sartor resartus-第31节
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d inert； looking over the Desert； foolishly enough； for the last three thousand years： but canst thou not open thy Hebrew BIBLE； then； or even Luther's Version thereof？〃
No less satisfactory is his sudden appearance not in Battle； yet on some Battle…field； which； we soon gather； must be that of Wagram； so that here； for once； is a certain approximation to distinctness of date。 Omitting much； let us impart what follows：
〃Horrible enough！ A whole Marchfeld strewed with shell…splinters； cannon…shot； ruined tumbrils； and dead men and horses； stragglers still remaining not so much as buried。 And those red mould heaps； ay； there lie the Shells of Men； out of which all the Life and Virtue has been blown； and now are they swept together； and crammed down out of sight； like blown Egg…shells！Did Nature； when she bade the Donau bring down his mould…cargoes from the Carinthian and Carpathian Heights； and spread them out here into the softest； richest level；intend thee； O Marchfeld； for a corn…bearing Nursery； whereon her children might be nursed； or for a Cockpit； wherein they might the more commodiously be throttled and tattered？ Were thy three broad Highways； meeting here from the ends of Europe； made for Ammunition…wagons； then？ Were thy Wagrams and Stillfrieds but so many ready…built Casemates； wherein the house of Hapsburg might batter with artillery； and with artillery be battered？ Konig Ottokar； amid yonder hillocks； dies under Rodolf's truncheon； here Kaiser Franz falls a…swoon under Napoleon's： within which five centuries； to omit the others； how has thy breast； fair Plain； been defaced and defiled！ The greensward is torn up and trampled down； man's fond care of it； his fruit…trees； hedge…rows； and pleasant dwellings； blown away with gunpowder； and the kind seedfield lies a desolate； hideous Place of Skulls。Nevertheless； Nature is at work； neither shall these Powder…Devilkins with their utmost devilry gainsay her： but all that gore and carnage will be shrouded in； absorbed into manure； and next year the Marchfeld will be green； nay greener。 Thrifty unwearied Nature； ever out of our great waste educing some little profit of thy own；how dost thou； from the very carcass of the Killer； bring Life for the Living！
〃What； speaking in quite unofficial language； is the net purport and upshot of war？ To my own knowledge； for example； there dwell and toil； in the British village of Dumdrudge； usually some five hundred souls。 From these； by certain 'Natural Enemies' of the French； there are successively selected； during the French war； say thirty able…bodied men； Dumdrudge； at her own expense； has suckled and nursed them： she has； not without difficulty and sorrow； fed them up to manhood； and even trained them to crafts； so that one can weave； another build； another hammer； and the weakest can stand under thirty stone avoirdupois。 Nevertheless； amid much weeping and swearing； they are selected； all dressed in red； and shipped away； at the public charges； some two thousand miles； or say only to the south of Spain； and fed there till wanted。 And now to that same spot； in the south of Spain； are thirty similar French artisans； from a French Dumdrudge； in like manner wending： till at length； after infinite effort； the two parties come into actual juxtaposition； and Thirty stands fronting Thirty； each with a gun in his hand。 Straightaway the word 'Fire！' is given； and they blow the souls out of one another； and in place of sixty brisk useful craftsmen； the world has sixty dead carcasses； which it must bury； and anew shed tears for。 Had these men any quarrel？ Busy as the Devil is； not the smallest！ They lived far enough apart； were the entirest strangers； nay； in so wide a Universe； there was even； unconsciously； by Commerce； some mutual helpfulness between them。 How then？ Simpleton！ their Governors had fallen out； and instead of shooting one another； had the cunning to make these poor blockheads shoot。Alas； so is it in Deutschland； and hitherto in all other lands； still as of old； 'what devilry soever Kings do； the Greeks must pay the piper！'In that fiction of the English Smollett； it is true； the final Cessation of War is perhaps prophetically shadowed forth； where the two Natural Enemies； in person； take each a Tobacco…pipe； filled with Brimstone； light the same； and smoke in one another's faces； till the weaker gives in： but from such predicted Peace…Era； what blood…filled trenches； and contentious centuries； may still divide us！〃
