the twins of table mountain-第25部分

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corner　from　a　cross…street；　and　moved　slowly　towards　me。　　A　long
black　cloak；　falling　from　its　shoulders　to　its　feet；　floated　out　on
either　side　like　sable　wings；　a　cocked　hat　trimmed　with　crape；　and
surmounted　by　a　hearse…like　feather；　covered　a　passionless　face；
and　its　eyes；　looking　neither　left　nor　right；　were　fixed　fatefully
upon　some　distant　goal。　　Stranger　as　I　was　to　this　Continental
ceremonial　figure；　there　was　no　mistaking　his　functions　as　the　grim
messenger；　knocking　〃with　equal　foot〃　on　every　door；　and；　indeed；
so　perfectly　did　he　act　and　look　his　role；　that　there　was　nothing
ludicrous　in　the　extraordinary　spectacle。　　Facial　expression　and
dignity　of　bearing　were　perfect；　the　whole　man　seemed　saturated
with　the　accepted　sentiment　of　his　office。　　Recalling　the　half…
confused　and　half…conscious　ostentatious　hypocrisy　of　the　American
sexton；　the　shameless　absurdities　of　the　English　mutes　and
mourners；　I　could　not　help　feeling；　that；　if　it　were　demanded　that
Grief　and　Fate　should　be　personified；　it　were　better　that　it　should
be　well　done。　　And　it　is　one　observation　of　my　Spion；　that　this
sincerity　and　belief　is　the　characteristic　of　all　Continental
functionaries。

It　is　possible　that　my　Spion　has　shown　me　little　that　is　really
characteristic　of　the　people；　and　the　few　observations　I　have　made
I　offer　only　as　an　illustration　of　the　impressions　made　upon　two…
thirds　of　American　strangers　in　the　larger　towns　of　Germany。
Assimilation　goes　on　more　rapidly　than　we　are　led　to　imagine。　　As　I
have　seen　my　friend　Karl；　fresh　and　awkward　in　his　first　uniform；
lounging　later　down　the　allee　with　the　blase　listlessness　of　a
full…blown　militaire；　so　I　have　seen　American　and　English　residents
gradually　lose　their　peculiarities；　and　melt　and　merge　into　the
general　mass。　　Returning　to　my　Spion　after　a　flying　trip　through
Belgium　and　France；　as　I　look　down　the　long　perspective　of　the
Strasse；　I　am　conscious　of　recalling　the　same　style　of　architecture
and　humanity　at　Aachen；　Brussels；　Lille；　and　Paris；　and　am　inclined
to　believe　that；　even　as　I　would　have　met；　in　a　journey　of　the　same
distance　through　a　parallel　of　the　same　latitude　in　America；　a
greater　diversity　of　type　and　character；　and　a　more　distinct　flavor
of　locality；　even　so　would　I　have　met　a　more　heterogeneous　and
picturesque　display　from　a　club　window　on　Fifth　Avenue；　New　York；
or　Montgomery　Street；　San　Francisco。







End