the complete writings-2- 第41部分

The　conformation　of　the　hills　encircling　the　plain　would　be　likely　to　lead　any　shower　astray；　and　discharge　it　into　the　sea；　with　whatever　good　intentions　it　may　have　started　down　the　promontory　for　Sorrento。　I　can　see　how　these　sharp　hills　would　tear　the　clouds　asunder；　and　let　out　all　their　water；　while　the　people　in　the　plain　below　watched　them　with　longing　eyes。　　But　it　can　rain　in　Sorrento。　　Occasionally　the　northeast　wind　comes　down　with　whirling；　howling　fury；　as　if　it　would　scoop　villages　and　orchards　out　of　the　little　nook；　and　the　rain；　riding　on　the　whirlwind；　pours　in　drenching　floods。　　At　such　times　I　hear　the　beat　of　the　waves　at　the　foot　of　the　rock；　and　feel　like　a　prisoner　on　an　island。　　Eden　would　not　be　Eden　in　a　rainstorm。

The　drought　occurred　just　after　the　expulsion　of　the　Bourbons　from　Naples；　and　many　think　on　account　of　it。　　There　is　this　to　be　said　in　favor　of　the　Bourbons：　that　a　dry　time　never　had　occurred　while　they　reigned；a　statement　in　which　all　good　Catholics　in　Sorrento　will　concur。　　As　the　drought　went　on；　almost　all　the　wells　in　the　place　dried　up；　except　that　of　the　Tramontano　and　the　one　in　the　suppressed　convent　of　the　Sacred　Heart；I　think　that　is　its　name。

It　is　a　rambling　pile　of　old　buildings；　in　the　center　of　the　town；　with　a　courtyard　in　the　middle；　and　in　it　a　deep　well；　boring　down　I　know　not　how　far　into　the　rock；　and　always　full　of　cold　sweet　water。　The　nuns　have　all　gone　now；　and　I　look　in　vain　up　at　the　narrow　slits　in　the　masonry；　which　served　them　for　windows；　for　the　glance　of　a　worldly　or　a　pious　eye。　　The　poor　people　of　Sorrento；　when　the　public　wells　and　fountains　had　gone　dry；　used　to　come　and　draw　at　the　Tramontano；　but　they　were　not　allowed　to　go　to　the　well　of　the　convent；　the　gates　were　closed。　　Why　the　government　shut　them　I　cannot　see：　perhaps　it　knew　nothing　of　it；　and　some　stupid　official　took　the　pompous　responsibility。　　The　people　grumbled；　and　cursed　the　government；　and；　in　their　simplicity；　probably　never　took　any　steps　to　revoke　the　prohibitory　law。　　No　doubt；　as　the　government　had　caused　the　drought；　it　was　all　of　a　piece；　the　good　rustics　thought。

For　the　government　did　indirectly　occasion　the　dry　spell。　　I　have　the　information　from　the　Italian　lady　of　whom　I　have　spoken。　　Among　the　first　steps　of　the　new　government　of　Italy　was　the　suppression　of　the　useless　convents　and　nunneries。　　This　one　at　Sorrento　early　came　under　the　ban。　　It　always　seemed　to　me　almost　a　pity　to　rout　out　this　asylum　of　praying　and　charitable　women；　whose　occupation　was　the　encouragement　of　beggary　and　idleness　in　others；　but　whose　prayers　were　constant；　and　whose　charities　to　the　sick　of　the　little　city　were　many。　　If　they　never　were　of　much　good　to　the　community；　it　was　a　pleasure　to　have　such　a　sweet　little　hive　in　the　center　of　it；　and　I　doubt　not　that　the　simple　people　felt　a　genuine　satisfaction；　as　they　walked　around　the　high　walls；　in　believing　that　pure　prayers　within　were　put　up　for　them　night　and　day；　and　especially　when　they　waked　at　night；　and　heard　the　bell　of　the　convent；　and　knew　that　at　that　moment　some　faithful　soul　kept　her　vigils；　and　chanted　prayers　for　them　and　all　the　world　besides；　and　they　slept　the　sounder　for　it　thereafter。　　I　confess　that；　if　one　is　helped　by　vicarious　prayer；　I　would　rather　trust　a　convent　of　devoted　women　（though　many　of　them　are　ignorant；　and　some　of　them　are　worldly；　and　none　are　fair　to　see）　to　pray　for　me；　than　some　of　the　houses　of　coarse　monks　which　I　have　seen。

