idle ideas in 1905-第8节

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to　be　to　break　windows。　　You　feel　you　really　must　remonstrate；　when
the　joyous　laughter　and　tumultuous　applause　of　the　spectators　explain
the　puzzle　to　you。　　He　has　not　been　trying　to　serve；　he　has　been
trying　to　hit　a　man　in　the　next　court　who　is　stooping　down　to　tie　up
his　shoe…lace。　　With　his　last　ball　he　has　succeeded。　　He　has　hit　the
man　in　the　small　of　the　back；　and　has　bowled　him　over。　　The　unanimous
opinion　of　the　surrounding　critics　is　that　the　ball　could　not
possibly　have　been　better　placed。　　A　Doherty　has　never　won　greater
applause　from　the　crowd。　　Even　the　man　who　has　been　hit　appears
pleased；　it　shows　what　a　Frenchman　can　do　when　he　does　take　up　a
game。

But　French　honour　demands　revenge。　　He　forgets　his　shoe；　he　forgets
his　game。　　He　gathers　together　all　the　balls　that　he　can　find；　his
balls；　your　balls；　anybody's　balls　that　happen　to　be　handy。　　And　then
commences　the　return　match。　　At　this　point　it　is　best　to　crouch　down
under　shelter　of　the　net。　　Most　of　the　players　round　about　adopt　this
plan；　the　more　timid　make　for　the　club…house；　and；　finding　themselves
there；　order　coffee　and　light　up　cigarettes。　　After　a　while　both
players　appear　to　be　satisfied。　　The　other　players　then　gather　round
to　claim　their　balls。　　This　makes　a　good　game　by　itself。　　The　object
is　to　get　as　many　balls　as　you　can；　your　own　and　other　people'sfor
preference　other　people'sand　run　off　with　them　round　the　courts；
followed　by　whooping　claimants。

In　the　course　of　half…an…hour　or　so；　when　everybody　is　dead　beat；　the
gamethe　original　gameis　resumed。　　You　demand　the　score；　your
partner　promptly　says　it　is　〃forty…fifteen。〃　　Both　your　opponents
rush　up　to　the　net；　and　apparently　there　is　going　to　be　a　duel。　　It
is　only　a　friendly　altercation；　they　very　much　doubt　its　being
〃forty…fifteen。〃　　〃Fifteen…forty〃　they　could　believe；　they　suggest　it
as　a　compromise。　　The　discussion　is　concluded　by　calling　it　deuce。
As　it　is　rare　for　a　game　to　proceed　without　some　such　incident
occurring　in　the　middle　of　it；　the　score　generally　is　deuce。　　This
avoids　heart…burning；　nobody　wins　a　set　and　nobody　loses。　　The　one
game　generally　suffices　for　the　afternoon。

To　the　earnest　player；　it　is　also　confusing　to　miss　your　partner
occasionallyto　turn　round　and　find　that　he　is　talking　to　a　man。
Nobody　but　yourself　takes　the　slightest　objection　to　his　absence。
The　other　side　appear　to　regard　it　as　a　good　opportunity　to　score。
Five　minutes　later　he　resumes　the　game。　　His　friend　comes　with　him；
also　the　dog　of　his　friend。　　The　dog　is　welcomed　with　enthusiasm；　all
balls　are　returned　to　the　dog。　　Until　the　dog　is　tired　you　do　not　get
a　look　in。　　But　all　this　will　no　doubt　soon　be　changed。　　There　are
some　excellent　French　and　Belgian　players；　from　them　their
compatriots　will　gradually　learn　higher　ideals。　　The　Frenchman　is
young　in　the　game。　　As　the　right　conception　of　the　game　grows　upon
him；　he　will　also　learn　to　keep　the　balls　lower。