Thus can the Professor； at least in lucid intervals； look away from his own sorrows； over the many…colored world； and pertinently enough note what is passing there。 We may remark； indeed； that for the matter of spiritual culture； if for nothing else； perhaps few periods of his life were richer than this。 Internally； there is the most momentous instructive Course of Practical Philosophy； with Experiments； going on； towards the right comprehension of which his Peripatetic habits； favorable to Meditation； might help him rather than hinder。 Externally； again； as he wanders to and fro； there are； if for the longing heart little substance； yet for the seeing eye sights enough in these so boundless Travels of his； granting that the Satanic School was even partially kept down； what an incredible knowledge of our Planet； and its Inhabitants and their Works； that is to say； of all knowable things； might not Teufelsdrockh acquire！
〃I have read in most Public Libraries；〃 says he； 〃including those of Constantinople and Samarcand： in most Colleges； except the Chinese Mandarin ones； I have studied； or seen that there was no studying。 Unknown Languages have I oftenest gathered from their natural repertory； the Air； by my organ of Hearing； Statistics； Geographics； Topographics came； through the Eye； almost of their own accord。 The ways of Man； how he seeks food； and warmth； and protection for himself； in most regions； are ocularly known to me。 Like the great Hadrian； I meted out much of the terraqueous Globe with a pair of Compasses that belonged to myself only。
〃Of great Scenes why speak？ Three summer days； I lingered reflecting； and even composing （_dichtete_）； by the Pine…chasms of Vaucluse； and in that clear Lakelet moistened my bread。 I have sat under the Palm…trees of Tadmor； smoked a pipe among the ruins of Babylon。 The great Wall of China I have seen； and can testify that it is of gray brick； coped and covered with granite； and shows only second…rate masonry。Great Events； also； have not I witnessed？ Kings sweated down （_ausgemergelt_） into Berlin…and…Milan Customhouse…Officers； the World well won； and the World well lost； oftener than once a hundred thousand individuals shot （by each other） in one day。 All kindreds and peoples and nations dashed together； and shifted and shovelled into heaps； that they might ferment there； and in time unite。 The birth…pangs of Democracy； wherewith convulsed Europe was groaning in cries that reached Heaven； could not escape me。
〃For great Men I have ever had the warmest predilection； and can perhaps boast that few such in this era have wholly escaped me。 Great Men are the inspired （speaking and acting） Texts of that divine BOOK OF REVELATIONS； whereof a Chapter is completed from epoch to epoch； and by some named HISTORY； to which inspired Texts your numerous talented men； and your innumerable untalented men； are the better or worse exegetic Commentaries； and wagon…load of too…stupid； heretical or orthodox； weekly Sermons。 For my study； the inspired Texts themselves！ Thus did not I； in very early days； having disguised me as tavern…waiter； stand behind the field…chairs； under that shady Tree at Treisnitz by the Jena Highway； waiting upon the great Schiller and greater Goethe； and hearing what I have not forgotten。 For〃
But at this point the Editor recalls his principle of caution； some time ago laid down； and must suppress much。 Let not the sacredness of Laurelled； still more； of Crowned Heads； be tampered with。 Should we； at a future day； find circumstances altered； and the time come for Publication； then may these glimpses into the privacy of the Illustrious be conceded； which for the present were little better than treacherous； perhaps traitorous Eavesdroppings。 Of Lord Byron； therefore； of Pope Pius； Emperor Tarakwang； and the 〃White Water…roses〃 （Chinese Carbonari） with their mysteries； no notice here！ Of Napoleon himself we shall only； glancing from afar； remark that Teufelsdrockh's relation to him seems to have been of very varied character。 At first we find our poor Professor on the point of being shot as a spy； then taken into private conversation； even pinched on the ear； yet presented with no money； at last indignantly dismissed； almost thrown out of doors； as an 〃Ideologist。〃 〃He himself；〃 says the Professor； 〃was among the completest Ideologists； at least Ideopraxists： in the Idea （_in der Idee_） he lived； moved and fought。 The man was a Divine Missionary； though unconscious of it； and preached； through the cannon's throat； that great doctrine； _La carriere ouverte aux talens_ （The Tools to him that can handle them）； which is our ultimate Political Evangel； wherein alone can liberty lie。 Madly enough he preached； it is true；
