation　a　mile　west　of　the　town。　　I　suppose　the　name　is　a　corruption　of　some　descriptive　French　word；　but　it　has　long　been　a　favorite　resort　of　the　frequenters　of　Asheville；　and　it　may　be　traditional　that　it　is　a　good　place　to　catch　beaux。　　The　summit　is　occupied　by　a　handsome　private　residence；　and　from　this　ridge　the　view；　which　has　the　merit　of　〃bursting〃　upon　the　traveler　as　he　comes　over　the　hill；　is　captivating　in　its　extent　and　variety。　　The　pretty　town　of　Asheville　is　seen　to　cover　a　number　of　elevations　gently　rising　out　of　the　valley；　and　the　valley；　a　rich　agricultural　region；　well　watered　and　fruitful；　is　completely　inclosed　by　picturesque　hills；　some　of　them　rising　to　the　dignity　of　mountains。　　The　most　conspicuous　of　these　is　Mount　Pisgah；　eighteen　miles　distant　to　the　southwest；　a　pyramid　of　the　Balsam　range；　5757　feet　high。　　Mount　Pisgah；　from　its　shape；　is　the　most　attractive　mountain　in　this　region。

The　sunset　light　was　falling　upon　the　splendid　panorama　and　softening　it。　　The　windows　of　the　town　gleamed　as　if　on　fire。　　From　the　steep　slope　below　came　the　mingled　sounds　of　children　shouting；　cattle　driven　home；　and　all　that　hum　of　life　that　marks　a　thickly　peopled　region　preparing　for　the　night。　　It　was　the　leisure　hour　of　an　August　afternoon；　and　Asheville　was　in　all　its　watering…place　gayety；　as　we　reined　up　at　the　Swannanoa　hotel。　　A　band　was　playing　on　the　balcony。　We　had　reached　ice…water；　barbers；　waiters；　civilization。




IV

Ashville；　delightful　for　situation；　on　small　hills　that　rise　above　the　French　Broad　below　its　confluence　with　the　Swannanoa；　is　a　sort　of　fourteenth　cousin　to　Saratoga。　　It　has　no　springs；　but　lying　2250　feet　above　the　sea　and　in　a　lovely　valley；　mountain　girt；　it　has　pure　atmosphere　and　an　equable　climate；　and　being　both　a　summer　and　winter　resort；　it　has　acquired　a　watering…place　air。　　There　are　Southerners　who　declare　that　it　is　too　hot　in　summer；　and　that　the　complete　circuit　of　mountains　shuts　out　any　lively　movement　of　air。　　But　the　scenery　is　so　charming　and　noble；　the　drives　are　so　varied；　the　roads　so　unusually　passable　for　a　Southern　country；　and　the　facilities　for　excursions　so　good；　that　Asheville　is　a　favorite　resort。

Architecturally　the　place　is　not　remarkable；　but　its　surface　is　so　irregular；　there　are　so　many　acclivities　and　deep　valleys　that　improvements　can　never　obliterate；　that　it　is　perforce　picturesque。　It　is　interesting　also；　if　not　pleasing；　in　its　contraststhe　enterprise　of　taste　and　money…making　struggling　with　the　laissez　faire　of　the　South。　　The　negro；　I　suppose；　must　be　regarded　as　a　conservative　element；　he　has　not　much　inclination　to　change　his　cloth