three men on the bummel-第30部分

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inhabitants　of　Europe。　　Newton　and　Darwin　may　have　rendered　their
language　a　necessity　among　educated　and　thoughtful　foreigners。
Dickens　and　Ouida　（for　your　folk　who　imagine　that　the　literary
world　is　bounded　by　the　prejudices　of　New　Grub　Street；　would　be
surprised　and　grieved　at　the　position　occupied　abroad　by　this　at…
home…sneered…at　lady）　may　have　helped　still　further　to　popularise
it。　　But　the　man　who　has　spread　the　knowledge　of　English　from　Cape
St。　Vincent　to　the　Ural　Mountains　is　the　Englishman　who；　unable　or
unwilling　to　learn　a　single　word　of　any　language　but　his　own；
travels　purse　in　hand　into　every　corner　of　the　Continent。　　One　may
be　shocked　at　his　ignorance；　annoyed　at　his　stupidity；　angry　at　his
presumption。　　But　the　practical　fact　remains；　he　it　is　that　is
anglicising　Europe。　　For　him　the　Swiss　peasant　tramps　through　the
snow　on　winter　evenings　to　attend　the　English　class　open　in　every
village。　　For　him　the　coachman　and　the　guard；　the　chambermaid　and
the　laundress；　pore　over　their　English　grammars　and　colloquial
phrase　books。　　For　him　the　foreign　shopkeeper　and　merchant　send
their　sons　and　daughters　in　their　thousands　to　study　in　every
English　town。　　For　him　it　is　that　every　foreign　hotel…　and
restaurant…keeper　adds　to　his　advertisement：　　〃Only　those　with　fair
knowledge　of　English　need　apply。〃

Did　the　English…speaking　races　make　it　their　rule　to　speak　anything
else　than　English；　the　marvellous　progress　of　the　English　tongue
throughout　the　world　would　stop。　　The　English…speaking　man　stands
amid　the　strangers　and　jingles　his　gold。

〃Here；〃　cries；　〃is　payment　for　all　such　as　can　speak　English。〃

He　it　is　who　is　the　great　educator。　　Theoretically　we　may　scold
him；　practically　we　should　take　our　hats　off　to　him。　　He　is　the
missionary　of　the　English　tongue。



CHAPTER　XII



We　are　grieved　at　the　earthly　instincts　of　the　GermanA　superb
view；　but　no　restaurantContinental　opinion　of　the　Englishman
That　he　does　not　know　enough　to　come　in　out　of　the　rainThere
comes　a　weary　traveller　with　a　brickThe　hurting　of　the　dogAn
undesirable　family　residenceA　fruitful　regionA　merry　old　soul
comes　up　the　hillGeorge；　alarmed　at　the　lateness　of　the　hour；
hastens　down　the　other　sideHarris　follows　him；　to　show　him　the
wayI　hate　being　alone；　and　follow　HarrisPronunciation　specially
designed　for　use　of　foreigners。

A　thing　that　vexes　much　the　high…class　Anglo…Saxon　soul　is　the
earthly　instinct　prompting　the　German　to　fix　a　restaurant　at　the
goal　of　every　excursion。　　On　mountain　summit；　in　fairy　glen；　on
lonely　pass；　by　waterfall　or　winding　stream；　stands　ever　the　busy
Wirtschaft。　　How　can　one　rhapsodise　over　a　view　when　surrounded　by
beer…stained　tables？　　How　lose　one's　self　in　historical　reverie
amid　the　odour　of　roast　veal　and　spinach？

One　day；　on　elevating　thoughts　intent；　we　climbed　through　tangled
woods。

〃And　at　the　top；〃　said　Harris；　bitterly；　as　we　paused　to　breathe　a
space　and　pull　our　belts　a　hole　tighter；　〃there　will　be　a　gaudy
restaurant；　where　people　will　be　guzzling　beefsteaks　and　plum　tarts
and　drinking　white　wine。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　George。

〃Sure　to　be；〃　answered　Harris；　〃you　know　their　way。　　Not　one　grove
will　they　consent　to　dedicate　to　solitude　and　contemplation；　not
one　height　will　they　leave　to　the　lover　of　nature　unpolluted　by　the
gross　and　the　material。〃

〃I　calculate；〃　I　remarked；　〃that　we　shall　be　there　a　little　before
one　o'clock；　provided　we　don't　dawdle。〃

