rambling idle excursion-第6部分
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ground…floor veranda is paved with coral blocks； also the walk to the
gate； the fence is built of coral blocksbuilt in massive panels； with
broad capstones and heavy gate…posts； and the whole trimmed into easy
lines and comely shape with the saw。 Then they put a hard coat of
whitewash； as thick as your thumb…nail； on the fence and all over the
house； roof； chimneys； and all； the sun comes out and shines on this
spectacle； and it is time for you to shut your unaccustomed eyes； lest
they be put out。 It is the whitest white you can conceive of； and the
blindingest。 A Bermuda house does not look like marble； it is a much
intenser white than that； and； besides； there is a dainty； indefinable
something else about its look that is not marble…like。 We put in a great
deal of solid talk and reflection over this matter of trying to find a
figure that would describe the unique white of a Bermuda house； and we
contrived to hit upon it at last。 It is exactly the white of the icing
of a cake； and has the same unemphasized and scarcely perceptible polish。
The white of marble is modest and retiring compared with it。
After the house is cased in its hard scale of whitewash； not a crack； or
sign of a seam； or joining of the blocks is detectable； from base…stone
to chimney…top； the building looks as if it had been carved from a single
block of stone； and the doors and windows sawed out afterward。 A white
marble house has a cold； tomb…like； unsociable look； and takes the
conversation out of a body and depresses him。 Not so with a Bermuda
house。 There is something exhilarating； even hilarious； about its vivid
whiteness when the sun plays upon it。 If it be of picturesque shape and
graceful contourand many of the Bermudian dwellings areit will so
fascinate you that you will keep your eyes on it until they ache。 One of
those clean…cut； fanciful chimneystoo pure and white for this world
with one side glowing in the sun and the other touched with a soft
shadow； is an object that will charm one's gaze by the hour。 I know of
no other country that has chimneys worthy to be gazed at and gloated
over。 One of those snowy houses； half concealed and half glimpsed
through green foliage； is a pretty thing to see； and if it takes one by
surprise and suddenly； as he turns a sharp corner of a country road； it
will wring an exclamation from him； sure。
Wherever you go； in town or country； you find those snowy houses； and
always with masses of bright…colored flowers about them； but with no
vines climbing their walls； vines cannot take hold of the smooth； hard
whitewash。 Wherever you go； in the town or along the country roads；
among little potato farms and patches or expensive country…seats； these
stainless white dwellings； gleaming out from flowers and foliage； meet
you at every turn。 The least little bit of a cottage is as white and
blemishless as the stateliest mansion。 Nowhere is there dirt or stench；
puddle or hog…wallow； neglect； disorder； or lack of trimness and
neatness。 The roads； the streets； the dwellings； the people； the
clothesthis neatness extends to everything that falls under the eye。
It is the tidiest country in the world。 And very much the tidiest； too。
Considering these things； the question came up； Where do the poor live？
No answer was arrived at。 Therefore； we agreed to leave this conundrum
for future statesmen to wrangle over。
What a bright and startling spectacle one of those blazing white country
palaces； with its brown…tinted window…caps and ledges； and green
shutters； and its wealth of caressing flowers and foliage； would be in
black London！ And what a gleaming surprise it would be in nearly any
American city one could mention； too！
Bermuda roads are made by cutting down a few inches into the solid white
coralor a good many feet； where a hill intrudes itselfand smoothing
off the surface of the road…bed。 It is a simple and easy process。 The
grain of the coral is coarse and porous； the road…bed has the look of
being made of coarse white sugar。 Its excessive cleanness and whiteness
are a trouble in one way： the sun is reflected into your eyes with such
energy as you walk along that you want to sneeze all the time。 Old
Captain Tom Bowling found another difficulty。 He joined us in our walk；
but kept wandering unrestfully to the roadside。 Finally he explained。
Said he； 〃Well； I chew； you know； and the road's so plagued clean。〃
We walked several miles that afternoon in the bewildering glare of the
sun； the white roads； and the white buildings。 Our eyes got to paining
us a good deal。 By and by a soothing； blessed twilight spread its cool
balm around。 We looked up in pleased surprise and saw that it proceeded
from an intensely black negro who was going by。 We answered his military
salute in the grateful gloom of his near presence； and then passed on
into the pitiless white glare again。
The colored women whom we met usually bowed and spoke； so did the
children。 The colored men commonly gave the military salute。 They
borrow this fashion from the soldiers； no doubt； England has kept a
