Mr。NicholasB。remainsformetheunfortunateandmiserable（butheroic）beingwhoonceuponatimehadeatenadog。
　　ItisagoodfortyyearssinceIheardthetale，andtheeffecthasnotwornoffyet。Ibelievethisistheveryfirst，say，realistic，storyIheardinmylife;butallthesameIdon’tknowwhyIshouldhavebeensofrightfullyimpressed。OfcourseIknowwhatourvillagedogslooklike——butstill……No！Atthisveryday，recallingthehorrorandcompassionofmychildhood，IaskmyselfwhetherIamrightindisclosingtoacoldandfastidiousworldthatawfulepisodeinthefamilyhistory。Iaskmyself——isitright？——especiallyastheB。familyhadalwaysbeenhonourablyknowninawidecountry-sideforthedelicacyoftheirtastesinthematterofeatinganddrinking。
　　Butuponthewhole，andconsideringthatthisgastronomicaldegradationovertakingagallantyoungofficerliesreallyatthedooroftheGreatNapoleon，Ithinkthattocoveritupbysilencewouldbeanexaggerationofliteraryrestraint。Letthetruthstandhere。TheresponsibilityrestswiththeManofSt。
　　HelenainviewofhisdeplorablelevityintheconductoftheRussiancampaign。ItwasduringthememorableretreatfromMoscowthatMr。NicholasB。，incompanyoftwobrotherofficers——
　　astowhosemoralityandnaturalrefinementIknownothing——
　　baggedadogontheoutskirtsofavillageandsubsequentlydevouredhim。AsfarasIcanremembertheweaponusedwasacavalrysabre，andtheissueofthesportingepisodewasrathermoreofamatteroflifeanddeaththanifithadbeenanencounterwithatiger。ApicketofCossackswassleepinginthatvillagelostinthedepthsofthegreatLithuanianforest。
　　Thethreesportsmenhadobservedthemfromahiding-placemakingthemselvesverymuchathomeamongstthehutsjustbeforetheearlywinterdarknesssetinatfouro’clock。Theyhadobservedthemwithdisgustandperhapswithdespair。Lateinthenighttherashcounselsofhungerovercamethedictatesofprudence。
　　CrawlingthroughthesnowtheycreptuptothefenceofdrybrancheswhichgenerallyenclosesavillageinthatpartofLithuania。Whattheyexpectedtogetandinwhatmanner，andwhetherthisexpectationwasworththerisk，goodnessonlyknows。
　　However，theseCossackparties，inmostcaseswanderingwithoutanofficer，wereknowntoguardthemselvesbadlyandoftennotatall。Inaddition，thevillagelyingatagreatdistancefromthelineofFrenchretreat，theycouldnotsuspectthepresenceofstragglersfromtheGrandArmy。Thethreeofficershadstrayedawayinablizzardfromthemaincolumnandhadbeenlostfordaysinthewoods，whichexplainssufficientlytheterriblestraitstowhichtheywerereduced。Theirplanwastotryandattracttheattentionofthepeasantsinthatoneofthehutswhichwasnearesttotheenclosure;butastheywerepreparingtoventureintotheveryjawsofthelion，sotospeak，adog（itismightystrangethattherewasbutone），acreaturequiteasformidableunderthecircumstancesasalion，begantobarkontheothersideofthefence……
　　Atthisstageofthenarrative，whichIheardmanytimes（byrequest）fromthelipsofCaptainNicholasB。’ssister-in-law，mygrandmother，Iusedtotremblewithexcitement。
　　Thedogbarked。AndifhehaddonenomorethanbarkthreeofficersoftheGreatNapoleon’sarmywouldhaveperishedhonourablyonthepointsofCossack’slances，orperchanceescapingthechasewouldhavedieddecentlyofstarvation。Butbeforetheyhadtimetothinkofrunningaway，thatfatalandrevoltingdog，beingcarriedawaybytheexcessofhiszeal，dashedoutthroughagapinthefence。Hedashedoutanddied。
