worldly ways and byways-第2节

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day。　　That　ungrateful　task　I　leave　to　sterner　moralists；　and　

hopeful　souls　who　naively　imagine　they　can　stem　the　current　of　an　

epoch　with　the　barrier　of　their　eloquence；　or　sweep　back　an　ocean　

of　innovations　by　their　logic。　　I　should　like；　however；　to　ask　my　

sisters　one　question：　Are　they　quite　sure　that　women　gain　by　these　

changes？　　Do　they　imagine；　these　〃sporty〃　young　females　in　short…

cut　skirts　and　mannish　shirts　and　ties；　that　it　is　seductive　to　a　

lover；　or　a　husband　to　see　his　idol　in　a　violent　perspiration；　her　

draggled　hair　blowing　across　a　sunburned　face；　panting　up　a　long　

hill　in　front　of　him　on　a　bicycle；　frantic　at　having　lost　her　race？　　

Shade　of　gentle　William！　who　said





A　woman　moved；　is　like　a　fountain　troubled；　…

Muddy；　ill…seeming；　thick；　bereft　of　beauty。

And　while　it　is　so；　none　so　dry　or　thirsty

Will　deign　to　sip　or　touch　one　drop　of　it。





Is　the　modern　girl　under　the　impression　that　men　will　be　contented　

with　poor　imitations　of　themselves；　to　share　their　homes　and　be　the　

mothers　of　their　children？　　She　is　throwing　away　the　substance　for　

the　shadow！



The　moment　women　step　out　from　the　sanctuary　of　their　homes；　the　

glamour　that　girlhood　or　maternity　has　thrown　around　them　cast　

aside；　that　moment　will　they　cease　to　rule　mankind。　　Women　may　

agitate　until　they　have　obtained　political　recognition；　but　will　

awake　from　their　foolish　dream　of　power；　realizing　too　late　what　

they　have　sacrificed　to　obtain　it；　that　the　price　has　been　very　

heavy；　and　the　fruit　of　their　struggles　bitter　on　their　lips。



There　are　few　men；　I　imagine；　of　my　generation　to　whom　the　words　

〃home〃　and　〃mother〃　have　not　a　penetrating　charm；　who　do　not　look　

back　with　softened　heart　and　tender　thoughts　to　fireside　scenes　of　

evening　readings　and　twilight　talks　at　a　mother's　knee；　realizing　

that　the　best　in　their　natures　owes　its　growth　to　these　influences。



I　sometimes　look　about　me　and　wonder　what　the　word　〃mother〃　will　

mean　later；　to　modern　little　boys。　　It　will　evoke；　I　fear；　a　

confused　remembrance　of　some　centaur…like　being；　half　woman；　half　

wheel；　or　as　it　did　to　neglected　little　Rawdon　Crawley；　the　vision　

of　a　radiant　creature　in　gauze　and　jewels；　driving　away　to　endless　

FETES　…　FETES　followed　by　long　mornings；　when　he　was　told　not　to　

make　any　noise；　or　play　too　loudly；　〃as　poor　mamma　is　resting。〃　　

What　other　memories　can　the　〃successful〃　woman　of　to…day　hope　to　

leave　in　the　minds　of　her　children？　　If　the　child　remembers　his　

mother　in　this　way；　will　not　the　man　who　has　known　and　perhaps　

loved　her；　feel　the　same　sensation　of　empty　futility　when　her　name　

is　mentioned？



The　woman　who　proposes　a　game　of　cards　to　a　youth　who　comes　to　pass　

an　hour　in　her　society；　can　hardly　expect　him　to　carry　away　a　

particularly　tender　memory　of　her　as　he　leaves　the　house。　　The　girl　

who　has　rowed；　ridden；　or　raced　at　a　man's　side　for　days；　with　the　

object　of　getting　the　better　of　him　at　some　sport　or　pastime；　

cannot　reasonably　hope　to　be　connected　in　his　thoughts　with　ideas　

more　tender　or　more　elevated　than　〃odds〃　or　〃handicaps；〃　with　an　

undercurrent　of　pique　if　his　unsexed　companion　has　〃downed〃　him　

successfully。



What　man；　unless　he　be　singularly　dissolute　or　unfortunate；　but　

turns　his　steps；　when　he　can；　towards　some　dainty　parlor　where　he　

is　sure　of　finding　a　smiling；　soft…voiced　woman；　whose　welcome　he　

knows　will　soothe　his　irritated　nerves　and　restore　the　even　balance　

of　his　temper；　whose　charm　will　work　its　subtle　way　into　his　

troubled　spirit？　　The　wife　he　loves；　or　the　friend　he　admires　and　

respects；　will　do　more　for　him　in　one　such　quiet　hour　when　two　

minds　commune；　coming　closer　to　the　real　man；　and　moving　him　to　

braver　efforts；　and　nobler　aims；　than　all　the　beauties　and　〃sporty〃　

acquaintances　of　a　lifetime。　　No　matter　what　a　man's　education　or　

taste　is；　none　are　insensible　to　such　an　atmosphere　or　to　the　grace　

and　witchery　a　woman　can　lend　to　the　simplest　surroundings。　　She　

need　not　be　beautiful　or　brilliant　to　hold　him　in　lifelong　

allegiance；　if　she　but　possess　this　magnetism。



Madame　Recamier　was　a　beautiful；　but　not　a　brilliant　woman；　yet　she　

held　men　her　slaves　for　years。　　To　know　her　was　to　fall　under　her　

charm；　and　to　feel　it　once　was　to　remain　her　adorer　for　life。　　She　

will　go　down　to　history　as　the　type　of　a　fascinating　woman。　　Being　

