adventures and letters-第19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！


ave　one　at　Malta；　which　is　only　a　military　station　like　this；　I　must　go　off　to…morrow　with　my　articles　unwritten；　my　photos　undeveloped　and　my　dinner　calls　unpaid。　　I　am　now　waiting　to　hear　if　I　can　get　to　Algiers　by　changing　twice　from　one　steamer　to　another　along　the　coast　of　Spain。　　It　will　be　a　great　nuisance　but　I　shall　be　able　to　see　Algiers　and　Tunis　and　Malta　in　the　three　weeks　which　would　have　otherwise　been　given　to　Malta　alone。　　And　Tunis　I　am　particularly　keen　to　see。　　While　waiting　for　a　telegram　from　Spain　about　the　boats；　I　shall　tell　you　what　I　have　been　doing。　　Everybody　was　glad　to　see　me　after　my　return　from　Tangier。　　I　dined　with　the　Governor　on　Monday；　in　a　fine　large　room　lined　with　portraits　of　all　the　old　commanders　and　their　coats…of…arms　like　a　little　forest　of　flags　and　the　Governor's　daughter　danced　a　Spanish　dance　for　us　after　it　was　over。　　Miss　Buckle；　Cust's　fiancee；　dances　almost　as　well　as　Carmencita；　all　the　girls　here　learn　it　as　other　girls　do　the　piano。　　On　Tuesday　Cust　and　Miss　B。　and　another　girl　and　I　went　over　into　Spain　to　see　the　meet　and　we　had　a　short　run　after　a　fox　who　went　to　earth；　much　to　my　relief；　in　about　three　minutes　and　before　I　had　been　thrown　off。　　There　are　no　fences　but　the　ground　is　one　mass　of　rocks　and　cactus　and　ravines　down　which　these　English　go　with　an　ease　that　makes　me　tremble　　with　admiration。　　We　had　not　come　out　to　follow；　so　we；　being　quite　soaked　through　and　very　hungry；　went　to　an　inn　and　it　was　such　an　inn　as　Don　Quixote　used　to　stop　at；　with　the　dining…room　over　the　stable　and　a　lot　of　drunken　muleteers　in　the　court　and　beautiful　young　women　to　wait　on　us。　　It　is　a　beautiful　country　Spain；　with　every　sort　of　green　you　ever　dreamed　of。　　We　had　omelettes　and　native　wine　and　black　bread　and　got　warm　again　and　then　trotted　home　in　the　rain　and　got　wet　again；　so　we　stopped　at　the　guard　house　on　the　outside　of　the　rock　and　took　tea　with　the　officer　in　charge　and　we　all　got　down　on　our　knees　around　his　fire　and　he　hobbled　around　dropping　his　eyeglasses　in　his　hot　water　and　very　much　honored　and　exceedingly　embarrassed。　　I　amused　myself　by　putting　on　all　the　uniforms　he　did　not　happen　to　have　on　and　the　young　ladies　drank　tea　and　thawed。　　This　is　the　most　various　place　I　ever　came　across。　　You　have　mountains　and　seashore　and　allamandas　like　Monte　Carlo　in　their　tropical　beauty　and　soldiers　day　and　night　marching　and　drilling　and　banging　brass　bands　and　tennis　and　guns　firing　so　as　to　rattle　all　the　windows；　and　picnics　and　teas。　　I　am　engaged　way　ahead　now　but　I　must　get　off　tomorrow。　　On　Washington's　birthday　I　gave　a　luncheon　because　it　struck　me　as　the　most　inappropriate　place　in　which　one　could　celebrate　the　good　man's　memory　and　the　Governor　would　not　think　of　coming　at　first；　but　I　told　him　I　was　not　a　British　subject　and　that　if　I　could　go　to　his　dinner　he　could　come　to　my　lunch；　so　that；　or　the　fact　that　the　beautiful　Miss　Buckle　was　coming　decided　him　to　waive　etiquette　and　he　came　with　his　A。　D。　C。　and　his　daughter　and　officers　and　girls　came　and　I　had　American　flags　and　English　flags　and　a　portrait　of　Washington　and　of　the　Queen　and　I　ransacked　the　markets　for　violets　and　banked　them　all　up　in　the　middle。　　It　was　fine。　　I　turned　the　hotel　upside　down　and　all　the　servants　wore　their　best　livery　and　everybody　stood　up　in　a　row　and　saluted　His　Excellency　and　I　made　a　speech　and　so　did　his　Excellency　and　the　chef　did　himself　proud。　　I　got　it　up　in　one　morning。　　Helen　Benedict　could　not　have　done　it　better。

