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A Sentimental Journey-Part1_Laurence Sterne(1713-1768)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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of our own country, surely, have the first rights; and I have left

thousands in distress upon our own shore. - The monk gave a cordial



wave with his head, - as much as to say, No doubt there is misery

enough in every corner of the world, as well as within our convent



- But we distinguish, said I, laying my hand upon the sleeve of his

tunic, in return for his appeal - we distinguish, my good father!



betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labour -

and those who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other



plan in life, but to get through it in sloth and ignorance, FOR THE

LOVE OF GOD.



The poor Franciscan made no reply: a hectic of a moment pass'd

across his cheek, but could not tarry - Nature seemed to have done



with her resentments in him; - he showed none: - but letting his

staff fall within his arms, he pressed both his hands with



resignation upon his breast, and retired.

THE MONK. CALAIS.



My heart smote me the moment he shut the door - Psha! said I, with

an air of carelessness, three several times - but it would not do:



every ungracious syllable I had utter'd crowded back into my

imagination: I reflected, I had no right over the poor Franciscan,



but to deny him; and that the punishment of that was enough to the

disappointed, without the addition of unkind language. - I



consider'd his gray hairs - his courteous figure seem'd to re-enter

and gently ask me what injury he had done me? - and why I could use



him thus? - I would have given twenty livres for an advocate. - I

have behaved very ill, said I within myself; but I have only just



set out upon my travels; and shall learn better manners as I get

along.



THE DESOBLIGEANT. CALAIS.

When a man is discontented" target="_blank" title="a.不平的；不满的">discontented with himself, it has one advantage



however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for

making a bargain. Now there being no travelling through France and



Italy without a chaise, - and nature generally prompting us to the

thing we are fittest for, I walk'd out into the coach-yard to buy



or hire something of that kind to my purpose: an old desobligeant

in the furthest corner of the court, hit my fancy at first sight,



so I instantly got into it, and finding it in tolerable harmony

with my feelings, I ordered the waiter to call Monsieur Dessein,



the master of the hotel: - but Monsieur Dessein being gone to

vespers, and not caring to face the Franciscan, whom I saw on the



opposite side of the court, in conference with a lady just arrived

at the inn, - I drew the taffeta curtain betwixt us, and being



determined to write my journey, I took out my pen and ink and wrote

the preface to it in the desobligeant.



PREFACE. IN THE DESOBLIGEANT.

It must have been observed by many a peripatetic philosopher, That



nature has set up by her own unquestionable authority certain

boundaries and fences to circumscribe the discontent of man; she



has effected her purpose in the quietest and easiest manner by

laying him under almost insuperable obligations to work out his



ease, and to sustain his sufferings at home. It is there only that

she has provided him with the most suitable objects to partake of



his happiness, and bear a part of that burden which in all

countries and ages has ever been too heavy for one pair of



shoulders. 'Tis true, we are endued with an imperfect power of

spreading our happiness sometimes beyond HER limits, but 'tis so



ordered, that, from the want of languages, connections, and

dependencies, and from the difference in education, customs, and



habits, we lie under so many impediments in communicating our

sensations out of our own sphere, as often amount to a total



impossibility.

It will always follow from hence, that the balance of sentimental



commerce is always against the expatriated adventurer: he must buy

what he has little occasion for, at their own price; - his



conversation will seldom be taken in exchange for theirs without a

large discount, - and this, by the by, eternally driving him into



the hands of more equitable brokers, for such conversation as he

can find, it requires no great spirit of divination to guess at his



party -

This brings me to my point; and naturally leads me (if the see-saw



of this desobligeant will but let me get on) into the efficient as

well as final causes of travelling -






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