the ways of men(人们的手段)-第27章
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woman in the world to egg her husband on to a crime … unless it were wife
murder！
Names like de Chevreuse； or de la Rochefoucauld； seem appropriate
only to the warlike amazons of the Fronde； or corpulent kill…joys in
powder and court trains of the Mme。 Etiquette school； it comes as a shock；
on being presented to a group of girlish figures in the latest cut of golfing
skirts； who are chattering odds on the Grand Prix in faultless English； to
realize that these light…hearted GAMINES are the present owners of
sonorous titles。 One shudders to think what would have been the effect on
poor Marie Antoinette's priggish mentor could she have foreseen her
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granddaughter； clad in knickerbockers； running a petroleum tricycle in the
streets of Paris； or pedalling 〃tandem〃 across country behind some young
cavalry officer of her connection。
Let no simple…minded American imagine； however； that these up… to…
date women are waiting to welcome him and his family to their intimacy。
The world outside of France does not exist for a properly brought up
French aristocrat。 Few have travelled； from their point of view； any man
with money； born outside of France； is a 〃Rasta；〃 unless he come with
diplomatic rank； in which case his position at home is carefully ferreted
out before he is entertained。 Wealthy foreigners may live for years in Paris；
without meeting a single member of this coterie； who will； however； join
any new club that promises to be amusing； but as soon as the 〃Rastas〃 get
a footing； 〃the seven〃 and their following withdraw。 Puteaux had its day；
then the 〃Polo Club〃 in the Bois became their rendezvous。 But as every
wealthy American and 〃smart〃 Englishwoman passing the spring in Paris
rushed for that too open circle； like tacks toward a magnet； it was finally
cut by the 〃Duchesses；〃 who； together with such attractive aides…de… camp
as the Princesse de Poix； Mmes。 de Murat； de Morny； and de Broglie；
inaugurated last spring 〃The Ladies' Club of the Acacias；〃 on a tiny island
belonging to the 〃Tir aux Pigeons；〃 which； for the moment； is the fad of its
founders。
It must be a surprise to those who do not know French family pride to
learn that exclusive as these women are there are cliques in France today
whose members consider the ladies we have been speaking of as lacking
in reserve。 Men like Guy de Durfort； Duc de Lorges； or the Duc de Massa；
and their womenkind； hold themselves aloof on an infinitely higher plane；
associating with very few and scorning the vulgar herd of 〃smart〃 people！
It would seem as if such a vigorous weeding out of the unworthy
would result in a rather restricted comradeship。 Who the 〃elect〃 are must
become each year more difficult to discern。
Their point of view in this case cannot differ materially from that of
the old Methodist lady； who； while she was quite sure no one outside of
her own sect could possibly be saved； had grave fears concerning the
future of most of the congregation。 She felt hopeful only of the clergyman
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and herself； adding： 〃There are days when I have me doubts about the
minister！〃
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CHAPTER 22 … Growing Old
Ungracefully
THERE comes； we are told； a crucial moment； 〃a tide〃 in all lives；
that taken at the flood； leads on to fortune。 An assertion； by the bye； which
is open to doubt。 What does come to every one is an hour fraught with
warning； which； if unheeded； leads on to folly。 This fateful date coincides
for most of us with the discovery that we are turning gray； or that the
〃crow's feet〃 or our temples are becoming visible realities。 The unpleasant
question then presents itself： Are we to slip meekly into middle age； or are
arms be taken up against our insidious enemy； and the rest of life become
a losing battle； fought inch by inch？
In other days it was the men who struggled the hardest against their
fate。 Up to this century； the male had always been the ornamental member
of a family。 Caesar； we read； coveted a laurel crown principally because it
would help to conceal his baldness。 The wigs of the Grand Monarque are
historical。 It is characteristic of the time that the latter's attempts at
rejuvenation should have been taken as a matter of course； while a few
years later poor Madame de Pompadour's artifices to retain her fleeting
youth were laughed at and decried。
To…day the situation is reversed。 The battle； given up by the men … who
