the ways of men-第29章

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ould　drive　him　to　such　an　extremity。　　　The　poor　millionnaire　has　hardly　left　his　desk　in　Wall　Street　　during　the　week；　and　only　arrived　this　evening　in　time　to　　dress　for　dinner。　　He　would　give　a　fair　slice　of　his　income　　for　a　night's　rest。　　See！　　He　has　failed；　and　is　lighting　　another　cigar；　preparing；　with　a　sigh；　for　a　long　wait。　　It　　will　be　three　before　my　lady　is　ready　to　leave。〃

After　a　silence　of　some　minutes；　during　which　he　appeared　to　　be　turning　these　remarks　over　in　his　mind；　the　young　Oriental　　resumed：　〃The　single　men　who　absorb　so　much　of　your　women's　　time　and　attention　are　doubtless　the　most　distinguished　of　the　　nation；　　…　writers；　poets；　and　statesmen？〃

I　was　obliged　to　confess　that　this　was　not　the　case；　that；　on　　the　contrary；　the　dancing　bachelors　were　for　the　most　part　　impecunious　youths　of　absolutely　no　importance；　asked　by　the　　hostess　to　fill　in；　and　so　lightly　considered　that　a　woman　did　　not　always　recognize　in　the　street　her　guests　of　the　evening　　before。

At　this　moment　my　neighbor's　expression　changed　from　　bewilderment　to　admiration；　as　a　young　and　very　lovely　matron　　threw　herself；　panting；　into　a　low　chair　at　his　side。　　Her　　decollete　was　so　daring　that　the　doubts　of　half　an　hour　before　　were　evidently　rising　afresh　in　his　mind。　　Hastily　resuming　my　　task　of　mentor；　I　explained　that　a　decollete　corsage　was　an　　absolute　rule　for　evening　gatherings。　　A　woman　who　appeared　in　　a　high　bodice　or　with　her　neck　veiled　would　be　considered　　lacking　in　politeness　to　her　hostess　as　much　if　she　wore　a　　bonnet。

〃With　us；　women　go　into　the　world　to　shine　and　charm。　　It　is　　only　natural　they　should　use　all　the　weapons　nature　has　given　　them。〃

〃Very　good！〃　exclaimed　the　astonished　Ottoman。　　〃But　where　　will　all　this　end？　　You　began　by　allowing　your　women　to　appear　　in　public　with　their　faces　unveiled；　then　you　suppressed　the　　fichu　and　the　collarette；　and　now　you　rob　them　of　half　their　　corsage。　　Where；　O　Allah；　will　you　stop？〃

〃Ah！〃　I　answered；　laughing；　〃the　tendency　of　civilization　is　　to　simplify；　many　things　may　yet　disappear。〃

〃I　understand　perfectly。　　You　have　no　prejudice　against　women　　wearing　in　public　toilets　that　we　consider　fitted　only　for　　strict　intimacy。　　In　that　case　your　ladies　may　walk　about　the　　streets　in　these　costumes？〃

〃Not　at　all！〃　I　cried。　　〃It　would　provoke　a　scandal　if　a　woman　　were　to　be　seen　during　the　daytime　in　such　attire；　either　at　　home　or　abroad。　　The　police　and　the　law　courts　would　　interfere。　　Evening　dress　is　intended　only　for　reunions　in　　private　houses；　or　at　most；　to　be　worn　at　entertainments　where　　the　company　is　carefully　selected　and　the　men　asked　from　lists　　prepared　by　the　ladies　themselves。　　No　lady　would　wear　a　ball　　costume　or　her　jewels　in　a　building　where　the　general　public　　was　admitted。　　In　London　great　ladies　dine　at　restaurants　in　　full　evening　dress；　but　we　Americans；　like　the　French；　　consider　that　vulgar。〃

〃Yet；　last　winter；〃　he　said；　〃when　passing　through　New　York；　I　　went　to　a　great　theatre；　where　there　were　an　orchestra　and　　many　singing　people。　　Were　not　those　respectable　women　I　saw　　in　the　boxes？　　There　were　no　MOUCHARABIES　to　screen　them　from　　the　eyes　of　the　public。　　Were　all　the　men　in　that　building　　asked　by　special　invitation？　　That　could　hardly　be　possible；　　for　I　paid　an　entrance　fee　at　the　door。　　From　where　I　sat　I　　could　see　that；　as　each　lady　entered　her　box；　opera…glasses　　were　fixed　on　her；　and　her　‘points；'　as　you　say；　discussed　by　　the　crowd　of　men　in　the　corridors；　who；　apparently；　belonged　　to　quite　the　middle　class。〃

