首页 >出版文学> The Confessions of a Summer Colonist>第2章
  Beyondthecottagesettlementsisastrugglinglittlepark,dedicatedtotheonlyIndiansaintIeverheardof,thoughtheremaybeothers。Hisstatue,colossalinsheet—lead,andpaintedthecoppercolorofhisrace,offersanyheathencomerthechoicebetweenaBibleinoneofhishandsandatomahawkintheother,attheentranceofthepark;andthereareothersheet—leadgroupsandfiguresinthewhiteofallegoryatdifferentpoints。Itpromisestobeaprettyenoughlittleplaceinfutureyears,butasyetitisnotmuchresortedtobytheexcursionswhichlargelyformtheprosperityoftheBeach。Theconcertsandthe"high—classvaudeville"promisedhavenotflourishedinthepavilionprovidedforthem,andoneoftwomonkeysinthezoologicaldepartmenthasperishedofthepublicinattention。Thishasnotfatallyaffectedthecaptivebear,whorisestohishindlegs,andeatspeanutsanddoughnutsinthatpositionlikeafellow—citizen。Withthecockatoosandparrots,andthedozendeerinaninclosureofwirenetting,heisnomeanattraction;buthedoesnotcharmtheexcursionistsawayfromthesummervillageattheshore,wheretheyspendlongafternoonssplashingamongthewaves,orinlollinggroupsofmen,women,andchildrenonthesand。Inthemoreactivegayeties,Ihaveseennothingsodecidedduringthewholeseasonasthebehaviorofthreeyounggirlswhooncecameupoutofthesea,andobligedmebydancingameasureonthesmooth,hardbeachintheirbathing—dresses。
  Ithoughtitverypretty,butIdonotbelievesuchathingcouldhavebeenseenonOURbeach,whichissafefromallexcursionists,andsacredtothecottageandhotellifeofthePort。
  Besidesourbeachanditsbathing,wehaveareading—clubforthemen,evolvedfromoneoftheoldnativehouses,andverandaedroundforsummeruse;andwehavegolf—linksandagolfclub—housewithineasytrolleyreach。Thelinksareasenergetically,ifnotasgenerally,frequentedasthesands,andthesportfindsthefavorwhichattendsiteverywhereinthedecayoftennis。Thetennis—courtswhichIsawthrongedaboutbyeagergirl—crowds,here,sevenyearsago,arenowalmostwhollyabandonedtotheloversofthegame,whoarenearlyalwaysmen。
  Perhapstheonlything(besides,ofcourse,ourcommonmortality)whichwehaveincommonwiththeexcursionistsisourloveofthetrolley—line。
  This,byitsadmirableequipment,andbytheterroritinspiresinhorses,haswell—nighabolisheddriving;andfollowingtheoldcountryroads,asitdoes,withanoccasionalshort—cutthoughthedeep,green—
  lightedwoodsoracrosstheprismaticsaltmeadows,itisofapicturesquevarietyentirelysatisfying。Afterayearofferventoppositionandprotest,thewholecommunity——whetherofsummerorofwinterfolks——nowgladlyacceptsthetrolley,andthegrandestcottagerandthelowliesthoteldwellermeetinagratefulappreciationofitsbeautyandcomfort。
  Somepassagreatpartofeveryafternoononthetrolley,andoneladyhasachievedcelebritybyspendingfourdollarsaweekintrolley—rides。
  Theexhilarationoftheseisvariedwithanoccasionalapprehensionwhenthecarpitchesdownasharpincline,andtwistsalmostatrightanglesonasuddencurveatthebottomwithoutslackingitsspeed。Aladywhoventuredanappealtotheconductoratonesuchcrisiswasreassured,andatthesametimetaughtherplace,byhisreply:"Thatmotorman’slife,ma’am,isjustasprecioustohimaswhatyoursistoyou。"
  Shehad,perhaps,reallyventuredtoofar,forordinarilytheemployeesofthetrolleydonotfindoccasiontousesomuchseveritywiththeirpassengers。Theylookaftertheircomfortasfaraspossible,andseekeventoanticipatetheirwantsinunexpectedcases,ifImaybelieveastorywhichwastoldbyawitness。Shehadlongexpectedtoseesomeonethrownoutoftheopencaratoneofthesharpcurves,andonedaysheactuallysawawomanhurledfromtheseatintotheroad。Luckilythewomanslightedonherfeet,andstoodlookingroundinadaze。
  "Oh!oh!"exclaimedanotherwomanintheseatbehind,"she’sleftherumbrella!"
