an inland voyage-第3章

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rns　of　life。　　I　may　have　　a　wrong　idea　of　wisdom；　but　I　think　that　was　a　very　wise　remark。　　　People　connected　with　literature　and　philosophy　are　busy　all　their　　days　in　getting　rid　of　second…hand　notions　and　false　standards。　　It　　is　their　profession；　in　the　sweat　of　their　brows；　by　dogged　　thinking；　to　recover　their　old　fresh　view　of　life；　and　distinguish　　what　they　really　and　originally　like；　from　what　they　have　only　　learned　to　tolerate　perforce。　　And　these　Royal　Nautical　Sportsmen　　had　the　distinction　still　quite　legible　in　their　hearts。　　They　had　　still　those　clean　perceptions　of　what　is　nice　and　nasty；　what　is　　interesting　and　what　is　dull；　which　envious　old　gentlemen　refer　to　　as　illusions。　　The　nightmare　illusion　of　middle　age；　the　bear's　hug　　of　custom　gradually　squeezing　the　life　out　of　a　man's　soul；　had　not　　yet　begun　for　these　happy…starred　young　Belgians。　　They　still　knew　　that　the　interest　they　took　in　their　business　was　a　trifling　affair　　compared　to　their　spontaneous；　long…suffering　affection　for　　nautical　sports。　　To　know　what　you　prefer；　instead　of　humbly　saying　　Amen　to　what　the　world　tells　you　you　ought　to　prefer；　is　to　have　　kept　your　soul　alive。　　Such　a　man　may　be　generous；　he　may　be　honest　　in　something　more　than　the　commercial　sense；　he　may　love　his　　friends　with　an　elective；　personal　sympathy；　and　not　accept　them　as　　an　adjunct　of　the　station　to　which　he　has　been　called。　　He　may　be　a　　man；　in　short；　acting　on　his　own　instincts；　keeping　in　his　own　　shape　that　God　made　him　in；　and　not　a　mere　crank　in　the　social　　engine…house；　welded　on　principles　that　he　does　not　understand；　and　　for　purposes　that　he　does　not　care　for。

For　will　any　one　dare　to　tell　me　that　business　is　more　entertaining　　than　fooling　among　boats？　　He　must　have　never　seen　a　boat；　or　never　　seen　an　office；　who　says　so。　　And　for　certain　the　one　is　a　great　　deal　better　for　the　health。　　There　should　be　nothing　so　much　a　　man's　business　as　his　amusements。　　Nothing　but　money…grubbing　can　　be　put　forward　to　the　contrary；　no　one　but

Mammon；　the　least　erected　spirit　that　fell　From　Heaven；


durst　risk　a　word　in　answer。　　It　is　but　a　lying　cant　that　would　　represent　the　merchant　and　the　banker　as　people　disinterestedly　　toiling　for　mankind；　and　then　most　useful　when　they　are　most　　absorbed　in　their　transactions；　for　the　man　is　more　important　than　　his　services。　　And　when　my　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman　shall　have　so　　far　fallen　from　his　hopeful　youth　that　he　cannot　pluck　up　an　　enthusiasm　over　anything　but　his　ledger；　I　venture　to　doubt　whether　　he　will　be　near　so　nice　a　fellow；　and　whether　he　would　welcome；　　with　so　good　a　grace；　a　couple　of　drenched　Englishmen　paddling　into　　Brussels　in　the　dusk。

When　we　had　changed　our　wet　clothes　and　drunk　a　glass　of　pale　ale　　to　the　Club's　prosperity；　one　of　their　number　escorted　us　to　an　　hotel。　　He　would　not　join　us　at　our　dinner；　but　he　had　no　objection　　to　a　glass　of　wine。　　Enthusiasm　is　very　wearing；　and　I　begin　to　　understand　why　prophets　were　unpopular　in　Judaea；　where　they　were　　best　known。　　For　three　stricken　hours　did　this　excellent　young　man　　sit　beside　us　to　dilate　on　boats　and　boat…races；　and　before　he　　left；　he　was　kind　enough　to　order　our　bedroom　candles。

