short stories and essays-第6部分

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dog　did　not　look　as　if　he　would　bite　the　worst　boy　in　town。　　The　man　came
up　and　asked　the　young　mother　about　her　sleeping　child；　and　I　inferred
that　the　child　had　been　sick；　and　was　therefore　unusually　interesting　to
all　the　great；　kind…hearted；　simple　circus　family。　　He　was　good　to　the
poor　supes；　and　instructed　them；　not　at　all　sneeringly；　how　best　to
manage　the　guy　ropes　for　the　nets　when　the　trapeze　events　began。

There　was；　in　fact；　an　air　of　pleasing　domesticity　diffused　over　the
whole　circus。　　This　was；　perhaps；　partly　an　effect　from　our　extreme
proximity　to　its　performances；　I　had　never　been　on　quite　such　intimate
terms　with　equitation　and　aerostation　of　all　kinds；　but　I　think　it　was
also　largely　from　the　good　hearts　of　the　whole　company。　　A　circus　must
become；　during　the　season；　a　great　brotherhood　and　sisterhood；　especially
sisterhood；　and　its　members　must　forget　finally　that　they　are　not　united
by　ties　of　blood。　　I　dare　say　they　often　become　so；　as　husbands　and　wives
and　fathers　and　mothers；　if　not　as　brothers。

The　domestic　effect　was　heightened　almost　poignantly　when　a　young　lady　in
a　Turkish…towel　bath…gown　came　out　and　stood　close　by　the　band；　waiting
for　her　act　on　a　barebacked　horse　of　a　conventional　pattern。　　She　really
looked　like　a　young　goddess　in　a　Turkish…towel　bath…gown：　goddesses　must
have　worn　bath…gowns；　especially　Venus；　who　was　often　imagined　in　the
bath；　or　just　out　of　it。　　But　when　this　goddess　threw　off　her　bath…gown；
and　came　bounding　into　the　ring　as　gracefully　as　the　clogs　she　wore　on
her　slippers　would　let　her；　she　was　much　more　modestly　dressed　than　most
goddesses。　　What　I　am　trying　to　say；　however；　is　that；　while　she　stood
there　by　the　band；　she　no　more　interested　the　musicians　than　if　she　were
their　collective　sister。　　They　were　all　in　their　shirt…sleeves　for　the
sake　of　the　coolness；　and　they　banged　and　trumpeted　and　fluted　away　as
indifferent　to　her　as　so　many　born　brothers。

Indeed；　when　the　gyrations　of　her　horse　brought　her　to　our　side　of　the
ring；　she　was　visibly　not　so　youthful　and　not　so　divine　as　she　might　have
been；　but　the　girl　who　did　the　trapeze　acts；　and　did　them　wonderfully；
left　nothing　to　be　desired　in　that　regard；　though　really　I　do　not　see　why
we　who　have　neither　youth　nor　beauty　should　always　expect　it　of　other
people。　　I　think　it　would　have　been　quite　enough　for　her　to　do　the
trapeze　acts　so　perfectly；　but　her　being　so　pretty　certainly　added　a
poignancy　to　the　contemplation　of　her　perils。　　One　could　follow　every
motion　of　her　anxiety　in　that　close　proximity：　the　tremor　of　her　chin　as
she　bit　her　lips　before　taking　her　flight　through　the　air；　the　straining
eagerness　of　her　eye　as　she　measured　the　distance；　the　frown　with　which
she　forbade　herself　any　shrinking　or　reluctance。




III。

How　strange　is　life；　how　sad　and　perplexing　its　contradictions！　　Why
should　such　an　exhibition　as　that　be　supposed　to　give　pleasure？　　Perhaps
it　does　not　give　pleasure；　but　is　only　a　necessary　fulfilment　of　one　of
the　many　delusions　we　are　in　with　regard　to　each　other　in　this
bewildering　world。　　They　are　of　all　sorts　and　degrees；　these　delusions；
and　I　suppose　that　in　the　last　analysis　it　was　not　pleasure　I　got　from
the　clown　and　his　clowning；　clowned　he　ever　so　merrily。　　I　remember　that
I　liked　hearing　his　old　jokes；　not　because　they　were　jokes；　but　because
they　were　old　and　endeared　by　long　association。　　He　sang　one　song　which　I
must　have　heard　him　sing　at　my　first　circus　（I　am　sure　it　was　he）；　about
〃Things　that　I　don't　like　to　see；〃　and　I　heartily　agreed　with　him　that
his　book　of　songs；　which　he　sent　round　to　be　sold；　was　fully　worth　the
half…dime　asked　for　it；　though　I　did　not　buy　it。

