three men on the bummel-第26章

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and　shouldered　his　knapsack；　〃but　I　suppose　it　doesn't　matter。　　We
are　out　for　our　health；　and　it's　all　pretty！〃

〃We　shall　be　all　right；〃　said　Harris；　with　cheery　confidence。　　〃We
shall　be　in　at　Todtmoos　before　ten；　don't　you　worry。　　And　at
Todtmoos　we　will　have　something　to　eat。〃

He　said　that　he；　himself；　fancied　a　beefsteak；　followed　by　an
omelette。　　George　said　that；　personally；　he　intended　to　keep　his
mind　off　the　subject　until　he　saw　Todtmoos。

We　walked　for　half　an　hour；　then　emerging　upon　an　opening；　we　saw
below　us；　about　two　miles　away；　the　village　through　which　we　had
passed　that　morning。　　It　had　a　quaint　church　with　an　outside
staircase；　a　somewhat　unusual　arrangement。

The　sight　of　it　made　me　sad。　　We　had　been　walking　hard　for　three
hours　and　a　half；　and　had　accomplished；　apparently；　about　four
miles。　　But　Harris　was　delighted。

〃Now；　at　last；〃　said　Harris；　〃we　know　where　we　are。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　it　didn't　matter；〃　George　reminded　him。

〃No　more　it　does；　practically；〃　replied　Harris；　〃but　it　is　just　as
well　to　be　certain。　　Now　I　feel　more　confidence　in　myself。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that　being　an　advantage；〃　muttered　George。
But　I　do　not　think　Harris　heard　him。

〃We　are　now；〃　continued　Harris；　〃east　of　the　sun；　and　Todtmoos　is
south…west　of　where　we　are。　　So　that　if〃

He　broke　off。　　〃By…the…by；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　remember　whether　I
said　the　bisecting　line　of　that　segment　pointed　to　the　north　or　to
the　south？〃

〃You　said　it　pointed　to　the　north；〃　replied　George。

〃Are　you　positive？〃　persisted　Harris。

〃Positive；〃　answered　George　〃but　don't　let　that　influence　your
calculations。　　In　all　probability　you　were　wrong。〃

Harris　thought　for　a　while；　then　his　brow　cleared。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃of　course；　it's　the　north。　　It　must
be　the　north。　　How　could　it　be　the　south？　　Now　we　must　make　for　the
west。　　Come　on。〃

〃I　am　quite　willing　to　make　for　the　west；〃　said　George；　〃any　point
of　the　compass　is　the　same　to　me。　　I　only　wish　to　remark　that；　at
the　present　moment；　we　are　going　dead　east。〃

〃No　we　are　not；〃　returned　Harris；　〃we　are　going　west。〃

〃We　are　going　east；　I　tell　you；〃　said　George。

〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　keep　saying　that；〃　said　Harris；　〃you　confuse
me。〃

〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　returned　George；　〃I　would　rather　do　that
than　go　wrong。　　I　tell　you　we　are　going　dead　east。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　retorted　Harris；　〃there's　the　sun。〃

〃I　can　see　the　sun；〃　answered　George；　〃quite　distinctly。　　It　may　be
where　it　ought　to　be；　according　to　you　and　Science；　or　it　may　not。
All　I　know　is；　that　when　we　were　down　in　the　village；　that
particular　hill　with　that　particular　lump　of　rock　upon　it　was　due
north　of　us。　　At　the　present　moment　we　are　facing　due　east。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　said　Harris；　〃I　forgot　for　the　moment　that
we　had　turned　round。〃

〃I　should　get　into　the　habit　of　making　a　note　of　it；　if　I　were
you；〃　grumbled　George；　〃it's　a　manoeuvre　that　will　probably　occur
again　more　than　once。〃

We　faced　about；　and　walked　in　the　other　direction。　　At　the　end　of
forty　minutes'　climbing　we　again　emerged　upon　an　opening；　and　again
the　village　lay　just　under　our　feet。　　On　this　occasion　it　was　south
of　us。

〃This　is　very　extraordinary；〃　said　Harris。

〃I　see　nothing　remarkable　about　it；〃　said　George。　　〃If　you　walk
steadily　round　a　village　it　is　only　natural　that　now　and　then　you
get　a　glimpse　of　it。　　Myself；　I　am　glad　to　see　it。　　It　proves　to　me
that　we　are　not　utterly　lost。〃

〃It　ought　to　be　the　other　side　of　us；〃　said　Harris。

〃It　will　be　in　another　hour　or　so；〃　said　George；　〃if　we　keep　on。〃

I　said　little　myself；　I　was　vexed　with　both　of　them；　but　I　was　glad
to　notice　George　evidently　growing　cross　with　Harris。　　It　was
absurd　of　Harris　to　fancy　he　could　find　the　way　by　the　sun。

