the uncommercial traveller-第14章

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hotels　of　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　my　front　windows　looking　into　the

garden　of　the　Tuileries　（where　the　principal　difference　between　the

nursemaids　and　the　flowers　seemed　to　be　that　the　former　were

locomotive　and　the　latter　not）：　　my　back　windows　looking　at　all　the

other　back　windows　in　the　hotel；　and　deep　down　into　a　paved　yard；

where　my　German　chariot　had　retired　under　a　tight…fitting　archway；

to　all　appearance　for　life；　and　where　bells　rang　all　day　without

anybody's　minding　them　but　certain　chamberlains　with　feather　brooms

and　green　baize　caps；　who　here　and　there　leaned　out　of　some　high

window　placidly　looking　down；　and　where　neat　waiters　with　trays　on

their　left　shoulders　passed　and　repassed　from　morning　to　night。



Whenever　I　am　at　Paris；　I　am　dragged　by　invisible　force　into　the

Morgue。　　I　never　want　to　go　there；　but　am　always　pulled　there。　　One

Christmas　Day；　when　I　would　rather　have　been　anywhere　else；　I　was

attracted　in；　to　see　an　old　grey　man　lying　all　alone　on　his　cold

bed；　with　a　tap　of　water　turned　on　over　his　grey　hair；　and　running；

drip；　drip；　drip；　down　his　wretched　face　until　it　got　to　the　corner

of　his　mouth；　where　it　took　a　turn；　and　made　him　look　sly。　　One　New

Year's　Morning　（by　the　same　token；　the　sun　was　shining　outside；　and

there　was　a　mountebank　balancing　a　feather　on　his　nose；　within　a

yard　of　the　gate）；　I　was　pulled　in　again　to　look　at　a　flaxen…haired

boy　of　eighteen；　with　a　heart　hanging　on　his　breast　…　'from　his

mother；'　was　engraven　on　it　…　who　had　come　into　the　net　across　the

river；　with　a　bullet　wound　in　his　fair　forehead　and　his　hands　cut

with　a　knife；　but　whence　or　how　was　a　blank　mystery。　　This　time；　I

was　forced　into　the　same　dread　place；　to　see　a　large　dark　man　whose

disfigurement　by　water　was　in　a　frightful　manner　comic；　and　whose

expression　was　that　of　a　prize…fighter　who　had　closed　his　eyelids

under　a　heavy　blow；　but　was　going　immediately　to　open　them；　shake

his　head；　and　'come　up　smiling。'　　Oh　what　this　large　dark　man　cost

me　in　that　bright　city！



It　was　very　hot　weather；　and　he　was　none　the　better　for　that；　and　I

was　much　the　worse。　　Indeed；　a　very　neat　and　pleasant　little　woman

with　the　key　of　her　lodging　on　her　forefinger；　who　had　been　showing

him　to　her　little　girl　while　she　and　the　child　ate　sweetmeats；

observed　monsieur　looking　poorly　as　we　came　out　together；　and　asked

monsieur；　with　her　wondering　little　eyebrows　prettily　raised；　if

there　were　anything　the　matter？　　Faintly　replying　in　the　negative；

monsieur　crossed　the　road　to　a　wine…shop；　got　some　brandy；　and

resolved　to　freshen　himself　with　a　dip　in　the　great　floating　bath

on　the　river。



The　bath　was　crowded　in　the　usual　airy　manner；　by　a　male　population

in　striped　drawers　of　various　gay　colours；　who　walked　up　and　down

arm　in　arm；　drank　coffee；　smoked　cigars；　sat　at　little　tables；

conversed　politely　with　the　damsels　who　dispensed　the　towels；　and

every　now　and　then　pitched　themselves　into　the　river　head　foremost；

and　came　out　again　to　repeat　this　social　routine。　　I　made　haste　to

participate　in　the　water　part　of　the　entertainments；　and　was　in　the

full　enjoyment　of　a　delightful　bath；　when　all　in　a　moment　I　was

seized　with　an　unreasonable　idea　that　the　large　dark　body　was

floating　straight　at　me。



I　was　out　of　the　river；　and　dressing　instantly。　　In　the　shock　I　had

taken　some　water　into　my　mouth；　and　it　turned　me　sick；　for　I

fancied　that　the　contamination　of　the　creature　was　in　it。　　I　had

got　back　to　my　cool　darkened　room　in　the　hotel；　and　was　lying　on　a

