herland(她乡)-第28节
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work。
She looked out across the fields to where some women were
working； building a new bit of wall out of large stones； looked back at the
nearest town with its woman…built houses； down at the smooth； hard road
we were walking on； and then at the little basket he had taken from her。
〃I don't understand；〃 she said quite sweetly。 〃Are the women
in your country so weak that they could not carry such a thing as that？〃
〃It is a convention；〃 he said。 〃We assume that motherhood is a
sufficient burdenthat men should carry all the others。〃
〃What a beautiful feeling！〃 she said； her blue eyes shining。
〃Does it work？〃 asked Alima； in her keen； swift way。 〃Do all
men in all countries carry everything？ Or is it only in yours？〃
〃Don't be so literal；〃 Terry begged lazily。 〃Why aren't you
willing to be worshipped and waited on？ We like to do it。〃
〃You don't like to have us do it to you；〃 she answered。
〃That's different；〃 he said； annoyed； and when she said； 〃Why is
it？〃 he quite sulked； referring her to me； saying； 〃Van's the philosopher。〃
Ellador and I talked it all out together； so that we had an easier
experience of it when the real miracle time came。 Also； between us； we
made things clearer to Jeff and Celis。 But Terry would not listen to
reason。
He was madly in love with Alima。 He wanted to take her by
storm； and nearly lost her forever。
You see； if a man loves a girl who is in the first place young and
inexperienced； who in the second place is educated with a background of
caveman tradition； a middle…ground of poetry and romance； and a
foreground of unspoken hope and interest all centering upon the one Event；
and who has； furthermore； absolutely no other hope or interest worthy of
the name why； it is a comparatively easy matter to sweep her off her feet
with a dashing attack。 Terry was a past master in this process。 He tried it
here； and Alima was so affronted； so repelled； that it was weeks before he
got near enough to try again。
The more coldly she denied him； the hotter his determination； he
was not used to real refusal。 The approach of flattery she dismissed with
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laughter； gifts and such 〃attentions〃 we could not bring to bear； pathos and
complaint of cruelty stirred only a reasoning inquiry。 It took Terry a long
time。
I doubt if she ever accepted her strange lover as fully as did
Celis and Ellador theirs。 He had hurt and offended her too often； there
were reservations。
But I think Alima retained some faint vestige of long… descended
feeling which made Terry more possible to her than to others； and that she
had made up her mind to the experiment and hated to renounce it。
However it came about； we all three at length achieved full
understanding； and solemnly faced what was to them a step of measureless
importance； a grave question as well as a great happiness； to us a strange；
new joy。
Of marriage as a ceremony they knew nothing。 Jeff was for
bringing them to our country for the religious and the civil ceremony； but
neither Celis nor the others would consent。
〃We can't expect them to want to go with usyet；〃 said Terry
sagely。 〃Wait a bit； boys。 We've got to take 'em on their own termsif at
all。〃 This； in rueful reminiscence of his repeated failures。
〃But our time's coming；〃 he added cheerfully。 〃These women
have never been mastered； you see〃 This； as one who had made a
discovery。
〃You'd better not try to do any mastering if you value your
chances；〃 I told him seriously； but he only laughed； and said； 〃Every man
to his trade！〃
We couldn't do anything with him。 He had to take his own
medicine。
If the lack of tradition of courtship left us much at sea in our
wooing； we found ourselves still more bewildered by lack of tradition of
matrimony。
And here again； I have to draw on later experience； and as deep
an acquaintance with their culture as I could achieve； to explain the gulfs
of difference between us。
Two thousand years of one continuous culture with no men。
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Back of that； only traditions of the harem。 They had no exact analogue
for our word HOME； any more than they had for our Roman…based
FAMILY。
They loved one another with a practically universal affection；
rising to exquisite and unbroken friendships； and broadening to a devotion
to their country and people for which our word PATRIOTISM is no
definition at all。
Patriotism； red hot； is compatible with the existence of a neglect
of national interests； a dishonesty； a cold indifference to the suffering of
millions。 Patriotism is largely pride； and very largely combativeness。
Patriotism generally has a chip on its shoulder。
This country had no other country to measure itself bysave the
few poor savages far below； with whom they had no contact。
They loved their country because it was their nursery；
playground； and workshoptheirs and their children's。 They were proud
of it as a workshop； proud of their record of ever…increasing efficiency；
they had made a pleasant garden of it； a very practical little heaven； but
most of all they valued itand here it is hard for us to understand themas
a cultural environment for their children。
That； of course； is the keynote of the whole distinction their
children。
From those first breathlessly guarded； half…adored race mothers；
all up the ascending line； they had this dominant thought of building up a
great race through the children。
All the surrendering devotion our women have put into their
private families； these women put into their country and race。 All the
loyalty and service men expect of wives； they gave； not singly to men； but
collectively to one another。
And the mother instinct； with us so painfully intense； so
thwarted by conditions； so concentrated in personal devotion to a few； so
bitterly hurt by death； disease； or barrenness； and even by the mere growth
of the children； leaving the mother alone in her empty nestall this feeling
with them flowed out in a strong； wide current； unbroken through the
generations； deepening and widening through the years； including every
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child in all the land。
With their united power and wisdom； they had studied and
overcome the 〃diseases of childhood〃their children had none。
They had faced the problems of education and so solved them
that their children grew up as naturally as young trees； learning through
every sense； taught continuously but unconsciously never knowing they
were being educated。
In fact； they did not use the word as we do。 Their idea of
education was the special training they took； when half grown up； under
experts。 Then the eager young minds fairly flung themselves on their
chosen subjects； and acquired with an ease； a breadth； a grasp； at which I
never ceased to wonder。
But the babies and little children never felt the pressure of that
〃forcible feeding〃 of the mind that we call 〃education。〃 Of this； more
later。
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CHAPTER 9
Our Relations and Theirs
What I'm trying to show
