tea-table talk-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃It　all　sounds　very　clever；〃　commented　the　Old　Maid；　〃yet　I　fail　to　see　what　good　comes　of　ridiculing　a　thing　one's　heart　tells　one　is　sacred。〃

〃Do　not　be　so　sure　I　am　wishful　to　ridicule；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Love　is　a　wondrous　statue　God　carved　with　His　own　hands　and　placed　in　the　Garden　of　Life；　long　ago。　　And　man；　knowing　not　sin；　worshipped　her；　seeing　her　beautiful。　　Till　the　time　came　when　man　learnt　evil；　then　saw　that　the　statue　was　naked；　and　was　ashamed　of　it。　　Since　when　he　has　been　busy；　draping　it；　now　in　the　fashion　of　this　age；　now　in　the　fashion　of　that。　　We　have　shod　her　in　dainty　bottines；　regretting　the　size　of　her　feet。　　We　employ　the　best　artistes　to　design　for　her　cunning　robes　that　shall　disguise　her　shape。　　Each　season　we　fix　fresh　millinery　upon　her　changeless　head。　We　hang　around　her　robes　of　woven　words。　　Only　the　promise　of　her　ample　breasts　we　cannot　altogether　hide；　shocking　us　not　a　little；　only　that　remains　to　tell　us　that　beneath　the　tawdry　tissues　still　stands　the　changeless　statue　God　carved　with　His　own　hands。〃

〃I　like　you　better　when　you　talk　like　that；〃　said　the　Old　Maid；　〃but　I　never　feel　quite　sure　of　you。　　All　I　mean；　of　course；　is　that　money　should　not　be　her　first　consideration。　　Marriage　for　moneyit　is　not　marriage；　one　cannot　speak　of　it。　　Of　course；　one　must　be　reasonable。〃

〃You　mean；〃　persisted　the　Minor　Poet；　〃you　would　have　her　think　also　of　her　dinner；　of　her　clothes；　her　necessities；　luxuries。〃

〃It　is　not　only　for　herself；〃　answered　the　Old　Maid。

〃For　whom？〃　demanded　the　Minor　Poet。

The　white　hands　of　the　Old　Maid　fluttered　on　her　lap；　revealing　her　trouble；　for　of　the　old　school　is　this　sweet　friend　of　mine。

〃There　are　the　children　to　be　considered；〃　I　explained。　　〃A　woman　feels　it　even　without　knowing。　　It　is　her　instinct。〃

The　Old　Maid　smiled　on　me　her　thanks。

〃It　is　where　I　was　leading；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Woman　has　been　appointed　by　Nature　the　trustee　of　the　children。　　It　is　her　duty　to　think　of　them；　to　plan　for　them。　　If　in　marriage　she　does　not　take　the　future　into　consideration；　she　is　untrue　to　her　trust。〃

〃Before　you　go　further；〃　interrupted　the　Philosopher；　〃there　is　an　important　point　to　be　considered。　　Are　children　better　or　worse　for　a　pampered　upbringing？　　Is　not　poverty　often　the　best　school？〃

〃It　is　what　I　always　tell　George；〃　remarked　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃when　he　grumbles　at　the　tradesmen's　books。　　If　Papa　could　only　have　seen　his　way　to　being　a　poor　man；　I　feel　I　should　have　been　a　better　wife。〃

〃Please　don't　suggest　the　possibility；〃　I　begged　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃the　thought　is　too　bewildering。〃

〃You　were　never　imaginative；〃　replied　the　Woman　of　the　World。

〃Not　to　that　extent；〃　I　admitted。

〃'The　best　mothers　make　the　worst　children；'〃　quoted　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃I　intend　to　bear　that　in　mind。〃

〃Your　mother　was　a　very　beautiful　characterone　of　the　most　beautiful　I　ever　knew；〃　remarked　the　Old　Maid。

