the ways of men-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



There　are　also　moments　when　the　vivid　picturesqueness　of　this　　place　comes　near　to　palling　on　one。　　Its　beauty　is　so　　suspiciously　like　a　set　scene　that　it　gives　the　impression　of　　having　been　arranged　by　some　clever　decorator　with　an　eye　to　　effect　only。

One　is　continually　reminded　of　that　inimitable　chapter　in　　Daudet's　TARTARIN　SUR　LES　ALPES；　when　the　hero　discovers　that　　all　Switzerland　is　one　enormous　humbug；　run　to　attract　　tourists；　that　the　cataracts　are　〃faked；〃　and　avalanches　　arranged　beforehand　to　enliven　a　dull　season。　　Can　anything　be　　more　delicious　than　the　disillusion　of　Tartarin　and　his　　friends；　just　back　from　a　perilous　chamois　hunt；　on　　discovering　that　the　animal　they　had　exhausted　themselves　in　　following　all　day　across　the　mountains；　was　being　refreshed　　with　hot　wine　in　the　kitchen　of　the　hotel　by　its　peasant　　owner？

When　one　visits　the　theatrical　abbey　across　the　lake　and　　inspects　the　too　picturesque　tombs　of　Savoy's　sovereigns；　or　　walks　in　the　wonderful　old　garden；　with　its　intermittent　　spring；　the　suspicion　occurs；　in　spite　of　one's　self；　that　the　　whole　scene　will　be　folded　up　at　sunset　and　the　bare…footed　　〃brother〃　who　is　showing　us　around　with　so　much　unction　will；　　after　our　departure；　hurry　into　another　costume；　and　appear　　later　as　one　of　the　happy　peasants　who　are　singing　and　　drinking　in　front　of　that　absurdly　operatic　little　inn　you　　pass　on　the　drive　home。

There　is　a　certain　pink　cottage；　with　a　thatched　roof　and　　overhanging　vines；　about　which　I　have　serious　doubts；　and　　fully　expect　some　day　to　see　Columbine　appear　on　that　　pistache…green　balcony　（where　the　magpie　is　hanging　in　a　　wicker　cage）；　and；　taking　Arlequin's　hand；　disappear　into　the　　water…butt　while　Clown　does　a　header　over　the　half…door；　and　　the　cottage　itself　turns　into　a　gilded　coach；　with　Columbine　　kissing　her　hand　from　the　window。

A　problem　which　our　intelligent　people　have　not　yet　set　　themselves　to　solve；　is　being　worked　out　abroad。　　The　little　　cities　of　Europe　have　discovered　that　prosperity　comes　with　　the　tourist；　that　with　increased　facilities　of　communication　　the　township　which　expends　the　most　in　money　and　brains　in　　attracting　rich　travellers　to　its　gates　is　the　place　that　will　　grow　and　prosper。　　It　is　a　simple　lesson；　and　one　that　I　would　　gladly　see　our　American　watering…places　learn　and　apply。




Chapter　24　…　The　Better　Part


AS　I　watch；　year　after　year；　the　flowers　of　our　aristocratic　　hothouses　blooming　behind　the　glass　partitions　of　their　　conservatories；　tended　always　by　the　same　gardeners；　admired　　by　the　same　amateurs；　and　then；　for　the　most　part；　withering　　unplucked　on　their　virgin　stems；　I　wonder　if　the　wild　flowers　　appreciate　the　good　luck　that　allows　them　to　taste　the　storm　　and　the　sunshine　untrammelled　and　disperse　perfume　according　　to　their　own　sweet　will。

To　drop　a　cumbersome　metaphor；　there　is　not　the　shadow　of　a　　doubt　that　the　tamest　and　most　monotonous　lives　in　this　　country　are　those　led　by　the　women　in　our　〃exclusive〃　sets；　　for　the　good　reason　that　they　are　surrounded　by　all　the　　trammels　of　European　society　without　enjoying　any　of　its　　benefits；　and　live　in　an　atmosphere　that　takes　the　taste　out　　of　existence　too　soon。

Girls　abroad　are　kept　away　from　the　〃world〃　because　their　　social　life　only　commences　after　marriage。　　In　America；　on　the　　contrary；　a　woman　is　laid　more　or　less　on　the　shelf　the　day　　she　becomes　a　wife；　so　that　if　she　has　not　made　hay　while　her　　maiden　sunshine　lasted；　the　chances　are　she　will　have　but　　meagrely　furnished　lofts；　and　how；　I　ask；　is　a　girl　to　harvest　　always　in　the　same　field？

