cambridge pieces-第4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！


sky　cloudless。　　At　last　we　are　there；　through　the　town；　or　rather
village；　the　river　rushes　furiously；　the　dismantled　houses　and
gaping　walls　affording　palpable　traces　of　the　fearful　inundations　of
the　previous　year；　not　a　house　near　the　river　was　sound；　many　quite
uninhabitable；　and　more　such　as　I　am　sure　few　of　us　would　like　to
inhabit。　　However；　it　is　Cervieres　such　as　it　is；　and　we　hope　for
our　vin　ordinaire；　but；　alas！not　a　human　being；　man；　woman　or
child；　is　to　be　seen；　the　houses　are　all　closed；　the　noonday　quiet
holds　the　hill　with　a　vengeance；　unbroken；　save　by　the　ceaseless
roar　of　the　river。

While　we　were　pondering　what　this　loneliness　could　mean；　and
wherefore　we　were　unable　to　make　an　entrance　even　into　the　little
auberge　that　professed　to　loger　a　pied　et　a　cheval；　a　kind　of　low
wail　or　chaunt　began　to　make　itself　heard　from　the　other　side　of　the
river；　wild　and　strange；　yet　full　of　a　music　of　its　own；　it　took　my
friend　and　myself　so　much　by　surprise　that　we　almost　thought　for　the
moment　that　we　had　trespassed　on　to　the　forbidden　ground　of　some
fairy　people　who　lived　alone　here；　high　amid　the　sequestered　valleys
where　mortal　steps　were　rare；　but　on　going　to　the　corner　of　the
street　we　were　undeceived　indeed；　but　most　pleasurably　surprised　by
the　pretty　spectacle　that　presented　itself。

For　from　the　church　opposite　first　were　pouring　forth　a　string　of
young　girls　clad　in　their　Sunday's　best；　then　followed　the　youths；
as　in　duty　bound；　then　came　a　few　monks　or　friars　or　some　such　folk；
carrying　the　Virgin；　then　the　men　of　the　place；　then　the　women　and
lesser　children；　all　singing　after　their　own　rough　fashion；　the
effect　was　electrical；　for　in　a　few　minutes　the　procession　reached
us；　and　dispersing　itself　far　and　wide；　filled　the　town　with　as　much
life　as　it　had　before　been　lonely。　　It　was　like　a　sudden
introduction　of　the　whole　company　on　to　the　theatre　after　the　stage
has　been　left　empty　for　a　minute；　and　to　us　was　doubly　welcome　as
affording　us　some　hope　of　our　wine。

〃Vous　etes　Piedmontais；　monsieur；〃　said　one　to　me。　　I　denied　the
accusation。　　〃Alors　vous　etes　Allemands。〃　　I　again　denied　and　said
we　were　English；　whereon　they　opened　their　eyes　wide　and　said；
〃Anglais；mais　c'est　une　autre　chose；〃　and　seemed　much　pleased；　for
the　alliance　was　then　still　in　full　favour。　　It　caused　them　a　little
disappointment　that　we　were　Protestants；　but　they　were　pleased　at
being　able　to　tell　us　that　there　was　a　Protestant　minister　higher　up
the　valley　which　we　said　would　〃do　us　a　great　deal　of　pleasure。〃

The　vin　ordinaire　was　execrablethey　only；　however；　charged　us　nine
sous　for　it；　and　on　our　giving　half　a　franc　and　thinking　ourselves
exceedingly　stingy　for　not　giving　a　whole　one；　they　shouted　out
〃Voila　les　Anglais；　voila　la　generosite　des　Anglais；〃　with　evident
sincerity。　　I　thought　to　myself　that　the　less　we　English　corrupted
the　primitive　simplicity　of　these　good　folks　the　better；　it　was
really　refreshing　to　find　several　people　protesting　about　one's
generosity　for　having　paid　a　halfpenny　more　for　a　bottle　of　wine
than　was　expected；　at　Monetier　we　asked　whether　many　English　came
there；　and　they　told　us　yes；　a　great　many；　there　had　been　fifteen
there　last　year；　but　I　should　imagine　that　scarcely　fifteen　could
travel　up　past　Cervieres；　and　yet　the　English　character　be　so　little
known　as　to　be　still　evidently　popular。

I　don't　know　what　o'clock　it　was　when　we　left　Cervieresmidday　I
should　imagine；　we　left　the　river　on　our　left　and　began　to　ascend　a
mountain　pass　called　Izouard；　as　far　as　I　could　make　out；　but　will
not　pledge　myself　to　have　caught　the　name　correctly；　it　was　more
lonely　than　ever；　very　high；　much　more　snow　on　the　top　than　on　the
previous　day　over　the　Col　du　Lautaret；　the　path　scarcely
distinguishable；　indeed　quite　lost　in　many　places；　very　beautiful
but　not　so　much　so　as　the　Col　du　Lautaret；　and　better　on　descending
towards　Queyras　than　on　ascending；　from　the　summit　of　the　pass　the
view　of　the　several　Alpine　chains　about　is　very　fine；　but　from　the
entire　absence　of　trees　of　any　kind　it　is　more　rugged　and　barren
than　I　altogether　liked；　going　down　towards　Queyras　we　found　the
letters　S。I。C。　marked　on　a　rock；　evidently　with　the　spike　of　an
alpine…stock；we　wondered　whether　they　stood　for　St。　John's
College。

We　reached　Queyras　at　about　four　very　tired；　for　yesterday's　work
was　heavy；　and　refresh　ourselves　with　a　huge　omelette　and　some　good
Provence　wine。

