reprinted pieces-第53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！



country　blue　frocks　and　red　handkerchiefs；　and　the　butchers'　coats；

shaggy；　furry；　and　hairy：　of　calf…skin；　cow…skin；　horse…skin；　and

bear…skin：　towers　a　cocked　hat　and　a　blue　cloak。　　Slavery！　　For　OUR

Police　wear　great…coats　and　glazed　hats。



But　now　the　bartering　is　over；　and　the　calves　are　sold。　　'Ho！

Gregoire；　Antoine；　Jean；　Louis！　　Bring　up　the　carts；　my　children！

Quick；　brave　infants！　　Hola！　　Hi！'



The　carts；　well　littered　with　straw；　are　backed　up　to　the　edge　of

the　raised　pavement；　and　various　hot　infants　carry　calves　upon

their　heads；　and　dexterously　pitch　them　in；　while　other　hot

infants；　standing　in　the　carts；　arrange　the　calves；　and　pack　them

carefully　in　straw。　　Here　is　a　promising　young　calf；　not　sold；　whom

Madame　Doche　unbinds。　　Pardon　me；　Madame　Doche；　but　I　fear　this

mode　of　tying　the　four　legs　of　a　quadruped　together；　though

strictly　a　la　mode；　is　not　quite　right。　　You　observe；　Madame　Doche；

that　the　cord　leaves　deep　indentations　in　the　skin；　and　that　the

animal　is　so　cramped　at　first　as　not　to　know；　or　even　remotely

suspect　that　HE　is　unbound；　until　you　are　so　obliging　as　to　kick

him；　in　your　delicate　little　way；　and　pull　his　tail　like　a　bell…

rope。　　Then；　he　staggers　to　his　knees；　not　being　able　to　stand；　and

stumbles　about　like　a　drunken　calf；　or　the　horse　at　Franconi's；

whom　you　may　have　seen；　Madame　Doche；　who　is　supposed　to　have　been

mortally　wounded　in　battle。　　But；　what　is　this　rubbing　against　me；

as　I　apostrophise　Madame　Doche？　　It　is　another　heated　infant　with　a

calf　upon　his　head。　　'Pardon；　Monsieur；　but　will　you　have　the

politeness　to　allow　me　to　pass？'　　'Ah；　sir；　willingly。　　I　am　vexed

to　obstruct　the　way。'　　On　he　staggers；　calf　and　all；　and　makes　no

allusion　whatever　either　to　my　eyes　or　limbs。



Now；　the　carts　are　all　full。　　More　straw；　my　Antoine；　to　shake　over

these　top　rows；　then；　off　we　will　clatter；　rumble；　jolt；　and

rattle；　a　long　row　of　us；　out　of　the　first　town…gate；　and　out　at

the　second　town…gate；　and　past　the　empty　sentry…box；　and　the　little

thin　square　bandbox　of　a　guardhouse；　where　nobody　seems　to　live：

and　away　for　Paris；　by　the　paved　road；　lying；　a　straight；　straight

line；　in　the　long；　long　avenue　of　trees。　　We　can　neither　choose　our

road；　nor　our　pace；　for　that　is　all　prescribed　to　us。　　The　public

convenience　demands　that　our　carts　should　get　to　Paris　by　such　a

route；　and　no　other　（Napoleon　had　leisure　to　find　that　out；　while

he　had　a　little　war　with　the　world　upon　his　hands）；　and　woe　betide

us　if　we　infringe　orders。



Drovers　of　oxen　stand　in　the　Cattle　Market；　tied　to　iron　bars　fixed

into　posts　of　granite。　　Other　droves　advance　slowly　down　the　long

avenue；　past　the　second　town…gate；　and　the　first　town…gate；　and　the

sentry…box；　and　the　bandbox；　thawing　the　morning　with　their　smoky

breath　as　they　come　along。　　Plenty　of　room；　plenty　of　time。

Neither　man　nor　beast　is　driven　out　of　his　wits　by　coaches；　carts；

waggons；　omnibuses；　gigs；　chaises；　phaetons；　cabs；　trucks；　boys；

whoopings；　roarings；　and　multitudes。　　No　tail…twisting　is　necessary

…　no　iron　pronging　is　necessary。　　There　are　no　iron　prongs　here。

The　market　for　cattle　is　held　as　quietly　as　the　market　for　calves。

In　due　time；　off　the　cattle　go　to　Paris；　the　drovers　can　no　more