〃The　'mittagstisch'　will　be　just　ready；〃　groaned　Harris；　〃with
possibly　some　of　those　little　blue　trout　they　catch　about　here。　　In
Germany　one　never　seems　able　to　get　away　from　food　and　drink。　　It
is　maddening！〃

We　pushed　on；　and　in　the　beauty　of　the　walk　forgot　our　indignation。
My　estimate　proved　to　be　correct。

At　a　quarter　to　one；　said　Harris；　who　was　leading：

〃Here　we　are；　I　can　see　the　summit。〃

〃Any　sign　of　that　restaurant？〃　said　George。

〃I　don't　notice　it；〃　replied　Harris；　〃but　it's　there；　you　may　be
sure；　confound　it！〃

Five　minutes　later　we　stood　upon　the　top。　　We　looked　north；　south；
east　and　west；　then　we　looked　at　one　another。

〃Grand　view；　isn't　it？〃　said　Harris。

〃Magnificent；〃　I　agreed。

〃Superb；〃　remarked　George。

〃They　have　had　the　good　sense　for　once；〃　said　Harris；　〃to　put　that
restaurant　out　of　sight。〃

〃They　do　seem　to　have　hidden　it；〃　said　George。　　〃One　doesn't　mind
the　thing　so　much　when　it　is　not　forced　under　one's　nose；〃　said
Harris。

〃Of　course；　in　its　place；〃　I　observed；　〃a　restaurant　is　right
enough。〃

〃I　should　like　to　know　where　they　have　put　it；〃　said　George。

〃Suppose　we　look　for　it？〃　said　Harris；　with　inspiration。

It　seemed　a　good　idea。　　I　felt　curious　myself。　　We　agreed　to
explore　in　different　directions；　returning　to　the　summit　to　report
progress。　　In　half　an　hour　we　stood　together　once　again。　　There　was
no　need　for　words。　　The　face　of　one　and　all　of　us　announced　plainly
that　at　last　we　had　discovered　a　recess　of　German　nature
untarnished　by　the　sordid　suggestion　of　food　or　drink。

〃I　should　never　have　believed　it　possible；〃　said　Harris：　　〃would
you？〃

〃I　should　say；〃　I　replied；　〃that　this　is　the　only　square　quarter　of
a　mile　in　the　entire　Fatherland　unprovided　with　one。〃

〃And　we　three　strangers　have　struck　it；〃　said　George；　〃without　an
effort。〃

〃True；〃　I　observed。　　〃By　pure　good　fortune　we　are　now　enabled　to
feast　our　finer　senses　undisturbed　by　appeal　to　our　lower　nature。
Observe　the　light　upon　those　distant　peaks；　is　it　not　ravishing？〃

〃Talking　of　nature；〃　said　George；　〃which　should　you　say　was　the
nearest　way　down？〃

〃The　road　to　the　left；〃　I　replied；　after　consulting　the　guide　book；
〃takes　us　to　Sonnensteigwhere；　by…the…by；　I　observe　the　'Goldener
Adler'　is　well　spoken　ofin　about　two　hours。　　The　road　to　the
right；　though　somewhat　longer；　commands　more　extensive　prospects。〃

〃One　prospect；〃　said　Harris；　〃is　very　much　like　another　prospect；
don't　you　think　so？〃

〃Personally；〃　said　George；　〃I　am　going　by　the　left…hand　road。〃　　And
Harris　and　I　went　after　him。

But　we　were　not　to　get　down　so　soon　as　we　had　anticipated。　　Storms
come　quickly　in　these　regions；　and　before　we　had　walked　for　quarter
of　an　hour　it　became　a　question　of　seeking　shelter　or　living　for
the　rest　of　the　day　in　soaked　clothes。　　We　decided　on　the　former
alternative；　and　selected　a　tree　that；　under　ordinary
circumstances；　should　have　been　ample　protection。　　But　a　Black
Forest　thunderstorm　is　not　an　ordinary　circumstance。　　We　consoled
ourselves　at　first　by　telling　each　other　that　at　such　a　rate　it
could　not　last　long。　　Next；　we　endeavoured　to　comfort　ourselves
with　the　reflection　that　if　it　did　we　should　soon　be　too　wet　to
fear　getting　wetter。

