three men on the bummel-第37节

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not　much　encouraged；　the　simple　essentials　are　the　only　things　kept
in　view；　and　these　are　not　of　an　inviting　nature。

Indeed；　so　distinctly　uninviting　are　they；　that　I　strongly　advise
the　sensitive　reader　to　avoid　even　this　description　of　them。　　The
subject　cannot　be　made　pretty；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　try。

The　room　is　bare　and　sordid；　its　walls　splashed　with　mixed　stains
of　beer；　blood；　and　candle…grease；　its　ceiling；　smoky；　its　floor；
sawdust　covered。　　A　crowd　of　students；　laughing；　smoking；　talking；
some　sitting　on　the　floor；　others　perched　upon　chairs　and　benches
form　the　framework。

In　the　centre；　facing　one　another；　stand　the　combatants；　resembling
Japanese　warriors；　as　made　familiar　to　us　by　the　Japanese　tea…tray。
Quaint　and　rigid；　with　their　goggle…covered　eyes；　their　necks　tied
up　in　comforters；　their　bodies　smothered　in　what　looks　like　dirty
bed　quilts；　their　padded　arms　stretched　straight　above　their　heads；
they　might　be　a　pair　of　ungainly　clockwork　figures。　　The　seconds；
also　more　or　less　paddedtheir　heads　and　faces　protected　by　huge
leather…peaked　caps；drag　them　out　into　their　proper　position。
One　almost　listens　to　hear　the　sound　of　the　castors。　　The　umpire
takes　his　place；　the　word　is　given；　and　immediately　there　follow
five　rapid　clashes　of　the　long　straight　swords。　　There　is　no
interest　in　watching　the　fight：　　there　is　no　movement；　no　skill；　no
grace　（I　am　speaking　of　my　own　impressions。）　　The　strongest　man
wins；　the　man　who；　with　his　heavily…padded　arm；　always　in　an
unnatural　position；　can　hold　his　huge　clumsy　sword　longest　without
growing　too　weak　to　be　able　either　to　guard　or　to　strike。

The　whole　interest　is　centred　in　watching　the　wounds。　　They　come
always　in　one　of　two　placeson　the　top　of　the　head　or　the　left
side　of　the　face。　　Sometimes　a　portion　of　hairy　scalp　or　section　of
cheek　flies　up　into　the　air；　to　be　carefully　preserved　in　an
envelope　by　its　proud　possessor；　or；　strictly　speaking；　its　proud
former　possessor；　and　shown　round　on　convivial　evenings；　and　from
every　wound；　of　course；　flows　a　plentiful　stream　of　blood。　　It
splashes　doctors；　seconds；　and　spectators；　it　sprinkles　ceiling　and
walls；　it　saturates　the　fighters；　and　makes　pools　for　itself　in　the
sawdust。　　At　the　end　of　each　round　the　doctors　rush　up；　and　with
hands　already　dripping　with　blood　press　together　the　gaping　wounds；
dabbing　them　with　little　balls　of　wet　cotton　wool；　which　an
attendant　carries　ready　on　a　plate。　　Naturally；　the　moment　the　men
stand　up　again　and　commence　work；　the　blood　gushes　out　again；　half
blinding　them；　and　rendering　the　ground　beneath　them　slippery。　　Now
and　then　you　see　a　man's　teeth　laid　bare　almost　to　the　ear；　so　that
for　the　rest　of　the　duel　he　appears　to　be　grinning　at　one　half　of
the　spectators；　his　other　side；　remaining　serious；　and　sometimes　a
man's　nose　gets　slit；　which　gives　to　him　as　he　fights　a　singularly
supercilious　air。

As　the　object　of　each　student　is　to　go　away　from　the　University
bearing　as　many　scars　as　possible；　I　doubt　if　any　particular　pains
are　taken　to　guard；　even　to　the　small　extent　such　method　of
fighting　can　allow。　　The　real　victor　is　he　who　comes　out　with　the
greatest　number　of　wounds；　he　who　then；　stitched　and　patched　almost
to　unrecognition　as　a　human　being；　can　promenade　for　the　next
month；　the　envy　of　the　German　youth；　the　admiration　of　the　German
maiden。　　He　who　obtains　only　a　few　unimportant　wounds　retires　sulky
and　disappointed。

But　the　actual　fighting　is　only　the　beginning　of　the　fun。　　The
second　act　of　the　spectacle　takes　place　in　the　dressing…room。　　The
doctors　are　generally　mere　medical　studentsyoung　fellows　who；
having　taken　their　degree；　are　anxious　for　practice。　　Truth　compels
me　to　say　that　those　with　whom　I　came　in　contact　were　coarse…
looking　men　who　seemed　rather　to　relish　their　work。　　Perhaps　they
are　not　to　be　blamed　for　this。　　It　is　part　of　the　system　that　as
much　further　punishment　as　possible　must　be　inflicted　by　the
doctor；　and　the　ideal　medical　man　might　hardly　care　for　such　job。
How　the　student　bears　the　dressing　of　his　wounds　is　as　important　as
how　he　receives　them。　　Every　operation　has　to　be　performed　as
brutally　as　may　be；　and　his　companions　carefully　watch　him　during
the　process　to　see　that　he　goes　through　it　with　an　appearance　of
peace　and　enjoyment。　　A　clean…cut　wound　that　gapes　wide　is　most
desired　by　all　parties。　　On　purpose　it　is　sewn　up　clumsily；　with
the　hope　that　by　this　means　the　scar　will　last　a　lifetime。　　Such　a
wound；　judiciously　mauled　and　interfered　with　during　the　week
afterwards；　can　generally　be　reckoned　on　to　secure　its　fortunate
possessor　a　wife　with　a　dowry　of　five　figures　at　the　least。

