CHAPTER XIX

IfonewantedtoshowaforeignerEngland,perhapsthewisestcoursewouldbetotakehimtothefinalsectionofthePurbeckHills,andstandhimontheirsummit,afewmilestotheeastofCorfe.Thensystemaftersystemofourislandwouldrolltogetherunderhisfeet.BeneathhimisthevalleyoftheFrome,andallthewildlandsthatcometossingdownfromDorchester,blackandgold,tomirrortheirgorseintheexpansesofPoole.ThevalleyoftheStourisbeyond,unaccountablestream,dirtyatBlandford,pureatWimborne—theStour,slidingoutoffatfields,tomarrytheAvonbeneaththetowerofChristchurch.ThevalleyoftheAvon—invisible,butfartothenorththetrainedeyemayseeClearburyRingthatguardsit,andtheimaginationmayleapbeyondthatontoSalisburyPlainitself,andbeyondthePlaintoallthegloriousdownsofCentralEngland.NorisSuburbiaabsent.Bournemouth’signoblecoastcowerstotheright,heraldingthepine-treesthatmean,foralltheirbeauty,redhouses,andtheStockExchange,andextendtothegatesofLondonitself.SotremendousistheCity’strail!ButthecliffsofFreshwateritshallnevertouch,andtheislandwillguardtheIsland’spuritytilltheendoftime.SeenfromthewesttheWightisbeautifulbeyondalllawsofbeauty.ItisasifafragmentofEnglandfloatedforwardtogreettheforeigner—chalkofourchalk,turfofourturf,epitomeofwhatwillfollow.AndbehindthefragmentliesSouthampton,hostesstothenations,andPortsmouth,alatentfire,andallaroundit,withdoubleandtreblecollisionoftides,swirlsthesea.Howmanyvillagesappearinthisview!Howmanycastles!Howmanychurches,vanishedortriumphant!Howmanyships,railways,androads!Whatincrediblevarietyofmenworkingbeneaththatlucentskytowhatfinalend!Thereasonfails,likeawaveontheSwanagebeachtheimaginationswells,spreads,anddeepens,untilitbecomesgeographicandencirclesEngland. SoFriedaMosebach,nowFrauArchitectLiesecke,andmothertoherhusband’sbaby,wasbroughtuptotheseheightstobeimpressed,and,afteraprolongedgaze,shesaidthatthehillsweremoreswellingherethaninPomerania,whichwastrue,butdidnotseemtoMrs.Muntapposite.PooleHarbourwasdry,whichledhertopraisetheabsenceofmuddyforeshoreatFriedrichWilhelmsBad,Rugen,wherebeech-treeshangoverthetidelessBaltic,andcowsmaycontemplatethebrine.RatherunhealthyMrs.Muntthoughtthiswouldbe,waterbeingsaferwhenitmovedabout. “AndyourEnglishlakes—Vindermere,Grasmerethey,then,unhealthy?” “No,FrauLieseckebutthatisbecausetheyarefreshwater,anddifferent.Saltwateroughttohavetides,andgoupanddownagreatdeal,orelseitsmells.Look,forinstance,atanaquarium.” “Anaquarium!Oh,MEESISMunt,youmeantotellmethatfreshaquariumsstinklessthansalt?Why,thenVictor,mybrother-in-law,collectedmanytadpoles—”“Youarenottosay‘stink,’”interruptedHelen“atleast,youmaysayit,butyoumustpretendyouarebeingfunnywhileyousayit.” “Then‘smell.’AndthemudofyourPooldownthere—doesitnotsmell,ormayIsay‘stink,’ha,ha?” “TherealwayshasbeenmudinPooleHarbour,”saidMrs.Munt,withaslightfrown.“Theriversbringitdown,andamostvaluableoyster-fisherydependsu