　　Hishead，Iunderstand，wasseveredatoneblowfromhisbody。I
　　understandalsothatlateron，withinthegloomysolitudesofthesnow-ladenwoods，when，inashelteringhollow，afirehadbeenlitbytheparty，theconditionofthequarrywasdiscoveredtobedistinctlyunsatisfactory。Itwasnotthin——onthecontrary，itseemedunhealthilyobese;itsskinshowedbarepatchesofanunpleasantcharacter。However，theyhadnotkilledthatdogforthesakeofthepelt。Hewaslarge……Hewaseaten……Therestissilence……
　　Asilenceinwhichasmallboyshuddersandsaysfirmly：
　　"Icouldnothaveeatenthatdog。"
　　Andhisgrandmotherremarkswithasmile：
　　"Perhapsyoudon’tknowwhatitistobehungry。"
　　Ihavelearnedsomethingofitsince。NotthatIhavebeenreducedtoeatdog。Ihavefedontheemblematicalanimal，which，inthelanguageofthevolatileGauls，iscalledlavacheenragee;Ihavelivedonancientsaltjunk，Iknowthetasteofshark，oftrepang，ofsnake，ofnondescriptdishescontainingthingswithoutaname——butoftheLithuanianvillagedog——never！
　　IwishittobedistinctlyunderstoodthatitisnotIbutmygrand-uncleNicholas，ofthePolishlandedgentry，ChevalierdelaLegiond’Honneur，&c。&c。，who，inhisyoungdays，hadeatentheLithuaniandog。
　　Iwishhehadnot。Thechildishhorrorofthedeedclingsabsurdlytothegrizzledman。Iamperfectlyhelplessagainstit。Stillifhereallyhadto，letuscharitablyrememberthathehadeatenhimonactiveservice，whilebearingupbravelyagainstthegreatestmilitarydisasterofmodernhistory，and，inamanner，forthesakeofhiscountry。Hehadeatenhimtoappeasehishungernodoubt，butalsoforthesakeofanunappeasableandpatrioticdesire，intheglowofagreatfaiththatlivesstill，andinthepursuitofagreatillusionkindledlikeafalsebeaconbyagreatmantoleadastraytheeffortofabravenation。
　　Propatria！
　　Lookedatinthatlightitappearsasweetanddecorousmeal。
　　Andlookedatinthesamelightmyowndietoflavacheenrageeappearsafatuousandextravagantformofself-indulgence;forwhyshouldI，thesonofalandwhichsuchmenasthesehaveturnedupwiththeirploughsharesandbedewedwiththeirblood，undertakethepursuitoffantasticmealsofsaltjunkandhardtackuponthewideseas？Onthekindestviewitseemsanunanswerablequestion。Alas！Ihavetheconvictionthattherearemenofunstainedrectitudewhoarereadytomurmurscornfullytheworddesertion。Thusthetasteofinnocentadventuremaybemadebittertothepalate。Thepartoftheinexplicableshouldbeallowedforinappraisingtheconductofmeninaworldwherenoexplanationisfinal。Nochargeoffaithlessnessoughttobelightlyuttered。Theappearancesofthisperishablelifearedeceptivelikeeverythingthatfallsunderthejudgmentofourimperfectsenses。Theinnervoicemayremaintrueenoughinitssecretcounsel。Thefidelitytoaspecialtraditionmaylastthroughtheeventsofanunrelatedexistence，followingfaithfullytoothetracedwayofaninexplicableimpulse。
　　Itwouldtaketoolongtoexplaintheintimateallianceofcontradictionsinhumannaturewhichmakesloveitselfwearattimesthedesperateshapeofbetrayal。Andperhapsthereisnopossibleexplanation。Indulgence——assomebodysaid——isthemostintelligentofallthevirtues。Iventuretothinkthatitisoneoftheleastcommon，ifnotthemostuncommonofall。I
　　wouldnotimplybythisthatmenarefoolish——orevenmostmen。
