reprinted pieces-第52部分

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！



that　won't　go　down　in　the　City。　　Nature　very　often　don't　mean

anything。　　Mrs。　Quickly　says　that　prunes　are　ill　for　a　green　wound；

but　whosoever　says　that　putrid　animal　substances　are　ill　for　a

green　wound；　or　for　robust　vigour；　or　for　anything　or　for　anybody；

is　a　humanity…monger　and　a　humbug。　　Britons　never；　never；　never；

&c。；　therefore。　　And　prosperity　to　cattle…driving；　cattle…

slaughtering；　bone…crushing；　blood…boiling；　trotter…scraping；

tripe…dressing；　paunch…cleaning；　gut…spinning；　hide…preparing；

tallow…melting；　and　other　salubrious　proceedings；　in　the　midst　of

hospitals；　churchyards；　workhouses；　schools；　infirmaries；　refuges；

dwellings；　provision…shops　nurseries；　sick…beds；　every　stage　and

baiting…place　in　the　journey　from　birth　to　death！



These　UNcommon　counsellors；　your　Professor　Owens　and　fellows；　will

contend　that　to　tolerate　these　things　in　a　civilised　city；　is　to

reduce　it　to　a　worse　condition　than　BRUCE　found　to　prevail　in

ABYSSINIA。　　For　there　（say　they）　the　jackals　and　wild　dogs　came　at

night　to　devour　the　offal；　whereas；　here　there　are　no　such　natural

scavengers；　and　quite　as　savage　customs。　　Further；　they　will

demonstrate　that　nothing　in　Nature　is　intended　to　be　wasted；　and

that　besides　the　waste　which　such　abuses　occasion　in　the　articles

of　health　and　life　…　main　sources　of　the　riches　of　any　community　…

they　lead　to　a　prodigious　waste　of　changing　matters；　which　might；

with　proper　preparation；　and　under　scientific　direction；　be　safely

applied　to　the　increase　of　the　fertility　of　the　land。　　Thus　（they

argue）　does　Nature　ever　avenge　infractions　of　her　beneficent　laws；

and　so　surely　as　Man　is　determined　to　warp　any　of　her　blessings

into　curses；　shall　they　become　curses；　and　shall　he　suffer　heavily。

But；　this　is　cant。　　Just　as　it　is　cant　of　the　worst　description　to

say　to　the　London　Corporation；　'How　can　you　exhibit　to　the　people

so　plain　a　spectacle　of　dishonest　equivocation；　as　to　claim　the

right　of　holding　a　market　in　the　midst　of　the　great　city；　for　one

of　your　vested　privileges；　when　you　know　that　when　your　last　market

holding　charter　was　granted　to　you　by　King　Charles　the　First；

Smithfield　stood　IN　THE　SUBURBS　OF　LONDON；　and　is　in　that　very

charter　so　described　in　those　five　words？'　…　which　is　certainly

true；　but　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　question。



Now　to　the　comparison；　in　these　particulars　of　civilisation；

between　the　capital　of　England；　and　the　capital　of　that　frog…eating

and　wooden…shoe　wearing　country；　which　the　illustrious　Common

Councilman　so　sarcastically　settled。



In　Paris；　there　is　no　Cattle　Market。　　Cows　and　calves　are　sold

within　the　city；　but；　the　Cattle　Markets　are　at　Poissy；　about

thirteen　miles　off；　on　a　line　of　railway；　and　at　Sceaux；　about　five

miles　off。　　The　Poissy　market　is　held　every　Thursday；　the　Sceaux

market；　every　Monday。　　In　Paris；　there　are　no　slaughter…houses；　in

our　acceptation　of　the　term。　　There　are　five　public　Abattoirs　…

within　the　walls；　though　in　the　suburbs　…　and　in　these　all　the

slaughtering　for　the　city　must　be　performed。　　They　are　managed　by　a

Syndicat　or　Guild　of　Butchers；　who　confer　with　the　Minister　of　the

Interior　on　all　matters　affecting　the　trade；　and　who　are　consulted

