three men on the bummel-第34章

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thought　she　could；　merely　she　held　it　good　for　the　shopkeeper　to
say　this。　　She　told　him　that　his　stock　lacked　tasteshe　did　not
mean　to　be　offensive；　as　I　have　explained；　it　was　her　method；that
there　was　no　variety　about　it；　that　it　was　not　up　to　date；　that　it
was　commonplace；　that　it　looked　as　if　it　would　not　wear。　　He　did
not　argue　with　her；　he　did　not　contradict　her。　　He　put　the　things
back　into　their　respective　boxes；　replaced　the　boxes　on　their
respective　shelves；　walked　into　the　little　parlour　behind　the　shop；
and　closed　the　door。

〃Isn't　he　ever　coming　back？〃　asked　the　lady；　after　a　couple　of
minutes　had　elapsed。

Her　tone　did　not　imply　a　question；　so　much　as　an　exclamation　of
mere　impatience。

〃I　doubt　it；〃　I　replied。

〃Why　not？〃　she　asked；　much　astonished。

〃I　expect；〃　I　answered；　〃you　have　bored　him。　　In　all　probability　he
is　at　this　moment　behind　that　door　smoking　a　pipe　and　reading　the
paper。〃

〃What　an　extraordinary　shopkeeper！〃　said　my　friend；　as　she　gathered
her　parcels　together　and　indignantly　walked　out。

〃It　is　their　way；〃　I　explained。　　〃There　are　the　goods；　if　you　want
them；　you　can　have　them。　　If　you　do　not　want　them；　they　would
almost　rather　that　you　did　not　come　and　talk　about　them。〃

On　another　occasion　I　listened　in　the　smoke…room　of　a　German　hotel
to　a　small　Englishman　telling　a　tale　which；　had　I　been　in　his
place；　I　should　have　kept　to　myself。

〃It　doesn't　do；〃　said　the　little　Englishman；　〃to　try　and　beat　a
German　down。　　They　don't　seem　to　understand　it。　　I　saw　a　first
edition　of　The　Robbers　in　a　shop　in　the　Georg　Platz。　　I　went　in　and
asked　the　price。　　It　was　a　rum　old　chap　behind　the　counter。　　He
said：　　'Twenty…five　marks；'　and　went　on　reading。　　I　told　him　I　had
seen　a　better　copy　only　a　few　days　before　for　twentyone　talks
like　that　when　one　is　bargaining；　it　is　understood。　　He　asked　me
'Where？'　　I　told　him　in　a　shop　at　Leipsig。　　He　suggested　my
returning　there　and　getting　it；　he　did　not　seem　to　care　whether　I
bought　the　book　or　whether　I　didn't。　　I　said：

〃'What's　the　least　you　will　take　for　it？'

〃'I　have　told　you　once；'　he　answered；　'twenty…five　marks。'　　He　was
an　irritable　old　chap。

〃I　said：　　'It's　not　worth　it。'

〃'I　never　said　it　was；　did　I？'　he　snapped。

〃I　said：　　'I'll　give　you　ten　marks　for　it。'　　I　thought；　maybe；　he
would　end　by　taking　twenty。

〃He　rose。　　I　took　it　he　was　coming　round　the　counter　to　get　the
book　out。　　Instead；　he　came　straight　up　to　me。　　He　was　a　biggish
sort　of　man。　　He　took　me　by　the　two　shoulders；　walked　me　out　into
the　street；　and　closed　the　door　behind　me　with　a　bang。　　I　was　never
more　surprised　in　all　my　life。

〃Maybe　the　book　was　worth　twenty…five　marks；〃　I　suggested。

〃Of　course　it　was；〃　he　replied；　〃well　worth　it。　　But　what　a　notion
of　business！〃

If　anything　change　the　German　character；　it　will　be　the　German
woman。　　She　herself　is　changing　rapidlyadvancing；　as　we　call　it。
Ten　years　ago　no　German　woman　caring　for　her　reputation；　hoping　for
a　husband；　would　have　dared　to　ride　a　bicycle：　　to…day　they　spin
about　the　country　in　their　thousands。　　The　old　folks　shake　their
heads　at　them；　but　the　young　men；　I　notice；　overtake　them　and　ride
beside　them。　　Not　long　ago　it　was　considered　unwomanly　in　Germany
for　a　lady　to　be　able　to　do　the　outside　edge。　　Her　proper　skating
attitude　was　thought　to　be　that　of　clinging　limpness　to　some　male
relative。　　Now　she　practises　eights　in　a　corner　by　herself；　until
some　young　man　comes　along　to　help　her。　　She　plays　tennis；　and；
from　a　point　of　safety；　I　have　even　noticed　her　driving　a　dog…cart。

