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〃The gnarly trees； their twisted branches〃recommenced the top
boy。
〃No； no；〃 interrupted the Professor； 〃I do not want you to repeat
the poem。 I want you to tell me in your own words what sort of a
wood it was where the girl lived。〃
The Professor tapped his foot impatiently； the top boy made a dash
for it。
〃Please； sir； it was the usual sort of a wood。〃
〃Tell him what sort of a wood；〃 said he； pointing to the second
lad。
The second boy said it was a 〃green wood。〃 This annoyed the
Professor still more； he called the second boy a blockhead； though
really I cannot see why； and passed on to the third； who； for the
last minute； had been sitting apparently on hot plates； with his
right arm waving up and down like a distracted semaphore signal。
He would have had to say it the next second； whether the Professor
had asked him or not； he was red in the face； holding his knowledge
in。
〃A dark and gloomy wood；〃 shouted the third boy； with much relief
to his feelings。
〃A dark and gloomy wood；〃 repeated the Professor； with evident
approval。 〃And why was it dark and gloomy？〃
The third boy was still equal to the occasion。
〃Because the sun could not get inside it。〃
The Professor felt he had discovered the poet of the class。
〃Because the sun could not get into it； or； better； because the
sunbeams could not penetrate。 And why could not the sunbeams
penetrate there？〃
〃Please； sir； because the leaves were too thick。〃
〃Very well；〃 said the Professor。 〃The girl lived in a dark and
gloomy wood； through the leafy canopy of which the sunbeams were
unable to pierce。 Now； what grew in this wood？〃 He pointed to the
fourth boy。
〃Please； sir； trees； sir。〃
〃And what else？〃
〃Toadstools； sir。〃 This after a pause。
The Professor was not quite sure about the toadstools； but on
referring to the text he found that the boy was right； toadstools
had been mentioned。
〃Quite right；〃 admitted the Professor； 〃toadstools grew there。 And
what else？ What do you find underneath trees in a wood？〃
〃Please； sir； earth； sir。〃
〃No； no； what grows in a wood besides trees？〃
〃Oh； please； sir； bushes； sir。〃
〃Bushes； very good。 Now we are getting on。 In this wood there
were trees and bushes。 And what else？〃
He pointed to a small boy near the bottom； who having decided that
the wood was too far off to be of any annoyance to him；
individually； was occupying his leisure playing noughts and crosses
against himself。 Vexed and bewildered； but feeling it necessary to
add something to the inventory； he hazarded blackberries。 This was
a mistake； the poet had not mentioned blackberries。
〃Of course； Klobstock would think of something to eat；〃 commented
the Professor； who prided himself on his ready wit。 This raised a
laugh against Klobstock； and pleased the Professor。
〃You；〃 continued he； pointing to a boy in the middle； 〃what else
was there in this wood besides trees and bushes？〃
〃Please； sir； there was a torrent there。〃
〃Quite right； and what did the torrent do？〃
〃Please； sir； it gurgled。〃
〃No； no。 Streams gurgle； torrents？〃
〃Roar； sir。〃
〃It roared。 And what made it roar？〃
This was a poser。 One boyhe was not our prize intellect； I
admitsuggested the girl。 To help us the Professor put his
question in another form：
〃When did it roar？〃
Our third boy； again coming to the rescue； explained that it roared
when it fell down among the rocks。 I think some of us had a vague
idea that it must have been a cowardly torrent to make such a noise
about a little thing like this； a pluckier torrent； we felt； would
have got up and gone on； saying nothing about it。 A torrent that
roared every time it fell upon a rock we deemed a poor spirited
torrent； but the Professor seemed quite content with it。
〃And what lived in this wood beside the girl？〃 was the next
question。
〃Please； sir； birds； sir。〃
〃Yes； birds lived in this wood。 What else？〃
Birds seemed to have exhausted our ideas。
〃Come；〃 said the Professor； 〃what are those animals with tails；
that run up trees？〃