But　the　order　came　down　from　Naples　to　pack　off　all　the　nuns　of　the　Sacred　Heart　on　a　day　named；　to　close　up　the　gates　of　the　nunnery；　and　hang　a　flaming　sword　outside。　　The　nuns　were　to　be　pulled　up　by　the　roots；　so　to　say；　on　the　day　specified；　and　without　postponement；　and　to　be　transferred　to　a　house　prepared　for　them　at　Massa；　a　few　miles　down　the　promontory；　and　several　hundred　feet　nearer　heaven。　Sorrento　was　really　in　mourning：　it　went　about　in　grief。　　It　seemed　as　if　something　sacrilegious　were　about　to　be　done。　　It　was　the　intention　of　the　whole　town　to　show　its　sense　of　it　in　some　way。

The　day　of　removal　came；　and　it　rained！　　It　poured：　the　water　came　down　in　sheets；　in　torrents；　in　deluges；　it　came　down　with　the　wildest　tempest　of　many　a　year。　　I　think；　from　accurate　reports　of　those　who　witnessed　it；　that　the　beginning　of　the　great　Deluge　was　only　a　moisture　compared　to　this。　　To　turn　the　poor　women　out　of　doors　such　a　day　as　this　was　unchristian；　barbarous；　impossible。　Everybody　who　had　a　shelter　was　shivering　indoors。　　But　the　officials　were　inexorable。　　In　the　order　for　removal；　nothing　was　said　about　postponement　on　account　of　weather；　and　go　the　nuns　must。

And　go　they　did；　the　whole　town　shuddering　at　the　impiety　of　it；　but　kept　from　any　demonstration　by　the　tempest。　Carriages　went　round　to　the　convent；　and　the　women　were　loaded　into　them；　packed　into　them；　carried　and　put　in；　if　they　were　too　infirm　to　go　themselves。　　They　were　driven　away；　cross　and　wet　and　bedraggled。　　They　found　their　dwelling　on　the　hill　not　half　prepared　for　them；　leaking　and　cold　and　cheerless。　　They　experienced　very　rough　treatment；　if　I　can　credit　my　informant；　who　says　she　hates　the　government；　and　would　not　even　look　out　of　her　lattice　that　day　to　see　the　carriages　drive　past。

And　when　the　Lady　Superior　was　driven　away　from　the　gate；　she　said　to　the　officials；　and　the　few　faithful　attendants；　prophesying　in　the　midst　of　the　rain　that　poured　about　her；　　〃The　day　will　come　shortly；　when　you　will　want　rain；　and　shall　not　have　it；　and　you　will　pray　for　my　return。〃

And　it　did　not　rain；　from　that　day　for　three　years。

And　the　simple　people　thought　of　the　good　Superior；　whose　departure　had　been　in　such　a　deluge；　and　who　had　taken　away　with　her　all　the　moisture　of　the　land；　and　they　did　pray　for　her　return；　and　believed　that　the　gates　of　heaven　would　be　again　opened　if　only　the　nunnery　were　repeopled。　　But　the　government　could　not　see　the　connection　between　convents　and　the　theory　of　storms；　and　the　remnant　of　pious　women　was　permitted　to　remain　in　their　lodgings　at　Massa。　　Perhaps　the　government　thought　they　could；　if　they　bore　no　malice；　pray　as　effectually　for　rain　there　as　anywhere。

I　do　not　know；　said　my　informant；　that　the　curse　of　the　Lady　Superior　had　anything　to　do　with　the　drought；　but　many　think　it　had；　and　those　are　the　facts。




