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 second boy said it was a 〃green wood。〃 This annoyed the
Professor still more； he called the second boy a blockhead； though really I
cannot see why； and passed on to the third； who； for the last minute； had
been sitting apparently on hot plates； with his right arm waving up and
down like a distracted semaphore signal。 He would have had to say it the
next second； whether the Professor had asked him or not； he was red in the
face； holding his knowledge in。
〃A dark and gloomy wood；〃 shouted the third boy； with much relief to
his feelings。
〃A dark and gloomy wood；〃 repeated the Professor； with evident
approval。 〃And why was it dark and gloomy？〃
The third boy was still equal to the occasion。
〃Because the sun could not get inside it。〃
64
… Page 65…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
The Professor felt he had discovered the poet of the class。
〃Because the sun could not get into it； or； better； because the sunbeams
could not penetrate。 And why could not the sunbeams penetrate there？〃
〃Please； sir； because the leaves were too thick。〃
〃Very well；〃 said the Professor。 〃The girl lived in a dark and gloomy
wood； through the leafy canopy of which the sunbeams were unable to
pierce。 Now； what grew in this wood？〃 He pointed to the fourth boy。
〃Please； sir； trees； sir。〃
〃And what else？〃
〃Toadstools； sir。〃 This after a pause。
The Professor was not quite sure about the toadstools； but on referring
to the text he found that the boy was right； toadstools had been mentioned。
〃Quite right；〃 admitted the Professor； 〃toadstools grew there。 And
what else？ What do you find underneath trees in a wood？〃
〃Please； sir； earth； sir。〃
〃No； no； what grows in a wood besides trees？〃
〃Oh； please； sir； bushes； sir。〃
〃Bushes； very good。 Now we are getting on。 In this wood there
were trees and bushes。 And what else？〃
He pointed to a small boy near the bottom； who having decided that
the wood was too far off to be of any annoyance to him； individually； was
occupying his leisure playing noughts and crosses against himself。
Vexed and bewildered； but feeling it necessary to add something to the
inventory； he hazarded blackberries。 This was a mistake； the poet had
not mentioned blackberries。
〃Of course； Klobstock would think of something to eat；〃 commented
the Professor； who prided himself on his ready wit。 This raised a laugh
against Klobstock； and pleased the Professor。
〃You；〃 continued he； pointing to a boy in the middle； 〃what else was
there in this wood besides trees and bushes？〃
〃Please； sir； there was a torrent there。〃
〃Quite right； and what did the torrent do？〃
〃Please； sir； it gurgled。〃
〃No； no。 Streams gurgle； torrents？〃
65
… Page 66…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
〃Roar； sir。〃
〃It roared。 And what made it roar？〃
This was a poser。 One boyhe was not our prize intellect； I admit
suggested the girl。 To help us the Professor put his question in another
form：
〃When did it roar？〃
Our third boy； again coming to the rescue； explained that it roared
when it fell down among the rocks。 I think some of us had a vague idea
that it must have been a cowardly torrent to make such a noise about a
little thing like this； a pluckier torrent； we felt； would have got up and
gone on； saying nothing about it。 A torrent that roared every time it fell
upon a rock we deemed a poor spirited torrent； but the Professor seemed
quite content with it。
〃And what lived in this wood beside the girl？〃 was the next question。
〃Please； sir； birds； sir。〃
〃Yes； birds lived in this wood。 What else？〃
Birds seemed to have exhausted our ideas。
〃Come；〃 said the Professor； 〃what are those animals with tails； that run
up trees？〃
We thought for a while； then one of us suggested cats。
This was an error； the poet had said nothing about cats； squirrels was
what the Professor was trying to get。
I do not recall much more about this wood in detail。 I only recollect
that the sky was introduced into it。 In places where there occurred an
opening among the trees you could by looking up see the sky above you；
very often there were clouds in this sky； and occasionally； if I remember
rightly； the girl got wet。
I have dwelt upon this incident； because it seems to me suggestive of
the whole question of scenery in literature。 I could not at the time； I
cannot now； understand why the top boy's summary was not sufficient。
With all due deference to the poet； whoever he may have been； one cannot
but acknowledge that his wood was； and could not be otherwise than； 〃the
usual sort of a wood。〃
I could describe the Black Forest to you at great length。 I could
66
… Page 67…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
translate to you Hebel； the poet of the Black Forest。 I could write pages
concerning its rocky gorges and its smiling valleys； its pine…clad slopes； its
rock…crowned summits； its foaming rivulets （where the tidy German has
not condemned them to flow respectably through wooden troughs or
drainpipes）； its white villages； its lonely farmsteads。
But I am haunted by the suspicion you might skip all this。 Were you
sufficiently conscientiousor weak…minded enoughnot to do so； I should；
all said and done； succeed in conveying to you only an impression much
better summed up in the simple words of the unpretentious guide book：
〃A picturesque； mountainous district； bounded on the south and the
west by the plain of the Rhine； towards which its spurs descend
precipitately。 Its geological formation consists chiefly of variegated
sandstone and granite； its lower heights being covered with extensive pine
forests。 It is well watered with numerous streams； while its populous
valleys are fertile and well cultivated。 The inns are good； but the local
wines should be partaken of by the stranger with discretion。〃
67
… Page 68…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
CHAPTER VI
Why we went to HanoverSomething they do better abroadThe art
of polite foreign conversation； as taught in English schoolsA true history；
now told for the first timeThe French joke； as provided for the
amusement of British youthFatherly instincts of Harris The road…
waterer； considered as an artistPatriotism of George What Harris ought
to have doneWhat he didWe save Harris's life… …A sleepless cityThe
cab…horse as a critic。
We arrived in Hamburg on Friday after a smooth and uneventful
voyage； and from Hamburg we travelled to Berlin by way of Hanover。 It is
not the most direct route。 I can only account for our visit to Hanover as
the nigger accounted to the magistrate for his appearance in the Deacon's
poultry…yard。
〃Well？〃
〃Yes； sar； what the constable sez is quite true； sar； I was dar； sar。〃
〃Oh； so you admit it？ And what were you doing with a sack； pray； in
Deacon Abraham's poultry…yard at twelve o'clock at night？〃
〃I'se gwine ter tell yer； sar； yes； sar。 I'd been to Massa Jordan's wid a
sack of melons。 Yes； sar； an' Massa Jordan he wuz very 'greeable； an'
axed me for ter come in。〃
〃Yes； sar； very 'greeable man is Massa Jordan。 An' dar we sat a
talking an' a talking〃
〃Very likely。 What we want to know is what you were doing in the
Deacon's poultry…yard？〃
〃Yes； sar； dat's what I'se cumming to。 It wuz ver' late 'fore I left
Massa Jordan's； an' den I sez ter mysel'； sez I； now yer jest step out with
yer best leg foremost； Ulysses； case yer gets into trouble wid de ole
woman。 Ver' talkative woman she is； sar； very 〃
〃Yes； never