rambling idle excursion-第6章

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slight　hills　and　valleys。　　We　could　not　go　straight　at　it；　but　had　to
travel　all　the　way　around　it；　sixteen　miles　from　shore；　because　it　is
fenced　with　an　invisible　coral　reef。　　At　last　we　sighted　buoys；　bobbing
here　and　there；　and　then　we　glided　into　a　narrow　channel　among　them；
〃raised　the　reef；〃　and　came　upon　shoaling　blue　water　that　soon　further
shoaled　into　pale　green；　with　a　surface　scarcely　rippled。　　Now　came　the
resurrection　hour；　the　berths　gave　up　their　dead。　　Who　are　these　pale
specters　in　plug…hats　and　silken　flounces　that　file　up　the　companionway
in　melancholy　procession　and　step　upon　the　deck？　　These　are　they　which
took　the　infallible　preventive　of　seasickness　in　New　York　harbor　and　then
disappeared　and　were　forgotten。　　Also　there　came　two　or　three　faces　not
seen　before　until　this　moment。　　One's　impulse　is　to　ask；　〃Where　did　you
come　aboard？〃

We　followed　the　narrow　channel　a　long　time；　with　land　on　both　sides…low
hills　that　might　have　been　green　and　grassy；　but　had　a　faded　look
instead。　　However；　the　land…locked　water　was　lovely；　at　any　rate；　with
its　glittering　belts　of　blue　and　green　where　moderate　soundings　were；　and
its　broad　splotches　of　rich　brown　where　the　rocks　lay　near　the　surface。
Everybody　was　feeling　so　well　that　even　the　grave；　pale　young　man　（who；
by　a　sort　of　kindly　common　consent；　had　come　latterly　to　be　referred　to
as　〃The　Ass〃）　received　frequent　and　friendly　noticewhich　was　right
enough；　for　there　was　no　harm　in　him。

At　last　we　steamed　between　two　island　points　whose　rocky　jaws　allowed
only　just　enough　room　for　the　vessel's　body；　and　now　before　us　loomed
Hamilton　on　her　clustered　hillsides　and　summits；　the　whitest　mass　of
terraced　architecture　that　exists　in　the　world；　perhaps。

It　was　Sunday　afternoon；　and　on　the　pier　were　gathered　one　or　two　hundred
Bermudians；　half　of　them　black；　half　of　them　white；　and　all　of　them
nobbily　dressed；　as　the　poet　says。

Several　boats　came　off　to　the　ship；　bringing　citizens。　　One　of　these
citizens　was　a　faded；　diminutive　old　gentleman；　who　approached　our　most
ancient　passenger　with　a　childlike　joy　in　his　twinkling　eyes；　halted
before　him；　folded　his　arms；　and　said；　smiling　with　all　his　might　and
with　all　the　simple　delight　that　was　in　him；　〃You　don't　know　me；　John！
Come；　out　with　it　now；　you　know　you　don't！〃

The　ancient　passenger　scanned　him　perplexedly；　scanned　the　napless；
threadbare　costume　of　venerable　fashion　that　had　done　Sunday　service　no
man　knows　how　many　years；　contemplated　the　marvelous　stovepipe　hat　of
still　more　ancient　and　venerable　pattern；　with　its　poor；　pathetic　old
stiff　brim　canted　up　〃gallusly〃　in　the　wrong　places；　and　said；　with　a
hesitation　that　indicated　strong　internal　effort　to　〃place〃　the　gentle
old　apparition；　〃Why　。　　。　　。　　let　me　see　。　　。　　。　　plague　on　it　。　　。　　。
there's　something　about　you　that　。　　。　　。　　er　。　　。　　。　　er　。　　。　　。　　but
I've　been　gone　from　Bermuda　for　twenty…seven　years；　and　。　　。　　。　　hum；　hum
。　　。　　。　　I　don't　seem　to　get　at　it；　somehow；　but　there's　something　about
you　that　is　just　as　familiar　to　me　as〃

〃Likely　it　might　be　his　hat；〃　murmured　the　Ass；　with　innocent；
sympathetic　interest。

So　the　Reverend　and　I　had　at　last　arrived　at　Hamilton；　the　principal　town
in　the　Bermuda　Islands。　　A　wonderfully　white　town；　white　as　snow　itself。
White　as　marble；　white　as　flour。　　Yet　looking　like　none　of　these；
exactly。　　Never　mind；　we　said；　we　shall　hit　upon　a　figure　by　and　by　that
will　describe　this　peculiar　white。

It　was　a　town　that　was　compacted　together　upon　the　sides　and　tops　of　a
cluster　of　small　hills。　　Its　outlying　borders　fringed　off　and　thinned
away　among　the　cedar　forests；　and　there　was　no　woody　distance　of　curving
coast　or　leafy　islet　sleeping　upon　the　dimpled；　painted　sea；　but　was
flecked　with　shining　white　pointshalf…concealed　houses　peeping　out　of
the　foliage。　　The　architecture　of　the　town　was　mainly　Spanish；　inherited
from　the　colonists　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago。　　Some　ragged…
topped　cocoa…palms；　glimpsed　here　and　there；　gave　the　land　a　tropical
aspect。

