lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第3章

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Carrock　that　Idle　had　left　his　native　city；　and　travelled　to

Cumberland。　　Never　did　he　feel　more　disastrously　convinced　that　he

had　committed　a　very　grave　error　in　judgment　than　when　he　found

himself　standing　in　the　rain　at　the　bottom　of　a　steep　mountain；　and

knew　that　the　responsibility　rested　on　his　weak　shoulders　of

actually　getting　to　the　top　of　it。



The　honest　landlord　went　first；　the　beaming　Goodchild　followed；　the

mournful　Idle　brought　up　the　rear。　　From　time　to　time；　the　two

foremost　members　of　the　expedition　changed　places　in　the　order　of

march；　but　the　rearguard　never　altered　his　position。　　Up　the

mountain　or　down　the　mountain；　in　the　water　or　out　of　it；　over　the

rocks；　through　the　bogs；　skirting　the　heather；　Mr。　Thomas　Idle　was

always　the　last；　and　was　always　the　man　who　had　to　be　looked　after

and　waited　for。　　At　first　the　ascent　was　delusively　easy；　the　sides

of　the　mountain　sloped　gradually；　and　the　material　of　which　they

were　composed　was　a　soft　spongy　turf；　very　tender　and　pleasant　to

walk　upon。　　After　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　however；　the　verdant　scene

