erewhon-第11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！


representing　some　figure；　male　or　female；　in　the　very　heyday　of
youth；　strength；　and　beauty；　or　of　the　most　dignified　maturity　and
old　age。　　My　hosts　always　bowed　their　heads　as　they　passed　one　of
these　shrines；　and　it　shocked　me　to　see　statues　that　had　no
apparent　object；　beyond　the　chronicling　of　some　unusual　individual
excellence　or　beauty；　receive　so　serious　a　homage。　　However；　I
showed　no　sign　of　wonder　or　disapproval；　for　I　remembered　that　to
be　all　things　to　all　men　was　one　of　the　injunctions　of　the　Gentile
Apostle；　which　for　the　present　I　should　do　well　to　heed。　　Shortly
after　passing　one　of　these　chapels　we　came　suddenly　upon　a　village
which　started　up　out　of　the　mist；　and　I　was　alarmed　lest　I　should
be　made　an　object　of　curiosity　or　dislike。　　But　it　was　not　so。　　My
guides　spoke　to　many　in　passing；　and　those　spoken　to　showed　much
amazement。　　My　guides；　however；　were　well　known；　and　the　natural
politeness　of　the　people　prevented　them　from　putting　me　to　any
inconvenience；　but　they　could　not　help　eyeing　me；　nor　I　them。　　I
may　as　well　say　at　once　what　my　after…experience　taught　menamely；
that　with　all　their　faults　and　extraordinary　obliquity　of　mental
vision　upon　many　subjects；　they　are　the　very　best…bred　people　that
I　ever　fell　in　with。

The　village　was　just　like　the　one　we　had　left；　only　rather　larger。
The　streets　were　narrow　and　unpaved；　but　very　fairly　clean。　　The
vine　grew　outside　many　of　the　houses；　and　there　were　some　with
sign…boards；　on　which　was　painted　a　bottle　and　a　glass；　that　made
me　feel　much　at　home。　　Even　on　this　ledge　of　human　society　there
was　a　stunted　growth　of　shoplets；　which　had　taken　root　and
vegetated　somehow；　though　as　in　an　air　mercantile　of　the　bleakest。
It　was　here　as　hitherto：　　all　things　were　generically　the　same　as
in　Europe；　the　differences　being　of　species　only；　and　I　was　amused
at　seeing　in　a　window　some　bottles　with　barley…sugar　and　sweetmeats
for　children；　as　at　home；　but　the　barley…sugar　was　in　plates；　not
in　twisted　sticks；　and　was　coloured　blue。　　Glass　was　plentiful　in
the　better　houses。

Lastly；　I　should　say　that　the　people　were　of　a　physical　beauty
which　was　simply　amazing。　　I　never　saw　anything　in　the　least
comparable　to　them。　　The　women　were　vigorous；　and　had　a　most
majestic　gait；　their　heads　being　set　upon　their　shoulders　with　a
grace　beyond　all　power　of　expression。　　Each　feature　was　finished；
eyelids；　eyelashes；　and　ears　being　almost　invariably　perfect。
Their　colour　was　equal　to　that　of　the　finest　Italian　paintings；
being　of　the　clearest　olive；　and　yet　ruddy　with　a　glow　of　perfect
health。　　Their　expression　was　divine；　and　as　they　glanced　at　me
timidly　but　with　parted　lips　in　great　bewilderment；　I　forgot　all
thoughts　of　their　conversion　in　feelings　that　were　far　more
earthly。　　I　was　dazzled　as　I　saw　one　after　the　other；　of　whom　I
could　only　feel　that　each　was　the　loveliest　I　had　ever　seen。　　Even
in　middle　age　they　were　still　comely；　and　the　old　grey…haired　women
at　their　cottage　doors　had　a　dignity；　not　to　say　majesty；　of　their
own。

The　men　were　as　handsome　as　the　women　beautiful。　　I　have　always
delighted　in　and　reverenced　beauty；　but　I　felt　simply　abashed　in
the　presence　of　such　a　splendid　typea　compound　of　all　that　is
best　in　Egyptian；　Greek　and　Italian。　　The　children　were　infinite　in
number；　and　exceedingly　merry；　I　need　hardly　say　that　they　came　in
for　their　full　share　of　the　prevailing　beauty。　　I　expressed　by
signs　my　admiration　and　pleasure　to　my　guides；　and　they　were
greatly　pleased。　　I　should　add　that　all　seemed　to　take　a　pride　in
their　personal　appearance；　and　that　even　the　poorest　（and　none
seemed　rich）　were　well　kempt　and　tidy。　　I　could　fill　many　pages
with　a　description　of　their　dress　and　the　ornaments　which　they
wore；　and　a　hundred　details　which　struck　me　with　all　the　force　of
novelty；　but　I　must　not　stay　to　do　so。

When　we　had　got　past　the　village　the　fog　rose；　and　revealed
magnificent　views　of　the　snowy　mountains　and　their　nearer
abutments；　while　in　front　I　could　now　and　again　catch　glimpses　of
the　great　plains　which　I　had　surveyed　on　the　preceding　evening。
The　country　was　highly　cultivated；　every　ledge　being　planted　with
chestnuts；　walnuts；　and　apple…trees　from　which　the　apples　were　now
gathering。　　Goats　were　abundant；　also　a　kind　of　small　black　cattle；
in　the　marshes　near　the　river；　which　was　now　fast　widening；　and
running　between　larger　flats　from　which　the　hills　receded　more　and
more。　　I　saw　a　few　sheep　with　rounded　noses　and　enormous　tails。
Dogs　were　there　in　plenty；　and　very　English；　but　I　saw　no　cats；　nor
indeed　are　these　creatures　known；　their　place　being　supplied　by　a
sort　of　small　terrier。