　　Farfromit。Thebarberandthepriest，backedbythewholeopinionofthevillage，condemnedjustlytheconductoftheingenioushidalgowho，sallyingforthfromhisnativeplace，broketheheadofthemuleteer，puttodeathaflockofinoffensivesheep，andwentthroughverydolefulexperiencesinacertainstable。Godforbidthatanunworthychurlshouldescapemeritedcensurebyhangingontothestirrup-leatherofthesublimecaballero。Hiswasaverynoble，averyunselfishfantasy，fitfornothingexcepttoraisetheenvyofbasermortals。Butthereismorethanoneaspecttothecharmofthatexaltedanddangerousfigure。He，too，hadhisfrailties。Afterreadingsomanyromanceshedesirednaivelytoescapewithhisverybodyfromtheintolerablerealityofthings。HewishedtomeeteyetoeyethevalorousgiantBrandabarbaran，LordofArabia，whosearmourismadeoftheskinofadragon，andwhoseshield，strappedtohisarm，isthegateofafortifiedcity。O
　　amiableandnaturalweakness！Oblessedsimplicityofagentleheartwithoutguile！Whowouldnotsuccumbtosuchaconsolingtemptation？Neverthelessitwasaformofself-indulgence，andtheingenioushidalgoofLaManchawasnotagoodcitizen。Thepriestandthebarberwerenotunreasonableintheirstrictures。
　　WithoutgoingsofarastheoldKingLouis-Philippe，whousedtosayinhisexile，"Thepeopleareneverinfault"——onemayadmitthattheremustbesomerighteousnessintheassentofawholevillage。Mad！Mad！Hewhokeptinpiousmeditationtheritualvigil-of-armsbythewellofaninnandkneltreverentlytobeknightedatdaybreakbythefat，slyrogueofalandlord，hascomeverynearperfection。Heridesforth，hisheadencircledbyahalo——thepatronsaintofalllivesspoiledorsavedbytheirresistiblegraceofimagination。Buthewasnotagoodcitizen。
　　Perhapsthatandnothingelsewasmeantbythewell-rememberedexclamationofmytutor。
　　Itwasinthejollyyear1873，theverylastyearinwhichIhavehadajollyholiday。Therehavebeenidleyearsafterwards，jollyenoughinawayandnotaltogetherwithouttheirlesson，butthisyearofwhichIspeakwastheyearofmylastschoolboyholiday。ThereareotherreasonswhyIshouldrememberthatyear，buttheyaretoolongtostateformallyinthisplace。
　　Moreovertheyhavenothingtodowiththatholiday。WhathastodowiththeholidayisthatbeforethedayonwhichtheremarkwasmadewehadseenVienna，theUpperDanube，Munich，theFallsoftheRhine，theLakeofConstance——infactitwasamemorableholidayoftravel。OflatewehadbeentrampingslowlyuptheValleyoftheReuss。Itwasadelightfultime。Itwasmuchmorelikeastrollthanatramp。LandingfromaLakeofLucernesteamerinFluellen，wefoundourselvesattheendofthesecondday，withtheduskovertakingourleisurelyfootsteps，alittlewaybeyondHospenthal。Thisisnotthedayonwhichtheremarkwasmade：intheshadowsofthedeepvalleyandwiththehabitationsofmenleftsomewaybehind，ourthoughtsrannotupontheethicsofconductbutuponthesimplerhumanproblemofshelterandfood。Theredidnotseemanythingofthekindinsight，andwewerethinkingofturningbackwhensuddenlyatabendoftheroadwecameuponabuilding，ghostlyinthetwilight。
　　AtthattimetheworkontheSt。GothardTunnelwasgoingon，andthatmagnificententerpriseofburrowingwasdirectlyresponsiblefortheunexpectedbuilding，standingallaloneupontheveryrootsofthemountains。Itwaslongthoughnotbigatall;itwaslow;itwasbuiltofboards，withoutornamentation，inbarrack-hutstyle，withthewhitewindow-framesquiteflushwiththeyellowfaceofitsplainfront。Andyetitwasanhotel;ithadevenanamewhichIhaveforgotten。Buttherewasnogold-
