登陆注册
5239300000049

第49章 A FLIGHT(4)

More fortifications, more soldiering and drumming, more basins of soup, more little loaves of bread, more bottles of wine, more caraffes of brandy, more time for refreshment. Everything good, and everything ready. Bright, unsubstantial-looking, scenic sort of station. People waiting. Houses, uniforms, beards, moustaches, some sabots, plenty of neat women, and a few old-visaged children.

Unless it be a delusion born of my giddy flight, the grown-up people and the children seem to change places in France. In general, the boys and girls are little old men and women, and the men and women lively boys and girls.

Bugle, shriek, flight resumed. Monied Interest has come into my carriage. Says the manner of refreshing is 'not bad,' but considers it French. Admits great dexterity and politeness in the attendants. Thinks a decimal currency may have something to do with their despatch in settling accounts, and don't know but what it's sensible and convenient. Adds, however, as a general protest, that they're a revolutionary people - and always at it.

Ramparts, canals, cathedral, river, soldiering and drumming, open country, river, earthenware manufactures, Creil. Again ten minutes. Not even Demented in a hurry. Station, a drawing-room with a verandah: like a planter's house. Monied Interest considers it a band-box, and not made to last. Little round tables in it, at one of which the Sister Artists and attendant Mysteries are established with Wasp and Zamiel, as if they were going to stay a week.

Anon, with no more trouble than before, I am flying again, and lazily wondering as I fly. What has the South-Eastern done with all the horrible little villages we used to pass through, in the DILIGENCE? What have they done with all the summer dust, with all the winter mud, with all the dreary avenues of little trees, with all the ramshackle postyards, with all the beggars (who used to turn out at night with bits of lighted candle, to look in at the coach windows), with all the long-tailed horses who were always biting one another, with all the big postilions in jack-boots - with all the mouldy cafes that we used to stop at, where a long mildewed table-cloth, set forth with jovial bottles of vinegar and oil, and with a Siamese arrangement of pepper and salt, was never wanting? Where are the grass-grown little towns, the wonderful little market-places all unconscious of markets, the shops that nobody kept, the streets that nobody trod, the churches that nobody went to, the bells that nobody rang, the tumble-down old buildings plastered with many-coloured bills that nobody read? Where are the two-and-twenty weary hours of long, long day and night journey, sure to be either insupportably hot or insupportably cold? Where are the pains in my bones, where are the fidgets in my legs, where is the Frenchman with the nightcap who never WOULD have the little coupe-window down, and who always fell upon me when he went to sleep, and always slept all night snoring onions?

A voice breaks in with 'Paris! Here we are!'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 鳖有洞天

    鳖有洞天

    怎样才能获得自由?“我”提出疑问。即将毕业,身处异乡,经历过两段与纯粹自由者的爱情后,“我”却发现自己与自由渐行渐远。一直以来都成长在别人的目光中,并在独木桥上努力奔跑,当“我”接触到一个更为广阔的世界后,发现自己竟然失去了获得自由的能力。“我”游走于边界之上,在理想与规则中间苦闷地挣扎。穿插于梦境与现实,过去与现在,“我”被人引领着发现,原来这样的挣扎并非“我”一个人在经历。有很多像“我”一样的人,“我”发现自己竟从未曾孤独过。这样的发现令“我”感动,也让“我”明白如何能够通向自由。我们不是敌人,而是只是一个阵队中向前迈步的人群。因此我们不需要让目光成为枷锁,我们不用畏惧,我们从不孤独。怎样才能获得自由?爱别人吧。什么是爱?不把自己的意志强加于别人身上,就是“我”能想到最好的爱。
  • 武侠之侠客风云传

    武侠之侠客风云传

    一个少年,穿越至游戏《侠客风云传》的世界,在这里,每一个人物都有血有肉,他们之间有着各种恩怨情仇。而金手指游戏系统的出现,更让他在这个武侠的世界,混的风生水起。
  • 天生闲凉

    天生闲凉

    穿书的大房嫡姐,重生的隔房庶妹,被剧情推动体弱多病的身体,时不时还要吐一口血……
  • 逃来逃去

    逃来逃去

    工作是嘉兴市中级法院的一名法官。已发表小说100万余字,散见于《小说选刊》、《中篇小说选刊》、《中国作家》、《江南》、《山花》、《百花洲》等期刊。
  • 如何与“麻烦的人”不麻烦的相处

    如何与“麻烦的人”不麻烦的相处

    在我们的日常交际中,时常会遇到爱抱怨的人、木讷的人、不讲诚信的人、行事拖沓的人,还有的人自私、狭隘、功利、猜忌、城府很深……我们把这样的人称为麻烦人。对于麻烦人,我们如果选择忍受,那么自己就会痛苦;如果选择逃避,又会感到孤独。本书从从古代历史与现实生活中取材,通过独特的角度去思考和揣摩麻烦人的心理特点,详细描述了我们与各种麻烦的人相处时遇到的种种麻烦,分析了产生这些麻烦的原因,并提出了与他们打交道的实用建议。翻开本书,看透麻烦人的本来面目,正视人性的弱点,理解和包容他们,增进彼此了解,从而与他们和谐共处。
  • 用故事激发孩子好学向上

    用故事激发孩子好学向上

    学习,无论是对于个人还是民族,意义都是重大的。儿童时期是学习的黄金期。尽早让孩子认识到学习的真正意义,激发孩子学习的主动性,让孩子从学习中获得乐趣,对孩子的一生都有很大的帮助。本书采用“故事教育法”的方式,针对孩子在学习过程中随时发生的情况,把各种教育的道理蕴含在故事中,通过一百多个生动有趣的故事引领孩子在轻松愉快的氛围中感受到学习的乐趣,培养孩子好学向上的习惯,让孩子在学习的过程中渐入佳境。在故事里,孩子能够领略到学习是一件美妙的事情,更是一件快乐的事情。只要让自己置身其中,就可以发现沿途的美好风景。
  • 索命剑

    索命剑

    穿越异界,魔兽横行,开始了修炼斗气的道路。五年后,胸无大志程默阳决定开始出去闯闯,并带着他老师路长风任务区西北省边境城送行,主要的还是泡泡贵族妹妹,开开心心的在这个世界上平安的过下去。而此刻,魔兽大军再次侵入,这一次是传说中的龙神率领,而这一次程默阳才知道,原来以前一直认为是斗气等级很低的老师路长风竟然是这片大陆上传说的剑神……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 后悔药专卖铺

    后悔药专卖铺

    燕国国君殷湛玉树临风神机妙算厚颜无耻,伪装成虞国将军李璟之,潜入“不悔药铺”接近老板娘红溪。啥?红溪居然还是个妖精?还卖后悔药?!国之将乱,妖孽丛生。他要亲手结束这乱世。而她,却依附乱世而生。高贵冷艳的女主VS耍流氓耍无赖死缠烂打的男主!
  • 武帝

    武帝

    曾经的废柴少年坚信,只要他狠命努力,他就是最强的!奇遇石门,跨过南天门,少年掀起一段与天争锋,舍我其谁的热血传奇!天庭无主,为我武帝!
  • 祛疑说

    祛疑说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。