idle ideas in 1905-第18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！


exaggerated　Imperialistic　notions。

There　are　no　poor　in　Holland。　　They　may　be　an　unhappy　people；　knowing
what　a　little　country　it　is　they　live　in；　but；　if　so；　they　hide　the
fact。　　To　all　seeming；　the　Dutch　peasant；　smoking　his　great　pipe；　is
as　much　a　man　as　the　Whitechapel　hawker　or　the　moocher　of　the　Paris
boulevard。　　I　saw　a　beggar　once　in　Hollandin　the　townlet　of
Enkhuisen。　　Crowds　were　hurrying　up　from　the　side　streets　to　have　a
look　at　him；　the　idea　at　first　seemed　to　be　that　he　was　doing　it　for
a　bet。　　He　turned　out　to　be　a　Portuguese。　　They　offered　him　work　in
the　docksuntil　he　could　get　something　better　to　doat　wages　equal
in　English　money　to　about　ten　shillings　a　day。　　I　inquired　about　him
on　my　way　back；　and　was　told　he　had　borrowed　a　couple　of　forms　from
the　foreman　and　had　left　by　the　evening　train。　　It　is　not　the　country
for　the　loafer。

In　Holland　work　is　easily　found；　this　takes　away　the　charm　of　looking
for　it。　　A　farm　labourer　in　Holland　lives　in　a　brick…built　house　of
six　rooms；　which　generally　belongs　to　him；　with　an　acre　or　so　of
ground；　and　only　eats　meat　once　a　day。　　The　rest　of　his　time　he　fills
up　on　eggs　and　chicken　and　cheese　and　beer。　　But　you　rarely　hear　him
grumble。　　His　wife　and　daughter　may　be　seen　on　Sundays　wearing　gold
and　silver　jewellery　worth　from　fifty　to　one　hundred　pounds；　and
there　is　generally　enough　old　delft　and　pewter　in　the　house　to　start
a　local　museum　anywhere　outside　Holland。　　On　high　days　and　holidays；
of　which　in　Holland　there　are　plenty；　the　average　Dutch　vrouw　would
be　well　worth　running　away　with。　　The　Dutch　peasant　girl　has　no　need
of　an　illustrated　journal　once　a　week　to　tell　her　what　the　fashion
is；　she　has　it　in　the　portrait　of　her　mother；　or　of　her　grandmother；
hanging　over　the　glittering　chimney…piece。

When　the　Dutchwoman　builds　a　dress　she　builds　it　to　last；　it　descends
from　mother　to　daughter；　but　it　is　made　of　sound　material　in　the
beginning。　　A　lady　friend　of　mine　thought　the　Dutch　costume　would
serve　well　for　a　fancy…dress　ball；　so　set　about　buying　one；　but
abandoned　the　notion　on　learning　what　it　would　cost　her。　　A　Dutch
girl　in　her　Sunday　clothes　must　be　worth　fifty　pounds　before　you　come
to　ornaments。　　In　certain　provinces　she　wears　a　close…fitting　helmet；
made　either　of　solid　silver　or　of　solid　gold。　　The　Dutch　gallant；
before　making　himself　known；　walks　on　tiptoe　a　little　while　behind
the　Loved　One；　and　looks　at　himself　in　her　head…dress　just　to　make
sure　that　his　hat　is　on　straight　and　his　front　curl　just　where　it
ought　to　be。

In　most　other　European　countries　national　costume　is　dying　out。　　The
slop…shop　is　year　by　year　extending　its　hideous　trade。　　But　the
country　of　Rubens　and　Rembrandt；　of　Teniers　and　Gerard　Dow；　remains
still　true　to　art。　　The　picture　post…card　does　not　exaggerate。　　The
men　in　those　wondrous　baggy　knickerbockers；　from　the　pockets　of　which
you　sometimes　see　a　couple　of　chicken's　heads　protruding；　in　gaudy
coloured　shirts；　in　worsted　hose　and　mighty　sabots；　smoking　their
great　pipesthe　women　in　their　petticoats　of　many　hues；　in
gorgeously　embroidered　vest；　in　chemisette　of　dazzling　white；　crowned
with　a　halo　of　many　frills；　glittering　in　gold　and　silverare　not
the　creatures　of　an　artist's　fancy。　　You　meet　them　in　their　thousands
on　holiday　afternoons；　walking　gravely　arm　in　arm；　flirting　with
sober　Dutch　stolidity。

