第19章

类别:其他 作者:William Dean Howells字数:5096更新时间:18/12/22 09:09:46
speakingFrauleininhercompany;shereadilyacceptedthefactofMrs。 March’snationality,butfoundnothingwonderfulinit,apparently;andwhensheleftthetrainsheleftMrs。MarchtorecallwithfondregrettheolddaysinItalywhenshefirstcameabroad,andcouldmakeawholecarriagefullofItaliansbreakintoohsandahsbysayingthatshewasanAmerican,andtellinghowfarshehadcomeacrossthesea。 “Yes。”Marchassented,“butthatwasagreatwhileago,andAmericansweremuchrarerthantheyarenowinEurope。TheItaliansaresomuchmoresympatheticthantheGermansandEnglish,andtheysawthatyouwantedtoimpressthem。Heavenknowshowlittletheycared!Andthen,youwereaveryprettyyounggirlinthosedays;oratleastIthoughtso。” “Yes。”shesighed,“andnowI’maplainoldwoman。” “Oh,notquitesobadasthat。” “Yes,Iam!DoyouthinktheywouldhavecaredmoreifithadbeenMissTriscoe?” “Notsomuchasifithadbeenthepivotalgirl。TheywouldhavefoundhermuchmoretheiridealoftheAmericanwoman;andevenshewouldhavehadtohavebeenherethirtyyearsago。” Shelaughedalittleruefully。“Well,atanyrate,IshouldliketoknowhowMissTriscoewouldhaveaffectedthem。” “IshouldmuchratherknowwhatsortoflifethatEnglishwomanislivingherewithherGermanhusband;Ifanciedshehadmarriedrank。IcouldimaginehowdullitmustbeinherlittleSaxontown,fromthewaysheclungtoherIllustratedNews,andexplainedthepicturesoftheroyaltiestoherfriend。Thereisromanceforyou!” TheyarrivedatLeipsicfreshandcheerfulaftertheirfivehours’ journey,andasinaspelloftheirtravelledyouththeydroveupthroughtheacademicoldtown,asleepunderitsdimlycloudedsky,andsilentexceptforthetrolley-carsthatprowleditsstreetswiththeirfelinepurr,andbrokeattimesintoalong,shrillcaterwaul。Asenseofthepastimparteditselftothewell-knownencounterwiththeportierandtheheadwaiteratthehoteldoor,tothepaymentofthedriver,totheendeavorofthesecretarytohavethemtakethemostexpensiveroomsinthehouse,andtohiscompromiseuponthenextmost,wheretheyfoundthemselvesingreatcomfort,withelectriclightsandbells,andaquicksuccessionoffee-takingcall-boysindress-coatstoolargeforthem。 Thespellwasdeepenedbythefact,whichMarchkeptatthebottomofhisconsciousnessforthepresent,thatoneoftheirtrunkswasmissing。 Thislinkedhimmorecloselytothetravelofotherdays,andhespentthenextforenooninatelegraphicsearchfortheestray,withemotionstingedbythemelancholyofrecollection,butinthesecuritythatsinceitwassomewhereinthekeepingofthestaterailway,itwouldbefinallyrestoredtohim。 Theirwindows,astheysawinthemorning,lookedintoalargesquareofaristocraticphysiognomy,andofaParisianeffectinarchitecture,whichafterwardsprovedcharacteristicofthetown,ifnotquitesocharacteristicastojustifythepassionofLeipsicforcallingitselfLittleParis。TheprevailingtonewasofagraytendingtothepaleyellowoftheTauchnitzeditionswithwhichtheplaceismorefamiliarlyassociatedinthemindsofEnglish-speakingtravellers。Itwasrathermoresombrethanitmighthavebeeniftheweatherhadbeenfair;butaquietrainwasfallingdreamilythatmorning,andthesquarewasprovidedwithafountainwhichcontinuedtodribbleintheraremomentswhentherainforgotitself。TheplacewasbettershadedthanneedbeinthatsunlesslandbytheGermanelmsthatlooklikeoursanditwassufficientlystockedwithGermanstatues,thatlooklikenoothers。Ithadamonument,too,ofthesortwithwhichGermanarthaseverywheredisfiguredthekindlyfatherlandsincethewarwithFrance。Thesemonuments,thoughtheyaresoveryugly,haveasortofpathosasrecordsoftheonlywarinwhichGermanyunaidedhastriumphedagainstaforeignfoe,buttheyareastiresomeasallsuchmemorialpompsmustbe。