登陆注册
15440000000136

第136章 CHAPTER XLII REMINISCENCES OF MIRIAM(3)

In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the apprehensiveness of women is quite gratuitous. Even as matters now stand, they are really safer in perilous situations and emergencies than men; and might be still more so, if they trusted themselves more confidingly to the chivalry of manhood. In all her wanderings about Rome, Hilda had gone and returned as securely as she had been accustomed to tread the familiar street of her New England village, where every face wore a look of recognition. With respect to whatever was evil, foul, and ugly, in this populous and corrupt city, she trod as if invisible, and not only so, but blind. She was altogether unconscious of anything wicked that went along the same pathway, but without jostling or impeding her, any more than gross substance hinders the wanderings of a spirit. Thus it is, that, bad as the world is said to have grown, innocence continues to make a paradise around itself, and keep it still unfallen.

Hilda's present expedition led her into what was--physically, at least--the foulest and ugliest part of Rome. In that vicinity lies the Ghetto, where thousands of Jews are crowded within a narrow compass, and lead a close, unclean, and multitudinous life, resembling that of maggots when they over-populate a decaying cheese.

Hilda passed on the borders of this region, but had no occasion to step within it. Its neighborhood, however, naturally partook of characteristics 'like its own. There was a confusion of black and hideous houses, piled massively out of the ruins of former ages; rude and destitute of plan, as a pauper would build his hovel, and yet displaying here and there an arched gateway, a cornice, a pillar, or a broken arcade, that might have adorned a palace. Many of the houses, indeed, as they stood, might once have been palaces, and possessed still a squalid kind of grandeur. Dirt was everywhere, strewing the narrow streets, and incrusting the tall shabbiness of the edifices, from the foundations to the roofs; it lay upon the thresholds, and looked out of the windows, and assumed the guise of human life in the children that Seemed to be engendered out of it. Their father was the sun, and their mother--a heap of Roman mud.

It is a question of speculative interest, whether the ancient Romans were as unclean a people as we everywhere find those who have succeeded them. There appears to be a kind of malignant spell in the spots that have been inhabited by these masters of the world, or made famous in their history; an inherited and inalienable curse, impelling their successors to fling dirt and defilement upon whatever temple, column, mined palace, or triumphal arch may be nearest at hand, and on every monument that the old Romans built. It is most probably a classic trait, regularly transmitted downward, and perhaps a little modified by the better civilization of Christianity; so that Caesar may have trod narrower and filthier ways in his path to the Capitol, than even those of modern Rome.

As the paternal abode of Beatrice, the gloomy old palace of the Cencis had an interest for Hilda, although not sufficiently strong, hitherto, to overcome the disheartening effect of the exterior, and draw her over its threshold. The adjacent piazza, of poor aspect, contained only an old woman selling roasted chestnuts and baked squash-seeds;she looked sharply at Hilda, and inquired whether she had lost her way.

"No," said Hilda; "I seek the Palazzo Cenci.""Yonder it is, fair signorina," replied the Roman matron. "If you wish that packet delivered, which I see in your hand, my grandson Pietro shall run with it for a baiocco. The Cenci palace is a spot of ill omen for young maidens."Hilda thanked the old dame, but alleged the necessity of doing her errand in person. She approached the front of the palace, which, with all its immensity, had but a mean appearance, and seemed an abode which the lovely shade of Beatrice would not be apt to haunt, unless her doom made it inevitable. Some soldiers stood about the portal, and gazed at the brown-haired, fair-cheeked Anglo-Saxon girl, with approving glances, but not indecorously. Hilda began to ascend the staircase, three lofty flights of which were to be surmounted, before reaching the door whither she was bound.

