personal memoirs-2-第50章

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household。　　However；　the　Grand　Vizier　brought　me　many　messages　of

welcome；　and　arranged　that　I　should　be　permitted　to　see　and　salute

his　Serene　Highness　on　the　Esplanade　as　he　rode　by　on　horseback　to

the　mosque。



So；　the　second　day　after　arrival；　the　Grand　Vizier　drove　me　in　a

barouche　to　the　Esplanade；　where　we　took　station　about　midway　of　its

length　an　hour　or　so　before　the　Sultan　was　to　appear。　　Shortly　after

we　reached　the　Esplanade；　carriages　occupied　by　the　women　of　the

Sultan's　harem　began　to　appear；　coming　out　from　the　palace　grounds

and　driving　up　and　down　the　roadway。　　Only　a　few　of　the　women　were

closely　veiled；　a　majority　of　them　wearing　an　apology　for　veiling；

merely　a　strip　of　white　lace　covering　the　forehead　down　to　the

eyebrows。　　Some　were　yellow；　and　some　white…types　of　the　Mongolian

and　Caucasian　races。　　Now　and　then　a　pretty　face　was　seen；　rarely　a

beautiful　one。　　Many　were　plump；　even　to　corpulence；　and　these　were

the　closest　veiled；　being　considered　the　greatest　beauties　I　presume；

since　with　the　Turk　obesity　is　the　chief　element　of　comeliness。　　As

the　carriages　passed　along　in　review；　every　now　and　then　an　occupant；

unable　or　unwilling　to　repress　her　natural　promptings；　would　indulge

in　a　mild　flirtation；　making　overtures　by　casting　demure　side…

glances；　throwing　us　coquettish　kisses；　or　waving　strings　of　amber

beads　with　significant　gestures；　seeming　to　say：　〃Why　don't　you

follow？〃　　But　this　we　could　not　do　if　we　would；　for　the　Esplanade

throughout　its　entire　length　was　lined　with　soldiers；　put　there

especially　to　guard　the　harem　first；　and　later；　the　Sultan　on　his

pilgrimage　to　the　mosque。



But　as　it　was　now　time　for　His　Serene　Highness　to　make　his　appearance

the　carriages　containing　his　wives　drove　off　into　the　palace　grounds；

which　were　inclosed　by　a　high　wall；　leaving　the　Esplanade　wholly

unencumbered　except　by　the　soldiers。　　Down　between　the　two　ranks；

which　were　formed　facing　each　other；　came　the　Sultan　on　a　white

steeda　beautiful　Arabianand　having　at　his　side　his　son；　a　boy

about　ten　or　twelve　years　old；　who　was　riding　a　pony；　a　diminutive

copy　of　his　father's　mount；　the　two　attended　by　a　numerous　body…

guard；　dressed　in　gorgeous　Oriental　uniforms。　　As　the　procession

passed　our　carriage；　I；　as　pre…arranged；　stood　up　and　took　off　my

hat；　His　Serene　Highness　promptly　acknowledging　the　salute　by　raising

his　hand　to　the　forehead。　　This　was　all　I　saw　of　him；　yet　I　received

every　kindness　at　his　hands；　being　permitted　to　see　many　of　his

troops；　to　inspect　all　the　ordnance；　equipment；　and　other　military

establishments　about　Constantinople；　and　to　meet　numbers　of　the　high

functionaries　of　the　Empire。



Among　other　compliments　tendered　through　his　direction；　and　which　I

gladly　accepted；　was　a　review　of　all　the　troops　then　in　Stamboul…

about　6；000comprising　infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery。



