《【英文文学】从康希尔到大开罗 Notes of a Journey From Cornhill to Grand Cairo.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《【英文文学】从康希尔到大开罗 Notes of a Journey From Cornhill to Grand Cairo.docx（103页珍藏版）》请在taowenge.com淘文阁网|工程机械CAD图纸|机械工程制图|CAD装配图下载|SolidWorks_CaTia_CAD_UG_PROE_设计图分享下载上搜索。
1、【英文文学】从康希尔到大开罗 Notes of a Journey From Cornhill to Grand CairoAfter a voyage, during which the captain of the ship has displayed uncommon courage, seamanship, affability, or other good qualities, grateful passengers often present him with a token of their esteem, in the shape of teapots, tankards, t
2、rays, &c. of precious metal. Among authors, however, bullion is a much rarer commodity than paper, whereof I beg you to accept a little in the shape of this small volume. It contains a few notes of a voyage which your skill and kindness rendered doubly pleasant; and of which I dont think there is an
3、y recollection more agreeable than that it was the occasion of making your friendship.If the noble Company in whose service you command (and whose fleet alone makes them a third-rate maritime power in Europe) should appoint a few admirals in their navy, I hope to hear that your flag is hoisted on bo
4、ard one of the grandest of their steamers. But, I trust, even there you will not forget the “Iberia,” and the delightful Mediterranean cruise we had in her in the Autumn of 1844.Most faithfully yours,My dear Lewis,W. M. THACKERAY.LONDON: December 24, 1845.PrefaceOn the 20th of August, 1844, the writ
5、er of this little book went to dine at the Club, quite unconscious of the wonderful events which Fate had in store for him.Mr. William was there, giving a farewell dinner to his friend Mr. James (now Sir James). These two asked Mr. Titmarsh to join company with them, and the conversation naturally f
6、ell upon the tour Mr. James was about to take. The Peninsular and Oriental Company had arranged an excursion in the Mediterranean, by which, in the space of a couple of months, as many men and cities were to be seen as Ulysses surveyed and noted in ten years. Malta, Athens, Smyrna, Constantinople, J
7、erusalem, Cairo were to be visited, and everybody was to be back in London by Lord Mayors Day.The idea of beholding these famous places inflamed Mr. Titmarshs mind; and the charms of such a journey were eloquently impressed upon him by Mr. James. “Come,” said that kind and hospitable gentleman, “and
8、 make one of my family party; in all your life you will never probably have a chance again to see so much in so short a time. Consider it is as easy as a journey to Paris or to Baden.” Mr. Titmarsh considered all these things; but also the difficulties of the situation: he had but six-and-thirty hou
9、rs to get ready for so portentous a journey he had engagements at home finally, could he afford it? In spite of these objections, however, with every glass of claret the enthusiasm somehow rose, and the difficulties vanished.But when Mr. James, to crown all, said he had no doubt that his friends, th
10、e Directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, would make Mr. Titmarsh the present of a berth for the voyage, all objections ceased on his part: to break his outstanding engagements to write letters to his amazed family, stating that they were not to expect him at dinner on Saturday fortnight,
11、as he would be at Jerusalem on that day to purchase eighteen shirts and lay in a sea stock of Russia ducks was the work of four-and-twenty hours; and on the 22nd of August, the “Lady Mary Wood” was sailing from Southampton with the “subject of the present memoir,” quite astonished to find himself on
12、e of the passengers on board.These important statements are made partly to convince some incredulous friends who insist still that the writer never went abroad at all, and wrote the following pages, out of pure fancy, in retirement at Putney; but mainly, to give him an opportunity of thanking the Di
13、rectors of the Company in question for a delightful excursion.It was one so easy, so charming, and I think profitable it leaves such a store of pleasant recollections for after days and creates so many new sources of interest (a newspaper letter from Beyrout, or Malta, or Algiers, has twice the inte
14、rest now that it had formerly) that I cant but recommend all persons who have time and means to make a similar journey vacation idlers to extend their travels and pursue it: above all, young well-educated men entering life, to take this course, we will say, after that at college; and, having their b
15、ook-learning fresh in their minds, see the living people and their cities, and the actual aspect of Nature, along the famous shores of the Mediterranean.Chapter 1 VigoThe sun brought all the sick people out of their berths this morning, and the indescribable moans and noises which had been issuing f
16、rom behind the fine painted doors on each side of the cabin happily ceased. Long before sunrise, I had the good fortune to discover that it was no longer necessary to maintain the horizontal posture, and, the very instant this truth was apparent, came on deck, at two oclock in the morning, to see a
