the uncommercial traveller- 第48部分

hatches　and　paddle…boxes　is　THEIR　gleam　on　cottages　and　haystacks；

and　the　monotonous　noise　of　the　engines　is　the　steady　jingle　of　the

splendid　team。　　Anon；　the　intermittent　funnel　roar　of　protest　at

every　violent　roll；　becomes　the　regular　blast　of　a　high　pressure

engine；　and　I　recognise　the　exceedingly　explosive　steamer　in　which

I　ascended　the　Mississippi　when　the　American　civil　war　was　not；　and

when　only　its　causes　were。　　A　fragment　of　mast　on　which　the　light

of　a　lantern　falls；　an　end　of　rope；　and　a　jerking　block　or　so；

become　suggestive　of　Franconi's　Circus　at　Paris　where　I　shall　be

this　very　night　mayhap　（for　it　must　be　morning　now）；　and　they　dance

to　the　self…same　time　and　tune　as　the　trained　steed；　Black　Raven。

What　may　be　the　speciality　of　these　waves　as　they　come　rushing　on；

I　cannot　desert　the　pressing　demands　made　upon　me　by　the　gems　she

wore；　to　inquire；　but　they　are　charged　with　something　about

Robinson　Crusoe；　and　I　think　it　was　in　Yarmouth　Roads　that　he　first

went　a　seafaring　and　was　near　foundering　（what　a　terrific　sound

that　word　had　for　me　when　I　was　a　boy！）　in　his　first　gale　of　wind。

Still；　through　all　this；　I　must　ask　her　（who　WAS　she　I　wonder！）　for

the　fiftieth　time；　and　without　ever　stopping；　Does　she　not　fear　to

stray；　So　lone　and　lovely　through　this　bleak　way；　And　are　Erin's

sons　so　good　or　so　cold；　As　not　to　be　tempted　by　more　fellow…

creatures　at　the　paddle…box　or　gold？　　Sir　Knight　I　feel　not　the

least　alarm；　No　son　of　Erin　will　offer　me　harm；　For　though　they

love　fellow…creature　with　umbrella　down　again　and　golden　store；　Sir

Knight　they　what　a　tremendous　one　love　honour　and　virtue　more：　　For

though　they　love　Stewards　with　a　bull's　eye　bright；　they'll　trouble

you　for　your　ticket；　sir…rough　passage　to…night！



I　freely　admit　it　to　be　a　miserable　piece　of　human　weakness　and

inconsistency；　but　I　no　sooner　become　conscious　of　those　last　words

from　the　steward　than　I　begin　to　soften　towards　Calais。　　Whereas　I

have　been　vindictively　wishing　that　those　Calais　burghers　who　came

out　of　their　town　by　a　short　cut　into　the　History　of　England；　with

those　fatal　ropes　round　their　necks　by　which　they　have　since　been

towed　into　so　many　cartoons；　had　all　been　hanged　on　the　spot；　I　now

begin　to　regard　them　as　highly　respectable　and　virtuous　tradesmen。

Looking　about　me；　I　see　the　light　of　Cape　Grinez　well　astern　of　the

boat　on　the　davits　to　leeward；　and　the　light　of　Calais　Harbour

undeniably　at　its　old　tricks；　but　still　ahead　and　shining。

Sentiments　of　forgiveness　of　Calais；　not　to　say　of　attachment　to

Calais；　begin　to　expand　my　bosom。　　I　have　weak　notions　that　I　will

stay　there　a　day　or　two　on　my　way　back。　　A　faded　and　recumbent

stranger　pausing　in　a　profound　reverie　over　the　rim　of　a　basin；

asks　me　what　kind　of　place　Calais　is？　　I　tell　him　（Heaven　forgive

me！）　a　very　agreeable　place　indeed　…　rather　hilly　than　otherwise。



So　strangely　goes　the　time；　and　on　the　whole　so　quickly　…　though

still　I　seem　to　have　been　on　board　a　week　…　that　I　am　bumped；

rolled；　gurgled；　washed　and　pitched　into　Calais　Harbour　before　her

maiden　smile　has　finally　lighted　her　through　the　Green　Isle；　When

blest　for　ever　is　she　who　relied；　On　entering　Calais　at　the　top　of

the　tide。　　For　we　have　not　to　land　to…night　down　among　those　slimy

timbers　…　covered　with　green　hair　as　if　it　were　the　mermaids'

