the complete writings-2- 第33部分

There　came　a　day　when　the　Tramontane　ceased　to　blow　down　on　us　the　cold　air　of　the　snowy　Apennines；　and　the　white　cap　of　Vesuvius；　which　is；　by　the　way；　worn　generally　like　the　caps　of　the　Neapolitans；　drifted　inland　instead　of　toward　the　sea。　　Warmer　weather　had　come　to　make　the　bright　sunshine　no　longer　a　mockery。　　For　some　days　I　had　been　getting　the　gauge　of　the　mountain。　　With　its　white　plume　it　is　a　constant　quantity　in　the　landscape：　one　sees　it　from　every　point　of　view；　and　we　had　been　scarcely　anywhere　that　volcanic　remains；　or　signs　of　such　action；a　thin　crust　shaking　under　our　feet；　as　at　Solfatara；　where　blasts　of　sulphurous　steam　drove　in　our　faces；did　not　remind　us　that　the　whole　ground　is　uncertain；　and　undermined　by　the　subterranean　fires　that　have　Vesuvius　for　a　chimney。　　All　the　coast　of　the　bay；　within　recent　historic　periods；　in　different　spots　at　different　times；　has　risen　and　sunk　and　risen　again；　in　simple　obedience　to　the　pulsations　of　the　great　fiery　monster　below。　　It　puffs　up　or　sinks；　like　the　crust　of　a　baking　apple…pie。　　This　region　is　evidently　not　done；　and　I　think　it　not　unlikely　it　may　have　to　be　turned　over　again　before　it　is。　　We　had　seen　where　Herculaneum　lies　under　the　lava　and　under　the　town　of　Resina；　we　had　walked　those　clean　and　narrow　streets　of　Pompeii；　and　seen　the　workmen　picking　away　at　the　imbedded　gravel；　sand；　and　ashes　which　still　cover　nearly　two　thirds　of　the　nice　little；　tight　little　Roman　city；　we　had　looked　at　the　black　gashes　on　the　mountain…sides；　where　the　lava　streams　had　gushed　and　rolled　and　twisted　over　vineyards　and　villas　and　villages；　and　we　decided　to　take　a　nearer　look　at　the　immediate　cause　of　all　this　abnormal　state　of　things。

In　the　morning　when　I　awoke　the　sun　was　just　rising　behind　Vesuvius；　and　there　was　a　mighty　display　of　gold　and　crimson　in　that　quarter；　as　if　the　curtain　was　about　to　be　lifted　on　a　grand　performance；　say　a　ballet　at　San　Carlo；　which　is　the　only　thing　the　Neapolitans　think　worth　looking　at。　　Straight　up　in　the　air；　out　of　the　mountain；　rose　a　white　pillar；　spreading　out　at　the　top　like　a　palm…tree；　or；　to　compare　it　to　something　I　have　seen；　to　the　Italian　pines；　that　come　so　picturesquely　into　all　these　Naples　pictures。　　If　you　will　believe　me；　that　pillar　of　steam　was　like　a　column　of　fire；　from　the　sun　shining　on　and　through　it；　and　perhaps　from　the　reflection　of　the　background　of　crimson　clouds　and　blue　and　gold　sky；　spread　out　there　and　hung　there　in　royal　and　extravagant　profusion；　to　make　a　highway　and　a　regal　gateway；　through　which　I　could　just　then　see　coming　the　horses　and　the　chariot　of　a　southern　perfect　day。　　They　said　that　the　tree…shaped　cloud　was　the　sign　of　an　eruption；　but　the　hotel…keepers　here　are　always　predicting　that。　　The　eruption　is　usually　about　two　or　three　weeks　distant；　and　the　hotel　proprietors　get　this　information　from　experienced　guides；　who　observe　the　action　of　the　water　in　the　wells；　so　that　there　can　be　no　mistake　about　it。

