the ways of men-第13章

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ront　　door；　about　as　private　as　the　sidewalk；　which　is　turned　into　a　　cloak…room　whenever　the　couple　receive；　making　it　impossible　　to　keep　books　or　papers　of　value　there；　or　even　to　use　it　as　a　　smoking…room　after　dinner；　so　his　men　guests　sit　around　the　　dismantled　dining…table　while　the　ladies　are　enjoying　a　suite　　of　parlors　above。

At　first　the　idea　of　such　an　unequal　division　of　the　house　　shocks　our　sense　of　justice；　until　we　reflect　that　the　　American　husband　is　not　expected　to　remain　at　home。　　That's　　not　his　place！　　If　he　is　not　down　town　making　money；　fashion　　dictates　that　he　must　be　at　some　club…house　playing　a　game。　　A　　man　who　should　remain　at　home；　and　read　or　chat　with　the　　ladies　of　his　family；　would　be　considered　a　bore　and　unmanly。　　　There　seems　to　be　no　place　in　an　American　house　for　its　head。　　　More　than　once　when　the　friend　I　have　referred　to　has　asked　　me；　at　the　club；　to　dine　informally　with　him；　we　have　found；　　on　arriving；　that　Madame；　having　an　evening　off；　had　gone　to　　bed　and　forgotten　to　order　any　dinner；　so　we　were　obliged　to　　return　to　the　club　for　our　meal。　　When；　however；　his　wife　is　　in　good　health；　she　expects　her　weary　husband　to　accompany　her　　to　dinner；　opera；　or　ball；　night　after　night；　oblivious　of　the　　work　the　morrow　holds　in　store　for　him。

In　one　family　I　know；　paterfamilias　goes　by　the　name　of　the　　〃purse。〃　　The　more　one　sees　of　American　households　the　more　　appropriate　that　name　appears。　　Everything　is　expected　of　the　　husband；　and　he　is　accorded　no　definite　place　in　return。　　He　　leaves　the　house　at　8。30。　　When　he　returns；　at　five；　if　his　　wife　is　entertaining　a　man　at　tea；　it　would　be　considered　the　　height　of　indelicacy　for　him　to　intrude　upon　them；　for　his　　arrival　would　cast　a　chill　on　the　conversation。　　When　a　couple　　dine　out；　the　husband　is　always　LA　BETE　NOIRE　of　the　hostess；　　no　woman　wanting　to　sit　next　to　a　married　man；　if　she　can　help　　it。

The　few　Benedicts　who　have　had　the　courage　to　break　away　from　　these　conditions　and　amuse　themselves　with　yachts；　salmon　　rivers；　or　〃grass…bachelor〃　trips　to　Europe；　while　secretly　　admired　by　the　women；　are　frowned　upon　in　society　as　dangerous　　examples；　likely　to　sow　the　seeds　of　discontent　among　their　　comrades；　although　it　is　the　commonest　thing　in　the　world　for　　an　American　wife　to　take　the　children　and　go　abroad　on　a　tour。

Imagine　a　German　or　Italian　wife　announcing　to　her　spouse　that　　she　had　decided　to　run　over　to　England　for　a　year　with　her　　children；　that　they　might　learn　English。　　The　mind　recoils　in　　horror　from　the　idea　of　the　catastrophe　that　would　ensue。

Glance　around　a　ball…room；　a　dinner　party；　or　the　opera；　if　　you　have　any　doubts　as　to　the　unselfishness　of　our　married　　men。　　How　many　of　them　do　you　suppose　are　present　for　their　　own　pleasure？　　The　owner　of　an　opera　box　rarely　retains　a　seat　　in　his　expensive　quarters。　　You　generally　find　him　idling　in　　the　lobbies　looking　at　his　watch；　or　repairing　to　a　　neighboring　concert　hall　to　pass　the　weary　hours。　　At　a　ball　　it　is　even　worse。　　One　wonders　why　card…rooms　are　not　provided　　at　large　balls　（as　is　the　custom　abroad）；　where　the　bored　　husbands　might　find　a　little　solace　over　〃bridge；〃　instead　of　　yawning　in　the　coat…room　or　making　desperate　signs　to　their　　wives　from　the　doorway；　…　signals　of　distress；　by　the　bye；　　that　rarely　produce　any　effect。

It　is　the　rebellious　husband　who　is　admired　and　courted；　　however。　　A　curious　trait　of　human　nature　compels　admiration　　for　whatever　is　harmful；　and　forces　us；　in　spite　of　our　better　　judgment；　to　depreciate　the　useful　and　beneficent。　　The　coats…　of…arms　of　all　countries　are　crowded　with　eagles　and　lions；　　that　never　yet　did　any　good；　living　or　dead；　orators　enlarge　　on　the　fine　qualities　of　these　birds　and　beasts；　and　hold　them　　up　as　models；　while　using　as　terms　of　reproach　the　name　of　the　　goose　or　the　cow；　creatures　that　minister　in　a　hundred　ways　to　　our　wants。　　Such　a　spirit　has　brought　helpful；　productive　　〃better　halves〃　to　the　humble　place　they　now　occupy　in　the　　eyes　of　our　people。

