A Ride Across PalestineWord文档下载推荐.docx
- 文档编号:20932178
- 上传时间:2023-01-26
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:26
- 大小:45.77KB
A Ride Across PalestineWord文档下载推荐.docx
《A Ride Across PalestineWord文档下载推荐.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《A Ride Across PalestineWord文档下载推荐.docx(26页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
fear,isbecomingtoofondoftariffs.
"
Atariff!
saidItotheconsul,feelingthatthewholeromanceofmyexpeditionwouldbedissipatedbysuchanarrangement."
ThenI'
llgoalone;
I'
lltakearevolverwithme."
Youcan'
tdoit,sir,"
saidtheconsul,inadryandsomewhatangrytone."
Youhavenomorerighttoridethroughthatcountrywithoutpayingtheregularpriceforprotection,thanyouhavetostopinZ-
'
shotelwithoutsettlingthebill."
Icouldnotcontestthepoint,soIorderedmyBedouinsfortheappointedday,exactlyasIwouldsendforaticket-porterathome,anddeterminedtomakethebestofit.Thewildunlimitedsands,thedesolationoftheDeadSea,therushingwatersofJordan,theoutlinesofthemountainsofMoab;
--thosethingstheconsulartariffcouldnotalter,nordeprivethemofthegloriesoftheirassociation.
Ihadsubmitted,andthearrangementshadbeenmade.Joseph,mydragoman,wastocometomewiththehorsesandanArabgroomatfiveinthemorning,andweweretoencounterourBedouinsoutsidethegateofSt.Stephen,downthehill,wheretheroadturns,closetothetomboftheVirgin.
Iwassittingaloneinthepublicroomatthehotel,fillingmyflaskwithbrandy,--formattersofprimaryimportanceIneverleavetoservant,dragoman,orguide,--whenthewaiterentered,andsaidthatagentlemanwishedtospeakwithme.Thegentlemanhadnotsentinhiscardorname;
butanygentlemanwaswelcometomeinmysolitude,andIrequestedthatthegentlemanmightenter.Inappearancethegentlemancertainlywasagentleman,forIthoughtthatIhadneverbeforeseenayoungmanwhoselooksweremoreinhisfavour,orwhosefaceandgaitandoutwardbearingseemedtobetokenbetterbreeding.Hemightbesometwentyortwenty-oneyearsofage,wasslightandwellmade,withveryblackhair,whichheworeratherlong,verydarklongbrighteyes,astraightnose,andteeththatwereperfectlywhite.Hewasdressedthroughoutingreytweedclothing,havingcoat,waistcoat,andtrousersofthesame;
andinhishandhecarriedaverybroad-brimmedstrawhat.
Mr.Jones,Ibelieve,"
hesaid,ashebowedtome.Jonesisagoodtravellingname,and,ifthereaderwillallowme,IwillcallmyselfJonesonthepresentoccasion.
Yes,"
Isaid,pausingwiththebrandy-bottleinonehand,andtheflaskintheother."
That'
smyname;
mJones.CanIdoanythingforyou,sir?
Why,yes,youcan,"
saidhe."
MynameisSmith,--JohnSmith."
Praysitdown,Mr.Smith,"
Isaid,pointingtoachair."
Willyoudoanythinginthisway?
andIproposedtohandthebottletohim.
AsfarasIcanjudgefromashortstay,youwon'
tfindmuchlikethatinJerusalem."
HedeclinedtheCognac,however,andimmediatelybeganhisstory.
Ihear,Mr.Jones,"
saidhe,"
thatyouaregoingtoMoabto-
morrow."
Well,"
Ireplied,"
Idon'
tknowwhetherIshallcrossthewater.
It'
snotveryeasy,Itakeit,atalltimes;
butIshallcertainlygetasfarasJordan.CanIdoanythingforyouinthoseparts?
Andthenheexplainedtomewhatwastheobjectofhisvisit.HewasquitealoneinJerusalem,asIwasmyself;
andwasstayingatH-
shotel.HehadheardthatIwasstartingfortheDeadSea,andhadcalledtoaskifIobjectedtohisjoiningme.Hehadfoundhimself,hesaid,verylonely;
andashehadheardthatIalsowasalone,hehadventuredtocallandmakehisproposition.Heseemedtobeverybashful,andhalfashamedofwhathewasdoing;
andwhenhehaddonespeakinghedeclaredhimselfconsciousthathewasintruding,andexpressedahopethatIwouldnothesitatetosaysoifhissuggestionwerefromanycausedisagreeabletome.