We　took　carriages　at　nine　o'clock　to　Resina；　a　drive　of　four　miles；　and　one　of　exceeding　interest；　if　you　wish　to　see　Naples　life。　　The　way　is　round　the　curving　bay　by　the　sea；　but　so　continuously　built　up　is　it；　and　so　inclosed　with　high　walls　of　villas；　through　the　open　gates　of　which　the　golden　oranges　gleam；　that　you　seem　never　to　leave　the　city。　　The　streets　and　quays　swarm　with　the　most　vociferous；　dirty；　multitudinous　life。　　It　is　a　drive　through　Rag　Fair。　　The　tall；　whitey…yellow　houses　fronting　the　water；　six；　seven；　eight　stories　high；　are　full　as　beehives；　people　are　at　all　the　open　windows；　garments　hang　from　the　balconies　and　from　poles　thrust　out；　up　every　narrow；　gloomy；　ascending　street　are　crowds　of　struggling　human　shapes；　and　you　see　how　like　herrings　in　a　box　are　packed　the　over　half　a　million　people　of　Naples。　　In　front　of　the　houses　are　the　markets　in　the　open　air；fish；　vegetables；　carts　of　oranges；　in　the　sun　sit　women　spinning　from　distaffs　or　weaving　fishing…nets；　and　rows　of　children　who　were　never　washed　and　never　clothed　but　once；　and　whose　garments　have　nearly　wasted　away；　beggars；　fishermen　in　red　caps；　sailors；　priests；　donkeys；　fruit…venders；　street…musicians；　carriages；　carts；　two…wheeled　break…down　vehicles；the　whole　tangled　in　one　wild　roar　and　rush　and　babel；a　shifting；　varied　panorama　of　color；　rags；a　pandemonium　such　as　the　world　cannot　show　elsewhere；　that　is　what　one　sees　on　the　road　to　Resina。　　The　drivers　all　drive　in　the　streets　here　as　if　they　held　a　commission　from　the　devil；　cracking　their　whips；　shouting　to　their　horses；　and　dashing　into　the　thickest　tangle　with　entire　recklessness。　　They　have　one　cry；　used　alike　for　getting　more　speed　out　of　their　horses　or　for　checking　them；　or　in　warning　to　the　endangered　crowds　on　foot。　　It　is　an　exclamatory　grunt；　which　may　be　partially　expressed　by　the　letters　〃a…e…ugh。〃　　Everybody　shouts　it；　mule…driver；　〃coachee；〃　or　cattle…driver；　and　even　I；　a　passenger；　fancied　I　could　do　it　to　disagreeable　perfection　after　a　time。　　Out　of　this　throng　in　the　streets　I　like　to　select　the　meek；　patient；　diminutive　little　donkeys；　with　enormous　panniers　that　almost　hide　them。　　One　would　have　a　woman　seated　on　top；　with　a　child　in　one　pannier　and　cabbages　in　the　other；　another；　with　an　immense　stock　of　market…greens　on　his　back；　or　big　baskets　of　oranges；　or　with　a　row　of　wine…casks　and　a　man　seated　behind；　adhering；　by　some　unknown　law　of　adhesion；　to　the　sloping　tail。　　Then　there　was　the　cart　drawn　by　one　diminutive　donkey；　or　by　an　ox；　or　by　an　ox　and　a　donkey；　or　by　a　donkey　and　horse　abreast；　never　by　any　possibility　a　matched　team。　　And；　funniest　of　all；　was　the　high；　two…wheeled　caleche；　with　one　seat；　and　top　thrown　back；　with　long　thills　and　poor　horse。　　Upon　this　vehicle　were　piled；　Heaven　knows　how；　behind；　before；　on　the　thills；　and　underneath　the　high　seat；　sometimes　ten；　and　not　seldom　as　many　as　eighteen　people；　men；　women；　and　children；all　in　flaunting　rags；　with　a　colored　scarf　here　and　there；　or　a　gay　petticoat；　or　a　scarlet　cap；perhaps　a　priest；　with　broad　black　hat；　in　the　center；driving　along　like　a　comet；　the　poor　horse　in　a　gallop；　the　bells　on　his　ornamented　saddle　merrily　jingling；　and　the　whole　load　in　a　roar　of　merriment。