There　was　an　ample　pier　of　heavy　masonry；　upon　this；　under　shelter；　were
some　thousands　of　barrels　containing　that　product　which　has　carried　the
fame　of　Bermuda　to　many　lands；　the　potato。　　With　here　and　there　an　onion。
That　last　sentence　is　facetious；　for　they　grow　at　least　two　onions　in
Bermuda　to　one　potato。　　The　onion　is　the　pride　and　joy　of　Bermuda。　　It　is
her　jewel；　her　gem　of　gems。　　In　her　conversation；　her　pulpit；　her
literature；　it　is　her　most　frequent　and　eloquent　figure。　　In　Bermuda
metaphor　it　stands　for　perfection…perfection　absolute。

The　Bermudian　weeping　over　the　departed　exhausts　praise　when　he　says；　〃He
was　an　onion！〃　　The　Bermudian　extolling　the　living　hero　bankrupts
applause　when　he　says；　〃He　is　an　onion！〃　　The　Bermudian　setting　his　son
upon　the　stage　of　life　to　dare　and　do　for　himself　climaxes　all　counsel；
supplication；　admonition；　comprehends　all　ambition；　when　he　says；　〃Be　an
onion！〃

When　parallel　with　the　pier；　and　ten　or　fifteen　steps　outside　it；　we
anchored。　　It　was　Sunday；　bright　and　sunny。　　The　groups　upon　the　pier…
men；　youths；　and　boys…were　whites　and　blacks　in　about　equal　proportion。
All　were　well　and　neatly　dressed；　many　of　them　nattily；　a　few　of　them
very　stylishly。　　One　would　have　to　travel　far　before　he　would　find
another　town　of　twelve　thousand　inhabitants　that　could　represent　itself
so　respectably；　in　the　matter　of　clothes；　on　a　freight…pier；　without
premeditation　or　effort。　　The　women　and　young　girls；　black　and　white；　who
occasionally　passed　by；　were　nicely　clad；　and　many　were　elegantly　and
fashionably　so。　　The　men　did　not　affect　summer　clothing　much；　but　the
girls　and　women　did；　and　their　white　garments　were　good　to　look　at；　after
so　many　months　of　familiarity　with　somber　colors。

Around　one　isolated　potato…barrel　stood　four　young　gentlemen；　two　black；
two　white；　becomingly　dressed；　each　with　the　head　of　a　slender　cane
pressed　against　his　teeth；　and　each　with　a　foot　propped　up　on　the　barrel。
Another　young　gentleman　came　up；　looked　longingly　at　the　barrel；　but　saw
no　rest　for　his　foot　there；　and　turned　pensively　away　to　seek　another
barrel。　　He　wandered　here　and　there；　but　without　result。　　Nobody　sat　upon
a　barrel；　as　is　the　custom　of　the　idle　in　other　lands；　yet　all　the
isolated　barrels　were　humanly　occupied。　　Whosoever　had　a　foot　to　spare
put　it　on　a　barrel；　if　all　the　places　on　it　were　not　already　taken。　　The
habits　of　all　peoples　are　determined　by　their　circumstances。　　The
Bermudians　lean　upon　barrels　because　of　the　scarcity　of　lamp…posts。

Many　citizens　came　on　board　and　spoke　eagerly　to　the　officersinquiring
about　the　Turco…Russian　war　news；　I　supposed。　　However；　by　listening
judiciously　I　found　that　this　was　not　so。　　They　said；　〃What　is　the　price
of　onions？〃　or；　〃How's　onions？〃　　Naturally　enough　this　was　their　first
interest；　but　they　dropped　into　the　war　the　moment　it　was　satisfied。

We　went　ashore　and　found　a　novelty　of　a　pleasant　nature：　there　were　no
hackmen；　hacks；　or　omnibuses　on　the　pier　or　about　it　anywhere；　and　nobody
offered　his　services　to　us；　or　molested　us　in　any　way。　　I　said　it　was
like　being　in　heaven。　　The　Reverend　rebukingly　and　rather　pointedly
advised　me　to　make　the　most　of　it；　then。　　We　knew　of　a　boarding…house；
and　what　we　needed　now　was　somebody　to　pilot　us　to　it。　　Presently　a
little　barefooted　colored　boy　came　along；　whose　raggedness　was
conspicuously　not　Bermudian。　　His　rear　was　so　marvelously　bepatched　with
colored　squares　and　triangles　that　one　was　half　persuaded　he　had　got　it
out　of　an　atlas。　　When　the　sun　struck　him　right；　he　was　as　good　to　follow
as　a　lightning…bug。　　We　hired　him　and　dropped　into　his　wake。　　He　piloted
us　through　one　picturesque　street　after　another；　and　in　due　course
deposited　us　where　we　belonged。　　He　charged　nothing　for　his　map；　and　but
a　trifle　for　his　services：　so　the　Reverend　doubled　it。　　The　little　chap
received　the　money　with　a　beaming　applause　in　his　eye　which　plainly　said；
〃This　man's　an　onion！〃

We　had　brought　no　letters　of　introduction；　our　names　had　been　misspelled
in　the　passenger…list；　nobody　knew　whether　we　were　honest　folk　or
o