an inland voyage-第16节

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dren。　　　But　frankly；　it　is　no　life　at　all。　　From　morning　to　night　I　pledge　　a　pack　of　good　enough　fellows　who　know　nothing。'

It　faired　as　the　night　went　on；　and　the　moon　came　out　of　the　　clouds。　　We　sat　in　front　of　the　door；　talking　softly　with　Bazin。　　　At　the　guard…house　opposite；　the　guard　was　being　for　ever　turned　　out；　as　trains　of　field　artillery　kept　clanking　in　out　of　the　　night；　or　patrols　of　horsemen　trotted　by　in　their　cloaks。　　Madame　　Bazin　came　out　after　a　while；　she　was　tired　with　her　day's　work；　I　　suppose；　and　she　nestled　up　to　her　husband　and　laid　her　head　upon　　his　breast。　　He　had　his　arm　about　her；　and　kept　gently　patting　her　　on　the　shoulder。　　I　think　Bazin　was　right；　and　he　was　really　　married。　　Of　how　few　people　can　the　same　be　said！

Little　did　the　Bazins　know　how　much　they　served　us。　　We　were　　charged　for　candles；　for　food　and　drink；　and　for　the　beds　we　slept　　in。　　But　there　was　nothing　in　the　bill　for　the　husband's　pleasant　　talk；　nor　for　the　pretty　spectacle　of　their　married　life。　　And　　there　was　yet　another　item　unchanged。　　For　these　people's　　politeness　really　set　us　up　again　in　our　own　esteem。　　We　had　a　　thirst　for　consideration；　the　sense　of　insult　was　still　hot　in　our　　spirits；　and　civil　usage　seemed　to　restore　us　to　our　position　in　　the　world。

How　little　we　pay　our　way　in　life！　　Although　we　have　our　purses　　continually　in　our　hand；　the　better　part　of　service　goes　still　　unrewarded。　　But　I　like　to　fancy　that　a　grateful　spirit　gives　as　　good　as　it　gets。　　Perhaps　the　Bazins　knew　how　much　I　liked　them？　　perhaps　they　also　were　healed　of　some　slights　by　the　thanks　that　I　　gave　them　in　my　manner？




DOWN　THE　OISE



THROUGH　THE　GOLDEN　VALLEY


BELOW　La　Fere　the　river　runs　through　a　piece　of　open　pastoral　　country；　green；　opulent；　loved　by　breeders；　called　the　Golden　　Valley。　　In　wide　sweeps；　and　with　a　swift　and　equable　gallop；　the　　ceaseless　stream　of　water　visits　and　makes　green　the　fields。　　Kine；　　and　horses；　and　little　humorous　donkeys；　browse　together　in　the　　meadows；　and　come　down　in　troops　to　the　river…side　to　drink。　　They　　make　a　strange　feature　in　the　landscape；　above　all　when　they　are　　startled；　and　you　see　them　galloping　to　and　fro　with　their　　incongruous　forms　and　faces。　　It　gives　a　feeling　as　of　great；　　unfenced　pampas；　and　the　herds　of　wandering　nations。　　There　were　　hills　in　the　distance　upon　either　hand；　and　on　one　side；　the　river　　sometimes　bordered　on　the　wooded　spurs　of　Coucy　and　St。　Gobain。

The　artillery　were　practising　at　La　Fere；　and　soon　the　cannon　of　　heaven　joined　in　that　loud　play。　　Two　continents　of　cloud　met　and　　exchanged　salvos　overhead；　while　all　round　the　horizon　we　could　see　　sunshine　and　clear　air　upon　the　hills。　　What　with　the　guns　and　the　　thunder；　the　herds　were　all　frightened　in　the　Golden　Valley。　　We　　could　see　them　tossing　their　heads；　and　running　to　and　fro　in　　timorous　indecision；　and　when　they　had　made　up　their　minds；　and　the　　donkey　followed　the　horse；　and　the　cow　was　after　the　donkey；　we　　could　hear　their　hooves　thundering　abroad　over　the　meadows。　　It　had　　a　martial　sound；　like　cavalry　charges。　　And　altogether；　as　far　as　　the　ears　are　concerned；　we　had　a　very　rousing　battle…piece　　performed　for　our　amusement。

