the ways of men-第30节

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ry　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。　　Life　is　full　of　delicious　　possibilities　for　her。　　Men　who　are　forced　to　make　their　way　　in　youth　often　turn　out　to　be　those　who　make　〃history〃　later；　　and　a　bride　who　has　not　become　prematurely　BLASEE　to　all　the　　luxuries　or　pleasures　of　existence　will　know　the　greatest　　happiness　that　can　come　into　a　woman's　life；　that　of　rising　at　　her　husband's　side；　step　by　step；　enjoying　his　triumphs　as　she　　shared　his　poverty。




Chapter　25　…　La　Comedie　Francaise　a　Orange


IDLING　up　through　the　south　of　France；　in　company　with　a　　passionate　lover　of　that　fair　land；　we　learned　on　arriving　at　　Lyons；　that　the　actors　of　the　Comedie　Francaise　were　to　pass　　through　there　the　next　day；　EN　ROUTE　for　Orange；　where　a　　series　of　fetes　had　been　arranged　by　〃Les　Felibres。〃　　This　　society；　composed　of　the　writers　and　poets　of　Provence；　have　　the　preservation　of　the　Roman　theatre　at　Orange　（perhaps　the　　most　perfect　specimen　of　classical　theatrical　architecture　in　　existence）　profoundly　at　heart；　their　hope　being　to　restore　　some　of　its　pristine　beauty　to　the　ruin；　and　give　from　time　to　　time　performances　of　the　Greek　masterpieces　on　its　disused　　stage。

The　money　obtained　by　these　representations　will　be　spent　in　　the　restoration　of　the　theatre；　and　it　is　expected　in　time　to　　make　Orange　the　centre　of　classic　drama；　as　Beyreuth　is　that　　of　Wagnerian　music。

At　Lyons；　the　CORTEGE　was　to　leave　the　Paris　train　and　take　　boats　down　the　Rhone；　to　their　destination。　　Their　programme　　was　so　tempting　that　the　offer　of　places　in　one　of　the　craft　　was　enough　to　lure　us　away　from　our　prearranged　route。

By　eight　o'clock　the　following　morning；　we　were　on　foot；　as　　was　apparently　the　entire　city。　　A　cannon　fired　from　Fort　　Lamothe　gave　the　signal　of　our　start。　　The　river；　covered　with　　a　thousand　gayly　decorated　craft；　glinted　and　glittered　in　the　　morning　light。　　It　world　be　difficult　to　forget　that　scene；　…　　the　banks　of　the　Rhone　were　lined　with　the　rural　population；　　who　had　come　miles　in　every　direction　to　acclaim　the　passage　　of　their　poets。

Everywhere　along　our　route　the　houses　were　gayly　decorated　and　　arches　of　flowers　had　been　erected。　　We　float　past　Vienne；　a　　city　once　governed　by　Pontius　Pilate；　and　Tournon；　with　its　　feudal　chateau；　blue　in　the　distance；　then　Saint　Peray；　on　a　　verdant　vine…clad　slope。　　As　we　pass　under　the　bridge　at　　Montelimar；　an　avalanche　of　flowers　descends　on　us　from　above。

The　rapid　current　of　the　river　soon　brings　our　flotilla　　opposite　Vivier；　whose　Gothic　cathedral　bathes　its　feet　in　the　　Rhone。　　Saint　Esprit　and　its　antique　bridge　appear　next　on　the　　horizon。　　Tradition　asserts　that　the　Holy　Spirit；　disguised　as　　a　stone　mason；　directed　its　construction；　there　were　thirteen　　workmen　each　day；　but　at　sunset；　when　the　men　gathered　to　be　　paid；　but　twelve　could　be　counted。

Here　the　mayor　and　the　municipal　council　were　to　have　received　　us　and　delivered　an　address；　but　were　not　on　hand。　　We　could　　see　the　tardy　CORTEGE　hastening　towards　the　bridge　as　we　shot　　away　down　stream。

