Let us leave Teignmouth here by the ferry-boat, in preference to walking over the long bridge. Both bridge and ferry belong to one company, and the toll6 each way, by either of them is the same modest penny. The ferry goes from one sandy beach to another, touching7 the[112] opposite shore immediately under the roadway, the little forecourt gardens, and the bow-windowed houses of Shaldon, which seems to the stranger the oddest, brightest, cleanest and most quiet of townlets, and for a while puts Teignmouth in the shade. Shaldon, however, is very much of a “dead end,” a backwater, or still pool of life, and when the visitors are gone, when the children have deserted8 the warm sands, and the half-dozen ferry boats that are required in summer are reduced to two; and when nature, with autumn past, frugally9 turns the lights down until next spring, Shaldon is apt to be dull. But there is always the harbour to look out upon, and Teignmouth across the river; although, to be sure, there is the reverse view of the harbour and of Shaldon from Teignmouth. For myself, I incline to think the outlook upon the harbour and Shaldon and the hills from Teignmouth the best, especially since the appearance on the Bitton estate of those houses you wot of. But this is certain, while human nature remains10 true to itself: wherever you are not, there you would be, just as, whatever you are doing, you look forward to the doing of something quite different; or else, doing nothing, yearn11 to be busy, and being busy, long for idleness.
It is a rocky scramble12 round beyond the Ness to the open sea and Labrador, and no one, fortunately, has yet engineered a neat path that way. For one thing, it would be scarce worth the trouble of doing so while great fragments of rock come hurtling down from the cliff, thrust out by[113] the frosts and thaws13 of winter. The way is strewn with these immense pieces of red conglomerate14, weighing anything from five to twenty tons; and those who wear india-rubber shoes and can best imitate the chamois in rock-leaping are those who like best the exploration of the Ness. For others there is that “harvest of the quiet eye” down in the rock-pools that the tide has left, where, among the trailing seaweeds, the limpet clings with the tightness of a moribund15 government clinging to power, and only to be removed in the same way; by the sudden, unexpected blow, like the Parliamentary snap-division; where transparent16 things, showing their inwards in the most indelicate way, flit about unconcerned at that publicity17, and the hermit-crab justifies18 his sponsors by hurrying, presto19, to some rocky cell when you disturb this little mare20 clausum.
Tumbled rock-heaps, alternating with beaches, lead to the foot of the cliff by whose up-on-end path you breathlessly reach Labrador, a place known to every one who has visited Teignmouth. Local traditions tell how this cottage and garden, half-way up the four hundred feet of cliff, were the work of a retired21 sea-captain who, settling here from a long career in the Newfoundland trade, christened the place by the name it still bears. I do not suppose he ever contemplated22 it being converted into a picnic inn, but he may have had an eye to a snug23 little traffic in smuggling24, for which in his time it must have been especially adapted.
However that may be, there is no questioning the popularity of Labrador, where teas are provided and swings tempt25 the giddy-minded, and roses clamber over the house-front in a manner suggestive of Persia and Omar Khayyàm. Why, with leisure—and genius—one might compose another Rabaiyat when the tea-takers were gone.
“I reckon,” says one of the soil, whom we meet here and exchange remarks with, “Twize up and down es a gude day’s work,” and it really is a leg-aching job to climb to the top of the cliff, which must be done to gain the Torquay road. South Devon is sleepy, and, experiencing this steepest of paths and hottest of hot corners, the stranger is not surprised. At any time it is possible to sit down and drop into a “bit of a zog”—which is Devonian for a nap.
[115]
The Torquay road is inexorably hilly and white and hot, but it looks inland down on to samples of Canaan, where, amid a blue haze26 of fertility, you see trees and grass more nearly blue than green, among the freshly turned fields that are red. It is a land of fatness. There, down in those folded valleys, is a distant glimpse of the Teign, with the white-faced, yellow-thatched cottages of “Stokeintinny” and “Cumeintinny” enwrapped in an air of prosperity; and here is the ridge-road, like an oven. “Aw! my dear sawls, ’tes tar’ble hot.”