　　laceddoor-keeperatitshumbledoor。Aplainbutvigorousservant-girlansweredourinquiries，thenamanandwomanwhoownedtheplaceappeared。Itwasclearthatnotravellerswereexpected，orperhapsevendesired，inthisstrangehostelry，whichinitsseverestyleresembledthehousewhichsurmountstheunseaworthy-lookinghullsofthetoyNoah’sArks，theuniversalpossessionofEuropeanchildhood。However，itsroofwasnothingedanditwasnotfulltothebrimofslabsidedandpaintedanimalsofwood。Eventhelivetouristanimalwasnowhereinevidence。Wehadsomethingtoeatinalong，narrowroomatoneendofalong，narrowtable，which，tomytiredperceptionandtomysleepyeyes，seemedasifitwouldtiltuplikeasee-sawplank，sincetherewasnooneattheotherendtobalanceitagainstourtwodustyandtravel-stainedfigures。Thenwehastenedupstairstobedinaroomsmellingofpineplanks，andI
　　wasfastasleepbeforemyheadtouchedthepillow。
　　Inthemorningmytutor（hewasastudentoftheCracowUniversity）wokemeupearly，andasweweredressingremarked：
　　"Thereseemstobealotofpeoplestayinginthishotel。Ihaveheardanoiseoftalkinguptill11o’clock？"Thisstatementsurprisedme;Ihadheardnonoisewhatever，havingsleptlikeatop。
　　Wewentdownstairsintothelongandnarrowdining-roomwithitslongandnarrowtable。Thereweretworowsofplatesonit。Atoneofthemanyuncurtainedwindowsstoodatallbonymanwithabaldheadsetoffbyabunchofblackhairaboveeachearandwithalongblackbeard。Heglancedupfromthepaperhewasreadingandseemedgenuinelyastonishedatourintrusion。By-
　　and-bymoremencamein。Notoneofthemlookedlikeatourist。
　　Notasinglewomanappeared。Thesemenseemedtoknoweachotherwithsomeintimacy，butIcannotsaytheywereaverytalkativelot。Thebald-headedmansatdowngravelyattheheadofthetable。Itallhadtheairofafamilyparty。By-and-by，fromoneofthevigorousservant-girlsinnationalcostume，wediscoveredthattheplacewasreallyaboarding-houseforsomeEnglishengineersengagedattheworksoftheSt。GothardTunnel;
　　andIcouldlistenmyfilltothesoundsoftheEnglishlanguage，asfarasitisusedatabreakfast-tablebymenwhodonotbelieveinwastingmanywordsonthemereamenitiesoflife。
　　ThiswasmyfirstcontactwithBritishmankindapartfromthetouristkindseeninthehotelsofZurichandLucerne——thekindwhichhasnorealexistenceinaworkadayworld。Iknownowthatthebald-headedmanspokewithastrongScotchaccent。Ihavemetmanyofhiskindsince，bothashoreandafloat。Thesecondengineerofthesteamer"Mavis"，forinstance，oughttohavebeenhistwinbrother。Icannothelpthinkingthathereallywas，thoughforsomereasonsofhisownheassuredmethatheneverhadatwinbrother。Anywaythedeliberatebald-headedScotwiththecoal-blackbeardappearedtomyboyisheyesaveryromanticandmysteriousperson。
　　Weslippedoutunnoticed。Ourmapped-outrouteledovertheFurcaPasstowardstheRhoneGlacier，withthefurtherintentionoffollowingdownthetrendoftheHasliValley。Thesunwasalreadydecliningwhenwefoundourselvesonthetopofthepass，andtheremarkalludedtowaspresentlyuttered。
　　Wesatdownbythesideoftheroadtocontinuetheargumentbegunhalfamileorsobefore。IamcertainitwasanargumentbecauseIrememberperfectlyhowmytutorarguedandhowwithoutthepowerofreplyIlistenedwithmyeyesfixedobstinatelyontheground。Astirontheroadmademelookup——andthenIsawmyunforgettableEnglishman。Thereareacquaintancesoflateryears，familiars，shipmates，whomIrememberlessclearly。Hemarchedrapidlytowardstheeast（attendedbyahang-dogSwissguide）withthemienofanardentandfearlesstraveller。Hewascladinaknickerbockersuit，butasatthesametimeheworeshortsocksunderhislacedboots，forreasonswhichwhetherhygienicorconscientiousweresurelyimaginative，hiscalvesexposedtothepublicgazeandtothetonicairofhighaltitudes，dazzledthebeholderbythesplendouroftheirmarble-