We　endeavoured　now　and　again　to　change　the　subject；　but　the　　diversion　did　not　last　a　moment：　　the　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman　　bridled；　shied；　answered　the　question；　and　then　breasted　once　more　　into　the　swelling　tide　of　his　subject。　　I　call　it　his　subject；　but　　I　think　it　was　he　who　was　subjected。　　The　ARETHUSA；　who　holds　all　　racing　as　a　creature　of　the　devil；　found　himself　in　a　pitiful　　dilemma。　　He　durst　not　own　his　ignorance　for　the　honour　of　Old　　England；　and　spoke　away　about　English　clubs　and　English　oarsmen　　whose　fame　had　never　before　come　to　his　ears。　　Several　times；　and；　　once　above　all；　on　the　question　of　sliding…seats；　he　was　within　an　　ace　of　exposure。　　As　for　the　CIGARETTE；　who　has　rowed　races　in　the　　heat　of　his　blood；　but　now　disowns　these　slips　of　his　wanton　youth；　　his　case　was　still　more　desperate；　for　the　Royal　Nautical　proposed　　that　he　should　take　an　oar　in　one　of　their　eights　on　the　morrow；　to　　compare　the　English　with　the　Belgian　stroke。　　I　could　see　my　friend　　perspiring　in　his　chair　whenever　that　particular　topic　came　up。　　　And　there　was　yet　another　proposal　which　had　the　same　effect　on　　both　of　us。　　It　appeared　that　the　champion　canoeist　of　Europe　（as　　well　as　most　other　champions）　was　a　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman。　　And　　if　we　would　only　wait　until　the　Sunday；　this　infernal　paddler　would　　be　so　condescending　as　to　accompany　us　on　our　next　stage。　　Neither　　of　us　had　the　least　desire　to　drive　the　coursers　of　the　sun　against　　Apollo。

When　the　young　man　was　gone；　we　countermanded　our　candles；　and　　ordered　some　brandy　and　water。　　The　great　billows　had　gone　over　our　　head。　　The　Royal　Nautical　Sportsmen　were　as　nice　young　fellows　as　a　　man　would　wish　to　see；　but　they　were　a　trifle　too　young　and　a　　thought　too　nautical　for　us。　　We　began　to　see　that　we　were　old　and　　cynical；　we　liked　ease　and　the　agreeable　rambling　of　the　human　mind　　about　this　and　the　other　subject；　we　did　not　want　to　disgrace　our　　native　land　by　messing　an　eight；　or　toiling　pitifully　in　the　wake　　of　the　champion　canoeist。　　In　short；　we　had　recourse　to　flight。　　It　　seemed　ungrateful；　but　we　tried　to　make　that　good　on　a　card　loaded　　with　sincere　compliments。　　And　indeed　it　was　no　time　for　scruples；　　we　seemed　to　feel　the　hot　breath　of　the　champion　on　our　necks。



AT　MAUBEUGE



PARTLY　from　the　terror　we　had　of　our　good　friends　the　Royal　　Nauticals；　partly　from　the　fact　that　there　were　no　fewer　than　　fifty…five　locks　between　Brussels　and　Charleroi；　we　concluded　that　　we　should　travel　by　train　across　the　frontier；　boats　and　all。　　　Fifty…five　locks　in　a　day's　journey　was　pretty　well　tantamount　to　　trudging　the　whole　distance　on　foot；　with　the　canoes　upon　our　　shoulders；　an　object　of　astonishment　to　the　trees　on　the　canal　　side；　and　of　honest　derision　to　all　right…thinking　children。

To　pass　the　frontier；　even　in　a　train；　is　a　difficult　matter　for　　the　ARETHUSA。　　He　is　somehow　or　other　a　marked　man　for　the　official　　eye。　　Wherever　he　journeys；　there　are　the　officers　gathered　　together。　　Treaties　are　solemnly　signed；　foreign　ministers；　　ambassadors；　and　consuls　sit　throned　in　state　from　China　to　Peru；　　and　the　Union　Jack　flutters　on　all　the　winds　of　heaven。　　Under　　these　safeguards；　portly　clergymen；　school…mistresses；　gentlemen　in　　grey　tweed　suits；　and　all　the　ruck　and　rabble　of　British　touristry　　pour　unhindered；　MURRAY　in　hand；　over　the　railways　of　the　　Continent；　and　yet　the　slim　person　of　the　ARETHUSA　is　taken　in　the　　meshes；　while　these　great　fish　go　on　their　way　rejoicing。　　If　he　　travels　without　a　passport；　he　is　cast；　without　any　figure　about　　the　matter；　into　noisome　dungeons：　　if　his　papers　are　in　order；　he　　is　suffered　to　go　his　way　indeed；　but　not　until　he　has　been　　humiliated　by　a　general　incredulity。　　He　is　a　born　British　subject；　　yet　he　has　never　succeeded　in　persuading　a　single　official　of　his　　nationality。　　He　flatters　himself　he　is　indifferent　honest；　yet　he　　is　rarely　taken　for　anything　better　than　a　spy；　and　there　is　no　　absurd　and　disreputable　means　of　livelihood　but　has　been　attributed　　to　him　in　some　heat　of　official　or　popular　distrust。　。　。　。