Here stands the old toll-house the country folk call “Solomon’s Post”; but why? Ah! he who pervades27 the country asking for the reasons of things is not to be envied. For my part, the likeliest reason of this name is that the tolls28 on this turnpike-trust may have been farmed by one of those numerous Jews who took up that class of business.
Lanes on the left-hand presently lead down to Minnicombe and Maidencombe, where there are embowered hamlets giving upon the sea; and in another mile yet another leads down to Watcombe. Watcombe is not what it was fifteen years ago. Then a countryfied lane opened out upon a grassy29 valley dropping to the sea. From the turf there soared aloft the ruddiest of all the ruddy cliffs of South Devon, seamed and seared with the weathering of ages, and as thickly pocketed with holes as a Post Office poste-restante rack. The cliff is there, as ever, and the holes,[116] and the pigeons and jackdaws that inhabit them, but the undergrowth has grown up in dense30 and tangled31 masses everywhere, the hedges of the rustic32 lane have given place to stone walls, and all the pleasant approaches are enclosed in the grounds of somebody’s private domain33. Confound Somebody, say I: may the dogs defile34 the grave of his great-great-grandmother. But let us take these outrages35 as calmly as we may, or not seek to further explore; for the approach to Torquay through Babbacombe and Marychurch is a perfect orgie of Wall. It must have been a difficult and an expensive matter to so successfully shut out the scenery, but it has been so thoroughly36 done that when you do at last come to the cliff-top of Babbacombe Downs, the lovely clear outlook there over the sea and down to the beach seems, by contrast, like a hole in the wall.
But we anticipate, as the authors of Early Victorian novels were accustomed to remark, and have not finished with Watcombe, which is remarkable for having supplied the Romans with potters’-clay and for providing us moderns with the same material. The Watcombe Terracotta Works, that stand by the high road, were established somewhere about 1875. Their products of statuettes for advertising37 purposes are sufficiently38 well-known, and I dare not hazard a guess how many of that famous group, “You Dirty Boy!” the works produced for an eminent39 firm of soap-makers. When what has been called the “Æsthetic Craze” set in, and all manner of[117] weird40 wares41, alleged42 to have some “Art” quality, were thrust upon the public, the Watcombe terracottas were fashioned in the most awkward and “artistic43” shapes, and painted with sunflowers and the most abhorrent44 colours, and in them that good, long-suffering public for a time found artistic salvation45. But that was long ago, and the sunflower has wilted46 and the lily faded away. To-day, rustic humour and Old English models combined, capture the tourist. Puzzle-jugs47 and scraps48 of country talk find the readiest sale, and many a holiday-maker takes home with him butter-dishes, jugs, and plates with such legends as “Go aisy with the butter,” “Help yo’self to some Demsher crayme,” or that noble triolet—
“Du zummat,
Du gude ef yo can,
Du zummat.”
Beyond Watcombe begins St. Marychurch. At the threshold of that suburb a long lane leads to the left, down to Pettitor, where there are busy quarries49 of Devon Marble, so greatly in favour with church-furnishers that specimens50 of it are nowadays to be found in use, not in England only, but in remote parts of the world.
You would not for a moment suspect the Domesday antiquity51 of St. Marychurch, but it appears in that remarkable work—as a church—the earliest, it is said, in Devon. Rebuilt in 1861, it is now merely one of the many ornate places of worship in which Torquay, with its large, rich[118] and idle residential53 classes, greatly priest-ridden, abounds54. Only the ancient font, sculptured with a number of engaging devils, remains.
