the uncommercial traveller-第52章

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！



overturning；　pervaded　the　house。　　Of　these　works　of　art；　some；

framed　and　not　glazed；　had　holes　in　them；　the　varnish　of　others　had

become　so　brown　and　cracked；　that　they　looked　like　overdone　pie…

crust；　the　designs　of　others　were　almost　obliterated　by　the　flies

of　many　summers。　　Broken　glasses；　damaged　frames；　lop…sided

hanging；　and　consignment　of　incurable　cripples　to　places　of　refuge

in　dark　corners；　attested　the　desolation　of　the　rest。　　The　old　room

on　the　ground　floor　where　the　passengers　of　the　Highflyer　used　to

dine；　had　nothing　in　it　but　a　wretched　show　of　twigs　and　flower…

pots　in　the　broad　window　to　hide　the　nakedness　of　the　land；　and　in

a　corner　little　Mellows's　perambulator；　with　even　its　parasol…head

turned　despondently　to　the　wall。　　The　other　room；　where　post…horse

company　used　to　wait　while　relays　were　getting　ready　down　the　yard；

still　held　its　ground；　but　was　as　airless　as　I　conceive　a　hearse　to

be：　　insomuch　that　Mr。　Pitt；　hanging　high　against　the　partition

（with　spots　on　him　like　port　wine；　though　it　is　mysterious　how　port

wine　ever　got　squirted　up　there）；　had　good　reason　for　perking　his

nose　and　sniffing。　　The　stopperless　cruets　on　the　spindle…shanked

sideboard　were　in　a　miserably　dejected　state：　　the　anchovy　sauce

having　turned　blue　some　years　ago；　and　the　cayenne　pepper　（with　a

scoop　in　it　like　a　small　model　of　a　wooden　leg）　having　turned

solid。　　The　old　fraudulent　candles　which　were　always　being　paid　for

and　never　used；　were　burnt　out　at　last；　but　their　tall　stilts　of

candlesticks　still　lingered；　and　still　outraged　the　human　intellect

by　pretending　to　be　silver。　　The　mouldy　old　unreformed　Borough

Member；　with　his　right　hand　buttoned　up　in　the　breast　of　his　coat；

and　his　back　characteristically　turned　on　bales　of　petitions　from

his　constituents；　was　there　too；　and　the　poker　which　never　had　been

among　the　fire…irons；　lest　post…horse　company　should　overstir　the

fire；　was　NOT　there；　as　of　old。



Pursuing　my　researches　in　the　Dolphin's　Head；　I　found　it　sorely

shrunken。　　When　J。　Mellows　came　into　possession；　he　had　walled　off

half　the　bar；　which　was　now　a　tobacco…shop　with　its　own　entrance　in

the　yard　…　the　once　glorious　yard　where　the　postboys；　whip　in　hand

and　always　buttoning　their　waistcoats　at　the　last　moment；　used　to

come　running　forth　to　mount　and　away。　　A　'Scientific　Shoeing　…

Smith　and　Veterinary　Surgeon；'　had　further　encroached　upon　the

yard；　and　a　grimly　satirical　jobber；　who　announced　himself　as

having　to　Let　'A　neat　one…horse　fly；　and　a　one…horse　cart；'　had

established　his　business；　himself；　and　his　family；　in　a　part　of　the

extensive　stables。　　Another　part　was　lopped　clean　off　from　the

Dolphin's　Head；　and　now　comprised　a　chapel；　a　wheelwright's；　and　a

Young　Men's　Mutual　Improvement　and　Discussion　Society　（in　a　loft）：

the　whole　forming　a　back　lane。　　No　audacious　hand　had　plucked　down

the　vane　from　the　central　cupola　of　the　stables；　but　it　had　grown

rusty　and　stuck　at　N…Nil：　　while　the　score　or　two　of　pigeons　that

remained　true　to　their　ancestral　traditions　and　the　place；　had

collected　in　a　row　on　the　roof…ridge　of　the　only　outhouse　retained

by　the　Dolphin；　where　all　the　inside　pigeons　tried　to　push　the

outside　pigeon　off。　　This　I　accepted　as　emblematical　of　the

struggle　for　post　and　place　in　railway　times。



Sauntering　forth　into　the　town；　by　way　of　the　covered　and　pillared

entrance　to　the　Dolphin's　Yard；　once　redolent　of　soup　and　stable…

litter；　now　redolent　of　musty　disuse；　I　paced　the　street。　　It　was　a

hot　day；　and　the　little　sun…blinds　of　the　shops　were　all　drawn

down；　and　the　more　enterprising　tradesmen　had　caused　their

'Prentices　to　trickle　water　on　the　pavement　appertaining　to　their