Reader；　don't　go　into　that　auberge；　carry　up　provision　from
Briancon；　or　at　any　rate　carry　the　means　of　eating　it：　　they　have
only　two　knives　in　the　place；　one　for　the　landlord　and　one　for　the
landlady；　these　are　clasp　knives；　and　they　carry　them　in　their
pockets；　I　used　the　landlady's；　my　companion　had　the　other；　the　room
was　very　like　a　cow…housedark；　wooden；　and　smelling　strongly　of
manure；　outside　I　saw　that　one　of　the　beams　supporting　a　huge
projecting　balcony　that　ran　round　the　house　was　resting　on　a　capital
of　white　marblea　Lombard　capital　that　had　evidently　seen　better
days；　they　could　not　tell　us　whence　it　came。　　Meat　they　have　none；
so　we　gorge　ourselves　with　omelette；　and　at　half…past　five　trudge
on；　for　we　have　a　long　way　to　go　yet；　and　no　alternative　but　to
proceed。

Abries　is　the　name　of　the　place　we　stopped　at　that　night；　it　was
pitch…dark　when　we　reached　it；　and　the　whole　town　was　gone　to　bed；
but　by　great　good　luck　we　found　a　cafe　still　open　（the　inn　was　shut
up　for　the　night）；　and　there　we　lodged。　　I　dare　not　say　how　many
miles　we　had　walked；　but　we　were　still　plucky；　and　having　prevailed
at　last　on　the　landlord　to　allow　us　clean　sheets　on　our　beds　instead
of　the　dirty　ones　he　and　his　wife　had　been　sleeping　on　since
Christmas；　and　making　the　best　of　the　solitary　decanter　and　pie　dish
which　was　all　the　washing　implements　we　were　allowed　（not　a　toothmug
even　extra）；　we　had　coffee　and　bread　and　brandy　for　supper；　and
retired　at　about　eleven　to　the　soundest　sleep　in　spite　of　our
somewhat　humble　accommodation。　　If　nasty；　at　any　rate　it　was　cheap；
they　charged　us　a　franc　a　piece　for　our　suppers；　beds；　and　two
cigars；　we　went　to　the　inn　to　breakfast；　where；　though　the
accommodation　was　somewhat　better；　the　charge　was　most　extortionate。
Murray　is　quite　right　in　saying　the　travellers　should　bargain
beforehand　at　this　inn　（chez　Richard）；　I　think　they　charged　us　five
francs　for　the　most　ordinary　breakfast。　　From　this　place　we　started
at　about　nine；　and　took　a　guide　as　far　as　the　top　of　the　Col　de　la
Croix　Haute；　having　too　nearly　lost　our　way　yesterday；　the　paths
have　not　been　traversed　much　yet；　and　the　mule　and　sheep　droppings
are　but　scanty　indicators　of　the　direction　of　paths　of　which　the
winds　and　rain　have　obliterated　all　other　traces。

The　Col　de　la　Croix　Haute　is　rightly　named；　it　was　very　high；　but
not　so　hard　to　ascend　until　we　reached　the　snow。　　On　the　Italian
side　it　is　terribly　steep；　from　the　French　side；　however；　the　slope
is　more　gradual。　　The　snow　was　deeper　at　the　top　of　this　pass　than
on　either　of　the　two　previous　days；　in　many　places　we　sank　deep　in；
but　had　no　real　difficulty　in　crossing；　on　the　Italian　side　the　snow
was　gone　and　the　path　soon　became　clear　enough；　so　we　sent　our　guide
to　the　right　about　and　trudged　on　alone。

A　sad　disappointment；　however；　awaited　us；　for　instead　of　the　clear
air　that　we　had　heretofore　enjoyed；　the　clouds　were　rolling　up　from
the　valley；　and　we　entirely　lost　the　magnificent　view　of　the　plains
of　Lombardy　which　we　ought　to　have　seen；　this　was　our　first　mishap；
and　we　bore　it　heroically。　　A　lunch　may　be　had　at　Prali；　and　there
the　Italian　tongue　will　be　heard　for　the　first　time。

We　must　have　both　looked　very　questionable　personages；　for　I
remember　that　a　man　present　asked　me　for　a　cigar；　I　gave　him　two；
and　he　proffered　a　sou　in　return　as　a　matter　of　course。

Shortly　below　Prali　the　clouds　drew　off；　or　rather　we　reached　a
lower　level；　so　that　they　were　above　us；　and　now　the　walnut　and　the
chestnut；　the　oak　and　the　beech　have　driven　away　the　pines　of　the
other　side；　not　that　there　were　many　of　them；　soon；　too；　the
vineyards　come　in；　the　Indian　corn　again　flourishes　everywhere；　the
cherries　grow　ripe　as　we　descend；　and　in　an　hour　or　two　we　felt　to
our　great　joy　that　we　were　fairly　in　Italy。

The　descent　is　steep　beyond　compare；　for　La　Tour；　which　we　reached
by　four　o'clock；　is　quite　on　the　plain；　very　much　on　a　level　with
TurinI　do　not　remember　any　descent　between　the　twoand　the　pass
cannot　be　much　under　eight　thousand　feet。

Passports　are　asked　at　Bobbio；　but　the　very　sight　of　the　English
name　was　at　that　time　sufficient　to　cause　the　passport　to　be
returned　unscrutinised。

La　Tour　is　a　Protestant　place；　or　at　any　rate　chiefly　so；　indeed　all
the　way　from　Cervieres　we　have　been　among　people　half　Protestant　and
half　Romanist；　these　were　the　Waldenses　of　the　Middle　Ages；　they　are
handsome；　particularly　the　young　women；　and　I　should　fancy　an　honest
simple　race　enough；　but　not　over　clean。

As　a　proof　that　we　were　in　Italy　we　happened　while　waiting　for　table
d'hote　to　be　leaning　over　the　balcony　that　ran　round　the　house　and
passed　our　bedroom　door；　when　a　man　and