〃There　is　some　truth　in　the　saying；〃　agreed　the　Minor　Poet；　〃but　only　because　it　is　the　exception；　and　Nature　invariably　puts　forth　all　her　powers　to　counteract　the　result　of　deviation　from　her　laws。　Were　it　the　rule；　then　the　bad　mother　would　be　the　good　mother　and　the　good　mother　the　bad　mother。　　And〃

〃Please　don't　go　on；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World。　　〃I　was　up　late　last　night。〃

〃I　was　merely　going　to　show；〃　explained　the　Minor　Poet；　〃that　all　roads　lead　to　the　law　that　the　good　mother　is　the　best　mother。　　Her　duty　is　to　her　children；　to　guard　their　infancy；　to　take　thought　for　their　equipment。〃

〃Do　you　seriously　ask　us　to　believe；〃　demanded　the　Old　Maid；　〃that　the　type　of　woman　who　does　marry　for　money　considers　for　a　single　moment　any　human　being　but　herself？〃

〃Not　consciously；　perhaps；〃　admitted　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Our　instincts；　that　they　may　guide　us　easily；　are　purposely　made　selfish。　　The　flower　secretes　honey　for　its　own　purposes；　not　with　any　sense　of　charity　towards　the　bee。　　Man　works；　as　he　thinks；　for　beer　and　baccy；　in　reality；　for　the　benefit　of　unborn　generations。　The　woman；　in　acting　selfishly；　is　assisting　Nature's　plans。　　In　olden　days　she　chose　her　mate　for　his　strength。　　She；　possibly　enough；　thought　only　of　herself；　he　could　best　provide　for　her　then　simple　wants；　best　guard　her　from　the　disagreeable　accidents　of　nomadic　life。　　But　Nature；　unseen；　directing　her；　was　thinking　of　the　savage　brood　needing　still　more　a　bold　protector。　　Wealth　now　is　the　substitute　for　strength。　　The　rich　man　is　the　strong　man。　　The　woman's　heart　unconsciously　goes　out　to　him。〃

〃Do　men　never　marry　for　money？〃　inquired　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃I　ask　merely　for　information。　　Maybe　I　have　been　misinformed；　but　I　have　heard　of　countries　where　the　dot　is　considered　of　almost　more　importance　than　the　bride。〃

〃The　German　officer；〃　I　ventured　to　strike　in；　〃is　literally　on　sale。　　Young　lieutenants　are　most　expensive；　and　even　an　elderly　colonel　costs　a　girl　a　hundred　thousand　marks。〃

〃You　mean；〃　corrected　the　Minor　Poet；　〃costs　her　father。　　The　Continental　husband　demands　a　dowry　with　his　wife；　and　sees　that　he　gets　it。　　He　in　his　turn　has　to　save　and　scrape　for　years　to　provide　each　of　his　daughters　with　the　necessary　dot。　　It　comes　to　the　same　thing　precisely。　　Your　argument　could　only　apply　were　woman　equally　with　man　a　wealth　producer。　　As　it　is；　a　woman's　wealth　is　invariably　the　result　of　a　marriage；　either　her　own　or　that　of　some　shrewd　ancestress。　　And　as　regards　the　heiress；　the　principle　of　sale　and　purchase；　if　I　may　be　forgiven　the　employment　of　common　terms；　is　still　more　religiously　enforced。　　It　is　not　often　that　the　heiress　is　given　away；　stolen　she　may　be　occasionally；　much　to　the　indignation　of　Lord　Chancellors　and　other　guardians　of　such　property；　the　thief　is　very　properly　punishedimprisoned；　if　need　be。　　If　handed　over　legitimately；　her　price　is　strictly　exacted；　not　always　in　moneythat　she　possesses　herself；　maybe　in　sufficiency；　it　enables　her　to　bargain　for　other　advantages　no　less　serviceable　to　her　childrenfor　title；　place；　position。　　In　the　same　way　the　Neolithic　woman；　herself　of　exceptional　strength　and　ferocity；　may　have　been　enabled　to　bestow　a　thought　upon　her　savage　lover's　beauty；　his　prehistoric　charm　of　manner；　thus　in　other　directions　no　less　necessary　assisting　the　development　of　the　race。〃