They　were　as　fine　looking　a　body　of　soldiers　as　I　ever　sawwell

armed　and　well　clothed；　the　men　all　large　and　of　sturdy　appearance。



After　the　review　we　attended　a　grand　military　dinner　given　by　the

Grand　Vizier。　　At　the　hour　set　for　this　banquet　we　presented

ourselves　at　the　palace　of　the　Grand　Vizier；　and　being　ushered　into　a

large　drawing…room；　found　already　assembled　there　the　guests　invited

to　meet　us。　　Some　few　spoke　French；　and　with　these　we　managed　to

exchange　an　occasional　remark；　but　as　the　greater　number　stood　about

in　silence；　the　affair；　thus　far；　was　undeniably　a　little　stiff。

Just　before　the　dinner　was　announced；　all　the　Turkish　officers　went

into　an　adjoining　room；　and　turning　their　faces　to　the　east；

prostrated　themselves　to　the　floor　in　prayer。　　Then　we　were　all

conducted　to　a　large　salon；　where　each　being　provided　with　a　silver

ewer　and　basin；　a　little　ball　of　highly　perfumed　soap　and　a　napkin；

set　out　on　small　tables；　each　guest　washed　his　hands。　　Adjacent　to

this　salon　was　the　dining…room；　or；　rather；　the　banqueting　room；　a

very　large　and　artistically　frescoed　hall；　in　the　centre　of　which

stood　a　crescent…shaped　table；　lighted　with　beautiful　silver

candelabra；　and　tastefully　decorated　with　flowers　and　fruits。　　The

viands　were　all　excellent；　cooked；　evidently；　by　a　French　chef；　and

full　justice　was　done　the　dishes；　especially　by　the　Turks；　who；　of

course；　had　been　fasting　all　day。



At　the　close　of　the　banquet；　which　consisted　of　not　less　than　fifteen

courses；　we　withdrew　to　a　smoking…room；　where　the　coffee　was　served

and　cigarettes　and　chibouks　offered　usthe　latter　a　pipe　having　a

long　flexible　stem　with　an　amber　mouthpiece。　　I　chose　the　chibouk；

and　as　the　stem　of　mine　was　studded　with　precious　stones　of　enormous

value；　I　thought　I　should　enjoy　it　the　more；　but　the　tobacco　being

highly　flavored　with　some　sort　of　herbs；　my　smoke　fell　far　short　of

my　anticipations。　　The　coffee　was　delicious；　however；　and　I　found

this　to　be　the　case　wherever　I　went　in　Constantinople；　whether　in

making　calls　or　at　dinner；　the　custom　of　offering　coffee　and　tobacco

on　these　occasions　being　universal。



The　temptations　to　linger　at　Constantinople　were　many　indeed；　not　the

least　being　the　delightful　climate；　and　as　time　pressed；　we　set　out

with　much　regret　on　the　return　journey；　stopping　a　few　days　at

Athens；　whence　we　made　several　short　excursions　into　the　interior。

King　George　and　Queen　Olga　made　our　stay　in　Athens　one　of　extreme

interest　and　exceeding　pleasure。　　Throwing　aside　all　ceremony；　they

breakfasted　and　dined　us　informally；　gave　us　a　fine　ball；　and　in

addition　to　these　hospitalities　showed　us　much　personal　attention；

his　Majesty　even　calling　upon　me；　and　the　Queen　sending　her　children

to　see　us　at　our　hotel。



Of　course　we　visited　all　that　remained　of　the　city's　ancient

civilizationthe　Acropolis；　temples；　baths；　towers；　and　the　like；

nor　did　we　oinit　to　view　the　spot　where　St。　Paul　once　instructed　the

Athenians　in　lessons　of　Christianity。　　We　traveled　some　little

through　the　country　districts　outside　of　Athens；　and　I　noticed　that

the　peasantry；　in　point　of　picturesqueness　of　dress　and　color　of

complexion；　were　not　unlike　the　gypsies　we　see　at　times　in　America。

They　had　also　much　of　the　same　shrewdness；　and；　as　far　as　I　could

learn；　were　generally　wholly　uneducated；　ignorant；　indeed；　except　as

to　one　subjectpoliticswhich　I　was　told　came　to　them　intuitively；

they　taking　to　it；　and　a　scramble　for　office；　as　naturally　as　a　duck

to　water。　　In　fact；　this　common　faculty　for　politics　seems　a

connecting　link　between　the　ancient　and　modern　Greek。



Leaving　Athens　with　the　pleasantest　recollections；　we　sailed　for

Messina；　Sicily；　and　from　there　went　to　Naples；　where　we　found　many

old　friends；　among　them　Mr。　Buchanan　Reed；　the　artist　and　poet；　and

Miss　Brewster；　as　well　as　a　score　or　more　of　others　of　our

countrymen；　then　or　since　distinguished；　in　art　and　letters　at　home

and　abroad。　　We　remained　some　days　in　Naples；　and　during　the　time