But　we　shall　never　get　to　Vesuvius　at　this　rate。　　I　will　not　even　stop　to　examine　the　macaroni　manufactories　on　the　road。　　The　long　strips　of　it　were　hung　out　on　poles　to　dry　in　the　streets；　and　to　get　a　rich　color　from　the　dirt　and　dust；　to　say　nothing　of　its　contact　with　the　filthy　people　who　were　making　it。　　I　am　very　fond　of　macaroni。　　At　Resina　we　take　horses　for　the　ascent。　　We　had　sent　ahead　for　a　guide　and　horses　for　our　party　of　ten；　but　we　found　besides；　I　should　think；　pretty　nearly　the　entire　population　of　the　locality　awaiting　us；　not　to　count　the　importunate　beggars；　the　hags；　male　and　female；　and　the　ordinary　loafers　of　the　place。　　We　were　besieged　to　take　this　and　that　horse　or　mule；　to　buy　walking…sticks　for　the　climb；　to　purchase　lava　cut　into　charms；　and　veritable　ancient　coins；　and　dug…up　cameos；　all　manufactured　for　the　demand。　One　wanted　to　hold　the　horse；　or　to　lead　it；　to　carry　a　shawl；　or　to　show　the　way。　　In　the　midst　of　infinite　clamor　and　noise；　we　at　last　got　mounted；　and；　turning　into　a　narrow　lane　between　high　walls；　began　the　ascent；　our　cavalcade　attended　by　a　procession　of　rags　and　wretchedness　up　through　the　village。　　Some　of　them　fell　off　as　we　rose　among　the　vineyards；　and　they　found　us　proof　against　begging；　but　several　accompanied　us　all　day；　hoping　that；　in　some　unguarded　moment；　they　could　do　us　some　slight　service；　and　so　establish　a　claim　on　us。　　Among　these　I　noticed　some　stout　fellows　with　short　ropes；　with　which　they　intended　to　assist　us　up　the　steeps。　　If　I　looked　away　an　instant；　some　urchin　would　seize　my　horse's　bridle；　and　when　I　carelessly　let　my　stick　fall　on　his　hand；　in　token　for　him　to　let　go；　he　would　fall　back　with　an　injured　look；　and　grasp　the　tail；　from　which　I　could　only　loosen　him　by　swinging　my　staff　and　preparing　to　break　his　head。

The　ascent　is　easy　at　first　between　walls　and　the　vineyards　which　produce　the　celebrated　Lachryma　Christi。　　After　a　half　hour　we　reached　and　began　to　cross　the　lava　of　1858；　and　the　wild　desolation　and　gloom　of　the　mountain　began　to　strike　us。　　One　is　here　conscious　of　the　titanic　forces　at　work。　　Sometimes　it　is　as　if　a　giant　had　ploughed　the　ground；　and　left　the　furrows　without　harrowing　them　to　harden　into　black　and　brown　stone。　　We　could　see　again　how　the　broad　stream；　flowing　down；　squeezed　and　squashed　like　mud；　had　taken　all　fantastic　shapes；now　like　gnarled　tree　roots；　now　like　serpents　in　a　coil；　here　the　human　form；　or　a　part　of　it；a　torso　or　a　limb；in　agony；　now　in　other　nameless　convolutions　and　contortions；　as　if　heaved　up　and　twisted　in　fiery　pain　and　suffering；for　there　was　almost　a　human　feeling　in　it；　and　again　not　unlike　stone　billows。　　We　could　see　how　the　cooling　crust　had　been　lifted　and　split　and　turned　over　by　the　hot　stream　underneath；　which；　continually　oozing　from　the　rent　of　the　eruption；　bore　it　down　and　pressed　it　upward。　　Even　so　low　as　the　point　where　we　crossed　the　lava　of　1858　were　fissures　whence　came　hot　air。

An　hour　brought　us　to　the　resting…place　called　the　Hermitage；　an　osteria　and　observatory　established　by　the　government。　　Standing　upon　the　end　of　a　spur；　it　seems　to　be　safe　from　the　lava；　whose　course　has　always　been　on　either　side；　but　it　must　be　an　uncomfortable　place　in　a　shower　of　stones　and　ashes。　　We　rode　half　an　hour　longer　on　horseback；　on　a　nearly　level　path；　to　the　foot　of　the　steep　ascent；　the　base　of　the　great　crater。　　This　ride　gave　us　completely　the　wide　and　ghastly　desolation　of　the　mountain；　the　ruin　that　the　lava　has　wrought　upon　slopes　that　were　once　green　with　vine　and　olive；　and　busy　with　the　hum　of　life。　　This　black；　contorted　desert　waste　is　more　sterile　and　hopeless　than　any　mountain　of　stone；　because　the　idea　of　relentless　destruction　is　involved　here。　　This　great　hummocked；　sloping　plain；　ridged　and　seamed；　was　all　about　us；　without　cheer　or　relaxation　of　grim　solitude。　　Before　us　rose；　as　black　and　bare；　what　the　guides　call　the　mountain；　and　which　used　to　be　the　crater。　　Up　one　side　is　worked　in　the　lava　a