sofa　there；　before　I　began　to　reason　with　myself。



Of　course；　I　knew　perfectly　well　that　the　large　dark　creature　was

stone　dead；　and　that　I　should　no　more　come　upon　him　out　of　the

place　where　I　had　seen　him　dead；　than　I　should　come　upon　the

cathedral　of　Notre…Dame　in　an　entirely　new　situation。　　What

troubled　me　was　the　picture　of　the　creature；　and　that　had　so

curiously　and　strongly　painted　itself　upon　my　brain；　that　I　could

not　get　rid　of　it　until　it　was　worn　out。



I　noticed　the　peculiarities　of　this　possession；　while　it　was　a　real

discomfort　to　me。　　That　very　day；　at　dinner；　some　morsel　on　my

plate　looked　like　a　piece　of　him；　and　I　was　glad　to　get　up　and　go

out。　　Later　in　the　evening；　I　was　walking　along　the　Rue　St。　Honore；

when　I　saw　a　bill　at　a　public　room　there；　announcing　small…sword

exercise；　broad…sword　exercise；　wrestling；　and　other　such　feats。　　I

went　in；　and　some　of　the　sword…play　being　very　skilful；　remained。

A　specimen　of　our　own　national　sport；　The　British　Boaxe；　was

announced　to　be　given　at　the　close　of　the　evening。　　In　an　evil

hour；　I　determined　to　wait　for　this　Boaxe；　as　became　a　Briton。　　It

was　a　clumsy　specimen　（executed　by　two　English　grooms　out　of

place）；　but　one　of　the　combatants；　receiving　a　straight　right…

hander　with　the　glove　between　his　eyes；　did　exactly　what　the　large

dark　creature　in　the　Morgue　had　seemed　going　to　do　…　and　finished

me　for　that　night。



There　was　rather　a　sickly　smell　（not　at　all　an　unusual　fragrance　in

Paris）　in　the　little　ante…room　of　my　apartment　at　the　hotel。　　The

large　dark　creature　in　the　Morgue　was　by　no　direct　experience

associated　with　my　sense　of　smell；　because；　when　I　came　to　the

knowledge　of　him；　he　lay　behind　a　wall　of　thick　plate…glass　as　good

as　a　wall　of　steel　or　marble　for　that　matter。　　Yet　the　whiff　of　the

room　never　failed　to　reproduce　him。　　What　was　more　curious；　was　the

capriciousness　with　which　his　portrait　seemed　to　light　itself　up　in

my　mind；　elsewhere。　　I　might　be　walking　in　the　Palais　Royal；　lazily

enjoying　the　shop　windows；　and　might　be　regaling　myself　with　one　of

the　ready…made　clothes　shops　that　are　set　out　there。　　My　eyes；

wandering　over　impossible…waisted　dressing…gowns　and　luminous

waistcoats；　would　fall　upon　the　master；　or　the　shopman；　or　even　the

very　dummy　at　the　door；　and　would　suggest　to　me；　'Something　like

him！'　…　and　instantly　I　was　sickened　again。



This　would　happen　at　the　theatre；　in　the　same　manner。　　Often　it

would　happen　in　the　street；　when　I　certainly　was　not　looking　for

the　likeness；　and　when　probably　there　was　no　likeness　there。　　It

was　not　because　the　creature　was　dead　that　I　was　so　haunted；

because　I　know　that　I　might　have　been　（and　I　know　it　because　I　have

been）　equally　attended　by　the　image　of　a　living　aversion。　　This

lasted　about　a　week。　　The　picture　did　not　fade　by　degrees；　in　the

sense　that　it　became　a　whit　less　forcible　and　distinct；　but　in　the

sense　that　it　obtruded　itself　less　and　less　frequently。　　The

experience　may　be　worth　considering　by　some　who　have　the　care　of

children。　　It　would　be　difficult　to　overstate　the　intensity　and

accuracy　of　an　intelligent　child's　observation。　　At　that

impressible　time　of　life；　it　must　sometimes　produce　a　fixed

impression。　　If　the　fixed　impression　be　of　an　object　terrible　to

the　child；　it　will　be　（for　want　of　reasoning　upon）　inseparable　from

great　fear。　　Force　the　child　at　such　a　time；　be　Spartan　with　it；

send　it　into　the　dark　against　its　will；　leave　it　in　a　lonely

bedroom　against　its　will；　and　you　had　better　murder　it。



On　a　bright　morning　I　rattled　away　from　Paris；　in　the　German

chariot；　and　left　the　large　dark　creature　behind　me　for　good。　　I