As　long　as　men　passed　their　time　in　fighting　and　carousing　　they　were　heroes；　as　soon　as　they　became　patient　bread…winners　　all　the　romance　evaporated　from　their　atmosphere。　　The　Jewish　　Hercules　had　his　revenge　in　the　end　and　made　things　　disagreeable　for　his　tormentors。　　So　far；　however；　there　are　　no　signs　of　a　revolt　among　the　shorn　lambs　in　this　country。　　　They　patiently　bend　their　necks　to　the　collar　…　the　kindest；　　most　loving　and　devoted　helpmates　that　ever　plodded　under　the　　matrimonial　yoke。

When　in　the　East；　one　watches　with　admiration　the　part　a　　donkey　plays　in　the　economy　of　those　primitive　lands。　　All　the　　work　is　reserved　for　that　industrious　animal；　and　little　play　　falls　to　his　share。　　The　camel　is　always　bad…tempered；　and　　when　overladen　lies　down；　refusing　to　move　until　relieved　of　　its　burden。　　The　Turk　is　lazy　and　selfish；　the　native　women　　pass　their　time　in　chattering　and　giggling；　the　children　play　　and　squabble；　the　ubiquitous　dog　sleeps　in　the　sun；　but　from　　daybreak　to　midnight　the　little　mouse…colored　donkeys　toil　　unceasingly。　　All　burdens　too　bulky　or　too　cumbersome　for　man　　are　put　on　his　back；　the　provender　which　horses　and　camels　　have　refused　becomes　his　portion；　he　is　the　first　to　begin　the　　day's　labor；　and　the　last　to　turn　in。　　It　is　impossible　to　　live　long　in　the　Orient　or　the　south　of　France　without　　becoming　attached　to　those　gentle；　willing　animals。　　The　role　　which　honest　〃Bourico〃　fills　so　well　abroad　is　played　on　this　　side　of　the　Atlantic　by　the　American　husband。

I　mean　no　disrespect　to　my　married　compatriots；　on　the　　contrary；　I　admire　them　as　I　do　all　docile；　unselfish　beings。　　　It　is　well　for　our　women；　however；　that　their　lords；　like　the　　little　Oriental　donkeys；　ignore　their　strength；　and　are　　content　to　toil　on　to　the　end　of　their　days；　expecting　neither　　praise　nor　thanks　in　return。




Chapter　14　…　〃CAROLUS〃


IN　the　early　seventies　a　group　of　students　…　dissatisfied　with　　the　cut…and…dried　instruction　of　the　Paris　art　school　and　　attracted　by　certain　qualities　of　color　and　technique　in　the　　work　of　a　young　Frenchman　from　the　city　of　Lille；　who　was　just　　beginning　to　attract　the　attention　of　connoisseurs　…　went　in　a　　body　to　his　studio　with　the　request　that　he　would　oversee　　their　work　and　direct　their　studies。　　The　artist　thus　chosen　　was　Carolus…Duran。　　Oddly　enough；　a　majority　of　the　youths　who　　sought　him　out　and　made　him　their　master　were　Americans。

The　first　modest　workroom　on　the　Boulevard　Montparnasse　was　　soon　too　small　to　hold　the　pupils　who　crowded　under　this　newly　　raised　banner；　and　a　move　was　made　to　more　commodious　quarters　　near　the　master's　private　studio。　　Sargent；　Dannat；　Harrison；　　Beckwith；　Hinckley；　and　many　others　whom　it　is　needless　to　　mention　here；　will　…　if　these　lines　come　under　their　notice　…　　doubtless　recall　with　a　thrill　of　pleasure　the　roomy　one…　storied　structure　in　the　rue　Notre…Dame　des　Champs　where　we　　established　our　ATELIER　D'ELEVES；　a　self…supporting　　cooperative　concern；　each　student　contributing　ten　francs　a　　month　toward　rent；　fire；　and　models；　〃Carolus〃　…　the　name　by　　which　this　master　is　universally　known　abroad　…　not　only　　refusing　all　compensation；　according　to　the　immutable　custom　　of　French　painters　of　distinction；　but；　as　we　discovered　　later；　contributing　too　often　from　his　own　pocket　to　help　out　　the　MASSIER　at　the　end　of　a　difficult　season；　or　smooth　the　　path　of　some　improvident　pupil。

