the ways of men-第35节

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yed；　　or　when　there　was　no　music；　would　be　ostracized　from　polite　　society。〃

〃I　am　beginning　to　understand；〃　replied　the　Turk。　　〃The　　husbands　and　brothers　of　these　women　guard　them　very　　carefully。　　Those　men　I　see　out　there　in　the　dark　are　　doubtless　with　their　wives　and　sisters；　protecting　them　from　　the　advances　of　other　men。　　Am　I　right？〃

〃Of　course　you're　not　right；〃　I　snapped　out；　beginning　to　lose　　my　temper　at　his　obtuseness。　　〃No　husband　would　dream　of　　talking　to　his　wife　in　public；　or　of　sitting　with　her　in　a　　corner。　　Every　one　would　be　laughing　at　them。　　Nor　could　a　　sister　be　induced　to　remain　away　from　the　ball…room　with　her　　brother。　　Those　girls　are　‘sitting　out'　with　young　men　they　　like；　indulging　in　a　little　innocent　flirtation。〃

〃What　is　that？〃　he　asked。　　〃Flirtation？〃

〃An　American　custom　rather　difficult　to　explain。　　It　may；　　however；　be　roughly　defined　as　the　art　of　leading　a　man　a　long　　way　on　the　road　to　…　nowhere！〃

〃Women　flirt　with　friends　or　acquaintances；　never　with　members　　of　their　family？〃

〃The　husbands　are　those　dejected　individuals　wandering　　aimlessly　about　over　there　like　lost　souls。　　They　are　mostly　　rich　men；　who；　having　married　beautiful　girls　for　love；　wear　　themselves　out　maintaining　elaborate　and　costly　establishments　　for　them。　　In　return　for　his　labor　a　husband；　however；　enjoys　　but　little　of　his　wife's　society；　for　a　really　fashionable　　woman　can　rarely　be　induced　to　go　home　until　she　has　collapsed　　with　fatigue。　　In　consequence；　she　contributes　little　but　　‘nerves'　and　temper　to　the　household。　　Her　sweetest　smiles；　　like　her　freshest　toilets；　are　kept　for　the　public。　　The　　husband　is　the　last　person　considered　in　an　American　　household。　　If　you　doubt　what　I　say；　look　behind　you。　　There　　is　a　newly　married　man　speaking　with　his　wife；　and　trying　to　　persuade　her　to　leave　before　the　cotillion　begins。　　Notice　his　　apologetic　air！　　He　knows　he　is　interrupting　a　tender　　conversation　and　taking　an　unwarrantable　liberty。　　Nothing　　short　of　extreme　fatigue　would　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　degustat