TURNING our backs now on that branch of the Fjord which leads to Risano, we steamed due south in the direction of Cattaro. Nothing could exceed the wild grandeur3 of this portion of the Gulf4. The right hand shore was now entirely5 in the shade, while the crags on the left being exposed to the full glare of the afternoon sun showed a play of colours too beautiful to describe. Had these cliffs been clothed with varied6 foliage7 interspersed8 with the rocks, they would have formed a picture unequalled in any other place on the globe. 155
It was six o'clock when we moored9 alongside the quay10 of Cattaro, one of the most picturesque11 cities of the whole Adriatic, so I had plenty of time to walk about and see the place as well as to make arrangements for my advance into Montenegro on the following day, as I was anxious to proceed at once to Cettigne, in order to be present at the festival of St. Peter, during which a fair is held, to which congregate12 thousands, not only from Montenegro, but from all the surrounding countries. Thanks, however, to Persich Effendi, the Ottoman Consul13 at Ragusa, to whom I had brought an introduction from the Ottoman Ambassador at Vienna, I found everything already prepared for my trip. The agent of the Austrian Lloyd at Cattaro, Signor Jackschich to whom I can never feel too much obliged, had already procured14 for me a guide and two horses, thus saving me all trouble, and allowing so much more time to look about me at Cattaro. As soon as we had obtained pratique, the formality of which we carried out regularly at every place we touched, though, in reality, it was a farce15, Signor Jackschich came on board, and having introduced himself and told me 156 what he had arranged, placed himself at my disposal for the rest of the evening. We at once went on shore, and traversing the Mall, which lies between the quays16 and the walls of the city, and which serves as the promenade17 of the Bocchesi, we passed through the principal gate of Cattaro, and entered the precincts of the fortifications.
Here, as in most other cities in Dalmatia, no horse, or vehicle of any kind (except sedan chairs) is allowed to enter. The streets in consequence are beautifully clean, and the piazza1, which is paved in squares of alternate coloured marble, is more like the floor of the hall of an Italian palace than anything else. The streets are narrow, as might have been surmised18, but there are some very fine old houses, some exquisite19 bits of art hidden away in nooks and corners which one would have loved to sketch20 had there been time, half built up porticoes21 with oleanders peeping over them, and bits of lovely hammered iron work of the Renaissance22 period. But I had no time, so after making a rapid tour through the little city, we came out on the promenade, as I was anxious to have another 157 view of Cattaro, from the outside, before it became too dark.
My friend Paton does not render half justice to this city in his charming book, "The Highlands and Islands of the Adriatic;" but he is so in love with Ragusa—and, if truth must be told, so am I—that he has nothing to say for Cattaro; it is true he saw it in Winter, when it must be a dismal23 place. But Cattaro, for all that, deserves a visit, and anyone fond of sketching24 will spend, with profit, several days in and about the place. It is situated25 at the extreme end of the Fjord of that name, on a very narrow ledge26 of land at the foot of the most precipitous cliffs facing the west, up which it extends for a short space. It is surrounded by the ancient Venetian walls, bastions and fortifications, and crowned by a fort perched on the very summit of the rock, a thousand feet above the city. Looking at it from below, it seems scarcely balanced on the cliff, and one expects to see it come tumbling down every moment.
The fortifications of the town are connected by crenelated walls with the fort itself on two sides, 158 thus inclosing a considerable space on the face of the mountain, something in the shape of a triangle, of which the town would form the base, and the fort the apex27, which is still garrisoned28, and many a harmless rusty29 old cannon30 can be seen peeping through the embrasures. Having returned from the opposite side of the water, where I had gone the better to see the fortifications, we took a walk up and down the esplanade between the water and the walls, to look at the beau monde on their boulevard, and then adjourned31 to the café on the same esplanade to have some ices al fresco32, and make our final arrangements for the following morning.
The public walk at Cattaro is very well laid out, and the most is made of the very contracted space at command. Two rows of large trees extend along the walls on each side of the gate, above which is to be seen, as usual, the Lion of St. Mark. Not so natural, perhaps, as Edwin Landseer's animals at the foot of Nelson's column; but, certainly, a more dignified33 beast than the one with straight tail which until lately kept watch and ward34 over Trafalgar Square from the top of Northumberland 159 House. At the northern end of the Mall is the café, and round about it the grounds are laid out in gardens, where, under the shade of gigantic oleanders and mulberry trees, little round tables, made of enormously thick slabs35, resting on short central pillars, for all the world like Brobdingnagian mushrooms, are laid out and surrounded with stools for the accommodation of all comers. The stone of which these round tables are made is powerfully sonorous, and if lightly struck, even with one's knuckles36, gives out a beautiful soft tone. If cut into lengths and properly poised37, excellent rock harmoniums could be made of it.