Those　were　cloudless；　enchanted　days　we　passed　in　the　tumbled　　down　old　atelier：　an　ardent　springtime　of　life　when　the　future　　beckons　gayly　and　no　doubts　of　success　obscure　the　horizon。　　　Our　young　master's　enthusiasm　fired　his　circle　of　pupils；　who；　　as　each　succeeding　year　brought　him　increasing　fame；　revelled　　in　a　reflected　glory　with　the　generous　admiration　of　youth；　in　　which　there　is　neither　calculation　nor　shadow　of　envy。

A　portrait　of　Madame　de　Portalais；　exhibited　about　this　time；　　drew　all　art…loving　Paris　around　the　new　celebrity's　canvas。　　　Shortly　after；　the　government　purchased　a　painting　（of　our　　master's　beautiful　wife）；　now　known　as　LA　FEMME　AU　GANT；　for　　the　Luxembourg　Gallery。

It　is　difficult　to　overestimate　the　impetus　that　a　master's　　successes　impart　to　the　progress　of　his　pupils。　　My　first　　studious　year　in　Paris　had　been　passed　in　the　shadow　of　an　　elderly　painter；　who　was　comfortably　dozing　on　the　laurels　of　　thirty　years　before。　　The　change　from　that　sleepy　environment　　to　the　vivid　enthusiasm　and　dash　of　Carolus…Duran's　studio　was　　like　stepping　out　of　a　musty　cloister　into　the　warmth　and　　movement　of　a　market…place。

Here；　be　it　said　in　passing；　lies　perhaps　the　secret　of　the　　dry　rot　that　too　often　settles　on　our　American　art　schools。　　　We；　for　some　unknown　reason；　do　not　take　the　work　of　native　　painters　seriously；　nor　encourage　them　in　proportion　to　their　　merit。　　In　consequence　they　retain　but　a　feeble　hold　upon　　their　pupils。

Carolus；　handsome；　young；　successful；　courted；　was　an　ideal　　leader　for　a　band　of　ambitious；　high…strung　youths；　repaying　　their　devotion　with　an　untiring　interest　and　lifting　clever　　and　dull　alike　on　the　strong　wings　of　his　genius。　　His　visits　　to　the　studio；　on　which　his　friend　Henner　often　accompanied　　him；　were　frequent　and　prolonged；　certain　Tuesdays　being　　especially　appreciated　by　us；　as　they　were　set　apart　for　his　　criticism　of　original　compositions。

When　our　sketches　（the　subject　for　which　had　been　given　out　in　　advance）　were　arranged；　and　we　had　seated　ourselves　in　a　big　　half…circle　on　the　floor；　Carolus　would　install　himself　on　a　　tall　stool；　the　one　seat　the　studio　boasted；　and　chat　A　PROPOS　　of　the　works　before　him　on　composition；　on　classic　art；　on　the　　theories　of　color　and　clair…obscur。　　Brilliant　talks；　inlaid　　with　much　wit　and　incisive　criticism；　the　memory　of　which　must　　linger　in　the　minds　of　all　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　hear　　them。　　Nor　was　it　to　the　studio　alone　that　our　master's　　interest　followed　us。　　He　would　drop　in　at　the　Louvre；　when　we　　were　copying　there；　and　after　some　pleasant　words　of　advice　　and　encouragement；　lead　us　off　for　a　stroll　through　the　　galleries；　interrupted　by　stations　before　his　favorite　　masterpieces。

So　important　has　he　always　considered　a　constant　study　of　　Renaissance　art　that　recently；　when　about　to　commence　his　　TRIUMPH　OF　BACCHUS；　Carolus　copied　one　of　Rubens's　larger　　canvases　with　all　the　naivete　of　a　beginner。

An　occasion　soon　presented　itself　for　us　to　learn　another　side　　of　our　trade　by　working　with　our　master　on　a　ceiling　ordered　　of　him　by　the　state　for　the　Palace　of　the　Luxembourg。　　The　　vast　studios　which　the　city　of　Paris　provides　on　occasions　of　　this　kind；　with　a　liberality　that　should　make　our　home　　corporations　reflect；　are　situated　out　beyond　the　Exhibition　　buildings；　in　a　curious；　unfrequented　quarter；　ignored　alike　　by　Parisians　and　tourists；　where　the　city　stores　compromising　　statues　and　the　valuable　debris　of　her　many　revolutions。　　　There；　among　throneless　Napoleons　and　riderless　bronze　steeds；　　we　toiled　for　over　six　months　side　by　side　with　our　master；　on　　gigantic　APOTHEOSIS　OF　MARIE　DE　MEDICIS；　serving　in　turn　as　　painter　and　painted；　and　leaving　the　imprint　of　our