When　in　this　country；　a　properly　brought　up　young　aristocrat　　is　presented　by　her　mamma　to　an　admiring　circle　of　friends；　　she　is　quite　a　BLASEE　person。　　The　dancing　classes　she　has　　attended　for　a　couple　of　years　before　her　debut　（that　she　　might　know　the　right　set　of　youths　and　maidens）　have　taken　the　　bloom　off　her　entrance　into　the　world。　　She　and　her　friends　　have　already　talked　over　the　〃men〃　of　their　circle；　and　　decided；　with　a　sigh；　that　there　were　matches　going　about。　　A　　juvenile　Newporter　was　recently　overheard　deploring　（to　a　　friend　of　fifteen　summers）；　〃By　the　time　we　come　out　there　　will　only　be　two　matches　in　the　market；〃　meaning；　of　course；　　millionnaires　who　could　provide　their　brides　with　country　and　　city　homes；　yachts；　and　the　other　appurtenances　of　a　brilliant　　position。　　Now；　the　unfortunate　part　of　the　affair　is；　that　　such　a　worldly…minded　maiden　will　in　good　time　be　obliged　to　　make　her　debut；　dine；　and　dance　through　a　dozen　seasons　　without　making　a　new　acquaintance。　　Her　migrations　from　town　　to　seashore；　or　from　one　country　house　to　another；　will　be　but　　changes　of　scene：　the　actors　will　remain　always　the　same。　　　When　she　dines　out；　she　can；　if　she　cares　to　take　the　trouble；　　make　a　fair　guess　as　to　who　the　guests　will　be　before　she　　starts；　for　each　entertainment　is　but　a　new　shuffle　of　the　too　　well…known　pack。　　She　is　morally　certain　of　being　taken　in　to　　dinner　by　one　of　fifty　men　whom　she　has　known　since　her　　childhood；　and　has　met　on　an　average　twice　a　week　since　she　　was　eighteen。

Of　foreigners　such　a　girl　sees　little　beyond　a　stray　　diplomatist　or　two；　in　search　of　a　fortune；　and　her　glimpses　　of　Paris　society　are　obtained　from　the　windows　of　a　hotel　on　　the　Place　Vendome。　　In　London　or　Rome　she　may　be　presented　in　　a　few　international　salons；　but　as　she　finds　it　difficult　to　　make　her　new　acquaintances　understand　what　an　exalted　position　　she　occupies　at　home；　the　chances　are　that　pique　at　seeing　　some　Daisy　Miller　attract　all　the　attention　will　drive　my　lady　　back　to　the　city　where　she　is　known　and　appreciated；　nothing　　being　more　difficult　for　an　American　〃swell〃　than　explaining　　to　the　uninitiated　in　what　way　her　position　differs　from　that　　of　the　rest　of　her　compatriots。

When　I　see　the　bevies　of　highly　educated　and　attractive　girls　　who　make　their　bows　each　season；　I　ask　myself　in　wonder；　〃Who；　　in　the　name　of　goodness；　are　they　to　marry？〃

In　the　very　circle　where　so　much　stress　is　laid　on　a　girl's　　establishing　herself　brilliantly；　the　fewest　possible　husbands　　are　to　be　found。　　Yet；　limited　as　such　a　girl's　choice　is；　she　　will　sooner　remain　single　than　accept　a　husband　out　of　her　　set。　　She　has　a　perfectly　distinct　idea　of　what　she　wants；　and　　has　lived　so　long　in　the　atmosphere　of　wealth　that　existence　　without　footmen　and　male　cooks；　horses　and　French　clothes；　　appears　to　her　impossible。　　Such　large　proportions　do　these　　details　assume　in　her　mind　that　each　year　the　husband　himself　　becomes　of　less　importance；　and　what　he　can　provide　the　　essential　point。

If　an　outsider　is　sufficiently　rich；　my　lady　may　consent　to　　unite　her　destinies　to　his；　hoping　to　get　him　absorbed　into　　her　own　world。

It　is　pathetic；　considering　the　restricted　number　of　eligible　　men　going　about；　to　see　the　trouble　and　expense　that　parents　　take　to　keep　their　daughters　EN　EVIDENCE。　　When　one　reflects　　on　the　number　of　people　who　are　disturbed　when　such　a　girl　　dines　out；　the　horses　and　men　and　women　who　are　kept　up　to　　convey　her　home；　the　time　it　has　taken　her　to　dress；　the　cost　　of　the　toilet　itself；　and　then　see　the　man　to　whom　she　will　be　　consigned　for　the　evening；　…　some　bored　man　about　town　who　has　　probably　taken　her　mother　in　to　dinner　twenty　years　before；　　and　will　not　trouble　himself　to　talk　with　his　neighbor；　or　a　　schoolboy；　breaking　in　his　first　dress　suit；　…　when　one　　realizes　that　for　many　maidens　this　goes　on　night　after　night　　and　season　after　season；　it　seems　incredible　that　they　should　　have　the　courage；　or　think　it　worth　their　while　to　keep　up　the　　game。