On　nearing　Orange；　the　banks　and　quays　of　the　river　are　alive　　with　people。　　The　high　road；　parallel　with　the　stream；　is　　alive　with　a　many…colored　throng。　　On　all　sides　one　hears　the　　language　of　Mistral；　and　recognizes　the　music　of　Mireille　sung　　by　these　pilgrims　to　an　artistic　Mecca；　where　a　miracle　is　to　　be　performed　…　and　classic　art　called　forth　from　its　winding…　sheet。

The　population　of　a　whole　region　is　astir　under　the　ardent　　Provencal　sun；　to　witness　a　resurrection　of　the　Drama　in　the　　historic　valley　of　the　Rhone；　through　whose　channel　the　　civilization　and　art　and　culture　of　the　old　world　floated　up　　into　Europe　to　the　ceaseless　cry　of　the　CIGALES。

Chateaurenard！　our　water　journey　is　ended。　　Through　the　leafy　　avenues　that　lead　to　Orange；　we　see　the　arch　of　Marius　and　the　　gigantic　proscenium　of　the　theatre；　rising　above　the　roofs　of　

the　little　city。

So　few　of　our　compatriots　linger　in　the　south　of　France　after　　the　spring　has　set　in；　or　wander　in　the　by…ways　of　that　　inexhaustible　country；　that　a　word　about　the　representations　　at　Orange　may　be　of　interest；　and　perchance　create　a　desire　to　　see　the　masterpieces　of　classic　drama　（the　common　inheritance　　of　all　civilized　races）　revived　with　us；　and　our　stage　put　to　　its　legitimate　use；　cultivating　and　elevating　the　taste　of　the　　people。

One　would　so　gladly　see　a　little　of　the　money　that　is　　generously　given　for　music　used　to　revive　in　America　a　love　　for　the　classic　drama。

We　are　certainly　not　inferior　to　our　neighbors　in　culture　or　　appreciation；　and　yet　such　a　performance　as　I　witnessed　at　　Orange　（laying　aside　the　enchantment　lent　by　the　surroundings）　　would　not　be　possible　here。　　Why？　　But　to　return　to　my　　narrative。

The　sun　is　setting　as　we　toil；　ticket　in　hand；　up　the　Roman　　stairway　to　the　upper　rows　of　seats；　far　below　the　local　　GENDARMERIE　who　mostly　understand　their　orders　backwards　are　　struggling　with　the　throng；　whose　entrance　they　are　apparently　　obstructing　by　every　means　in　their　power。　　Once　seated；　and　　having　a　wait　of　an　hour　before　us；　we　amused　ourselves　　watching　the　crowd　filling　in　every　corner　of　the　vast　　building；　like　a　rising　tide　of　multi…colored　water。

We　had　purposely　chosen　places　on　the　highest　and　most　remote　　benches；　to　test　the　vaunted　acoustic　qualities　of　the　　auditorium；　and　to　obtain　a　view　of　the　half…circle　of　　humanity；　the　gigantic　wall　back　of　the　stage；　and　the　　surrounding　country。

As　day　softened　into　twilight；　and　twilight　deepened　into　a　　luminous　Southern　night；　the　effect　was　incomparable。　　The　　belfries　and　roofs　of　mediaeval　Orange　rose　in　the　clear　air；　　overtopping　the　half　ruined　theatre　in　many　places。　　The　arch　　of　Marius　gleamed　white　against　the　surrounding　hills；　　themselves　violet　and　purple　in　the　sunset；　their　shadow　　broken　here　and　there　by　the　outline　of　a　crumbling　chateau　or　　the　lights　of　a　village。

Behind　us　the　sentries　paced　along　the　wall；　wrapped　in　their　　dark　cloaks；　and　over　all　the　scene；　one　snowtopped　peak　rose　　white　on　the　horizon；　like　some　classic　virgin　assisting　at　an　　Olympian　solemnity。

On　the　stage