three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第34部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the scene。
〃It's worth；〃 says the milk dog； 〃just twenty…times as much as you'll be
worth before I've done with you。〃
〃Oh； you think so； do you？〃
〃Yes； I do； you grandson of a French poodle； you cabbage…eating〃
〃There！ I knew you'd have it over；〃 says the poor milk…woman。 〃I
told him he'd have it over。〃
But he is busy； and heeds her not。 Five minutes later； when the traffic
is renewed； when the bread girl has collected her muddy rolls； and the
policeman has gone off with the name and address of everybody in the
street； he consents to look behind him。
〃It IS a bit of an upset；〃 he admits。 Then shaking himself free of care；
he adds； cheerfully； 〃But I guess I taught him the price of chalk。 He
129
… Page 130…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
won't interfere with us again； I'm thinking。〃
〃I'm sure I hope not；〃 says the old lady； regarding dejectedly the milky
road。
But his favourite sport is to wait at the top of the hill for another dog；
and then race down。 On these occasions the chief occupation of the other
fellow is to run about behind； picking up the scattered articles； loaves；
cabbages； or shirts； as they are jerked out。 At the bottom of the hill； he
stops and waits for his friend。
〃Good race； wasn't it？〃 he remarks； panting； as the Human comes up；
laden to the chin。 〃I believe I'd have won it； too； if it hadn't been for that
fool of a small boy。 He was right in my way just as I turned the corner。
YOU NOTICED HIM？ Wish I had； beastly brat！ What's he yelling like
that for？ BECAUSE I KNOCKED HIM DOWN AND RAN OVER
HIM？ Well； why didn't he get out of the way？ It's disgraceful； the way
people leave their children about for other people to tumble over。 Halloa！
did all those things come out？ You couldn't have packed them very
carefully； you should see to a thing like that。 YOU DID NOT DREAM
OF MY TEARING DOWN THE HILL TWENTY MILES AN HOUR？
Surely； you knew me better than to expect I'd let that old Schneider's dog
pass me without an effort。 But there； you never think。 You're sure
you've got them all？ YOU BELIEVE SO？ I shouldn't 'believe' if I were
you； I should run back up the hill again and make sure。 YOU FEEL TOO
TIRED？ Oh； all right！ don't blame me if anything is missing； that's all。〃
He is so self…willed。 He is cock…sure that the correct turning is the
second on the right； and nothing will persuade him that it is the third。 He
is positive he can get across the road in time； and will not be convinced
until he sees the cart smashed up。 Then he is very apologetic； it is true。
But of what use is that？ As he is usually of the size and strength of a
young bull； and his human companion is generally a weak…kneed old man
or woman； or a small child； he has his way。 The greatest punishment his
proprietor can inflict upon him is to leave him at home； and take the cart
out alone。 But your German is too kind…hearted to do this often。
That he is harnessed to the cart for anybody's pleasure but his own it is
impossible to believe； and I am confident that the German peasant plans
130
… Page 131…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
the tiny harness and fashions the little cart purely with the hope of
gratifying his dog。 In other countriesin Belgium； Holland and FranceI
have seen these draught dogs ill… treated and over…worked； but in Germany；
never。 Germans abuse animals shockingly。 I have seen a German stand
in front of his horse and call it every name he could lay his tongue to。
But the horse did not mind it。 I have seen a German； weary with abusing
his horse； call to his wife to come out and assist him。 When she came； he
told her what the horse had done。 The recital roused the woman's temper
to almost equal heat with his own； and standing one each side of the poor
beast； they both abused it。 They abused its dead mother； they insulted its
father； they made cutting remarks about its personal appearance； its
intelligence； its moral sense； its general ability as a horse。 The animal
bore the torrent with exemplary patience for awhile； then it did the best
thing possible to do under the circumstances。 Without losing its own
temper； it moved quietly away。 The lady returned to her washing； and the
man followed it up the street； still abusing it。
A kinder…hearted people than the Germans there is no need for。 Cruelty
to animal or child is a thing almost unknown in the land。 The whip with
them is a musical instrument； its crack is heard from morning to night； but
an Italian coachman that in the streets of Dresden I once saw use it was
very nearly lynched by the indignant crowd。 Germany is the only
country in Europe where the traveller can settle himself comfortably in his
hired carriage； confident that his gentle； willing friend between the shafts
will be neither over…worked nor cruelly treated。
131
… Page 132…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
CHAPTER XI
Black Forest House： and the sociability thereinIts perfume
George positively declines to remain in bed after four o'clock in the
morningThe road one cannot missMy peculiar extra instinct An
ungrateful partyHarris as a scientistHis cheery confidence The village：
where it was； and where it ought to have been George： his planWe
promenade a la FrancaisThe German coachman asleep and awakeThe
man who spreads the English language abroad。
There was one night when； tired out and far from town or village； we
slept in a Black Forest farmhouse。 The great charm about the Black
Forest house is its sociability。 The cows are in the next room； the horses
are upstairs； the geese and ducks are in the kitchen； while the pigs； the
children； and the chickens live all over the place。
You are dressing； when you hear a grunt behind you。
〃Good…morning！ Don't happen to have any potato peelings in here？
No； I see you haven't； good…bye。〃
Next there is a cackle； and you see the neck of an old hen stretched
round the corner。
〃Fine morning； isn't it？ You don't mind my bringing this worm of
mine in here； do you？ It is so difficult in this house to find a room where
one can enjoy one's food with any quietness。 From a chicken I have
always been a slow eater； and when a dozenthere； I thought they
wouldn't leave me alone。 Now they'll all want a bit。 You don't mind my
getting on the bed； do you？ Perhaps here they won't notice me。〃
While you are dressing various shock heads peer in at the door； they
evidently regard the room as a temporary menagerie。 You cannot tell
whether the heads belong to boys or girls； you can only hope they are all
male。 It is of no use shutting the door； because there is nothing to fasten
it by； and the moment you are gone they push it open again。 You
breakfast as the Prodigal Son is generally represented feeding： a pig or
two drop in to keep you company； a party of elderly geese criticise you
from the door； you gather from their whispers； added to their shocked
132
… Page 133…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
expression； that they are talking scandal about you。 Maybe a cow will
condescend to give a glance in。
This Noah's Ark arrangement it is； I suppose； that gives to the Black
Forest home its distinctive scent。 It is not a scent you can liken to any
one thing。 It is as if you took roses and Limburger cheese and hair oil；
some heather and onions； peaches and soapsuds； together with a dash of
sea air and a corpse； and mixed them up together。 You cannot define any
particular odour； but you feel they are all thereall the odours that the
world has yet discovered。 People who live in these houses are fond of
this mixture。 They do not open the window and lose any of it； they keep
it carefully bottled up。 If you want any other scent； you can go outside
and smell the wood violets and the pines； inside there is the house； and
after a while； I am told； you get used to it； so that you miss it； and are
unable to go to sleep in any other atmosphere。
We had a long walk before us the next day； and it was our desire；
therefore； to get up early； even so early as six o'clock； if that could be
managed without disturbing the whole household。 We put it to our
hostess whether she thought this could be done。 She said she thought it
could。 She might not be