and　the　easy　slope　disappeared；　and　the　rocks　began。　　Not　noble；

massive　rocks；　standing　upright；　keeping　a　certain　regularity　in

their　positions；　and　possessing；　now　and　then；　flat　tops　to　sit

upon；　but　little　irritating；　comfortless　rocks；　littered　about

anyhow；　by　Nature；　treacherous；　disheartening　rocks　of　all　sorts　of

small　shapes　and　small　sizes；　bruisers　of　tender　toes　and　trippers…

up　of　wavering　feet。　　When　these　impediments　were　passed；　heather

and　slough　followed。　　Here　the　steepness　of　the　ascent　was　slightly

mitigated；　and　here　the　exploring　party　of　three　turned　round　to

look　at　the　view　below　them。　　The　scene　of　the　moorland　and　the

fields　was　like　a　feeble　water…colour　drawing　half　sponged　out。

The　mist　was　darkening；　the　rain　was　thickening；　the　trees　were

dotted　about　like　spots　of　faint　shadow；　the　division…lines　which

mapped　out　the　fields　were　all　getting　blurred　together；　and　the

lonely　farm…house　where　the　dog…cart　had　been　left；　loomed　spectral

in　the　grey　light　like　the　last　human　dwelling　at　the　end　of　the

habitable　world。　　Was　this　a　sight　worth　climbing　to　see？　　Surely　…

surely　not！



Up　again　…　for　the　top　of　Carrock　is　not　reached　yet。　　The　land…

lord；　just　as　good…tempered　and　obliging　as　he　was　at　the　bottom　of

the　mountain。　　Mr。　Goodchild　brighter　in　the　eyes　and　rosier　in　the

face　than　ever；　full　of　cheerful　remarks　and　apt　quotations；　and

walking　with　a　springiness　of　step　wonderful　to　behold。　　Mr。　Idle；

farther　and　farther　in　the　rear；　with　the　water　squeaking　in　the

toes　of　his　boots；　with　his　two…guinea　shooting…jacket　clinging

damply　to　his　aching　sides；　with　his　overcoat　so　full　of　rain；　and

standing　out　so　pyramidically　stiff；　in　consequence；　from　his

shoulders　downwards；　that　he　felt　as　if　he　was　walking　in　a

gigantic　extinguisher　…　the　despairing　spirit　within　him

representing　but　too　aptly　the　candle　that　had　just　been　put　out。

Up　and　up　and　up　again；　till　a　ridge　is　reached　and　the　outer　edge

of　the　mist　on　the　summit　of　Carrock　is　darkly　and　drizzingly　near。

Is　this　the　top？　　No；　nothing　like　the　top。　　It　is　an　aggravating

peculiarity　of　all　mountains；　that；　although　they　have　only　one　top

when　they　are　seen　（as　they　ought　always　to　be　seen）　from　below；

they　turn　out　to　have　a　perfect　eruption　of　false　tops　whenever　the

traveller　is　sufficiently　ill…advised　to　go　out　of　his　way　for　the

purpose　of　ascending　them。　　Carrock　is　but　a　trumpery　little

mountain　of　fifteen　hundred　feet；　and　it　presumes　to　have　false

tops；　and　even　precipices；　as　if　it　were　Mont　Blanc。　　No　matter；

Goodchild　enjoys　it；　and　will　go　on；　and　Idle；　who　is　afraid　of

being　left　behind　by　himself；　must　follow。　　On　entering　the　edge　of

the　mist；　the　landlord　stops；　and　says　he　hopes　that　it　will　not

get　any　thicker。　　It　is　twenty　years　since　he　last　ascended

Carrock；　and　it　is　barely　possible；　if　the　mist　increases；　that　the

party　may　be　lost　on　the　mountain。　　Goodchild　hears　this　dreadful

intimation；　and　is　not　in　the　least　impressed　by　it。　　He　marches

for　the　top　that　is　never　to　be　found；　as　if　he　was　the　Wandering

Jew；　bound　to　go　on　for　ever；　in　defiance　of　everything。　　The

landlord　faithfully　accompanies　him。　　The　two；　to　the　dim　eye　of

Idle；　far　below；　look　in　the　exaggerative　mist；　like　a　pair　of

friendly　giants；　mounting　the　steps　of　some　invisible　castle

together。　　Up　and　up；　and　then　down　a　little；　and　then　up；　and　then

along　a　strip　of　level　ground；　and　then　up　again。　　The　wind；　a　wind

unknown　in　the　happy　valley；　blows　keen　and　strong；　the　rain…mist

gets　impenetrable；　a　dreary　little　cairn　of　stones　appears。　　The

landlord　adds　one　to　the　heap；　first　walking　all　round　the　cairn　as

if　he　were　about　to　perform　an　incantation；　then　dropping　the　stone

on　to　the　top　of　the　heap　with　the　gesture　of　a　magician　adding　an

ingredient　to　a　cauldron　in　full　bubble。　　Goodchild　sits　down　by

the　cairn　as　if　it　was　his　study…table　at　home；　Idle；　drenched　and

panting；　stands　up　with　his　back　to　the　wind；　ascertains　distinctly

that　this　is　the　top　at　last；　looks　round　with　all　the　little

curiosity　that　is　left　in　him；　and　gets；　in　return；　a　magnificent

view　of　…　Nothing！



The　effect　of　this　sublime　spectacle　on　the　minds　of　the　exploring

party　is　a　little　injured　by　the　nature　of　the　direct　conclusion　to

which　the　sight　of　it　points　…　the　said　conclusion　being　that　the

mountain　mist　has　actually　gathered　round　them；　as　the　landlord

feared　it　would。　　It　now　becomes　imperatively　necessary　to　settle

the　exact　situation　of　the　farm…house　in　the　valley　at　which　the

dog…cart　has　been　left；　before　the　travellers　attempt　to　descend。

While　the　landlord　is　endeavouring　to　make　this　discovery　in　his

own　way；　Mr。　Goodchild　plunges　his　hand　under　his　wet　coat；　draws

out　a　little　red　morocco…case；　opens　it；　and　displays　to　the　view

of　his　companions　a　neat　pocket…compass。　　The　north　is　found；　the

point　at　which　the　farm…house　is　situated　is　settled；　and　the

descent　begins。　　After　a　little　downward　walking；　Idle　（behind　as

usual）　sees　his　fellow…travellers　turn　aside　sharply　…　tries　to

follow　them　…　loses　them　in　the　mist　…　is　shouted　after；　waited

for；　recovered　…　and　then　finds　that　a　halt　has　been　ordered；

partly　on　his　account；　partly　for　the　purpose　of　again　consulting

the　compass。



The　point　in　debate　is　settled　as　before　between　Goodchild　and　the

landlord；　and　the　expedition　moves　on；　not　down　the　mountain；　but

marching　straight　forward　round　the　slope　of　it。　　The　difficulty　of

following　this　new　route　is　acutely　felt　by　Thomas　Idle。　　He　finds

the　hardship　of　walking　at　all　greatly　increased　by　the　fatigue　of

moving　his　feet　straight　forward　along　the　side　of　a　slope；　when

their　natural　tendency；　at　every　step；　is　to　turn　off　at　a　right

angle；　and　go　straight　down　the　declivity。　　Let　the　reader　imagine

himself　to　be　walking　along　the　roof　of　a　barn；　instead　of　up　or

down　it；　and　he　will　have　an　exact　idea　of　the　pedestrian

difficulty　in　which　the　travellers　had　now　involved　themselves。　　In

ten　minutes　more　Idle　was　lost　in　the　distance　again；　was　shouted

for；　waited　for；　recovered　as　before；　found　Goodchild　repeating　his

observation　of　the　compass；　and　remonstrated　warmly　against　the

sideway　route　that　his　companions　persisted　in　following。　　It

appeared　to　the　uninstructed　mind　of　Thomas　that　when　three　men

want　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　a　mountain；　their　business　is　to　walk