Here I fell in again with the Russian Consul, who introduced me to one of the finest specimens38 of men I ever saw, a Montenegrin chief, by name Pero Pejovich, commandant of the Grahovo (pronounced Graho), who had come from Risano in a boat, and was bound for Montenegro to be present at the Feast. He was dressed in full gala Montenegrin costume, plus the Risano jacket of crimson39 cloth without sleeves, thickly embroidered40 with gold, and on it the medals and decorations 160 he had gained in battle. At another table were seated, also in full costume, two Montenegrin ladies of a family who had been exiled for political causes, and who were waiting at Cattaro in hopes of obtaining an amnesty which would permit them to return to their homes.
The sun had set, and the short twilight41 had nearly merged42 into darkness; the great heat of the day was now tempered by a delicious balmy feeling, as the cooler air from the mountains came down to mingle43 with that of the lower strata44; the musical hum of the many voices, the exquisite Trebigne tobacco in our cigarettes, the delicious coffee, all conspired45 to make that evening one of the most delightful46 I ever passed. I got another chair, and stretched my legs on it; the natives stared—no Oriental ever thinks of stretching his legs—the acme47 of comfort for him is to tuck them under him. I felt supremely48 happy, and expressed myself so.
"I could live here for ever," I said to Signor Jackschich.
"Nay," rejoined Pero Pejovich, "but wait till it rains, and you will soon wish to run away from 161 Cattaro. I have known it rain here for six weeks without stopping for a moment."
At this juncture49, the band of the Austrian regiment50 quartered here came on the scene, with the same lamp arrangement I had seen at Pola, and for upwards51 of an hour played the most delicious music to our intense delight. The Consul now reminded me that we should have to start betimes the following morning, if we wanted to avoid being roasted in the middle of the day on the rocks of Montenegro. But the sense of enjoyment52 was too great, and I could not bear to break the spell of the hour which I was enjoying to the fullest. That I should have an excuse for delaying a little longer, I began to talk in Italian to a little beggar boy who had quietly been asking me for something the whole evening, not with noisy importunate53 appeals, but by the eloquent54 look of about the finest pair of eyes that ever were seen.
"Don't take any notice of the young ruffian," said Signor Jackschich, "he is the plague of the town, and the worry of his father. He won't work, and he is in every mischief55 that is going." 162
"But I don't tell lies—neither do I steal," retorted the bold young brat56, who could be no more than eight or nine. "It is too hot to work, and as to going home to sleep la dentro," he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb to the town, "when I can enjoy the cool nights under these trees al fresco, I would rather not!"
He spoke57 excellent Italian, and his manner was dignified and self possessed58.
"Diable!" said Yonin, "nous avons ici un philosophe!"
"Can you speak German or French, little chap?" I said.
"No," he replied in Italian, "non parlo che Illirico ed Italiano."
I gave him coins to the amount of about a franc; but when he saw so much money in the palm of his hand—an amount which, to his eyes, seemed perfectly59 fabulous—his first impulse was to hold it out to me again, thinking I was joking with him; but when I assured him it was veramente tutto per lui, he cut three capers60 in the air, and rushed away to where some other children were, to show his treasures and recount his good fortune. Of 163 all the subjects of the Emperor of Austria, in all his vast dominions61, I venture to say that the happiest on that night was that little beggar brat in the secluded62 little city of Cattaro at the far end of his empire in the extreme point of Dalmatia.
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1
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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3
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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5
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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6
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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9
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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10
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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12
congregate
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| v.(使)集合，聚集 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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15
farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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17
promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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19
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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20
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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21
porticoes
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| n.柱廊，（有圆柱的）门廊( portico的名词复数 ) | |
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renaissance
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| n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴 | |
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23
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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24
sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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25
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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26
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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28
garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
fresco
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| n.壁画；vt.作壁画于 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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34
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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35
slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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36
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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38
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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39
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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40
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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41
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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42
merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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43
mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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44
strata
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| n.地层（复数）；社会阶层 | |
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45
conspired
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| 密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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46
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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47
acme
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| n.顶点，极点 | |
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48
supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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49
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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50
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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51
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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52
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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53
importunate
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| adj.强求的；纠缠不休的 | |
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54
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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55
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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56
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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57
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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58
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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59
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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60
capers
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| n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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61
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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62
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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