  Theconductorpromptlythrewitouttoher。
  "Why,"demandedthewitness,"didthatladywishtogetouthere?"
  Theconductorhesitatedbeforehejerkedthebellpulltogoon:Thenhesaid,"Well,she’llwantherumbrella,anyway。"
  Theconductorsare,infact,verycivilaswellaskind。Iftheyseeahorseinanxietyattheapproachofthecar,theyconsideratelystop,andlethimgetbywithhisdriverinsafety。Bysuchmeans,withtheirfrequenttripsandlowfares,andwiththeeaseandcomfortoftheircars,theyhaveconciliatedpublicfavor,andthetrolleyhasdrawntravelawayfromthesteamrailroadinsuchmeasurethatitrannotrainslastwinter。
  Thetrolley,infact,isafadofthesummerfolksthisyear;butwhatitwillbeanothernooneknows;itmaybetheirhissingandby—word。Inthemeantime,asIhavealreadysuggested,theyhaveotheramusements。
  Thesearenotalwaysofanaturesogeneralasthetrolley,orsoparticularasthetea。Buteachofthelargerhotelshasbeenfullysuppliedwithentertainmentsforthebenefitoftheirprojectors,thoughnearlyeverythingofthesorthadsomesortofcharitableslant。I
  assistedatastereopticonlectureonAlaskafortheaidofsomeyouthfulAlaskansofbothsexes,whowereshownfirstintheirsavagestate,andthenastheyappearedafteramerelyrudimentaleducation,inthecostumesandprofilesofourowncivilization。Ineverwouldhavesupposedthateducationcoulddosomuchinsoshortatime;andIgladlygavemymitefortheirfurtherdevelopmentinclassicbeautyandafinalelegance。Mymitewastakenupinahat,which,passedroundamongtheaudience,isacommonmeansofcollectingthespectators’expressionsofappreciation。Otherentertainments,ofaprouderframe,exactanadmissionfee,butIamnotsurethatthesearebetterthansomeofthehat—shows,astheyarecalled。
  Thetaleofoursummeramusementswouldbesadlyincompletewithoutsomerecordofthebull—fightsgivenbytheSpanishprisonersofwarontheneighboringisland,wheretheywereconfinedtheyearofthewar。
  Admissiontothesecouldbehadonlybyfavoroftheofficersincharge,andevenamongtheEliteofthecolonythosewhowentwereamoreelectfew。Still,thedayIwent,thereweresomefiftyorseventy—fivespectators,whoarrivedbytrolleyneartheisland,andwalkedtothestockadewhichconfinedthecaptives。Arealbull—fight,Ibelieve,isalwaysgivenonSunday,andPuritanprejudiceyieldedtousageeveninthecaseofaburlesquebull—fight;atanyrate,itwasonaSundaythatwecrouchedinanirregularsemicircleonarisinggroundwithintheprisonpale,andfacedthecaptiveaudienceinanothersemicircle,acrossalittlealleyfortheentrancesandexitsoftheperformers。Thepresidentofthebull—fightwasfirstbroughttotheplaceofhonorinahand—cart,andthencamethebanderilleros,thepicadores,andtheespada,wonderfullyeffectiveandcorrectinwhitemuslinandcoloredtissue—paper。Muchmaybedoneinpersonaldecorationwithadvertisingplacards;andtheloftymuralcrownofthepresidenturgedthepubliconbothsidestoUsePlugCut。Thepicador’spasteboardhorsewasattachedtohismiddle,foreandaft,andlookedquitethesortofhaplessjadewhichisordinarilysacrificedtothebulls。Thetorohimselfwascomposedoftwoprisoners,whosehorizontalbackswerecoveredwithabrownblanket;andhisfeet,sometimesbareandsometimesshodwithindia—rubberboots,wereofthehumanpattern。Practicablehorns,ofasomewhattooyieldingsubstance,branchedfromafrontofpasteboard,andaclothtail,apttocomeoffinthecharge,swungfromhisrear。Ihaveneverseenagenuinecorrida,butaladypresent,whohad,toldmethatthiswasconductedwithalltherightcircumstance;anditiscertainthattheperformersenteredintotheirpartswiththeartisticgustoftheirrace。Thepicadorsustainedsometerrificfalls,andinhisqualityofhorsehadtobetakenoutrepeatedlyandsewedup;thebanderillerostormentedandeludedthetorowithtable—covers,oneredandtwodrab,tilltheespadatookhimfromthem,andwithdueceremony,afteraspeechtothepresident,drovehisbladehometothebull’sheart。Istayedtoseethreebullskilled;thelastwasuncommonlyfierce,andwhenhishindquarterscameofforout,hisforequarterschargedjoyouslyamongtheaficionadosontheprisoners’side,andmadehavocintheirthicklypackedranks。Theespadawhokilledthisbullwasshoweredwithcigarsandcigarettesfromourside。
