herland(她乡)-第26节
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flush； not with drooped eyelids and inviting timidity； but with anger and a
quick lift of the head。 Girl after girl turned on her heel and left him； till
he had but a small ring of questioners； and they； visibly； were the least
〃girlish〃 of the lot。
I saw him looking pleased at first； as if he thought he was
making a strong impression； but； finally； casting a look at Jeff； or me； he
seemed less pleasedand less。
As for me； I was most agreeably surprised。 At home I never
was 〃popular。〃 I had my girl friends； good ones； but they were friends
nothing else。 Also they were of somewhat the same clan； not popular in
the sense of swarming admirers。 But here； to my astonishment； I found
my crowd was the largest。
I have to generalize； of course； rather telescoping many
impressions； but the first evening was a good sample of the impression we
made。 Jeff had a following； if I may call it that； of the more sentimental
though that's not the word I want。 The less practical； perhaps； the girls
who were artists of some sort； ethicists； teachersthat kind。
Terry was reduced to a rather combative group： keen； logical；
inquiring minds； not overly sensitive； the very kind he liked least； while；
as for meI became quite cocky over my general popularity。
Terry was furious about it。 We could hardly blame him。
〃Girls！〃 he burst forth； when that evening was over and we were
by ourselves once more。 〃Call those GIRLS！〃
〃Most delightful girls； I call them；〃 said Jeff； his blue eyes
dreamily contented。
〃What do YOU call them？〃 I mildly inquired。
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〃Boys！ Nothing but boys； most of 'em。 A standoffish；
disagreeable lot at that。 Critical； impertinent youngsters。 No girls at
all。〃
He was angry and severe； not a little jealous； too； I think。
Afterward； when he found out just what it was they did not like； he
changed his manner somewhat and got on better。 He had to。 For； in spite
of his criticism； they were girls； and； furthermore； all the girls there were！
Always excepting our three！with whom we presently renewed our
acquaintance。
When it came to courtship； which it soon did； I can of course
best describe my ownand am least inclined to。 But of Jeff I heard
somewhat； he was inclined to dwell reverently and admiringly； at some
length； on the exalted sentiment and measureless perfection of his Celis；
and TerryTerry made so many false starts and met so many rebuffs； that
by the time he really settled down to win Alima； he was considerably
wiser。 At that； it was not smooth sailing。 They broke and quarreled； over
and over； he would rush off to console himself with some other fair one
the other fair one would have none of himand he would drift back to
Alima； becoming more and more devoted each time。
She never gave an inch。 A big； handsome creature； rather
exceptionally strong even in that race of strong women； with a proud head
and sweeping level brows that lined across above her dark eager eyes like
the wide wings of a soaring hawk。
I was good friends with all three of them but best of all with
Ellador； long before that feeling changed； for both of us。
From her； and from Somel； who talked very freely with me； I
learned at last something of the viewpoint of Herland toward its visitors。
Here they were； isolated； happy； contented； when the booming
buzz of our biplane tore the air above them。
Everybody heard itsaw itfor miles and miles； word flashed
all over the country； and a council was held in every town and village。
And this was their rapid determination：
〃From another country。 Probably men。 Evidently highly
civilized。 Doubtless possessed of much valuable knowledge。 May be
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dangerous。 Catch them if possible； tame and train them if necessary This
may be a chance to re…establish a bi…sexual state for our people。〃
They were not afraid of usthree million highly intelligent
womenor two million； counting only grown…upswere not likely to be
afraid of three young men。 We thought of them as 〃Women；〃 and
therefore timid； but it was two thousand years since they had had anything
to be afraid of； and certainly more than one thousand since they had
outgrown the feeling。
We thoughtat least Terry didthat we could have our pick of
them。 They thoughtvery cautiously and farsightedlyof picking us； if it
seemed wise。
All that time we were in training they studied us； analyzed us；
prepared reports about us； and this information was widely disseminated
all about the land。
Not a girl in that country had not been learning for months as
much as could be gathered about our country； our culture； our personal
characters。 No wonder their questions were hard to answer。 But I am
sorry to say； when we were at last brought out andexhibited （I hate to
call it that； but that's what it was）； there was no rush of takers。 Here was
poor old Terry fondly imagining that at last he was free to stray in 〃a
rosebud garden of girls〃and behold！ the rosebuds were all with keen
appraising eye； studying us。
They were interested； profoundly interested； but it was not the
kind of interest we were looking for。
To get an idea of their attitude you have to hold in mind their
extremely high sense of solidarity。 They were not each choosing a lover；
they hadn't the faintest idea of lovesex…love； that is。 These girlsto each
of whom motherhood was a lodestar； and that motherhood exalted above a
mere personal function； looked forward to as the highest social service； as
the sacrament of a lifetimewere now confronted with an opportunity to
make the great step of changing their whole status； of reverting to their
earlier bi…sexual order of nature。
Beside this underlying consideration there was the limitless
interest and curiosity in our civilization； purely impersonal； and held by an
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order of mind beside which we were likeschoolboys。
It was small wonder that our lectures were not a success； and
none at all that our； or at least Terry's； advances were so ill received。 The
reason for my own comparative success was at first far from pleasing to
my pride。
〃We like you the best；〃 Somel told me； 〃because you seem more
like us。〃
〃More like a lot of women！〃 I thought to myself disgustedly； and
then remembered how little like 〃women；〃 in our derogatory sense； they
were。 She was smiling at me； reading my thought。
〃We can quite see that we do not seem likewomento you。 Of
course； in a bi…sexual race the distinctive feature of each sex must be
intensified。 But surely there are characteristics enough which belong to
People； aren't there？ That's what I mean about you being more like us
more like People。 We feel at ease with you。〃
Jeff's difficulty was his exalted gallantry。 He idealized women；
and was always looking for a chance to 〃protect〃 or to 〃serve〃 them。
These needed neither protection nor service。 They were living in peace
and power and plenty； we were their guests； their prisoners； absolutely
dependent。
Of course we could promise whatsoever we might of advantages；
if they would come to our country； but the more we knew of theirs； the
less we
