第 28 节
作者:
指环王 更新:2021-02-19 21:05 字数:9322
got with educational intent; and it served its purpose so well; and
the boys knew their business so practically; that when the summer
was at an end; Fleeming; Mrs。 Jenkin; Frewen the engineer; Bernard
the stoker; and Kenneth Robertson a Highland seaman; set forth in
her to make the passage south。 The first morning they got from
Loch Broom into Gruinard bay; where they lunched upon an island;
but the wind blowing up in the afternoon; with sheets of rain; it
was found impossible to beat to sea; and very much in the situation
of castaways upon an unknown coast; the party landed at the mouth
of Gruinard river。 A shooting lodge was spied among the trees;
there Fleeming went; and though the master; Mr。 Murray; was from
home; though the two Jenkin boys were of course as black as
colliers; and all the castaways so wetted through that; as they
stood in the passage; pools formed about their feet and ran before
them into the house; yet Mrs。 Murray kindly entertained them for
the night。 On the morrow; however; visitors were to arrive; there
would be no room and; in so out…of…the…way a spot; most probably no
food for the crew of the PURGLE; and on the morrow about noon; with
the bay white with spindrift and the wind so strong that one could
scarcely stand against it; they got up steam and skulked under the
land as far as Sanda Bay。 Here they crept into a seaside cave; and
cooked some food; but the weather now freshening to a gale; it was
plain they must moor the launch where she was; and find their way
overland to some place of shelter。 Even to get their baggage from
on board was no light business; for the dingy was blown so far to
leeward every trip; that they must carry her back by hand along the
beach。 But this once managed; and a cart procured in the
neighbourhood; they were able to spend the night in a pot…house on
Ault Bea。 Next day; the sea was unapproachable; but the next they
had a pleasant passage to Poolewe; hugging the cliffs; the falling
swell bursting close by them in the gullies; and the black scarts
that sat like ornaments on the top of every stack and pinnacle;
looking down into the PURGLE as she passed。 The climate of
Scotland had not done with them yet: for three days they lay
storm…stayed in Poolewe; and when they put to sea on the morning of
the fourth; the sailors prayed them for God's sake not to attempt
the passage。 Their setting out was indeed merely tentative; but
presently they had gone too far to return; and found themselves
committed to double Rhu Reay with a foul wind and a cross sea。
From half…past eleven in the morning until half…past five at night;
they were in immediate and unceasing danger。 Upon the least
mishap; the PURGLE must either have been swamped by the seas or
bulged upon the cliffs of that rude headland。 Fleeming and
Robertson took turns baling and steering; Mrs。 Jenkin; so violent
was the commotion of the boat; held on with both hands; Frewen; by
Robertson's direction; ran the engine; slacking and pressing her to
meet the seas; and Bernard; only twelve years old; deadly sea…sick;
and continually thrown against the boiler; so that he was found
next day to be covered with burns; yet kept an even fire。 It was a
very thankful party that sat down that evening to meat in the Hotel
at Gairloch。 And perhaps; although the thing was new in the
family; no one was much surprised when Fleeming said grace over
that meal。 Thenceforward he continued to observe the form; so that
there was kept alive in his house a grateful memory of peril and
deliverance。 But there was nothing of the muff in Fleeming; he
thought it a good thing to escape death; but a becoming and a
healthful thing to run the risk of it; and what is rarer; that
which he thought for himself; he thought for his family also。 In
spite of the terrors of Rhu Reay; the cruise was persevered in and
brought to an end under happier conditions。
One year; instead of the Highlands; Alt Aussee; in the Steiermark;
was chosen for the holidays; and the place; the people; and the
life delighted Fleeming。 He worked hard at German; which he had
much forgotten since he was a boy; and what is highly
characteristic; equally hard at the patois; in which he learned to
excel。 He won a prize at a Schutzen…fest; and though he hunted
chamois without much success; brought down more interesting game in