I　suppose　it　is　the　continental　sky。　　It　is　so　blue；　so　beautiful；　it
naturally　attracts　one。　　Anyhow；　the　fact　remains　that　most　tennis
players　on　the　Continent；　whether　English　or　foreign；　have　a　tendency
to　aim　the　ball　direct　at　Heaven。　　At　an　English　club　in　Switzerland
there　existed　in　my　days　a　young　Englishman　who　was　really　a
wonderful　player。　　To　get　the　ball　past　him　was　almost　an
impossibility。　　It　was　his　return　that　was　weak。　　He　only　had　one
stroke；　the　ball　went　a　hundred　feet　or　so　into　the　air　and　descended
in　his　opponent's　court。　　The　other　man　would　stand　watching　it；　a
little　speck　in　the　Heavens；　growing　gradually　bigger　and　bigger　as
it　neared　the　earth。　　Newcomers　would　chatter　to　him；　thinking　he　had
detected　a　balloon　or　an　eagle。　　He　would　wave　them　aside；　explain　to
them　that　he　would　talk　to　them　later；　after　the　arrival　of　the　ball。
It　would　fall　with　a　thud　at　his　feet；　rise　another　twenty　yards　or
so　and　again　descend。　　When　it　was　at　the　proper　height　he　would　hit
it　back　over　the　net；　and　the　next　moment　it　would　be　mounting　the
sky　again。　　At　tournaments　I　have　seen　that　young　man；　with　tears　in
his　eyes；　pleading　to　be　given　an　umpire。　　Every　umpire　had　fled。
They　hid　behind　trees；　borrowed　silk　hats　and　umbrellas　and　pretended
they　were　visitorsany　device；　however　mean；　to　avoid　the　task　of
umpiring　for　that　young　man。　　Provided　his　opponent　did　not　go　to
sleep　or　get　cramp；　one　game　might　last　all　day。　　Anyone　could　return
his　balls；　but；　as　I　have　said；　to　get　a　ball　past　him　was　almost　an
impossibility。　　He　invariably　won；　the　other　man；　after　an　hour　or
so；　would　get　mad　and　try　to　lose。　　It　was　his　only　chance　of　dinner。

It　is　a　pretty　sight；　generally　speaking；　a　tennis　ground　abroad。
The　women　pay　more　attention　to　their　costumes　than　do　our　lady
players。　　The　men　are　usually　in　spotless　white。　　The　ground　is　often
charmingly　situated；　the　club…house　picturesque；　there　is　always
laughter　and　merriment。　　The　play　may　not　be　so　good　to　watch；　but
the　picture　is　delightful。　　I　accompanied　a　man　a　little　while　ago　to
his　club　on　the　outskirts　of　Brussels。　　The　ground　was　bordered　by　a
wood　on　one　side；　and　surrounded　on　the　other　three　by　petites
fermesallotments；　as　we　should　call　them　in　England；　worked　by　the
peasants　themselves。

It　was　a　glorious　spring　afternoon。　　The　courts　were　crowded。　　The
red　earth　and　the　green　grass　formed　a　background　against　which　the
women；　in　their　new　Parisian　toilets；　under　their　bright　parasols；
stood　out　like　wondrous　bouquets　of　moving　flowers。　　The　whole
atmosphere　was　a　delightful　mingling　of　idle　gaiety；　flirtation；　and
graceful　sensuousness。　　A　modern　Watteau　would　have　seized　upon　the
scene　with　avidity。

Just　beyondseparated　by　the　almost　invisible　wire　fencinga　group
of　peasants　were　working　in　the　field。　　An　old　woman　and　a　young
girl；　with　ropes　about　their　shoulders；　were　drawing　a　harrow；　guided
by　a　withered　old　scarecrow　of　a　man。　　They　paused　for　a　moment　at
the　wire　fencing；　and　looked　through。　　It　was　an　odd　contrast；　the
two　worlds　divided　by　that　wire　fencingso　slight；　almost　invisible。
The　girl　swept　the　sweat　from　her　face　with　her　hand；　the　woman
pushed　back　her　grey　locks　underneath　the　handkerchief　knotted　about
her　head；　the　old　man　straightened　himself　with　some　difficulty。　　So
they　stood；　for　perhaps　a　minute；　gazing　with　quiet；　passionless
faces　through　that　slight　fencing；　that　a　push　from　their　work…
hardened　hands　might　have　levelled。

