the research magnificent-第39节
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to ascend into blue haze； upward and upward until they became a purple curtain that filled half the heavens。 The paved still town was squalid by day； but in the evening it became theatrically incredible； with an outdoor cafe amidst flowers and creepers； a Hungarian military band； a rabble of promenaders like a stage chorus in gorgeous costumes and a great gibbous yellow moon。 And there was Kroia； which Benham and Amanda saw first through the branches of the great trees that bordered the broad green track they were following。 The town and its castle were poised at a tremendous height； sunlit and brilliant against a sombre mass of storm cloud； over vast cliffs and ravines。 Kroia continued to be beautiful through a steep laborious approach up to the very place itself； a clustering group of houses and bazaars crowned with a tower and a minaret； and from a painted corridor upon this crest they had a wonderful view of the great seaward levels； and even far away the blue sea itself stretching between Scutari and Durazzo。 The eye fell in succession down the stages of a vast and various descent； on the bazaars and tall minarets of the town； on jagged rocks and precipices； on slopes of oak forest and slopes of olive woods； on blue hills dropping away beyond blue hills to the coast。 And behind them when they turned they saw great mountains； sullenly magnificent； cleft into vast irregular masses； dense with woods below and grim and desolate above。 。 。 。 These were unforgettable scenes； and so too was the wild lonely valley through which they rode to Ochrida amidst walnut and chestnut trees and scattered rocks； and the first vision of that place itself； with its fertile levels dotted with sheep and cattle； its castle and clustering mosques； its spacious blue lake and the great mountains rising up towards Olympus under the sun。 And there was the first view of the blue Lake of Presba seen between silvery beech stems； and that too had Olympus in the far background； plain now and clear and unexpectedly snowy。 And there were midday moments when they sat and ate under vines and heard voices singing very pleasantly； and there were forest glades and forest tracks in a great variety of beauty with mountains appearing through their parted branches； there were ilex woods； chestnut woods； beech woods； and there were strings of heavily…laden mules staggering up torrent… worn tracks； and strings of blue…swathed mysterious…eyed women with burthens on their heads passing silently； and white remote houses and ruins and deep gorges and precipices and ancient half…ruinous bridges over unruly streams。 And if there was rain there was also the ending of rain； rainbows； and the piercing of clouds by the sun's incandescence； and sunsets and the moon； first full； then new and then growing full again as the holiday wore on。 They found tolerable accommodation at Cattaro and at Cettinje and at a place halfway between them。 It was only when they had secured a guide and horses； and pushed on into the south…east of Montenegro that they began to realize the real difficulties of their journey。 They aimed for a place called Podgoritza； which had a partially justifiable reputation for an inn； they missed the road and spent the night in the open beside a fire； rolled in the blankets they had very fortunately bought in Cettinje。 They supped on biscuits and Benham's brandy flask。 It chanced to be a fine night； and； drawn like moths by the fire； four heavily…armed mountaineers came out of nowhere； sat down beside Benham and Amanda； rolled cigarettes； achieved conversation in bad Italian through the muleteer and awaited refreshment。 They approved of the brandy highly； they finished it； and towards dawn warmed to song。 They did not sing badly； singing in chorus； but it appeared to Amanda that the hour might have been better chosen。 In the morning they were agreeably surprised to find one of the Englishmen was an Englishwoman； and followed every accessible detail of her toilette with great interest。 They were quite helpful about breakfast when the trouble was put to them； two vanished over a crest and reappeared with some sour milk； a slabby kind of bread； goat's cheese young but hardened； and coffee and the means of making coffee； and they joined spiritedly in the ensuing meal。 It ought to have been extraordinarily good fun； this camp under the vast heavens and these wild visitors； but it was not such fun as it ought to have been because both Amanda and Benham were extremely cold； stiff； sleepy； grubby and cross； and when at last they were back in the way to Podgoritza and had parted； after some present…giving from their chance friends； they halted in a sunlit grassy place； rolled themselves up in their blankets and recovered their arrears of sleep。 