down　it；　and　he　put　this　view　of　the　case；　not　only　with　emphasis；

but　even　with　some　irritability。　　He　was　answered　from　the

scientific　eminence　of　the　compass　on　which　his　companions　were

mounted；　that　there　was　a　frightful　chasm　somewhere　near　the　foot

of　Carrock；　called　The　Black　Arches；　into　which　the　travellers　were

sure　to　march　in　the　mist；　if　they　risked　continuing　the　descent

from　the　place　where　they　had　now　halted。　　Idle　received　this

answer　with　the　silent　respect　which　was　due　to　the　commanders　of

the　expedition；　and　followed　along　the　roof　of　the　barn；　or　rather

the　side　of　the　mountain；　reflecting　upon　the　assurance　which　he

received　on　starting　again；　that　the　object　of　the　party　was　only

to　gain　'a　certain　point；'　and；　this　haven　attained；　to　continue

the　descent　afterwards　until　the　foot　of　Carrock　was　reached。

Though　quite　unexceptionable　as　an　abstract　form　of　expression；　the

phrase　'a　certain　point'　has　the　disadvantage　of　sounding　rather

vaguely　when　it　is　pronounced　on　unknown　ground；　under　a　canopy　of

mist　much　thicker　than　a　London　fog。　　Nevertheless；　after　the

compass；　this　phrase　was　all　the　clue　the　party　had　to　hold　by；　and

Idle　clung　to　the　extreme　end　of　it　as　hopefully　as　he　could。



More　sideway　walking；　thicker　and　thicker　mist；　all　sorts　of　points

reached　except　the　'certain　point；'　third　loss　of　Idle；　third

shouts　for　him；　third　recovery　of　him；　third　consultation　of

compass。　　Mr。　Goodchild　draws　it　tenderly　from　his　pocket；　and

prepares　to　adjust　it　on　a　stone。　　Something　falls　on　the　turf　…　it

is　the　glass。　　Something　else　drops　immediately　after　…　it　is　the

needle。　　The　compass　is　broken；　and　the　exploring　party　is　lost！



It　is　the　practice　of　the　English　portion　of　the　human　race　to

receive　all　great　disasters　in　dead　silence。　　Mr。　Goodchild

restored　the　useless　compass　to　his　pocket　without　saying　a　word；

Mr。　Idle　looked　at　the　landlord；　and　the　landlord　looked　at　Mr。

Idle。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　now　but　to　go　on　blindfold；　and

trust　to　the　chapter　of　chances。　　Accordingly；　the　lost　travellers

moved　forward；　still　walking　round　the　slope　of　the　mountain；　still

desperately　resolved　to　avoid　the　Black　Arches；　and　to　succeed　in

reaching　the　'certain　point。'



A　quarter　of　an　hour　brought　them　to　the　brink　of　a　ravine；　at　the

bottom　of　which　there　flowed　a　muddy　little　stream。　　Here　another

halt　was　called；　and　another　consultation　took　place。　　The

landlord；　still　clinging　pertinaciously　to　the　idea　of　reaching　the

'point；'　voted　for　crossing　the　ravine；　and　going　on　round　the

slope　of　the　mountain。　　Mr。　Goodchild；　to　the　great　relief　of　his

fellow…traveller；　took　another　view　of　the　case；　and　backed　Mr。

Idle's　proposal　to　descend　Carrock　at　once；　at　any　hazard　…　the

rather　as　the　running　stream　was　a　sure　guide　to　follow　from　the

mountain　to　the　valley。　　Accordingly；　the　party　descended　to　the

rugged　and　stony　banks　of　the　stream；　and　here　again　Thomas　lost

ground　sadly；　and　fell　far　behind　his　travelling　companions。　　Not

much　more　than　six　weeks　had　elapsed　since　he　had　sprained　one　of

his　ankles；　and　he　began　to　feel　this　same　ankle　getting　rather

weak　when　he　found　himself　among　the　stones　that　were　strewn　about

the　running　water。　　Goodchild　and　the　landlord　were　getting　farther

and　farther　ahead　of　him。　　He　saw　them　cross　the　stream　and

disappear　round　a　pr