第26章 河谷寻幽(1)

s，running a mile or two back into little crossvalleys，formed by hills of downs.After the cornfields come meadows on each side，down to the brook or river.The farmhouses，mansions，villages，and hamlets are generally situated in that part of the arable land which comes nearest the meadows.

    沿着高地走，我来到一座巨大的庄园附近，一位牧人对我说这是米尔顿山庄。庄园建在高地上，距离阿文河还有一些路程。这个河谷就是我“想抵达的地方”，或者至少是一个令人期待的地方，因为我实在是难以想像为什么人们会无缘无故地把这三十座教堂建在这么一条三十英里长的小河旁（而这条小河的大部分并没有什么特色鲜明的地方）。牧人把通向米尔顿村的道路指给了我，差不多走了一英里，我终于从直达谷地的一个陡峭的坡上第一次见到了阿文河谷——多么美丽的河谷呀！这里有村落、庄园、塔楼、田野、草地、果园，还有郁郁葱葱的树木。这里的地形是这样的：河谷的周围都是高地，有些地方陡峭险峻，绵延向前数英里，有的地方坡度比较平缓。在河谷和高地的交汇的地方，是一大片肥沃的田地，有的甚至顺着高地向上爬了一二英里远。玉米地紧紧地挨着两边的草地，向下一直延伸到水边。在靠近草地的田间里，座落着大部分的农屋、农院和村屯。

    Great as my expectations had been，they were more than fulfilled.I delight in this sort of country；and I had frequently seen the vale of the Itchen，that of the Bourn，and also that of the Teste in Hampshire；I had seen the vales amongst the South Downs；but I never before saw anything to please me like this valley of the Avon.I sat upon my horse and looked over Milton and Easton and Pewsey for half an hour，though I had not breakfasted.The hill was very steep.A road，going slanting down it，was still so steep，and washed so very deep by the rains of ages，that I did not attempt to ride down it，and I did not like to lead my horse，the path was so narrow.So seeing a boy with a drove of pigs going out to the stubbles，I beckoned him to come up to me；and he came and led my horse down for me.But now，before I begin to ride down this beautiful vale，let me give，as well as my means will enable me，a plan or map of it，which I have made in this way.A friend has lent me a very old man of Wiltshire describing the spots where all the churches stand，and also all the spots where manor houses or mansion-houses stood.I laid a piece of very thin paper upon the map，and thus traced the river upon my paper，putting figure to represent the spots where churches stand，and putting stars to reprent the spots where manor-houses or mansion-houses formerly stood.（未完待续）