第3章
加入书架 A- A+
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  III。

  TheotherdayIvisitedforthefirsttime(intheopulentindifferenceofonewhocouldseeitanytime)thestatelytombofthefirstPepperrell,whocamefromCornwalltothesecoasts,andsettledfinallyatKitteryPoint。HelaidtherethefoundationsofthegreatestfortuneincolonialNewEngland,whichrevolutionaryNewEnglandseizedanddispersed,asIcannotbutfeel,alittleruthlessly。InmypersonalqualityIamofcourseaversetoallgreatfortunes;andinmyciviccapacityIamapatriot。ButstillIfeelasortofgraceinwealthacenturyold,andifIcouldnowhavemyway,IwouldnothavehadtheirpossessionsreftfromthosekindlyPepperrells,whocouldhardlyhelpbeingloyaltothefountainoftheirbaronialhonors。SirWilliam,indeed;hadhelped,morethananyotherman,tobringthepeoplewhodespoiledhimtoanationalconsciousness。Ifhedidnotimagine,hemainlymanagedthepluckyNewEnglandexpeditionagainstLouisbourgatCapeBretonahalfcenturybeforetheWarofIndependence;andhissplendidsuccessinrendingthatstrongholdfromtheFrenchtaughtthecoloniststhattheywereAmericans,andneedbeEnglishmennolongerthantheyliked。HissoldierswereofthestampofallsucceedingAmericanarmies,andhisleadershipwasoftheneighborlyandfatherlysortnaturaltoanamiablemanwhoknewmostofthempersonally。HewasalreadytherichestmaninAmerica,andhisgratefulkingmadehimabaronet;buthecamecontentedlybacktoKittery,andtookuphisoldlifeinaregionwherehehadthecomfortableconsiderationofanunrivalledmagnate。Hebuilthimselfthedignifiedmansionwhichstillstandsacrossthewayfromthepost-officeonKitteryPoint,withinaneasystone\'scastofthefarolderhouse,wherehisfatherweddedMargeryBray,whenhecame,athriftyyoungWelshfisherman,fromtheIslesofShoals,andestablishedhisfamilyonKittery。TheBrayhousehadbeenthefinestintheregionahundredyearsbeforethePepperrellmansionwasbuilt;itstillremembersitsconsequenceinthepanellingandwainscotingofthelarge,squareparlorwheretheyoungpeopleweremarriedandintheelaboratestaircasecrampedintothelittle,squarehall;andtheBrayfortunehelpedmateriallytoswellthewealthofthePepperrells。

  IdonotknowthatIshouldcarenowtohaveamanabletoridethirtymilesonhisownland;butIdonotmindSirWilliam\'shavingdoneithereahundredandfiftyyearsago;andIwishtheconfiscationshadlefthisfamily,say,aboutamileofit。Theycouldnow,indeed,enjoyitonlyinthecollateralbranches,forallSirWilliam\'slineisextinct。

  Thesplendidmansionwhichhebuilthisdaughterisinalienhands,andthefineoldhousewhichLadyPepperrellbuiltherselfafterhisdeathbelongstotheremotestofkinsmen。Agroupofthese,thedescendantsofaprolificsisterofthebaronet,meetseveryyearatKitteryPointasthePepperrellAssociation,and,inatenthardbythelittlegroveofdroopingspruceswhichshadetheadmirablerenaissancecenotaphofSirWilliam\'sfather,cherishesthefamilymemorieswithdueAmerican\"proceedings。\"

  IV。

  ThemeetingofthePepperrellAssociationwasbynomeansthechiefexcitementofoursummer。Infact,Idonotknowthatitwasanexcitementatall;andIamsureitwasnotcomparabletothepresenceofournavalsquadron,whenforfourdaysthemightydragonandkrakenshapesofsteel,whichhadcrumbledthedecrepitprideofSpaininthefightatSantiago,welteredinourpeacefulwaters,almostundermywindow。

  Itrynowtodignifythemwithhandsomeepithets;butwhiletheywerehereIhadmomentsofthinkingtheylookedlikealotofwhitedlocomotives,whichhadbrokenthroughfromsometrestle,inarecentaccident,andwerewaitingtheofficesofawrecking-train。Thepoetryoftheman-of-warstillclingstothe\"three-deckeroutofthefoam\"ofthepast;itistoosoonyetforittohavecastamischievoushaloaboutthemodernbattle-ship;andIlookedattheNewYorkandtheTexasandtheBrooklynandtherest,andthought,\"Ah,butforyou,andourneedofprovingyourdireefficiency,perhapswecouldhavegotonwiththewickednessofSpanishruleinCuba,andtherehadbeennowar!\"Undermyreluctanteyesthegreat,dreadfulspectacleoftheSantiagofightdisplayeditselfinpeacefulKitteryHarbor。IsawtheSpanishshipsdriveuponthereefwhereamanfromDover,NewHampshire,wascampinginalittlewoodenshantyunconscious;andIheardthedyingscreamsoftheSpanishsailors,seethedandscaldedwithinthesteelwallsoftheirownwickedwar-kettles。

  Asfortheguns,battleornobattle,ourships,like\"kindLieutenantBelayofthe\'HotCross-Bun\',\"seemedtobe\"bangingawaythewholedaylong。\"TheysetabadexampletothedreamyoldfortontheNewcastleshore,which,tilltheycame,onlyrecollecteditselftosalutethesunriseandsunsetwithasinglegun;butwhich,underprovocationofthesquadron,formedahabitoffiringtwentyorthirtytimesatnoon。

  Othermartialshowsandnoiseswerenotsobad。Iratherlikedseeingthemorningdrillofthemarinesandthebluejacketsontheirondecks,withthelivelymusicthatwentwithit。Thebuglecallsandthebellswerecharming;theweek\'swashhungouttodryhaditspicturesquenessbyday,andbynightthespectralplayofthesearch-lightsalongthewavesandshores,andagainstthestartledskies,wasevenmoreimpressive。

  Therewasabandwhichgaveuseveryeveningtheairsofthelatestcoon-

  songs,andthenationalanthemswhichwehaveborrowedfromvariousnations;andyes,Irememberthewhitesquadronkindly,thoughIwassogladtohaveitgo,andletuslapsebackintooursummersilenceandcalm。Itwas(Idonotmindsayingnow)amajesticsighttoseethosegrotesquemonstersgatherthemselvestogether,andgowallowing,oneafteranother,outoftheharbor,anddropbehindtheledgeofWhalebackLight,asiftheyhadsunkintothesea。

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