〃My　poor；　innocent　Padischa；　you　do　not　understand　at　all。　　　That　was　the　opera；　which　makes　all　the　difference。　　The　　husbands　of　those　women　pay　enormous　prices；　expressly　that　　their　wives　may　exhibit　themselves　in　public；　decked　in　jewels　　and　suggestive　toilets。　　You　could　buy　a　whole　harem　of　fair　　Circassians　for　what　one　of　those　little　square　boxes　costs。　　　A　lady　whose　entrance　caused　no　sensation　would　feel　bitterly　　disappointed。　　As　a　rule；　she　knows　little　about　music；　and　　cares　still　less；　unless　some　singer　is　performing　who　is　paid　　a　fabulous　price；　which　gives　his　notes　a　peculiar　charm。　　　With　us　most　things　are　valued　by　the　money　they　have　cost。　　　Ladies　attend　the　opera　simply　and　solely　to　see　their　friends　　and　be　admired。

〃It　grieves　me　to　see　that　you　are　forming　a　poor　opinion　of　　our　woman　kind；　for　they　are　more　charming　and　modest　than　any　　foreign　women。　　A　girl　or　matron　who　exhibits　more　of　her　　shoulders　than　you；　with　your　Eastern　ideas；　think　quite　　proper；　would　sooner　expire　than　show　an　inch　above　her　ankle。　　　We　have　our　way　of　being　modest　as　well　as　you；　and　that　is　　one　of　our　strongest　prejudices。〃

〃Now　I　know　you　are　joking；〃　he　replied；　with　a　slight　show　of　　temper；　〃or　trying　to　mystify　me；　for　only　this　morning　I　was　　on　the　beach　watching　the　bathing；　and　I　saw　a　number　of　　ladies　in　quite　short　skirts　…　up　to　their　knees；　in　fact　…　　with　the　thinnest　covering　on　their　shapely　extremities。　　Were　　those　women　above　suspicion？〃

〃Absolutely；〃　I　assured　him；　feeling　inclined　to　tear　my　hair　　at　such　stupidity。　　〃Can't　you　see　the　difference？　　That　was　　in　daylight。　　Our　customs　allow　a　woman　to　show　her　feet；　and　　even　a　little　more；　in　the　morning。　　It　would　be　considered　　the　acme　of　indecency　to　let　those　beauties　be　seen　at　a　ball。　　　The　law　allows　a　woman　to　uncover　her　neck　and　shoulders　at　a　　ball；　but　she　would　be　arrested　if　she　appeared　decollete　on　　the　beach　of　a　morning。〃

A　long　silence　followed；　broken　only　by　the　music　and　laughter　　from　the　ball…room。　　I　could　see　my　dazed　Mohammedan　remove　　his　fez　and　pass　an　agitated　hand　through　his　dark　hair；　then　　he　turned；　and　saluting　me　gravely；　murmured：

〃It　is　very　kind　of　you　to　have　taken　so　much　trouble　with　me。　　　I　do　not　doubt　that　what　you　have　said　is　full　of　the　wisdom　　and　consistency　of　a　new　civilization；　which　I　fail　to　　appreciate。〃　　Then；　with　a　sigh；　he　added：　〃It　will　be　better　　for　me　to　return　to　my　own　country；　where　there　are　fewer　　exceptions　to　rules。〃

With　a　profound　salaam　the　gentle　youth　disappeared　into　the　　surrounding　darkness；　leaving　me　rubbing　my　eyes　and　asking　　myself　if；　after　all；　the　dreamland　Oriental　was　not　about　　right。　　Custom　makes　many　inconsistencies　appear　so　logical　　that　they　no　longer　cause　us　either　surprise　or　emotion。　　But　　can　we　explain　them？




Chapter　29　…　Modern　〃Cadets　de　Gascogne〃


AFTER　witnessing　the　performance　given　by　the　Comedie　　Francaise　in　the　antique　theatre　at　Orange；　we　determined　…　my　　companion　and　I　…　if　ever　another　opportunity　of　the　kind　　offered；　to　attend；　be　the　material　difficulties　what　they　　might。

The　theatrical　〃stars〃　in　their　courses　proved　favorable　to　　the　accomplishment　of　this　vow。　　Before　the　year　ended　it　was　　whispered　to　us　that　the　〃Cadets　de　Gascogne〃　were　planning　a　　tram　through　the　Cevennes　Mountains　and　their　native　Languedoc　　…　a　sort　of　lay　pilgrimage　to　famous　historic　and　literary　　shrines；　a　voyage　to　be　enlivened　by　much　crowning　of　busts　　and　reciting　of　verses　in　the　open　air；　and　incidentally；　by　　the　eating　of　Gascony　dishes　and　the　degustation　of　delicate　　local　wines；　the　whole　to　culminate　with　a　representation　in　　the　arena　at　Beziers　of　DEJANIRE；　Louis　Gallet's　and　Saint…　Saens's　latest　work；　under　the　personal　supervision　of　those　　two　masters。