choose　their　road；　nor　their　time；　nor　the　numbers　they　shall

drive；　than　they　can　choose　their　hour　for　dying　in　the　course　of

nature。



Sheep　next。　　The　sheep…pens　are　up　here；　past　the　Branch　Bank　of

Paris　established　for　the　convenience　of　the　butchers；　and　behind

the　two　pretty　fountains　they　are　making　in　the　Market。　　My　name　is

Bull：　yet　I　think　I　should　like　to　see　as　good　twin　fountains　…　not

to　say　in　Smithfield；　but　in　England　anywhere。　　Plenty　of　room；

plenty　of　time。　　And　here　are　sheep…dogs；　sensible　as　ever；　but

with　a　certain　French　air　about　them　…　not　without　a　suspicion　of

dominoes　…　with　a　kind　of　flavour　of　moustache　and　beard　…

demonstrative　dogs；　shaggy　and　loose　where　an　English　dog　would　be

tight　and　close　…　not　so　troubled　with　business　calculations　as　our

English　drovers'　dogs；　who　have　always　got　their　sheep　upon　their

minds；　and　think　about　their　work；　even　resting；　as　you　may　see　by

their　faces；　but；　dashing；　showy；　rather　unreliable　dogs：　who　might

worry　me　instead　of　their　legitimate　charges　if　they　saw　occasion　…

and　might　see　it　somewhat　suddenly。



The　market　for　sheep　passes　off　like　the　other　two；　and　away　they

go；　by　THEIR　allotted　road　to　Paris。　　My　way　being　the　Railway；　I

make　the　best　of　it　at　twenty　miles　an　hour；　whirling　through　the

now　high…lighted　landscape；　thinking　that　the　inexperienced　green

buds　will　be　wishing；　before　long；　they　had　not　been　tempted　to

come　out　so　soon；　and　wondering　who　lives　in　this　or　that　chateau；

all　window　and　lattice；　and　what　the　family　may　have　for　breakfast

this　sharp　morning。



After　the　Market　comes　the　Abattoir。　　What　abattoir　shall　I　visit

first？　　Montmartre　is　the　largest。　　So　I　will　go　there。



The　abattoirs　are　all　within　the　walls　of　Paris；　with　an　eye　to　the

receipt　of　the　octroi　duty；　but；　they　stand　in　open　places　in　the

suburbs；　removed　from　the　press　and　bustle　of　the　city。　　They　are

managed　by　the　Syndicat　or　Guild　of　Butchers；　under　the　inspection

of　the　Police。　　Certain　smaller　items　of　the　revenue　derived　from

them　are　in　part　retained　by　the　Guild　for　the　payment　of　their

expenses；　and　in　part　devoted　by　it　to　charitable　purposes　in

connexion　with　the　trade。　　They　cost　six　hundred　and　eighty

thousand　pounds；　and　they　return　to　the　city　of　Paris　an　interest

on　that　outlay；　amounting　to　nearly　six　and　a…half　per　cent。



Here；　in　a　sufficiently　dismantled　space　is　the　Abattoir　of

Montmartre；　covering　nearly　nine　acres　of　ground；　surrounded　by　a

high　wall；　and　looking　from　the　outside　like　a　cavalry　barrack。　　At

the　iron　gates　is　a　small　functionary　in　a　large　cocked　hat。

'Monsieur　desires　to　see　the　abattoir？　　Most　certainly。'　　State

being　inconvenient　in　private　transactions；　and　Monsieur　being

already　aware　of　the　cocked　hat；　the　functionary　puts　it　into　a

little　official　bureau　which　it　almost　fills；　and　accompanies　me　in

the　modest　attire　…　as　to　his　head　…　of　ordinary　life。



Many　of　the　animals　from　Poissy　have　come　here。　　On　the　arrival　of

each　drove；　it　was　turned　into　yonder　ample　space；　where　each

butcher　who　had　bought；　selected　his　own　purchases。　　Some；　we　see

now；　in　these　long　perspectives　of　stalls　with　a　high　over…hanging

roof　of　wood　and　open　tiles　rising　above　the　walls。　　While　they

rest　here；　before　being　slaughtered；　they　are　required　to　be　fed