Brilliantly　educated　she　always　has　been。　　At　eighteen　she　speaks
two　or　three　languages；　and　has　forgotten　more　than　the　average
Englishwoman　has　ever　read。　　Hitherto；　this　education　has　been
utterly　useless　to　her。　　On　marriage　she　has　retired　into　the
kitchen；　and　made　haste　to　clear　her　brain　of　everything　else；　in
order　to　leave　room　for　bad　cooking。　　But　suppose　it　begins　to　dawn
upon　her　that　a　woman　need　not　sacrifice　her　whole　existence　to
household　drudgery　any　more　than　a　man　need　make　himself　nothing
else　than　a　business　machine。　　Suppose　she　develop　an　ambition　to
take　part　in　the　social　and　national　life。　　Then　the　influence　of
such　a　partner；　healthy　in　body　and　therefore　vigorous　in　mind；　is
bound　to　be　both　lasting　and　far…reaching。

For　it　must　be　borne　in　mind　that　the　German　man　is　exceptionally
sentimental；　and　most　easily　influenced　by　his　women　folk。　　It　is
said　of　him；　he　is　the　best　of　lovers；　the　worst　of　husbands。　　This
has　been　the　woman's　fault。　　Once　married；　the　German　woman　has
done　more　than　put　romance　behind　her；　she　has　taken　a　carpet…
beater　and　driven　it　out　of　the　house。　　As　a　girl；　she　never
understood　dressing；　as　a　wife；　she　takes　off　such　clothes　even　as
she　had；　and　proceeds　to　wrap　herself　up　in　any　odd　articles　she
may　happen　to　find　about　the　house；　at　all　events；　this　is　the
impression　she　produces。　　The　figure　that　might　often　be　that　of　a
Juno；　the　complexion　that　would　sometimes　do　credit　to　a　healthy
angel；　she　proceeds　of　malice　and　intent　to　spoil。　　She　sells　her
birth…right　of　admiration　and　devotion　for　a　mess　of　sweets。　　Every
afternoon　you　may　see　her　at　the　cafe；　loading　herself　with　rich
cream…covered　cakes；　washed　down　by　copious　draughts　of　chocolate。
In　a　short　time　she　becomes　fat；　pasty；　placid；　and　utterly
uninteresting。

When　the　German　woman　gives　up　her　afternoon　coffee　and　her　evening
beer；　takes　sufficient　exercise　to　retain　her　shape；　and　continues
to　read　after　marriage　something　else　than　the　cookery…book；　the
German　Government　will　find　it　has　a　new　and　unknown　force　to　deal
with。　　And　everywhere　throughout　Germany　one　is　confronted　by
unmistakable　signs　that　the　old　German　Frauen　are　giving　place　to
the　newer　Damen。

Concerning　what　will　then　happen　one　feels　curious。　　For　the　German
nation　is　still　young；　and　its　maturity　is　of　importance　to　the
world。　　They　are　a　good　people；　a　lovable　people；　who　should　help
much　to　make　the　world　better。

The　worst　that　can　be　said　against　them　is　that　they　have　their
failings。　　They　themselves　do　not　know　this；　they　consider
themselves　perfect；　which　is　foolish　of　them。　　They　even　go　so　far
as　to　think　themselves　superior　to　the　Anglo…Saxon：　　this　is
incomprehensible。　　One　feels　they　must　be　pretending。

〃They　have　their　points；〃　said　George；　〃but　their　tobacco　is　a
national　sin。　　I'm　going　to　bed。〃

We　rose；　and　leaning　over　the　low　stone　parapet；　watched　the
dancing　lights　upon　the　soft；　dark　river。

〃It　has　been　a　pleasant　Bummel；　on　the　whole；〃　said　Harris；　〃I
shall　be　glad　to　get　back；　and　yet　I　am　sorry　it　is　over；　if　you
understand　me。〃

〃What　is　a　'Bummel'？〃　said　George。　　〃How　would　you　translate　it？〃

〃A　'Bummel'；〃　I　explained；　〃I　should　describe　as　a　journey；　long　or
short；　without　an　end；　the　only　thing　regulating　it　being　the
necessity　of　getting　back　within　a　given　time　to　the　point　from
which　one　started。　　Sometimes　it　is　through　busy　streets；　and
sometimes　through　the　fields　and　lanes；　sometimes　we　can　be　spared
for　a　few　hours；　and　sometimes　for　a　few　days。　　But　long　or　short；
but　here　or　there；　our　thoughts　are　ever　on　the　running　of　the
sand。　　We　nod　and　smile　to　many　as　we　pass；　with　some　we　stop　and
talk　awhile；　and　with　a　few　we　walk　a　little　way。　　We　have　been
much　interested；　and　often　a　little　tired。　　But　on　the　whole　we
have　had　a　pleasant　time；　and　are　sorry　when　'tis　over。〃







End