worldly ways and byways-第26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！



in　turn　suggests　the　plum　pudding　it　has　been　〃chumming〃　with。



It　is　not　alone　in　a　hotel　that　we　miss　the　good　in　grasping　after　

the　better。　　Small　housekeeping　is　apparently　run　on　the　same　

lines。



A　young　Frenchman；　who　was　working　in　my　rooms；　told　me　in　reply　to　

a　question　regarding　prices；　that　every　kind　of　food　was　cheaper　

here　than　abroad；　but　the　prejudice　against　certain　dishes　was　so　

strong　in　this　country　that　many　of　the　best　things　in　the　markets　

were　never　called　for。　　Our　nation　is　no　longer　in　its　〃teens〃　and　

should　cease　to　act　like　a　foolish　boy　who　has　inherited　（what　

appears　to　him）　a　limitless　fortune；　not　for　fear　of　his　coming；　

like　his　prototype　in　the　parable；　to　live　on　〃husks〃　for　he　is　

doing　that　already；　but　lest　like　the　dog　of　the　fable；　in　grasping　

after　the　shadow　of　a　banquet　he　miss　the　simple　meal　that　is　

within　his　reach。



One　of　the　reasons　for　this　deplorable　state　of　affairs　lies　in　the　

foolish　education　our　girls　receive。　　They　learn　so　little　

housekeeping　at　home；　that　when　married　they　are　obliged　to　begin　

all　over　again；　unless　they　prefer；　like　a　majority　of　their　

friends；　to　let　things　as　go　at　the　will　and　discretion　of　the　

〃lady〃　below　stairs。



At　both　hotels　I　have　referred　to；　the　families　of　the　men　

interested　considered　it　beneath　them　to　know　what　was　taking　

place。　　The　〃daughter〃　of　the　New　England　house　went　semi…weekly　to　

Boston　to　take　violin　lessons　at　ten　dollars　each；　although　she　had　

no　intention　of　becoming　a　professional；　while　the　wife　wrote　

poetry　and　ignored　the　hotel　side　of　her　life　entirely。



The　〃better　half〃　of　the　Florida　establishment　hired　a　palace　in　

Rome　and　entertained　ambassadors。　　Hotels　divided　against　

themselves　are　apt　to　be　establishments　where　you　pay　for　riotous　

living　and　are　served　only　with　husks。



We　have　many　hard　lessons　ahead　of　us；　and　one　of　the　hardest　will　

be　for　our　nation　to　learn　humbly　from　the　thrifty　emigrants　on　our　

shores；　the　great　art　of　utilizing　the　〃tails〃　that　are　at　this　

moment　being　so　recklessly　thrown　away。



As　it　is；　in　spite　of　markets　overflowing　with　every　fish；　

vegetable；　and　tempting　viand；　we　continue　to　be　the　worst　fed；　

most　meagrely　nourished　of　all　the　wealthy　nations　on　the　face　of　

the　earth。　　We　have　a　saying　（for　an　excellent　reason　unknown　on　

the　Continent）　that　Providence　provides　us　with　food　and　the　devil　

sends　the　cooks！　　It　would　be　truer　to　say　that　the　poorer　the　food　

resources　of　a　nation；　the　more　restricted　the　choice　of　material；　

the　better　the　cooks；　a　small　latitude　when　providing　for　the　table　

forcing　them　to　a　hundred　clever　combinations　and　mysterious　

devices　to　vary　the　monotony　of　their　cuisine　and　tempt　a　palate；　

by　custom　staled。



Our　heedless　people；　with　great　variety　at　their　disposition；　are　

unequal　to　the　situation；　wasting　and　discarding　the　best；　and　

making　absolutely　nothing　of　their　advantages。



If　we　were　enjoying　our　prodigality　by　living　on　the　fat　of　the　

land；　there　would　be　less　reason　to　reproach　ourselves；　for　every　

one　has　a　right　to　live　as　he　pleases。　　But　as　it　is；　our　foolish　

prodigals　are　spending　their　substance；　while　eating　the　husks！









CHAPTER　30　…　The　Faubourg　of　St。　Germain





THERE　has　been　too　much　said　and　written　in　the　last　dozen　years　

about　breaking　down　the　〃great　wall〃　behind　which　the　aristocrats　

of　the　famous　Faubourg；　like　the　Celestials；　their　prototypes；　have　

ensconced　themselves。　　The　Chinese　speak　of　outsiders　as　

〃barbarians。〃　　The　French　ladies　refer　to　such　unfortunates　as　

being　〃beyond　the　pale。〃　　Almost　all　that　has　been　written　is　

arrant　nonsense；　that　imaginary　barrier　exists　to…day　on　as　firm　a　

