elizabeth and her german garden-第22节

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Even　Minora　was　incensed　at　this。

〃You　are　telling　us　in　the　most　unvarnished　manner　that　we　are　idiots；〃　said　Irais。

〃Idiots？　No；　no；　by　no　means。　　But　children；nice　little　agreeable　children。　　I　very　much　like　to　hear　you　talk　together。　It　is　all　so　young　and　fresh　what　you　think　and　what　you　believe；　and　not　of　the　least　consequence　to　any　one。

〃Not　of　the　least　consequence？〃　cried　Minora。　〃What　we　believe　is　of　very　great　consequence　indeed　to　us。〃

〃Are　you　jeering　at　our　beliefs？〃　inquired　Irais　sternly。

〃Not　for　worlds。　　I　would　not　on　any　account　disturb　or　change　your　pretty　little　beliefs。　　It　is　your　chief　charm　that　you　always　believe　every…thing。　How　desperate　would　our　case　be　if　young　ladies　only　believed　facts；　and　never　accepted　another　person's　assurance；　but　preferred　the　evidence　of　their　own　eyes！　They　would　have　no　illusions；　and　a　woman　without　illusions　is　the　dreariest　and　most　difficult　thing　to　manage　possible。〃

〃Thing？〃　protested　Irais。

The　Man　of　Wrath；　usually　so　silent；　makes　up　for　it　from　time　to　time　by　holding　forth　at　unnecessary　length。　He　took　up　his　stand　now　with　his　back　to　the　fire；　and　a　glass　of　Glubwein　in　his　hand。　　Minora　had　hardly　heard　his　voice　before；　so　quiet　had　he　been　since　she　came；　and　sat　with　her　pencil　raised；　ready　to　fix　for　ever　the　wisdom　that　should　flow　from　his　lips。

〃What　would　become　of　poetry　if　women　became　so　sensible　that　they　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　the　poetic　platitudes　of　love？　That　love　does　indulge　in　platitudes　I　suppose　you　will　admit。〃　He　looked　at　Irais。

〃Yes；　they　all　say　exactly　the　same　thing；〃　she　acknowledged。

〃Who　could　murmur　pretty　speeches　on　the　beauty　of　a　common　sacrifice；　if　the　listener's　want　of　imagination　was　such　as　to　enable　her　only　to　distinguish　one　victim　in　the　picture；　and　that　one　herself？　〃

Minora　took　that　down　word　for　word；much　good　may　it　do　her。

〃Who　would　be　brave　enough　to　affirm　that　if　refused　he　will　die；　if　his　assurances　merely　elicit　a　recommendation　to　diet　himself；　and　take　plenty　of　outdoor　exercise？　Women　are　responsible　for　such　lies；　because　they　believe　them。　Their　amazing　vanity　makes　them　swallow　flattery　so　gross　that　it　is　an　insult；　and　men　will　always　be　ready　to　tell　the　precise　number　of　lies　that　a　woman　is　ready　to　listen　to。　Who　indulges　more　recklessly　in　glowing　exaggerations　than　the　lover　who　hopes；　and　has　not　yet　obtained2　He　will；　like　the　nightingale；　sing　with　unceasing　modulations；　display　all　his　talent；　untiringly　repeat　his　sweetest　notes；　until　he　has　what　he　wants；　when　his　song；　like　the　nightingale's；　immediately　ceases；　never　again　to　be　heard。〃

〃Take　that　down；〃　murmured　Irais　aside　to　Minoraunnecessary　advice；　for　her　pencil　was　scribbling　as　fast　as　it　could。

