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The Uncommercial Traveller
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第3章
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shouldhavelikedtohavehaditotherwise,Imustsubmit。Ifeel,fromallIhaveheardofyou,thatyouwillseeitdonedecentlyandinorder。Littledoesitsignifytous,whenthesoulhasdeparted,wherethispoorbodylies,butwewhoareleftbehindwoulddoallwecantoshowhowwelovedthem。Thisisdeniedme,butitisGod’shandthatafflictsus,andItrytosubmit。SomedayImaybeabletovisitthespot,andseewherehelies,anderectasimplestonetohismemory。Oh!itwillbelong,longbeforeIforgetthatdreadfulnight!Istheresuchathinginthevicinity,oranyshopinBangor,towhichIcouldsendforasmallpictureofMoelfraorLlanallgochurch,aspotnowsacredtome?

Anotherwidowwrites:

Ihavereceivedyourletterthismorning,anddothankyoumostkindlyfortheinterestyouhavetakenaboutmydearhusband,aswellforthesentimentsyourscontains,evincingthespiritofaChristianwhocansympathisewiththosewho,likemyself,arebrokendownwithgrief。

MayGodblessandsustainyou,andallinconnectionwithyou,inthisgreattrial。Timemayrollonandbearallitssonsaway,butyournameasadisinterestedpersonwillstandinhistory,and,assuccessiveyearspass,manyawidowwillthinkofyournobleconduct,andthetearsofgratitudeflowdownmanyacheek,thetributeofathankfulheart,whenotherthingsareforgottenforever。

Afatherwrites:

IamatalosstofindwordstosufficientlyexpressmygratitudetoyouforyourkindnesstomysonRicharduponthemelancholyoccasionofhisvisittohisdearbrother’sbody,andalsoforyourreadyattentioninpronouncingourbeautifulburialserviceovermypoorunfortunateson’sremains。GodgrantthatyourprayersoverhimmayreachtheMercySeat,andthathissoulmaybereceived(throughChrist’sintercession)intoheaven!

Hisdearmotherbegsmetoconveytoyouherheartfeltthanks。

Thosewhowerereceivedattheclergyman’shouse,writethus,afterleavingit:

DEARANDNEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTENFRIENDS。Iarrivedhereyesterdaymorningwithoutaccident,andamabouttoproceedtomyhomebyrailway。

IamoverpoweredwhenIthinkofyouandyourhospitablehome。Nowordscouldspeaklanguagesuitedtomyheart。Irefrain。Godrewardyouwiththesamemeasureyouhavemetedwith!

Ienumeratenonames,butembraceyouall。

MYBELOVEDFRIENDS。ThisisthefirstdaythatIhavebeenabletoleavemybedroomsinceIreturned,whichwillexplainthereasonofmynotwritingsooner。

IfIcouldonlyhavehadmylastmelancholyhoperealisedinrecoveringthebodyofmybelovedandlamentedson,Ishouldhavereturnedhomesomewhatcomforted,andIthinkIcouldthenhavebeencomparativelyresigned。

Ifearnowthereisbutlittleprospect,andImournasonewithouthope。

Theonlyconsolationtomydistressedmindisinhavingbeensofeelinglyallowedbyyoutoleavethematterinyourhands,bywhomIwellknowthateverythingwillbedonethatcanbe,accordingtoarrangementsmadebeforeIleftthesceneoftheawfulcatastrophe,bothastotheidentificationofmydearson,andalsohisinterment。

IfeelmostanxioustohearwhetheranythingfreshhastranspiredsinceIleftyou;willyouaddanothertothemanydeepobligationsIamundertoyoubywritingtome?Andshouldthebodyofmydearandunfortunatesonbeidentified,letmehearfromyouimmediately,andIwillcomeagain。

WordscannotexpressthegratitudeIfeelIowetoyouallforyourbenevolentaid,yourkindness,andyoursympathy。

MYDEARLYBELOVEDFRIENDS。Iarrivedinsafetyatmyhouseyesterday,andanight’sresthasrestoredandtranquillisedme。I

mustagainrepeat,thatlanguagehasnowordsbywhichIcanexpressmysenseofobligationtoyou。Youareenshrinedinmyheartofhearts。

Ihaveseenhim!andcannowrealisemymisfortunemorethanIhavehithertobeenabletodo。Oh,thebitternessofthecupIdrink!