The　logical　result　of　turning　eternally　in　the　same　circle　is　　that　nine　times　out　of　ten　the　men　who　marry　choose　girls　out　　of　their　own　set；　some　pretty　stranger　who　has　burst　on　their　　jaded　vision　with　all　the　charm　of　the　unknown。　　A　　conventional　society　maiden　who　has　not　been　fortunate　enough　　to　meet　and　marry　a　man　she　loves；　or　whose　fortune　tempts　　her；　during　the　first　season　or　two　that　she　is　〃out；〃　will　in　　all　probability　go　on　revolving　in　an　ever…narrowing　circle　　until　she　becomes　stationary　in　its　centre。

In　comparison　with　such　an　existence　the　life　of　the　average　　〃summer　girl〃　is　one　long　frolic；　as　varied　as　that　of　her　　aristocratic　sister　is　monotonous。　　Each　spring　she　has　the　　excitement　of　selecting　a　new　battle…ground　for　her　　manoeuvres；　for　in　the　circle　in　which　she　moves；　parents　　leave　such　details　to　their　children。　　Once　installed　in　the　　hotel　of　her　choice；　mademoiselle　proceeds　to　make　the　　acquaintance　of　an　entirely　new　set　of　friends；　delightful　　youths　just　arrived；　and　bent　on　making　the　most　of　their　　brief　holidays；　with　whom　her　code　of　etiquette　allows　her　to　　sail　all　day；　and　pass　uncounted　evening　hours　in　remote　　corners　of　piazza　or　beach。

As　the　words　〃position〃　and　〃set〃　have　no　meaning　to　her　young　　ears；　and　no　one　has　ever　preached　to　her　the　importance　of　　improving　her　social　standing；　the　acquaintances　that　chance　　throws　in　her　path　are　accepted　without　question　if　they　　happen　to　be　good…looking　and　amusing。　　She　has　no　prejudice　　as　to　standing；　and　if　her　supply　of　partners　runs　short；　she　　will　dance　and　flirt　with　the　clerk　from　the　desk　in　perfect　　good　humor　…　in　fact；　she　stands　rather　in　awe　of　that　　functionary；　and　admires　the　〃English〃　cut　of　his　clothes　and　　his　Eastern　swagger。　　A　large　hotel　is　her　dream　of　luxury；　　and　a　couple　of　simultaneous　flirtations　her　ideal　of　bliss。　　　No　long　evenings　of　cruel　boredom；　in　order　to　be　seen　at　　smart　houses；　will　cloud　the　maiden's　career；　no　agonized　　anticipation　of　retiring　partnerless　from　cotillion　or　supper　　will　disturb　her　pleasure。

In　the　city　she　hails　from；　everybody　she　knows　lives　in　about　　the　same　style。　　Some　are　said　to　be　wealthier　than　others；　　but　nothing　in　their　way　of　life　betrays　the　fact；　the　art　of　　knowing　how　to　enjoy　wealth　being　but　little　understood　　outside　of　our　one　or　two　great　cities。　　She　has　that　tranquil　　sense　of　being　the　social　equal　of　the　people　she　meets；　the　　absence　of　which　makes　the　snob's　life　a　burden。

During　her　summers　away　from　home　our　〃young　friend〃　will　meet　　other　girls　of　her　age；　and　form　friendships　that　result　in　　mutual　visiting　during　the　ensuing　winter；　when　she　will　　continue　to　add　more　new　names　to　the　long　list　of　her　　admirers；　until　one　fine　morning　she　writes　home　to　her　　delighted　parents　that　she　has　found　the　right　man　at　last；　　and　engaged　herself　to　him。

Never　having　penetrated　to　those　sacred　centres　where　birth　　and　wealth　are　considered　all…important；　and　ignoring　the　　supreme　importance　of　living　in　one　set；　the　plan　of　life　that　　such　a　woman　lays　out　for　herself　is　exceedingly　simple。　　She　　will　coquette　and　dance　and　dream　her　pleasant　dream　until　　Prince　Charming；　who　is　to　awaken　her　to　a　new　life；　comes　and　　kisses　away　the　dew　of　girlhood　and　leads　his　bride　out　into　　the　work…a…day　world。　　The　simple　surroundings　and　ambitions　　of　her　youth　will　make　it　easy　for　this　wife　to　follow　the　man　　of　her　choice；　if　necessary；　to　the　remote　village　where　he　is　　directing　a　factory　or　to　the　mining　camp　where　the　　foundations　of　a　fortune　lie