frontage。　　It　looked　as　if　they　had　been　shedding　tears　for　the

stage…coaches；　and　drying　their　ineffectual　pocket…handkerchiefs。

Such　weakness　would　have　been　excusable；　for　business　was　…　as　one

dejected　porkman　who　kept　a　shop　which　refused　to　reciprocate　the

compliment　by　keeping　him；　informed　me　…　'bitter　bad。'　　Most　of　the

harness…makers　and　corn…dealers　were　gone　the　way　of　the　coaches；

but　it　was　a　pleasant　recognition　of　the　eternal　procession　of

Children　down　that　old　original　steep　Incline；　the　Valley　of　the

Shadow；　that　those　tradesmen　were　mostly　succeeded　by　vendors　of

sweetmeats　and　cheap　toys。　　The　opposition　house　to　the　Dolphin；

once　famous　as　the　New　White　Hart；　had　long　collapsed。　　In　a　fit　of

abject　depression；　it　had　cast　whitewash　on　its　windows；　and

boarded　up　its　front　door；　and　reduced　itself　to　a　side　entrance；

but　even　that　had　proved　a　world　too　wide　for　the　Literary

Institution　which　had　been　its　last　phase；　for　the　Institution　had

collapsed　too；　and　of　the　ambitious　letters　of　its　inscription　on

the　White　Hart's　front；　all　had　fallen　off　but　these：





L　　　　　　Y　　　INS　　　　T





…　suggestive　of　Lamentably　Insolvent。　　As　to　the　neighbouring

market…place；　it　seemed　to　have　wholly　relinquished　marketing；　to

the　dealer　in　crockery　whose　pots　and　pans　straggled　half　across

it；　and　to　the　Cheap　Jack　who　sat　with　folded　arms　on　the　shafts　of

his　cart；　superciliously　gazing　around；　his　velveteen　waistcoat；

evidently　harbouring　grave　doubts　whether　it　was　worth　his　while　to

stay　a　night　in　such　a　place。



The　church　bells　began　to　ring　as　I　left　this　spot；　but　they　by　no

means　improved　the　case；　for　they　said；　in　a　petulant　way；　and

speaking　with　some　difficulty　in　their　irritation；　WHAT'S…be…come…

of…THE…coach…ES！'　　Nor　would　they　（I　found　on　listening）　ever　vary

their　emphasis；　save　in　respect　of　growing　more　sharp　and　vexed；

but　invariably　went　on；　'WHAT'S…be…come…of…THE…coach…ES！'　…　always

beginning　the　inquiry　with　an　unpolite　abruptness。　　Perhaps　from

their　elevation　they　saw　the　railway；　and　it　aggravated　them。



Coming　upon　a　coachmaker's　workshop；　I　began　to　look　about　me　with

a　revived　spirit；　thinking　that　perchance　I　might　behold　there　some

remains　of　the　old　times　of　the　town's　greatness。　　There　was　only

one　man　at　work　…　a　dry　man；　grizzled；　and　far　advanced　in　years；

but　tall　and　upright；　who；　becoming　aware　of　me　looking　on；

straightened　his　back；　pushed　up　his　spectacles　against　his　brown…

paper　cap；　and　appeared　inclined　to　defy　me。　　To　whom　I　pacifically

said：



'Good　day；　sir！'



'What？'　said　he。



'Good　day；　sir。'



He　seemed　to　consider　about　that；　and　not　to　agree　with　me。　…　'Was

you　a　looking　for　anything？'　he　then　asked；　in　a　pointed　manner。



'I　was　wondering　whether　there　happened　to　be　any　fragment　of　an

old　stage…coach　here。'



'Is　that　all？'



'That's　all。'



'No；　there　ain't。'



It　was　now　my　turn　to　say　'Oh！'　and　I　said　it。　　Not　another　word

did　the　dry　and　grizzled　man　say；　but　bent　to　his　work　again。　　In

the　coach…making　days；　the　coach…painters　had　tried　their　brushes

on　a　post　beside　him；　and　quite　a　Calendar　of　departed　glories　was

to　be　read　upon　it；　in　blue　and　yellow　and　red　and　green；　some

inches　thick。　　Presently　he　looked　up　again。



'You　seem　to　have　a　deal　of　time　on　your　hands；'　was　his　querulous

remark。



I　admitted　the　fact。



'I　think　it's　a　pity　you　was　not　brought　up　to　something；'　said　he。



I　said　I　thought　so　too。



Appearing　to　be　informed　with　an　idea；　he　laid　down　his　plane　（for

it　was　a　plane　he　was　at　work　with）；　pushed　up　his　spectacles

again；　and　came　to　the　door。



'Would　a　po…shay　do　for　you？'　he　asked。



'I　am　not　sure　that　I　understand　what　you　mean。'