〃A　woman's　vanity　is　so　immeasurable　that；　after　having　had　ninety…nine　object…lessons　in　the　difference　between　promise　and　performance　and　the　emptiness　of　pretty　speeches；　the　beginning　of　the　hundredth　will　find　her　lending　the　same　willing　and　enchanted　ear　to　the　eloquence　of　flattery　as　she　did　on　the　occasion　of　the　first。　What　can　the　exhortations　of　the　strong…minded　sister；　who　has　never　had　these　experiences；　do　for　such　a　woman？　It　is　useless　to　tell　her　she　is　man's　victim；　that　she　is　his　plaything；　that　she　is　cheated；　down…trodden；　kept　under；　laughed　at；　shabbily　treated　in　every　waythat　is　not　a　true　statement　of　the　case。　　She　is　simply　the　victim　of　her　own　vanity；　and　against　that；　against　the　belief　in　her　own　fascinations；　against　the　very　part　of　herself　that　gives　all　the　colour　to　her　life；　who　shall　expect　a　woman　to　take　up　arms？〃

〃Are　you　so　vain；　Elizabeth？〃　inquired　Irais　with　a　shocked　face；　〃and　had　you　lent　a　willing　ear　to　the　blandishments　of　ninety…nine　before　you　reached　your　final　destiny？〃

〃I　am　one　of　the　sensible　ones；　I　suppose；〃　I　replied；　〃for　nobody　ever　wanted　me　to　listen　to　blandishments。〃

Minora　sighed。

〃I　like　to　hear　you　talk　together　about　the　position　of　women；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　wonder　when　you　will　realise　that　they　hold　exactly　the　position　they　are　fitted　for。　　As　soon　as　they　are　fit　to　occupy　a　better；　no　power　on　earth　will　be　able　to　keep　them　out　of　it。　　Meanwhile；　let　me　warn　you　that；　as　things　now　are；　only　strong…minded　women　wish　to　see　you　the　equals　of　men；　and　the　strong…minded　are　invariably　plain。　The　pretty　ones　would　rather　see　men　their　slaves　than　their　equals。〃

〃You　know；〃　said　Irais；　frowning；　〃that　I　consider　myself　strong…minded。〃

〃And　never　rise　till　lunch…time？〃

Irais　blushed。　　Although　I　don't　approve　of　such　conduct；　it　is　very　convenient　in　more　ways　than　one；　I　get　through　my　housekeeping　undisturbed；　and　whenever　she　is　disposed　to　lecture　me；　I　begin　about　this　habit　of　hers。　Her　conscience　must　be　terribly　stricken　on　the　point；　for　she　is　by　no　means　as　a　rule　given　to　meekness。

〃A　woman　without　vanity　would　be　unattackable；〃　resumed　the　Man　of　Wrath。　　〃When　a　girl　enters　that　downward　path　that　leads　to　ruin；　she　is　led　solely　by　her　own　vanity；　for　in　these　days　of　policemen　no　young　woman　can　be　forced　against　her　will　from　the　path　of　virtue；　and　the　cries　of　the　injured　are　never　heard　until　the　destroyer　begins　to　express　his　penitence　for　having　destroyed。　If　his　passion　could　remain　at　white…heat　and　he　could　continue　to　feed　her　ear　with　the　protestations　she　loves；　no　principles　of　piety　or　virtue　would　disturb　the　happiness　of　his　companion；　for　a　mournful　experience　teaches　that　piety　begins　only　where　passion　ends；　and　that　principles　are　strongest　where　temptations　are　most　rare。〃

〃But　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　us？〃　　I　inquired　severely。

〃You　were　displeased　at　our　law　classing　you　as　it　does；　and　I　merely　wish　to　justify　it；〃　he　answered。　〃Creatures　who　habitually　say　yes　to　everything　a　man　proposes；　when　no　one　can　oblige　them　to　say　it；　and　when　it　is　so　often　fatal；　are　plainly　not　responsible　beings。〃

〃I　shall　never　say　it　to　you　again；　my　dear　man；〃　I　said。

〃And　not　only　that　fatal　weakness；〃　he　continued；　〃but　what　is　there；　candidly；　to　distinguish　you　from　children？　You　are　older；　but　not　wiser；really　not　so　wise；　for　with　years　you　lose　the　common　sense　you　had　as　children。　Have　you　ever　heard　a　group　of　women　talking　reasonably　together？　〃

