three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第31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！
is that they were actors out of work； hired to do this thing in the interest of
international peace。 The French Foreign Office； wishful to allay the
anger of the Parisian mob clamouring for war with England； secured this
admirable couple and sent them round the town。 You cannot be amused
at a thing； and at the same time want to kill it。 The French nation saw the
English citizen and citizenessno caricature； but the living realityand
their indignation exploded in laughter。 The success of the stratagem
prompted them later on to offer their services to the German Government；
with the beneficial results that we all know。
Our own Government might learn the lesson。 It might be as well to
keep near Downing Street a few small； fat Frenchmen； to be sent round the
country when occasion called for it； shrugging their shoulders and eating
94
… Page 95…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
frog sandwiches； or a file of untidy； lank… haired Germans might be
retained； to walk about； smoking long pipes； saying 〃So。〃 The public
would laugh and exclaim； 〃War with such？ It would be too absurd。〃
Failing the Government； I recommend the scheme to the Peace Society。
Our visit to Prague we were compelled to lengthen somewhat。
Prague is one of the most interesting towns in Europe。 Its stones are
saturated with history and romance； its every suburb must have been a
battlefield。 It is the town that conceived the Reformation and hatched the
Thirty Years' War。 But half Prague's troubles； one imagines； might have
been saved to it； had it possessed windows less large and temptingly
convenient。 The first of these mighty catastrophes it set rolling by
throwing the seven Catholic councillors from the windows of its Rathhaus
on to the pikes of the Hussites below。 Later； it gave the signal for the
second by again throwing the Imperial councillors from the windows of
the old Burg in the HradschinPrague's second 〃Fenstersturz。〃 Since；
other fateful questions have been decide in Prague； one assumes from their
having been concluded without violence that such must have been
discussed in cellars。 The window； as an argument； one feels； would
always have proved too strong a temptation to any true…born Praguer。
In the Teynkirche stands the worm…eaten pulpit from which preached
John Huss。 One may hear from the selfsame desk to…day the voice of a
Papist priest； while in far…off Constance a rude block of stone； half ivy
hidden； marks the spot where Huss and Jerome died burning at the stake。
History is fond of her little ironies。 In this same Teynkirche lies buried
Tycho Brahe； the astronomer； who made the common mistake of thinking
the earth； with its eleven hundred creeds and one humanity； the centre of
the universe； but who otherwise observed the stars clearly。
Through Prague's dirty； palace…bordered alleys must have pressed
often in hot haste blind Ziska and open…minded Wallensteinthey have
dubbed him 〃The Hero〃 in Prague； and the town is honestly proud of
having owned him for citizen。 In his gloomy palace in the Waldstein…
Platz they show as a sacred spot the cabinet where he prayed； and seem to
have persuaded themselves he really had a soul。 Its steep； winding ways
must have been choked a dozen times； now by Sigismund's flying legions；
95
… Page 96…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
followed by fierce…killing Tarborites； and now by pale Protestants pursued
by the victorious Catholics of Maximilian。 Now Saxons； now Bavarians；
and now French； now the saints of Gustavus Adolphus； and now the steel
fighting machines of Frederick the Great； have thundered at its gates and
fought upon its bridges。
The Jews have always been an important feature of Prague。
Occasionally they have assisted the Christians in their favourite
occupation of slaughtering one another； and the great flag suspended from
the vaulting of the Altneuschule testifies to the courage with which they
helped Catholic Ferdinand to resist the Protestant Swedes。 The Prague
Ghetto was one of the first to be established in Europe； and in the tiny
synagogue； still standing； the Jew of Prague has worshipped for eight
hundred years； his women folk devoutly listening； without； at the ear holes
provided for them in the massive walls。 A Jewish cemetery adjacent；
〃Bethchajim； or the House of Life；〃 seems as though it were bursting with
its dead。 Within its narrow acre it was the law of centuries that here or
nowhere must the bones of Israel rest。 So the worn and broken
tombstones lie piled in close confusion； as though tossed and tumbled by
the struggling host beneath。
The Ghetto walls have long been levelled； but the living Jews of
Prague still cling to their foetid lanes； though these are being rapidly
replaced by fine new streets that promise to eventually transform this
quarter into the handsomest part of the town。
At Dresden they advised us not to talk German in Prague。 For years
racial animosity between the German minority and the Czech majority has
raged throughout Bohemia； and to be mistaken for a German in certain
streets of Prague is inconvenient to a man whose staying powers in a race
are not what once they were。 However； we did talk German in certain
streets in Prague； it was a case of talking German or nothing。 The Czech
dialect is said to be of great antiquity and of highly scientific cultivation。
Its alphabet contains forty…two letters； suggestive to a stranger of Chinese。
It is not a language to be picked up in a hurry。 We decided that on the
whole there would be less risk to our constitution in keeping to German；
and as a matter of fact no harm came to us。 The explanation I can only
96
… Page 97…
THREE MEN ON THE BUMMEL
surmise。 The Praguer is an exceedingly acute person； some subtle falsity
of accent； some slight grammatical inaccuracy； may have crept into our
German； revealing to him the fact that； in spite of all appearances to the
contrary； we were no true…born Deutscher。 I do not assert this； I put it
forward as a possibility。
To avoid unnecessary danger； however； we did our sight…seeing with
the aid of a guide。 No guide I have ever come across is perfect。 This one
had two distinct failings。 His English was decidedly weak。 Indeed； it
was not English at all。 I do not know what you would call it。 It was not
altogether his fault； he had learnt English from a Scotch lady。 I
understand Scotch fairly wellto keep abreast of modern English literature
this is necessary；but to understand broad Scotch talked with a Sclavonic
accent； occasionally relieved by German