〃As　it　turned　out；〃　said　Harris；　〃I　should　have　been　almost　glad　if
there　had　been　a　restaurant　up　here。〃

〃I　see　no　advantage　in　being　both　wet　AND　hungry；〃　said　George。　　〃I
shall　give　it　another　five　minutes；　then　I　am　going　on。〃

〃These　mountain　solitudes；〃　I　remarked；　〃are　very　attractive　in
fine　weather。　　On　a　rainy　day；　especially　if　you　happen　to　be　past
the　age　when〃

At　this　point　there　hailed　us　a　voice；　proceeding　from　a　stout
gentleman；　who　stood　some　fifty　feet　away　from　us　under　a　big
umbrella。

〃Won't　you　come　inside？〃　asked　the　stout　gentleman。

〃Inside　where？〃　I　called　back。　　I　thought　at　first　he　was　one　of
those　fools　that　will　try　to　be　funny　when　there　is　nothing　to　be
funny　about。

〃Inside　the　restaurant；〃　he　answered。

We　left　our　shelter　and　made　for　him。　　We　wished　for　further
information　about　this　thing。

〃I　did　call　to　you　from　the　window；〃　said　the　stout　gentleman；　as
we　drew　near　to　him；　〃but　I　suppose　you　did　not　hear　me。　　This
storm　may　last　for　another　hour；　you　will　get　SO　wet。〃

He　was　a　kindly　old　gentleman；　he　seemed　quite　anxious　about　us。

I　said：　　〃It　is　very　kind　of　you　to　have　come　out。　　We　are　not
lunatics。　　We　have　not　been　standing　under　that　tree　for　the　last
half…hour　knowing　all　the　time　there　was　a　restaurant；　hidden　by
the　trees；　within　twenty　yards　of　us。　　We　had　no　idea　we　were
anywhere　near　a　restaurant。〃

〃I　thought　maybe　you　hadn't；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃that　is　why
I　came。〃

It　appeared　that　all　the　people　in　the　inn　had　been　watching　us
from　the　windows　also；　wondering　why　we　stood　there　looking
miserable。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　this　nice　old　gentleman　the
fools　would　have　remained　watching　us；　I　suppose；　for　the　rest　of
the　afternoon。　　The　landlord　excused　himself　by　saying　he　thought
we　looked　like　English。　　It　is　no　figure　of　speech。　　On　the
Continent　they　do　sincerely　believe　that　every　Englishman　is　mad。
They　are　as　convinced　of　it　as　is　every　English　peasant　that
Frenchmen　live　on　frogs。　　Even　when　one　makes　a　direct　personal
effort　to　disabuse　them　of　the　impression　one　is　not　always
successful。

It　was　a　comfortable　little　restaurant；　where　they　cooked　well；
while　the　Tischwein　was　really　most　passable。　　We　stopped　there　for
a　couple　of　hours；　and　dried　ourselves　and　fed　ourselves；　and
talked　about　the　view；　and　just　before　we　left　an　incident　occurred
that　shows　how　much　more　stirring　in　this　world　are　the　influences
of　evil　compared　with　those　of　good。

A　traveller　entered。　　He　seemed　a　careworn　man。　　He　carried　a　brick
in　his　hand；　tied　to　a　piece　of　rope。　　He　entered　nervously　and
hurriedly；　closed　the　door　carefully　behind　him；　saw　to　it　that　it
was　fastened；　peered　out　of　the　window　long　and　earnestly；　and
then；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　laid　his　brick　upon　the　bench　beside
him　and　called　for　food　and　drink。

There　was　something　mysterious　about　the　whole　affair。　　One
wondered　what　he　was　going　to　do　with　the　brick；　why　he　had　closed
the　door　so　carefully；　why　he　had　looked　so　anxiously　from　the
window；　but　his　aspect　was　too　wretched　to　invite　conversation；　and
we　forbore；　therefore；　to　ask　him　questions。　　As　he　ate　and　drank
he　grew　more　cheerful；　sighed　less　often。　　Later　he　stretched　his
legs；　lit　an　evil…smelling　cigar；　and　puffed　in　calm　contentment。

Then　it　happened。　　It　happened　too　suddenly　for　any　detailed
explanation　of　the　thing　to　be　possible。　　I　recollect　a　Fraulein
entering　the　room　from　the　kitchen