the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第9节
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In Japan the study of the classics was never pursued professionally。 It
was； however； prosecuted with much zeal en amateur。 The Chinese
bureaucratic system has been wanting。 For in spite of her students； until
within thirty years Japan slumbered still in the Knight…time of the Middle
Ages； and so long as a man carried about with him continually two
beautiful swords he felt it incumbent upon him to use them。 The happy
days of knight…errantry have passed。 These same cavaliers of Samurai
are now thankful to police the streets in spectacles necessitated by the too
diligent study of German text； and arrest chance disturbers of the public
peace for a miserably small salary per month。
Our youth has now reached the flowering season of life； that brief May
time when the whole world takes on the rose…tint； and when by all
dramatic laws he ought to fall in love。 He does nothing of the kind。
Sad to say； he is a stranger to the feeling。 Love； as we understand the
word； is a thing unknown to the Far East； fortunately； indeed； for the
possession there of the tender passion would be worse than useless。 Its
indulgence would work no end of disturbance to the community at large；
beside entailing much misery upon its individual victim。 Its exercise
would probably be classed with kleptomania and other like excesses of
purely personal consideration。 The community could never permit the
practice； for it strikes at the very root of their whole social system。
The immense loss in happiness to these people in consequence of the
omission by the too parsimonious Fates of that thread； which； with us；
spins the whole of woman's web of life； and at least weaves the warp of
man's； is but incidental to the present subject； the effect of the loss upon
the individuality of the person himself is what concerns us now。
If there is one moment in a man's life when his interest for the world at
large pales before the engrossing character of his own emotions； it is
assuredly when that man first falls in love。 Then； if never before； the world
within excludes the world without。 For of all our human passions none is
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The Soul of the Far East
so isolating as the tenderest。 To shut that one other being in； we must of
necessity shut all the rest of mankind out； and we do so with a reckless
trust in our own self…sufficiency which has about it a touch of the sublime。
The other millions are as though they were not； and we two are alone in
the earth； which suddenly seems to have grown unprecedentedly beautiful。
Indeed； it only needs such judicious depopulation to make of any spot an
Eden。 Perhaps the early Jewish myth…makers had some such thought in
mind when they wrote their idyl of the cosmogony。 The human traits are
true to…day。 Then at last our souls throw aside their conventional
wrappings to stand revealed as they really are。 Certain of comprehension；
the thoughts we have never dared breathe to any one before； find a tongue
for her who seems fore…destined to understand。 The long…closed
floodgates of feeling are thrown wide； and our personality； pent up from
the time of its inception for very mistrust； sweeps forth in one
uncontrollable rush。 For then the most reticent becomes confiding； the
most self…contained expands。 Then every detail of our past lives assumes
an importance which even we had not divined。 To her we tell them all；
our boyish beliefs； our youthful fancies； the foolish with the fine； the witty
with the wise； the little with the great。 Nothing then seems quite
unworthy； as nothing seems quite worthy enough。 Flowers and weeds
that we plucked upon our pathway； we heap them in her lap； certain that
even the poorest will not be tossed aside。 Small wonder that we bring as
many as we may when she bends her head so lovingly to each。
As our past rises in reminiscence with all its oldtime reality； no less
clearly does our future stand out to us in mirage。 What we would be
seems as realizable as what we were。 Seen by another beside ourselves；
our castles in the air take on something of the substance of stereoscopic
sight。 Our airiest fancies seem solid facts for their reality to her； and
gilded by lovelight； they glitter and sparkle like a true palace of the East。
For once all is possible； nothing lies beyond our reach。 And as we talk；
and she listens； we two seem to be floating off into an empyrean of our
own like the summer clouds above our heads； as they sail dreamily on into
the far…away depths of the unfathomable sky。
It would be more than mortal not to believe in ourselves when another
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The Soul of the Far East
believes so absolutely in us。 Our most secret thoughts are no longer
things to be ashamed of； for she has sanctioned them。 Whatever doubt may
have shadowed us as to our own imaginings disappears before the smile of
her appreciation。 That her appreciation may be prejudiced is not a
possibility we think of then。 She understands us； or seems to do so to our
own better understanding of ourselves。 Happy the man who is thus
understood！ Happy even he who imagines that he is； because of her eager
wish to comprehend； fortunate； indeed； if in this one respect he never
comes to see too clearly。
No such blissful infatuation falls to the lot of the Far Oriental。 He
never is the dupe of his own desire； the willing victim of his self…illusion。
He is never tempted to reveal himself； and by thus revealing； realize。 No
loving appreciation urges him on toward the attainment of his own ideal。
That incitement to be what he would seem to be； to become what she
deems becoming； he fails to feel。 Custom has so far fettered fancy that
even the wish to communicate has vanished。 He has now nothing to tell；
she needs no ear to hear。 For she is not his love； she is only his wife；what
is left of a romance when the romance is left out。 Worse still； she never
was anything else。 He has not so much as a memory of her； for he did
not marry her for love； he may not love of his own accord； nor for the
matter of that does he wish to do so。 If by some mischance he should so
far forget to forget himself； it were much better for him had he not done so；
for the choice of a bride is not his； nor of a bridegroom hers。 Marriage to
a Far Oriental is the most important mercantile transaction of his whole
life。 It is； therefore； far too weighty a matter to be entrusted to his
youthful indiscretion； for although the person herself is of lamentably little
account in the bargain； the character of her worldly circumstances is most
material to it。 So she is contracted for with the same care one would
exercise in the choice of any staple business commodity。 The particular
sample is not vital to the trade； but the grade of goods is。 She is selected
much as the bride of the Vicar of Wakefield chose her wedding…gown；
only that the one was at least cut to suit； while the other is not。 It is
certainly easier； if less fitting； to get a wife as some people do clothes； not
to their own order； but ready made； all the more reason when the bargain
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The Soul of the Far East
is for one's son； not one's self。 So the Far East； which looks at the thing
from a strictly paternal standpoint and ignores such trifles as personal
preferences； takes its boy to the broker's and fits him out。 That the object
of such parental care does not end by murdering his unfortunate spouse or
making way with himself sugg