ButIbowsubmissive。GodMUSThavedoneright。Idonotwanttofeelless,buttoacquiescemoresimply。

ThereweresomeJewishpassengersonboardtheRoyalCharter,andthegratitudeoftheJewishpeopleisfeelinglyexpressedinthefollowingletterbearingdatefrom’theofficeoftheChiefRabbi:’

REVERENDSIR。IcannotrefrainfromexpressingtoyoumyheartfeltthanksonbehalfofthoseofmyflockwhoserelativeshaveunfortunatelybeenamongthosewhoperishedatthelatewreckoftheRoyalCharter。Youhave,indeed,likeBoaz,’notleftoffyourkindnesstothelivingandthedead。’

Youhavenotaloneactedkindlytowardsthelivingbyreceivingthemhospitablyatyourhouse,andenergeticallyassistingthemintheirmournfulduty,butalsotowardsthedead,byexertingyourselftohaveourco-religionistsburiedinourground,andaccordingtoourrites。MayourheavenlyFatherrewardyouforyouractsofhumanityandtruephilanthropy!

The’OldHebrewcongregationofLiverpool’thusexpressthemselvesthroughtheirsecretary:

REVERENDSIR。Thewardensofthiscongregationhavelearnedwithgreatpleasurethat,inadditiontothoseindefatigableexertions,atthesceneofthelatedisastertotheRoyalCharter,whichhavereceiveduniversalrecognition,youhaveverybenevolentlyemployedyourvaluableeffortstoassistsuchmembersofourfaithashavesoughtthebodiesoflostfriendstogivethemburialinourconsecratedgrounds,withtheobservancesandritesprescribedbytheordinancesofourreligion。

Thewardensdesiremetotaketheearliestavailableopportunitytooffertoyou,onbehalfofourcommunity,theexpressionoftheirwarmacknowledgmentsandgratefulthanks,andtheirsincerewishesforyourcontinuedwelfareandprosperity。

AJewishgentlemanwrites:

REVERENDANDDEARSIR。Itaketheopportunityofthankingyourightearnestlyforthepromptnessyoudisplayedinansweringmynotewithfullparticularsconcerningmymuchlamentedbrother,andIalsohereinbegtoexpressmysincereregardforthewillingnessyoudisplayedandforthefacilityyouaffordedforgettingtheremainsofmypoorbrotherexhumed。Ithasbeentousamostsorrowfulandpainfulevent,butwhenwemeetwithsuchfriendsasyourself,itinameasure,somehoworother,abatesthatmentalanguish,andmakesthesufferingsomucheasiertobeborne。

Consideringthecircumstancesconnectedwithmypoorbrother’sfate,itdoes,indeed,appearahardone。Hehadbeenawayinallsevenyears;hereturnedfouryearsagotoseehisfamily。Hewasthenengagedtoaveryamiableyounglady。Hehadbeenverysuccessfulabroad,andwasnowreturningtofulfilhissacredvow;

hebroughtallhispropertywithhimingolduninsured。WeheardfromhimwhentheshipstoppedatQueenstown,whenhewasinthehighestofhope,andinafewshorthoursafterwardsallwaswashedaway。

Mournfulinthedeepestdegree,buttoosacredforquotationhere,werethenumerousreferencestothoseminiaturesofwomenwornroundthenecksofroughmen(andfoundthereafterdeath),thoselocksofhair,thosescrapsofletters,thosemanymanyslightmemorialsofhiddentenderness。Onemancastupbytheseaboreabouthim,printedonaperforatedlacecard,thefollowingsingular(andunavailing)charm:

MaytheblessingofGodawaitthee。Maythesunofgloryshinearoundthybed;andmaythegatesofplenty,honour,andhappinessbeeveropentothee。Maynosorrowdistressthydays;maynogriefdisturbthynights。Maythepillowofpeacekissthycheek,andthepleasuresofimaginationattendthydreams;andwhenlengthofyearsmakestheetiredofearthlyjoys,andthecurtainofdeathgentlyclosesaroundthylastsleepofhumanexistence,maytheAngelofGodattendthybed,andtakecarethattheexpiringlampoflifeshallnotreceiveonerudeblasttohastenonitsextinction。

Asailorhadthesedevicesonhisrightarm。’OurSaviourontheCross,theforeheadoftheCrucifixandthevesturestainedred;onthelowerpartofthearm,amanandwoman;ononesideoftheCross,theappearanceofahalfmoon,withaface;ontheotherside,thesun;onthetopoftheCross,thelettersI。H。S。;ontheleftarm,amanandwomandancing,withanefforttodelineatethefemale’sdress;underwhich,initials。’Anotherseaman’had,onthelowerpartoftherightarm,thedeviceofasailorandafemale;themanholdingtheUnionJackwithastreamer,thefoldsofwhichwavedoverherhead,andtheendofitwasheldinherhand。Ontheupperpartofthearm,adeviceofOurLordontheCross,withstarssurroundingtheheadoftheCross,andonelargestaronthesideinIndianInk。Ontheleftarm,aflag,atruelover’sknot,aface,andinitials。’Thistattooingwasfoundstillplain,belowthediscolouredoutersurfaceofamutilatedarm,whensuchsurfacewascarefullyscrapedawaywithaknife。Itisnotimprobablethattheperpetuationofthismarkingcustomamongseamen,maybereferredbacktotheirdesiretobeidentified,ifdrownedandflungashore。