when　any　new　regulations　are　contemplated　for　its　government。　　They

are；　likewise；　under　the　vigilant　superintendence　of　the　police。

Every　butcher　must　be　licensed：　which　proves　him　at　once　to　be　a

slave；　for　we　don't　license　butchers　in　England　…　we　only　license

apothecaries；　attorneys；　post…masters；　publicans；　hawkers；

retailers　of　tobacco；　snuff；　pepper；　and　vinegar　…　and　one　or　two

other　little　trades；　not　worth　mentioning。　　Every　arrangement　in

connexion　with　the　slaughtering　and　sale　of　meat；　is　matter　of

strict　police　regulation。　　（Slavery　again；　though　we　certainly　have

a　general　sort　of　Police　Act　here。）



But；　in　order　that　the　reader　may　understand　what　a　monument　of

folly　these　frog…eaters　have　raised　in　their　abattoirs　and　cattle…

markets；　and　may　compare　it　with　what　common　counselling　has　done

for　us　all　these　years；　and　would　still　do　but　for　the　innovating

spirit　of　the　times；　here　follows　a　short　account　of　a　recent　visit

to　these　places：





It　was　as　sharp　a　February　morning　as　you　would　desire　to　feel　at

your　fingers'　ends　when　I　turned　out　…　tumbling　over　a　chiffonier

with　his　little　basket　and　rake；　who　was　picking　up　the　bits　of

coloured　paper　that　had　been　swept　out；　over…night；　from　a　Bon…Bon

shop　…　to　take　the　Butchers'　Train　to　Poissy。　　A　cold；　dim　light

just　touched　the　high　roofs　of　the　Tuileries　which　have　seen　such

changes；　such　distracted　crowds；　such　riot　and　bloodshed；　and　they

looked　as　calm；　and　as　old；　all　covered　with　white　frost；　as　the

very　Pyramids。　　There　was　not　light　enough；　yet；　to　strike　upon　the

towers　of　Notre　Dame　across　the　water；　but　I　thought　of　the　dark

pavement　of　the　old　Cathedral　as　just　beginning　to　be　streaked　with

grey；　and　of　the　lamps　in　the　'House　of　God；'　the　Hospital　close　to

it；　burning　low　and　being　quenched；　and　of　the　keeper　of　the　Morgue

going　about　with　a　fading　lantern；　busy　in　the　arrangement　of　his

terrible　waxwork　for　another　sunny　day。



The　sun　was　up；　and　shining　merrily　when　the　butchers　and　I；

announcing　our　departure　with　an　engine　shriek　to　sleepy　Paris；

rattled　away　for　the　Cattle　Market。　　Across　the　country；　over　the

Seine；　among　a　forest　of　scrubby　trees　…　the　hoar　frost　lying　cold

in　shady　places；　and　glittering　in　the　light　…　and　here　we　are　…　at

Poissy！　　Out　leap　the　butchers；　who　have　been　chattering　all　the

way　like　madmen；　and　off　they　straggle　for　the　Cattle　Market　（still

chattering；　of　course；　incessantly）；　in　hats　and　caps　of　all

shapes；　in　coats　and　blouses；　in　calf…skins；　cow…skins；　horse…

skins；　furs；　shaggy　mantles；　hairy　coats；　sacking；　baize；　oil…skin；

anything　you　please　that　will　keep　a　man　and　a　butcher　warm；　upon　a

frosty　morning。



Many　a　French　town　have　I　seen；　between　this　spot　of　ground　and

Strasburg　or　Marseilles；　that　might　sit　for　your　picture；　little

Poissy！　　Barring　the　details　of　your　old　church；　I　know　you　well；

albeit　we　make　acquaintance；　now；　for　the　first　time。　　I　know　your

narrow；　straggling；　winding　streets；　with　a　kennel　in　the　midst；

and　lamps　slung　across。　　I　know　your　picturesque　street…corners；

winding　up…hill　Heaven　knows　why　or　where！　　I　know　your　tradesmen's

inscriptions；　in　letters　not　quite　fat　enough；　your　barbers'　brazen

basins　dangling　over　little　shops；　your　Cafes　and　Estaminets；　with

cloudy　bottles　of　stale　syrup　in　the　windows；　and　pictures　of

