the ways of men(人们的手段)-第50节
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have assembled for an hour or two of relaxation and amusement。 Yet it is
at the play that our restlessness is most apparent。 Watch an audience
（which； be it remarked in passing； has arrived late） during the last ten
minutes of a performance。 No sooner do they discover that the end is
drawing near than people begin to struggle into their wraps。 By the time
the players have lined up before the footlights the house is full of
disappearing backs。
Past； indeed； are the unruffled days when a heroine was expected （after
the action of a play had ended） to deliver the closing ENVOI dear to the
writers of Queen Anne's day。 Thackeray writes：…
THE PLAY IS DONE！ THE CURTAIN DROPS； SLOW FALLING
TO THE PROMPTER'S BELL！ A MOMENT YET THE ACTOR STOPS；
AND LOOKS AROUND； TO SAY FAREWELL！
A comedian who attempted any such abuse of the situation to… day
would find himself addressing empty benches。 Before he had finished the
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first line of his epilogue； most of his public would be housed in the rapid
transit cars。 No talent； no novelty holds our audiences to the end of a
performance。
On the opening night of the opera season this winter； one third of the
〃boxes〃 and orchestra stalls were vacant before Romeo （who； being a
foreigner； was taking his time） had expired。
One overworked matron of my acquaintance has perfected an
ingenious and time…saving combination。 By signalling from a window near
her opera box to a footman below； she is able to get her carriage at least
two minutes sooner than her neighbors。
During the last act of an opera like TANN…HAUSER or FAUST； in
which the inconsiderate composer has placed a musical gem at the end；
this lady is worth watching。 After getting into her wraps and overshoes she
stands； hand on the door； at the back of her box； listening to the singers； at
a certain moment she hurries to the window； makes her signal； scurries
back； hears Calve pour her soul out in ANGES PURS； ANGES RADIEUX；
yet manages to get down the stairs and into her carriage before the curtain
has fallen。
We deplore the prevailing habit of 〃slouch〃； yet if you think of it； this
universal hurry is the cause of it。 Our cities are left unsightly； because we
cannot spare time to beautify them。 Nervous diseases are distressingly
prevalent； still we hurry！ hurry！！ hurry！！！ until； as a diplomatist recently
remarked to me； the whole nation seemed to him to be but five minutes
ahead of an apoplectic fit。
The curious part of the matter is that after several weeks at home；
much that was strange at first becomes quite natural to the traveller； who
finds himself thinking with pity of benighted foreigners and their
humdrum ways； and would resent any attempts at reform。
What； for instance； would replace for enterprising souls the joy of
taking their matutinal car at a flying leap； or the rapture of being first out
of a theatre？ What does part of a last act or the 〃star song〃 matter in
comparison with five minutes of valuable time to the good？ Like the river
captains； we propose to run under full head of steam and get there； or b…
explode！
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CHAPTER 33 … The Spirit of
History
BUILDINGS become tombs when the race that constructed them has
disappeared。 Libraries and manuscripts are catacombs where most of us
might wander in the dark forever； finding no issue。 To know dead
generations and their environments through these channels； to feel a love
so strong that it calls the past forth from its winding…sheet； and gives it life
again； as Christ did Lazarus； is the privilege only of great historians。
France is honoring the memory of such a man at this moment； one
who for forty years sought the vital spark of his country's existence；
striving to resuscitate what he called 〃the great soul of history；〃 as it
developed through successive acts of the vast drama。 This employment of
his genius is Michelet's title to fame。
In a sombre structure； the tall windows of which look across the
Luxembourg trees to the Pantheon； where her husband's bust has recently
been placed； a widow preserves with religious care the souvenirs of this
great historian。 Nothing that can recall either his life or his labor is
changed。
Madame Michelet's life is in strange contrast with the ways of the
modern spouse who； under pretext of grief； discards and displaces every
reminder of the dead。 In our day； when the great art is to forget； an
existence consecrated to a memory is so rare that the world might be the
better for knowing that a woman lives who； young and beautiful； was
happy in the society of an old man； whose genius she appreciated and
cherished； who loves him dead as she loved him living。 By her care the
apartment remains as it stood when he left it； to die at Hyeres； … the
furniture； the paintings； the writing…table。 No stranger has sat in his chair；
no acquaintance has drunk from his cup。 This woman； who was a perfect
wife and now fills one's ideal of what a widow's life should be； has
constituted herself the vigilant guardian of her husband's memory。 She
loves to talk of the illustrious dead； and tell how he was fond of saying
that Virgil and Vico were his parents。 Any one who reads the GEORGICS
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or THE BIRD will see the truth of this； for he loved all created things； his
ardent spiritism perceiving that the essence which moved the ocean's tides
was the same that sang in the robin at the window during his last illness；
which he called his 〃little captive soul。〃
The author of LA BIBLE DE L'HUMANITE had to a supreme degree
the love of country； and possessed the power of reincarnating with each
succeeding cycle of its history。 So luminous was his mind； so profound
and far…reaching his sympathy； that he understood the obscure workings of
the mediaeval mind as clearly as he appreciated Mirabeau's transcendent
genius。 He believed that humanity； like Prometheus； was self…made； that
nations modelled their own destiny during the actions and reactions of
history； as each one of us acquires a personality through the struggles and
temptations of existence； by the evolving power every soul carries within
itself。
Michelet taught that each nation was the hero of its own drama； that
great men have not been different from the rest of their race … on the
contrary； being the condensation of an epoch； that； no matter what the
apparent eccentricities of a leader may have been； he was the expression
of a people's spirit。 This discovery that a race is transformed by its action
upon itself and upon the elements it absorbs from without； wipes away at a
stroke the popular belief in 〃predestined races〃 or providential 〃great men〃
appearing at crucial moments and riding victorious across the world。
An historian； if what he writes is to have any value； must know the
people； the one great historical factor。 Radicalism in history is the
beginning of truth。 Guided by this light of his own； Michelet discovered a
fresh factor heretofore unnoticed； that vast fermentation which in France
transforms all foreign elements into an integral part of the country's being。
After studying his own land through the thirteen centuries of her growth；
from the chart of Childebert to the will of Louis XVI。； Michelet declared
that while England is a composite empire and Germany a region； France is
a personality。 In consequence he regarded the history of his country as a
long dramatic poem。 Here we reach the inner thought of the hist