17、noble full moon sinking westward, and millions of the most brilliant stars shining overhead. The night was so serenely pure, that you saw them in magnificent airy perspective; the blue sky around and over them, and other more distant orbs sparkling above, till they glittered away faintly into the im
18、measurable distance. The ship went rolling over a heavy, sweltering, calm sea. The breeze was a warm and soft one; quite different to the rigid air we had left behind us, two days since, off the Isle of Wight. The bell kept tolling its half-hours, and the mate explained the mystery of watch and dog-
19、watch.The sight of that noble scene cured all the woes and discomfitures of sea-sickness at once, and if there were any need to communicate such secrets to the public, one might tell of much more good that the pleasant morning-watch effected; but there are a set of emotions about which a man had bes
20、t be shy of talking lightly and the feelings excited by contemplating this vast, magnificent, harmonious Nature are among these. The view of it inspires a delight and ecstasy which is not only hard to describe, but which has something secret in it that a man should not utter loudly. Hope, memory, hu
21、mility, tender yearnings towards dear friends, and inexpressible love and reverence towards the Power which created the infinite universe blazing above eternally, and the vast ocean shining and rolling around fill the heart with a solemn humble happiness, that a person dwelling in a city has rarely
22、occasion to enjoy. They are coming away from London parties at this time: the dear little eyes are closed in sleep under mothers wing. How far off city cares and pleasures appear to be! how small and mean they seem, dwindling out of sight before this magnificent brightness of Nature! But the best th
23、oughts only grow and strengthen under it. Heaven shines above, and the humble spirit looks up reverently towards that boundless aspect of wisdom and beauty. You are at home, and with all at rest there, however far away they may be; and through the distance the heart broods over them, bright and wake
24、ful like yonder peaceful stars overhead.The day was as fine and calm as the night; at seven bells, suddenly a bell began to toll very much like that of a country church, and on going on deck we found an awning raised, a desk with a flag flung over it close to the compass, and the ships company and p
25、assengers assembled there to hear the Captain read the Service in a manly respectful voice. This, too, was a novel and touching sight to me. Peaked ridges of purple mountains rose to the left of the ship Finisterre and the coast of Galicia. The sky above was cloudless and shining; the vast dark ocea
26、n smiled peacefully round about, and the ship went rolling over it, as the people within were praising the Maker of all.In honour of the day, it was announced that the passengers would be regaled with champagne at dinner; and accordingly that exhilarating liquor was served out in decent profusion, t
27、he company drinking the Captains health with the customary orations of compliment and acknowledgment. This feast was scarcely ended, when we found ourselves rounding the headland into Vigo Bay, passing a grim and tall island of rocky mountains which lies in the centre of the bay.Whether it is that t
28、he sight of land is always welcome to weary mariners, after the perils and annoyances of a voyage of three days, or whether the place is in itself extraordinarily beautiful, need not be argued; but I have seldom seen anything more charming than the amphitheatre of noble hills into which the ship now
29、 came all the features of the landscape being lighted up with a wonderful clearness of air, which rarely adorns a view in our country. The sun had not yet set, but over the town and lofty rocky castle of Vigo a great ghost of a moon was faintly visible, which blazed out brighter and brighter as the
30、superior luminary retired behind the purple mountains of the headland to rest. Before the general background of waving heights which encompassed the bay, rose a second semicircle of undulating hills, as cheerful and green as the mountains behind them were grey and solemn. Farms and gardens, convent
31、towers, white villages and churches, and buildings that no doubt were hermitages once, upon the sharp peaks of the hills, shone brightly in the sun. The sight was delightfully cheerful, animated, and pleasing.Presently the Captain roared out the magic words, “Stop her!” and the obedient vessel came
32、to a stand-still, at some three hundred yards from the little town, with its white houses clambering up a rock, defended by the superior mountain whereon the castle stands. Numbers of people, arrayed in various brilliant colours of red, were standing on the sand close by the tumbling, shining, purpl
33、e waves: and there we beheld, for the first time, the Royal red and yellow standard of Spain floating on its own ground, under the guardianship of a light blue sentinel, whose musket glittered in the sun. Numerous boats were seen, incontinently, to put off from the little shore.And now our attention
