the complete writings-2-第43节

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！



〃How　much　for　this？〃　I　ask。

〃One　franc；　signor；〃　says　the　proprietor；　with　a　polite　bow；　holding　up　one　finger。

I　shake　my　head；　and　intimate　that　that　is　altogether　too　much；　in　fact；　preposterous。

The　proprietor　is　very　indifferent；　and　shrugs　his　shoulders　in　an　amiable　manner。　　He　picks　up　a　fair；　handsome　orange；　weighs　it　in　his　hand；　and　holds　it　up　temptingly。　　That　also　is　one；　franc。

I　suggest　one　sou　as　a　fair　price；　a　suggestion　which　he　only　receives　with　a　smile　of　slight　pity；　and；　I　fancy；　a　little　disdain。　A　woman　joins　him；　and　also　holds　up　this　and　that　gold…skinned　one　for　my　admiration。

As　I　stand；　sorting　over　the　fruit；　trying　to　please　myself　with　size；　color；　and　texture；　a　little　crowd　has　gathered　round；　and　I　see；　by　a　glance；　that　all　the　occupations　in　that　neighborhood；　including　loafing；　are　temporarily　suspended　to　witness　the　trade。　The　interest　of　the　circle　visibly　increases；　and　others　take　such　a　part　in　the　transaction　that　I　begin　to　doubt　if　the　first　man　is；　after　all；　the　proprietor。

At　length　I　select　two　oranges；　and　again　demand　the　price。　　There　is　a　little　consultation　and　jabber；　when　I　am　told　that　I　can　have　both　for　a　franc。　　I；　in　turn；　sigh；　shrug　my　shoulders；　and　put　down　the　oranges；　amid　a　chorus　of　exclamations　over　my　graspingness。　　My　offer　of　two　sous　is　met　with　ridicule；　but　not　with　indifference。　　I　can　see　that　it　has　made　a　sensation。　　These　simple；　idle　children　of　the　sun　begin　to　show　a　little　excitement。　　I　at　length　determine　upon　a　bold　stroke；　and　resolve　to　show　myself　the　Napoleon　of　oranges；　or　to　meet　my　Waterloo。　　I　pick　out　four　of　the　largest　oranges　in　the　basket；　while　all　eyes　are　fixed　on　me　intently；　and；　for　the　first　time；　pull　out　a　piece　of　money。　　It　is　a　two…sous　piece。　　I　offer　it　for　the　four　oranges。

〃No；　no；　no；　no；　signor！　　Ah；　signor！　　ah；　signor！〃　in　a　chorus　from　the　whole　crowd。

I　have　struck　bottom　at　last；　and　perhaps　got　somewhere　near　the　value；　and　all　calmness　is　gone。　　Such　protestations；　such　indignation；　such　sorrow；　I　have　never　seen　before　from　so　small　a　cause。　　It　cannot　be　thought　of；　it　is　mere　ruin！　　I　am；　in　turn；　as　firm；　and　nearly　as　excited　in　seeming。　　I　hold　up　the　fruit；　and　tender　the　money。

〃No；　never；　never！　　The　signor　cannot　be　in　earnest。〃

Looking　round　me　for　a　moment；　and　assuming　a　theatrical　manner；　befitting　the　gestures　of　those　about　me；　I　fling　the　fruit　down；　and；　with　a　sublime　renunciation；　stalk　away。

There　is　instantly　a　buzz　and　a　hum　that　rises　almost　to　a　clamor。　　I　have　not　proceeded　far；　when　a　skinny　old　woman　runs　after　me；　and　begs　me　to　return。　　I　go　back；　and　the　crowd　parts　to　receive　me。

