rambling idle excursion-第1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！
Rambling Idle Excursion
by Mark Twain
SOME RAMBLING NOTES OF AN IDLE EXCURSION
All the journeyings I had ever done had been purely in the way of
business。 The pleasant May weather suggested a novelty namely； a trip
for pure recreation； the bread…and…butter element left out。 The Reverend
said he would go； too； a good man； one of the best of men； although a
clergyman。 By eleven at night we were in New Haven and on board the New
York boat。 We bought our tickets； and then went wandering around here
and there； in the solid comfort of being free and idle； and of putting
distance between ourselves and the mails and telegraphs。
After a while I went to my stateroom and undressed； but the night was too
enticing for bed。 We were moving down the bay now； and it was pleasant
to stand at the window and take the cool night breeze and watch the
gliding lights on shore。 Presently； two elderly men sat down under that
window and began a conversation。 Their talk was properly no business of
mine； yet I was feeling friendly toward the world and willing to be
entertained。 I soon gathered that they were brothers； that they were
from a small Connecticut village； and that the matter in hand concerned
the cemetery。 Said one：
〃Now； John； we talked it all over amongst ourselves； and this is what
we've done。 You see； everybody was a…movin' from the old buryin'…ground；
and our folks was 'most about left to theirselves； as you may say。 They
was crowded； too； as you know； lot wa'n't big enough in the first place；
and last year； when Seth's wife died； we couldn't hardly tuck her in。
She sort o' overlaid Deacon Shorb's lot； and he soured on her； so to
speak； and on the rest of us； too。 So we talked it over； and I was for a
lay out in the new simitery on the hill。 They wa'n't unwilling； if it
was cheap。 Well； the two best and biggest plots was No。 8 and No。 9
both of a size； nice comfortable room for twenty…sixtwenty…six
full…growns； that is； but you reckon in children and other shorts； and
strike an everage； and I should say you might lay in thirty； or maybe
thirty…two or three； pretty genteelno crowdin' to signify。〃
〃That's a plenty； William。 Which one did you buy？〃
〃Well； I'm a…comin' to that； John。 You see； No。 8 was thirteen dollars；
No。 9 fourteen〃
〃I see。 So's't you took No。 8。〃
〃You wait。 I took No。 9。 And I'll tell you for why。 In the first
place； Deacon Shorb wanted it。 Well； after the way he'd gone on about
Seth's wife overlappin' his prem'ses； I'd 'a' beat him out of that No。 9
if I'd 'a' had to stand two dollars extra； let alone one。 That's the way
I felt about it。 Says I； what's a dollar； anyway？ Life's on'y a
pilgrimage； says I； we ain't here for good； and we can't take it with us；
says I。 So I just dumped it down； knowin' the Lord don't suffer a good
deed to go for nothin'； and cal'latin' to take it out o' somebody in the
course o' trade。 Then there was another reason； John。 No。 9's a long
way the handiest lot in the simitery； and the likeliest for situation。
It lays right on top of a knoll in the dead center of the buryin' ground；
and you can see Millport from there； and Tracy's； and Hopper Mount； and a
raft o' farms； and so on。 There ain't no better outlook from a
buryin'…plot in the state。 Si Higgins says so； and I reckon he ought to
know。 Well； and that ain't all。 'Course Shorb had to take No。 8； wa'n't
no help for 't。 Now； No。 8 jines onto No。 9； but it's on the slope of
the hill； and every time it rains it 'll soak right down onto the Shorbs。
Si Higgins says 't when the deacon's time comes； he better take out fire
and marine insurance both on his remains。〃
Here there was the sound of a low； placid； duplicate chuckle of
appreciation and satisfaction。
〃Now； John； here's a little rough draft of the ground that I've made on a
piece of paper。 Up here in the left…hand corner we've bunched the
departed； took them from the old graveyard and stowed them one alongside
o' t'other； on a first…come…first…served plan； no partialities； with
Gran'ther Jones for a starter； on'y because it happened so； and windin'
up indiscriminate with Seth's twins。 A little crowded towards the end of
the lay…out； maybe； but we reckoned 'twa'n't best to scatter the twins。
Well； next comes the livin'。 Here； where it's marked A； we're goin' to
put Mariar and her family； when they're called； B； that's for Brother
Hosea and hisn； C； Calvin and tribe。 What's left is these two lots
herejust the gem of the whole patch for general style and outlook；
they're for me and my folks； and you and yourn。 Which of them would you
rather be buried in？〃
〃I swan； you've took me mighty unexpected； William！； It sort of started
the shivers。 Fact is； I was thinkin' so busy about makin' things
comfortable for the others； I hadn't thought about being buried myself。〃
〃Life's on'y a fleetin' show； John； as the sayin' is。 We've all got to
go； sooner or later。 To go with a clean record's the main thing。 Fact
is； it's the on'y thing worth strivin' for； John。〃
〃Yes； that's so； William； that's so； there ain't no getting around it。
Which of these lots would you recommend？〃
〃Well； it depends； John。 Are you particular about outlook？〃
〃I don't say I am； William； I don't say I ain't。 Reely； I don't know。
But mainly； I reckon； I'd set store by a south exposure。〃
〃That's easy fixed； John。 They're both south exposure。 They take the
sun； and the Shorbs get the shade。〃
〃How about site； William？〃
〃D's a sandy sile； E's mostly loom。〃
〃You may gimme E； then； William； a sandy sile caves in； more or less； and
costs for repairs。〃
〃All right； set your name down here； John； under E。 Now； if you don't
mind payin' me your share of the fourteen dollars； John； while we're on
the business； everything's fixed。〃
After some Niggling and sharp bargaining the money was paid； and John
bade his brother good night and took his leave。 There was silence for
some moments； then a soft chuckle welled up from the lonely William； and
he muttered： 〃I declare for 't； if I haven't made a mistake！ It's D
that's mostly loom； not E。 And John's booked for a sandy site after
all。〃
There was another soft chuckle； and William departed to his rest also。
The next day； in New York； was a hot one。 Still we managed to get more
or less entertainment out of it。 Toward the middle of the afternoon we
arrived on board the stanch steamship Bermuda； with bag and baggage； and
hunted for a shady place。 It was blazing summer weather； until we were
half…way down the harbor。 Then I buttoned my coat closely； half an hour
later I put on a spring overcoat and buttoned that。 As we passed the
light…ship I added an ulster and tied a handkerchief around the collar to
hold it snug to my neck。 So rapidly had the summer gone and winter come
again？
By nightfall we were far out at sea； with no land in sight。 No telegrams
could come here； no letters； no news。 This was an uplifting thought。 It
was still more uplifting to reflect that the millions of harassed people
on shore behind us were suffering just as usual。
The next day brought us into the midst of the Atlantic solitudesout of
smoke…colored sounding into fathomless deep blue； no ships visible
anywhere over the wide ocean； no company but Mother Carey's chickens
wheeling； darting； skimming the waves in the sun。 There were some
seafaring men among the passengers； and conversation drifted into matter
concerning ships and sailors。 One said that 〃true as the needle to the
pole〃 was a bad figure； since the needle seldom pointed to the pole。
He said a ship's compass was not faithful to any particular point； but
was the most fickle and treacherous of the servants of man。 It was
forever changing。 It changed every day in the year； consequently the
amount of the daily variation had to be ciphered out and allowance made
for it； else the mariner would go utterly astray。 Another said there was
a vast fortune waiting for the genius who should invent a compass that
would not be affected by the local influences of an iron ship。 He said
there was only one creature more fickle than a wooden ship's compass；
