three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第50章
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〃I suppose we are still a bit too far north for pineapples；〃 said George。
〃I feel I could just enjoy a fresh pineapple。 This commonplace fruit palls
upon one after a while。〃
〃Too much bush fruit and not enough tree； is the fault I find；〃 said
Harris。 〃Myself； I should have liked a few more greengages。〃
〃Here is a man coming up the hill；〃 I observed； 〃who looks like a
native。 Maybe； he will know where we can find some more greengages。〃
〃He walks well for an old chap；〃 remarked Harris。
He certainly was climbing the hill at a remarkable pace。 Also； so far
as we were able to judge at that distance； he appeared to be in a
remarkably cheerful mood； singing and shouting at the top of his voice；
gesticulating； and waving his arms。
〃What a merry old soul it is；〃 said Harris； 〃it does one good to watch
him。 But why does he carry his stick over his shoulder？ Why doesn't
he use it to help him up the hill？〃
〃Do you know； I don't think it is a stick；〃 said George。
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〃What can it be； then？〃 asked Harris。
〃Well； it looks to me；〃 said George； 〃more like a gun。〃
〃You don't think we can have made a mistake？〃 suggested Harris。
〃You don't think this can be anything in the nature of a private orchard？〃
I said： 〃Do you remember the sad thing that happened in the South
of France some two years ago？ A soldier picked some cherries as he
passed a house； and the French peasant to whom the cherries belonged
came out； and without a word of warning shot him dead。〃
〃But surely you are not allowed to shoot a man dead for picking fruit；
even in France？〃 said George。
〃Of course not；〃 I answered。 〃It was quite illegal。 The only excuse
offered by his counsel was that he was of a highly excitable disposition；
and especially keen about these particular cherries。〃
〃I recollect something about the case；〃 said Harris； 〃now you mention
it。 I believe the district in which it happenedthe 'Commune；' as I think
it is calledhad to pay heavy compensation to the relatives of the deceased
soldier； which was only fair。〃
George said： 〃I am tired of this place。 Besides； it's getting late。〃
Harris said： 〃If he goes at that rate he will fall and hurt himself。
Besides； I don't believe he knows the way。〃
I felt lonesome up there all by myself； with nobody to speak to。
Besides； not since I was a boy； I reflected； had I enjoyed a run down a
really steep hill。 I thought I would see if I could revive the sensation。 It
is a jerky exercise； but good； I should say； for the liver。
We slept that night at Barr； a pleasant little town on the way to St。
Ottilienberg； an interesting old convent among the mountains； where you
are waited upon by real nuns； and your bill made out by a priest。 At Barr；
just before supper a tourist entered。 He looked English； but spoke a
language the like of which I have never heard before。 Yet it was an
elegant and fine…sounding language。 The landlord stared at him blankly；
the landlady shook her head。 He sighed； and tried another； which
somehow recalled to me forgotten memories； though； at the time； I could
not fix it。 But again nobody understood him。
〃This is damnable；〃 he said aloud to himself。
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〃Ah； you are English！〃 exclaimed the landlord； brightening up。
〃And Monsieur looks tired；〃 added the bright little landlady。
〃Monsieur will have supper。〃
They both spoke English excellently； nearly as well as they spoke
French and German； and they bustled about and made him comfortable。 At
supper he sat next to me； and I talked to him。
〃Tell me；〃 I saidI was curious on the subject〃what language was it
you spoke when you first came in？〃
〃German；〃 he explained。
〃Oh；〃 I replied； 〃I beg your pardon。〃
〃You did not understand it？〃 he continued。
〃It must have been my fault；〃 I answered； 〃my knowledge is extremely
limited。 One picks up a little here and there as one goes about； but of
course that is a different thing。〃
〃But THEY did not understand it；〃 he replied； 〃the landlord and his
wife； and it is their own language。〃
〃I do not think so；〃 I said。 〃The children hereabout speak German； it
is true； and our landlord and landlady know German to a certain point。
But throughout Alsace and Lorraine the old people still talk French。〃
〃And I spoke to them in French also；〃 he added； 〃and they understood
that no better。〃
〃It is certainly very curious；〃 I agreed。
〃It is more than curious；〃 he replied； 〃in my case it is
incomprehensible。 I possess a diploma for modern languages。 I won
my scholarship purely on the strength of my French and German。 The
correctness of my construction； the purity of my pronunciation； was
considered at my college to be quite remarkable。 Yet； when I come
abroad hardly anybody understands a word I say。 Can you explain it？〃
〃I think I can；〃 I replied。 〃Your pronunciation is too faultless。 You
remember what the Scotsman said when for the first time in his life he
tasted real whisky： 'It may be puir； but I canna drink it'； so it is with your
German。 It strikes one less as a language than as an exhibition。 If I
might offer advice； I should say： Mispronounce as much as possible； and
throw in as many mistakes as you can think of。〃
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It is the same everywhere。 Each country keeps a special
pronunciation exclusively for the use of foreignersa pronunciation they
never dream of using themselves； that they cannot understand when it is
used。 I once heard an English lady explaining to a Frenchman how to
pronounce the word Have。
〃You will pronounce it；〃 said the lady reproachfully； 〃as if it were spelt
H…a…v。 It isn't。 There is an 'e' at the end。〃
〃But I thought；〃 said the pupil； 〃that you did not sound the 'e' at the
end of h…a…v…e。〃
〃No more you do；〃 explained his teacher。 〃It is what we call a mute
'e'； but it exercises a modifying influence on the preceding vowel。〃
Before that； he used to say 〃have〃 quite intelligently。 Afterwards； when
he came to the word he would stop dead； collect his thoughts； and give
expression to a sound that only the context could explain。
Putting aside the sufferings of the early martyrs； few men； I suppose；
have gone through more than I myself went through in trying to I attain
the correct pronunciation of the German word for church〃Kirche。〃
Long before I had done with it I had determined never to go to church in
Germany； rather than be bothered with it。
〃No； no；〃 my teacher would explainhe was a
