malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第15节
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it sitting； at least where Philip is。〃
〃Auntie；〃 said Kate； 〃tell me truly your objection to Philip。 I think
you did not like his parents。 Had he not a good mother？〃
〃She was good；〃 said Aunt Jane； reluctantly； 〃but it was that kind of
goodness which is quite offensive。〃
〃And did you know his father well？〃
〃Know him！〃 exclaimed Aunt Jane。 〃I should think I did。 I have sat
up all night to hate him。〃
〃That was very wrong；〃 said Kate； decisively。 〃You do not mean that。
You only mean that you did not admire him very much。〃
〃I never admired a dozen people in my life； Kate。 I once made a list
of them。 There were six women； three men； and a Newfoundland dog。〃
〃What happened？〃 said Kate。 〃The Is…raelites died after Pharaoh； or
somebody； numbered them。 Did anything happen to yours？〃
〃It was worse with mine；〃 said Aunt Jane。 〃I grew tired of some and
others I forgot； till at last there was nobody left but the dog； and he died。〃
〃Was Philip's father one of them？〃
〃No。〃
〃Tell me about him；〃 said Kate； firmly。
〃Ruth；〃 said the elder lady； as her young handmaiden passed the door
with her wonted demureness； 〃come here； no； get me a glass of water。
Kate！ I shall die of that girl。 She does some idiotic thing； and then she
looks in here with that contented； beaming look。 There is an air of baseless
happiness about her that drives me nearly frantic。〃
〃Never mind about that；〃 persisted Kate。 〃Tell me about Philip's
father。 What was the matter with him？〃
〃My dear；〃 Aunt Jane at last answered；with that fearful moderation to
which she usually resorted when even her stock of superlatives was
exhausted；〃he belonged to a family for whom truth possessed even less
than the usual attractions。〃
This neat epitaph implied the erection of a final tombstone over the
whole race； and Kate asked no more。
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
Meantime Malbone sat at the western door with Harry； and was
running on with one of his tirades； half jest； half earnest； against American
society。
〃In America；〃 he said； 〃everything which does not tend to money is
thought to be wasted； as our Quaker neighbor thinks the children's
croquet…ground wasted； because it is not a potato field。〃
〃Not just！〃 cried Harry。 〃Nowhere is there more respect for those
who give their lives to intellectual pursuits。〃
〃What are intellectual pursuits？〃 said Philip。 〃Editing daily
newspapers？ Teaching arithmetic to children？ I see no others flourishing
hereabouts。〃
〃Science and literature；〃 answered Harry。
〃Who cares for literature in America；〃 said Philip； 〃after a man rises
three inches above the newspaper level？ Nobody reads Thoreau； only an
insignificant fraction read Emerson； or even Hawthorne。 The majority of
people have hardly even heard their names。 What inducement has a
writer？ Nobody has any weight in America who is not in Congress； and
nobody gets into Congress without the necessity of bribing or button…
holing men whom he despises。〃
〃But you do not care for public life？〃 said Harry。
〃No；〃 said Malbone； 〃therefore this does not trouble me； but it troubles
you。 I am content。 My digestion is good。 I can always amuse myself。
Why are you not satisfied？〃
〃Because you are not；〃 said Harry。 〃You are dissatisfied with men；
and so you care chiefly to amuse yourself with women and children。〃
〃I dare say；〃 said Malbone； carelessly。 〃They are usually less
ungraceful and talk better grammar。〃
〃But American life does not mean grace nor grammar。 We are all
living for the future。 Rough work now； and the graces by and by。〃
〃That is what we Americans always say；〃 retorted Philip。 〃Everything is
in the future。 What guaranty have we for that future？ I see none。 We
make no progress towards the higher arts； except in greater quantities of
mediocrity。 We sell larger editions of poor books。 Our artists fill larger
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
frames and travel farther for materials； but a ten…inch canvas would tell all
they have to say。〃
〃The wrong point of view；〃 said Hal。 〃If you begin with high art； you
begin at the wrong end。 The first essential for any nation is to put the
mass of the people above the reach of want。 We are all usefully employed；
if we contribute to that。〃
〃So is the cook usefully employed while preparing dinner；〃 said Philip。
〃Nevertheless； I do not wish to live in the kitchen。〃
〃Yet you always admire your own country；〃 said Harry； 〃so long as
you are in Europe。〃
〃No doubt；〃 said Philip。 〃I do not object to the kitchen at that
distance。 And to tell the truth； America looks well from Europe。 No
culture； no art seems so noble as this far…off spectacle of a self…governing
people。 The enthusiasm lasts till one's return。 Then there seems nothing
here but to work hard and keep out of mischief。〃
〃That is something；〃 said Harry。
〃A good deal in America；〃 said Phil。 〃We talk about the immorality
of older countries。 Did you ever notice that no class of men are so apt to
take to drinking as highly cultivated Americans？ It is a very
demoralizing position； when one's tastes outgrow one's surroundings。
Positively； I think a man is more excusable for coveting his neighbor's
wife in America than in Europe； because there is so little else to covet。〃
〃Malbone！〃 said Hal； 〃what has got into you？ Do you know what
things you are saying？〃
〃Perfectly；〃 was the unconcerned reply。 〃I am not arguing； I am only
testifying。 I know that in Paris； for instance； I myself have no
temptations。 Art and history are so delightful； I absolutely do not care for
the society even of women； but here； where there is nothing to do； one
must have some stimulus； and for me； who hate drinking； they are； at least；
a more refined excitement。〃
〃More dangerous；〃 said Hal。 〃Infinitely more dangerous； in the
morbid way in which you look at life。 What have these sickly fancies to
do with the career that opens to every brave man in a great nation？〃
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
〃They have everything to do with it； and there are many for whom
there is no career。 As the nation develops； it must produce men of high
culture。 Now there is no place for them except as bookkeepers or
pedagogues or newspaper reporters。 Meantime the incessant
unintellectual activity is only a sublime bore to those who stand aside。〃
〃Then why stand aside？〃 persisted the downright Harry。
〃I have no place in it but a lounging…place；〃 said Malbone。 〃I do not
wish to chop blocks with a razor。 I envy those men； born mere
Americans； with no ambition in life but to 'swing a railroad' as they say at
the West。 Every morning I hope to wake up like them in the fear of God
and the love of money。〃
〃You may as well stop；〃 said Harry； coloring a little。 〃Malbone； you
used to be my ideal man in my boyhood； but〃
〃I am glad we have got beyond that；〃 interrupted the other； cheerily； 〃I
am only an idler in the land。 Meanwhile； I have my little interests；read；
write； sketch〃
〃Flirt？〃 put in Hal； with growing displeasure。
〃Not now；〃 said Phil； patting his shoulder； with imperturbable good…
nature。 〃Our beloved has cured me of that。 He who has won the pearl
dives no more。〃
〃Do not let us speak of Hope；〃 said Harry。 〃Everything that you have
been asserting Hope's daily life disproves。〃
〃That may be；〃 answered Malbone； heartily。 〃But； Hal； I never flirt