Perhaps　the　rival　author　in　me　withheld　me；　but；　as　a　brother　man；　I　will
not　allow　that　I　did　not　feel　for　him　and　suffer　with　him　because　of　the
thick；　white　pigment　which　plentifully　coated　his　face；　and；　with　the
sweat　drops　upon　it；　made　me　think　of　a　newly　painted　wall　in　the　rain。
He　was　infinitely　older　than　his　personality；　than　his　oldest　joke
（though　you　never　can　be　sure　how　old　a　joke　is）；　and；　representatively；
I　dare　say　he　outdated　the　pyramids。　　They　must　have　made　clowns　whiten
their　faces　in　the　dawn　of　time；　and　no　doubt　there　were　drolls　among　the
antediluvians　who　enhanced　the　effect　of　their　fun　by　that　means。　　All
the　same；　I　pitied　this　clown　for　it；　and　I　fancied　in　his　wildest
waggery　the　note　of　a　real　irascibility。　　Shall　I　say　that　he　seemed　the
only　member　of　that　little　circus　who　was　not　of　an　amiable　temper？　　But
I　do　not　blame　him；　and　I　think　it　much　to　have　seen　a　clown　once　more
who　jested　audibly　with　the　ringmaster　and　always　got　the　better　of　him
in　repartee。　　It　was　long　since　I　had　known　that　pleasure。




IV。

Throughout　the　performance　at　this　circus　I　was　troubled　by　a　curious
question；　whether　it　were　really　of　the　same　moral　and　material　grandeur
as　the　circuses　it　brought　to　memory；　or　whether　these　were　thin　and
slight；　too。　　We　all　know　how　the　places　of　our　childhood；　the　heights；
the　distances；　shrink　and　dwindle　when　we　go　back　to　them；　and　was　it
possible　that　I　had　been　deceived　in　the　splendor　of　my　early　circuses？
The　doubt　was　painful；　but　I　was　forced　to　own　that　there　might　be　more
truth　in　it　than　in　a　blind　fealty　to　their　remembered　magnificence。
Very　likely　circuses　have　grown　not　only　in　size；　but　in　the　richness　and
variety　of　　their　entertainments；　and　I　was　spoiled　for　the　simple　joys
of　this。　　But　I　could　see　no　reflection　of　my　dissatisfaction　on　the
young　faces　around　me；　and　I　must　confess　that　there　was　at　least　so　much
of　the　circus　that　I　left　when　it　was　half　over。　　I　meant　to　go　into　the
side…shows　and　see　the　fat　woman　and　the　living　skeleton；　and　take　the
giant　by　the　hand　and　the　armless　man　by　his　friendly　foot；　if　I　might　be
so　honored。　　But　I　did　none　of　these　things；　and　I　am　willing　to　believe
the　fault　was　in　me；　if　I　was　disappointed　in　the　circus。　　It　was　I　who
had　shrunk　and　dwindled；　and　not　it。　　To　real　boys　it　was　still　the　size
of　the　firmament；　and　was　a　world　of　wonders　and　delights。　　At　least　I
can　recognize　this　fact　now；　and　can　rejoice　in　the　peaceful　progress　all
over　the　country　of　the　simple　circuses　which　the　towns　never　see；　but
which　help　to　render　the　summer　fairer　and　brighter　to　the　unspoiled　eyes
and　hearts　they　appeal　to。　　I　hope　it　will　be　long　before　they　cease　to
find　profit　in　the　pleasure　they　give。






