herland(她乡)-第18节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
essential to the real fulfillment of their great process。 But Terry came to
no such conclusion。
〃Just you wait till I get out！〃 he muttered。
Then we both cautioned him。 〃Look here； Terry； my boy！
You be careful！ They've been mighty good to usbut do you remember
the anesthesia？ If you do any mischief in this virgin land； beware of the
vengeance of the Maiden Aunts！ Come； be a man！ It won't be forever。〃
To return to the history：
They began at once to plan and built for their children； all the
strength and intelligence of the whole of them devoted to that one thing。
Each girl； of course； was reared in full knowledge of her Crowning Office；
and they had； even then； very high ideas of the molding powers of the
mother； as well as those of education。
Such high ideals as they had！ Beauty； Health； Strength；
Intellect； Goodnessfor those they prayed and worked。
They had no enemies； they themselves were all sisters and
friends。 The land was fair before them； and a great future began to form
itself in their minds。
The religion they had to begin with was much like that of old
Greecea number of gods and goddesses； but they lost all interest in
deities of war and plunder； and gradually centered on their Mother
63
… Page 64…
HERLAND
Goddess altogether。 Then； as they grew more intelligent； this had turned
into a sort of Maternal Pantheism。
Here was Mother Earth； bearing fruit。 All that they ate was
fruit of motherhood； from seed or egg or their product。 By motherhood
they were born and by motherhood they livedlife was； to them； just the
long cycle of motherhood。
But very early they recognized the need of improvement as well
as of mere repetition； and devoted their combined intelligence to that
problemhow to make the best kind of people。 First this was merely the
hope of bearing better ones； and then they recognized that however the
children differed at birth； the real growth lay laterthrough education。
Then things began to hum。
As I learned more and more to appreciate what these women had
accomplished； the less proud I was of what we； with all our manhood； had
done。
You see； they had had no wars。 They had had no kings； and no
priests； and no aristocracies。 They were sisters； and as they grew； they
grew togethernot by competition； but by united action。
We tried to put in a good word for competition； and they were
keenly interested。 Indeed； we soon found from their earnest questions of
us that they were prepared to believe our world must be better than theirs。
They were not sure； they wanted to know； but there was no such arrogance
about them as might have been expected。
We rather spread ourselves； telling of the advantages of
competition： how it developed fine qualities； that without it there would
be 〃no stimulus to industry。〃 Terry was very strong on that point。
〃No stimulus to industry；〃 they repeated； with that puzzled look
we had learned to know so well。 〃STIMULUS？ TO INDUSTRY？
But don't you LIKE to work？〃
〃No man would work unless he had to；〃 Terry declared。
〃Oh； no MAN！ You mean that is one of your sex distinctions？〃
〃No； indeed！〃 he said hastily。 〃No one； I mean； man or woman；
would work without incentive。 Competition is thethe motor power； you
see。〃
64
… Page 65…
HERLAND
〃It is not with us；〃 they explained gently； 〃so it is hard for us to
understand。 Do you mean； for instance； that with you no mother would
work for her children without the stimulus of competition？〃
No； he admitted that he did not mean that。 Mothers； he
supposed； would of course work for their children in the home； but the
world's work was differentthat had to be done by men； and required the
competitive element。
All our teachers were eagerly interested。
〃We want so much to knowyou have the whole world to tell us
of； and we have only our little land！ And there are two of youthe two
sexes to love and help one another。 It must be a rich and wonderful
world。 Tell uswhat is the work of the world； that men dowhich we have
not here？〃
〃Oh； everything；〃 Terry said grandly。 〃The men do everything；
with us。〃 He squared his broad shoulders and lifted his chest。 〃We do not
allow our women to work。 Women are lovedidolizedhonoredkept in
the home to care for the children。〃
〃What is ‘the home'？〃 asked Somel a little wistfully。
But Zava begged： 〃Tell me first； do NO women work； really？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 Terry admitted。 〃Some have to； of the poorer
sort。〃
〃About how manyin your country？〃
〃About seven or eight million；〃 said Jeff； as mischievous as
ever。
65
… Page 66…
HERLAND
CHAPTER 6
Comparisons Are Odious
I had always been proud of my country； of course。 Everyone is。
Compared with the other lands and other races I knew； the United States of
America had always seemed to me； speaking modestly； as good as the best
of them。
But just as a clear…eyed； intelligent； perfectly honest； and well…
meaning child will frequently jar one's self…esteem by innocent questions；
so did these women； without the slightest appearance of malice or satire；
continually bring up points of discussion which we spent our best efforts
in evading。
Now that we were fairly proficient in their language； had read a
lot about their history； and had given them the general outlines of ours；
they were able to press their questions closer。
So when Jeff admitted the number of 〃women wage earners〃 we
had； they instantly asked for the total population； for the proportion of
adult women； and found that there were but twenty million or so at the
outside。
〃Then at least a third of your women arewhat is it you call
themwage earners？ And they are all POOR。 What is POOR；
exactly？〃
〃Ours is the best country in the world as to poverty；〃 Terry told
them。 〃We do not have the wretched paupers and beggars of the older
countries； I assure you。 Why； European visitors tell us； we don't know
what poverty is。〃
〃Neither do we；〃 answered Zava。 〃Won't you tell us？〃
Terry put it up to me； saying I was the sociologist； and I
explained that the laws of nature require a struggle for existence； and that
in the struggle the fittest survive； and the unfit perish。 In our economic
struggle； I continued； there was always plenty of opportunity for the fittest
to reach the top； which they did； in great numbers； particularly in our
country； that where there was severe economic pressure the lowest classes
66
… Page 67…
HERLAND
of course felt it the worst； and that among the poorest of all the women
were driven into the labor market by necessity。
They listened closely； with the usual note…taking。
〃About one…third； then； belong to the poorest class；〃 observed
Moadine gravely。 〃And two…thirds are the ones who are how was it you
so beautifully put it？‘loved； honored； kept in the home to care for the
children。' This inferior one…third have no children； I suppose？〃
Jeffhe was getting as bad as they weresolemnly replied that；
on the contrary； the poorer they were； the more children they had。 That too；
he explained； was a law of nature： 〃Reproduction is in inverse proportion
to individuation。〃
〃The