'Would　a　po…shay；'　said　the　coachmaker；　standing　close　before　me；

and　folding　his　arms　in　the　manner　of　a　cross…examining　counsel　…

'would　a　po…shay　meet　the　views　you　have　expressed？　　Yes；　or　no？'



'Yes。'



'Then　you　keep　straight　along　down　there　till　you　see　one。　　YOU'LL

see　one　if　you　go　fur　enough。'



With　that；　he　turned　me　by　the　shoulder　in　the　direction　I　was　to

take；　and　went　in　and　resumed　his　work　against　a　background　of

leaves　and　grapes。　　For；　although　he　was　a　soured　man　and　a

discontented；　his　workshop　was　that　agreeable　mixture　of　town　and

country；　street　and　garden；　which　is　often　to　be　seen　in　a　small

English　town。



I　went　the　way　he　had　turned　me；　and　I　came　to　the　Beer…shop　with

the　sign　of　The　First　and　Last；　and　was　out　of　the　town　on　the　old

London　road。　　I　came　to　the　Turnpike；　and　I　found　it；　in　its　silent

way；　eloquent　respecting　the　change　that　had　fallen　on　the　road。

The　Turnpike…house　was　all　overgrown　with　ivy；　and　the　Turnpike…

keeper；　unable　to　get　a　living　out　of　the　tolls；　plied　the　trade　of

a　cobbler。　　Not　only　that；　but　his　wife　sold　ginger…beer；　and；　in

the　very　window　of　espial　through　which　the　Toll…takers　of　old

times　used　with　awe　to　behold　the　grand　London　coaches　coming　on　at

a　gallop；　exhibited　for　sale　little　barber's…poles　of　sweetstuff　in

a　sticky　lantern。



The　political　economy　of　the　master　of　the　turnpike　thus　expressed

itself。



'How　goes　turnpike　business；　master？'　said　I　to　him；　as　he　sat　in

his　little　porch；　repairing　a　shoe。



'It　don't　go　at　all；　master；'　said　he　to　me。　　'It's　stopped。'



'That's　bad；'　said　I。



'Bad？'　he　repeated。　　And　he　pointed　to　one　of　his　sunburnt　dusty

children　who　was　climbing　the　turnpike…gate；　and　said；　extending

his　open　right　hand　in　remonstrance　with　Universal　Nature。　　'Five

on　'em！'



'But　how　to　improve　Turnpike　business？'　said　I。



'There's　a　way；　master；'　said　he；　with　the　air　of　one　who　had

thought　deeply　on　the　subject。



'I　should　like　to　know　it。'



'Lay　a　toll　on　everything　as　comes　through；　lay　a　toll　on　walkers。

Lay　another　toll　on　everything　as　don't　come　through；　lay　a　toll　on

them　as　stops　at　home。'



'Would　the　last　remedy　be　fair？'



'Fair？　　Them　as　stops　at　home；　could　come　through　if　they　liked；

couldn't　they？'



'Say　they　could。'



'Toll　'em。　　If　they　don't　come　through；　it's　THEIR　look　out。

Anyways；　…　Toll　'em！'



Finding　it　was　as　impossible　to　argue　with　this　financial　genius　as

if　he　had　been　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　and　consequently　the

right　man　in　the　right　place；　I　passed　on　meekly。



My　mind　now　began　to　misgive　me　that　the　disappointed　coach…maker

had　sent　me　on　a　wild…goose　errand；　and　that　there　was　no　post…

chaise　in　those　parts。　　But　coming　within　view　of　certain

allotment…gardens　by　the　roadside；　I　retracted　the　suspicion；　and

confessed　that　I　had　done　him　an　injustice。　　For；　there　I　saw；

surely；　the　poorest　superannuated　post…chaise　left　on　earth。



It　was　a　post…chaise　taken　off　its　axletree　and　wheels；　and　plumped

down　on　the　clayey　soil　among　a　ragged　growth　of　vegetables。　　It

was　a　post…chaise　not　even　set　straight　upon　the　ground；　but　tilted

over；　as　if　it　had　fallen　out　of　a　balloon。　　It　was　a　post…chaise

that　had　been　a　long　time　in　those　decayed　circumstances；　and

against　which　scarlet　beans　were　trained。　　It　was　a　post…chaise

patche