Itisnotforthevictoriesofapeoplethatanyotherpeoplecancare。Thewarscomeandgoinbloodandtears;butwhethertheyarebadwars,orwhatarecomicallycalledgoodwars,theyareofoneeffectindeathandsorrow,andtheirfameisanoffencetoallmennotconcernedinthem,tilltimehassoftenedittoamemory“Ofold,unhappy,far-offthings,Andbattleslongago。” ItwasforsomesuchreasonthatwhiletheMarchesturnedwithinstantsatietyfromtheswellingandstruttingsculpturewhichcelebratedtheLeipsicheroesofthewarof1870,theyhadheartforthoseofthewarof1813;andaftertheirnoondaydinnertheydrovewillingly,inapauseoftherain,outbetweenyellowingharvestsofwheatandoatstothefieldwhereNapoleonwasbeatenbytheRussians,AustriansandPrussians(italwaystookatleastthreenationstobeatthelittlewretch)fourscoreyearsbefore。YeteventhereMrs。Marchwasreallymoreconcernedforthesparsityofcorn-flowersinthegrain,whichintheirmoderncharacterofKaiserblumenshefoundstrangelyabsentfromtheirloyalfunction;andMarchwasmoretakenwiththenotionofthelittlegardenswhichhisguidetoldhimthecitizenscouldhaveinthesuburbsofLeipsicandenjoyatanytrolley-cardistancefromtheirhomes。Hesawcertainofthesegardensingroups,dividedbylow,unenviousfences,andsometimesfurnishedwithsummer-houses,wherethetenantcouldtakehispleasureintheeveningair,withhisfamily。Theguidesaidhehadsuchagardenhimself,atarentofsevendollarsayear,whereheraisedvegetablesandflowers,andspenthispeacefulleisure;andMarchfanciedthatonthesimpledomesticsideoftheirlife,whichthisfactgavehimaglimpseof,theGermansweremuchmoreengagingthanintheircharacterofvictorsovereithertheFirstortheThirdNapoleon。Butprobablytheywouldnothaveagreedwithhim,andprobablynationswillgoonmakingthemselvescruelandtiresometillhumanityatlastprevailsovernationality。 Hecouldhaveputthecasetotheguidehimself;butthoughtheguidewasimaginablyliberatedtoacosmopolitanconceptionofthingsbythreeyears’serviceaswaiterinEnglishhotels,wherehelearnedthelanguage,hemightnothaverisentothis。Hewouldhavetried,forhewasawillingandkindlysoul,thoughhewasnota’valetdeplace’byprofession。Thereseemedinfactbutoneofthatuselessandamusingrace(whichiseverywherefallingintodecaythroughtherivalryoftheperfectedBaedeker,)leftinLeipsic,andthisonewasengaged,sothattheMarcheshadtodevolveupontheirex-waiter,whowasnowthekeeperofasmallrestaurant。Hegladlyabandonedhisbusinesstothecareofhiswife,inordertodrivehandsomelyaboutinhisbestclothes,withstrangerswhodidnotexacttoomuchknowledgefromhim。InhiszealtodosomethinghepossessedhimselfofMarch’sovercoatwhentheydismountedattheirfirstgallery,andletfallfromitspockethisprophylacticflaskofbrandy,whichbrokewithaloudcrashonthemarblefloorinthepresenceofseveralmasterpieces,andperfumedthewholeplace。ThemasterpiecesweresomeexcellentworksofLukeKranach,whoseemedtheonlyGermanpainterworthlookingatwhentherewereanyDutchorItalianpicturesnear,butthetravellersforgotthenameandnatureoftheKranachs,andrememberedafterwardsonlytheshatteredfragmentsofthebrandy-flask,justhowtheylookedonthefloor,andthefumes,howtheysmelt,thatrosefromtheruin。 Itmighthavebeenawarningprotestoftheveracitiesagainstwhattheyweredoing;butthemadnessofsight-seeing,whichspoilstravel,wasonthem,andtheydeliveredthemselvesuptoitastheyusedintheirignorantyouth,thoughnowtheyknewitsfutilitysowell。Theysparedthemselvesnothingthattheyhadtimefor,thatday,andtheyfeltfalselyguiltyfortheiromissions,asiftheyreallyhadbeendutiestoartandhistorywhichmustbedischarged,likeobligationstoone’smakerandone’sneighbor。 