three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第28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！
hidden； marks the spot where Huss and Jerome died burning at the stake。
History is fond of her little ironies。 In this same Teynkirche lies buried
Tycho Brahe； the astronomer； who made the common mistake of thinking
the earth； with its eleven hundred creeds and one humanity； the centre of
the universe； but who otherwise observed the stars clearly。
Through Prague's dirty； palace…bordered alleys must have pressed
often in hot haste blind Ziska and open…minded Wallensteinthey have
dubbed him 〃The Hero〃 in Prague； and the town is honestly proud of
having owned him for citizen。 In his gloomy palace in the Waldstein…
Platz they show as a sacred spot the cabinet where he prayed； and seem to
have persuaded themselves he really had a soul。 Its steep； winding ways
must have been choked a dozen times； now by Sigismund's flying legions；
95
… Page 96…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
followed by fierce…killing Tarborites； and now by pale Protestants pursued
by the victorious Catholics of Maximilian。 Now Saxons； now Bavarians；
and now French； now the saints of Gustavus Adolphus； and now the steel
fighting machines of Frederick the Great； have thundered at its gates and
fought upon its bridges。
The Jews have always been an important feature of Prague。
Occasionally they have assisted the Christians in their favourite
occupation of slaughtering one another； and the great flag suspended from
the vaulting of the Altneuschule testifies to the courage with which they
helped Catholic Ferdinand to resist the Protestant Swedes。 The Prague
Ghetto was one of the first to be established in Europe； and in the tiny
synagogue； still standing； the Jew of Prague has worshipped for eight
hundred years； his women folk devoutly listening； without； at the ear holes
provided for them in the massive walls。 A Jewish cemetery adjacent；
〃Bethchajim； or the House of Life；〃 seems as though it were bursting with
its dead。 Within its narrow acre it was the law of centuries that here or
nowhere must the bones of Israel rest。 So the worn and broken
tombstones lie piled in close confusion； as though tossed and tumbled by
the struggling host beneath。
The Ghetto walls have long been levelled； but the living Jews of
Prague still cling to their foetid lanes； though these are being rapidly
replaced by fine new streets that promise to eventually transform this
quarter into the handsomest part of the town。
At Dresden they advised us not to talk German in Prague。 For years
racial animosity between the German minority and the Czech majority has
raged throughout Bohemia； and to be mistaken for a German in certain
streets of Prague is inconvenient to a man whose staying powers in a race
are not what once they were。 However； we did talk German in certain
streets in Prague； it was a case of talking German or nothing。 The Czech
dialect is said to be of great antiquity and of highly scientific cultivation。
Its alphabet contains forty…two letters； suggestive to a stranger of Chinese。
It is not a language to be picked up in a hurry。 We decided that on the
whole there would be less risk to our constitution in keeping to German；
and as a matter of fact no harm came to us。 The explanation I can only
96
… Page 97…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
surmise。 The Praguer is an exceedingly acute person； some subtle falsity
of accent； some slight grammatical inaccuracy； may have crept into our
German； revealing to him the fact that； in spite of all appearances to the
contrary； we were no true…born Deutscher。 I do not assert this； I put it
forward as a possibility。
To avoid unnecessary danger； however； we did our sight…seeing with
the aid of a guide。 No guide I have ever come across is perfect。 This one
had two distinct failings。 His English was decidedly weak。 Indeed； it
was not English at all。 I do not know what you would call it。 It was not
altogether his fault； he had learnt English from a Scotch lady。 I
understand Scotch fairly wellto keep abreast of modern English literature
this is necessary；but to understand broad Scotch talked with a Sclavonic
accent； occasionally relieved by German modifications； taxes the
intelligence。 For the first hour it was difficult to rid one's self of the
conviction that the man was choking。 Every moment we expected him to
die on our hands。 In the course of the morning we grew accustomed to
him； and rid ourselves of the instinct to throw him on his back every time
he opened his mouth； and tear his clothes from him。 Later； we came to
understand a part of what he said； and this led to the discovery of his
second failing。
It would seem he had lately invented a hair…restorer； which he had
persuaded a local chemist to take up and advertise。 Half his time he had
been pointing out to us； not the beauties of Prague； but the benefits likely
to accrue to the human race from the use of this concoction； and the
conventional agreement with which； under the impression he was waxing
eloquent concerning views and architecture； we had met his enthusiasm he
had attributed to sympathetic interest in this wretched wash of his。
The result was that now there was no keeping him away from the
subject。 Ruined palaces and crumbling churches he dismissed with curt
reference as mere frivolities； encouraging a morbid taste for the decadent。
His duty； as he saw it； was not to lead us to dwell upon the ravages of time；
but rather to direct our attention to the means of repairing them。 What
had we to do with broken…headed heroes； or bald…headed saints？ Our
interest should be surely in the living world； in the maidens with their
97
… Page 98…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
flowing tresses； or the flowing tresses they might have； by judicious use of
〃Kophkeo；〃 in the young men with their fierce moustachesas pictured on
the label。
Unconsciously； in his own mind； he had divided the world into two
sections。 The Past （〃Before Use〃）； a sickly； disagreeable…looking；
uninteresting world。 The Future （〃After Use〃） a fat； jolly； God… bless…
everybody sort of world； and this unfitted him as a guide to scenes of
mediaeval history。
He sent us each a bottle of the stuff to our hotel。 It appeared that in
the early part of our converse with him we had； unwittingly； clamoured for
it。 Personally； I can neither praise it nor condemn it。 A long series of
disappointments has disheartened me； added to which a permanent
atmosphere of paraffin； however faint； is apt to cause remark； especially in
the case of a married man。 Now； I never try even the sample。
I gave my bottle to George。 He asked for it to send to a man he knew
in Leeds。 I learnt later that Harris had given him his bottle also； to send
to the same man。
A suggestion of onions has clung to this tour since we left Prague。
George has noticed it himself。 He attributes it to the prevalence of garlic
in European cooking。
It was in Prague that Harris and I did a kind and friendly thing to
George。 We had noticed for some time past that George was getting too
fond of Pilsener beer。 This German beer is an insidious drink； especially
in hot weather； but it does not do to imbibe too freely of it。 It does not
get into your head； but after a time it spoils your waist。 I always say to
myself on entering Germany：
〃Now； I will drink no German beer。 The white wine of the country；
with a little soda…water； perhaps occasionally a glass of