I　had　a　funny　adventure　the　morning　I　left　Tangier　There　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　Field　（confound　him）　and　my　getting　into　the　prison　and　The　Herald　and　Times　correspondents　were　rather　blue　about　it　and　some　of　the　English　residents　said　that　I　had　not　been　shown　the　whole　of　the　prison；　that　the　worst　had　been　kept　from　us。　　Field　who　only　got　into　the　prison　because　I　had　worked　at　it　two　days；　said　there　was　an　additional　ward　I　had　not　seen。　　I　went　back　into　this　while　he　and　the　guard　were　getting　the　door　open　to　go　out　and　saw　nothing；　but　to　make　sure　that　the　prison　was　as　I　believed　an　absolute　square；　I　went　back　on　the　morning　of　my　departure　and　climbed　a　wall　and　crawled　over　a　house　top　and　photographed　the　top　of　the　prison。　　Then　a　horrible　doubt　came　to　me　that　this　house　upon　which　I　was　standing　and　which　adjoined　the　prison　might　be　the　addition　of　which　the　English　residents　hinted。　　There　was　an　old　woman　in　the　garden　below　jumping　up　and　down　and　to　whom　I　had　been　shying　money　to　keep　her　quiet。　　I　sent　the　guide　around　to　ask　her　what　was　the　nature　of　the　building　upon　which　I　had　trespassed　and　which　seemed　to　worry　her　so　much　He　came　back　to　tell　me　that　I　was　on　the　top　of　a　harem　and　the　old　woman　thought　I　was　getting　up　a　flirtation　with　the　gentleman's　wives。　　So　I　dropped　back　again。

It　will　be　a　couple　of　months　at　least　before　my　first　story　comes　out　in　The　Weekly。　　I　cannot　judge　of　them　but　I　think　they　are　up　to　the　average　of　the　Western　stories；　the　material　is　much　richer　I　know；　but　I　am　so　much　beset　by　the　new　sights　that　I　have　not　the　patience　or　the　leisure　I　had　in　the　West　Then　there　were　days　in　which　writing　was　a　relief；　now　there　is　so　much　to　see　that　it　seems　almost　a　shame　to　waste　it。

By　the　grace　of　Providence　I　cannot　leave　here　until　the　28th；　much　to　my　joy　and　I　have　found　out　that　I　can　do　better　by　going　direct　to　Malta　and　then　to　Tunis；　leaving　Algiers　which　I　did　not　want　to　see　out　of　it…Hurrah。　　I　shall　now　return　to　the　calm　continuation　of　my　story　and　to　writing　notes　which　Chas　will　enjoy。

DICK。


GIBRALTAR…February　1893。　DEAR　MOTHER：

Morocco　as　it　is　is　a　very　fine　place　spoiled　by　civilization。　　Not　nice　civilization　but　the　dregs　of　it；　the　broken　down　noblemen　of　Spain　and　cashiered　captains　of　England　and　the　R　L's　of　America。　　They　hunt　and　play　cricket　and　gamble　and　do　nothing　to　maintain　what　is　best　in　the　place　or　to　help　what　is　worst。　　I　love　the　Moors　and　the　way　they　hate　the　Christian　and　the　scorn　and　pride　they　show。　　They　seem　to　carry　all　the　mystery　and　dignity　of　Africa　and　of　foreign　conquests　about　them；　and　they　are　wonderfully　well　made　and　fine　looking　and　self…respecting。　　The　color　is　very　beautiful；　but　the　foreign　element　spoils　it　at　every　turn。　　One　should　really　go　inland　but　I　shall　not　because　I　mean　to　do　that　when　I　reach　Cairo。　　Everybody　goes　inland　from　here　and　Bonsal　has　covered　it　already。　　He　is　a　great　man　here　among　all　classes。

