第 15 节
作者:闪啊闪      更新:2023-08-28 11:47      字数:9322
  seizure of lying suffered by the CIGARETTE:  who; because his knife  came from Norway; narrated all sorts of adventures in that country;  where he has never been。  He was quite feverish at the end; and  pleaded demoniacal possession。
  Moy (pronounce Moy) was a pleasant little village; gathered round a  chateau in a moat。  The air was perfumed with hemp from  neighbouring fields。  At the Golden Sheep we found excellent  entertainment。  German shells from the siege of La Fere; Nurnberg  figures; gold…fish in a bowl; and all manner of knick…knacks;  embellished the public room。  The landlady was a stout; plain;  short…sighted; motherly body; with something not far short of a  genius for cookery。  She had a guess of her excellence herself。   After every dish was sent in; she would come and look on at the  dinner for a while; with puckered; blinking eyes。  'C'EST BON;  N'EST…CE PAS?' she would say; and when she had received a proper  answer; she disappeared into the kitchen。  That common French dish;  partridge and cabbages; became a new thing in my eyes at the Golden  Sheep; and many subsequent dinners have bitterly disappointed me in  consequence。  Sweet was our rest in the Golden Sheep at Moy。
  LA FERE OF CURSED MEMORY
  WE lingered in Moy a good part of the day; for we were fond of  being philosophical; and scorned long journeys and early starts on  principle。  The place; moreover; invited to repose。  People in  elaborate shooting costumes sallied from the chateau with guns and  game…bags; and this was a pleasure in itself; to remain behind  while these elegant pleasure…seekers took the first of the morning。   In this way; all the world may be an aristocrat; and play the duke  among marquises; and the reigning monarch among dukes; if he will  only outvie them in tranquillity。  An imperturbable demeanour comes  from perfect patience。  Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or  frightened; but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private  pace; like a clock during a thunderstorm。
  We made a very short day of it to La Fere; but the dusk was  falling; and a small rain had begun before we stowed the boats。  La  Fere is a fortified town in a plain; and has two belts of rampart。   Between the first and the second extends a region of waste land and  cultivated patches。  Here and there along the wayside were posters  forbidding trespass in the name of military engineering。  At last;  a second gateway admitted us to the town itself。  Lighted windows  looked gladsome; whiffs of comfortable cookery came abroad upon the  air。  The town was full of the military reserve; out for the French  Autumn Manoeuvres; and the reservists walked speedily and wore  their formidable great…coats。  It was a fine night to be within  doors over dinner; and hear the rain upon the windows。
  The CIGARETTE and I could not sufficiently congratulate each other  on the prospect; for we had been told there was a capital inn at La  Fere。  Such a dinner as we were going to eat! such beds as we were  to sleep in! … and all the while the rain raining on houseless folk  over all the poplared countryside!  It made our mouths water。  The  inn bore the name of some woodland animal; stag; or hart; or hind;  I forget which。  But I shall never forget how spacious and how  eminently habitable it looked as we drew near。  The carriage entry  was lighted up; not by intention; but from the mere superfluity of  fire and candle in the house。  A rattle of many dishes came to our  ears; we sighted a great field of table…cloth; the kitchen glowed  like a forge and smelt like a garden of things to eat。
  Into this; the inmost shrine and physiological heart of a hostelry;  with all its furnaces in action; and all its dressers charged with  viands; you are now to suppose us making our triumphal entry; a  pair of damp rag…and…bone men; each with a limp india…rubber bag  upon his arm。  I do not believe I have a sound view of that  kitchen; I saw it through a sort of glory:  but it seemed to me  crowded with the snowy caps of cookmen; who all turned round from  their saucepans and looked at us with surprise。  There was no doubt  about the landlady; however:  there she was; heading her army; a  flushed; angry woman; full of affairs。  Her I asked politely … too  politely; thinks the CIGARETTE … if we could have beds:  she  surveying us coldly from head to foot。
  'You will find beds in the suburb;' she remarked。  'We are too busy  for the like of you。'
  If we could make an entrance; change our clothes; and order a  bottle of wine; I felt sure we could put things right; so said I:   'If we cannot sleep; we may at least dine;' … and was for  depositing my bag。
  What a terrible convulsion of nature was that which followed in the  landlady's face!  She made a run at us; and stamped her foot。
  'Out with you … out of the door!' she screeched。  'SORTEZ! SORTEZ!  SORTEZ PAR LA PORTE!'