St. Marychurch would probably not produce so much disfavour in the beholder55 were it not for its natural surroundings. This is a parable56, but one easily resolved into a plain statement. The place is, in short, a bad nightmare of plaster. Quâ plaster, not so very shocking, but taken in conjunction with the exceptionally lovely nature of the scenery, nothing less than a crime. A wanton, indefensible crime, too, for the neighbourhood abounds with excellent limestone57, most suitable for building. I conceive there must be something radically58 wrong—beyond a mere52 error of taste—with the generations that will go out of their way to use a short-lived pretence59 like plaster, when limestone, calculated to last until the universe shall again be thrown into the melting-pot, offers. But there, it is done, and not unless all Torquay itself were razed60 to the ground, and the place begun anew, could it be remedied. Oddly enough, the first signs of enlightenment in this direction are shown by the various banks, which are being substantially and tastefully built of honest materials.
The long, long streets lead past Furrow61 Cross, where, turning to the left, along the Babbacombe Down Road, that lovely opening, looking out upon the sea, is disclosed. Here, from the carefully railed-in cliff-edge, one looks sheer down on to the white pebble62 beaches of Oddicombe[119] and Babbacombe, with winding63 walks through luxuriant greenery, leading hundreds of feet down to them. Red cliffs, white beaches, dark blue sea, light blue sky, and the cool green of the vegetation; what a feast of colour is the South Devon Coast! And the abounding64 growth of flowers and shrubs65 in the gardens on these heights! Geraniums, putting to shame the best efforts of ivy66 a-clinging and climbing: fuchsias, making growth like trees, with substantial trunks; veronica shrubs in hedges, the lovely blue masses of the heliotrope-like ceanothus, and others of the acclimatised beauties of the Southern Hemisphere: all these glories are rendered possible by the soft climate, which laps you as in cotton wool, and takes all the energy out of you, and has rendered the folk of Devon the kindly67 lotus-eaters they are.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
bluff
|
|
| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
betokens
|
|
| v.预示，表示( betoken的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
estuary
|
|
| n.河口，江口 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
ebb
|
|
| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
toll
|
|
| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
frugally
|
|
| adv. 节约地, 节省地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
yearn
|
|
| v.想念；怀念；渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
thaws
|
|
| n.（足以解冻的）暖和天气( thaw的名词复数 )；（敌对国家之间）关系缓和v.（气候）解冻( thaw的第三人称单数 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
conglomerate
|
|
| n.综合商社，多元化集团公司 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
moribund
|
|
| adj.即将结束的，垂死的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
publicity
|
|
| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
justifies
|
|
| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
presto
|
|
| adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
mare
|
|
| n.母马，母驴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
contemplated
|
|
| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
smuggling
|
|
| n.走私 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
tempt
|
|
| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
haze
|
|
| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
pervades
|
|
| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
tolls
|
|
| （缓慢而有规律的）钟声( toll的名词复数 )； 通行费； 损耗； （战争、灾难等造成的）毁坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
grassy
|
|
| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
domain
|
|
| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
defile
|
|
| v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
outrages
|
|
| 引起…的义愤，激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
advertising
|
|
| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
eminent
|
|
| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
weird
|
|
| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
wares
|
|
| n. 货物, 商品 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
alleged
|
|
| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
artistic
|
|
| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
abhorrent
|
|
| adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
salvation
|
|
| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
wilted
|
|
| （使）凋谢，枯萎( wilt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
jugs
|
|
| （有柄及小口的）水壶( jug的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
scraps
|
|
| 油渣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
quarries
|
|
| n.（采）石场( quarry的名词复数 )；猎物（指鸟，兽等）；方形石；（格窗等的）方形玻璃v.从采石场采得( quarry的第三人称单数 )；从（书本等中）努力发掘（资料等）；在采石场采石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
antiquity
|
|
| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
residential
|
|
| adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
abounds
|
|
| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
beholder
|
|
| n.观看者，旁观者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
parable
|
|
| n.寓言，比喻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
limestone
|
|
| n.石灰石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
radically
|
|
| ad.根本地，本质地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
pretence
|
|
| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
razed
|
|
| v.彻底摧毁，将…夷为平地( raze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
furrow
|
|
| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
pebble
|
|
| n.卵石，小圆石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
abounding
|
|
| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
ivy
|
|
| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |