the ways of men-第15章

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。　　One　　wonders　how　many　of　those　people　care　for　music　and　how　many　　attend　because　it　is　expensive　and　〃swell。〃

They　will　listen　with　the　same　bland　contentment　to　either　bad　　or　good　performances　so　long　as　a　world…renowned　artist　（some　　one　who　is　being　paid　a　comfortable　little　fortune　for　the　　evening）　is　on　the　stage。　　The　orchestra　may　be　badly　led　（it　　often　is）；　the　singers　may　flat　…　or　be　out　of　voice；　the　　performance　may　go　all　at　sixes　and　sevens　…　there　is　never　a　　murmur　of　dissent。　　Faults　that　would　set　an　entire　audience　　at　Naples　or　Milan　hissing　are　accepted　herewith　ignorant　　approval。

The　unfortunate　part　of　it　is　that　this　weakness　of　ours　has　　become　known。　　The　singers　feel　they　can　give　an　American　　audience　any　slipshod　performance。　　I　have　seen　a　favorite　　soprano　shrug　her　shoulders　as　she　entered　her　dressing…room　　and　exclaim：　〃MON　DIEU！　　How　I　shuffled　through　that　act！　　　They'd　have　hooted　me　off　the　stage　in　Berlin；　but　here　no　one　　seems　to　care。　　Did　you　notice　the　baritone　to…night？　　He　　wasn't　on　the　key　once　during　our　duo。　　I　cannot　sing　my　best；　　try　as　I　will；　when　I　hear　the　public　applauding　good　and　bad　　alike！〃

It　is　strange　that　our　pleasure…loving　rich　people　should　have　　hit　on　the　opera　as　a　favorite　haunt。　　We　and　the　English　are　　the　only　race　who　will　attend　performances　in　a　foreign　　language　which　we　don't　understand。　　How　can　intelligent　　people　who　don't　care　for　music　go　on；　season　after　season；　　listening　to　operas；　the　plots　of　which　they　ignore；　and　which　　in　their　hearts　they　find　dull？

Is　it　so　very　amusing　to　watch　two　middle…aged　ladies　nagging　　each　other；　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　on　a　public　square；　　as　they　do　in　LOHENGRIN？　　Do　people　find　the　lecture　that　　Isolde's　husband　delivers　to　the　guilty　lovers　entertaining？　　　Does　an　opera　produce　any　illusion　on　my　neighbors？　　I　wish　it　　did　on　me！　　I　see　too　plainly　the　paint　on　the　singers'　hot　　faces　and　the　cords　straining　in　their　tired　throats！　　I　sit　　on　certain　nights　in　agony；　fearing　to　see　stout　Romeo　roll　on　　the　stage　in　apoplexy！　　The　sopranos；　too；　have　a　way；　when　　about　to　emit　a　roulade；　that　is　more　suggestive　of　a　　dentist's　chair；　and　the　attendant　gargle；　than　of　a　love　　phrase。

When　two　celebrities　combine　in　a　final　duo；　facing　the　public　　and　not　each　other；　they　give　the　impression　of　victims　whom　　an　unseen　inquisitor　is　torturing。　　Each　turn　of　his　screw　　draws　out　a　wilder　cry。　　The　orchestra　（in　the　pay　of　the　　demon）　does　all　it　can　to　prevent　their　shrieks　from　reaching　　the　public。　　The　lovers　in　turn　redouble　their　efforts；　they　　are　purple　in　the　face　and　glistening　with　perspiration。　　　Defeat；　they　know；　is　before　them；　for　the　orchestra　has　the　　greater　staying　power！　　The　flutes　bleat；　the　trombones　grunt；　　the　fiddles　squeal；　an　epileptic　leader　cuts　wildly　into　the　　air　about　him。　　When；　finally；　their　strength　exhausted；　the　　breathless　human　beings；　with　one　last　ear…piercing　note；　give　　up　the　struggle　and　retire；　the　public；　excited　by　the　unequal　　contest；　bursts　into　thunders　of　applause。

Why　wouldn't　it　be　a　good　idea；　in　order　to　avoid　these　　painful　exhibitions；　to　have　an　arrangement　of　screens；　with　　the　singing　people　behind　and　a　company　of　young　and　　attractive　pantomimists　going　through　the　gestures　and　　movements　in　front？　　Otherwise；　how　can　the　most　imaginative　　natures　lose　themselves　at　an　opera？　　Even　when　the　singers　　are　comely；　there　is　always　that　eternal　double　row　of　stony…　faced　witnesses　in　full　view；　whom　no　crimes　astonish　and　no　　misfortunes　melt。　　It　takes　most　of　the　poetry　out　of　Faust's　　first　words　with　Marguerite；　to　have　that　short　interview　　interrupted　by　a　line　of　old；　weary　women　shouting；　〃Let　us　　whirl　in　the　waltz　o'er　the　mount　and　the　plain！〃　　Or　when　　Scotch　Lucy　appears　in　a　smart　tea…gown　and　is　good　enough　to　　perform　difficult　exercises　before　a　half…circle　of　Italian　　gentlemen　in　pantalets　and　ladies　in　court　costumes；　does　she　　give　any　one　the　illusion　of　an　abandoned　wife　dying　of　a　　broken　heart　alone　in　the　Highlands？　　Broken　heart；　indeed！　　　It's　much　more　likely　she'll　die　of　a　ruptured　blood…vessel！