ought　to　confess；　though；　that　I　had　been　drawn　back　to　the　Morgue；

after　he　was　put　underground；　to　look　at　his　clothes；　and　that　I

found　them　frightfully　like　him　…　particularly　his　boots。　　However；

I　rattled　away　for　Switzerland；　looking　forward　and　not　backward；

and　so　we　parted　company。



Welcome　again；　the　long；　long　spell　of　France；　with　the　queer

country　inns；　full　of　vases　of　flowers　and　clocks；　in　the　dull

little　town；　and　with　the　little　population　not　at　all　dull　on　the

little　Boulevard　in　the　evening；　under　the　little　trees！　　Welcome

Monsieur　the　Cure；　walking　alone　in　the　early　morning　a　short　way

out　of　the　town；　reading　that　eternal　Breviary　of　yours；　which

surely　might　be　almost　read；　without　book；　by　this　time！　　Welcome

Monsieur　the　Cure；　later　in　the　day；　jolting　through　the　highway

dust　（as　if　you　had　already　ascended　to　the　cloudy　region）；　in　a

very　big…headed　cabriolet；　with　the　dried　mud　of　a　dozen　winters　on

it。　　Welcome　again　Monsieur　the　Cure；　as　we　exchange　salutations；

you；　straightening　your　back　to　look　at　the　German　chariot；　while

picking　in　your　little　village　garden　a　vegetable　or　two　for　the

day's　soup：　　I；　looking　out　of　the　German　chariot　window　in　that

delicious　traveller's　trance　which　knows　no　cares；　no　yesterdays；

no　to…morrows；　nothing　but　the　passing　objects　and　the　passing

scents　and　sounds！　　And　so　I　came；　in　due　course　of　delight；　to

Strasbourg；　where　I　passed　a　wet　Sunday　evening　at　a　window；　while

an　idle　trifle　of　a　vaudeville　was　played　for　me　at　the　opposite

house。



How　such　a　large　house　came　to　have　only　three　people　living　in　it；

was　its　own　affair。　　There　were　at　least　a　score　of　windows　in　its

high　roof　alone；　how　many　in　its　grotesque　front；　I　soon　gave　up

counting。　　The　owner　was　a　shopkeeper；　by　name　Straudenheim；　by

trade　…　I　couldn't　make　out　what　by　trade；　for　he　had　forborne　to

write　that　up；　and　his　shop　was　shut。



At　first；　as　I　looked　at　Straudenheim's；　through　the　steadily

falling　rain；　I　set　him　up　in　business　in　the　goose…liver　line。

But；　inspection　of　Straudenheim；　who　became　visible　at　a　window　on

the　second　floor；　convinced　me　that　there　was　something　more

precious　than　liver　in　the　case。　　He　wore　a　black　velvet　skull…cap；

and　looked　usurious　and　rich。　　A　large…lipped；　pear…nosed　old　man；

with　white　hair；　and　keen　eyes；　though　near…sighted。　　He　was

writing　at　a　desk；　was　Straudenheim；　and　ever　and　again　left　off

writing；　put　his　pen　in　his　mouth；　and　went　through　actions　with

his　right　hand；　like　a　man　steadying　piles　of　cash。　　Five…franc

pieces；　Straudenheim；　or　golden　Napoleons？　　A　jeweller；

Straudenheim；　a　dealer　in　money；　a　diamond　merchant；　or　what？



Below　Straudenheim；　at　a　window　on　the　first　floor；　sat　his

housekeeper　…　far　from　young；　but　of　a　comely　presence；　suggestive

of　a　well…matured　foot　and　ankle。　　She　was　cheerily　dressed；　had　a

fan　in　her　hand；　and　wore　large　gold　earrings　and　a　large　gold

cross。　　She　would　have　been　out　holiday…making　（as　I　settled　it）

but　for　the　pestilent　rain。　　Strasbourg　had　given　up　holiday…making

for　that　once；　as　a　bad　job；　because　the　rain　was　jerking　in　gushes

out　of　the　old　roof…spouts；　and　running　in　a　brook　down　the　middle

of　the　street。　　The　housekeeper；　her　arms　folded　on　her　bosom　and

her　fan　tapping　her　chin；　was　bright　and　smiling　at　her　open

window；　but　otherwise　Straudenheim's　house　front　was　very　dreary。

The　housekeeper's　was　the　only　open　window　in　it；　Straudenheim　kept

himself　close；　though　it　was　a　sultry　evening　when　air　is　pleasant；

and　though　the　rain　had　brought　into　the　town　that　vague　refreshing

smell　of　grass　which　rain　does　bring　in　the　summer…time。



The　dim　app