In　about　four　hours　of　walking　from　the　time　we　started；　and　after
passing　two　or　three　more　villages；　we　came　upon　a　considerable
town；　and　my　guides　made　many　attempts　to　make　me　understand
something；　but　I　gathered　no　inkling　of　their　meaning；　except　that
I　need　be　under　no　apprehension　of　danger。　　I　will　spare　the　reader
any　description　of　the　town；　and　would　only　bid　him　think　of
Domodossola　or　Faido。　　Suffice　it　that　I　found　myself　taken　before
the　chief　magistrate；　and　by　his　orders　was　placed　in　an　apartment
with　two　other　people；　who　were　the　first　I　had　seen　looking
anything　but　well　and　handsome。　　In　fact；　one　of　them　was　plainly
very　much　out　of　health；　and　coughed　violently　from　time　to　time　in
spite　of　manifest　efforts　to　suppress　it。　　The　other　looked　pale
and　ill　but　he　was　marvellously　self…contained；　and　it　was
impossible　to　say　what　was　the　matter　with　him。　　Both　of　them
appeared　astonished　at　seeing　one　who　was　evidently　a　stranger；　but
they　were　too　ill　to　come　up　to　me；　and　form　conclusions　concerning
me。　　These　two　were　first　called　out；　and　in　about　a　quarter　of　an
hour　I　was　made　to　follow　them；　which　I　did　in　some　fear；　and　with
much　curiosity。

The　chief　magistrate　was　a　venerable…looking　man；　with　white　hair
and　beard　and　a　face　of　great　sagacity。　　He　looked　me　all　over　for
about　five　minutes；　letting　his　eyes　wander　from　the　crown　of　my
head　to　the　soles　of　my　feet；　up　and　down；　and　down　and　up；　neither
did　his　mind　seem　in　the　least　clearer　when　he　had　done　looking
than　when　he　began。　　He　at　length　asked　me　a　single　short　question；
which　I　supposed　meant　〃Who　are　you？〃　　I　answered　in　English　quite
composedly　as　though　he　would　understand　me；　and　endeavoured　to　be
my　very　most　natural　self　as　well　as　I　could。　　He　appeared　more　and
more　puzzled；　and　then　retired；　returning　with　two　others　much　like
himself。　　Then　they　took　me　into　an　inner　room；　and　the　two　fresh
arrivals　stripped　me；　while　the　chief　looked　on。　　They　felt　my
pulse；　they　looked　at　my　tongue；　they　listened　at　my　chest；　they
felt　all　my　muscles；　and　at　the　end　of　each　operation　they　looked
at　the　chief　and　nodded；　and　said　something　in　a　tone　quite
pleasant；　as　though　I　were　all　right。　　They　even　pulled　down　my
eyelids；　and　looked；　I　suppose；　to　see　if　they　were　bloodshot；　but
it　was　not　so。　　At　length　they　gave　up；　and　I　think　that　all　were
satisfied　of　my　being　in　the　most　perfect　health；　and　very　robust
to　boot。　　At　last　the　old　magistrate　made　me　a　speech　of　about　five
minutes　long；　which　the　other　two　appeared　to　think　greatly　to　the
point；　but　from　which　I　gathered　nothing。　　As　soon　as　it　was　ended；
they　proceeded　to　overhaul　my　swag　and　the　contents　of　my　pockets。
This　gave　me　little　uneasiness；　for　I　had　no　money　with　me；　nor
anything　which　they　were　at　all　likely　to　want；　or　which　I　cared
about　losing。　　At　least　I　fancied　so；　but　I　soon　found　my　mistake。

They　got　on　comfortably　at　first；　though　they　were　much　puzzled
with　my　tobacco…pipe　and　insisted　on　seeing　me　use　it。　　When　I　had
shown　them　what　I　did　with　it；　they　were　astonished　but　not
displeased；　and　seemed　to　like　the　smell。　　But　by　and　by　they　came
to　my　watch；　which　I　had　hidden　away　in　the　inmost　pocket　that　I
had；　and　had　forgotten　when　they　began　their　search。　　They　seemed
concerned　and　uneasy　as　soon　as　they　got　hold　of　it。　　They　then
made　me　open　it　and　show　the　works；　and　when　I　had　done　so　they
gave　signs　of　very　grave　displeasure；　which　disturbed　me　all　the
more　because　I　could　not　conceive　wherein　it　could　have　offended
them。

I　remember　that　when　they　first　found　it　I　had　thought　of　Paley；
and　how　he　tells　us　that　a　savage　on　seeing　a　watch　would　at　once
conclude　that　it　was　designed。　　True；　these　people　were　not
savages；　but　I　none　the　less　felt　sure　that　this　was　the　conclusion
they　would　arrive　at；　and　I　was　thinking　what　a　wonderfully　wise
man　Archbishop　Paley　must　have　been；　when　I　was　aroused　by　a　look
of　horror　and　dismay　upon　the　face　of　the　magistrate；　a　look　which
conveyed　to　me　the　impression　that　he　regarded　my　watch　not　as
having　been　designed；　but　rather　as　the　designer　of　himself　and　of
the　universe；　or　as　at　any　rate　one　of　the　great　first　causes　of
all　things。

Then　it　struck　me　that　this　view　was　quite　as　likely　to　be　taken　as
the　other　by　a　people　who　had　no　experience　of　European
civilisation；　and　I　was　a　little　piqued　with　Paley　for　having　led
me　so　much　astray；　but　I　soon　discovered　that　I　had　misinterpreted
the　expression　on　the　mag