Philistines　in　matters　musical；　like　myself；　unfortunate　　mortals　whom　the　sweetest　sounds　fail　to　enthrall　when　　connected　with　no　memory　or　idea；　or　when　prolonged　beyond　a　　limited　period；　must　approach　the　third　group　with　hesitation　　and　awe。　　That　they　are　sincere；　is　evident。　　The　rapt　　expressions　of　their　faces；　and　their　patience；　bear　testimony　　to　this　fact。　　For　a　long　time　I　asked　myself；　〃Where　have　I　　seen　that　intense；　absorbed　attitude　before？〃　　Suddenly　one　　evening　another　scene　rose　in　my　memory。

Have　you　ever　visited　Tangiers？　　In　the　market…place　of　that　　city　you　will　find　the　inhabitants　crouched　by　hundreds　around　　their　native　musicians。　　When　we　were　there；　one　old　duffer　…　　the　Wagner；　doubtless；　of　the　place　…　was　having　an　immense　　success。　　No　matter　at　what　hour　of　the　day　we　passed　through　　that　square；　there　was　always　the　same　spellbound　circle　of　　half…clad　Turks　and　Arabs　squatting　silent　while　〃Wagner〃　　tinkled　to　them　on　a　three…stringed　lute　and　chanted　in　a　　high…pitched；　dismal　whine　…　like　the　squeaking　of　an　　unfastened　door　in　the　wind。　　At　times；　for　no　apparent　　reason；　the　never…varying；　never…ending　measure　would　be　　interrupted　by　a　flutter　of　applause；　but　his　audience　　remained　mostly　sunk　in　a　hypnotic　apathy。　　I　never　see　a　　〃Ring〃　audience　now　without　thinking　of　that　scene　outside　the　　Bab…el…Marsa　gate；　which　has　led　me　to　ask　different　people　　just　what　sensations　serious　music　produced　upon　them。　　The　　answers　have　been　varied　and　interesting。　　One　good　lady　who　　rarely　misses　a　German　opera　confessed　that　sweet　sounds　acted　　upon　her　like　opium。　　Neither　scenery　nor　acting　nor　plot　were　　of　any　importance。　　From　the　first　notes　of　the　overture　to　　the　end；　she　floated　in　an　ecstatic　dream；　oblivious　of　time　　and　place。　　When　it　was　over　she　came　back　to　herself　faint　　with　fatigue。　　Another　professed　lover　of　Wagner　said　that　his　　greatest　pleasure　was　in　following　the　different　〃motives〃　as　　they　recurred　in　the　music。　　My　faith　in　that　gentleman　was　　shaken；　however；　when　I　found　the　other　evening　that　he　had　　mistaken　Van　Dyck　for　Jean　de　Reszke　through　an　entire　　performance。　　He　may　be　a　dab　at　recognizing　his　friends　the　　〃motives；〃　but　his　discoveries　don't　apparently　go　as　far　as　　tenors！

No　one　doubts　that　hundreds　of　people　unaffectedly　love　German　　opera；　but　that　as　many　affect　to　appreciate　it　in　order　to　　appear　intellectual　is　certain。

Once　upon　a　time　the　unworthy　member　of　an　ultra…serious　　〃Browning〃　class　in　this　city；　doubting　the　sincerity　of　her　　companions；　asked　permission　to　read　them　a　poem　of　the　　master's　which　she　found　beyond　her　comprehension。　　When　the　　reading　was　over　the　opinion　of　her　friends　was　unanimous。　　　〃Nothing　could　be　simpler！　　The　lines　were　lucidity　itself！　　　Such　close　reasoning　etc。〃　　But　dismay　fell　upon　them　when　the　　naughty　lady　announced；　with　a　peal　of　laughter；　that　she　had　　been　reading　alternate　lines　from　opposite　pages。　　She　no　　longer　disturbs　the　harmony　of　that　circle！

Bearing　this　tale　in　mind；　I　once　asked　a　musician　what　　proportion　of　the　audience　at　a　〃Ring〃　performance　he　thought　　would　know　if　alternate　scenes　were　given　from　two　of　Wagner's　　operas；　unless　the　scenery　enlightened　them。　　His　estimate　was　　that　perhaps　fifty　per　cent　might　find　out　the　fraud。　　He　put　　the　number　of　people　who　could　give　an　intelligent　account　of　　those　plots　at　about　thirty　per　hundred。

