the days of my life

第47部分 (第3/7頁)

　an　impression　on　me。　My　recollection　is　of　a　fair…haired　man　with　a　large　head　and　very　pleasant　manners。　As　will　be　remembered；　he　was　a　great　Socialist　and　lived　up　to　it　—　to　a　certain　extent。　Thus　there　was　no　cloth　on　the　tea…table；　but　that　table　itself　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　bits　of　old　oak　furniture　that　I　ever　saw。　The　cups；　I　think；　had　no　saucers　to　them；　but　certainly　they　were　very　fine　china。　No　servant　came　into　the　room；　but　then　ladies；　most　artistically　arrayed；　handed　the　bread　and　butter。　The　walls　were　severely　plain；　but　on　them　hung　priceless　tapestries　and　pictures　by　Rosetti　and　others。　I　remember　that　when　I　departed　I　rather　wished　that　Fate　had　made　me　a　Socialist　also。

Mr。　Morris；　who　had　visited　Iceland　many　years　before；　kindly　gave　me　some　letters　of　introduction；　and　as　a　result　of　one　of　these　we　engaged　a　certain　Thorgrimmer　Gudmunson　as　a　guide。　In　winter　time　Mr。　Gudmunson　was　a　schoolmaster；　but　in　summer　he　escorted　travellers　about　the　island；　and　did　so　very　satisfactorily。　Two　days　later　Gudmunson　appeared　with　a　cortege　of　thin；　shaggy　ponies；　which　were　to　carry　us　and　our　belongings。　Here　I　e　letter；　written　in　pencil；　from　Thingvellir。

We　rode　about　ten　hours　to　get　here；　over　such　a　country；　desolate；　dreary；　set　round　with　mountains　flecked　with　snow。　At　last；　about　ten　o’clock　at　night；　we　came　to　Thingvellir　Lake；　and　then　passed　down　All　Man’s　Drift　to　this　most　historic　spot。　I　only　wish　you　were　familiar　with　the　Njal　Saga；　for　then　you　would　understand　the　interest；　the　more　than　interest；　with　which　I　look　upon　it。　Every　sod；　every　rock；　every　square　foot　of　Axe　River；　is　eloquent　of　the　deeds　and　deaths　of　great　men。　Where　are　they　all　now？　The　raven　croaks　over　where　they　were；　the　whimbrel’s