34、 was withdrawn from the land to a sight of great splendour on board. This was Lieutenant Bundy, the guardian of Her Majestys mails, who issued from his cabin in his long swallow-tailed coat with anchor buttons; his sabre clattering between his legs; a magnificent shirt-collar, of several inches in h
35、eight, rising round his good-humoured sallow face; and above it a cocked hat, that shone so, I thought it was made of polished tin (it may have been that or oilskin), handsomely laced with black worsted, and ornamented with a shining gold cord. A little squat boat, rowed by three ragged gallegos, ca
36、me bouncing up to the ship. Into this Mr. Bundy and Her Majestys Royal mail embarked with much majesty; and in the twinkling of an eye, the Royal standard of England, about the size of a pocket-handkerchief and at the bows of the boat, the man-of-wars pennant, being a strip of bunting considerably u
37、nder the value of a farthing streamed out.“They know that flag, sir,” said the good-natured old tar, quite solemnly, in the evening afterwards: “they respect it, sir.” The authority of Her Majestys lieutenant on board the steamer is stated to be so tremendous, that he may order it to stop, to move,
38、to go larboard, starboard, or what you will; and the captain dare only disobey him suo periculo.It was agreed that a party of us should land for half-an-hour, and taste real Spanish chocolate on Spanish ground. We followed Lieutenant Bundy, but humbly in the providors boat; that officer going on sho
39、re to purchase fresh eggs, milk for tea (in place of the slimy substitute of whipped yolk of egg which we had been using for our morning and evening meals), and, if possible, oysters, for which it is said the rocks of Vigo are famous.It was low tide, and the boat could not get up to the dry shore. H
40、ence it was necessary to take advantage of the offers of sundry gallegos, who rushed barelegged into the water, to land on their shoulders. The approved method seems to be, to sit upon one shoulder only, holding on by the porters whiskers; and though some of our party were of the tallest and fattest
41、 men whereof our race is composed, and their living sedans exceedingly meagre and small, yet all were landed without accident upon the juicy sand, and forthwith surrounded by a host of mendicants, screaming, “I say, sir! penny, sir! I say, English! tam your ays! penny!” in all voices, from extreme y
42、outh to the most lousy and venerable old age. When it is said that these beggars were as ragged as those of Ireland, and still more voluble, the Irish traveller will be able to form an opinion of their capabilities.Through this crowd we passed up some steep rocky steps, through a little low gate, wh
43、ere, in a little guard-house and barrack, a few dirty little sentinels were keeping a dirty little guard; and by low-roofed whitewashed houses, with balconies, and women in them the very same women, with the very same head-clothes, and yellow fans and eyes, at once sly and solemn, which Murillo pain
44、ted by a neat church into which we took a peep, and, finally, into the Plaza del Constitucion, or grand place of the town, which may be about as big as that pleasing square, Pump Court, Temple. We were taken to an inn, of which I forget the name, and were shown from one chamber and storey to another
45、, till we arrived at that apartment where the real Spanish chocolate was finally to be served out. All these rooms were as clean as scrubbing and whitewash could make them; with simple French prints (with Spanish titles) on the walls; a few rickety half-finished articles of furniture; and, finally,
46、an air of extremely respectable poverty. A jolly, black-eyed, yellow-shawled Dulcinea conducted us through the apartment, and provided us with the desired refreshment.Sounds of clarions drew our eyes to the Place of the Constitution; and, indeed, I had forgotten to say, that that majestic square was
47、 filled with military, with exceedingly small firelocks, the men ludicrously young and diminutive for the most part, in a uniform at once cheap and tawdry like those supplied to the warriors at Astleys, or from still humbler theatrical wardrobes: indeed, the whole scene was just like that of a littl
48、e theatre; the houses curiously small, with arcades and balconies, out of which looked women apparently a great deal too big for the chambers they inhabited; the warriors were in ginghams, cottons, and tinsel; the officers had huge epaulets of sham silver lace drooping over their bosoms, and looked
49、as if they were attired at a very small expense. Only the general the captain-general (Pooch, they told us, was his name: I know not how tis written in Spanish) was well got up, with a smart hat, a real feather, huge stars glittering on his portly chest, and tights and boots of the first order. Presently, after a good deal of trumpeting, the little men marched off the place, Pooch and his staff coming into the very inn in which we were aw