　　likeconditionandtheirrichtoneofyoungivory。Hewastheleaderofasmallcaravan。Thelightofaheadlong，exaltedsatisfactionwiththeworldofmenandthesceneryofmountainsilluminedhisclean-cut，veryredface，hisshort，silver-whitewhiskers，hisinnocentlyeagerandtriumphanteyes。Inpassinghecastaglanceofkindlycuriosityandafriendlygleamofbig，sound，shinyteethtowardsthemanandtheboysittinglikedustytrampsbytheroadside，withamodestknapsacklyingattheirfeet。Hiswhitecalvestwinkledsturdily，theuncouthSwissguidewithasurlymouthstalkedlikeanunwillingbearathiselbow;asmalltrainofthreemulesfollowedinsinglefiletheleadofthisinspiringenthusiast。Twoladiesrodepastonebehindtheother，butfromthewaytheysatIsawonlytheircalm，uniformbacks，andthelongendsofblueveilshangingbehindfardownovertheiridenticalhat-brims。Histwodaughterssurely。Anindustriousluggage-mule，withunstarchedearsandguardedbyaslouching，sallowdriver，broughtuptherear。Mytutor，afterpausingforalookandafaintsmile，resumedhisearnestargument。
　　Itellyouitwasamemorableyear！OnedoesnotmeetsuchanEnglishmantwiceinalifetime。Washeinthemysticorderingofcommoneventstheambassadorofmyfuture，sentouttoturnthescaleatacriticalmomentonthetopofanAlpinepass，withthepeaksoftheBerneseOberlandformuteandsolemnwitnesses？Hisglance，hissmile，theunextinguishableandcomicardourofhisstriving-forwardappearancehelpedmetopullmyselftogether。
　　ItmustbestatedthatonthatdayandintheexhilaratingatmosphereofthatelevatedspotIhadbeenfeelingutterlycrushed。ItwastheyearinwhichIhadfirstspokenaloudofmydesiretogotosea。Atfirstlikethosesoundsthat，rangingoutsidethescaletowhichmen’searsareattuned，remaininaudibletooursenseofhearing，thisdeclarationpassedunperceived。Itwasasifithadnotbeen。Lateron，bytryingvarioustonesImanagedtoarousehereandthereasurprisedmomentaryattention——the"Whatwasthatfunnynoise？"sortofinquiry。Lateronitwas——"Didyouhearwhatthatboysaid？
　　Whatanextraordinaryoutbreak！"Presentlyawaveofscandalisedastonishment（itcouldnothavebeengreaterifIhadannouncedtheintentionofenteringaCarthusianmonastery）ebbingoutoftheeducationalandacademicaltownofCracowspreaditselfoverseveralprovinces。Itspreaditselfshallowbutfar-reaching。
　　Itstirredupamassofremonstrance，indignation，pityingwonder，bitterironyanddownrightchaff。Icouldhardlybreatheunderitsweight，andcertainlyhadnowordsforananswer。
　　PeoplewonderedwhatMr。T。B。woulddonowwithhisworryingnephewand，Idaresay，hopedkindlythathewouldmakeshortworkofmynonsense。
　　WhathedidwastocomedownallthewayfromUkrainetohaveitoutwithmeandtojudgebyhimself，unprejudiced，impartialandjust，takinghisstandonthegroundofwisdomandaffection。AsfarasispossibleforaboywhosepowerofexpressionisstillunformedIopenedthesecretofmythoughtstohimandheinreturnallowedmeaglimpseintohismindandheart;thefirstglimpseofaninexhaustibleandnobletreasureofclearthoughtandwarmfeeling，whichthroughlifewastobeminetodrawuponwithanever-deceivedloveandconfidence。Practically，afterseveralexhaustiveconversations，heconcludedthathewouldnothavemelateronreproachhimforhavingspoiledmylifebyanunconditionalopposition。ButImusttaketimeforseriousreflection。AndImustnotonlythinkofmyselfbutofothers;