asked　once　by　an　acquaintance　what　spell　she　worked　on　mankind　that　

enabled　her　to　hold　them　for　ever　at　her　feet；　she　laughingly　

answered：



〃I　have　always　found　two　words　sufficient。　　When　a　visitor　comes　

into　my　salon；　I　say；　'ENFIN！'　and　when　he　gets　up　to　go　away；　I　

say；　'DEJA！'　〃



〃What　is　this　wonderful　'charm'　he　is　writing　about？〃　　I　hear　some　

sprightly　maiden　inquire　as　she　reads　these　lines。　　My　dear　young　

lady；　if　you　ask　the　question；　you　have　judged　yourself　and　been　

found　wanting。　　But　to　satisfy　you　as　far　as　I　can；　I　will　try　and　

define　it　…　not　by　telling　you　what　it　is；　that　is　beyond　my　power　

…　but　by　negatives；　the　only　way　in　which　subtle　subjects　can　be　

approached。



A　woman　of　charm　is　never　flustered　and　never　DISTRAITE。　　She　talks　

little；　and　rarely　of　herself；　remembering　that　bores　are　persons　

who　insist　on　talking　about　themselves。　　She　does　not　break　the　

thread　of　a　conversation　by　irrelevant　questions　or　confabulate　in　

an　undertone　with　the　servants。　　No　one　of　her　guests　receives　more　

of　her　attention　than　another　and　none　are　neglected。　　She　offers　

to　each　one　who　speaks　the　homage　of　her　entire　attention。　　She　

never　makes　an　effort　to　be　brilliant　or　entertain　with　her　wit。　　

She　is　far　too　clever　for　that。　　Neither　does　she　volunteer　

information　nor　converse　about　her　troubles　or　her　ailments；　nor　

wander　off　into　details　about　people　you　do　not　know。



She　is　all　things　…　to　each　man　she　likes；　in　the　best　sense　of　

that　phrase；　appreciating　his　qualities；　stimulating　him　to　better　

things。





…　for　his　gayer　hours

She　has　a　voice　of　gladness　and　a　smile　and　eloquence　of　beauty；　

and　she　glides

Into　his　darker　musings　with　a　mild　and　healing　sympathy　that　

steals　away

Their　sharpness　ere　he　is　aware。









CHAPTER　2　…　The　Moth　and　the　Star





THE　truth　of　the　saying　that　〃it　is　always　the　unexpected　that　

happens；〃　receives　in　this　country　a　confirmation　from　an　unlooked…

for　quarter；　as　does　the　fact　of　human　nature　being　always；　

discouragingly；　the　same　in　spite　of　varied　surroundings。　　This　

sounds　like　a　paradox；　but　is　an　exceedingly　simple　statement　

easily　proved。



That　the　great　mass　of　Americans；　drawn　as　they　are　from　such　

varied　sources；　should　take　any　interest　in　the　comings　and　goings　

or　social　doings　of　a　small　set　of　wealthy　and　fashionable　people；　

is　certainly　an　unexpected　development。　　That　to　read　of　the　

amusements　and　home　life　of　a　clique　of　people　with　whom　they　have　

little　in　common；　whose　whole　education　and　point　of　view　are　

different　from　their　own；　and　whom　they　have　rarely　seen　and　never　

expect　to　meet；　should　afford　the　average　citizen　any　amusement　

seems　little　short　of　impossible。



One　accepts　as　a　natural　sequence　that　abroad　（where　an　hereditary　

nobility　have　ruled　for　centuries；　and　accustomed　the　people　to　

look　up　to　them　as　the　visible　embodiment　of　all　that　is　splendid　

and　unattainable　in　life）　such　interest　should　exist。　　That　the　

home…coming　of　an　English　or　French　nobleman　to　his　estates　should　

excite　the　enthusiasm　of　hundreds　more　or　less　dependent　upon　him　

for　their　amusement　or　more　material　advantages；　that　his　marriage　

to　an　heiress　…　meaning　to　them　the　re…opening　of　a　long…closed　

CHATEAU　and　the　beginning　of　a　period　of　prosperity　for　the　

district　…　should　excite　his　neighbors　is　not　to　be　wondered　at。



It　is　well　known　that　whole　regions　have　been　made　prosperous　by　

the　residence　of　a　court；　witness　the　wealth　and　trade　brought　into　

Scotland　by　the　Queen's　preference　for　〃the　Land　of　Cakes；〃　and　the　

discontent　and　poverty　in　Ireland　from　absenteeism　and　persistent　

avoidance　of　that　country　by　the　court。　　But　in　this　land；　where　

every　reason　for　interesting　one　class　in　another　seems　lacking；　

that　thousands　of　well…to…do　people　（half　the　time　not　born　in　this　

hemisphere）；　should　delightedly　devour　columns　of　incorrect　

information　about　New　York　dances　and　Lenox　house…parties；　winter　

cruises；　or　Newport　coaching　parades；　strikes　the　observer　as　the　

〃unexpected〃　in　its　purest　form。



That　this　interest　exists　is　absolutely　certain。　　During　a　trip　in　

the　West；　some　seasons　ago；　I　was　dumbfounded　to　find　that　the　

members　of　a　certain　New　York　set　were　familiarly　spoken　of　by　

their　first　names；　and　was　assailed　with　all　sorts　of　eager　

questions　when　it　was　discovered　that　I　knew　them。　　A　certain　young　

lady；　at　that　time　a　belle　in　New　York；　wa