ItwassometimebeforeIcouldsevermyselffromthemanyinterestingpapersonthetable,andthenIbrokebreadanddrankwinewiththekindfamilybeforeIleftthem。AsIbroughttheCoast-guarddown,soItookthePostmanback,withhisleathernwallet,walking-stick,bugle,andterrierdog。Manyaheart-brokenletterhadhebroughttotheRectoryHousewithintwomonthsmany;

abenignantlypainstakinganswerhadhecarriedback。

AsIrodealong,Ithoughtofthemanypeople,inhabitantsofthismothercountry,whowouldmakepilgrimagestothelittlechurchyardintheyearstocome;IthoughtofthemanypeopleinAustralia,whowouldhaveaninterestinsuchashipwreck,andwouldfindtheirwayherewhentheyvisittheOldWorld;IthoughtofthewritersofallthewreckoflettersIhadleftuponthetable;andIresolvedtoplacethislittlerecordwhereitstands。

Convocations,Conferences,DiocesanEpistles,andthelike,willdoagreatdealforReligion,Idaresay,andHeavensendtheymay!

butIdoubtiftheywilleverdotheirMaster’sservicehalfsowell,inallthetimetheylast,astheHeavenshaveseenitdoneinthisbleakspotupontheruggedcoastofWales。

HadIlostthefriendofmylife,inthewreckoftheRoyalCharter;hadIlostmybetrothed,themorethanfriendofmylife;

hadIlostmymaidendaughter,hadIlostmyhopefulboy,hadI

lostmylittlechild;Iwouldkissthehandsthatworkedsobusilyandgentlyinthechurch,andsay,’Nonebettercouldhavetouchedtheform,thoughithadlainathome。’Icouldbesureofit,I

couldbethankfulforit:Icouldbecontenttoleavethegravenearthehousethegoodfamilypassinandoutofeveryday,undisturbed,inthelittlechurchyardwheresomanyaresostrangelybroughttogether。

Withoutthenameoftheclergymantowhom-Ihope,notwithoutcarryingcomforttosomeheartatsometime-Ihavereferred,myreferencewouldbeasnothing。HeistheReverendStephenRooseHughes,ofLlanallgo,nearMoelfra,Anglesey。HisbrotheristheReverendHughRobertHughes,ofPenrhos,Alligwy。

Myday’sno-businessbeckoningmetotheEast-endofLondon,IhadturnedmyfacetothatpointofthemetropolitancompassonleavingCovent-garden,andhadgotpasttheIndiaHouse,thinkinginmyidlemannerofTippoo-SahibandCharlesLamb,andhadgotpastmylittlewoodenmidshipman,afteraffectionatelypattinghimononelegofhisknee-shortsforoldacquaintance’sake,andhadgotpastAldgatePump,andhadgotpasttheSaracen’sHead(withanignominiousrashofpostingbillsdisfiguringhisswarthycountenance),andhadstrolleduptheemptyyardofhisancientneighbourtheBlackorBlueBoar,orBull,whodepartedthislifeI

don’tknowwhen,andwhosecoachesareallgoneIdon’tknowwhere;

andIhadcomeoutagainintotheageofrailways,andIhadgotpastWhitechapelChurch,andwas-ratherinappropriatelyforanUncommercialTraveller-intheCommercialRoad。Pleasantlywallowingintheabundantmudofthatthoroughfare,andgreatlyenjoyingthehugepilesofbuildingbelongingtothesugarrefiners,thelittlemastsandvanesinsmallbackgardensinbackstreets,theneighbouringcanalsanddocks,theIndiavanslumberingalongtheirstonetramway,andthepawnbrokers’shopswherehard-upMateshadpawnedsomanysextantsandquadrants,thatIshouldhaveboughtafewcheapifIhadtheleastnotionhowtousethem,Iatlastbegantofileofftotheright,towardsWapping。

NotthatIintendedtotakeboatatWappingOldStairs,orthatI

wasgoingtolookatthelocality,becauseIbelieve(forIdon’t)

【推荐阅读】幽幽深宫,醒来一梦似千年,重生于下堂妃身躯中的她,将如何手刃仇人? 点击阅读

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