lahoma(拉霍马)-第30节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
minds tied right up to such thingsonly the things are finerthey are
marble floors and magnificent restaurants and houses on what they call the
'best streets。' At meals； there are all kinds of little spoons and forks； and
they think to use a wrong one is something dreadful； that is why I say the
forks and spoons seem more important than THEY are； but they want it to
be so。
〃They have certain ways of doing everything； and just certain times for
doing them； and if you do a wrong thing at a right time； or a right thing at
a wrong time； it shows you are from the West。 At first； I couldn't say a
word； or turn around； without showing that I was from the West。 But
although I've been from home only a few days； I'm getting so that nobody
can tell that I'm more important than the furniture around me。 I'm trying to
be just like the one I'm with； and I don't believe an outsider can tell that I
have any more sense than the rest of them。
〃Miss Sellimer is so nice to me。 I told her right at the start that I didn't
know anything about the big world； and she teaches me everything。 I'd be
more comfortable if she could forget about my saving her life； but she
never can； and is so grateful it makes me feel that I'm enjoying all this on
false pretenses for you know my finding her was only an accident。 Her
mother is very pleasant to memuch more so than to her。 Bill； you know
how you speak to your horse； sometimes； when it acts contrary？ That's the
way Miss Sellimer speaks to her mother； at times。 However； they don't
seem very well acquainted with each other。 Of course if they'd lived
106
… Page 107…
LAHOMA
together in a cove for years； they'd have learned to tell each other their
thoughts and plans； but out in the big world there isn't time for anything
except to dress and go。
〃I'm learning to dress。 I used to think a girl could do that to please
herself； but no； the dresses are a thousand times more important than the
people inside them。 It wouldn't matter how wise you are if your dress is
wrong； nor would it matter how foolish； if your dress is like everybody
else's。 A person could be independent and do as she pleased； but she
wouldn't be in society。 And nobody would believe she was independent；
they would just think she didn't know any better； or was poor。 Because；
they don't know anything about being independent； they want to be
governed by their things。 A poor person isn't cut off from society because
he hasn't money； but because he doesn't know how to deal with high things；
not having practised amongst them。 It isn't because society people have
lots of money that they stick together； but because all of them know what
to do with the little forks and spoons。
〃It is like the dearest； jolliest kind of game to me； to be with these
people； and say just what they say； and like what they like； and act as they
actand that's the difference between me and them； it's not a game to them；
it's deadly earnest。 They think they're LIVING！
〃Do you think I could play at this so long that one day I'd imagine I
was doing what God had expected of me when he sent me to you； Brick？
Could I stay out in the big world until I'd think of the cove as a cramped
little pocket in the wilderness with two pennies jingling at the bottom of it
named Brick and Bill？ If I thought there was any danger of that； I'd start
home in the morning！
〃We are in a Kansas City hotel where all the feathers are in ladies' hats
and bonnets instead of in the gentlemen's hair。 To get to our rooms you go
to a dark little door and push something that makes a bell ring； and then
you step into a dugout on pulleys； that shoots up in the air so quick it
makes you feel a part of you has fallen out and got lost。 The dugout
doesn't slow up for the third story； it just stops THAT QUICKthey call it
an 'elevator' and it certainly does elevate！ You step out in a dim trail where
there are dusky kinds of lights； although it may be the middle of the day；
107
… Page 108…
LAHOMA
and you follow the trail over a narrow yellow desert； turn to your right and
keep going till you reach a door with your number on it。 When you are in
your room； you see the things that are considered more important than the
people。
〃There's an entire room set apart for the sole purpose of bathing！and
the room with the bed in it is separate from the sitting…room。 You can go in
one and stay a while； and go in another and stay a while； and then go in
the thirdand you have a different feeling for each room that you're in。 I'd
rather see everything at once； as I can in my cabin。 And that bed！ If my
little bed at home could be brought here and set up beside this hotel
wonder； the very walls would cry out。。。。 I wish I could sleep in my little
bed tonight； and hear the wind howling over the mountain。
〃The dining…room is the finest thing I ever saw； I doubt if the kings
and queens of old times ever ate in richer surroundings。 There are rows of
immense mirrors along the wall and gold borders and then the tables！ I
wonder what would happen if anybody should spread newspapers on one
of these wonderful tables and use them for a tablecloth？ At home； we can
just reach out and take what we want off the stove； and help our plates
without rising。 It's so different here！ After you've worried over crooked
lists of things to eat that you've never heard of； and have hurried to select
so the waiter won't have to lose any time； the waiter goes away。 And when
he puts something before you； you don't know what to call it； because it's
been so long； you've forgotten its name on that awful pasteboard。 But
there's something pleasant when you've finished； in just getting up and
walking away； not caring who cleans up the dishes！
〃I've been to the opera…house； but it wasn't an opera； it was a play。 That
houseI wish you could see it！the inside； I mean； for outside it looks like
it needs washing。 The chairswell； if you sent that stool of ours to a
university you couldn't train it up to look anything like those opera…chairs。
And the dressesthe diamonds。。。。 Everything was perfectly lovely except
what we had come to see； and my party thought it was too funny for
anything； but it wasn't funny to me。 The story they acted was all about a
young couple fooling their parents and getting married without father and
mother knowing； and a baby brought in at the last that nobody would
108
… Page 109…
LAHOMA
claim though it was said to be somebody's that shouldn't have had onethe
audience just screamed with laughter over that； I thought they never would
quiet down。 Out in The big world； babies and old fathers and mothers
seem to be jokes。 The star of the evening was a married actress with 'Miss'
before her name。 You could hear every word she spoke； but the others
didn't seem to try to make themselves plainI guess that's why they aren't
stars； too。
〃I've lived more during the last week than I had the previous fifty…one。
We must have been to everything there is； except a church。 Yesterday was
Sunday； and I asked Mrs。 Sellimer about it； but she said people didn't go to
church any more。
〃Maybe you wonder why I don't tell you about our crowd； but I guess
it's because I feel as if they didn't matter。 I wouldn't say that to anybody in
the world but to you； Brick and Bill； and if I hadn't promised to write you
every single thing； I wouldn't even tell you； because they are so good to
me。 It sounds untrue to them； doesn't it？ But you won't tell anybody；
because you've nobody to tell！ And besides； they could be different in a
minute if they wanted to be； it isn't as if they were helpless。
〃Miss Sellimer is witty and talented； and from the way she treats me； I
know she has a tender heart。 And her mother is a perfect wonder of a
manager； and never makes mistakes except such as happen to be the fad of