now accept their fate with equanimity … is being waged by their better
halves with a vigor heretofore unknown。 So general has this mania
become that if asked what one weakness was most characteristic of
modern women； what peculiarity marked them as different from their
sisters in other centuries； I should unhesitatingly answer； 〃The desire to
look younger than their years。〃
That people should long to be handsomer or taller or better
proportioned than a cruel Providence has made them； is natural enough；
but that so much time and trouble should be spent simply in trying to look
〃young；〃 does seem unreasonable； especially when it is evident to
everybody that such efforts must； in the nature of things； be failures。 The
men or women who do not look their age are rare。 In each generation there
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are exceptions； people who； from one cause or another … generally an
excellent constitution … succeed in producing the illusion of youth for a
few years after youth itself has flown。
A curious fatality that has the air of a nemesis pursues those who
succeed in giving this false appearance。 When pointing them out to
strangers； their admirers （in order to make the contrast more effective） add
a decade or so to the real age。 Only last month I was sitting at dinner
opposite a famous French beauty； who at fifty succeeds in looking barely
thirty。 During the meal both my neighbors directed attention to her
appearance； and in each case said： 〃Isn't she a wonder！ You know she's
over sixty！〃 So all that poor lady gained by looking youthful was ten years
added to her age！
The desire to remain attractive as long as possible is not only a
reasonable but a commendable ambition。 Unfortunately the stupid means
most of our matrons adopt to accomplish this end produce exactly the
opposite result。
One sign of deficient taste in our day is this failure to perceive that
every age has a charm of its own which can be enhanced by appropriate
surroundings； but is lost when placed in an incongruous setting。 It saddens
a lover of the beautiful to see matrons going so far astray in their desire to
please as to pose for young women when they no longer can look the part。
Holmes； in MY MAIDEN AUNT； asks plaintively： …
WHY WILL SHE TRAIN THAT WINTRY CURL IN SUCH A
SPRINGLIKE WAY？
That this folly is in the air to…day； few will dispute。 It seems to be
perpetrated unconsciously by the greater number； with no particular object
in view； simply because other people do it。 An unanswerable argument
when used by one of the fair sex！
Few matrons stop to think for themselves； or they would realize that
by appearing in the same attire as their daughters they challenge a
comparison which can only be to their disadvantage； and should be if
possible avoided。 Is there any disillusion more painful than； on
approaching what appeared from a distance to be a young girl； to find
one's self face to face with sixty years of wrinkles？ That is a modern
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version of the saying； 〃an old head on young shoulders；〃 with a vengeance！
If mistaken sexagenarians could divine the effect that tired eyes smiling
from under false hair； aged throats clasped with collars of pearls； and
rheumatic old ribs braced into a semblance of girlish grace； produce on the
men for whose benefit such adornments have been arranged； reform would
quickly follow。 There is something absolutely uncanny in the illusion。 The
more successful it is； the more weird the effect。
No one wants to see Polonius in the finery of Mercutio。 What a sense
of fitness demands is； on the contrary； a 〃make up〃 in keeping with the
role； which does not mean that a woman is to become a frump； but only
that she is to make herself attractive in another way。
During the ANCIEN REGIME in France； matters of taste were
considered all…important； an entire court would consult on the shade of a
brocade； and hail a new coiffure as an event。 The great ladies who had left
their youth behind never then committed the blunder； so common among
our middle…aged ladies； of aping the maidens of the day。 They were far too
clever for that； and appreciated the advantages to be gained from sombre
stuffs and flattering laces。 Let those who doubt study Nattier's exquisite
portrait of Maria Leczinska。 Nothing in the pose or toilet suggests a desire
on the painter's part to rejuvenate his sitter。 If anything； the queen's age is
emphasized as something honorable。 The gray hair is simply arranged and
partly veiled with black lace； which sets off her delicate； faded face to
perfection； but without
