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！
Switzerland； for I am sure the Alps must be greasy with being climbed。
Besides； the Alps and the gipsies； in common with waterfalls and ruined castles； belong to the ready…made operatic poetry of the world； from which the last thrill has long since departed。 They are； so to say； public poetry； the public property of the emotions； and no longer touch the private heart or stir the private imagination。 Our fathers felt so much about them that there is nothing left for us to feel。 They are as a rose whose fragrance has been exhausted by greedy and indiscriminate smelling。 I would rather find a little Surrey common for myself and idle about it a summer day； with the other geese and donkeys； than climb the tallest Alp。
Most gipsies are merely tenth…rate provincial companies； travelling with and villainously travestying Borrow's great pieces of 〃Lavengro〃 and 〃Romany Rye。〃 Dirty； ill…looking； scowling men； dirty； slovenly； and wickedly ugly women； children to match； snarling； filthy little curs； with a ready beggar's whine on occasion。 A gipsy encampment to…day is little more than a moving slum； a scab of squalor on the fair face of the countryside。
But there was one little trifle of an incident that touched me as I passed this particular caravan。 Evidently one of the vans had come to grief； and several men of the party were making a great show of repairing it。 After I had run the gauntlet of the begging children； and was just out of ear… shot of the group； I turned round to survey it from a distance。 It was encamped on a slight rise of the undulating road； and from where I stood tents and vans and men were clearly silhouetted against the sky。 The road ran through and a little higher than the encampment； which occupied both sides of it。 Presently the figure of a young man separated itself from the rest； stept up on to the smooth road； and standing in the middle of it； in an absorbed attitude； began to make a movement with his hands as though winding string round a top。 That in fact was his occupation； and for the next five minutes he kept thus winding the cord； flinging the top to the ground； and intently bending down to catch it on his hand； none of the others； not even the children； taking the slightest notice of him；he entirely alone there with his poor little pleasure。 There seemed to me pathos in his loneliness。 Had some one spun the top with him； it would have vanished； and presently； no doubt at the bidding of an oath I could not hear； he hurriedly thrust the top into his pocket； and once more joined the straining group of men。 The snatched pleasure must be put by at the call of reality； the world and its work must rush in upon his dream。 I have often thought about the top and its spinner； as I have noted the absorbed faces of other people's pleasures in the streets；two lovers passing along the crowded Strand with eyes only for each other； a student deep in his book in the corner of an omnibus； a young mother glowing over the child in her arms； the wild…eyed musician dreamily treading on everybody's toes； and begging nobody's pardon； the pretty little Gaiety Girl hurrying to rehearsal with no thought but of her own sweet self and whether there will be a letter from Harry at the stage… door；yes； if we are alone in our griefs； we are no less alone in our pleasures。 We spin our tops as in an enchanted circle； and no one sees or heeds save ourselves；as how should they with their own tops to spin？ Happy indeed is he； who has his top and cares still to spin it； for to be tired of our tops is to be tired of life； saith the preacher。
As the young gipsy's little holiday came to an end； I turned with a sigh upon my way； and here； while still on the subject； may I remark on the curious fact that probably Borrow has lived and died without a single gipsy having heard of him； just as the expertest anglers know nothing of Izaak Walton。
Has the British soldier； one wonders； yet discovered Rudyard Kipling； or is the Wessex peasant aware of Thomas Hardy？ It is odd to think that the last people to read such authors are the very people they most concern。 For you might spend your life； say； in studying the London street boy； and write never so movingly and humourously about him； yet would he never know your name； and though Whitechapel makes novelists； it does so without knowing it；makes them to be read in Mayfair；just as it never wears the dainty hats and gowns its weary little milliners and seamstresses make through the day and night。 It is Capital and Labour over again； for in literature also we reap in gladness what others have sown in tears。
And now； after these admirable reflections； I am about to make such 〃art〃 as I can of another man's tragedy； as will appear in the next chapter。
CHAPTER XIII
A STRANGE WEDDING
My moralisings were cut short by my entering a village； and； it being about the hour of noon； finding myself in the thick of a village wedding。
Undoubtedly the nicest way to get married is on the sly； and indeed it is at present becoming quite fashionable。 Many young couples of my acquaintance； who have had no other reason for concealing the fact beyond their own whim； have thus slipped off without saying a word to anybody； and returned full…blown housekeepers； with 〃at home〃 days of their own； and everything else like real married people；for； as said an old lady to me； 〃one can never be sure of married people nowadays unless you have been at the wedding。〃
My friend George Muncaster； who does everything charmingly different from any one else； hit upon one of the quaintest plans for his marriage。 It was simple； and some may say prosaic enough。 His days being spent at a great office in the city； he got leave of absence for a couple of hours； met his wife； went with her to the registrar's； returned to his office； worked the rest of the day as usual； and then went to his new home to find his wife and dinner awaiting him；all just as it was going to be every night for so many happy years。 Prosaic； you say！ Not your idea of poetry； perhaps； but； after a new and growing fashion in poetry； truly poetic。 George Muncaster's marriage is a type of the new poetry； the poetry of essentials。 The old poetry； as exemplified in the old…fashioned marriage； is a poetry of externals； and certainly it has the advantage of picturesqueness。
There is perhaps more to be said for it than that。 Indeed； if I were ever to get married； I am at a loss to know which way I should choose；George Muncaster's way or the old merry fashion； with the rice and the old shoes and the orange…blossom。 No doubt the old cheery publicity is a little embarrassing to the two most concerned； and the old marriage customs； the singing of the bride and bridegroom to their nuptial couch； the frank jests； the country horse…play； must have fretted the souls of many a lover before Shelley； who； it will be remembered； resented the choral celebrations of his Scotch landlord and friends by appearing at his bedroom door with a brace of pistols。
How like Shelley！ The Scotch landlord meant well； we may be sure； and a very small pinch of humour； or even mere ordinary humanity； as distinct from humanitarianism； would have taken in the situation。 Of course Shelley's mind was full of the sanctity of the moment； and indignant that 〃the hour for which the years did sigh〃 should thus be broken in upon by vulgar revelry； but while we may sympathise with his view； and admit to the full the sacredness； not to say the solemnity； of the marriage ceremony； yet it is to be hoped that it still retains a naturally mirthful side； of which such public merriment is but the crude expression。
With all its sweet and mystical significance； surely the prevailing feeling in the hearts of bride and bridegroom is； or should be； that of happiness；happiness bubbling and dancing； all sunny ripples from heart to heart。
Surely they can spare a little of it； just one day's sight of it； to a less happy world；a world long since married and done for； and with little happiness in it save the spectacle of other people's happiness。 It is good for us to see happy people； good for the symbols of happiness to be carried high amidst us on occasion； for if they serve no other purpose； they inspire in us the hope that we too may some day be happy； or remind our discontented hearts that we have been。
If it were only for the sake of those quaint old women for whom life would be entirely robbed of interest were it not for other people's weddings and funerals； one feels the public ceremony of marriage a sort of public duty； the happiness tax； so to say； due to the somewhat impoverished revenues of public happiness。 Other forms of happiness are taxed； why not marriage？
In a village； particularly； two people who robbed the community of its perquisites in this respect would be looked upon as 〃enemies of the people；〃 and their joint life would begin under a social ban which it would cost much subsequent hospitality to remove。 The dramatic instinct to which the life of towns is necessarily unfavourable； is kept alive in the country by the smallness of the stage and the fewness of the actors。 A village is an organism； conscious of its several parts； as a town is not。
In a v