favourite　combing…place　…　where　one　crawls　to　the　surface　of　the

jetty；　like　a　stranded　shrimp；　but　we　go　steaming　up　the　harbour　to

the　Railway　Station　Quay。　　And　as　we　go；　the　sea　washes　in　and　out

among　piles　and　planks；　with　dead　heavy　beats　and　in　quite　a

furious　manner　（whereof　we　are　proud）；　and　the　lamps　shake　in　the

wind；　and　the　bells　of　Calais　striking　One　seem　to　send　their

vibrations　struggling　against　troubled　air；　as　we　have　come

struggling　against　troubled　water。　　And　now；　in　the　sudden　relief

and　wiping　of　faces；　everybody　on　board　seems　to　have　had　a

prodigious　double…tooth　out；　and　to　be　this　very　instant　free　of

the　Dentist's　hands。　　And　now　we　all　know　for　the　first　time　how

wet　and　cold　we　are；　and　how　salt　we　are；　and　now　I　love　Calais

with　my　heart　of　hearts！



'Hotel　Dessin！'　（but　in　this　one　case　it　is　not　a　vocal　cry；　it　is

but　a　bright　lustre　in　the　eyes　of　the　cheery　representative　of

that　best　of　inns）。　　'Hotel　Meurice！'　　'Hotel　de　France！'　　'Hotel

de　Calais！'　　'The　Royal　Hotel；　Sir；　Angaishe　ouse！'　　'You　going　to

Parry；　Sir？'　　'Your　baggage；　registair　froo；　Sir？'　　Bless　ye；　my

Touters；　bless　ye；　my　commissionaires；　bless　ye；　my　hungry…eyed

mysteries　in　caps　of　a　military　form；　who　are　always　here；　day　or

night；　fair　weather　or　foul；　seeking　inscrutable　jobs　which　I　never

see　you　get！　　Bless　ye；　my　Custom　House　officers　in　green　and　grey；

permit　me　to　grasp　the　welcome　hands　that　descend　into　my

travelling…bag；　one　on　each　side；　and　meet　at　the　bottom　to　give　my

change　of　linen　a　peculiar　shake　up；　as　if　it　were　a　measure　of

chaff　or　grain！　　I　have　nothing　to　declare；　Monsieur　le　Douanier；

except　that　when　I　cease　to　breathe；　Calais　will　be　found　written

on　my　heart。　　No　article　liable　to　local　duty　have　I　with　me；

Monsieur　l'Officier　de　l'Octroi；　unless　the　overflowing　of　a　breast

devoted　to　your　charming　town　should　be　in　that　wise　chargeable。

Ah！　see　at　the　gangway　by　the　twinkling　lantern；　my　dearest　brother

and　friend；　he　once　of　the　Passport　Office；　he　who　collects　the

names！　　May　he　be　for　ever　changeless　in　his　buttoned　black

surtout；　with　his　note…book　in　his　hand；　and　his　tall　black　hat；

surmounting　his　round；　smiling；　patient　face！　　Let　us　embrace；　my

dearest　brother。　　I　am　yours　e　tout　jamais　…　for　the　whole　of　ever。



Calais　up　and　doing　at　the　railway　station；　and　Calais　down　and

dreaming　in　its　bed；　Calais　with　something　of　'an　ancient　and　fish…

like　smell'　about　it；　and　Calais　blown　and　sea…washed　pure；　Calais

represented　at　the　Buffet　by　savoury　roast　fowls；　hot　coffee；

cognac；　and　Bordeaux；　and　Calais　represented　everywhere　by　flitting

persons　with　a　monomania　for　changing　money　…　though　I　never　shall

be　able　to　understand　in　my　present　state　of　existence　how　they