〃Yeswe　do！〃　　Irais　and　I　cried　in　a　breath。

〃It　has　interested　me；〃　went　on　the　Man　of　Wrath；　〃in　my　idle　moments；　to　listen　to　their　talk。　　It　amused　me　to　hear　the　malicious　little　stories　they　told　of　their　best　friends　who　were　absent；　to　note　the　spiteful　little　digs　they　gave　their　best　friends　who　were　present；　to　watch　the　utter　incredulity　with　which　they　listened　to　the　tale　of　some　other　woman's　conquests；　the　radiant　good　faith　they　displayed　in　connection　with　their　own；　the　instant　collapse　into　boredom；　if　some　topic　of　so…called　general　interest；　by　some　extraordinary　chance；　were　introduced。〃　　　〃You　must　have　belonged　to　a　particularly　nice　set；〃　remarked　Irais。

〃And　as　for　politics；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　never　heard　them　mentioned　among　women。〃

〃Children　and　idiots　are　not　interested　in　such　things；〃　I　said。

〃And　we　are　much　too　frightened　of　being　put　in　prison；〃　said　Irais。

〃In　prison？〃　echoed　Minora。

〃Don't　you　know；〃　said　Irais；　turning　to　her　〃that　if　you　talk　about　such　things　here　you　run　a　great　risk　of　being　imprisoned？〃

〃But　why？〃

〃But　why？　　Because；　though　you　yourself　may　have　meant　nothing　but　what　was　innocent；　your　words　may　have　suggested　something　less　innocent　to　the　evil　minds　of　your　hearers；　and　then　the　law　steps　in；　and　calls　it　dolus　eventualis；　and　everybody　says　how　dreadful；　and　off　you　go　to　prison　and　are　punished　as　you　deserve　to　be。〃

Minora　looked　mystified。

〃That　is　not；　however；　your　real　reason　for　not　discussing　them；〃　said　the　Man　of　Wrath；　〃they　simply　do　not　interest　you。　Or　it　may　be；　that　you　do　not　consider　your　female　friends'　opinions　worth　listening　to；　for　you　certainly　display　an　astonishing　thirst　for　information　when　male　politicians　are　present。　I　have　seen　a　pretty　young　woman；　hardly　in　her　twenties；　sitting　a　whole　evening　drinking　in　the　doubtful　wisdom　of　an　elderly　political　star；　with　every　appearance　of　eager　interest。　　He　was　a　bimetallic　star；　and　was　giving　her　whole　pamphletsful　of　information。〃

〃She　wanted　to　make　up　to　him　for　some　reason；〃　said　Irais；　〃and　got　him　to　explain　his　hobby　to　her；　and　he　was　silly　enough　to　be　taken　in。　Now　which　was　the　sillier　in　that　case？〃

She　threw　herself　back　in　her　chair　and　looked　up　defiantly；　beating　her　foot　impatiently　on　the　carpet。

〃She　wanted　to　be　thought　clever；〃　said　the　Man　of　Wrath。　〃What　puzzled　me；〃　he　went　on　musingly；〃　was　that　she　went　away　apparently　as　serene　and　happy　as　when　she　came。　The　explanation　of　the　principles　of　bimetallism　produce；　as　a　rule；　a　contrary　effect。〃

〃Why；　she　hadn't　been　listening；〃　cried　Irais；　〃and　your　simple　star　had　been　making　a　fine　goose　of　himself　the　whole　evening。

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Prattle；　prattle；　simple　star；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bimetallic；　wunderbar。　　　　　　　　　　　　　Though　you're　given　to　describe　　　　　　　　　　　　　Woman　as　a　dummes　Weib。　　　　　　　　　　　　　You　yourself　are　sillier　far；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Prattli