their silver wedding journey v2-第21部分

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wired　through　all　its　quaintness；　and　they　were　lodged　in　a　hotel　lighted
by　electricity　and　heated　by　steam；　and　equipped　with　an　elevator　which
was　so　modern　that　it　came　down　with　them　as　well　as　went　up。　　All　the
things　that　assumed　to　be　of　recent　structure　or　invention　were　as
nothing　against　the　dense　past；　which　overwhelmed　them　with　the　sense　of
a　world　elsewhere　outlived。　　In　Nuremberg　it　is　not　the　quaint　or　the
picturesque　that　is　exceptional；　it　is　the　matter…of…fact　and　the
commonplace。　　Here；　more　than　anywhere　else；　you　are　steeped　in　the
gothic　spirit　which　expresses　itself　in　a　Teutonic　dialect　of　homely
sweetness；　of　endearing　caprice；　of　rude　grotesqueness；　but　of　positive
grace　and　beauty　almost　never。　　It　is　the　architectural　speech　of　a
strenuous；　gross；　kindly；　honest　people's　fancy；　such　as　it　is　it　was
inexhaustible；　and　such　as　it　is　it　was　bewitching　for　the　travellers。

They　could　hardly　wait　till　they　had　supper　before　plunging　into　the
ancient　town；　and　they　took　the　first　tram…car　at　a　venture。　　It　was　a
sort　of　transfer；　drawn　by　horses；　which　delivered　them　a　little　inside。
of　the　city　gate　to　a　trolley…car。　　The　conductor　with　their　fare
demanded　their　destination；　March　frankly　owned　that　they　did　not　know
where　they　wanted　to　go；　they　wanted　to　go　anywhere　the　conductor　chose；
and　the　conductor；　after　reflection；　decided　to　put　them　down　at　the
public　garden；　which；　as　one　of　the　newest　things　in　the　city；　would　make
the　most　favorable　impression　upon　strangers。　　It　was　in　fact　so　like　all
other　city　gardens；　with　the　foliage　of　its　trimly　planted　alleys；　that
it　sheltered　them　effectually　from　the　picturesqueness　of　Nuremberg；　and
they　had　a　long；　peaceful　hour　on　one　of　its　benches；　where　they　rested
from　their　journey；　and　repented　their　hasty　attempt　to　appropriate　the
charm　of　the　city。

The　next　morning　it　rained；　according　to　a　custom　which　the　elevator…boy
（flown　with　the　insolent　recollection　of　a　sunny　summer　in　Milan）　said
was　invariable　in　Nuremberg；　but　after　the　one…o'clock　table　d'hote　they
took　a　noble　two…spanner　carriage；　and　drove　all　round　the　city。
Everywhere　the　ancient　moat；　thickly　turfed　and　planted　with　trees　and
shrubs；　stretched　a　girdle　of　garden　between　their　course　and　the　wall
beautifully　old；　with　knots　of　dead　ivy　clinging　to　its　crevices；　or
broad　meshes　of　the　shining　foliage　mantling　its　blackened　masonry。　　A
tile…roofed　open　gallery　ran　along　the　top；　where　so　many　centuries　of
sentries　had　paced；　and　arched　the　massive　gates　with　heavily　moulded
piers；　where　so　countlessly　the　fierce　burgher　troops　had　sallied　forth
against　their　besiegers；　and　so　often　the　leaguer　hosts　had　dashed
themselves　in　assault。　　The　blood　shed　in　forgotten　battles　would　have
flooded　the　moat　where　now　the　grass　and　flowers　grew；　or　here　and　there
a　peaceful　stretch　of　water　stagnated。

The　drive　ended　in　a　visit　to　the　old　Burg；　where　the　Hapsburg　Kaisers
dwelt　when　they　visited　their　faithful　imperial　city。　　From　its　ramparts
the　incredible　picturesqueness　of　Nuremberg　best　shows　itself；　and　if　one
has　any　love　for　the　distinctive　quality　of　Teutonic　architecture　it　is
here　that　more　than　anywhere　else　one　may　feast　it。　　The　prospect　of
tower　and　spire　and　gable　is　of　such　a　mediaeval　richness；　of　such　an
abounding　fulness；　that　all　incidents　are　lost　in　it。　　The　multitudinous
roofs　of　red…brown　tiles；　blinking　browsily　from　their　low　dormers；　press
upon　one　another　in　endless　succession；　they　cluster　together　on　a　rise
of　ground　and　sink　away　where　the　street　falls；　but　they　nowhere　disperse
or　scatter；　and　they　end　abruptly　at　the　other　rim　of　the　city；　beyond
which　looms　the　green　country；　merging　in　the　remoter　blue　of　misty
uplands。