and　watered；　and　the　stalls　must　be　kept　clean。　　A　stated　amount　of

fodder　must　always　be　ready　in　the　loft　above；　and　the　supervision

is　of　the　strictest　kind。　　The　same　regulations　apply　to　sheep　and

calves；　for　which；　portions　of　these　perspectives　are　strongly

railed　off。　　All　the　buildings　are　of　the　strongest　and　most　solid

description。



After　traversing　these　lairs；　through　which；　besides　the　upper

provision　for　ventilation　just　mentioned；　there　may　be　a　thorough

current　of　air　from　opposite　windows　in　the　side　walls；　and　from

doors　at　either　end；　we　traverse　the　broad；　paved；　court…yard　until

we　come　to　the　slaughter…houses。　　They　are　all　exactly　alike；　and

adjoin　each　other；　to　the　number　of　eight　or　nine　together；　in

blocks　of　solid　building。　　Let　us　walk　into　the　first。



It　is　firmly　built　and　paved　with　stone。　　It　is　well　lighted；

thoroughly　aired；　and　lavishly　provided　with　fresh　water。　　It　has

two　doors　opposite　each　other；　the　first；　the　door　by　which　I

entered　from　the　main　yard；　the　second；　which　is　opposite；　opening

on　another　smaller　yard；　where　the　sheep　and　calves　are　killed　on

benches。　　The　pavement　of　that　yard；　I　see；　slopes　downward　to　a

gutter；　for　its　being　more　easily　cleansed。　　The　slaughter…house　is

fifteen　feet　high；　sixteen　feet　and　a…half　wide；　and　thirty…three

feet　long。　　It　is　fitted　with　a　powerful　windlass；　by　which　one　man

at　the　handle　can　bring　the　head　of　an　ox　down　to　the　ground　to

receive　the　blow　from　the　pole…axe　that　is　to　fell　him　…　with　the

means　of　raising　the　carcass　and　keeping　it　suspended　during　the

after…operation　of　dressing　…　and　with　hooks　on　which　carcasses　can

hang；　when　completely　prepared；　without　touching　the　walls。　　Upon

the　pavement　of　this　first　stone　chamber；　lies　an　ox　scarcely　dead。

If　I　except　the　blood　draining　from　him；　into　a　little　stone　well

in　a　corner　of　the　pavement；　the　place　is　free　from　offence　as　the

Place　de　la　Concorde。　　It　is　infinitely　purer　and　cleaner；　I　know；

my　friend　the　functionary；　than　the　Cathedral　of　Notre　Dame。　　Ha；

ha！　　Monsieur　is　pleasant；　but；　truly；　there　is　reason；　too；　in

what　he　says。



I　look　into　another　of　these　slaughter…houses。　　'Pray　enter；'　says

a　gentleman　in　bloody　boots。　　'This　is　a　calf　I　have　killed　this

morning。　　Having　a　little　time　upon　my　hands；　I　have　cut　and

punctured　this　lace　pattern　in　the　coats　of　his　stomach。　　It　is

pretty　enough。　　I　did　it　to　divert　myself。'　…　'It　is　beautiful；

Monsieur；　the　slaughterer！'　　He　tells　me　I　have　the　gentility　to

say　so。



I　look　into　rows　of　slaughter…houses。　　In　many；　retail　dealers；　who

have　come　here　for　the　purpose；　are　making　bargains　for　meat。

There　is　killing　enough；　certainly；　to　satiate　an　unused　eye；　and

there　are　steaming　carcasses　enough；　to　suggest　the　expediency　of　a

fowl　and　salad　for　dinner；　but；　everywhere；　there　is　an　orderly；

clean；　well…systematised　routine　of　work　in　progress　…　horrible

work　at　the　best；　if　you　please；　but；　so　much　the　greater　reason

why　it　should　be　made　the　best　of。　　I　don't　know　（I　think　I　have

observed；　my　name　is　Bull）　that　a　Parisian　of　the　lowest　order　is

particularly　delicate；　or　that　his　nature　is　remarkable　for　an

infinitesimal　infusion　of　ferocity；　but；　I　do　know；　my　potent；

grave；　and　common　counselling　Signors；　that　he