For　the　life　of　me　I　cannot　understand　it。　　I　too　have　been　knolled　　to　church；　and　sat　at　good　men's　feasts；　but　I　bear　no　mark　of　it。　　　I　am　as　strange　as　a　Jack　Indian　to　their　official　spectacles。　　I　　might　come　from　any　part　of　the　globe；　it　seems；　except　from　where　　I　do。　　My　ancestors　have　laboured　in　vain；　and　the　glorious　　Constitution　cannot　protect　me　in　my　walks　abroad。　　It　is　a　great　　thing；　believe　me；　to　present　a　good　normal　type　of　the　nation　you　　belong　to。

Nobody　else　was　asked　for　his　papers　on　the　way　to　Maubeuge；　but　I　　was；　and　although　I　clung　to　my　rights；　I　had　to　choose　at　last　　between　accepting　the　humiliation　and　being　left　behind　by　the　　train。　　I　was　sorry　to　give　way；　but　I　wanted　to　get　to　Maubeuge。

Maubeuge　is　a　fortified　town；　with　a　very　good　inn；　the　GRAND　CERF。　　　It　seemed　to　be　inhabited　principally　by　soldiers　and　bagmen；　at　　least；　these　were　all　that　we　saw；　except　the　hotel　servants。　　We　　had　to　stay　there　some　time；　for　the　canoes　were　in　no　hurry　to　　follow　us；　and　at　last　stuck　hopelessly　in　the　custom…house　until　　we　went　back　to　liberate　them。　　There　was　nothing　to　do；　nothing　to　　see。　　We　had　good　meals；　which　was　a　great　matter；　but　that　was　　all。

The　CIGARETTE　was　nearly　taken　up　upon　a　charge　of　drawing　the　　fortifications：　　a　feat　of　which　he　was　hopelessly　incapable。　　And　　besides；　as　I　suppose　each　belligerent　nation　has　a　plan　of　the　　other's　fortified　places　already；　these　precautions　are　of　the　　nature　of　shutting　the　stable　door　after　the　steed　is　away。　　But　I　　have　no　doubt　they　help　to　keep　up　a　good　spirit　at　home。　　It　is　a　　great　thing　if　you　can　persuade　people　that　they　are　somehow　or　　other　partakers　in　a　mystery。　　It　makes　them　feel　bigger。　　Even　the　　Freemasons；　who　have　been　shown　up　to　satiety；　preserve　a　kind　of　　pride；　and　not　a　grocer　among　them；　however　honest；　harmless；　and　　empty…headed　he　may　feel　himself　to　be　at　bottom；　but　comes　home　　from　one　of　their　COENACULA　with　a　portentous　significance　for　　himself。

It　is　an　odd　thing；　how　happily　two　people；　if　there　are　two；　can　　live　in　a　place　where　they　have　no　acquaintance。　　I　think　the　　spectacle　of　a　whole　life　in　which　you　have　no　part　paralyses　　personal　desire。　　You　are　content　to　become　a　mere　spectator。　　The　　baker　stands　in　his　door；　the　colonel　with　his　three　medals　goes　by　　to　the　CAFE　at　night；　the　troops　drum　and　trumpet　and　man　the　　ramparts；　as　bold　as　so　many　lions。　　It　would　task　language　to　say　　how　placidly　you　behold　all　this。　　In　a　place　where　you　have　taken　　some　root；　you　are　provoked　out　of　your　indifference；　you　have　a　　hand　in　the　game；　your　friends　are　fighting　with　the　army。　　But　in　　a　strange　town；　not　small　enough　to　grow　too　soon　familiar；　nor　so　　large　as　to　have　laid　itself　out　for　travellers；　you　stand　so　far　　apart　from　the　business；　that　you　positively　forget　it　would　be　　possible　to　go　nearer；　you　have　so　little　human　interest　around　　you；　that　you　do　not　remember　yourself　to　be　a　man。　　Perhaps；　in　a　　very　short　time；　you　would　be　one　no　longer。　　Gymnosophists　go　into　　a　wood；　with　all　nature　seething　around　them；　with　romance　on　every　　side；　it　would　be　much　more　to　the　purpose　if　they　took　up　their　　abode　in　a　dull　country　town；　where　they　should　see　just　so　much　of　　humanity　as　to　keep　them　from　desiring　more；　and　only　the　stale　　externals　of　man's　life。　　These　externals　are　as　dead　to　us　as　so　　many　formalities；　and　speak　a　dead　language　in　our　eyes　and　ears。　　　They　have　no　more　meaning　than　an　oath　or　a　salutation。　　We　are　so　　much　accustomed　to　see　married　couples　going　to　church　of　a　Sunday　　that　we　have　clean　forgotten　what　they　represent；　and　novelists　are　　driven　to　rehabilitate　adultery；　no　less；　when　they　wish　to　show　us　　what　a　beautiful　thing　it　is　for　a　man　and　a　woman　to　live　for　each　　other。

One　person　in　Maubeuge；　however；　showed　me　something　more　than　his　　outside。　　That　was　the　driver　of　the　hotel　omnib