I　have　bought　two　long　guns　and　three　pistols　three　feet　long　and　a　Moorish　costume　for　afternoon　teas。　　I　shall　look　fine。　　My　guide's　idea　of　pleasing　me　is　to　kick　everybody　out　of　the　way　which　always　brings　down　curses　on　me　so　I　have　to　go　back　and　give　them　money　and　am　so　gradually　becoming　popular　and　much　sought　after　by　blind　beggars。　　You　can　get　three　pounds　of　copper　for　a　franc　and　it　lasts　all　day　throwing　it　right　and　left　all　the　time。　　I　made　a　great　tear　in　Bonsal's　record　today　by　refusing　to　pay　a　snake　charmer　all　he　wanted　and　then　when　he　protested　I　took　one　of　the　snakes　out　of　his　hands　and　swung　it　around　my　head　to　the　delight　of　the　people。　　I　wanted　to　show　him　he　was　a　fakir　to　want　me　to　pay　for　what　I　would　do　myself。　　It　was　a　large　snake　about　four　feet　long。　　Then　my　horse　and　another　horse　got　fighting　in　the　principal　street　in　the　city　standing　up　on　their　hind　legs　and　boxing　like　men　and　biting　and　squealing。　　It　was　awful　and　I　got　mine　out　of　the　way　and　was　trod　on　and　had　my　arm　nearly　pulled　off　and　the　crowd　applauded　and　asked　my　guide　whether　I　was　American　or　English。　　They　do　not　like　the　English。　　So　with　the　lower　classes　I　may　say　that　I　am　having　a　social　success。　DICK。

Off　MaltaMarch　1；　1893。　DEAR　MOTHER：

I　have　been　having　a　delightful　voyage　with　moonlight　all　night　and　sunlight　all　day。　　Africa　kept　in　sight　most　of　the　time　and　before　that　we　saw　beautiful　mountains　in　Spain　covered　with　snow　and　red　in　the　sunset。　　There　were　a　lot　of　nice　English　people　going　out　to　India　to　meet　their　husbands　and　we　have　〃tiffin〃　and　〃choota〃　and　〃curry；〃　so　it　really　seemed　oriental。　　The　third　night　out　we　saw　Algiers　sparkling　like　Coney　Island。　　I　play　games　with　myself　and　pretend　I　am　at　my　rooms　reading　a　story　which　is　very　hard　to　pretend　as　I　never　read　in　my　rooms　and　then　I　look　up　and　exclaim　〃Hello；　I'm　not　in　New　York；　that's　Algiers。〃　　The　thing　that　has　impressed　me　most　is　how　absolutely　small　the　world　is　and　how　childishly　easy　it　is　to　go　around　it。　　You　and　Nora　MUST　take　this　trip；　as　for　me　I　think　Willie　Chanler　is　the　most　sensible　individual　I　have　yet　met。

All　the　fascination　of　King　Solomon's　Mines　seems　to　be　behind　those　great　mountains　and　this　I　may　add　is　a　bit　of　advance　work　for　mother；　an　entering　wedge　to　my　disappearing　from　sight　for　years　and　years　in　the　Congo。　　Which；　seriously；　I　will　not　do；　only　it　is　disappointing　to　find　the　earth　so　small　and　so　easily　encompassed　that　you　want　to　go　on　where　it　is　older；　and　new。　　The　worst　of　it　is　that　it　is　hard　leaving　all　the　nice　people　you　meet　and　then　must　say　good…bye　to。　　The　young　ladies　and　Capt。　Buckle　and　Cust　came　down　to　see　me　off