the holly-tree- 第4部分

By　this　time　it　was　perceived　that　Louis　had　become　inspired　with　a

violent　animosity　towards　the　terrible　Bantam；　and　one　morning　he

was　seen　by　a　woman；　who　sat　nursing　her　goitre　at　a　little　window

in　a　gleam　of　sun；　to　catch　up　a　rough　billet　of　wood；　with　a　great

oath；　hurl　it　at　the　terrible　Bantam　crowing　on　the　wood…stack；　and

bring　him　down　dead。　　Hereupon　the　woman；　with　a　sudden　light　in　her

mind；　stole　round　to　the　back　of　the　wood…stack；　and；　being　a　good

climber；　as　all　those　women　are；　climbed　up；　and　soon　was　seen　upon

the　summit；　screaming；　looking　down　the　hollow　within；　and　crying；

〃Seize　Louis；　the　murderer！　　Ring　the　church　bell！　　Here　is　the

body！〃　　I　saw　the　murderer　that　day；　and　I　saw　him　as　I　sat　by　my

fire　at　the　Holly…Tree　Inn；　and　I　see　him　now；　lying　shackled　with

cords　on　the　stable　litter；　among　the　mild　eyes　and　the　smoking

breath　of　the　cows；　waiting　to　be　taken　away　by　the　police；　and

stared　at　by　the　fearful　village。　　A　heavy　animal；the　dullest

animal　in　the　stables；with　a　stupid　head；　and　a　lumpish　face

devoid　of　any　trace　of　insensibility；　who　had　been；　within　the

knowledge　of　the　murdered　youth；　an　embezzler　of　certain　small

moneys　belonging　to　his　master；　and　who　had　taken　this　hopeful　mode

of　putting　a　possible　accuser　out　of　his　way。　　All　of　which　he

confessed　next　day；　like　a　sulky　wretch　who　couldn't　be　troubled　any

more；　now　that　they　had　got　hold　of　him；　and　meant　to　make　an　end　of

him。　　I　saw　him　once　again；　on　the　day　of　my　departure　from　the　Inn。

In　that　Canton　the　headsman　still　does　his　office　with　a　sword；　and

I　came　upon　this　murderer　sitting　bound；　to　a　chair；　with　his　eyes

bandaged；　on　a　scaffold　in　a　little　market…place。　　In　that　instant；

a　great　sword　（loaded　with　quicksilver　in　the　thick　part　of　the

blade）　swept　round　him　like　a　gust　of　wind　or　fire；　and　there　was　no

such　creature　in　the　world。　　My　wonder　was；　not　that　he　was　so

suddenly　dispatched；　but　that　any　head　was　left　unreaped；　within　a

radius　of　fifty　yards　of　that　tremendous　sickle。



That　was　a　good　Inn；　too；　with　the　kind；　cheerful　landlady　and　the

honest　landlord；　where　I　lived　in　the　shadow　of　Mont　Blanc；　and

where　one　of　the　apartments　has　a　zoological　papering　on　the　walls；

not　so　accurately　joined　but　that　the　elephant　occasionally　rejoices

in　a　tiger's　hind　legs　and　tail；　while　the　lion　puts　on　a　trunk　and

tusks；　and　the　bear；　moulting　as　it　were；　appears　as　to　portions　of

himself　like　a　leopard。　　I　made　several　American　friends　at　that

Inn；　who　all　called　Mont　Blanc　Mount　Blank；except　one　good…

humoured　gentleman；　of　a　very　sociable　nature；　who　became　on　such

intimate　terms　with　it　that　he　spoke　of　it　familiarly　as　〃Blank；〃

observing；　at　breakfast；　〃Blank　looks　pretty　tall　this　morning；〃　or

considerably　doubting　in　the　courtyard　in　the　evening；　whether　there

warn't　some　go…ahead　naters　in　our　country；　sir；　that　would　make　out

the　top　of　Blank　in　a　couple　of　hours　from　first　startnow！



Once　I　passed　a　fortnight　at　an　Inn　in　the　North　of　England；　where　I

was　haunted　by　the　ghost　of　a　tremendous　pie。　　It　was　a　Yorkshire