同类推荐
  • 神仙传

    神仙传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大乘义章

    大乘义章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 金色王经

    金色王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 中恶门

    中恶门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 宋人轶事汇编

    宋人轶事汇编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 云鬼瞳

    云鬼瞳

    天启庙的桃花开了又败,那个名叫李云的孩子五年前从雪都出走……五年后,他手背上那朵黑色的桃花慢慢绽开……身穿一身黒锦衣,腰间别着十把飞刀的少年行走在黑夜里……望眼处,九重天,血衣冷剑怎将歇。易水寒风断骨刃,试问玉颜为谁忧?美人泪,杯中酒,万里孤身志不休。若那风雪忽如花,莫问锦衣何处来。一人一剑上天涯,为君仗剑杀天下。【感谢腾讯文学书评团提供书评支持】
  • 崛起吧女玄师

    崛起吧女玄师

    隐世玄门没落至今,传男不传女。隐世玄门最后一代香火,偏偏是个女的,所以自小,她被瞒的死死的。不知道自家父亲的和自家祖宗的职业。她是都市白领,安然平静,直到那日被父亲的紧急电话召回!回程路途看似平静,却在最后一程来了一遭狠的。仇人还是朋友?父死母失踪,巨大的变故,让这个刚出校门的小姑娘一瞬间成长了起来。她习玄门术法,开天能。她在普通人中不普通,四面八方来投。查真相,灭死敌。行行归,她不归。术幡扬玄门。只是,那个霸道嚣张的臭男人,能不能不要整天追着她后面说她有病,得治?面对这样的情况,她只好再次祭出天能术法,打算来个眼不见为净。额,天能术法不管用?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 娇妻时代

    娇妻时代

    有些人走了就是走了,再等也不会回來;有些人不爱了就是不爱了,再勉强也只是徒然;有些人很幸福,一眨眼,就一起过了整个永远。有些人很幸运,手一牵,就一起走过了百年;有些人明明很努力了,却还是什么都改变不了。
  • 全职怪物猎人

    全职怪物猎人

    回望那个动荡却又绚烂的数个世纪,后人是如此描述的:那是一个充满活力的时代,无论是大地、天空还是生活在其间的人们。世界比现在更加单纯,只有狩猎,或是被狩猎之分。为了第二天的口粮,为了检验自己的实力,又或者为了扬名立万,人们聚集到了一起。在他们那炽热而又充满希望的眼中,映射着自由飞翔于无穷天际的力量与生命的象征——飞龙。伴随着金属利器摩擦碰撞的声响和大炮中残留的火药味道,人们象平常一样,又一次赌上自己的性命,奔赴只属于他们的战场……
  • 第八种族

    第八种族

    盗剑只为铸剑,而铸剑只为长生,谁若阻我,我必杀谁,神魔亦不例外!惊心动魄的杀戮,九死一生的存活,努力不懈的修炼------聂妖为了铸剑长生以及无敌于世的梦想,踏着传说中神仙魔怪的淋漓鲜血,走出了一路传说。
  • 殿下请接招

    殿下请接招

    这是一个伪小白和妖精殿下的故事。莫子琦,二十一世纪“柔弱”女大学生,擅长眼泪惹人怜爱,表面柔弱可欺,脱线神经大条,喜欢碎碎念,不喜欢动脑子,实则腹黑狡诈,平生最大的愿望是当一个米虫,无忧无虑不用思考过一辈子。东方逸,北朝五皇子,人称北朝第一美男子。自认为平生最倒霉的事情就是遇上了莫子琦这么一个妖孽。不过秉持着我不入地狱谁入地狱的精神,勉强决定接收这个妖孽一辈子,省的她去佘毒别人。(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 特工王妃:废材逆天三小姐

    特工王妃:废材逆天三小姐

    她是二十一世纪最令人闻之丧胆的金牌特工,杀伐果断。一朝穿越,她竟成了云国公府中最不受人待见的云夙心。姐妹肆意欺凌,姨娘恶意毒打,还被未婚夫当众退婚。云夙心凤眸一凝,她的人生何时轮到旁人说三道四了!是时候让你们知道什么叫啪啪打脸!正当云夙心打脸打得正欢时,却冒出来个腹黑王爷,硬说是自己的夫君。云夙心漠然拒绝,却不料某王邪然一笑:“那日你摸遍了本王的身体,怎么就想抵赖?”
  • 高脂血症日常防治大全

    高脂血症日常防治大全

    本书介绍了高脂血症的基本知识、诊断检查,西医治疗方法,中医特色治疗,饮食降脂的方法,运动降脂的途径,情志降脂的方式以及和生活中的降脂细节。
  • 青春的狂妄,爱的是非

    青春的狂妄,爱的是非

    原本以为莫海是自已的真命天子,却没想到场车祸从此改变了两人的命运,一个是默默守护的他,一个是霸道的他,她会如何选择?
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、