At　last　the　guns　and　the　thunder　dropped　off；　the　sun　shone　on　the　　wet　meadows；　the　air　was　scented　with　the　breath　of　rejoicing　trees　　and　grass；　and　the　river　kept　unweariedly　carrying　us　on　at　its　　best　pace。　　There　was　a　manufacturing　district　about　Chauny；　and　　after　that　the　banks　grew　so　high　that　they　hid　the　adjacent　　country；　and　we　could　see　nothing　but　clay　sides；　and　one　willow　　after　another。　　Only；　here　and　there；　we　passed　by　a　village　or　a　　ferry；　and　some　wondering　child　upon　the　bank　would　stare　after　us　　until　we　turned　the　corner。　　I　daresay　we　continued　to　paddle　in　　that　child's　dreams　for　many　a　night　after。

Sun　and　shower　alternated　like　day　and　night；　making　the　hours　　longer　by　their　variety。　　When　the　showers　were　heavy；　I　could　feel　　each　drop　striking　through　my　jersey　to　my　warm　skin；　and　the　　accumulation　of　small　shocks　put　me　nearly　beside　myself。　　I　　decided　I　should　buy　a　mackintosh　at　Noyon。　　It　is　nothing　to　get　　wet；　but　the　misery　of　these　individual　pricks　of　cold　all　over　my　　body　at　the　same　instant　of　time　made　me　flail　the　water　with　my　　paddle　like　a　madman。　　The　CIGARETTE　was　greatly　amused　by　these　　ebullitions。　　It　gave　him　something　else　to　look　at　besides　clay　　banks　and　willows。

All　the　time；　the　river　stole　away　like　a　thief　in　straight　places；　　or　swung　round　corners　with　an　eddy；　the　willows　nodded；　and　were　　undermined　all　day　long；　the　clay　banks　tumbled　in；　the　Oise；　which　　had　been　so　many　centuries　making　the　Golden　Valley；　seemed　to　have　　changed　its　fancy；　and　be　bent　upon　undoing　its　performance。　　What　　a　number　of　things　a　river　does；　by　simply　following　Gravity　in　the　　innocence　of　its　heart！



NOYON　CATHEDRAL



NOYON　stands　about　a　mile　from　the　river；　in　a　little　plain　　surrounded　by　wooded　hills；　and　entirely　covers　an　eminence　with　　its　tile　roofs；　surmounted　by　a　long；　straight…backed　cathedral　　with　two　stiff　towers。　　As　we　got　into　the　town；　the　tile　roofs　　seemed　to　tumble　uphill　one　upon　another；　in　the　oddest　disorder；　　but　for　all　their　scrambling；　they　did　not　attain　above　the　knees　　of　the　cathedral；　which　stood；　upright　and　solemn；　over　all。　　As　　the　streets　drew　near　to　this　presiding　genius；　through　the　market…　place　under　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　they　grew　emptier　and　more　　composed。　　Blank　walls　and　shuttered　windows　were　turned　to　the　　great　edifice；　and　grass　grew　on　the　white　causeway。　　'Put　off　thy　　shoes　from　off　thy　feet；　for　the　place　whereon　thou　standest　is　　holy　ground。'　　The　Hotel　du　Nord；　nevertheless；　lights　its　secular　　tapers　within　a　stone…cast　of　the　church；　and　we　had　the　superb　　east…end　before　our　eyes　all　morning　from　the　window　of　our　　bedroom。　　I　have　seldom　looked　on　the　east…end　of　a　church　with　　more　complete　sympathy。　　As　it　flanges　out　in　three　wide　terraces　　and　settles　down　broadly　on　the　earth；　it　looks　like　the　poop　of　　some　great　old　battle…ship。　　Hollow…backed　buttresses　carry　vases；　　which　figure　for　the　stern　lanterns。　　There　is　a　roll　in　the　　ground；　and　the　towers　just　appear　above　the　pitch　of　the　roof；　as　　though　the　good　ship　were　bowing　lazily　over　an　Atlantic　swell。　　At　　any　moment　it　might　be　a　hundred　feet　away　from　you；　climbing　the　　next　billow。　　At　any　moment　a　window　might　open；　and　some　old　　admiral　thrust　forth　a　cocked　hat；　and　proceed　to　take　an　　observation。　　The　old　admirals　sail　the　sea　no　longer；　the　old　　ships　of　battle　are　all　broken　up；　and　live　only　in　pictures；　but　　this；　that　was　a　church　before　ever　they　were　thought　upon；　is　　still　a　church；　and　makes　as　brave　an　appearance　by　the　Oise。　　The　　cathedral　and　the　river　are　probably　the　two　oldest　things　for　　miles　around；　and　certainly　they　have　both　a　grand　old　age。