CHILDREN　OF　THE　SUN

The　common　people　of　this　region　are　nothing　but　children；　and　ragged；　dirty；　and　poor　as　they　are；　apparently　as　happy；　to　speak　idiomatically；　as　the　day　is　long。　　It　takes　very　little　to　please　them；　and　their　easily…excited　mirth　is　contagious。　　It　is　very　rare　that　one　gets　a　surly　return　to　a　salutation；　and；　if　one　shows　the　least　good…nature；　his　greeting　is　met　with　the　most　jolly　return。　The　boatman　hauling　in　his　net　sings；　the　brown　girl；　whom　we　meet　descending　a　steep　path　in　the　hills；　with　an　enormous　bag　or　basket　of　oranges　on　her　head；　or　a　building…stone　under　which　she　stands　as　erect　as　a　pillar；　sings；　and；　if　she　asks　for　something；　there　is　a　merry　twinkle　in　her　eye；　that　says　she　hardly　expects　money；　but　only　puts　in　a　〃beg〃　at　a　venture　because　it　is　the　fashion；　the　workmen　clipping　the　olive…trees　sing；　the　urchins；　who　dance　about　the　foreigner　in　the　street；　vocalize　their　petitions　for　un　po'　di　moneta　in　a　tuneful　manner；　and　beg　more　in　a　spirit　of　deviltry　than　with　any　expectation　of　gain。　　When　I　see　how　hard　the　peasants　labor；　what　scraps　and　vegetable　odds　and　ends　they　eat；　and　in　what　wretched；　dark；　and　smoke…dried　apartments　they　live；　I　wonder　they　are　happy；　but　I　suppose　it　is　the　all…nourishing　sun　and　the　equable　climate　that　do　the　business　for　them。　　They　have　few　artificial　wants；　and　no　uneasy　expectationbred　by　the　reading　of　books　and　newspapersthat　anything　is　going　to　happen　in　the　world；　or　that　any　change　is　possible。　　Their　fruit…trees　yield　abundantly　year　after　year；　their　little　patches　of　rich　earth；　on　the　built…up　terraces　and　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks；　produce　fourfold。　　The　sun　does　it　all。

Every　walk　that　we　take　here　with　open　mind　and　cheerful　heart　is　sure　to　be　an　adventure。　　Only　yesterday；　we　were　coming　down　a　branch　of　the　great　gorge　which　splits　the　plain　in　two。　　On　one　side　the　path　is　a　high　wall；　with　garden　trees　overhanging。　　On　the　other；　a　stone　parapet；　and　below；　in　the　bed　of　the　ravine；　an　orange　orchard。　　Beyond　rises　a　precipice；　and；　at　its　foot；　men　and　boys　were　quarrying　stone；　which　workmen　raised　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　to　the　platform　above　with　a　windlass。　　As　we　came　along；　a　handsome　girl　on　the　height　had　just　taken　on　her　head　a　large　block　of　stone；　which　I　should　not　care　to　lift；　to　carry　to　a　pile　in　the　rear；　and　she　stopped　to　look　at　us。　　We　stopped；　and　looked　at　her。　This　attracted　the　attention　of　the　men　and　boys　in　the　quarry　below；　who　stopped　work；　and　set　up　a　cry　for　a　little　money。　　We　laughed；　and　responded　in　English。　　The　windlass　ceased　to　turn。　　The　workmen　on　the　height　joined　in　the　conversation。　　A　grizzly　beggar　hobbled　up；　and　held　out　his　greasy　cap。　　We　nonplussed　him　by　extending　our　hats；　and　beseeching　him　for　just　a　little　something。　　Some　passers　on　the　road　paused；　and　looked　on；　amused　at　the　transaction。　　A　boy　appeared　on　the　high　wall；　and　began　to　beg。　　I　threatened　to　shoot　him　with　my　walkingstick；　whereat　he　ran　nimbly　along　the　wall　in　terror　The　workmen　shouted；　and　this　started　up　a　couple　of　yellow　dogs；　which　came　to　the　edge　of　the　wall　and　barked　violently。　　The　girl；　alone　calm　in　the　confusion；　stood　stock　still　under　her　enormous　load　looking　at　us。　　We　swung　out　hats；　and　hurrahed。　　The　crowd　replied　from　above；　below；　and　around　us；　shouting；　laughing；　singing；　until　the　whole　little　valley　was　vocal　with　a　gale　of　merriment；　and　all　about　nothing。　　The　beggar　whined；　the　spectators　around　us　laughed；　and　the　whole　population　was　aroused　into　a　jolly　mood。　　Fancy　such　a　merry　hullaballoo　in　America。　　For　ten　minutes；　while　the　funny　row　was　going　on；　the　girl　never　moved；　having　forgotten　to　go　a　few　steps　and　deposit　her　load；　and　when　we　disappeared　round　a　bend　of　the　path；　she　was　still　watching　us；　smiling　and　statuesque。

As　we　des