tea-table talk(茶桌上的谈话)-第2节
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distinguish between the true and the false。 So it is with love。 The more it
is cheapened； ridiculed； employed for market purposes； the less the
inclination to affect itto be in love with love； as Heine admitted he was；
for its own sake。〃
〃Is the necessity to love born in us；〃 said the Girton Girl； 〃or do we
practise to acquire it because it is the fashionmake up our mind to love；
as boys learn to smoke； because every other fellow does it； and we do not
like to be peculiar？〃
〃The majority of men and women；〃 said the Minor Poet； 〃are
incapable of love。 With most it is a mere animal passion； with others a
mild affection。〃
〃We talk about love；〃 said the Philosopher； 〃as though it were a known
quantity。 After all； to say that a man loves is like saying that he paints or
plays the violin； it conveys no meaning until we have witnessed his
performance。 Yet to hear the subject discussed； one might imagine the
love of a Dante or a society Johnny； of a Cleopatra or a Georges Sand； to
be precisely the same thing。〃
〃It was always poor Susan's trouble；〃 said the Woman of the World；
〃she could never be persuaded that Jim really loved her。 It was very sad；
because I am sure he was devoted to her； in his way。 But he could not do
the sort of things she wanted him to do； she was so romantic。 He did try。
He used to go to all the poetical plays and study them。 But he hadn't the
knack of it and he was naturally clumsy。 He would rush into the room
and fling himself on his knees before her； never noticing the dog； so that；
instead of pouring out his heart as he had intended； he would have to start
off with； 'So awfully sorry！ Hope I haven't hurt the little beast？' Which
was enough to put anybody out。〃
〃Young girls are so foolish；〃 said the Old Maid； 〃they run after what
glitters； and do not see the gold until it is too late。 At first they are all
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eyes and no heart。〃
〃I knew a girl；〃 I said； 〃or； rather； a young married woman； who was
cured of folly by the homoeopathic method。 Her great trouble was that
her husband had ceased to be her lover。〃
〃It seems to me so sad；〃 said the Old Maid。 〃Sometimes it is the
woman's fault； sometimes the man's； more often both。 The little
courtesies； the fond words； the tender nothings that mean so much to those
that loveit would cost so little not to forget them； and they would make
life so much more beautiful。〃
〃There is a line of common sense running through all things；〃 I replied；
〃the secret of life consists in not diverging far from it on either side。 He
had been the most devoted wooer； never happy out of her eyes； but before
they had been married a year she found to her astonishment that he could
be content even away from her skirts； that he actually took pains to render
himself agreeable to other women。 He would spend whole afternoons at
his club； slip out for a walk occasionally by himself； shut himself up now
and again in his study。 It went so far that one day he expressed a distinct
desire to leave her for a week and go a…fishing with some other men。 She
never complainedat least； not to him。〃 〃That is where she was foolish；〃
said the Girton Girl。 〃Silence in such cases is a mistake。 The other
party does not know what is the matter with you； and you yourselfyour
temper bottled up within become more disagreeable every day。〃
〃She confided her trouble to a friend；〃 I explained。
〃I so dislike people who do that；〃 said the Woman of the World。
〃Emily never would speak to George； she would come and complain about
him to me； as if I were responsible for him： I wasn't even his mother。
When she had finished； George would come along； and I had to listen to
the whole thing over again from his point of view。 I got so tired of it at last
that I determined to stop it。〃
〃How did you succeed？〃 asked the Old Maid； who appeared to be
interested in the recipe。
〃I knew George was coming one afternoon；〃 explained the Woman of
the World； 〃so I persuaded Emily to wait in the conservatory。 She
thought I was going to give him good advice； instead of that I sympathised
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with him and encouraged him to speak his mind freely； which he did。 It
made her so mad that she came out and told him what she thought of him。
I left them at it。 They were both of them the better for it； and so was I。〃
〃In my case；〃 I said； 〃it came about differently。 Her friend explained
to him just what was happening。 She pointed out to him how his neglect
and indifference were slowly alienating his wife's affections from him。
He argued the subject。
〃'But a lover and a husband are not the same；' he contended； 'the
situation is entirely different。 You run after somebody you want to
overtake； but when you have caught him up； you settle down quietly and
walk beside him； you don't continue shouting and waving your
handkerchief after you have gained him。'
〃Their mutual friend presented the problem differently。〃
〃'You must hold what you have won；' she said； 'or it will slip away
from you。 By a certain course of conduct and behaviour you gained a
sweet girl's regard； show yourself other than you were； how can you
expect her to think the same of you？'
〃'You mean；' he inquired； 'that I should talk and act as her husband
exactly as I did when her lover？'
〃'Precisely；' said the friend 'why not？'
〃'It seems to me a mistake；' he grumbled。
〃'Try it and see；' said the friend。
〃'All right；' he said； 'I will。' And he went straight home and set to
work。〃
〃Was it too late；〃 asked the Old Maid； 〃or did they come together
again？〃
〃For the next mouth；〃 I answered； 〃they were together twenty…four
hours of the day。 And then it was the wife who suggested； like the poet
in Gilbert's Fatience； the delight with which she would welcome an
occasional afternoon off。〃
〃He hung about her while she was dressing in the morning。 Just as
she had got her hair fixed he would kiss it passionately and it would come
down again。 All meal…time he would hold her hand under the table and
insist on feeding her with a fork。 Before marriage he had behaved once
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or twice in this sort of way at picnics； and after marriage； when at
breakfast…time he had sat at the other end of the table reading the paper or
his letters； she had reminded him of it reproachfully。 The entire day he
never left her side。 She could never read a book； instead； he would read
to her aloud； generally Browning' poems or translations from Goethe。
Reading aloud was not an accomplishment of his； but in their courting
days she had expressed herself pleased at his attempts； and of this he took
care； in his turn； to remind her。 It was his idea that if the game were
played at all； she should take a hand also。 If he was to blither； it was only
fair that she should bleat back。 As he explained； for the future they
would both be lovers all their life long； and no logical argument in reply
could she think of。 If she tried to write a letter； he would snatch away the
paper her dear hands were pressing and fall to kissing itand； of course；
smearing it。 When he wasn't giving her pins and needles by sitting on
her feet he was balancing himself on the arm of her chair and occasionally
falling over on top of her。 If she went shopping； he went with her and
made himself ridiculous at the dressmaker's。 In society he took no notice
of anybody but of her； and was hurt if she spoke to anybody but to him。
Not that it