A　pretty　young　girl　waited　at　the　door　of　the　tower　for　the　visitors　to
gather　in　sufficient　number；　and　then　led　them　through　the　terrible
museum；　discanting　in　the　same　gay　voice　and　with　the　same　smiling　air　on
all　the　murderous　engines　and　implements　of　torture。　　First　in　German　and
then　in　English　she　explained　the　fearful　uses　of　the　Iron　Maiden；　she
winningly　illustrated　the　action　of　the　racks　and　wheels　on　which　men　had
been　stretched　and　broken；　and　she　sweetly　vaunted　a　sword　which　had
beheaded　eight　hundred　persons。　　When　she　took　the　established　fee　from
March　she　suggested；　with　a　demure　glance；　〃And　what　more　you　please　for
saying　it　in　English。〃

〃Can　you　say　it　in　Russian？〃　demanded　a　young　man；　whose　eyes　he　had　seen
dwelling　on　her　from　the　beginning。　　She　laughed　archly；　and　responded
with　some　Slavic　words；　and　then　delivered　her　train　of　sight…seers　over
to　the　custodian　who　was　to　show　them　through　the　halls　and　chambers　of
the　Burg。　　These　were　undergoing　the　repairs　which　the　monuments　of　the
past　are　perpetually　suffering　in　the　present；　and　there　was　some　special
painting　and　varnishing　for　the　reception　of　the　Kaiser；　who　was　coming
to　Nuremberg　for　the　military　manoeuvres　then　at　hand。　　But　if　they　had
been　in　the　unmolested　discomfort　of　their　unlivable　magnificence；　their
splendor　was　such　as　might　well　reconcile　the　witness　to　the　superior
comfort　of　a　private　station　in　our　snugger　day。　　The　Marches　came　out
owning　that　the　youth　which　might　once　have　found　the　romantic　glories　of
the　place　enough　was　gone　from　them。　　But　so　much　of　it　was　left　to　her
that　she　wished　to　make　him　stop　and　look　at　the　flirtation　which　had
blossomed　out　between　that　pretty　young　girl　and　the　Russian；　whom　they
had　scarcely　missed　from　their　party　in　the　Burg。　He　had　apparently　never
parted　from　the　girl；　and　now　as　they　sat　together　on　the　threshold　of
the　gloomy　tower；　he　most　have　been　teaching　her　more　Slavic　words；　for
they　were　both　laughing　as　if　they　understood　each　other　perfectly。

In　his　security　from　having　the　affair　in　any　wise　on　his　hands；　March
would　have　willingly　lingered；　to　see　how　her　education　got　on；　but　it
began　to　rain；　The　rain　did　not　disturb　the　lovers；　but　it　obliged　the
elderly　spectators　to　take　refuge　in　their　carriage；　and　they　drove　off
to　find　the　famous　Little　Goose　Man。　　This　is　what　every　one　does　at
Nuremberg；　it　would　be　difficult　to　say　why。　　When　they　found　the　Little
Goose　Man；　he　was　only　a　mediaeval　fancy　in　bronze；　who　stood　on　his
pedestal　in　the　market…place　and　contributed　from　the　bill　of　the　goose
under　his　arm　a　small　stream　to　the　rainfall　drenching　the　wet　wares　of
the　wet　market…women　round　the　fountain；　and　soaking　their　cauliflowers
and　lettuce；　their　grapes　and　pears；　their　carrots　and　turnips；　to　the
watery　flavor　of　all　fruits　and　vegetables　in　Germany。