On　colder　days　the　women　wear　bright…coloured　capes　made　of　fine　spun
silk；　from　underneath　the　ample　folds　of　which　you　sometimes　hear　a
little　cry；　and　sometimes　a　little　hooded　head　peeps　out；　regards
with　preternatural　thoughtfulness　the　toy…like　world　without；　then
dives　back　into　shelter。　　As　for　the　childrenwomen　in　miniature；
the　single　difference　in　dress　being　the　gay　pinaforeyou　can　only
say　of　them　that　they　look　like　Dutch　dolls。　　But　such　plump；
contented；　cheerful　little　dolls！　　You　remember　the　hollow…eyed；
pale…faced　dolls　you　see　swarming　in　the　great；　big　and　therefore
should　be　happy　countries；　and　wish　that　mere　land　surface　were　of
less　importance　to　our　statesmen　and　our　able　editors；　and　the
happiness　and　well…being　of　the　mere　human　items　worth　a　little　more
of　their　thought。

The　Dutch　peasant　lives　surrounded　by　canals；　and　reaches　his　cottage
across　a　drawbridge。　　I　suppose　it　is　in　the　blood　of　the　Dutch　child
not　to　tumble　into　a　canal；　and　the　Dutch　mother　never　appears　to
anticipate　such　possibility。　　One　can　imagine　the　average　English
mother　trying　to　bring　up　a　family　in　a　house　surrounded　by　canals。
She　would　never　have　a　minute's　peace　until　the　children　were　in　bed。
But　then　the　mere　sight　of　a　canal　to　the　English　child　suggests　the
delights　of　a　sudden　and　unexpected　bath。　　I　put　it　to　a　Dutchman
once。　　Did　the　Dutch　child　by　any　chance　ever　fall　into　a　canal？

〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃cases　have　been　known。〃

〃Don't　you　do　anything　for　it？〃　I　enquired。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　answered；　〃we　haul　them　out　again。〃

〃But　what　I　mean　is；〃　I　explained；　〃don't　you　do　anything　to　prevent
their　falling　into　save　them　from　falling　in　again？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃we　spank　'em。〃

There　is　always　a　wind　in　Holland；　it　comes　from　over　the　sea。　　There
is　nothing　to　stay　its　progress。　　It　leaps　the　low　dykes　and　sweeps
with　a　shriek　across　the　sad；　soft　dunes；　and　thinks　it　is　going　to
have　a　good　time　and　play　havoc　in　the　land。　　But　the　Dutchman　laughs
behind　his　great　pipe　as　it　comes　to　him　shouting　and　roaring。
〃Welcome；　my　hearty；　welcome；〃　he　chuckles；　〃come　blustering　and
bragging；　the　bigger　you　are　the　better　I　like　you。〃　　And　when　it　is
once　in　the　land；　behind　the　long；　straight　dykes；　behind　the　waving
line　of　sandy　dunes；　he　seizes　hold　of　it；　and　will　not　let　it　go
till　it　has　done　its　tale　of　work。