The　proprietor　has　a　new　proposition；　the　effect　of　which　upon　me　is　intently　watched。　　He　proposes　to　give　me　five　big　oranges　for　four　sous。　　I　receive　it　with　utter　scorn；　and　a　laugh　of　derision。　　I　will　give　two　sous　for　the　original　four；　and　not　a　centesimo　more。　That　I　solemnly　say；　and　am　ready　to　depart。　　Hesitation　and　renewed　conference；　but　at　last　the　proprietor　relents；　and；　with　the　look　of　one　who　is　ruined　for　life；　and　who　yet　is　willing　to　sacrifice　himself；　he　hands　me　the　oranges。　　Instantly　the　excitement　is　dead；　the　crowd　disperses；　and　the　street　is　as　quiet　as　ever；　when　I　walk　away；　bearing　my　hard…won　treasures。

A　little　while　after；　as　I　sat　upon　the　outer　wall　of　the　terrace　of　the　Camaldoli；　with　my　feet　hanging　over；　these　same　oranges　were　taken　from　my　pockets　by　Americans；　so　that　I　am　prevented　from　making　any　moral　reflections　upon　the　honesty　of　the　Italians。

There　is　an　immense　garden　of　oranges　and　lemons　at　the　village　of　Massa；　through　which　travelers　are　shown　by　a　surly　fellow；　who　keeps　watch　of　his　trees；　and　has　a　bulldog　lurking　about　for　the　unwary。　I　hate　to　see　a　bulldog　in　a　fruit　orchard。　　I　have　eaten　a　good　many　oranges　there；　and　been　astonished　at　the　boughs　of　immense　lemons　which　bend　the　trees　to　the　ground。　　I　took　occasion　to　measure　one　of　the　lemons；　called　a　citron…lemon；　and　found　its　circumference　to　be　twenty…one　inches　one　way　by　fifteen　inches　the　other；about　as　big　as　a　railway　conductor's　lantern。　　These　lemons　are　not　so　sour　as　the　fellow　who　shows　them：　he　is　a　mercenary　dog；　and　his　prices　afford　me　no　clew　to　the　just　value　of　oranges。

I　like　better　to　go　to　a　little　garden　in　the　village　of　Meta；　under　a　sunny　precipice　of　rocks　overhung　by　the　ruined　convent　of　Camaldoli。　　I　turn　up　a　narrow　lane；　and　push　open　the　wooden　door　in　the　garden　of　a　little　villa。　　It　is　a　pretty　garden；　and；　besides　the　orange　and　lemon…trees　on　the　terrace；　it　has　other　fruit…trees；　and　a　scent　of　many　flowers。　　My　friend；　the　gardener；　is　sorting　oranges　from　one　basket　to　another；　on　a　green　bank；　and　evidently　selling　the　fruit　to　some　women；　who　are　putting　it　into　bags　to　carry　away。

When　he　sees　me　approach；　there　is　always　the　same　pantomime。　　I　propose　to　take　some　of　the　fruit　he　is　sorting。　　With　a　knowing　air；　and　an　appearance　of　great　mystery；　he　raises　his　left　hand；　the　palm　toward　me；　as　one　says　hush。　　Having　dispatched　his　business；　he　takes　an　empty　basket；　and　with　another　mysterious　flourish；　desiring　me　to　remain　quiet；　he　goes　to　a　storehouse　in　one　corner　of　the　garden；　and　returns　with　a　load　of　immense　oranges；　all　soaked　with　the　sun；　ripe　and　fragrant；　and　more　tempting　than　lumps　of　gold。　　I　take　one；　and　ask　him　if　it　is　sweet。　　He　shrugs　his　shoulders；　raises　his　hands；　and；　with　a　sidewise　shake　of　the　head；　and　a　look　which　says；　How　can　you　be　so　faithless？　makes　me　ashamed　of　my　doubts。

I　cut　the　thick　skin；　which　easily　falls　apart　and　discloses　the　luscious　quarters；　plump；　juicy；　and　waiting　to　melt　in　the　mouth。　　I　look　for　a　moment　at　the　rich　pulp　in　its　soft　incasement；　and　then　try　a　delicious　morsel。　　I　nod。　　My　gardener　again　shrugs　his　shoulders；　with　a　slight　smile；　as　much　as　to　say；　It　could　not　be　otherwise；　and　is　evidently　delighted　to　have　me　enjoy　his　fruit。　　I　fill　capacious　pockets　with　the　choicest；　and；　if　I　have　friends　with　me；　they　do　the　same。　　I　give　our　silent　but　most　expressive　entertainer　half　a　franc；　never　more；　and　he　always　seems　surprised　at　the　size　of　the　largesse。　　We　exhaust　his　basket；　and　he　proposes　to　get　more。