The　air　was　very　raw　and　chill；　but　after　supper　the　clouds　cleared　away；
and　a　pleasant　evening　tempted　the　travellers　out。　　The　portier
dissembled　any　slight　which　their　eagerness　for　the　only　amusement　he
could　think　of　inspired；　and　directed　them　to　a　popular　theatre　which　was
giving　a　summer　season　at　low　prices　to　the　lower　classes；　and　which　they
surprised；　after　some　；search；　trying　to　hide　itself　in　a　sort　of　back
square。　　They　got　the　best　places　at　a　price　which　ought　to　have　been
mortifyingly　cheap；　and　found　themselves；　with　a　thousand　other　harmless
bourgeois　folk；　in　a　sort　of　spacious；　agreeable　barn；　of　a　decoration　by
no　means　ugly；　and　of　a　certain　artless　comfort。　　Each　seat　fronted　a
shelf　at　the　back　of　the　seat　before　it；　where　the　spectator　could　put
his　hat；　there　was　a　smaller　shelf　for　his　stein　of　the　beer　passed
constantly　throughout　the　evening；　and　there　was　a　buffet　where　he　could
stay　himself　with　cold　ham　and　other　robust　German　refreshments。

It　was　〃The　Wedding　Journey　to　Nuremberg〃　upon　which　they　had　oddly
chanced；　and　they　accepted　as　a　national　tribute　the　character　of　an
American　girl　in　it。　　She　was　an　American　girl　of　the　advanced　pattern；
and　she　came　and　went　at　a　picnic　on　the　arm　of　a　head　waiter。　　She
seemed　to　have　no　office　in　the　drama　except　to　illustrate　a　German
conception　of　American　girlhood；　but　even　in　this　simple　function　she
seemed　rather　to　puzzle　the　German　audience；　perhaps　because　of　the
occasional　English　words　which　she　used。

To　the　astonishment　of　her　compatriots；　when　they　came　out　of　the　theatre
it　was　not　raining；　the　night　was　as　brilliantly　starlit　as　a　night　could
be　in　Germany；　and　they　sauntered　home　richly　content　through　the　narrow
streets　and　through　the　beautiful　old　Damenthor；　beyond　which　their　hotel
lay。　　How　pretty；　they　said；　to　call　that　charming　port　the　Ladies'　Gate！
They　promised　each　other　to　find　out　why；　and　they　never　did　so；　but
satisfied　themselves　by　assigning　it　to　the　exclusive　use　of　the　slim
maidens　and　massive　matrons　of　the　old　Nuremberg　patriciate；　whom　they
imagined　trailing　their　silken　splendors　under　its　arch　in　perpetual
procession。




XLV。

The　life　of　the　Nuremberg　patriciate；　now　extinct　in　the　control　of　the
city　which　it　builded　so　strenuously　and　maintained　so　heroically；　is
still　insistent　in　all　its　art。　　This　expresses　their　pride　at　once　and
their　simplicity　with　a　childish　literality。　　At　its　best　it　is　never　so
good　as　the　good　Italian　art；　whose　influence　is　always　present　in　its
best。　　The　coloring　of　the　great　canvases　is　Venetian；　but　there　is　no
such　democracy　of　greatness　as　in　the　painting　at　Venice；　in　decoration
the　art　of　Nuremberg　is　at　best　quaint；　and　at　the　worst　puerile。
Wherever　it　had　obeyed　an　academic　intention　it　seemed　to　March　poor　and
coarse；　as　in　the　bronze　fountain　beside　the　Church　of　St。　Lawrence。　　The
water　spins　from　the　pouted　breasts　of　the　beautiful　figures　in　streams
that　cross　and　interlace　after　a　fancy　trivial　and　gross；　but　in　the　base
of　the　church　there　is　a　time…worn　Gethsemane；　exquisitely　affecting　in
its　simple…hearted　truth。　　The　long　ages　have　made　it　even　more　affecting
than　the　sculptor　imagined　it；　they　have　blurred　the　faces　and　figures　in
passing　till　their　features　are　scarcely　distinguishable；　and　the
sleeping　apostles　seem　to　have　dreamed　themselves　back　into　the　mother…
marble。　　It　is　of　the　same　tradition　and　impulse　with　that　supreme　glory
of　the　native　sculpture；　the　ineffable　tabernacle　of　Adam　Kraff