〃I　wish　I　knew；〃　said　Harris；　thoughtfully；　〃for　certain　whether
that　bisecting　line　points　to　the　north　or　to　the　south。〃

〃I　should　make　up　my　mind　about　it；〃　said　George；　〃it's　an
important　point。〃

〃It's　impossible　it　can　be　the　north；〃　said　Harris；　〃and　I'll　tell
you　why。〃

〃You　needn't　trouble；〃　said　George；　〃I　am　quite　prepared　to　believe
it　isn't。〃

〃You　said　just　now　it　was；〃　said　Harris；　reproachfully。

〃I　said　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　retorted　George。　　〃I　said　you　said　it
wasa　very　different　thing。　　If　you　think　it　isn't；　let's　go　the
other　way。　　It'll　be　a　change；　at　all　events。〃

So　Harris　worked　things　out　according　to　the　contrary　calculation；
and　again　we　plunged　into　the　wood；　and　again　after　half　an　hour's
stiff　climbing　we　came　in　view　of　that　same　village。　　True；　we　were
a　little　higher；　and　this　time　it　lay　between　us　and　the　sun。

〃I　think；〃　said　George；　as　he　stood　looking　down　at　it；　〃this　is
the　best　view　we've　had　of　it；　as　yet。　　There　is　only　one　other
point　from　which　we　can　see　it。　　After　that；　I　propose　we　go　down
into　it　and　get　some　rest。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it's　the　same　village；〃　said　Harris；　〃it　can't
be。〃

〃There's　no　mistaking　that　church；〃　said　George。　　〃But　maybe　it　is
a　case　on　all　fours　with　that　Prague　statue。　　Possibly；　the
authorities　hereabout　have　had　made　some　life…sized　models　of　that
village；　and　have　stuck　them　about　the　Forest　to　see　where　the
thing　would　look　best。　　Anyhow；　which　way　do　we　go　now？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Harris；　〃and　I　don't　care。　　I　have　done　my
best；　you've　done　nothing　but　grumble；　and　confuse　me。〃

〃I　may　have　been　critical；〃　admitted　George　〃but　look　at　the　thing
from　my　point　of　view。　　One　of　you　says　he's　got　an　instinct；　and
leads　me　to　a　wasps'　nest　in　the　middle　of　a　wood。〃

〃I　can't　help　wasps　building　in　a　wood；〃　I　replied。

〃I　don't　say　you　can；〃　answered　George。　　〃I　am　not　arguing；　I　am
merely　stating　incontrovertible　facts。　　The　other　one；　who　leads　me
up　and　down　hill　for　hours　on　scientific　principles；　doesn't　know
the　north　from　the　south；　and　is　never　quite　sure　whether　he's
turned　round　or　whether　he　hasn't。　　Personally；　I　profess　to　no
instincts　beyond　the　ordinary；　nor　am　I　a　scientist。　　But　two
fields　off　I　can　see　a　man。　　I　am　going　to　offer　him　the　worth　of
the　hay　he　is　cutting；　which　I　estimate　at　one　mark　fifty　pfennig；
to　leave　his　work；　and　lead　me　to　within　sight　of　Todtmoos。　　If　you
two　fellows　like　to　follow；　you　can。　　If　not；　you　can　start　another
system　and　work　it　out　by　yourselves。〃

George's　plan　lacked　both　originality　and　aplomb；　but　at　the　moment
it　appealed　to　us。　　Fortunately；　we　had　worked　round　to　a　very
short　distance　away　from　the　spot　where　we　had　originally　gone
wrong；　with　the　result　that；　aided　by　the　gentleman　of　the　scythe；
we　recovered　the　road；　and　reached　Todtmoos　four　hours　later　than
we　had　calculated　to　reach　it；　with　an　appetite　that　took　forty…
five　minutes'　steady　work　in　silence　to　abate。