　　weightheclaimsofaffectionandconscienceagainstmyownsincerityofpurpose。"Thinkwellwhatitallmeansinthelargerissues，myboy，"heexhortedmefinallywithspecialfriendliness。"Andmeantimetrytogetthebestplaceyoucanattheyearlyexaminations。"
　　Thescholasticyearcametoanend。Itookafairlygoodplaceattheexams。，whichforme（forcertainreasons）happenedtobeamoredifficulttaskthanforotherboys。InthatrespectI
　　couldenterwithagoodconscienceuponthatholidaywhichwaslikealongvisitpourprendrecongeofthemainlandofoldEuropeIwastoseesolittleofforthenextfourandtwentyyears。Such，however，wasnottheavowedpurposeofthattour。
　　Itwasrather，Isuspect，plannedinordertodistractandoccupymythoughtsinotherdirections。Nothinghadbeensaidformonthsofmygoingtosea。Butmyattachmenttomyyoungtutorandhisinfluenceovermeweresowellknownthathemusthavereceivedaconfidentialmissiontotalkmeoutofmyromanticfolly。Itwasanexcellentlyappropriatearrangement，asneitherhenorIhadeverhadasingleglimpseoftheseainourlives。
　　Thatwastocomeby-and-byforbothofusinVenice，fromtheoutershoreofLido。MeantimehehadtakenhismissiontoheartsowellthatIbegantofeelcrushedbeforewereachedZurich。
　　Hearguedinrailwaytrains，inlakesteamboats，hehadarguedawayformetheobligatorysunriseontheRighi，byJove！Ofhisdevotiontohisunworthypupiltherecanbenodoubt。Hehadproveditalreadybytwoyearsofunremittingandarduouscare。
　　Icouldnothatehim。Buthehadbeencrushingmeslowly，andwhenhestartedtoargueonthetopoftheFurcaPasshewasperhapsnearerasuccessthaneitherheorIimagined。I
　　listenedtohimindespairingsilence，feelingthatghostly，unrealisedanddesiredseaofmydreamsescapefromtheunnervedgripofmywill。
　　TheenthusiasticoldEnglishmanhadpassed——andtheargumentwenton。WhatrewardcouldIexpectfromsuchalifeattheendofmyyears，eitherinambition，honourorconscience？Anunanswerablequestion。ButIfeltnolongercrushed。Thenoureyesmetandagenuineemotionwasvisibleinhisaswellasinmine。Theendcameallatonce。Hepickeduptheknapsacksuddenlyandgotontohisfeet。
　　"Youareanincorrigible，hopelessDonQuixote。That’swhatyouare。"
　　Iwassurprised。Iwasonlyfifteenanddidnotknowwhathemeantexactly。ButIfeltvaguelyflatteredatthenameoftheimmortalknightturningupinconnectionwithmyownfolly，assomepeoplewouldcallittomyface。Alas！Idon’tthinktherewasanythingtobeproudof。Minewasnotthestufftheprotectorsofforlorndamsels，theredressersofthisworld’swrongsaremadeof;andmytutorwasthemantoknowthatbest。
　　Therein，inhisindignation，hewassuperiortothebarberandthepriestwhenheflungatmeanhonourednamelikeareproach。
　　Iwalkedbehindhimforfullfiveminutes;thenwithoutlookingbackhestopped。TheshadowsofdistantpeakswerelengtheningovertheFurcaPass。WhenIcameuptohimheturnedtomeandinfullviewoftheFinster-Aarhorn，withhisbandofgiantbrothersrearingtheirmonstrousheadsagainstabrilliantsky，puthishandonmyshoulderaffectionately。
　　"Well！That’senough。Wewillhavenomoreofit。"
　　Andindeedtherewasnomorequestionofmymysteriousvocationbetweenus。Therewastobenomorequestionofitata...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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