  I do not know how it happened; but next moment we were out in the  rain and darkness; and I was cursing before the carriage entry like  a disappointed mendicant。  Where were the boating men of Belgium?  where the Judge and his good wines? and where the graces of Origny?   Black; black was the night after the firelit kitchen; but what was  that to the blackness in our heart?  This was not the first time  that I have been refused a lodging。  Often and often have I planned  what I should do if such a misadventure happened to me again。  And  nothing is easier to plan。  But to put in execution; with the heart  boiling at the indignity?  Try it; try it only once; and tell me  what you did。
  It is all very fine to talk about tramps and morality。  Six hours  of police surveillance (such as I have had); or one brutal  rejection from an inn…door; change your views upon the subject like  a course of lectures。  As long as you keep in the upper regions;  with all the world bowing to you as you go; social arrangements  have a very handsome air; but once get under the wheels; and you  wish society were at the devil。  I will give most respectable men a  fortnight of such a life; and then I will offer them twopence for  what remains of their morality。
  For my part; when I was turned out of the Stag; or the Hind; or  whatever it was; I would have set the temple of Diana on fire; if  it had been handy。  There was no crime complete enough to express  my disapproval of human institutions。  As for the CIGARETTE; I  never knew a man so altered。  'We have been taken for pedlars  again;' said he。  'Good God; what it must be to be a pedlar in  reality!'  He particularised a complaint for every joint in the  landlady's body。  Timon was a philanthropist alongside of him。  And  then; when he was at the top of his maledictory bent; he would  suddenly break away and begin whimperingly to commiserate the poor。   'I hope to God;' he said; … and I trust the prayer was answered; …  'that I shall never be uncivil to a pedlar。'  Was this the  imperturbable CIGARETTE?  This; this was he。  O change beyond  report; thought; or belief!
  Meantime the heaven wept upon our heads; and the windows grew  brighter as the night increased in darkness。  We trudged in and out  of La Fere streets; we saw shops; and private houses where people  were copiously dining; we saw stables where carters' nags had  plenty of fodder and clean straw; we saw no end of reservists; who  were very sorry for themselves this wet night; I doubt not; and  yearned for their country homes; but had they not each man his  place in La Fere barracks?  And we; what had we?
  There seemed to be no other inn in the whole town。  People gave us  directions; which we followed as best we could; generally with the  effect of bringing us out again upon the scene of our disgrace。  We  were very sad people indeed by the time we had gone all over La  Fere; and the CIGARETTE had already made up his mind to lie under a  poplar and sup off a loaf of bread。  But right at the other end;  the house next the town…gate was full of light and bustle。  'BAZIN;  AUBERGISTE; LOGE A PIED;' was the sign。  'A LA CROIX DE MALTE。'   There were we received。
  The room was full of noisy reservists drinking and smoking; and we  were very glad indeed when the drums and bugles began to go about  the streets; and one and all had to snatch shakoes and be off for  the barracks。
  Bazin was a tall man; running to fat:  soft…spoken; with a  delicate; gentle face。  We asked him to share our wine; but he  excused himself; having pledged reservists all day long。  This was  a very different type of the workman…innkeeper from the bawling  disputatious fellow at Origny。  He also loved Paris; where he had  worked as a decorative painter in his youth。  There were such  opportunities for self…instruction there; he said。  And if any one  has read Zola's description of the workman's marriage…party  visiting the Louvre; they would do well to have heard Bazin by way  of antidote。  He had delighted in the museums in his youth。  'One  sees there little miracles of work;' he said; 'that is what makes a  good workman; it kindles a spark。'  We asked him how he managed in  La Fere。  'I am married;' he said; 'and I have my pretty children。   But frankly; it is no life at all。  From morning to night I pledge  a pack of good enough fe