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第4节

cambridge pieces-第4节

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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

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