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！
of his way to get to the top of this wood…stack； and that he would stay
there for hours and hours； crowing； until he appeared in danger of splitting
himself。 Five weeks went on；six weeks；and still this terrible Bantam；
neglecting his domestic affairs； was always on the top of the wood…stack；
crowing the very eyes out of his head。 By this time it was perceived that
Louis had become inspired with a violent animosity towards the terrible
Bantam； and one morning he was seen by a woman； who sat nursing her
goitre at a little window in a gleam of sun； to catch up a rough billet of
wood； with a great oath； hurl it at the terrible Bantam crowing on the
wood…stack； and bring him down dead。 Hereupon the woman； with a
14
… Page 15…
THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
sudden light in her mind； stole round to the back of the wood…stack； and；
being a good climber； as all those women are； climbed up； and soon was
seen upon the summit； screaming； looking down the hollow within； and
crying； 〃Seize Louis； the murderer！ Ring the church bell！ Here is the
body！〃 I saw the murderer that day； and I saw him as I sat by my fire at
the Holly…Tree Inn； and I see him now； lying shackled with cords on the
stable litter； among the mild eyes and the smoking breath of the cows；
waiting to be taken away by the police； and stared at by the fearful village。
A heavy animal；the dullest animal in the stables；with a stupid head； and
a lumpish face devoid of any trace of insensibility； who had been； within
the knowledge of the murdered youth； an embezzler of certain small
moneys belonging to his master； and who had taken this hopeful mode of
putting a possible accuser out of his way。 All of which he confessed next
day； like a sulky wretch who couldn't be troubled any more； now that they
had got hold of him； and meant to make an end of him。 I saw him once
again； on the day of my departure from the Inn。 In that Canton the
headsman still does his office with a sword； and I came upon this
murderer sitting bound； to a chair； with his eyes bandaged； on a scaffold in
a little market…place。 In that instant； a great sword （loaded with
quicksilver in the thick part of the blade） swept round him like a gust of
wind or fire； and there was no such creature in the world。 My wonder
was； not that he was so suddenly dispatched； but that any head was left
unreaped； within a radius of fifty yards of that tremendous sickle。
That was a good Inn； too； with the kind； cheerful landlady and the
honest landlord； where I lived in the shadow of Mont Blanc； and where
one of the apartments has a zoological papering on the walls； not so
accurately joined but that the elephant occasionally rejoices in a tiger's
hind legs and tail； while the lion puts on a trunk and tusks； and the bear；
moulting as it were； appears as to portions of himself like a leopard。 I
made several American friends at that Inn； who all called Mont Blanc
Mount Blank；except one good… humoured gentleman； of a very sociable
nature； who became on such intimate terms with it that he spoke of it
familiarly as 〃Blank；〃 observing； at breakfast； 〃Blank looks pretty tall this
15
… Page 16…
THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
morning；〃 or considerably doubting in the courtyard in the evening；
whether there warn't some go…ahead naters in our country； sir； that would
make out the top of Blank in a couple of hours from first startnow！
Once I passed a fortnight at an Inn in the North of England； where I
was haunted by the ghost of a tremendous pie。 It was a Yorkshire pie；
like a fort；an abandoned fort with nothing in it； but the waiter had a fixed
idea that it was a point of ceremony at every meal to put the pie on the
table。 After some days I tried to hint； in several delicate ways； that I
considered the pie done with； as； for example； by emptying fag…ends of
glasses of wine into it； putting cheese…plates and spoons into it； as into a
basket； putting wine…bottles into it； as into a cooler； but always in vain； the
pie being invariably cleaned out again and brought up as before。 At last；
beginning to be doubtful whether I was not the victim of a spectral illusion；
and whether my health and spirits might not sink under the horrors of an
imaginary pie； I cut a triangle out of it； fully as large as the musical
instrument of that name in a powerful orchestra。 Human provision could
not have foreseen the resultbut the waiter mended the pie。 With some
effectual species of cement； he adroitly fitted the triangle in again； and I
paid my reckoning and fled。
The Holly…Tree was getting rather dismal。 I made an overland
expedition beyond the screen； and penetrated as far as the fourth window。
Here I was driven back by stress of weather。 Arrived at my winter…
quarters once more； I made up the fire； and took another Inn。
It was in the remotest part of Cornwall。 A great annual Miners' Feast
was being holden at the Inn； when I and my travelling companions
presented ourselves at night among the wild crowd that were dancing
before it by torchlight。 We had had a break…down in the dark； on a stony
morass some miles away； and I had the honour of leading one of the
unharnessed post…horses。 If any lady or gentleman； on perusal of the
present lines； will take any very tall post…horse with his traces hanging
about his legs； and will conduct him by the bearing…rein into the heart of a
country dance of a hundred and fifty couples； that lady or gentleman will
then； and only then； form an adequate idea of the extent to which that post…
16
… Page 17…
THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
horse will tread on his conductor's toes。 Over and above which； the post…
horse； finding three hundred people whirling about him； will probably rear；
and also lash out with his hind legs； in a manner incompatible with dignity
or self…respect on his conductor's part。 With such little drawbacks on my
usually impressive aspect； I appeared at this Cornish Inn； to the
unutterable wonder of the Cornish Miners。 It was full； and twenty times
full； and nobody could be received but the post…horse；though to get rid of
that noble animal was something。 While my fellow…travellers and I were
discussing how to pass the night and so much of the next day as must
intervene before the jovial blacksmith and the jovial wheelwright would
be in a condition to go out on the morass and mend the coach； an honest
man stepped forth from the crowd and proposed his unlet floor of two
rooms； with supper of eggs and bacon； ale and punch。 We joyfully
accompanied him home to the strangest of clean houses； where we were
well entertained to the satisfaction of all parties。 But the novel feature of
the entertainment was； that our host was a chair…maker； and that the chairs
assigned to us were mere frames； altogether without bottoms of any sort；
so that we passed the evening on perches。 Nor was this the absurdest
consequence； for when we unbent at supper； and any one of us gave way
to laughter； he forgot the peculiarity of his position； and instantly
disappeared。 I myself； doubled up into an attitude from which self…
extrication was impossible； was taken out of my frame； like a clown in a
comic pantomime who has tumbled into a tub； five times by the taper's
light during the eggs and bacon。
The Holly…Tree was fast reviving within me a sense of loneliness。 I
began to feel conscious that my subject would never carry on until I was
dug out。 I might be a week here；weeks！
There was a story with a singular idea in it； connected with an Inn I