went　to　Pompeii　to　witness　a　special　excavation　among　the　ruins　of

the　buried　city；　which　search　was　instituted　on　account　of　our　visit。

A　number　of　ancient　household　articles　were　dug　up；　and　one；　a　terra

cotta　lamp　bearing　upon　its　crown　in　bas…relief　the　legend　of　〃Leda

and　the　Swan；〃　was　presented　to　me　as　a　souvenir　of　the　occasion；

though　it　is　usual　for　the　Government　to　place　in　its　museums

everything　of　such　value　that　is　unearthed。



》From　Naples　to　Rome　by　rail　was　our　next　journey。　　In　the　Eternal

City　we　saw　picture…galleries；　churches；　and　ruins　in　plenty；　but　all

these　have　been　so　well　described　by　hundreds　of　other　travelers　that

I　shall　not　linger　even　to　name　them。　　While　at　Rome　we　also

witnessed　an　overflow　of　the　Tiber；　that　caused　great　suffering　and

destroyed　much　property。　　The　next　stage　of　our　tour　took　us　to

Venice；　then　to　Florencethe　capital　of　Italyfor　although　the

troops　of　the　King　of　Italy　had　taken　possession　of　Rome　the

preceding　September；　the　Government　itself　had　not　yet　removed

thither。



At　Florence；　our　Minister；　Mr。　Marsh；　though　suffering　with　a　lame

foot；　took　me　in　charge；　and　in　due　course　of　time　I　was　presented　to

King　Victor…Emmanuel。　　His　Majesty　received　me　informally　at　his

palace　in　a　small；　stuffy　roomhis　office；　no　doubtand　an　untidy

one　it　was　too。　　He　wore　a　loose　blouse　and　very　baggy　trousers；　a

comfortable　suit；　certainly；　but　not　at　all　conducing　to　an　ideal

kingliness　of　appearance。



His　Majesty's　hobby　was　hunting；　and　no　sooner　had　I　made　my　bow　than

he　began　a　conversation　on　that　subject；　thrusting　his　hands　nearly

up　to　the　elbows　into　the　pockets　of　his　trousers。　　He　desired　to

learn　about　the　large　game　of　America；　particularly　the　buffalo；　and

when　I　spoke　of　the　herds　of　thousands　and　thousands　I　had　seen　on

the　plains　of　western　Kansas；　he　interrupted　me　to　bemoan　the　fate

which　kept　him　from　visiting　America　to　hunt；　even　going　so　far　as　to

say　that　〃he　didn't　wish　to　be　King　of　Italy；　anyhow；　but　would　much

prefer　to　pass　his　days　hunting　than　be　bedeviled　with　the　cares　of

state。〃　On　one　of　his　estates；　near　Pisa；　he　had　several　large　herds

of　deer；　many　wild　boars；　and　a　great　deal　of　other　game。　Of　this

preserve　he　was　very　proud；　and　before　we　separated　invited　me　to　go

down　there　to　shoot　deer；　adding　that　he　would　be　there　himself　if　he

could；　but　feared　that　a　trip　which　he　had　to　take　to　Milan　would

interfere；　though　he　wished　me　to　go　in　any　event。



I　gladly　accepted　the　invitation；　and　in　two　or　three　days　was

notified　when　I　would　be　expected　at　the　estate。　　At　the　designated

time　I　was　escorted　to　Pisa　by　an　aide…de…camp；　and　from　there　we

drove　the　few　miles　to　the　King's　chateau；　where　we　fortified

ourselves　for　the　work　in　hand　by　an　elaborate　and　toothsome

breakfast　of　about　ten　courses。　　Then　in　a　carriage　we　set　out　for

the　King's　stand　in　the　hunting…grounds；　accompanied　by　a　crowd　of

mounted　game…keepers；　who　with　great　difficulty　controlled　the　pack

of　sixty　or　seventy　hounds；　the　dogs　and　keepers　together　almost

driving　me　to　distraction　with　their　yelping　and　yelling。　　On

reaching　the　stand；　I　was　posted　within　about　twenty'　yards　of　a

long；　high　picket…fence；　facing　the　fence　and　covered　by　two　trees

very　close　together。　　It　was　from　behind　these　that　the　King　usually

shot；　and　as　I　was　provided　with　a　double…barreled　shot…gun；　I

thought　I　could　do　well；　especially　since　close　in　rear　of　me　stood

two　game…keepers　to　load　and　hand　me　a　second　gun　when　the　first　was

emptied。



Meantime　the　huntsmen　and　the　hounds　had　made　a　circuit　of　the　park

to　drive　up　the　game。　　The　yelps　of　the　hounds　drawing　near；　I

cautiously　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　and　the　next　moment

saw　a　herd　of　deer　close　in　to　the　fence；　and　coming　down　at　full

speed。　　Without　a　miss；　I　shot　the　four　leading　ones　as　they　tried

to　run　the　gauntlet；　for　in　passing　between　the　stand　and　the　fence；

the　innocent