These　are　the　general　bi…weekly　Mensurs；　of　which　the　average
student　fights　some　dozen　a　year。　　There　are　others　to　which
visitors　are　not　admitted。　　When　a　student　is　considered　to　have
disgraced　himself　by　some　slight　involuntary　movement　of　the　head
or　body　while　fighting；　then　he　can　only　regain　his　position　by
standing　up　to　the　best　swordsman　in　his　Korps。　　He　demands　and　is
accorded；　not　a　contest；　but　a　punishment。　　His　opponent　then
proceeds　to　inflict　as　many　and　as　bloody　wounds　as　can　be　taken。
The　object　of　the　victim　is　to　show　his　comrades　that　he　can　stand
still　while　his　head　is　half　sliced　from　his　skull。

Whether　anything　can　properly　be　said　in　favour　of　the　German
Mensur　I　am　doubtful；　but　if　so　it　concerns　only　the　two
combatants。　　Upon　the　spectators　it　can　and　does；　I　am　convinced；
exercise　nothing　but　evil。　　I　know　myself　sufficiently　well　to　be
sure　I　am　not　of　an　unusually　bloodthirsty　disposition。　　The　effect
it　had　upon　me　can　only　be　the　usual　effect。　　At　first；　before　the
actual　work　commenced；　my　sensation　was　curiosity　mingled　with
anxiety　as　to　how　the　sight　would　trouble　me；　though　some　slight
acquaintance　with　dissecting…rooms　and　operating　tables　left　me
less　doubt　on　that　point　than　I　might　otherwise　have　felt。　　As　the
blood　began　to　flow；　and　nerves　and　muscles　to　be　laid　bare；　I
experienced　a　mingling　of　disgust　and　pity。　　But　with　the　second
duel；　I　must　confess；　my　finer　feelings　began　to　disappear；　and　by
the　time　the　third　was　well　upon　its　way；　and　the　room　heavy　with
the　curious　hot　odour　of　blood；　I　began；　as　the　American　expression
is；　to　see　things　red。

I　wanted　more。　　I　looked　from　face　to　face　surrounding　me；　and　in
most　of　them　I　found　reflected　undoubtedly　my　own　sensations。　　If
it　be　a　good　thing　to　excite　this　blood　thirst　in　the　modern　man；
then　the　Mensur　is　a　useful　institution。　　But　is　it　a　good　thing？
We　prate　about　our　civilisation　and　humanity；　but　those　of　us　who
do　not　carry　hypocrisy　to　the　length　of　self…deception　know　that
underneath　our　starched　shirts　there　lurks　the　savage；　with　all　his
savage　instincts　untouched。　　Occasionally　he　may　be　wanted；　but　we
never　need　fear　his　dying　out。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　seems　unwise
to　over…nourish　him。

In　favour　of　the　duel；　seriously　considered；　there　are　many　points
to　be　urged。　　But　the　Mensur　serves　no　good　purpose　whatever。　　It
is　childishness；　and　the　fact　of　its　being　a　cruel　and　brutal　game
makes　it　none　the　less　childish。　　Wounds　have　no　intrinsic　value　of
their　own；　it　is　the　cause　that　dignifies　them；　not　their　size。
William　Tell　is　rightly　one　of　the　heroes　of　the　world；　but　what
should　we　think　of　the　members　of　a　club　of　fathers；　formed　with
the　object　of　meeting　twice　a　week　to　shoot　apples　from　their　sons'
heads　with　cross…bows？　　These　young　German　gentlemen　could　obtain
all　the　results　of　which　they　are　so　proud　by　teasing　a　wild　cat！
To　join　a　society　for　the　mere　purpose　of　getting　yourself　hacked
about　reduces　a　man　to　the　intellectual　level　of　a　dancing　Dervish。
Travellers　tell　us　of　savages　in　Central　Africa　who　express　their
feelings　on　festive　occasions　by　jumping　about　and　slashing
themselves。　　But　there　is　no　need　for　Europe　to　imitate　them。　　The
Mensur　is；　in　fact；　the　reductio　ad　absurdum　of　the　duel；　and　if
the　Germans　themselves　cannot　see　that　it　is　funny；　one　can　only
regret　their　lack　of　humour。

But　though　one　may　be　unable　to　agree　with　the　public　opinion　that
supports　and　commands　the　Mensur；　it　at　least　is　possible　to
understand。　　The　University　code　that；　if　it　does　not　encourage　it；
at　least　condones　drunkenness；　is　more　difficult　to　treat
argumentatively。　　All　German　students　do　not　get　drunk；　in　fact；
the　majority　are　sober；　if　not　industrious。　　But　the　minority；
whose　claim　to　be　representative　is　freely　admitted；　are　only　saved
from　perpetual　inebriety　by　ability；　acquired　at　some　cost；　to
swill　half　the　day　and　all　the　night；　while　retaining　to　some
extent　their　five　senses。　　It　does　not　affect　all　alike；　but　it　is
common　in　any　University　town　to　see　a　young　man　not　yet　twenty
with　the　figure　of　a　Falstaff　and　the　complexion　of　a　Rubens
Bacchus。　　That　the　German　maiden　can　be　fascinated　with　a　face；　cut
and　gashed　till　it　suggests　having　been　made　out　of　odd　materials
that　never　could　have　fitted；　is　a　proved　fact。　　But　surely　there
can　be　no　attraction　about　a　blotched　and　bloated　skin　and　a　〃bay
window〃　thrown　out　to　an　extent　threatening　to　overbalance