〃I　cannot　argue　with　you；〃　said　the　Old　Maid。　　〃I　know　one　case。　They　were　both　poor；　it　would　have　made　no　difference　to　her；　but　it　did　to　him。　　Maybe　I　am　wrong；　but　it　seems　to　me　that；　as　you　say；　our　instincts　are　given　us　to　guide　us。　　I　do　not　know。　　The　future　is　not　in　our　hands；　it　does　not　belong　to　us。　　Perhaps　it　were　wiser　to　listen　to　the　voices　that　are　sent　to　us。〃

〃I　remember　a　case；　also；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World。　　She　had　risen　to　prepare　the　tea；　and　was　standing　with　her　back　to　us。　'Like　the　woman　you　speak　of；　she　was　poor；　but　one　of　the　sweetest　creatures　I　have　ever　known。　　I　cannot　help　thinking　it　would　have　been　good　for　the　world　had　she　been　a　mother。〃

〃My　dear　lady；〃　cried　the　Minor　Poet；　〃you　help　me！〃

〃I　always　do；　according　to　you；〃　laughed　the　Woman　of　the　World。　　〃I　appear　to　resemble　the　bull　that　tossed　the　small　boy　high　into　the　apple…tree　he　had　been　trying　all　the　afternoon　to　climb。〃

〃It　is　very　kind　of　you；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃My　argument　is　that　woman　is　justified　in　regarding　marriage　as　the　end　of　her　existence；　the　particular　man　as　but　a　means。　　The　woman　you　speak　of　acted　selfishly；　rejecting　the　crown　of　womanhood　because　not　tendered　to　her　by　hands　she　had　chosen。〃

〃You　would　have　us　marry　without　love？〃　asked　the　Girton　Girl。

〃With　love；　if　possible；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet；　〃without；　rather　than　not　at　all。　　It　is　the　fulfilment　of　the　woman's　law。〃

〃You　would　make　of　us　goods　and　chattels；〃　cried　the　Girton　Girl。

〃I　would　make　of　you　what　you　are；〃　returned　the　Minor　Poet；　〃the　priestesses　of　Nature's　temple；　leading　man　to　the　worship　of　her　mysteries。　　An　American　humorist　has　described　marriage　as　the　craving　of　some　young　man　to　pay　for　some　young　woman's　board　and　lodging。　　There　is　no　escaping　from　this　definition；　let　us　accept　it。　　It　is　beautifulso　far　as　the　young　man　is　concerned。　　He　sacrifices　himself；　deprives　himself；　that　he　may　give。　　That　is　love。　　But　from　the　woman's　point　of　view？　　If　she　accept　thinking　only　of　herself；　then　it　is　a　sordid　bargain　on　her　part。　　To　understand　her；　to　be　just　to　her；　we　must　look　deeper。　　Not　sexual；　but　maternal　love　is　her　kingdom。　　She　gives　herself　not　to　her　lover；　but　through　her　lover　to　the　great　Goddess　of　the　Myriad　Breasts　that　shadows　ever　　with　her　guardian　wings　Life　from　the　outstretched　hand　of　Death。〃

〃She　may　be　a　nice　enough　girl　from　Nature's　point　of　view；〃　said　the　Old　Maid；　〃personally；　I　shall　never　like　her。〃



CHAPTER　IV



〃What　is　the　time？〃　asked　the　Girton　Girl。

I　looked　at　my　watch。　　〃Twenty　past　four；〃　I　answered。

〃Exactly？〃　demanded　the　Girton　Girl。

〃Precisely；〃　I　replied。

〃Strange；〃　murmured　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃There　is　no　accounting　for　it；　yet　it　always　is　so。〃

〃What　is　there　no　accounting　for？〃　I　inquired。　　〃What　is　strange？〃

〃It　is　a　German　superstition；〃　e