From　Todtmoos　we　had　intended　to　walk　down　to　the　Rhine；　but　having
regard　to　our　extra　exertions　of　the　morning；　we　decided　to
promenade　in　a　carriage；　as　the　French　would　say：　　and　for　this
purpose　hired　a　picturesque…looking　vehicle；　drawn　by　a　horse　that
I　should　have　called　barrel…bodied　but　for　contrast　with　his
driver；　in　comparison　with　whom　he　was　angular。　　In　Germany　every
vehicle　is　arranged　for　a　pair　of　horses；　but　drawn　generally　by
one。　　This　gives　to　the　equipage　a　lop…sided　appearance；　according
to　our　notions；　but　it　is　held　here　to　indicate　style。　　The　idea　to
be　conveyed　is　that　you　usually　drive　a　pair　of　horses；　but　that
for　the　moment　you　have　mislaid　the　other　one。　　The　German　driver
is　not　what　we　should　call　a　first…class　whip。　　He　is　at　his　best
when　he　is　asleep。　　Then；　at　all　events；　he　is　harmless；　and　the
horse　being；　generally　speaking；　intelligent　and　experienced；
progress　under　these　conditions　is　comparatively　safe。　　If　in
Germany　they　could　only　train　the　horse　to　collect　the　money　at　the
end　of　the　journey；　there　would　be　no　need　for　a　coachman　at　all。
This　would　be　a　distinct　relief　to　the　passenger；　for　when　the
German　coachman　is　awake　and　not　cracking　his　whip　he　is　generally
occupied　in　getting　himself　into　trouble　or　out　of　it。　　He　is
better　at　the　former。　　Once　I　recollect　driving　down　a　steep　Black
Forest　hill　with　a　couple　of　ladies。　　It　was　one　of　those　roads
winding　corkscrew…wise　down　the　slope。　　The　hill　rose　at　an　angle
of　seventy…five　on　the　off…side；　and　fell　away　at　an　angle　of
seventy…five　on　the　near…side。　　We　were　proceeding　very
comfortably；　the　driver；　we　were　happy　to　notice；　with　his　eyes
shut；　when　suddenly　something；　a　bad　dream　or　indigestion；　awoke
him。　　He　seized　the　reins；　and；　by　an　adroit　movement；　pulled　the
near…side　horse　over　the　edge；　where　it　clung；　half　supported　by
the　traces。　　Our　driver　did　not　appear　in　the　least　annoyed　or
surprised；　both　horses；　I　also；　noticed；　seemed　equally　used　to　the
situation。　　We　got　out；　and　he　got　down。　　He　took　from　under　the
seat　a　huge　clasp…knife；　evidently　kept　there　for　the　purpose；　and
deftly　cut　the　traces。　　The　horse；　thus　released；　rolled　over　and
over　until　he　struck　the　road　again　some　fifty　feet　below。　　There
he　regained　his　feet　and　stood　waiting　for　us。　　We　re…entered　the
carriage　and　descended　with　the　single　horse　until　we　came　to　him。
There；　with　the　help　of　some　bits　of　string；　our　driver　harnessed
him　again；　and　we　continued　on　our　way。　　What　impressed　me　was　the
evident　accustomedness　of　both　driver　and　horses　to　this　method　of
working　down　a　hill。

Evidently　to　them　it　appeared　a　short　and　convenient　cut。　　I　should
not　have　been　surprised　had　the　man　suggested　our　strapping
ourselves　in；　and　then　rolling　over　and　over；　carriage　and　all；　to
the　bottom。

Another　peculiarity　of　the　German　coachman　is　that　he　never
attempts　to　pull　in　or　to　pull　up。　　He　regulates　his　rate　of　speed；
not　by　the　pace　of　the　horse；　but　by　manipulation　of　the　brake。
For　eight　miles　an　hour　he　puts　it　on　slightly；　so　that　it　only
scrapes　the　wheel；　producing　a　continuous　sound　as　of　the
sharpening　of　a　saw；　for　four　miles　an　hour　he　screws　it　down
harder；　and　you　travel　to　an　accompaniment　of　groans　and　shrieks；
suggestive　of　a　symphony　of　dying　pigs。　　When　he　desires　to　come　to
a　full　stop；　he　puts　it　on　to　its　full。　　If　his　brake　be　a　good
one；　he　calculates　he　can　stop　his　carriage；　unless　the　horse　be　an
extra　powerful　animal；　in　less　than　twice　its　own　length。　　Neither
the　German　driver　nor　the　German　horse　knows；　apparently；　that　you
can　stop　a　carriage　by　any　other　method。　　The　German　horse
continues　to　pull　with　his　full　strength　until　he　finds　it
impossible　to　move　the　vehicle　another　inch；　then　he　rests。　　Horses
of　other　countries　are　quite　willing　to　stop　when　the　idea　is
suggested　to　them。　　I　have　known　horses　content　to　go　even　quite
slowly。　　But　your　German　horse；　seemingly；　is　built　for　one
particular　speed；　and　is　unable　to　depart　from　it。　　I　am　stating
nothing　but　the　literal；　unadorned　truth；　when　I　say　I　have　seen　a
German　coachman；　with　the　reins　lying　loose　over　the　splash…board；
working　his　brake　with　both　hands；　in　terror　lest　he　would　not　be
in　time　to　avoid　a　collision。

At　Waldshut；　one　of　those　little　sixteenth…century　towns　through
which　the　Rhine　flows　during　its　earlier　course；　we　came　across
tha