herland(她乡)-第22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！
the mother in said baby or flock。 A motherliness which dominated
society； which influenced every art and industry； which absolutely
protected all childhood； and gave to it the most perfect care and training；
did not seem motherlyto Terry。
We had become well used to the clothes。 They were quite as
comfortable as our ownin some ways more soand undeniably better
looking。 As to pockets； they left nothing to be desired。 That second
garment was fairly quilted with pockets。 They were most ingeniously
arranged； so as to be convenient to the hand and not inconvenient to the
body； and were so placed as at once to strengthen the garment and add
decorative lines of stitching。
In this； as in so many other points we had now to observe； there
was shown the action of a practical intelligence； coupled with fine artistic
feeling； and； apparently； untrammeled by any injurious influences。
Our first step of comparative freedom was a personally
conducted tour of the country。 No pentagonal bodyguard now！ Only our
78
… Page 79…
HERLAND
special tutors； and we got on famously with them。 Jeff said he loved Zava
like an aunt〃only jollier than any aunt I ever saw〃； Somel and I were as
chummy as could bethe best of friends； but it was funny to watch Terry
and Moadine。 She was patient with him； and courteous； but it was like
the patience and courtesy of some great man； say a skilled； experienced
diplomat； with a schoolgirl。 Her grave acquiescence with his most
preposterous expression of feeling； her genial laughter； not only with； but；
I often felt； at himthough impeccably polite； her innocent questions；
which almost invariably led him to say more than he intendedJeff and I
found it all amusing to watch。
He never seemed to recognize that quiet background of
superiority。 When she dropped an argument he always thought he had
silenced her； when she laughed he thought it tribute to his wit。
I hated to admit to myself how much Terry had sunk in my
esteem。 Jeff felt it too； I am sure； but neither of us admitted it to the other。
At home we had measured him with other men； and； though we knew his
failings； he was by no means an unusual type。 We knew his virtues too；
and they had always seemed more prominent than the faults。 Measured
among womenour women at home； I meanhe had always stood high。
He was visibly popular。 Even where his habits were known； there was no
discrimination against him； in some cases his reputation for what was
felicitously termed 〃gaiety〃 seemed a special charm。
But here； against the calm wisdom and quiet restrained humor of
these women； with only that blessed Jeff and my inconspicuous self to
compare with； Terry did stand out rather strong。
As 〃a man among men；〃 he didn't； as a man amongI shall have
to say； 〃females；〃 he didn't； his intense masculinity seemed only fit
complement to their intense femininity。 But here he was all out of
drawing。
Moadine was a big woman； with a balanced strength that seldom
showed。 Her eye was as quietly watchful as a fencer's。 She maintained a
pleasant relation with her charge； but I doubt if many； even in that country；
could have done as well。
He called her 〃Maud；〃 amongst ourselves； and said she was 〃a
79
… Page 80…
HERLAND
good old soul； but a little slow〃； wherein he was quite wrong。 Needless to
say； he called Jeff's teacher 〃Java；〃 and sometimes 〃Mocha；〃 or plain
〃Coffee〃； when specially mischievous； 〃Chicory；〃 and even 〃Postum。〃
But Somel rather escaped this form of humor； save for a rather forced
〃Some 'ell。〃
〃Don't you people have but one name？〃 he asked one day； after
we had been introduced to a whole group of them； all with pleasant； few…
syllabled strange names； like the ones we knew。
〃Oh yes；〃 Moadine told him。 〃A good many of us have another；
as we get on in lifea descriptive one。 That is the name we earn。
Sometimes even that is changed； or added to； in an unusually rich life。
Such as our present Land Motherwhat you call president or king； I
believe。 She was called Mera； even as a child； that means ‘thinker。'
Later there was added DuDu…Mera the wise thinker； and now we all
know her as O…du…mera great and wise thinker。 You shall meet her。〃
〃No surnames at all then？〃 pursued Terry； with his somewhat
patronizing air。 〃No family name？〃
〃Why no；〃 she said。 〃Why should we？ We are all descended
from a common sourceall one ‘family' in reality。 You see； our
comparatively brief and limited history gives us that advantage at least。〃
〃But does not each mother want her own child to bear her
name？〃 I asked。
〃Nowhy should she？ The child has its own。〃
〃Why forfor identificationso people will know whose child
she is。〃
〃We keep the most careful records；〃 said Somel。 〃Each one of
us has our exact line of descent all the way back to our dear First Mother。
There are many reasons for doing that。 But as to everyone knowing
which child belongs to which motherwhy should she？〃
Here； as in so many other instances； we were led to feel the
difference between the purely maternal and the paternal attitude of mind。
The element of personal pride seemed strangely lacking。
〃How about your other works？〃 asked Jeff。 〃Don't you sign
your names to thembooks and statues and so on？〃
80
… Page 81…
HERLAND
〃Yes； surely； we are all glad and proud to。 Not only books and
statues； but all kinds of work。 You will find little names on the houses；
on the furniture； on the dishes sometimes。 Because otherwise one is
likely to forget； and we want to know to whom to be grateful。〃
〃You speak as if it were done for the convenience of the
consumernot the pride of the producer；〃 I suggested。
〃It's both；〃 said Somel。 〃We have pride enough in our work。〃
〃Then why not in your children？〃 urged Jeff。
〃But we have！ We're magnificently proud of them；〃 she
insisted。
〃Then why not sign 'em？〃 said Terry triumphantly。
Moadine turned to him with her slightly quizzical smile。
〃Because the finished product is not a private one。 When they are babies；
we do speak of them； at times； as ‘Essa's Lato；' or ‘Novine's Amel'； but
that is merely descriptive and conversational。 In the records； of course；
the child stands in her own line of mothers； but in dealing with it
personally it is Lato； or Amel； without dragging in its ancestors。〃
〃But have you names enough to give a new one to each child？〃
〃Assuredly we have； for each living generation。〃
Then they asked about our methods； and found first that 〃we〃
did so and so； and then that other nations did differently。 Upon which they
wanted to know which method has been proved bestand we had to admit
that so far as we knew there had been no attempt at comparison； each
people pursuing its own custom in the fond conviction of superiority； and
either despising or quite ignoring the others。
With these women the most salient quality in all their
institutions was reasonableness。 When I dug into the records to follow
out any line of development； that was the most astonishing thingthe
conscious effort to make it better。
They had early observed the value of