The　popularity　of　music；　he　added；　is　largely　due　to　the　fact　　that　it　saves　people　the　trouble　of　thinking。　　Pleasant　sounds　　soothe　the　nerves；　and；　if　prolonged　long　enough　in　a　darkened　　room　will；　like　the　Eastern　tom…toms；　lull　the　senses　into　a　　mild　form　of　trance。　　This　must　be　what　the　gentleman　meant　　who　said　he　wished　he　could　sleep　as　well　in　a　〃Wagner〃　car　as　　he　did　at　one　of　his　operas！

Being　a　tailless　old　fox；　I　look　with　ever…increasing　　suspicion　on　the　too…luxuriant　caudal　appendages　of　my　　neighbors；　and　think　with　amusement　of　the　multitudes　who　　during　the　last　ten　years　have　sacrificed　themselves　upon　the　　altar　of　grand　opera　…　simple；　kindly　souls；　with　little　or　no　　taste　for　classical　music；　who　have　sat　in　the　dark　（mentally　　and　physically）；　applauding　what　they　didn't　understand；　and　　listening　to　vague　German　mythology　set　to　sounds　that　appear　　to　us　outsiders　like　music　sunk　into　a　verbose　dotage。　　I　am　　convinced　the　greater　number　would　have　preferred　a　jolly　　performance　of　MME。　ANGOT　or　the　CLOCHES　DE　CORNEVILLE；　cut　in　　two　by　a　good　ballet。

It　is；　however；　so　easy　to　be　mistaken　on　subjects　of　this　　kind　that　generalizing　is　dangerous。　　Many　great　authorities　　have　liked　tuneless　music。　　One　of　the　most　telling　arguments　　in　its　favor　was　recently　advanced　by　a　foreigner。　　The　　Chinese　ambassador　told　us　last　winter　in　a　club　at　Washington　　that　Wagner's　was　the　only　European　music　that　he　appreciated　　and　enjoyed。　　〃You　see；〃　he　added；　〃music　is　a　much　older　art　　with　us　than　in　Europe；　and　has　naturally　reached　a　far　　greater　perfection。　　The　German　school　has　made　a　long　step　in　　advance；　and　I　can　now　foresee　a　day　not　far　distant　when；　　under　its　influence；　your　music　will　closely　resemble　our　　own。〃




Chapter　16　…　The　Poetic　CABARETS　of　Paris


THOSE　who　have　not　lived　in　France　can　form　little　idea　of　the　　important　place　the　CAFE　occupies　in　the　life　of　an　average　　Frenchman；　clubs　as　we　know　them　or　as　they　exist　in　England　　being　rare；　and　when　found　being；　with　few　exceptions；　but　　gambling…houses　in　disguise。　　As　a　Frenchman　rarely　asks　an　　acquaintance；　or　even　a　friend；　to　his　apartment；　the　CAFE　has　　become　the　common　ground　where　all　meet；　for　business　or　　pleasure。　　Not　in　Paris　only；　but　all　over　France；　in　every　　garrison　town；　provincial　city；　or　tiny　village；　the　CAFE　is　　the　chief　attraction；　the　centre　of　thought；　the　focus　toward　　which　all　the　rays　of　masculine　existence　converge。

For　the　student；　newly　arrived　from　the　provinces；　to　whose　　modest　purse　the　theatres　and　other　places　of　amusement　are　　practically　closed；　the　CAFE　is　a　supreme　resource。　　His　mind　　is　moulded；　his　ideas　and　opinions　formed；　more　by　what　he　　hears　and　sees　there　than　by　any　other　influence。　　A　　restaurant　is　of　little　importance。　　One　may　eat　anywhere。　　　But　the　choice　of　his　CAFE　will　often　give　the　bent　to　a　young　　man's　career；　and　indicate　his　exact　shade　of　politics　and　his　　opinions　on　literature；　music；　or　art。　　In　Paris；　to　know　a　　man　at　all　is　to　know　where　you　can　find　him　at　the　hour　of　　the　APERITIF　…　what　Baudelaire　called


L'HEURE　SAINTE　DE　L'ABSINTHE。


When　young　men　form　a　society　among　themselves；　a　CAFE　is　　chosen　as　their　meeting…place。　　Thousands　of　establishments　　exist　only　by　such　patronage；　as；　for　example；　the　Cafe　de　la　　Regence；　Place　du　Theatre　Francais；　which　is　frequented　　entirely　by　men　who　play　chess。

Business　men　transact　their　affairs　as　much　over　their　coffee　　as　in　their　offices。　　The　reading　man　finds　at　his　CAFE　the　　daily　and　weekly　papers；　a　writer　is　sure　of　the　undisturbed　　possession