When　I　am　alone；　I　stroll　about　under　the　heavily…laden　trees；　and　pick　up　the　largest；　where　they　lie　thickly　on　the　ground；　liking　to　hold　them　in　my　hand　and　feel　the　agreeable　weight；　even　when　I　can　carry　away　no　more。　　The　gardener　neither　follows　nor　watches　me；　and　I　think　perhaps　knows；　and　is　not　stingy　about　it；　that　more　valuable　to　me　than　the　oranges　I　eat　or　take　away　are　those　on　the　trees　among　the　shining　leaves。　　And　perhaps　he　opines　that　I　am　from　a　country　of　snow　and　ice；　where　the　year　has　six　hostile　months；　and　that　I　have　not　money　enough　to　pay　for　the　rich　possession　of　the　eye；　the　picture　of　beauty；　which　I　take　with　me。




FASCINATION

There　are　three　places　where　I　should　like　to　live；　naming　them　in　the　inverse　order　of　preference；the　Isle　of　Wight；　Sorrento；　and　Heaven。　　The　first　two　have　something　in　common；　the　almost　mystic　union　of　sky　and　sea　and　shore；　a　soft　atmospheric　suffusion　that　works　an　enchantment；　and　puts　one　into　a　dreamy　mood。　　And　yet　there　are　decided　contrasts。　　The　superabundant；　soaking　sunshine　of　Sorrento　is　of　very　different　quality　from　that　of　the　Isle　of　Wight。　On　the　island　there　is　a　sense　of　home；　which　one　misses　on　this　promontory；　the　fascination　of　which；　no　less　strong；　is　that　of　a　southern　beauty；　whose　charms　conquer　rather　than　win。　　I　remember　with　what　feeling　I　one　day　unexpectedly　read　on　a　white　slab；　in　the　little　inclosure　of　Bonchurch；　where　the　sea　whispered　as　gently　as　the　rustle　of　the　ivy…leaves；　the　name　of　John　Sterling。　　Could　there　be　any　fitter　resting…place　for　that　most；　weary；　and　gentle　spirit？　There　I　seemed　to　know　he　had　the　rest　that　he　could　not　have　anywhere　on　these　brilliant　historic　shores。　　Yet　so　impressible　was　his　sensitive　nature；　that　I　doubt　not；　if　he　had　given　himself　up　to　the　enchantment　of　these　coasts　in　his　lifetime；　it　would　have　led　him　by　a　spell　he　could　not　break。

I　am　sometimes　in　doubt　what　is　the　spell　of　Sorrento；　and　half　believe　that　it　is　independent　of　anything　visible。　　There　is　said　to　be　a　fatal　enchantment　about　Capri。　　The　influences　of　Sorrento　are　not　so　dangerous；　but　are　almost　as　marked。　　I　do　not　wonder　that　the　Greeks　peopled　every　cove　and　sea…cave　with　divinities；　and　built　temples　on　every　headland　and　rocky　islet　here；　that　the　Romans　built　upon　the　Grecian　ruins；　that　the　ecclesiastics　in　succeeding　centuries　gained　possession　of　all　the　heights；　and　built　convents　and　monasteries；　and　set　out　vineyards；　and　orchards　of　olives　and　oranges；　and　took　root　as　the　creeping　plants　do；　spreading　themselves　abroad　in　the　sunshine　and　charming　air。　　The　Italian　of　to…day　does　not　willingly　emigrate；　is　tempted　by　no　seduction　of　better　fortune　in　any　foreign　clime。　　And　so　in　all　ages　the　swarming　populations　have　clung　to　these　shores；　filling　all　the　coasts　and　every　nook　in　these　almost　inaccessible　hills　with　life。　　Perhaps　the　delicious　climate