live　by　it；　but　I　suppose　I　should；　if　I　understood　the　currency

question　…　Calais　EN　GROS；　and　Calais　EN　DETAIL；　forgive　one　who

has　deeply　wronged　you。　…　I　was　not　fully　aware　of　it　on　the　other

side；　but　I　meant　Dover。



Ding；　ding！　　To　the　carriages；　gentlemen　the　travellers。　　Ascend

then；　gentlemen　the　travellers；　for　Hazebroucke；　Lille；　Douai；

Bruxelles；　Arras；　Amiens；　and　Paris！　　I；　humble　representative　of

the　uncommercial　interest；　ascend　with　the　rest。　　The　train　is

light　to…night；　and　I　share　my　compartment　with　but　two　fellow…

travellers；　one；　a　compatriot　in　an　obsolete　cravat；　who　thinks　it

a　quite　unaccountable　thing　that　they　don't　keep　'London　time'　on　a

French　railway；　and　who　is　made　angry　by　my　modestly　suggesting　the

possibility　of　Paris　time　being　more　in　their　way；　the　other；　a

young　priest；　with　a　very　small　bird　in　a　very　small　cage；　who

feeds　the　small　bird　with　a　quill；　and　then　puts　him　up　in　the

network　above　his　head；　where　he　advances　twittering；　to　his　front

wires；　and　seems　to　address　me　in　an　electioneering　manner。　　The

compatriot　（who　crossed　in　the　boat；　and　whom　I　judge　to　be　some

person　of　distinction；　as　he　was　shut　up；　like　a　stately　species　of

rabbit；　in　a　private　hutch　on　deck）　and　the　young　priest　（who

joined　us　at　Calais）　are　soon　asleep；　and　then　the　bird　and　I　have

it　all　to　ourselves。



A　stormy　night　still；　a　night　that　sweeps　the　wires　of　the　electric

telegraph　with　a　wild　and　fitful　hand；　a　night　so　very　stormy；　with

the　added　storm　of　the　train…progress　through　it；　that　when　the

Guard　comes　clambering　round　to　mark　the　tickets　while　we　are　at

full　speed　（a　really　horrible　performance　in　an　express　train；

though　he　holds　on　to　the　open　window　by　his　elbows　in　the　most

deliberate　manner）；　he　stands　in　such　a　whirlwind　that　I　grip　him

fast　by　the　collar；　and　feel　it　next　to　manslaughter　to　let　him　go。

Still；　when　he　is　gone；　the　small；　small　bird　remains　at　his　front

wires　feebly　twittering　to　me　…　twittering　and　twittering；　until；

leaning　back　in　my　place　and　looking　at　him　in　drowsy　fascination；

I　find　that　he　seems　to　jog　my　memory　as　we　rush　along。



Uncommercial　travels　（thus　the　small；　small　bird）　have　lain　in

their　idle　thriftless　way　through　all　this　range　of　swamp　and　dyke；

as　through　many　other　odd　places；　and　about　here；　as　you　very　well

know；　are　the　queer　old　stone　farm…houses；　approached　by

drawbridges；　and　the　windmills　that　you　get　at　by　boats。　　Here；　are

the　lands　where　the　women　hoe　and　dig；　paddling　canoe…wise　from

field　to　field；　and　here　are　the　cabarets　and　other　peasant…houses

where　the　stone　dove…cotes　in　the　littered　yards　are　as　strong　as

warders'　towers　in　old　castles。　　Here；　are　the　long　monotonous

miles　of　canal；　with　the　great　Dutch…built　barges　garishly　painted；