herland(她乡)-第20节
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discover in any of the countries of which you tell us。 You have spoken〃
she turned to Jeff； 〃of Human Brotherhood as a great idea among you； but
even that I judge is far from a practical expression？〃
Jeff nodded rather sadly。 〃Very far〃 he said。
〃Here we have Human Motherhoodin full working use；〃 she
went on。 〃Nothing else except the literal sisterhood of our origin； and the
far higher and deeper union of our social growth。
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〃The children in this country are the one center and focus of all
our thoughts。 Every step of our advance is always considered in its effect
on themon the race。 You see； we are MOTHERS；〃 she repeated； as if in
that she had said it all。
〃I don't see how that factwhich is shared by all women
constitutes any risk to us；〃 Terry persisted。 〃You mean they would
defend their children from attack。 Of course。 Any mothers would。
But we are not savages； my dear lady； we are not going to hurt any
mother's child。〃
They looked at one another and shook their heads a little； but
Zava turned to Jeff and urged him to make us seesaid he seemed to
understand more fully than we did。 And he tried。
I can see it now； or at least much more of it； but it has taken me
a long time； and a good deal of honest intellectual effort。
What they call Motherhood was like this：
They began with a really high degree of social development；
something like that of Ancient Egypt or Greece。 Then they suffered the
loss of everything masculine； and supposed at first that all human power
and safety had gone too。 Then they developed this virgin birth capacity。
Then； since the prosperity of their children depended on it； the fullest and
subtlest coordination began to be practiced。
I remember how long Terry balked at the evident unanimity of
these womenthe most conspicuous feature of their whole culture。 〃It's
impossible！〃 he would insist。 〃Women cannot cooperateit's against
nature。〃
When we urged the obvious facts he would say： 〃Fiddlesticks！〃
or 〃Hang your factsI tell you it can't be done！〃 And we never
succeeded in shutting him up till Jeff dragged in the hymenoptera。
〃‘Go to the ant； thou sluggard'and learn something；〃 he said
triumphantly。 〃Don't they cooperate pretty well？ You can't beat it。
This place is just like an enormous anthillyou know an anthill is nothing
but a nursery。 And how about bees？ Don't they manage to cooperate
and love one another？
As the birds do love the SpringOr the bees their careful king；
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as that precious Constable had it。 Just show me a combination of
male creatures； bird； bug； or beast； that works as well； will you？ Or one
of our masculine countries where the people work together as well as they
do here！ I tell you； women are the natural cooperators； not men！〃
Terry had to learn a good many things he did not want to。To go
back to my little analysis of what happened：
They developed all this close inter…service in the interests of
their children。 To do the best work they had to specialize； of course； the
children needed spinners and weavers； farmers and gardeners； carpenters
and masons； as well as mothers。
Then came the filling up of the place。 When a population
multiplies by five every thirty years it soon reaches the limits of a country；
especially a small one like this。 They very soon eliminated all the
grazing cattlesheep were the last to go； I believe。 Also； they worked out a
system of intensive agriculture surpassing anything I ever heard of； with
the very forests all reset with fruit… or nut…bearing trees。
Do what they would； however； there soon came a time when
they were confronted with the problem of 〃the pressure of population〃 in
an acute form。 There was really crowding； and with it； unavoidably； a
decline in standards。
And how did those women meet it？
Not by a 〃struggle for existence〃 which would result in an
everlasting writhing mass of underbred people trying to get ahead of one
anothersome few on top； temporarily； many constantly crushed out
underneath； a hopeless substratum of paupers and degenerates； and no
serenity or peace for anyone； no possibility for really noble qualities
among the people at large。
Neither did they start off on predatory excursions to get more
land from somebody else； or to get more food from somebody else； to
maintain their struggling mass。
Not at all。 They sat down in council together and thought it out。
Very clear； strong thinkers they were。 They said： 〃With our best
endeavors this country will support about so many people； with the
standard of peace； comfort； health； beauty； and progress we demand。
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Very well。 That is all the people we will make。〃
There you have it。 You see； they were Mothers； not in our sense of
helpless involuntary fecundity； forced to fill and overfill the land； every
land； and then see their children suffer； sin； and die； fighting horribly with
one another； but in the sense of Conscious Makers of People。 Mother…
love with them was not a brute passion； a mere 〃instinct；〃 a wholly
personal feeling； it wasa religion。
It included that limitless feeling of sisterhood； that wide unity in
service； which was so difficult for us to grasp。 And it was National；
Racial； Humanoh； I don't know how to say it。
We are used to seeing what we call 〃a mother〃 completely
wrapped up in her own pink bundle of fascinating babyhood； and taking
but the faintest theoretic interest in anybody else's bundle； to say nothing
of the common needs of ALL the bundles。 But these women were working
all together at the grandest of tasksthey were Making Peopleand they
made them well。
There followed a period of 〃negative eugenics〃 which must have
been an appalling sacrifice。 We are commonly willing to 〃lay down our
lives〃 for our country； but they had to forego motherhood for their
countryand it was precisely the hardest thing for them to do。
When I got this far in my reading I went to Somel for more light。
We were as friendly by that time as I had ever been in my life with any
woman。 A mighty comfortable soul she was； giving one the nice smooth
mother…feeling a man likes in a woman； and yet giving also the clear
intelligence and dependableness I used to assume to be masculine qualities。
We had talked volumes already。
〃See here；〃 said I。 〃Here was this dreadful period when they
got far too thick； and decided to limit the population。 We have a lot of
talk about that among us； but your position is so different that I'd like to
know a little more about it。
〃I understand that you make Motherhood the highest social
service a sacrament； really； that it is only undertaken once； by the
majority of the population； that those held unfit are not allowed even that；
and that to be encouraged to bear more than one child is the very highest
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reward and honor in the power of the state。〃
（She interpolated here that the nearest approach to an aristocracy
they had was to come of a line of 〃Over Mothers〃 those who had been so
honored。）
〃But what I do not understand； naturally； is how you prevent it。 I
gathered that each