foundation；　and　is　guarded　by　sentinels　as　vigilant　as　when；　forty　

years　ago；　Napoleon　（third　of　the　name）　and　his　Spanish　spouse　

mounted　to　its　assault。



Their　repulse　was　a　bitter　humiliation　to　the　PARVENUE　Empress；　

whose　resentment　took　the　form　（along　with　many　other　curious　

results）　of　opening　the　present　Boulevard　St。　Germain；　its　line　

being　intentionally　carried　through　the　heart　of　that　quarter；　

teeming　with　historic　〃Hotels〃　of　the　old　aristocracy；　where　

beautiful　constructions　were　mercilessly　torn　down　to　make　way　for　

the　new　avenue。　　The　cajoleries　which　Eugenie　first　tried　and　the　

blows　that　followed　were　alike　unavailing。　　Even　her　worship　of　

Marie　Antoinette；　between　whom　and　herself　she　found　imaginary　

resemblances；　failed　to　warm　the　stony　hearts　of　the　proud　old　

ladies；　to　whom　it　was　as　gall　and　wormwood　to　see　a　nobody　crowned　

in　the　palace　of　their　kings。　　Like　religious　communities；　

persecution　only　drew　this　old　society　more　firmly　together　and　

made　them　stand　by　each　other　in　their　distress。　　When　the　Bois　was　

remodelled　by　Napoleon　and　the　lake　with　its　winding　drive　laid　

out；　the　new　Court　drove　of　an　afternoon　along　this　water　front。　　

That　was　enough　for　the　old　swells！　　They　retired　to　the　remote　

〃Allee　of　the　Acacias；〃　and　solemnly　took　their　airing　away　from　

the　bustle　of　the　new　world；　incidentally　setting　a　fashion　that　

has　held　good　to　this　day；　the　lakeside　being　now　deserted；　and　the　

〃Acacias〃　crowded　of　an　afternoon；　by　all　that　Paris　holds　of　

elegant　and　inelegant。



Where　the　brilliant　Second　Empire　failed；　the　Republic　had　little　

chance　of　success。　　With　each　succeeding　year　the　〃Old　Faubourg〃　

withdrew　more　and　more　into　its　shell；　going　so　far；　after　the　fall　

of　Mac　Mahon；　as　to　change　its　〃season〃　to　the　spring；　so　that　the　

balls　and　FETES　it　gave　should　not　coincide　with　the　〃official〃　

entertainments　during　the　winter。



The　next　people　to　have　a　〃shy〃　at　the　〃Old　Faubourg's〃　Gothic　

battlements　were　the　Jews；　who　were　victorious　in　a　few　light　

skirmishes　and　succeeded　in　capturing　one　or　two　illustrious　

husbands　for　their　daughters。　　The　wily　Israelites；　however；　

discovered　that　titled　sons…in…law　were　expensive　articles　and　

often　turned　out　unsatisfactorily；　so　they　quickly　desisted。　　The　

English；　the　most　practical　of　societies；　have　always　left　the　

Faubourg　alone。　　It　has　been　reserved　for　our　countrywomen　to　lay　

the　most　determined　siege　yet　recorded　to　that　untaken　stronghold。



It　is　a　characteristic　of　the　American　temperament　to　be　unable　to　

see　a　closed　door　without　developing　an　intense　curiosity　to　know　

what　is　behind；　or　to　read　〃No　Admittance　to　the　Public〃　over　an　

entrance　without　immediately　determining　to　get　inside　at　any　

price。　　So　it　is　easy　to　understand　the　attraction　an　hermetically　

sealed　society　would　have　for　our　fair　compatriots。　　Year　after　

year　they　have　flung　themselves　against　its　closed　gateways。　　

Repulsed；　they　have　retired　only　to　form　again　for　the　attack；　but　

are　as　far　away　to…day　from　planting　their　flag　in　that　citadel　as　

when　they　first　began。　　It　does　not　matter　to　them　what　is　inside；　

there　may　be　（as　in　this　case）　only　mouldy　old　halls　and　a　group　of　

people　with　antiquated　ideas　and　ways。　　It　is　enough　for　a　certain　

type　of　woman　to　know　that　she　is　not　wanted　in　an　exclusive　

circle；　to　be　ready　to　die　in　the　attempt　to　get　there。　　This　point　

of　view　reminds　one　of　Mrs。　Snob's　saying　about　a　new　arrival　at　a　

hotel：　〃I　am　sure　she　must　be　'somebody'　for　she　was　so　rude　to　me　

when　I　spoke　to　her；〃　and　her　answer　to　her　daughter　when　the　girl　

said　（on　arriving　at　a　watering…place）　that　she　had　noticed　a　very　

nice　family　〃who　look　as　if　they　wanted　to　know　us；　Mamma：〃



〃Then；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mamma　Snob；　〃they　certainly　are　not　people　