crossed　billiard　cues　outside。　　I　know　this　identical　grey　horse

with　his　tail　rolled　up　in　a　knot　like　the　'back　hair'　of　an　untidy

woman；　who　won't　be　shod；　and　who　makes　himself　heraldic　by

clattering　across　the　street　on　his　hind…legs；　while　twenty　voices

shriek　and　growl　at　him　as　a　Brigand；　an　accursed　Robber；　and　an

everlastingly…doomed　Pig。　　I　know　your　sparkling　town…fountain；

too；　my　Poissy；　and　am　glad　to　see　it　near　a　cattle…market；　gushing

so　freshly；　under　the　auspices　of　a　gallant　little　sublimated

Frenchman　wrought　in　metal；　perched　upon　the　top。　　Through　all　the

land　of　France　I　know　this　unswept　room　at　The　Glory；　with　its

peculiar　smell　of　beans　and　coffee；　where　the　butchers　crowd　about

the　stove；　drinking　the　thinnest　of　wine　from　the　smallest　of

tumblers；　where　the　thickest　of　coffee…cups　mingle　with　the　longest

of　loaves；　and　the　weakest　of　lump　sugar；　where　Madame　at　the

counter　easily　acknowledges　the　homage　of　all　entering　and

departing　butchers；　where　the　billiard…table　is　covered　up　in　the

midst　like　a　great　bird…cake　…　but　the　bird　may　sing　by…and…by！



A　bell！　　The　Calf　Market！　　Polite　departure　of　butchers。　　Hasty

payment　and　departure　on　the　part　of　amateur　Visitor。　　Madame

reproaches　Ma'amselle　for　too　fine　a　susceptibility　in　reference　to

the　devotion　of　a　Butcher　in　a　bear…skin。　　Monsieur；　the　landlord

of　The　Glory；　counts　a　double　handful　of　sous；　without　an

unobliterated　inscription；　or　an　undamaged　crowned　head；　among

them。



There　is　little　noise　without；　abundant　space；　and　no　confusion。

The　open　area　devoted　to　the　market　is　divided　into　three　portions：

the　Calf　Market；　the　Cattle　Market；　the　Sheep　Market。　　Calves　at

eight；　cattle　at　ten；　sheep　at　mid…day。　　All　is　very　clean。



The　Calf　Market　is　a　raised　platform　of　stone；　some　three　or　four

feet　high；　open　on　all　sides；　with　a　lofty　overspreading　roof；

supported　on　stone　columns；　which　give　it　the　appearance　of　a　sort

of　vineyard　from　Northern　Italy。　　Here；　on　the　raised　pavement；　lie

innumerable　calves；　all　bound　hind…legs　and　fore…legs　together；　and

all　trembling　violently　…　perhaps　with　cold；　perhaps　with　fear；

perhaps　with　pain；　for；　this　mode　of　tying；　which　seems　to　be　an

absolute　superstition　with　the　peasantry；　can　hardly　fail　to　cause

great　suffering。　　Here；　they　lie；　patiently　in　rows；　among　the

straw；　with　their　stolid　faces　and　inexpressive　eyes；　superintended

by　men　and　women；　boys　and　girls；　here　they　are　inspected　by　our

friends；　the　butchers；　bargained　for；　and　bought。　　Plenty　of　time；

plenty　of　room；　plenty　of　good　humour。　　'Monsieur　Francois　in　the

bear…skin；　how　do　you　do；　my　friend？　　You　come　from　Paris　by　the

train？　　The　fresh　air　does　you　good。　　If　you　are　in　want　of　three

or　four　fine　calves　this　market　morning；　my　angel；　I；　Madame　Doche；

shall　be　happy　to　deal　with　you。　　Behold　these　calves；　Monsieur

Francois！　　Great　Heaven；　you　are　doubtful！　　Well；　sir；　walk　round

and　look　about　you。　　If　you　find　better　for　the　money；　buy　them。

If　not；　come　to　me！'　　Monsieur　Francois　goes　his　way　leisurely；　and

keeps　a　wary　eye　upon　the　stock。　　No　other　butcher　jostles　Monsieur

Francois；　Monsieur　Francois　jostles　no　other　butcher。　　Nobody　is

flustered　and　aggravated。　　Nobody　is　savage。　　In　the　midst　of　the

country　blue　frocks　and　red　handkerchiefs；　and　the