the shape of the Styrian peasants; and in particular of his gillie;
Joseph。 This Joseph was much of a character; and his appreciations
of Fleeming have a fine note of their own。 The bringing up of the
boys he deigned to approve of: 'FAST SO GUT WIE EIN BAUER;' was
his trenchant criticism。 The attention and courtly respect with
which Fleeming surrounded his wife; was something of a puzzle to
the philosophic gillie; he announced in the village that Mrs。
Jenkin … DIE SILBERNE FRAU; as the folk had prettily named her from
some silver ornaments … was a 'GEBORENE GRAFIN' who had married
beneath her; and when Fleeming explained what he called the English
theory (though indeed it was quite his own) of married relations;
Joseph; admiring but unconvinced; avowed it was 'GAR SCHON。'
Joseph's cousin; Walpurga Moser; to an orchestra of clarionet and
zither; taught the family the country dances; the Steierisch and
the Landler; and gained their hearts during the lessons。 Her
sister Loys; too; who was up at the Alp with the cattle; came down
to church on Sundays; made acquaintance with the Jenkins; and must
have them up to see the sunrise from her house upon the Loser;
where they had supper and all slept in the loft among the hay。 The
Mosers were not lost sight of; Walpurga still corresponds with Mrs。
Jenkin; and it was a late pleasure of Fleeming's to choose and
despatch a wedding present for his little mountain friend。 This
visit was brought to an end by a ball in the big inn parlour; the
refreshments chosen; the list of guests drawn up; by Joseph; the
best music of the place in attendance; and hosts and guests in
their best clothes。 The ball was opened by Mrs。 Jenkin dancing
Steierisch with a lordly Bauer; in gray and silver and with a
plumed hat; and Fleeming followed with Walpurga Moser。
There ran a principle through all these holiday pleasures。 In
Styria as in the Highlands; the same course was followed: Fleeming
threw himself as fully as he could into the life and occupations of
the native people; studying everywhere their dances and their
language; and conforming; always with pleasure; to their rustic
etiquette。 Just as the ball at Alt Aussee was designed for the
taste of Joseph; the parting feast at Attadale was ordered in every
particular to the taste of Murdoch the Keeper。 Fleeming was not
one of the common; so…called gentlemen; who take the tricks of
their own coterie to be eternal principles of taste。 He was aware;
on the other hand; that rustic people dwelling in their own places;
follow ancient rules with fastidious precision; and are easily
shocked and embarrassed by what (if they used the word) they would
have to call the vulgarity of visitors from town。 And he; who was
so cavalier with men of his own class; was sedulous to shield the
more tender feelings of the peasant; he; who could be so trying in
a drawing…room; was even punctilious in the cottage。 It was in all
respects a happy virtue。 It renewed his life; during these
holidays; in all particulars。 It often entertained him with the
discovery of strange survivals; as when; by the orders of Murdoch;
Mrs。 Jenkin must publicly taste of every dish before it was set
before her guests。 And thus to throw himself into a fresh life and
a new school of manners was a grateful exercise of Fleeming's
mimetic instinct; and to the pleasures of the open air; of
hardships supported; of dexterities improved and displayed; and of
plain and elegant society; added a spice of drama。
II。
Fleeming was all his life a lover of the play and all that belonged
to it。 Dramatic literature he knew fully。 He was one of the not
very numerous people who can read a play: a knack; the fruit of
much knowledge and some imagination; comparable to that of reading
score。 Few men better understood the artificial principles on
which a play is good or bad; few more unaffectedly enjoyed a piece
of any merit of construction。 His own play was conceived with a
double design; for he had long been filled with his theory of the
true story of Griselda; used to gird at Father Chaucer for his
misconception; and was; perhaps first of all; moved by the desire
to do justice to the Marquis of Saluces; and perhaps only in the
second place; by the wish to treat a story (as he phrased it) like
a sum in arithmetic。 I do not think he quite succeeded; but I must
own myself no fit judge。 Fleeming and I w