Was　there　any　thought；　I　wonder；　passing　through　their　brains？　　The
young　girlshe　was　a　handsome　creature　in　spite　of　her　disfiguring
garments。　　The　womanit　was　a　wonderfully　fine　face：　　clear；　calm
eyes；　deep…set　under　a　square　broad　brow。　　The　withered　old
scarecrowever　sowing　the　seed　in　the　spring　of　the　fruit　that
others　shall　eat。

The　old　man　bent　again　over　the　guiding　ropes：　　gave　the　word。　　The
team　moved　forward　up　the　hill。　　It　is　Anatole　France；　I　think；　who
says：　　Society　is　based　upon　the　patience　of　the　poor。



ARE　EARLY　MARRIAGES　A　MISTAKE？



I　am　chary　nowadays　of　offering　counsel　in　connection　with　subjects
concerning　which　I　am　not　and　cannot　be　an　authority。　　Long　ago　I
once　took　upon　myself　to　write　a　paper　about　babies。　　It　did　not　aim
to　be　a　textbook　on　the　subject。　　It　did　not　even　claim　to　exhaust
the　topic。　　I　was　willing　that　others；　coming　after　me；　should
continue　the　argumentthat　is　if；　upon　reflection；　they　were　still
of　opinion　there　was　anything　more　to　be　said。　　I　was　pleased　with
the　article。　　I　went　out　of　my　way　to　obtain　an　early　copy　of　the
magazine　in　which　it　appeared；　on　purpose　to　show　it　to　a　lady　friend
of　mine。　　She　was　the　possessor　of　one　or　two　babies　of　her　own；
specimens　in　no　way　remarkable；　though　she　herself；　as　was　natural
enough；　did　her　best　to　boom　them。　　I　thought　it　might　be　helpful　to
her：　　the　views　and　observations；　not　of　a　rival　fancier；　who　would
be　prejudiced；　but　of　an　intelligent　amateur。　　I　put　the　magazine
into　her　hands；　opened　at　the　proper　place。

〃Read　it　through　carefully　and　quietly；〃　I　said；　〃don't　let　anything
distract　you。　　Have　a　pencil　and　a　bit　of　paper　ready　at　your　side；
and　note　down　any　points　upon　which　you　would　like　further
information。　　If　there　is　anything　you　think　I　have　missed　out　let　me
know。　　It　may　be　that　here　and　there　you　will　be　disagreeing　with　me。
If　so；　do　not　hesitate　to　mention　it；　I　shall　not　be　angry。　　If　a
demand　arises　I　shall　very　likely　issue　an　enlarged　and　improved
edition　of　this　paper　in　the　form　of　a　pamphlet；　in　which　case　hints
and　suggestions　that　to　you　may　appear　almost　impertinent　will　be　of
distinct　help　to　me。〃

〃I　haven't　got　a　pencil；〃　she　said；　〃what's　it　all　about？〃

〃It's　about　babies；〃　I　explained；　and　I　lent　her　a　pencil。

That　is　another　thing　I　have　learnt。　　Never　lend　a　pencil　to　a　woman
if　you　ever　want　to　see　it　again。　　She　has　three　answers　to　your
request　for　its　return。　　The　first；　that　she　gave　it　back　to　you　and
that　you　put　it　in　your　pocket；　and　that　it's　there　now；　and　that　if
it　isn't　it　ought　to　be。　　The　second；　that　you　never　lent　it　to　her。
The　third；　that　she　wishes　people　would　not　lend　her　pencils　and