garrison here for generations。 The younger men's custom of carrying
small canes is also borrowed from the soldiers； I suppose； who always
carry a cane； in Bermuda as everywhere else in Britain's broad dominions。
The country roads curve and wind hither and thither in the delightfulest
way； unfolding pretty surprises at every turn： billowy masses of oleander
that seem to float out from behind distant projections like； the pink
cloud…banks of sunset； sudden plunges among cottages and gardens； life
and activity； followed by as sudden plunges into the somber twilight and
stillness of the woods； flitting visions of white fortresses and beacon
towers pictured against the sky on remote hilltops； glimpses of shining
green sea caught for a moment through opening headlands； then lost again；
more woods and solitude； and by and by another turn lays bare； without
warning； the full sweep of the inland ocean； enriched with its bars of
soft color and graced with its wandering sails。
Take any road you please； you may depend upon it you will not stay in it
half a mile。 Your road is everything that a road ought to be： it is
bordered with trees； and with strange plants and flowers； it is shady and
pleasant； or sunny and still pleasant； it carries you by the prettiest
and peacefulest and most homelike of homes； and through stretches of
forest that lie in a deep hush sometimes； and sometimes are alive with
the music of birds； it curves always； which is a continual promise；
whereas straight roads reveal everything at a glance and kill interest。
Your road is all this； and yet you will not stay in it half a mile； for
the reason that little seductive； mysterious roads are always branching
out from it on either hand； and as these curve sharply also and hide what
is beyond； you cannot resist the temptation to desert your own chosen
road and explore them。 You are usually paid for your trouble；
consequently； your walk inland always turns out to be one of the most
crooked； involved； purposeless； and interesting experiences a body can
imagine。 There is enough of variety。 Sometimes you are in the level
open； with marshes thick grown with flag…lances that are ten feet high on
the one hand； and potato and onion orchards on the other； next； you are
on a hilltop； with the ocean and the islands spread around you； presently
the road winds through a deep cut； shut in by perpendicular walls thirty
or forty feet high； marked with the oddest and abruptest stratum lines；
suggestive of sudden and eccentric old upheavals； and garnished with here
and there a clinging adventurous flower； and here and there a dangling
vine； and by and by your way is along the sea edge； and you may look down
a fathom or two through the transparent water and watch the diamond…like
flash and play of the light upon the rocks and sands on the bottom until
you are tired of itif you are so constituted as to be able to get tired
of it。
You may march the country roads in maiden meditation； fancy free； by
field and farm； for no dog will plunge out at you from unsuspected gate；
with breath…taking surprise of ferocious bark； notwithstanding it is a
Christian land and a civilized。 We saw upward of a million cats in
Bermuda； but the people are very abstemious in the matter of dogs。 Two
or three nights we prowled the country far and wide； and never once were
accosted by a dog。 It is a great privilege to visit such a land。 The
cats were no offense when properly distributed； but when piled they
obstructed travel。
As we entered the edge of the town that Sunday afternoon； we stopped at a
cottage to get a drink of water。 The proprietor； a middle…aged man with
a good face； asked us to sit down and rest。 His dame brought chairs； and
we grouped ourselves in the shade of the trees by the door。 Mr。 Smith
that was not his name； but it will answerquestioned us about ourselves
and our country； and we answered him truthfully； as a general thing； and
questioned him in return。 It was all very simple and pleasant and
sociable。 Rural； too； for there was a pig and a small donkey and a hen
anchored out； close at hand； by cords to their legs； on a spot that
purported to be grassy。 Presently； a woman passed along； and although
she coldly said nothing she changed the drift of our talk。 Said Smith：
〃She didn't look this way； you noticed？ Well； she is our next neighbor
on one side； and there's another family that's our next neighbors on the
other side； but there's a general coolness all around now； and we don't
speak。 Yet these three families； one generation and another； have lived
here side by side and been as friendly as weavers for a hundred and fifty
years； till about a year ago。〃
〃Why； what calamity could have been powerful enough to break up so old a
friendship？〃
〃Well； it was too bad； but it couldn't be helped。 It happened like this：
About a year or more ago； the rats got to pestering my place a good deal；
and I set up a steel trap in my back yard。 Both of these neighbors run
considerable to cats； and so I warned them about the trap； because their
cats were pretty socia
