按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Strangers were stared out of countenance by staring white houses；
staring white walls； staring white streets； staring tracts of arid road；
staring hills from which verdure was burnt away。 The only things to be
seen not fixedly staring and glaring were the vines drooping under their
load of grapes。 These did occasionally wink a little； as the hot air
barely moved their faint leaves。
There was no wind to make a ripple on the foul water within the harbour；
or on the beautiful sea without。 The line of demarcation between the two
colours； black and blue； showed the point which the pure sea would not
pass； but it lay as quiet as the abominable pool； with which it never
mixed。 Boats without awnings were too hot to touch； ships blistered at
their moorings； the stones of the quays had not cooled； night or
day； for months。 Hindoos； Russians； Chinese； Spaniards； Portuguese；
Englishmen； Frenchmen； Genoese； Neapolitans； Veians； Greeks； Turks；
descendants from all the builders of Babel； e to trade at Marseilles；
sought the shade alike……taking refuge in any hiding…place from a sea too
intensely blue to be looked at； and a sky of purple； set with one great
flaming jewel of fire。
The universal stare made the eyes ache。 Towards the distant line of
Italian coast； indeed； it was a little relieved by light clouds of mist；
slowly rising from the evaporation of the sea； but it softened nowhere
else。 Far away the staring roads； deep in dust； stared from the
hill…side； stared from the hollow； stared from the interminable
plain。 Far away the dusty vines overhanging wayside cottages； and the
monotonous wayside avenues of parched trees without shade； drooped
beneath the stare of earth and sky。 So did the horses with drowsy bells；
in long files of carts； creeping slowly towards the interior； so did
their recumbent drivers； when they were awake； which rarely happened；
so did the exhausted labourers in the fields。 Everything that lived or
grew； was oppressed by the glare； except the lizard； passing swiftly
over rough stone walls； and the cicala； chirping his dry hot chirp； like
a rattle。 The very dust was scorched brown； and something quivered in
the atmosphere as if the air itself were panting。
Blinds； shutters； curtains； awnings； were all closed and drawn to keep
out the stare。 Grant it but a chink or keyhole； and it shot in like a
white…hot arrow。 The churches were the freest from it。 To e out of
the twilight of pillars and arches……dreamily dotted with winking lamps；
dreamily peopled with ugly old shadows piously dozing； spitting； and
begging……was to plunge into a fiery river； and swim for life to the
nearest strip of shade。 So； with people lounging and lying wherever
shade was； with but little hum of tongues or barking of dogs； with
occasional jangling of discordant church bells and rattling of vicious
drums； Marseilles； a fact to be strongly smelt and tasted； lay broiling
in the sun one day。 In Marseilles that day there was a villainous
prison。 In one of its chambers； so repulsive a place that even the
obtrusive stare blinked at it； and left it to such refuse of reflected
light as it could find for itself； were two men。 Besides the two men；
a notched and disfigured bench； immovable from the wall； with a
draught…board rudely hacked upon it with a knife； a set of draughts；
made of old buttons and soup bones； a set of dominoes； two mats； and two
or three wine bottles。 That was all the chamber held； exclusive of rats
and other unseen vermin； in addition to the seen vermin； the two men。
It received such light as it got through a grating of iron bars
fashioned like a pretty large window； by means of which it could be
always inspected from the gloomy staircase on which the grating gave。
There was a broad strong ledge of stone to this grating where the bottom
of it was let into the masonry； three or four feet above the ground。
Upon it； one of the two men lolled； half sitting and half lying； with
his knees drawn up； and his feet and shoulders planted against the
opposite sides of the aperture。 The bars were wide enough apart to
admit of his thrusting his arm through to the elbow； and so he held on
negligently； for his greater ease。
A prison taint was on everything there。 The imprisoned air； the
imprisoned light； the imprisoned damps； the imprisoned men； were all
deteriorated by confinement。 As the captive men were faded and haggard；
so the iron was rusty； the stone was slimy； the wood was rotten； the air
was faint； the light was dim。 Like a well； like a vault； like a tomb；
the prison had no knowledge of the brightness outside； and would have
kept its polluted atmosphere intact in one of the spice islands of the
Indian ocean。
The man who lay on the ledge of the grating was even chilled。 He jerked
his great cloak more heavily upon him by an impatient movement of one
shoulder； and growled； 'To the devil with this Brigand of a Sun that
never shines in here！'
He was waiting to be fed； looking sideways through the bars that he
might see the further down the stairs； with much of the expression of
a wild beast in similar expectation。 But his eyes； too close together；
were not so nobly set in his head as those of the king of beasts are in
his； and they were sharp rather than bright……pointed weapons with little
surface to betray them。 They had no depth or change； they glittered；
and they opened and shut。 So far； and waiving their use to himself； a
clockmaker could have made a better pair。 He had a hook nose； handsome
after its kind； but too high between the eyes by probably just as much
as his eyes were too near to one another。 For the rest； he was large and
tall in frame； had thin lips； where his thick moustache showed them at
all； and a quantity of dry hair； of no definable colour； in its shaggy
state； but shot with red。 The hand with which he held the grating
（seamed all over the back with ugly scratches newly healed）； was
unusually small and plump； would have been unusually white but for the
prison grime。 The other man was lying on the stone floor； covered with a
coarse brown coat。
'Get up； pig！' growled the first。 'Don't sleep when I am hungry。'
'It's all one； master；' said the pig； in a submissive manner； and not
without cheerfulness； 'I can wake when I will； I can sleep when I will。
It's all the same。'
As he said it； he rose； shook himself； scratched himself； tied his brown
coat loosely round his neck by the sleeves （he had previously used it
as a coverlet）； and sat down upon the pavement yawning； with his back
against the wall opposite to the grating。
'Say what the hour is；' grumbled the first man。
'The mid…day bells will ring……in forty minutes。' When he made the
little pause； he had looked round the prison…room； as if for certain
information。
'You are a clock。 How is it that you always know？'
'How can I say？ I always know what the hour is； and where I am。 I was
brought in here at night； and out of a boat； but I know where I am。 See
here！ Marseilles harbour；' on his knees on the pavement； mapping it all
out with a swarthy forefinger； 'Toulon （where the galleys are）； Spain
over there； Algiers over there。 Creeping away to the left here