worldly ways and byways(世俗之路)-第13章
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the worm of discontent into the blossom of our friend's contentment。 The
fruit of her labors becomes tasteless on her lips。 As the finances of the
family are satisfactory； the re… arrangement of the parlor floor is （at her
suggestion） confided to a firm of upholsterers； who make a clean sweep of
the rosewood and the bow…knots； and retire； after some months of labor；
leaving the delighted wife in possession of a suite of rooms glittering with
every monstrosity that an imaginative tradesman； spurred on by unlimited
credit； could devise。
The wood work of the doors and mantels is an intricate puzzle of
inlaid woods； the ceilings are panelled and painted in complicated designs。
The 〃parlor〃 is provided with a complete set of neat； old…gold satin
furniture； puffed at its angles with peacock…colored plush。
The monumental folding doors between the long； narrow rooms are
draped with the same chaste combination of stuffs。
The dining…room blazes with a gold and purple wall paper； set off by
ebonized wood work and furniture。 The conscientious contractor has
neglected no corner。 Every square inch of the ceilings； walls； and floors
has been carved； embossed； stencilled； or gilded into a bewildering
monotony。
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The husband； whose affairs are rapidly increasing on his hands； has no
time to attend to such insignificant details as house decoration； the wife
has perfect confidence in the taste of the firm employed。 So at the
suggestion of the latter； and in order to complete the beauty of the rooms；
a Bouguereau； a Toulmouche and a couple of Schreyers are bought； and a
number of modern French bronzes scattered about on the multicolored
cabinets。 Then； at last； the happy owners of all this splendor open their
doors to the admiration of their friends。
About the time the peacock plush and the gilding begin to show signs
of wear and tear； rumors of a fresh fashion in decoration float across from
England； and the new gospel of the beautiful according to Clarence Cook
is first preached to an astonished nation。
The fortune of our couple continuing to develop with pleasing rapidity；
the building of a country house is next decided upon。 A friend of the
husband； who has recently started out as an architect； designs them a
picturesque residence without a straight line on its exterior or a square
room inside。 This house is done up in strict obedience to the teachings of
the new sect。 The dining…room is made about as cheerful as the entrance to
a family vault。 The rest of the house bears a close resemblance to an
ecclesiastical junk shop。 The entrance hall is filled with what appears to be
a communion table in solid oak； and the massive chairs and settees of the
parlor suggest the withdrawing room of Rowena； aesthetic shades of
momie…cloth drape deep…set windows； where anaemic and disjointed
females in stained glass pluck conventional roses。
To each of these successive transitions the husband has remained
obediently and tranquilly indifferent。 He has in his heart considered them
all equally unfitting and uncomfortable and sighed in regretful memory of
a deep； old…fashioned arm…chair that sheltered his after…dinner naps in the
early rosewood period。 So far he has been as clay in the hands of his
beloved wife； but the anaemic ladies and the communion table are the last
drop that causes his cup to overflow。 He revolts and begins to take matters
into his own hands with the result that the household enters its fifth
incarnation under his guidance； during which everything is painted white
and all the wall…papers are a vivid scarlet。 The family sit on bogus
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Chippendale and eat off blue and white china。
With the building of their grand new house near the park the couple
rise together into the sixth cycle of their development。 Having travelled
and studied the epochs by this time； they can tell a Louis XIV。 from a
Louis XV。 room； and recognize that mahogany and brass sphinxes denote
furniture of the Empire。 This newly acquired knowledge is； however；
vague and hazy。 They have no confidence in themselves； so give over the
fitting of their principal floors to the New York branch of a great French
house。 Little is talked of now but periods； plans； and elevations。 Under the
guidance of the French firm； they acquire at vast expense； faked
reproductions as historic furniture。
The spacious rooms are sticky with new gilding； and the flowered
brocades of the hangings and furniture crackle to the touch。 The rooms
were not designed by the architect to receive any special kind of
〃treatment。〃 Immense folding…doors unite the salons； and windows open
anywhere。 The decorations of the walls have been applied like a poultice；
regardless of the proportions of the rooms and the distribution of the
spaces。
Building and decorating are； however； the best of educations。 The
husband； freed at last from his business occupations； finds in this new
study an interest and a charm unknown to him before。 He and his wife are
both vaguely disappointed when their resplendent mansion is finished；
having already outgrown it； and recognize that in spite of correct detail；
their costly apartments no more resemble the stately and simple salons
seen abroad than the cabin of a Fall River boat resembles the GALERIE
DES GLACES at Versailles。 The humiliating knowledge that they are all
wrong breaks upon them； as it is doing on hundreds of others； at the same
time as the desire to know more and appreciate better the perfect
productions of this art。
A seventh and last step is before them but they know not how to make
it。 A surer guide than the upholsterer is； they know； essential； but their
library contains nothing to help them。 Others possess the information they
need； yet they are ignorant where to turn for what they require。
With singular appropriateness a volume treating of this delightful 〃art〃
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has this season appeared at Scribner's。 〃The Decoration of Houses〃 is the
result of a woman's faultless taste collaborating with a man's technical
knowledge。 Its mission is to reveal to the hundreds who have advanced
just far enough to find that they can go no farther alone； truths lying
concealed beneath the surface。 It teaches that consummate taste is satisfied
only with a perfected simplicity； that the facades of a house must be the
envelope of the rooms within and adapted to them； as the rooms are to the
habits and requirements of them 〃that dwell therein；〃 that proportion is the
backbone of the decorator's art and that supreme elegance is fitness and
moderation； and； above all； that an attention to architectural principles can
alone lead decoration to a perfect development。
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CHAPTER 13 … Our Elite and
Public Life
THE complaint is so often heard； and seems so well founded； that
there is a growing inclination； not only among men of social position； but
also among our best and cleverest citizens； to stand aloof from public life；
and this reluctance on their part is so unfortunate； that one feels impelled
to seek out the causes where they must lie； beneath the surface。 At a first
glance they are not apparent。 Why should not the honor of representing
one's town or locality be as eagerly sought after with us as it is by English
or French men of position？ That such is not the case； however； is evident。
Speaking of this the other evening； over my after…dinner coffee； with a
high…minded and public…spirited gentleman； who not long ago represented
our country at a European court； he advanced two theories which struck
me as being well worth repeating； and which seemed to account to a
certain extent for this curious abstinence。
As a first and most important cause； he placed the fact that neither our
national nor （here in New York） our state capital coincides with our
metropolis。 In this we differ from England and all the continental countries。
The result is not difficult to perceive。 In London； a man of the world； a
business man； or a great lawyer； who represents a locality in Parliament；
can fulfil his mandate and at the same time lead his usual life among his
own set。 The lawyer or the business man can follow during the day his
profession； or those affairs on which he depends to support his family and
his position in the world。 Then； after dinner （owing to the peculiar hours
adopted for the sittings of Parliament）； he can take his place as a law…
maker。 If he be a London…born man； he in no way changes his way of life
or that of his family。 If； on the contrary； he be a county magnate； the
change he makes is all for the better； as it takes him and his wife and
daughters up to London； the haven of their longings； and the centre of all
sorts of social dissipations and advancement。
With us； it is exactly the contrary。 As the District of Columbia elects
no one； everybody living in Washington officially is more or less
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expatriated； and the social life it of
