It Seems
As Though The Power Of Expressing Regrets And Desires By Written
Symbols Were Coupled With A Condition That
The writer should from
time to time express the regrets and desires of other people; as
though, like a French
Peasant under the old regime, one were bound
to perform a certain amount of work UPON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS. I
rebel as stoutly as I can against this horrible, corvee. I try not
to deceive you - I try to set down the thoughts which are fresh
within me, and not to pretend any wishes, or griefs, which I do not
really feel; but no sooner do I cease from watchfulness in this
regard, than my right hand is, as it were, seized by some false
angel, and even now, you see, I have been forced to put down such
words and sentences as I ought to have written if really and truly
I had wished to disturb the saints' days of the beautiful
Smyrniotes!
Which, Heaven forbid! for as you move through the narrow streets of
the city at these times of festival, the transom-shaped windows
suspended over your head on either side are filled with the
beautiful descendants of the old Ionian race; all (even yonder
empress that sits throned at the window of that humblest mud
cottage) are attired with seeming magnificence; their classic heads
are crowned with scarlet, and loaded with jewels or coins of gold,
the whole wealth of the wearers; {10} their features are touched
with a savage pencil, which hardens the outline of eyes and
eyebrows, and lends an unnatural fire to the stern, grave looks
with which they pierce your brain.
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