AsaruleIamrathershyofchancetravellingEnglishfriends.IthassofrequentlyhappenedtomethatIhavehadtoblushfortheacquaintanceswhomIhaveselected,thatIseldomindulgeinanycloseintimaciesofthiskind.But,nevertheless,IwastakenwithJohnSmith,inspiteofhisname.Therewassomuchabouthimthatwaspleasant,bothtotheeyeandtotheunderstanding!
Onemeetsconstantlywithmenfromcontactwithwhomonerevoltswithoutknowingthecauseofsuchdislike.Thecutoftheirbeardisdispleasing,orthemodeinwhichtheywalkorspeak.But,ontheotherhand,therearemenwhoareattractive,andImustconfessthatIwasattractedbyJohnSmithatfirstsight.Ihesitated,however,foraminute;
fortherearesundrythingsofwhichitbehovesatravellertothinkbeforehecanjoinacompanionforsuchajourneyasthatwhichIwasabouttomake.Couldtheyoungmanriseearly,andremaininthesaddlefortenhourstogether?
Couldheliveuponhard-boiledeggsandbrandy-and-water?
Couldhetakehischanceofatentunderwhichtosleep,andmakehimselfhappywiththebarefactofbeinginthedesert?
Hesawmyhesitation,andattributedittoacausewhichwasnotpresentinmymindatthemoment,thoughthesubjectwasoneofthegreatestimportancewhenstrangersconsenttojointhemselvestogetherforatime,andagreetobecomenostrangersonthespurofthemoment.
OfcourseIwilltakehalftheexpense,"
saidhe,absolutelyblushingashementionedthematter.
Astothattherewillbeverylittle.Youhaveyourownhorse,ofcourse?
Oh,yes."
Mydragomanandgroom-boywilldoforboth.Butyou'
llhavetopayfortyshillingstotheArabs!
There'
snogettingoverthat.Theconsulwon'
tevenlookafteryourdeadbody,ifyougetmurdered,withoutgoingthroughthatceremony."
Mr.Smithimmediatelyproducedhispurse,whichhetenderedtome.
Ifyouwillmanageitall,"
itwillmakeitsomuchtheeasier,andIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou."
ThisofcourseI
declinedtodo.Ihadnobusinesswithhispurse,andexplainedtohimthatifwewenttogetherwecouldsettlethatonourreturntoJerusalem."
Butcouldhegothroughreallyhardwork?
Iasked.Heansweredmewithanassurancethathewouldandcoulddoanythinginthatwaythatitwaspossibleformantoperform.Asforeatinganddrinkinghecarednothingaboutit,andwouldundertaketobeastiratanyhourofthemorningthatmightbenamed.Asforsleepingaccommodation,hedidnotcareifhekepthisclothesonforaweektogether.Helookedslightandweak;
buthespokesowell,andthatwithoutboasting,thatIultimatelyagreedtohisproposal,andinafewminuteshetookhisleaveofme,promisingtobeatZ-'
sdoorwithhishorseatfiveo'
clockonthefollowingmorning.
Iwishyou'
dallowmetoleavemypursewithyou,"
hesaidagain.
Icannotthinkofit.Thereisnopossibleoccasionforit,"
I
saidagain."
Ifthereisanythingtopay,I'
llaskyouforitwhenthejourneyisover.Thatfortyshillingsyoumustforkout.It'
salawoftheMedesandPersians."
I'
dbettergiveityouatonce,"
hesaidagain,offeringmemoney.
ButIwouldnothaveit.ItwouldbequitetimeenoughforthatwhentheArabswereleavingus.
Because,"
headded,"
strangers,Iknow,aresometimessuspiciousaboutmoney;
andIwouldnot,forworlds,haveyouthinkthatI
wouldputyoutoexpense."
IassuredhimthatIdidnotthinkso,andthenthesubjectwasdropped.
Hewas,atanyrate,uptohistime,forwhenIcamedownonthefollowingmorningIfoundhiminthenarrowstreet,thefirstonhorseback.Joseph,theFrenchman,wasstrappingontoaroughponyourbelongings,andwasstaringatMr.Smith.
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- Ride Across Palestine