A　SHE　HAMLET

The　other　night　as　I　sat　before　the　curtain　of　the　Garden　Theatre　and
waited　for　it　to　rise　upon　the　Hamlet　of　Mme。　Bernhardt；　a　thrill　of　the
rich　expectation　which　cannot　fail　to　precede　the　rise　of　any　curtain
upon　any　Hamlet　passed　through　my　eager　frame。　　There　is；　indeed；　no
scene　of　drama　which　is　of　a　finer　horror　（eighteenth…century　horror）
than　that　which　opens　the　great　tragedy。　　The　sentry　pacing　up　and　down
upon　the　platform　at　Elsinore　under　the　winter　night；　the　greeting
between　him　and　the　comrade　arriving　to　relieve　him；　with　its　hints　of
the　bitter　cold；　the　entrance　of　Horatio　and　Marcellus　to　these　before
they　can　part；　the　mention　of　the　ghost；　and；　while　the　soldiers　are　in
the　act　of　protesting　it　a　veridical　phantom；　the　apparition　of　the
ghost；　taking　the　word　from　their　lips　and　hushing　all　into　a　pulseless
awe：　what　could　be　more　simply　and　sublimely　real；　more　naturally
supernatural？　　What　promise　of　high　mystical　things　to　come　there　is　in
the　mere　syllabling　of　the　noble　verse；　and　how　it　enlarges　us　from
ourselves；　for　that　time　at　least；　to　a　disembodied　unity　with　the
troubled　soul　whose　martyry　seems　foreboded　in　the　solemn　accents！
As　the　many　Hamlets　on　which　the　curtain　had　risen　in　my　time　passed　in
long　procession　through　my　memory；　I　seemed　to　myself　so　much　of　their
world；　and　so　little　of　the　world　that　arrogantly　calls　itself　the　actual
one；　that　I　should　hardly　have　been　surprised　to　find　myself　one　of　the
less　considered　persons　of　the　drama　who　were　seen　but　not　heard　in　its
course。




I。

The　trouble　in　judging　anything　is　that　if　you　have　the　materials　for　an
intelligent　criticism；　the　case　is　already　prejudiced　in　your　hands。
You　do　not　bring　a　free　mind　to　it；　and　all　your　efforts　to　free　your
mind　are　a　species　of　gymnastics　more　or　less　admirable；　but　not　really
effective　for　the　purpose。　　The　best　way　is　to　own　yourself　unfair　at　the
start；　and　then　you　can　have　some　hope　of　doing　yourself　justice；　if　not
your　subject。　　In　other　words；　if　you　went　to　see　the　Hamlet　of　Mme。
Bernhardt　frankly　expecting　to　be　disappointed；　you　were　less　likely　in
the　end　to　be　disappointed　in　your　expectations；　and　you　could　not　blame
her　if　you　were。　　To　be　ideally　fair　to　that　representation；　it　would　be
better　not　to　have　known　any　other　Hamlet；　and；　above　all；　the　Hamlet　of
Shakespeare。

From　the　first　it　was　evident　that　she　had　three　things　overwhelmingly
against　herher　sex；　her　race；　and　her　speech。　　You　never　ceased　to　feel
for　a　moment　that　it　was　a　woman　who　was　doing　that　melancholy　Dane；　and
that　the　woman　was　a　Jewess；　and　the　Jewess　a　French　Jewess。　　These　three
removes　put　a　gulf　impassable　between　her　utmost　skill　and　the
impassioned　irresolution　of　that　inscrutable　Northern　nature　which　is　in
nothing　so　masculine　as　its　feminine　reluctances　and　hesitations；　or　so
little　French　as　in　those　obscure　emotions　which　the　English　poetry
expressed　with　more　than　Gallic　clearness；　but　which　the　French　words
always　failed　to　convey。　　The　battle　was　lost　from　the　first；　and　all　you
could　feel　about　it　for　the　rest　was　that　if　it　was　magnificent　it　was
not　war。

While　the　battle　went　on　I　was　the　more　anxious　to　be　fair；　because　I
had；　as　it　were；　pre…espoused　the　winning　side；　and　I　welcomed；　in　the
interest　of　critical　impartiality；　another　Hamlet　which　came　to　mind；
through　readily　traceable　associations。　　This　was　a　Hamlet　also　of　French
extraction　in　the　skill　and　school　of　the　actor；　but　as　much　more　deeply
derived　than　the　Hamlet　of　Mme。　Bernhardt　as　the　large　imagination　of
Charles　Fechter　transcended　in　its　virile　range　the　effect　of　her
subtlest　womanish　intuition。