tea-table talk(茶桌上的谈话)-第14节
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as a charm。 Incompetence to pack her own bag or find her own way
across a square and round a corner is deemed an attraction。 Abnormal
ignorance and dense stupidity entitle her to pose as the poetical ideal。 If
she give a penny to a street beggar； selecting generally the fraud； or kiss a
puppy's nose； we exhaust the language of eulogy； proclaiming her a saint。
The marvel to me is that； in spite of the folly upon which they are fed； so
many of them grow to be sensible women。〃
〃Myself；〃 remarked the Minor Poet； 〃I find much comfort in the
conviction that talk； as talk； is responsible for much less good and much
less harm in the world than we who talk are apt to imagine。 Words to grow
and bear fruit must fall upon the earth of fact。〃
〃But you hold it right to fight against folly？〃 demanded the
Philosopher。
〃Heavens； yes！〃 cried the Minor Poet。 〃That is how one knows it is
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Follyif we can kill it。 Against the Truth our arrows rattle harmlessly。〃
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CHAPTER VI
〃But what is her reason？〃 demanded the Old Maid。
〃Reason！ I don't believe any of them have any reason。〃 The
Woman of the World showed sign of being short of temper； a condition of
affairs startlingly unusual to her。 〃Says she hasn't enough work to do。〃
〃She must be an extraordinary woman；〃 commented the Old Maid。
〃The trouble I have put myself to in order to keep that woman； just
because George likes her savouries； no one would believe；〃 continued
indignantly the Woman of the World。 〃We have had a dinner party
regularly once a week for the last six months； entirely for her benefit。
Now she wants me to give two。 I won't do it！〃
〃If I could be of any service？〃 offered the Minor Poet。 〃My digestion
is not what it once was； but I could make up in qualitya recherche little
banquet twice a week； say on Wednesdays and Saturdays； I would make a
point of eating with you。 If you think that would content her！〃
〃It is really thoughtful of you；〃 replied the Woman of the World； 〃but I
cannot permit it。 Why should you be dragged from the simple repast
suitable to a poet merely to oblige my cook？ It is not reason。〃
〃I was thinking rather of you；〃 continued the Minor Poet。
〃I've half a mind；〃 said the Woman of the World； 〃to give up
housekeeping altogether and go into an hotel。 I don't like the idea； but
really servants are becoming impossible。〃
〃It is very interesting；〃 said the Minor Poet。
〃I am glad you find it so！〃 snapped the Woman of the World。
〃What is interesting？〃 I asked the Minor Poet。
〃That the tendency of the age；〃 he replied； 〃should be slowly but
surely driving us into the practical adoption of a social state that for years
we have been denouncing the Socialists for merely suggesting。
Everywhere the public…houses are multiplying； the private dwellings
diminishing。〃
〃Can you wonder at it？〃 commented the Woman of the World。 〃You
men talk about 'the joys of home。' Some of you write poetrygenerally
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speaking； one of you who lives in chambers； and spends two…thirds of his
day at a club。〃 We were sitting in the garden。 The attention of the
Minor Poet became riveted upon the sunset。 〃'Ethel and I by the fire。'
Ethel never gets a chance of sitting by the fire。 So long as you are there；
comfortable； you do not notice that she has left the room to demand
explanation why the drawing…room scuttle is always filled with slack； and
the best coal burnt in the kitchen range。 Home to us women is our place
of business that we never get away from。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said the Girton Girlto my surprise she spoke with entire
absence of indignation。 As a rule； the Girton Girl stands for what has
been termed 〃divine discontent〃 with things in general。 In the course of
time she will outlive her surprise at finding the world so much less
satisfactory an abode than she had been led to supposealso her present
firm conviction that； given a free hand； she could put the whole thing right
in a quarter of an hour。 There are times even now when her tone suggests
less certainty of her being the first person who has ever thought seriously
about the matter。 〃I suppose；〃 said the Girton Girl； 〃it comes of
education。 Our grandmothers were content to fill their lives with these
small household duties。 They rose early； worked with their servants； saw
to everything with their own eyes。 Nowadays we demand time for self…
development； for reading； for thinking； for pleasure。 Household drudgery；
instead of being the object of our life； has become an interference to it。
We resent it。〃
〃The present revolt of woman；〃 continued the Minor Poet； 〃will be
looked back upon by the historian of the future as one of the chief factors
in our social evolution。 The 'home'the praises of which we still sing；
but with gathering misgivingdepended on her willingness to live a life of
practical slavery。 When Adam delved and Eve spanAdam confining his
delving to the space within his own fence； Eve staying her spinning…wheel
the instant the family hosiery was completethen the home rested upon
the solid basis of an actual fact。 Its foundations were shaken when the
man became a citizen and his interests expanded beyond the domestic
circle。 Since that moment woman alone has supported the institution。
Now she； in her turn； is claiming the right to enter the community； to
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escape from the solitary confinement of the lover's castle。 The
'mansions；' with common dining…rooms； reading…rooms； their system of
common service； are springing up in every quarter； the house； the villa； is
disappearing。 The story is the same in every country。 The separate
dwelling； where it remains； is being absorbed into a system。 In America；
the experimental laboratory of the future； the houses are warmed from a
common furnace。 You do not light the fire； you turn on the hot air。
Your dinner is brought round to you in a travelling oven。 You subscribe
for your valet or your lady's maid。 Very soon the private establishment；
with its staff of unorganised； quarrelling servants； of necessity either over
or underworked； will be as extinct as the lake dwelling or the sandstone
cave。〃
〃I hope；〃 said the Woman of the World； 〃that I may live to see it。〃
〃In all probability；〃 replied the Minor Poet； 〃you will。 I would I
could feel as hopeful for myself。〃
〃If your prophecy be likely of fulfilment；〃 remarked the Philosopher；
〃I console myself with the reflection that I am the oldest of the party。
Myself； I never read these full and exhaustive reports of the next century
without revelling in the reflection that before they can be achieved I shall
be dead and buried。 It may be a selfish attitude； but I should be quite
unable to face any of the machine…made futures our growing guild of seers
prognosticate。 You appear to me； most of you； to ignore a somewhat
important considerationnamely； that mankind is alive。 You work out
your answers as if he were a sum in rule…of…three： 'If man in so many
thousands of years has done so much in such a direction at this or that rate
of speed； what will he be doing？' and so on。 You forget he is swayed by
impulses that can