The　Sacristan　took　us　to　the　top　of　one　of　the　towers；　and　showed　　us　the　five　bells　hanging　in　their　loft。　　From　above；　the　town　was　　a　tesselated　pavement　of　roofs　and　gardens；　the　old　line　of　rampart　　was　plainly　traceable；　and　the　Sacristan　pointed　out　to　us；　far　　across　the　plain；　in　a　bit　of　gleaming　sky　between　two　clouds；　the　　towers　of　Chateau　Coucy。

I　find　I　never　weary　of　great　churches。　　It　is　my　favourite　kind　of　　mountain　scenery。　　Mankind　was　never　so　happily　inspired　as　when　it　　made　a　cathedral：　　a　thing　as　single　and　specious　as　a　statue　to　　the　first　glance；　and　yet；　on　examination；　as　lively　and　　interesting　as　a　forest　in　detail。　　The　height　of　spires　cannot　be　　taken　by　trigonometry；　they　measure　absurdly　short；　but　how　tall　　they　are　to　the　admiring　eye！　　And　where　we　have　so　many　elegant　　proportions；　growing　one　out　of　the　other；　and　all　together　into　　one；　it　seems　as　if　proportion　transcended　itself；　and　became　　something　different　and　more　imposing。　　I　could　never　fathom　how　a　　man　dares　to　lift　up　his　voice　to　preach　in　a　cathedral。　　What　is　　he　to　say　that　will　not　be　an　anti…climax？　　For　though　I　have　heard　　a　considerable　variety　of　sermons；　I　never　yet　heard　one　that　was　　so　expressive　as　a　cathedral。　　'Tis　the　best　preacher　itself；　and　　preaches　day　and　night；　not　only　telling　you　of　man's　art　and　　aspirations　in　the　past；　but　convicting　your　own　soul　of　ardent　　sympathies；　or　rather；　like　all　good　preachers；　it　sets　you　　preaching　to　yourself；　…　and　every　man　is　his　own　doctor　of　　divinity　in　the　last　resort。

As　I　sat　outside　of　the　hotel　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon；　the　　sweet　groaning　thunder　of　the　organ　floated　out　of　the　church　like　　a　summons。　　I　was　not　averse；　liking　the　theatre　so　well；　to　sit　　out　an　act　or　two　of　the　play；　but　I　could　never　rightly　make　out　　the　nature　of　the　service　I　beheld。　　Four　or　five　priests　and　as　　many　choristers　were　singing　MISERERE　before　the　high　altar　when　I　　went　in。　　There　was　no　congregation　but　a　few　old　women　on　chairs　　and　old　men　kneeling　on　the　pavement。　　After　a　while　a　long　train　　of　young　girls；　walking　two　and　two；　each　with　a　lighted　taper　in　　her　hand；　and　all　dressed　in　black　with　a　white　veil；　came　from　　behind　the　altar；　and　began　to　descend　the　nave；　the　four　first　　c