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！
mouth of the valley and the stream lay the village。 All around； on
our level； stretched farm and moorland。
When Andrew Falconer stood so unexpectedly on the verge of the steep
descent； he trembled and started back with fright。 His son made him
sit down a little way off； where yet we could see into the valley。
The sun was hot； the air clear and mild； and the sea broke its blue
floor into innumerable sparkles of radiance。 We sat for a while in
silence。
'Are you sure；' I said； in the hope of setting my friend talking；
'that there is no horrid pool down there？ no half…trampled thicket；
with broken pottery and shreds of tin lying about？ no dead carcass；
or dirty cottage； with miserable wife and greedy children？ When I
was a child； I knew a lovely place that I could not half enjoy；
because； although hidden from my view； an ugly stagnation； half mud；
half water； lay in a certain spot below me。 When I had to pass it；
I used to creep by with a kind of dull terror； mingled with hopeless
disgust； and I have never got over the feeling。'
'You remind me much of a friend of mine of whom I have spoken to you
before；' said Falconer； 'Eric Ericson。 I have shown you many of his
verses； but I don't think I ever showed you one little poem
containing an expression of the same feeling。 I think I can repeat
it。
'Some men there are who cannot spare
A single tear until they feel
The last cold pressure； and the heel
Is stamped upon the outmost layer。
And； waking； some will sigh to think
The clouds have borrowed winter's wing
Sad winter when the grasses spring
No more about the fountain's brink。
And some would call me coward…fool：
I lay a claim to better blood；
But yet a heap of idle mud
Hath power to make me sorrowful。
I sat thinking over the verses； for I found the feeling a little
difficult to follow； although the last stanza was plain enough。
Falconer resumed。
'I think this is as likely as any place；' he said； 'to be free of
such physical blots。 For the moral I cannot say。 But I have
learned； I hope； not to be too fastidiousI mean so as to be unjust
to the whole because of the part。 The impression made by a whole is
just as true as the result of an analysis； and is greater and more
valuable in every respect。 If we rejoice in the beauty of the
whole； the other is sufficiently forgotten。 For moral ugliness； it
ceases to distress in proportion as we labour to remove it； and
regard it in its true relations to all that surrounds it。 There is
an old legend which I dare say you know。 The Saviour and his
disciples were walking along the way； when they came upon a dead
dog。 The disciples did not conceal their disgust。 The Saviour
said： 〃How white its teeth are！〃'
'That is very beautiful；' I rejoined。 'Thank God for that。 It is
true； whether invented or not。 But；' I added； 'it does not quite
answer to the question about which we have been talking。 The Lord
got rid of the pain of the ugliness by finding the beautiful in it。'
'It does correspond； however； I think； in principle；' returned
Falconer； 'only it goes much farther； making the exceptional beauty
hallow the general uglinesswhich is the true way； for beauty is
life； and therefore infinitely deeper and more powerful than
ugliness which is death。 〃A dram of sweet；〃 says Spenser； 'is worth
a pound of sour。〃'
It was so delightful to hear him talkfor what he said was not only
far finer than my record of it； but the whole man spoke as well as
his mouththat I sought to start him again。
'I wish；' I said； 'that I could see things as you doin great
masses of harmonious unity。 I am only able to see a truth sparkling
here and there； and to try to lay hold of it。 When I aim at more； I
am like Noah's dove； without a place to rest the sole of my foot。'
'That is the only way to begin。 Leave the large vision to itself；
and look well after your sparkles。 You will find them grow and
gather and unite； until you are afloat on a sea of radiancewith
cloud shadows no doubt。'
'And yet；' I resumed； 'I never seem to have room。'
'That is just why。'
'But I feel that I cannot find it。 I know that if I fly to that
bounding cape on the far horizon there； I shall only find a placea
place to want another in。 There is no fortunate island out on that
sea。'
'I fancy；' said Falconer； 'that until a man loves space； he will
never be at peace in a place。 At least so I have found it。 I am
content if you but give me room。 All space to me throbs with being
and life； and the loveliest spot on the earth seems but the
compression of space till the meaning shines out of it； as the fire
flies out of the air when you drive it close together。 To seek
place after place for freedom； is a constant effort to flee from
space； and a vain one； for you are ever haunted by the need of it；
and therefore when you seek most to escape it； fancy that you love
it and want it。'
'You are getting too mystical for me now；' I said。 'I am not able to
follow you。'
'I fear I was on the point of losing myself。 At all events I can go
no further now。 And indeed I fear I have been but skirting the
Limbo of Vanities。'
He rose； for we could both see that this talk was not in the least
interesting to our companion。 We got again into the carriage；
which； by Falconer's orders； was turned and driven in the opposite
direction； still at no great distance from the lofty edge of the
heights that rose above the shore。
We came at length to a lane bounded with stone walls； every stone of
which had its moss and every chink its fern。 The lane grew more and
more grassy； the walls vanished； and the track faded away into a
narrow winding valley； formed by the many meeting curves of opposing
hills。 They were green to the top with sheep…grass； and spotted
here and there with patches of fern； great stones； and tall withered
foxgloves。 The air was sweet and healthful； and Andrew evidently
enjoyed it because it reminded him again of his boyhood。 The only
sound we heard was the tinkle of a few tender sheep…bells； and now
and then the tremulous bleating of a sheep。 With a gentle winding；
the valley led us into a more open portion of itself； where the old
man paused with a look of astonished pleasure。
Before us； seaward； rose a rampart against the sky； like the
turreted and embattled wall of a huge eastern city； built of loose
stones piled high； and divided by great peaky rocks。 In the centre
rose above them all one solitary curiously…shaped mass； one of the
oddest peaks of the Himmalays in miniature。 From its top on the
further side was a sheer descent to the waters far below the level
of the valley from which it immediately rose。 It was altogether a
strange freaky fantastic place； not without its grandeur。 It looked
like the remains of a frolic of the Titans； or rather as if reared
by the boys and girls； while their fathers and mothers 'lay
stretched out huge in length；' and in breadth too； upon the slopes
around； and laughed thunderously at the sportive invention of their
sons and daughters。 Falconer helped his father up to the edge of
the rampart that he might look over。 Again he started back； 'afraid
of that which was high；' for the lowly valley was yet at a great
height above the diminished waves。 On the outside of the rampart
ran a narrow path whence the green hill…side went down steep to the
sea。 The gulls were screaming far below us； we could see the little
flying streaks of white。 Beyond was the great ocean。 A murmurous
sound came up from its shore。
We descended and seated ourselves on the short springy grass of a
little mound at the foot of one of the hills； where it sank slowly；
like the dying gush of a wave； into the hollowest centre of the
little vale。
'Everything tends to the cone…shape here；' said Falconer；'the
oddest and at the same time most wonderful of mathematical figures。'
'Is it not strange；' I said； 'that oddity and wonder should come so
near？'
'They often do in the human world as well；' returned he。 'Therefore
it is not strange that Shelley should have been so fond of this
place。 It is told of him that repeated sketches of the spot were
found on the covers of his letters。 I know nothing more like
Shelley's poetry than this valleywildly fantastic and yet
beautifulas if a huge genius were playing at grandeur； and
producing little models of great things。 But there is one grand
thing I want to show you a little further on。'
We rose； and walked out of the valley on the other side； along the
lofty coast。 When we reached a certain point； Falconer stood and
requested us to look as far as we could； along the cliffs to the
face of the last of them。
'What do you see？' he asked。
'A perpendicular rock； going right down into the blue waters；' I
answered。
'Look at it： what is the outline of i