pie；　like　a　fort；an　abandoned　fort　with　nothing　in　it；　but　the

waiter　had　a　fixed　idea　that　it　was　a　point　of　ceremony　at　every

meal　to　put　the　pie　on　the　table。　　After　some　days　I　tried　to　hint；

in　several　delicate　ways；　that　I　considered　the　pie　done　with；　as；

for　example；　by　emptying　fag…ends　of　glasses　of　wine　into　it；

putting　cheese…plates　and　spoons　into　it；　as　into　a　basket；　putting

wine…bottles　into　it；　as　into　a　cooler；　but　always　in　vain；　the　pie

being　invariably　cleaned　out　again　and　brought　up　as　before。　　At

last；　beginning　to　be　doubtful　whether　I　was　not　the　victim　of　a

spectral　illusion；　and　whether　my　health　and　spirits　might　not　sink

under　the　horrors　of　an　imaginary　pie；　I　cut　a　triangle　out　of　it；

fully　as　large　as　the　musical　instrument　of　that　name　in　a　powerful

orchestra。　　Human　provision　could　not　have　foreseen　the　resultbut

the　waiter　mended　the　pie。　　With　some　effectual　species　of　cement；

he　adroitly　fitted　the　triangle　in　again；　and　I　paid　my　reckoning

and　fled。



The　Holly…Tree　was　getting　rather　dismal。　　I　made　an　overland

expedition　beyond　the　screen；　and　penetrated　as　far　as　the　fourth

window。　　Here　I　was　driven　back　by　stress　of　weather。　　Arrived　at　my

winter…quarters　once　more；　I　made　up　the　fire；　and　took　another　Inn。



It　was　in　the　remotest　part　of　Cornwall。　　A　great　annual　Miners'

Feast　was　being　holden　at　the　Inn；　when　I　and　my　travelling

companions　presented　ourselves　at　night　among　the　wild　crowd　that

were　dancing　before　it　by　torchlight。　　We　had　had　a　break…down　in

the　dark；　on　a　stony　morass　some　miles　away；　and　I　had　the　honour　of

leading　one　of　the　unharnessed　post…horses。　　If　any　lady　or

gentleman；　on　perusal　of　the　present　lines；　will　take　any　very　tall

post…horse　with　his　traces　hanging　about　his　legs；　and　will　conduct

him　by　the　bearing…rein　into　the　heart　of　a　country　dance　of　a

hundred　and　fifty　couples；　that　lady　or　gentleman　will　then；　and

only　then；　form　an　adequate　idea　of　the　extent　to　which　that　post…

horse　will　tread　on　his　conductor's　toes。　　Over　and　above　which；　the

post…horse；　finding　three　hundred　people　whirling　about　him；　will

probably　rear；　and　also　lash　out　with　his　hind　legs；　in　a　manner

incompatible　with　dignity　or　self…respect　on　his　conductor's　part。

With　such　little　drawbacks　on　my　usually　impressive　aspect；　I

appeared　at　this　Cornish　Inn；　to　the　unutterable　wonder　of　the

Cornish　Miners。　　It　was　full；　and　twenty　times　full；　and　nobody

could　be　received　but　the　post…horse；though　to　get　rid　of　that

noble　animal　was　something。　　While　my　fellow…travellers　and　I　were

discussing　how　to　pass　the　night　and　so　much　of　the　next　day　as　must

intervene　before　the　jovial　blacksmith　and　the　jovial　wheelwright

would　be　in　a　condition　to　go　out　on　the　morass　and　mend　the　coach；

an　honest　man　stepped　forth　from　the　crowd　and　proposed　his　unlet

floor　of　two　rooms；　with　supper　of　eggs　and　bacon；　ale　and　punch。

We　joyfully　accompanied　him　home　to　the　strangest　of　clean　houses；

where　we　were　well　entertained　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　parties。

