第 30 节
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生在秋天 更新:2023-05-17 13:24 字数:9322
sorrow; mingled with alarm。 Next; George turned his gaze on me。 I
endeavoured; so far as lay with me; to copy Harris's expression; adding to
it on my own account a touch of reproof。
〃Will you have a cab?〃 I said as kindly as I could to George。 〃I'll run
and get one。〃
〃What the devil do I want with a cab?〃 he answered; ungraciously。
〃Can't you fellows understand a joke? It's like being out with a couple of
confounded old women;〃 saying which; he started off across the bridge;
leaving us to follow。
〃I am so glad that was only a joke of yours;〃 said Harris; on our
overtaking him。 〃I knew a case of softening of the brain that began〃
〃Oh; you're a silly ass!〃 said George; cutting him short; 〃you know
everything。〃
He was really most unpleasant in his manner。
We took him round by the riverside of the theatre。 We told him it was
the shortest way; and; as a matter of fact; it was。 In the open space
behind the theatre stood the second of these wooden apparitions。 George
looked at it; and again stood still。
〃What's the matter?〃 said Harris; kindly。 〃You are not ill; are you?〃
〃I don't believe this is the shortest way;〃 said George。
〃I assure you it is;〃 persisted Harris。
〃Well; I'm going the other;〃 said George; and he turned and went; we;
as before; following him。
Along the Ferdinand Strasse Harris and I talked about private lunatic
asylums; which; Harris said; were not well managed in England。 He said
a friend of his; a patient in a lunatic asylum …
George said; interrupting: 〃You appear to have a large number of
friends in lunatic asylums。〃
He said it in a most insulting tone; as though to imply that that is
where one would look for the majority of Harris's friends。 But Harris did
not get angry; he merely replied; quite mildly:
〃Well; it really is extraordinary; when one comes to think of it; how
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many of them have gone that way sooner or later。 I get quite nervous
sometimes; now。〃
At the corner of the Wenzelsplatz; Harris; who was a few steps ahead
of us; paused。
〃It's a fine street; isn't it?〃 he said; sticking his hands in his pockets;
and gazing up at it admiringly。
George and I followed suit。 Two hundred yards away from us; in its
very centre; was the third of these ghostly statues。 I think it was the best
of the threethe most like; the most deceptive。 It stood boldly outlined
against the wild sky: the horse on its hind legs; with its curiously
attenuated tail; the man bareheaded; pointing with his plumed hat to the
now entirely visible moon。
〃I think; if you don't mind;〃 said Georgehe spoke with almost a
pathetic ring in his voice; his aggressiveness had completely fallen from
him;〃that I will have that cab; if there's one handy。〃
〃I thought you were looking queer;〃 said Harris; kindly。 〃It's your
head; isn't it?〃
〃Perhaps it is;〃 answered George。
〃I have noticed it coining on;〃 said Harris; 〃but I didn't like to say
anything to you。 You fancy you see things; don't you?〃
〃No; no; it isn't that;〃 replied George; rather quickly。 〃I don't know
what it is。〃
〃I do;〃 said Harris; solemnly; 〃and I'll tell you。 It's this German beer
that you are drinking。 I have known a case where a man〃
〃Don't tell me about him just now;〃 said George。 〃I dare say it's true;
but somehow I don't feel I want to hear about him。〃
〃You are not used to it;〃 said Harris。
〃I shall give it up from to…night;〃 said George。 〃I think you must be
right; it doesn't seem to agree with me。〃
We took him home; and saw him to bed。 He was very gentle and
quite grateful。
One evening later on; after a long day's ride; followed by a most
satisfactory dinner; we started him on a big cigar; and; removing things
from his reach; told him of this stratagem that for his good we had
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planned。
〃How many copies of that statue did you say we saw?〃 asked George;
after we had finished。
〃Three;〃 replied Harris。
〃Only three?〃 said George。 〃Are you sure?〃
〃Positive;〃 replied Harris。 〃Why?〃
〃Oh; nothing!〃 answered George。
But I don't think he quite believed Harris。
From Prague we travelled to Nuremberg; through Carlsbad。 Good
Germans; when they die; go; they say; to Carlsbad; as good Americans to
Paris。 This I doubt; seeing that it is a small place with no convenience
for a crowd。 In Carlsbad; you rise at five; the fashionable hour for
promenade; when the band plays under the Colonnade; and the Sprudel is
filled with a packed throng over a mile long; being from six to eight in the
morning。 Here you may hear more languages spoken than the Tower of
Babel could have echoed。 Polish Jews and Russian princes; Chinese
mandarins and Turkish pashas; Norwegians looking as if they had stepped
out of Ibsen's plays; women from the Boulevards; Spanish grandees and
English countesses; mountaineers from Montenegro and millionaires from
Chicago; you will find every dozen yards。 Every luxury in the world
Carlsbad provides for its visitors; with the one exception of pepper。 That
you cannot get within five miles of the town for money; what you can get
there for love is not worth taking away。 Pepper; to the liver brigade that
forms four…fifths of Carlsbad's customers; is poison; and; prevention being
better than cure; it is carefully kept out of the neighbourhood。 〃Pepper
parties〃 are formed in Carlsbad to journey to some place without the
boundary; and there indulge in pepper orgies。
Nuremberg; if one expects a town of mediaeval appearance;
disappoints。 Quaint corners; picturesque glimpses; there are in plenty;
but everywhere they are surrounded and intruded upon by the modern; and
even what is ancient is not nearly so ancient as one thought it was。 After
all; a town; like a woman; is only as old as it looks; and Nuremberg is still
a comfortable…looking dame; its age somewhat difficult to conceive under
its fresh paint and stucco in the blaze of the gas and the electric light。
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Still; looking closely; you may see its wrinkled walls and grey towers。
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CHAPTER IX
Harris breaks the lawThe helpful man: The dangers that beset him…
…George sets forth upon a career of crimeThose to whom Germany
would come as a boon and a blessingThe English Sinner: His
disappointmentsThe German Sinner: His exceptional advantages
What you may not do with your bedAn inexpensive vice… …The German
dog: His simple goodnessThe misbehaviour of the beetleA people
that go the way they ought to goThe German small boy: His love of
legalityHow to go astray with a perambulator The German student:
His chastened wilfulness。
All three of us; by some means or another; managed; between
Nuremberg and the Black Forest; to get into trouble。
Harris led off at Stuttgart by insulting an official。 Stuttgart is a
charming town; clean and bright; a smaller Dresden。 It has the additional
attraction of containing little that one need to go out of one's way to see:
a medium…sized picture gallery; a small museum of antiquities; and half a
palace; and you are through with the entire thing and can enjoy yourself。
Harris did not know it was an official he was i