tea-table talk(茶桌上的谈话)-第12节
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had played the farce himself over in Melbournehe was an Australian。
Only the third act had ended differently。 His girl wife； of whom he was
passionately fond； had taken it quite seriously and had committed suicide。
A foolish thing to do。〃
〃Man is a beast！〃 said the Girton Girl； who was prone to strong
expression。
〃I thought so myself when I was younger；〃 said the Woman of the
World。
〃And don't you now； when you hear a thing like that？〃 suggested the
Girton Girl。
〃Certainly； my dear；〃 replied the Woman of the World； 〃there is a deal
of the animal in man； butwell； I was myself expressing that same
particular view of him； the brute； to a very old lady with whom I was
spending a winter in Brussels； many years ago now； when I was quite a
girl。 She had been a friend of my father's； and was one of the sweetest
and kindestI was almost going to say the most perfect woman I have
ever met； though as a celebrated beauty； stories； dating from the early
Victorian era； were told about her。 But myself I never believed them。
Her calm； gentle； passionless face； crowned with its soft； silver hairI
remember my first sight of the Matterhorn on a summer's evening；
somehow it at once reminded me of her。〃
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〃My dear；〃 laughed the Old Maid； 〃your anecdotal method is
becoming as jerky as a cinematograph。〃
〃I have noticed it myself；〃 replied the Woman of the World； 〃I try to
get in too much。〃
〃The art of the raconteur；〃 observed the Philosopher； 〃consists in
avoiding the unessential。 I have a friend who never yet to my knowledge
reached the end of a story。 It is intensely unimportant whether the name
of the man who said the thing or did the deed be Brown or Jones or
Robinson。 But she will worry herself into a fever trying to recollect。
'Dear； dear me！' she will leave off to exclaim； 'I know his name so well。
How stupid of me！' She will tell you why she ought to recollect his name；
how she always has recollected his name till this precise moment。 She
will appeal to half the people in the room to help her。 It is hopeless to try
and induce her to proceed； the idea has taken possession of her mind。 After
a world of unnecessary trouble she recollects that it was Tomkins； and is
delighted； only to be plunged again into despair on discovery that she has
forgotten his address。 This makes her so ashamed of herself she declines
to continue； and full of self… reproach she retires to her own room。 Later
she re…enters； beaming； with the street and number pat。 But by that time
she has forgotten the anecdote。〃
〃Well； tell us about your old lady； and what it was you said to her；〃
spoke impatiently the Girton Girl； who is always eager when the subject
under discussion happens to be the imbecility or criminal tendency of the
opposite sex。
〃I was at the age；〃 continued the Woman of the World； 〃when a young
girl tiring of fairy stories puts down the book and looks round her at the
world； and naturally feels indignant at what she notices。 I was very
severe upon both the shortcomings and the overgoings of manour natural
enemy。 My old friend used to laugh； and that made me think her callous
and foolish。 One day our bonnelike all servants； a lover of gossip
came to us delighted with a story which proved to me how just had been
my estimate of the male animal。 The grocer at the corner of our rue；
married only four years to a charming and devoted little wife； had run
away and left her。
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〃'He never gave her even a hint； the pretty angel！' so Jeanne informed
us。 'Had had his box containing his clothes and everything he wanted
ready packed for a week； waiting for him at the railway stationjust told
her he was going to play a game of dominoes； and that she was not to sit
up for him； kissed her and the child good… night； andwell； that was the
last she ever saw of him。 Did Madame ever hear the like of it？'
concluded Jeanne； throwing up her hands to heaven。 'I am sorry to say；
Jeanne； that I have；' replied my sweet Madame with a sigh； and led the
conversation by slow degrees back to the subject of dinner。 I turned to
her when Jeanne had left the room。 I can remember still the burning
indignation of my face。 I had often spoken to the man myself； and had
thought what a delightful husband he wasso kind； so attentive； so proud；
seemingly； of his dainty femme。 'Doesn't that prove what I say；' I cried；
'that men are beasts？' 'I am afraid it helps in that direction；' replied my
old friend。 'And yet you defend them；' I answered。 'At my age； my
dear；' she replied； 'one neither defends nor blames； one tries to understand。'
She put her thin white hand upon my head。 'Shall we hear a little more of
the story？' she said。 'It is not a pleasant one； but it may be useful to us。' 'I
don't want to hear any more of it；' I answered； 'I have heard enough。' 'It is
sometimes well；' she persisted； 'to hear the whole of a case before forming
our judgment。' And she rang the bell for Jeanne。 'That story about our
little grocer friend；' she said'it is rather interesting to me。 Why did he
leave her and run awaydo you know？' Jeanne shrugged her ample
shoulders。 'Oh！ the old story； Madame；' she answered； with a short laugh。
'Who was she？' asked my friend。 'The wife of Monsieur Savary； the
wheelwright； as good a husband as ever a woman had。 It's been going on
for months； the hussy！' 'Thank you； that will do； Jeanne。' She turned
again to me so soon as Jeanne had left the room。 'My dear；' she said；
'whenever I see a bad man； I peep round the corner for the woman。
Whenever I see a bad woman； I follow her eyes； I know she is looking for
her mate。 Nature never makes odd samples。'〃
〃I cannot help thinking；〃 said the Philosopher； 〃that a good deal of
harm is being done to the race as a whole by the overpraise of women。〃
〃Who overpraises them？〃 demanded the Girton Girl。 〃Men may talk
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nonsense to usI don't know whether any of us are foolish enough to
believe itbut I feel perfectly sure that when they are alone most of their
time is occupied in abusing us。〃
〃That is hardly fair；〃 interrupted the Old Maid。 〃I doubt if they do
talk about us among themselves as much as we think。 Besides； it is
always unwise to go behind the verdict。 Some very beautiful things have
been said about women by men。〃
〃Well； ask them；〃 said the Girton Girl。 〃Here are three of them
present。 Now； honestly； when you talk about us among yourselves； do
you gush about our virtue； and goodness； and wisdom？〃
〃'Gush；'〃 said the Philosopher； reflecting； 〃'gush' would hardly be the
correct word。〃
〃In justice to the truth；〃 I said； 〃I must admit our Girton friend is to a
certain extent correct。 Every man at some time of his life esteems to
excess some one particular woman。 Very young men； lacking in
experience； admire perhaps indiscriminately。 To them； anything in a
petticoat is adorable： the milliner makes the angel。 And very old men； so
I am told； return to the delusions of their youth； but as to this I cannot as
yet speak positively。 The rest of uswell； when we are alone； it must be
confessed； as our Philosopher says； that 'gush' is not the correct word。〃
〃I told you so；〃 chortled the Girton Girl。