We thought for a while； then one of us suggested cats。
This was an error； the poet had said nothing about cats； squirrels
was what the Professor was trying to get。
I do not recall much more about this wood in detail。 I only
recollect that the sky was introduced into it。 In places where
there occurred an opening among the trees you could by looking up
see the sky above you； very often there were clouds in this sky；
and occasionally； if I remember rightly； the girl got wet。
I have dwelt upon this incident； because it seems to me suggestive
of the whole question of scenery in literature。 I could not at the
time； I cannot now； understand why the top boy's summary was not
sufficient。 With all due deference to the poet； whoever he may
have been； one cannot but acknowledge that his wood was； and could
not be otherwise than； 〃the usual sort of a wood。〃
I could describe the Black Forest to you at great length。 I could
translate to you Hebel； the poet of the Black Forest。 I could
write pages concerning its rocky gorges and its smiling valleys；
its pine…clad slopes； its rock…crowned summits； its foaming
rivulets （where the tidy German has not condemned them to flow
respectably through wooden troughs or drainpipes）； its white
villages； its lonely farmsteads。
But I am haunted by the suspicion you might skip all this。 Were
you sufficiently conscientiousor weak…minded enoughnot to do
so； I should； all said and done； succeed in conveying to you only
an impression much better summed up in the simple words of the
unpretentious guide book：
〃A picturesque； mountainous district； bounded on the south and the
west by the plain of the Rhine； towards which its spurs descend
precipitately。 Its geological formation consists chiefly of
variegated sandstone and granite； its lower heights being covered
with extensive pine forests。 It is well watered with numerous
streams； while its populous valleys are fertile and well
cultivated。 The inns are good； but the local wines should be
partaken of by the stranger with discretion。〃
CHAPTER VI
Why we went to HanoverSomething they do better abroadThe art of
polite foreign conversation； as taught in English schoolsA true
history； now told for the first timeThe French joke； as provided
for the amusement of British youthFatherly instincts of Harris
The road…waterer； considered as an artistPatriotism of George
What Harris ought to have doneWhat he didWe save Harris's life…
…A sleepless cityThe cab…horse as a critic。
We arrived in Hamburg on Friday after a smooth and uneventful
voyage； and from Hamburg we travelled to Berlin by way of Hanover。
It is not the most direct route。 I can only account for our visit
to Hanover as the nigger accounted to the magistrate for his
appearance in the Deacon's poultry…yard。
〃Well？〃
〃Yes； sar； what the constable sez is quite true； sar； I was dar；
sar。〃
〃Oh； so you admit it？ And what were you doing with a sack； pray；
in Deacon Abraham's poultry…yard at twelve o'clock at night？〃
〃I'se gwine ter tell yer； sar； yes； sar。 I'd been to Massa
Jordan's wid a sack of melons。 Yes； sar； an' Massa Jordan he wuz
very 'greeable； an' axed me for ter come in。〃
〃Yes； sar； very 'greeable man is Massa Jordan。 An' dar we sat a
talking an' a talking〃
〃Very likely。 What we want to know is what you were doing in the
Deacon's poultry…yard？〃
〃Yes； sar； dat's what I'se cumming to。 It wuz ver' late 'fore I
left Massa Jordan's； an' den I sez ter mysel'； sez I； now yer jest
step out with yer best leg foremost； Ulysses； case yer gets into
trouble wid de ole woman。 Ver' talkative woman she is； sar； very
〃
〃Yes； never mind her； there are other people very talkative in this
town besides your wife。 Deacon Abraham's house is half a mile out
of your way home from Mr。 Jordan's。 How did you get there？〃
〃Dat's what I'm a…gwine ter explain； sar。〃
〃I am glad of that。 And how do you propose to do it？〃
〃Well； I'se thinkin'； sar； I must ha' digressed。〃
I take it we digressed a little。
At first； from some reason or other； Hanover strikes you as an
u