  IdonotknowwhattheSabbath—keepingshadesoftheoldPuritansmadeofourpresenceatsuchafeteonSunday;butpossiblytheyhadgotonsofarinabetterlifeastobelessshockedatthedecayofpietyamongusthanpleasedattheriseofsuchChristianityashadbroughtus,likefriendsandcomrades,togetherwithourpublicenemiesinthisharmlessfun。Iwishtosaythatthetobaccolavishedupontheespadawascollectedforthebehoofofalltheprisoners。
  OurfictionhasmadesomuchofoursummerplacesasthemiseensceneofitslovestoriesthatIsupposeIoughttosaysomethingofthissideofourcoloniallife。ButaftersixtyIsuspectthatone’seyesarepoorforthatsortofthing,andIcanonlysaythatinitsearliestandsimplestepochthePortwasparticularlyfamousforthegoodtimesthattheyoungpeoplehad。Theystillhavegoodtimes,thoughwhetheronjusttheoldtermsIdonotknow。Iknowthattheriverisstillherewithitscanoesandrowboats,itsmeadowyreachesaptfordualsolitude,anditsgrovesforpicnics。Thereisnotmuchbicycling——theroadsareroughandhilly——butthereissomethingofit,anditismightyprettytoseetheyouthofbothsexesbicyclingwiththeirheadsbare。Theygoaboutbareheadedonfootandinbuggies,too,andtheyounggirlsseekthetanwhichtheirmothersusedsoanxiouslytoshun。
  Thesail—boats,mannedbyweather—wornandweatherwiseskippers,areratherforthepleasureofsucholdersummerfolksashaveatasteforcod—fishing,whichishereverygood。Butateveryage,andinwhateversortourcolonistsamusethemselves,itiswiththeleastpossibleceremony。Itisasif,Naturehavingtakenthemsohospitablytoherheart,theyfeltconventionanaffronttoher。Aroundtheircottages,asIhavesaid,theyprefertoleaveherprimitivebeautyuntouched,andsherewardstheirforbearancewithsuchaprofusionofwildflowersasIhaveseennowhereelse。Thelow,pinklaurelflushedallthestonyfieldstotheedgesoftheirverandaswhenwefirstcame;themeadowsweremilk—
  whitewithdaisies;intheswampyplacesdelicateorchidsgrew,inthepoolstheflagsandfloweringrushes;allthepathsandway—sidesweresetwithdog—roses;thehollowsandstonytopswerebroadlymattedwithgroundjuniper。Sincethenthegoldenrodhaspassedfromglorytoglory,firstmixingitsyellow—powderedplumeswiththered—purpletuftsoftheiron—weed,andthenwiththewildasterseverywhere。Therehascomelateradwarfsort,sixortenincheshigh,wonderfullyrichandfine,which,withalow,whiteaster,seemstoholdthefieldagainsteverythingelse,thoughthetallergolden—rodandthemassesofthehigh,blueastersnodlessthicklyaboveit。Butthesesmallerbloomsdeckthegroundinincredibleprofusion,andhaveaninnocentairofbeingstuckin,asiftheyhadbeenfancifullyusedforornamentbychildrenorIndians。
  Inalittlewhilenow,asitisalmosttheendofSeptember,allthefeatherygoldwillhavefadedtothesoft,paleghostsofthatloveliness。Thesummerbirdshavelongbeensilent;thecrows,asiftheyweresomanyexultantnatives,areshoutingintheblueskyabovethewindrowsoftherowan,injubilantprescienceofthedepopulationofourcolony,whichfledthehotelsafortnightago。Thedaysaregrowingshorter,andtheredeveningsfallingearlier;sothatthecottagers’