we　want　to　meet！〃



The　men　in　French　society　are　willing　enough　to　make　acquaintance　

with　foreigners。　　You　may　see　the　youth　of　the　Faubourg　dancing　at　

American　balls　in　Paris；　or　running　over　for　occasional　visits　to　

this　country。　　But　when　it　comes　to　taking　their　women…kind　with　

them；　it　is　a　different　matter。　　Americans　who　have　known　well…born　

Frenchmen　at　school　or　college　are　surprised；　on　meeting　them　

later；　to　be　asked　（cordially　enough）　to　dine　EN　GARCON　at　a　

restaurant；　although　their　Parisian　friend　is　married。　　An　

Englishman's　or　American's　first　word　would　be　on　a　like　occasion：



〃Come　and　dine　with　me　to…night。　　I　want　to　introduce　you　to　my　

wife。〃　　Such　an　idea　would　never　cross　a　Frenchman's　mind！



One　American　I　know　is　a　striking　example　of　this。　　He　was　born　in　

Paris；　went　to　school　and　college　there；　and　has　lived　in　that　city　

all　his　life。　　His　sister　married　a　French　nobleman。　　Yet　at　this　

moment；　in　spite　of　his　wealth；　his　charming　American　wife；　and　

many　beautiful　entertainments；　he　has　not　one　warm　French　friend；　

or　the　ENTREE　on　a　footing　of　intimacy　to　a　single　Gallic　house。



There　is　no　analogy　between　the　English　aristocracy　and　the　French　

nobility；　except　that　they　are　both　antiquated　institutions；　the　

English　is　the　more　harmful　on　account　of　its　legislative　power；　

the　French　is　the　more　pretentious。　　The　House　of　Lords　is　the　most　

open　club　in　London；　the　payment　of　an　entrance…fee　in　the　shape　of　

a　check　to　a　party　fund　being　an　all…sufficient　sesame。　　In　France；　

one　must　be　born　in　the　magic　circle。　　The　spirit　of　the　Emigration　

of　1793　is　not　yet　extinct。　　The　nobles　live　in　their　own　world　

（how　expressive　the　word　is；　seeming　to　exclude　all　the　rest　of　

mankind）；　pining　after　an　impossible　RESTAURATION；　alien　to　the　

present　day；　holding　aloof　from　politics　for　fear　of　coming　in　

touch　with　the　masses；　with　whom　they　pride　themselves　on　having　

nothing　in　common。



What　leads　many　people　astray　on　this　subject　is　that　there　has　

formed　around　this　ancient　society　a　circle　composed　of　rich　

〃outsiders；〃　who　have　married　into　good　families；　and　of　eccentric　

members　of　the　latter；　who　from　a　love　of　excitement　or　for　

interested　motives　have　broken　away　from　their　traditions。　　Newly　

arrived　Americans　are　apt　to　mistake　this　〃world〃　for　the　real　

thing。　　Into　this　circle　it　is　not　difficult　for　foreigners　who　are　

rich　and　anxious　to　see　something　of　life　to　gain　admission。　　To　be　

received　by　the　ladies　of　this　outer　circle；　seems　to　our　

compatriots　to　be　an　achievement；　until　they　learn　the　real　

standing　of　their　new　acquaintances。



No　gayer　houses；　however；　exist　than　those　of　the　new　set。　　At　

their　city　or　country　houses；　they　entertain　continually；　and　they　

are　the　people　one　meets　toward　five　o'clock；　on　the　grounds　of　the　

Polo　Club；　in　the　Bois；　at　FETES　given　by　the　Island　Club　of　

Puteaux；　attending　the　race　meetings；　or　dining　at　American　houses。　　

As　far　as　amusement　and　fun　go；　one　might　seek　much　further　and　

fare　worse。



It　is　very；　very　rare　that　foreigners　get　beyond　this　circle。　　

Occasionally　there　is　a　marriage　between　an　American　girl　and　some　

Frenchman　of　high　rank。　　In　these