The　wind　is　the　Dutchman's；　servant　before　he　lets　it　loose　again　it
has　turned　ten　thousand　mills；　has　pumped　the　water　and　sawn　the
wood；　has　lighted　the　town　and　worked　the　loom；　and　forged　the　iron；
and　driven　the　great；　slow；　silent　wherry；　and　played　with　the
children　in　the　garden。　　It　is　a　sober　wind　when　it　gets　back　to　sea；
worn　and　weary；　leaving　the　Dutchman　laughing　behind　his　everlasting
pipe。　　There　are　canals　in　Holland　down　which　you　pass　as　though　a
field　of　wind…blown　corn；　a　soft；　low；　rustling　murmur　ever　in　your
ears。　　It　is　the　ceaseless　whirl　of　the　great　mill　sails。　　Far　out　at
sea　the　winds　are　as　foolish　savages；　fighting；　shrieking；　tearing
purposeless。　　Here；　in　the　street　of　mills；　it　is　a　civilized　wind；
crooning　softly　while　it　labours。

What　charms　one　in　Holland　is　the　neatness　and　cleanliness　of　all
about　one。　　Maybe　to　the　Dutchman　there　are　drawbacks。　　In　a　Dutch
household　life　must　be　one　long　spring…cleaning。　　No　milk…pail　is
considered　fit　that　cannot　just　as　well　be　used　for　a　looking…glass。
The　great　brass　pans；　hanging　under　the　pent　house　roof　outside　the
cottage　door；　flash　like　burnished　gold。　　You　could　eat　your　dinner
off　the　red…tiled　floor；　but　that　the　deal　table；　scrubbed　to　the
colour　of　cream　cheese；　is　more　convenient。　　By　each　threshold　stands
a　row　of　empty　sabots；　and　woe…betide　the　Dutchman　who　would　dream　of
crossing　it　in　anything　but　his　stockinged　feet。

There　is　a　fashion　in　sabots。　　Every　spring　they　are　freshly　painted。
One　district　fancies　an　orange　yellow；　another　a　red；　a　third　white；
suggesting　purity　and　innocence。　　Members　of　the　Smart　Set　indulge　in
ornamentation；　a　frieze　in　pink；　a　star　upon　the　toe。　　Walking　in
sabots　is　not　as　easy　as　it　looks。　　Attempting　to　run　in　sabots　I　do
not　recommend　to　the　beginner。

〃How　do　you　run　in　sabots？〃　I　asked　a　Dutchman　once。　　I　had　been
experimenting；　and　had　hurt　myself。

〃We　don't　run；〃　answered　the　Dutchman。

And　observation　has　proved　to　me　he　was　right。　　The　Dutch　boy；　when
he　runs；　puts　them　for　preference　on　his　hands；　and　hits　other　Dutch
boys　over　the　head　with　them　as　he　passes。

The　roads　in　Holland；　straight　and　level；　and　shaded　all　the　way　with
trees；　look；　from　the　railway…carriage　window；　as　if　they　would　be
good　for　cycling；　but　this　is　a　delusion。　　I　crossed　in　the　boat　from
Harwich　once；　with　a　well…known　black　and　white　artist；　and　an
equally　well…known　and　highly　respected　humorist。　　They　had　their
bicycles　with　them；　intending　to　tour　Holland。　　I　met　them　a
fortnight　later　in　Delft；　or；　rather；　I　met　their　remains。　　I　was
horrified　at　first。　　I　thought　it　was　drink。　　They　could　not　stand
still；　they　could　not　sit　still；　they　trembled　and　shook　in　every
limb；　their　teeth　chattered　when　they　tried　to　talk。　　The　humorist
hadn't　a　joke　left　in　him。　　The　artist　could　not　have　drawn　his　own
salary；　he　would　have　dropped　it　on　the　way　to　his　pocket。　　The　Dutch
roads　are　paved　their　entire　length　with　cobblesbig；　round　cobbles；
over　which　your　bicycle　leaps　and　springs　and　plunges。

If　you　would　see　Holland　outside　the　big　towns　a　smattering　of　Dutch
is　necessary。　　If　you　know　German　there　is　not　much　difficulty。
DutchI　speak　as　an　amateurappears　to　be　very　bad　German　mis…
pronounced。　　Myself；　I　find　my　German　goes　well　in　Holland；　even
better　than　in　Germany。　　The　Anglo…Saxon　should　not　attempt　the　Dutch
G。　　It　is　hopeless　t