But　the　novel　feature　of　the　entertainment　was；　that　our　host　was　a

chair…maker；　and　that　the　chairs　assigned　to　us　were　mere　frames；

altogether　without　bottoms　of　any　sort；　so　that　we　passed　the

evening　on　perches。　　Nor　was　this　the　absurdest　consequence；　for

when　we　unbent　at　supper；　and　any　one　of　us　gave　way　to　laughter；　he

forgot　the　peculiarity　of　his　position；　and　instantly　disappeared。

I　myself；　doubled　up　into　an　attitude　from　which　self…extrication

was　impossible；　was　taken　out　of　my　frame；　like　a　clown　in　a　comic

pantomime　who　has　tumbled　into　a　tub；　five　times　by　the　taper's

light　during　the　eggs　and　bacon。



The　Holly…Tree　was　fast　reviving　within　me　a　sense　of　loneliness。　　I

began　to　feel　conscious　that　my　subject　would　never　carry　on　until　I

was　dug　out。　　I　might　be　a　week　here；weeks！



There　was　a　story　with　a　singular　idea　in　it；　connected　with　an　Inn

I　once　passed　a　night　at　in　a　picturesque　old　town　on　the　Welsh

border。　　In　a　large　double…bedded　room　of　this　Inn　there　had　been　a

suicide　committed　by　poison；　in　one　bed；　while　a　tired　traveller

slept　unconscious　in　the　other。　　After　that　time；　the　suicide　bed

was　never　used；　but　the　other　constantly　was；　the　disused　bedstead

remaining　in　the　room　empty；　though　as　to　all　other　respects　in　its

old　state。　　The　story　ran；　that　whosoever　slept　in　this　room；　though

never　so　entire　a　stranger；　from　never　so　far　off；　was　invariably

observed　to　come　down　in　the　morning　with　an　impression　that　he

smelt　Laudanum；　and　that　his　mind　always　turned　upon　the　subject　of

suicide；　to　which；　whatever　kind　of　man　he　might　be；　he　was　certain

to　make　some　reference　if　he　conversed　with　any　one。　　This　went　on

for　years；　until　it　at　length　induced　the　landlord　to　take　the

disused　bedstead　down；　and　bodily　burn　it；bed；　hangings；　and　all。

The　strange　influence　（this　was　the　story）　now　changed　to　a　fainter

one；　but　never　changed　afterwards。　　The　occupant　of　that　room；　with

occasional　but　very　rare　exceptions；　would　come　down　in　the　morning；

trying　to　recall　a　forgotten　dream　he　had　had　in　the　night。　　The

landlord；　on　his　mentioning　his　perplexity；　would　suggest　various

commonplace　subjects；　not　one　of　which；　as　he　very　well　knew；　was

the　true　subject。　　But　the　moment　the　landlord　suggested　〃Poison；〃

the　traveller　started；　and　cried；　〃Yes！〃　　He　never　failed　to　accept

that　suggestion；　and　he　never　recalled　any　more　of　the　dream。



This　reminiscence　brought　the　Welsh　Inns　in　general　before　me；　with

the　women　in　their　round　hats；　and　the　harpers　with　their　white

beards　（venerable；　but　humbugs；　I　am　afraid）；　playing　outside　the

door　while　I　took　my　dinner。　　The　transition　was　natural　to　the

Highland　Inns；　with　the　oatmeal　bannocks；　the　honey；　the　venison

steaks；　the　trout　from　the　loch；　the　whisky；　and　perhaps　（having　the

materials　so　temptingly　at　hand）　the　Athol　brose。　　Once　was　I　coming

south　from　the　Scottish　Highlands　in　hot　haste；　hoping　to　change

quickly　at　the　station　at　the　bottom　of　a　certain　wild　historical

glen；　when　these　eyes　did　with　mortification　see　the　landlord　come

out　with　a　telescope　and　sweep　the　whole　prospect　for　the　horses；

which　horses　were　away　picking　up　their　own　living；　and　did　not

heave　in　sight　under　four　hours。　　Having　thought　of　the　loch…trout；

I　was　taken　by　quick　association　to　the　Anglers'　Inns　of　England　（I

have　assisted　at　innumerable　feats　of　angling　by　lying　in　the　bottom

of　the　boat；　whole　summer　days；　doing　nothing　with　the　greatest

perseverance；　which　I　have　generally　found　to　be　as　effectual

towards　the　taking　of　fish　as　the　finest　tackle　and　the　utmost

science）；　and　to　the　pleasant　white；　clean；　flower…pot…decorated

bedrooms　of　those　inns；　overlooking　the　river；　and　the　ferry；　and