TheyhadatouchofgenuinejoyinthepresenceofthebeautifuloldRathhaus,andtheyweresensibleofsomethinglikeagenuineemotioninpassingthefamousandvenerableuniversity;theveryairofLeipsicisredolentofprintingandpublication,whichappealedtoMarchinhisqualityofeditor,andtheycouldnotfailofanimpressionofthequietbeautyofthetown,withitsregularstreetsofhousesbreakingintosuburbanvillasofanAmericansort,andintersectedwithmanycanals,whichintheintervalsoftherainwereeagerlynavigatedbypleasureboats,andcontributedtothegeneralpicturesquenessbytheirfrequentbridges,evenduringthedrizzle。Thereseemedtobenochurchestodo,andasitwasaSunday,thegalleriesweresoearlyclosedagainstthemthattheyweremakingavirtueaswellasapleasureofthefamoussceneofNapoleon’sfirstgreatdefeat。 Byaconcertbetweentheirguideanddrivertheircarriagedrewupatthelittleinnbytheroad-side,whichisalsoamuseumstockedwithrelicsfromthebattle-field,andwithobjectsofinterestrelatingtoit。Oldmuskets,oldswords,oldshoesandoldcoats,trumpets,drums,gun- carriages,wheels,helmets,cannonballs,grape-shot,andallthemurderousrubbishwhichbattlescometoatlast,withproclamations,autographs,caricaturesandlikenessesofNapoleon,andeffigiesofalltheothergeneralsengaged,andminiaturesandjewelsoftheirwomenkind,filledroomafterroom,throughwhichtheirownervauntedhisway,withaloudpoundingvoiceandabadbreath。WhenhewishedthemtoenjoysomegrossBritishsatireorclumsyGermangibeatBonaparte’sexpense,andputhisfaceclosetobeginthelaugh,hewassomethingsoterriblethatMarchlefttheplacewithaprofoundifnotareasonedregretthattheFrenchhadnotwonthebattleofLeipsic。Hewalkedawaymusingpensivelyuponthetraveller’sinadequacytotheethicsofhistorywhenabreathcouldsoswayhimagainsthisconvictions;butevenafterhehadcleansedhislungswithsomedeeprespirationshefoundhimselfstillaBonapartistinthepresenceofthatstoneontherisinggroundwhereNapoleonsattowatchthestruggleonthevastplain,andseehisempireslippingthroughhisblood-stainedfingers。Itwaswithdifficultythathecouldkeepfromreveringthehatandcoatwhicharesculpturedonthestone,butitwaswellthathesucceeded,forhecouldnotmakeoutthenorafterwardswhetherthehabilimentsrepresentedwerereallyNapoleon’sornot,andtheymighthaveturnedouttobeBarclaydeTolly’s。 Whilehestoodtryingtosolvethisquestionofclotheshewasstartledbytheapparitionofamanclimbingthelittleslopefromtheoppositequarter,andadvancingtowardthem。Heworetheimperialcrossedbythepointedmustacheoncesofamiliartoaworldmuchtheworseforthem,andMarchhadtheshiverofafinemomentinwhichhefanciedtheThirdNapoleonrisingtoviewthescenewheretheFirsthadlookedhiscomingruinintheface。 “Why,it’sMissTriscoe!”criedhiswife,andbeforeMarchhadnoticedtheapproachofanotherfigure,theelderandtheyoungerladyhadrusheduponeachother,andencounteredwithakiss。AtthesametimethevisageofthelastEmperorresolveditselfintothefaceofGeneralTriscoe,whogaveMarchhishandinamoretemperedgreeting。 Theladiesbeganaskingeachotheroftheirlivessincetheirpartingtwodaysbefore,andthemenstrolledafewpacesawaytowardthedistantprospectofLeipsic,whichatthatpointsilhouettesitselfinanoblestretchofroofsandspiresandtowersagainstthehorizon。 GeneralTriscoeseemednobettersatisfiedwithGermanythanhehadbeenonfirststeppingashoreatCuxhaven。Hemightstillhavebeeninapoutwithhisowncountry,butasyethehadnotmadeupwithanyother;andhesaid,“WhatapityNapoleondidn’tthrashthewholedunderheadedlot!