  husbandswhocomeupeverySaturdayfromtownmightwellbeimpatientforaMondayoffinalreturn。Thosewhocamefromremoterdistanceshavegonebackalready;andtheladycottagers,lingeringhardilyontillOctober,mustfindthesightoftheemptyhotelsandthewindowsoftheneighboringhouses,whichnolongerbrightenafterthechillynightfall,ratherdepressing。Everyonesaysthatthisistheloveliesttimeofyear,andthatitwillbedivinehereallthroughOctober。Buttherearesuddenandunexpecteddefections;thereisasteadypulloftheheartcityward,whichitishardtoresist。Thefirstgreatexoduswasonthefirstofthemonth,whenthehotelsweredesertedbyfour—fifthsoftheirguests。Therestfollowed,halfofthemwithintheweek,andwithinafortnightnonebutanallbutinaudibleandinvisibleremnantwereleft,whomadenoimpressionofsummersojourninthedesertedtrolleys。
  Thedaysnowgobyinmoodsofrapidsuccession。Therehavebeendayswhentheseahaslainsmilinginplacidderisionoftherecreantswhohavefledthelingeringsummer;therehavebeennightswhenthewindshaveroaredroundthecottagesinwildmenaceofthefaithfulfewwhohaveremained。
  Wehavehadamagnificentstorm,whichcame,asanequinoctialstormshould,exactlyattheequinox,andforadayandanightheapedtheseaupontheshoreinthunderingsurgestwentyandthirtyfeethigh。I
  watchedtheseattheirawfulest,fromthewidewindowsofacottagethatcrouchedintheveryedgeofthesurf,withtheeffectofclutchingtherockswithonehandandholdingitsroofonwiththeother。TheseawassuchasightasIhavenotseenonshipboard,andwhileIluxuriouslyshudderedatit,Ihadtheadvantageofamellowlog—fireatmyback,purringandsoftlycracklinginaquietindifferencetothestorm。
  Twenty—fourhoursmoremadeallsereneagain。Bloodcurdlingtalesoflobster—potscarriedtoseafilledtheair;buttheairwasasblandlyunconsciousofeverhavingbeenafuryasaladywhohasfoundherlosttemper。SwiftalternationsofweatheraresocharacteristicofourcolonialclimatethattheotherafternoonIwentoutwithmyumbrellaagainsttheraw,coldrainofthemorning,andhadtoraiseitagainstthebroilingsun。ThreedaysagoIcouldsaythatthegreenofthewoodshadnotouchofhecticinit;butalreadythelowtreesoftheswamp—landhaveflamedintocrimson。Everymorning,whenIlookout,thiscrimsonisofafierierintensity,andthetreesonthedistantuplandsarebeginningslowlytokindle,withasortofinnerglowwhichhasnotyetburstintoablaze。Hereandtherethegolden—rodisrusting;butthereseemsonlytobemoreandmoreasterssorts;andIhaveseenladiescominghomewithsheavesofbluegentians;Ihaveheardthattheorchidsarebeginningagaintolighttheirtenderlampsfromtheburningblackberryvinesthatstrayfromthepasturestotheedgeoftheswamps。
  Afteranapparentlytotalevanescencetherehasbeenalikeresuscitationofthespiritofsummersociety。IntheverylastweekofSeptemberwehavegonetoasupper,whichlingeredfaroutofitsseasonlikeoneoftheselateflowers,andtherehasbeenanafternoonteawhichassembledanastonishingnumberofcottagers,allsecretlysurprisedtofindoneanotherstillhere,andprofessingopenlyapitytingedwithcontemptforthosewhoareherenolonger。
  Iblamedthosewhohadgonehome,butImyselfsnifftheasphaltafar;
  theroarofthestreetcallstomewiththemagicthatthevoiceoftheseaislosing。Justnowitshinesentreatingly,itshineswinningly,inthesunwhichismellowingtoanOctobertenderness,anditshinesunderamoonofperfectorb,whichseemstohavethewholeheavenstoitselfin"thefirstwatchofthenight,"exceptfor"theredplanetMars。"Thisbeginstoburninthewestbeforetheflushofsunsethaspassedfromit;
  andthen,later,afewmoon—washedstarspiercethevastvaultwiththeirkeenpoints。Thestarswhichsopowderedthesummerskyseemmostlytohavegonebacktotown,wherenodoubtpeopletakethemforelectriclights。