下载辰思小说免费APP
AttheEnglishcathedraltheeffectisdeepenedbytheepitaphsofthosewhoseliveswerepassedinthejointserviceofEnglandandherloyalchild；andourtravellers，whatevertheirwantofsympathywiththesentiment，hadtoowntoacertainbeautyinthatattitudeofproudreverence。Here，atleast，wasapeoplenotcutofffromitspast，butholding，unbrokeninlifeanddeath，thetieswhichexistforusonlyinhistory。Itgaveaglamourofoldentimetothenewland；ittouchedtheprosaicdemocraticpresentwiththewaningpoeticlightofthearistocraticandmonarchicaltradition。Therewashereandthereatitleonthetablets，andtherewaseverywheretheformallanguageofloyaltyandofvenerationforthingswehavetumbledintothedust。Itisabeautifulchurch，ofadmirableEnglishGothic；ifyouaresohappy，youarerathercurtlytoldyoumayenterbyaburlyEnglishfigureinsomekindofsombreecclesiasticaldrapery，andwithinitsquietprecinctsyoumayfeelyourselfinEnglandifyoulike，——which，formypart，Idonot。
NeitherdidourfriendsenjoyitsomuchastheChurchoftheJesuits，withitsmorethantolerablepainting，itscoldlyfrescoedceiling，itsarchitecturaltasteofsubduedRenaissance，anditsblack-eyedpeasant-
girltellingherbeadsbeforeasidealtar，justasintheenviablydeplorablecountrieswealllove；norsomuchevenastheIrishcathedralwhichtheynextvisited。Thatisaverygorgeouscathedralindeed，paintedandgilded’amerveille’，andeverywherestuckaboutwithbigandlittlesaintsandcrucifixes，andpicturesincrediblybad——butforthoseintheFrenchcathedral。Thereis，ofcourse，aseriesrepresentingChrist’sprogresstoCalvary；andtherewasaverytatteredoldman，——
anoldmanwhosevoicehadbeenlongagodrownedinwhiskey，andwhonowspokeinaghostlywhisper，——who，whenhesawBasil’seyefallupontheseries，madehimgotheroundofthem，andtediouslyexplainedthem。
“Whydidyouletthatoldwretchboreyou，andthenpayhimforit？“
Isabelasked。
“O，itremindedmesosweetlyoftheswindlesofotherlandsanddays，thatIcouldn’thelpit，“heanswered；andstraightwayintheeyesofboththatpoor，whiskeyfied，IrishtatterdemalionstoodtransfiguredtothegloriouslikenessofanItalianbeggar。
Theywerealwaysdoingsomethingofthiskind，thoseabsurdlysentimentalpeople，whomyetIcannotfinditinmyhearttoblamefortheirfolly，thoughIcouldnameeversomanyreasonsforrebukingit。Why，infact，shouldwewishtofindAmericalikeEurope？Aretheruinsandimposturesandmiseriesandsuperstitionswhichbesetthetravellerabroadsoprecious，thatheshoulddesiretoimaginethemateverystepinhisownhemisphere？Orhavewethenofourownnoeffectiveshapesofignoranceandwantandincredibility，thatwemustforeverseekanaliencontrasttoournativeintelligenceandcomfort？Somesuchquestionsthisguiltycoupleputtoeachother，andthendroveofftovisittheconventoftheGrayNunswithajoyfulexpectationwhichIsupposetheprospectofthefinestpublic-schoolexhibitioninBostoncouldneverhaveinspired。
But，indeed，sincetheremustbeGrayNuns，isitnotwellthattherearesentimentaliststotakeamournfulpleasureintheirsad，pallidexistence？
TheconventisatagooddistancefromtheIrishcathedral，andingoingtoitthetouristsmadetheirdrivercarrythemthroughoneofthefewoldFrenchstreetswhichstillremaininMontreal。FiresandimprovementshadmadehavocamongthequainthorsessinceBasil’sfirstvisit；butatlasttheycameuponanarrow，ancientRueSaintAntoine，——orwhateverothersaintitwascalledafter，——inwhichtherewasno