A　tempting　programme；　was　it　not；　in　these　days　of　cockney　　tours　and　〃Cook〃　couriers？　　At　any　rate；　one　that　we；　with　　plenty　of　time　on　our　hands　and　a　weakness　for　out…of…the…way　　corners　and　untrodden　paths；　found　it　impossible　to　resist。

Rostand；　in　CYRANO　DE　BERGERAC；　has　shown　us　the　〃Cadets〃　of　　Moliere's　time；　a　fighting；　rhyming；　devil…may…care　band；　who　　wore　their　hearts　on　their　sleeves　and　chips　on　their　stalwart　　shoulders；　much　such　a　brotherhood；　in　short；　as　we　love　to　　imagine　that　Shakespeare；　Kit　Marlowe；　Greene；　and　their　　intimates　formed　when　they　met　at　the　〃Ship〃　to　celebrate　a　　success　or　drink　a　health　to　the　drama。

The　men　who　compose　the　present　society　（which　has　now　for　　many　years　borne　a　name　only　recently　made　famous　by　M。　　Rostand's　genius）　come　delightfully　near　realizing　the　happy　　conditions　of　other　days；　and　…　less　the　fighting　…　form　as　　joyous　and　picturesque　a　company　as　their　historic　elders。　　　They　are　for　the　most　part　Southern…born　youths；　whose　　interests　and　ambitions　centre　around　the　stage；　devotees　at　　the　altar　of　Melpomene；　ardent　lovers　of　letters　and　kindred　　arts；　and　proud　of　the　debt　that　literary　France　owes　to　　Gascony。

It　is　the　pleasant　custom　of　this　coterie　to　meet　on　winter　　evenings　in　unfrequented　CAFES；　transformed　by　them　for　the　　time　into　clubs；　where　they　recite　new…made　verses；　discuss　　books　and　plays；　enunciate　paradoxes　that　make　the　very　　waiters　shudder；　and；　between　their　〃bocks；〃　plan　vast　　revolutions　in　the　world　of　literature。

As　the　pursuit　of　〃letters〃　is；　if　anything；　less　lucrative　in　　France　than　in　other　countries；　the　question　of　next　day's　　dinner　is　also　much　discussed　among　these　budding　Molieres；　　who　are　often　forced　to　learn　early　in　their　careers；　when　　meals　have　been　meagre；　to　satisfy　themselves　with　rich　rhymes　　and　drink　their　fill　of　flowing　verse。

From　time　to　time　older　and　more　successful　members　of　the　　corporation　stray　back　into　the　circle；　laying　aside　their　　laurel　crowns　and　Olympian　pose；　in　the　society　of　the　new…　comers　to　Bohemia。　　These　honorary　members　enjoy　nothing　more　　when　occasion　offers　than　to　escape　from　the　toils　of　　greatness　and　join　the　〃Cadets〃　in　their　summer　journeys　to　　and　fro　in　France；　trips　which　are　made　to　combine　the　　pleasures　of　an　outing　with　the　aims　of　a　literary　campaign。　　　It　was　an　invitation　to　join　one　of　these　tramps　that　tempted　　my　friend　and　me　away　from　Paris　at　the　season　when　that　city　　is　at　its　best。　　Being　unable；　on　account　of　other　　engagements；　to　start　with　the　cohort　from　the　capital；　we　　made　a　dash　for　it　and　caught　them　up　at　Carcassonne　during　　the　fetes　that　the　little　Languedoc　city　was　offering　to　its　　guests。

After　having　seen　Aigues　Mortes；　it　was　difficult　to　believe　　that　any　other　place　in　Europe　could　suggest　more　vividly　the　

days　of　military　feudalism。　　St。　Louis's　tiny　city　is；　　however；　surpassed　by　Carcassonne！

Thanks　to　twenty　years　of　studious　restoration　by　Viollet　le　　Duc；　this　antique　jewel　shines　in　its　setting　of　slope　and　　plain　as　perfect　to…day　（seen　from　the　distance）　as　when　the　　Crusaders　started　from　its　crenelated　gates　for　the　conquest　　of　the　Holy　Sepulchre。　　The　acropolis　of　Carcassonne　is　　crowned　with　Gothic　battlements；　the　golden　polygon　of　whose　　walls；　rising　from　Roman　foundations　and　layers　of　ruddy　　Visigoth　brick　to　the　stately　marvel　of　its　fifty　towers；　　forms　a　whole　that　few　can　view　unmoved。

We　found　the　Cadets　lunching　on　the　platform　of　the　great　　western　keep；　while　a　historic　pageant　organized　in　their　　honor　was　winding　through　the　steep　mediaeval　streets　…　a　　cavalcade　of　archers；　men　at　arms；　and　many…colored　　troubadours；　who；　after　effecting　a　triumphal　entrance　to　the　　town　over　lowered　drawbridges；　mounted　to　unfurl　their　banner　　on　our　tower。　　As　the　gaud