Podgoritza was their first experience of a khan； those oriental substitutes for hotels； and it was a deceptively good khan； indeed it was not a khan at all； it was an inn； it provided meals； it had a kind of bar； or at any rate a row of bottles and glasses； it possessed an upper floor with rooms； separate rooms； opening on to a gallery。 The room had no beds but it had a shelf about it on which Amanda and Benham rolled up in their blankets and slept。 〃We can do this sort of thing all right；〃 said Amanda and Benham。 〃But we mustn't lose the way again。〃 〃In Scutari；〃 said Benham； 〃we will get an extra horse and a tent。〃 The way presently became a lake and they reached Scutari by boat towards the dawn of the next day。 。 。 。 The extra horse involved the addition of its owner； a small suspicious Latin Christian； to the company； and of another horse for him and an ugly almost hairless boy attendant。 Moreover the British consul prevailed with Benham to accept the services of a picturesque Arnaut CAVASSE； complete with a rifle； knives； and other implements and the name of Giorgio。 And as they got up into the highlands beyond Scutari they began to realize the deceitfulness of Podgoritza and the real truth about khans。 Their next one they reached after a rainy evening； and it was a cavernous room with a floor of indurated mud and full of eye…stinging wood…smoke and wind and the smell of beasts； unpartitioned； with a weakly hostile custodian from whom no food could be got but a little goat's flesh and bread。 The meat Giorgio stuck upon a skewer in gobbets like cats…meat and cooked before the fire。 For drink there was coffee and raw spirits。 Against the wall in one corner was a slab of wood rather like the draining board in a scullery； and on this the guests were expected to sleep。 The horses and the rest of the party camped loosely about the adjacent corner after a bitter dispute upon some unknown point between the horse owner and the custodian。 Amanda and Benham were already rolled up on their slanting board like a couple of chrysalids when other company began to arrive through the open door out of the moonlight； drawn thither by the report of a travelling Englishwoman。 They were sturdy men in light coloured garments adorned ostentatiously with weapons； they moved mysteriously about in the firelit darknesses and conversed in undertones with Giorgio。 Giorgio seemed to have considerable powers of exposition and a gift for social organization。 Presently he came to Benham and explained that raki was available and that hospitality would do no harm； Benham and Amanda sat up and various romantic figures with splendid moustaches came forward and shook hands with him； modestly ignoring Amanda。 There was drinking； in which Benham shared； incomprehensible compliments； much ineffective saying of 〃BUONA NOTTE；〃 and at last Amanda and Benham counterfeited sleep。 This seemed to remove a check on the conversation and a heated discussion in tense undertones went on； it seemed interminably。 。 。 。 Probably very few aspects of Benham and Amanda were ignored。 。 。 。 Towards morning the twanging of a string proclaimed the arrival of a querulous…faced minstrel with a sort of embryonic one…stringed horse…headed fiddle； and after a brief parley singing began； a long high…pitched solo。 The fiddle squealed pitifully under the persuasion of a semicircular bow。 Two heads were lifted enquiringly。 The singer had taken up his position at their feet and faced them。 It was a compliment。 〃OH！〃 said Amanda； rolling over。 The soloist obliged with three songs； and then； just as day was breaking； stopped abruptly and sprawled suddenly on the floor as if he had been struck asleep。 He was vocal even in his sleep。 A cock in the far corner began crowing and was answered by another outside。 。 。 。 But this does not give a full account of the animation of the khan。 〃OH！〃 said Amanda； rolling over again with the suddenness of accumulated anger。 〃They're worse than in Scutari；〃 said Benham； understanding her trouble instantly。 〃It isn't days and nights we are having；〃 said Benham a few days later； 〃it's days and nightmares。〃 But both he and Amanda had one quality in common。 The deeper their discomfort the less possible it was to speak of turning back from the itinerary they had planned。 。 。 。 They met no robbers； though an excited little English Levantine in Scutari had assured them they would do so and told a vivid story of a ride to Ipek； a delay on the road due to a su
