第 30 节
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开了 更新:2021-02-19 01:06 字数:9322
insured; comes the inclination to cut loose from the dull routine
of business and duty; returning instinctively to the migratory
habits of primitive man。
We are not the only nation that has given itself up to globe…
trotting; it is strong in the English; in spite of their
conservative education; and it is surprising to see the number of
formerly stay…at…home French and Germans one meets wandering in
foreign lands。
In 1855; a Londoner advertised the plan he had conceived of taking
some people over to visit the International Exhibition in Paris。
For a fixed sum paid in advance he offered to provide everything
and act as courier to the party; and succeeded with the greatest
difficulty in getting together ten people。 From this modest
beginning has grown the vast undertaking that to…day covers the
globe with tourists; from the frozen seas where they 〃do〃 the
midnight sun; to the deserts three thousand miles up the Nile。
As I was returning a couple of years ago VIA Vienna from
Constantinople; the train was filled with a party of our
compatriots conducted by an agency of this kind … simple people of
small means who; twenty years ago; would as soon have thought of
leaving their homes for a trip in the East as they would of
starting off in balloons en route for the inter…stellar spaces。
I doubted at the time as to the amount of information and
appreciation they brought to bear on their travels; so I took
occasion to draw one of the thin; unsmiling women into
conversation; asking her where they intended stopping next。
〃At Buda…Pesth;〃 she answered。 I said in some amusement:
〃But that was Buda…Pesth we visited so carefully yesterday。〃
〃Oh; was it;〃 she replied; without any visible change on her face;
〃I thought we had not got there yet。〃 Apparently it was enough for
her to be travelling; the rest was of little importance。 Later in
the day; when asked if she had visited a certain old city in
Germany; she told me she had but would never go there again: 〃They
gave us such poor coffee at the hotel。〃 Again later in speaking to
her husband; who seemed a trifle vague as to whether he had seen
Nuremberg or not; she said:
〃Why; you remember it very well; it was there you bought those nice
overshoes!〃
All of which left me with some doubts in my mind as to the
cultivating influences of foreign travel on their minds。
You cannot change a leopard's spots; neither can you alter the
nature of a race; and one of the strongest characteristics of the
Anglo…Saxon; is the nomadic instinct。 How often one hears people
say:
〃I am not going to sit at home and take care of my furniture。 I
want to see something of the world before I am too old。〃 Lately; a
sprightly maiden of uncertain years; just returned from a long trip
abroad; was asked if she intended now to settle down。
〃Settle down; indeed! I'm a butterfly and I never expect to settle
down。〃
There is certainly food here for reflection。 Why should we be more
inclined to wander than our neighbors? Perhaps it is in a measure
due to our nervous; restless temperament; which is itself the
result of our climate; but whatever the cause is; inability to
remain long in one place is having a most unfortunate influence on
our social life。 When everyone is on the move or longing to be; it
becomes difficult to form any but the most superficial ties; strong
friendships become impossible; the most intimate family relations
are loosened。
If one were of a speculative frame of mind and chose to take as the
basis for a calculation the increase in tourists between 1855; when
the ten pioneers started for Paris; and the number 〃personally
conducted〃 over land and sea today; and then glance forward at what
the future will be if this ratio of increase is maintained the
result would be something too awful for words。 For if ten have
become a million in forty years; what will be the total in 1955?
Nothing less than entire nations given over to sight…seeing;
passing their lives and incomes in rushing aimlessly about。
If the facilities of communication increase as they undoubtedly
will with the demand; the prospect becomes nearer the idea of a
〃Walpurgis Night〃 than anything else。 For the earth and the sea
will be covered and the air filled with every form of whirling;
flying; plunging device to get men quickly from one place to
another。
Every human being on the globe will be flying South for the cold
months and North for the hot season。
As personally conducted tours have been so satisfactory; agencies
will be started to lead us through all the stages of existence。
Parents will subscribe on the birth of their children to have them
personally conducted through life and everything explained as it is
done at present in the galleries abroad; food; lodging and reading
matter; husbands and wives will be provided by contract; to be
taken back and changed if unsatisfactory; as the big stores do with
their goods。 Delightful prospect! Homes will become superfluous;
parents and children will only meet when their 〃tours〃 happen to
cross each other。 Our great…grandchildren will float through life
freed from every responsibility and more perfectly independent than
even that delightful dreamer; Bellamy; ventured to predict。
CHAPTER 29 … Husks
AMONG the Protestants driven from France by that astute and
liberal…minded sovereign Louis XIV。; were a colony of weavers; who
as all the world knows; settled at Spitalfields in England; where
their descendants weave silk to this day。
On their arrival in Great Britain; before the looms could be set up
and a market found for their industry; the exiles were reduced to
the last extremity of destitution and hunger。 Looking about them
for anything that could be utilized for food; they discovered that
the owners of English slaughter…houses threw away as worthless; the
tails of the cattle they killed。 Like all the poor in France;
these wanderers were excellent cooks; and knew that at home such
caudal appendages were highly valued for the tenderness and flavor
of the meat。 To the amazement and disgust of the English villagers
the new arrivals proceeded to collect this 〃refuse〃 and carry it
home for food。 As the first principle of French culinary art is
the POT…AU…FEU; the tails were mostly converted into soup; on which
the exiles thrived and feasted。
Their neighbors; envious at seeing the despised French indulging
daily in savory dishes; unknown to English palates; and tempted
like 〃Jack's〃 giant by the smell of 〃fresh meat;〃 began to inquire
into the matter; and slowly realized how; in their ignorance; they
had been throwing away succulent and delicate food。 The news of
this discovery gradually spreading through all classes; 〃ox…tail〃
became and has remained the national English soup。
If this veracious tale could be twisted into a metaphor; it would
serve marvellously to illustrate the position of the entire Anglo…
Saxon race; and especially that of their American descendants as
regards the Latin peoples。 For foolish prodigality and reckless;
ignorant extravagance; however; we leave our English cousins far
behind。
Two American hotels come to my mind; as different in their
appearance and management as they are geographically asunder。 Both
are types and illustrations of the wilful waste that has recently
excited Mr。 Ian Maclaren's comment; and the woeful want (of good
food) that is the result。 At one; a dreary shingle construction on
a treeless island; off our New England coast; where the ideas of
the landlord and his guests have remained as unchanged and
primitive as the island itself; I found on inquiry that all
articles of food coming from the first table were thrown into the
sea; and I have myself seen chickens hardly touched; rounds of
beef; trays of vegetables; and every variety of cake and dessert
tossed to the fish。
While we were having soups so thin and tasteless that they would
have made a French house…wife blush; the ingredients essential to
an excellent 〃stock〃 were cast aside。 The boarders were paying
five dollars a day and appeared contented; the place was packed;
the landlord coining money; so it was foolish to expect any
improvement。
The other hotel; a vast caravansary in the South; where a fortune
had been lavished in providing every modern convenience and luxury;
was the 〃fad〃 of its wealthy owner。 I had many talks with the
manager during my stay; and came to realize that most of the
wastefulness I saw around me was not his fault; but that of the
public; to whose taste he was obliged to cater。 At dinner; after
receiving your order; the waiter would disappear for half an hour;
and then bring your entire meal on one tray; the over…coo