tea-table talk-第3部分

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tion。　　I　forget　how　it　was　settled；　but　I　know　we　neither　of　us　ate　either　strawberries　or　nectarines　for　the　next　two　years。〃

〃There　is　a　time　for　everything；〃　agreed　the　Philosopher。　　〃With　the　lover；　penning　poetry　to　the　wondrous　red　and　white　upon　his　mistress'　cheek；　we　do　not　discuss　the　subject　of　pigment　in　the　blood；　its　cause　and　probable　duration。　　Nevertheless；　the　subject　is　interesting。〃

〃We　men　and　women；〃　continued　the　Minor　Poet；　〃we　are　Nature's　favourites；　her　hope；　for　whom　she　has　made　sacrifice；　putting　aside　so　many　of　her　own　convictions；　telling　herself　she　is　old…　fashioned。　　She　has　let　us　go　from　her　to　the　strange　school　where　they　laugh　at　all　her　notions。　　We　have　learnt　new；　strange　ideas　that　bewilder　the　good　dame。　　Yet；　returning　home　it　is　curious　to　notice　how　little；　in　the　few　essential　things　of　life；　we　differ　from　her　other　children；　who　have　never　wandered　from　her　side。　　Our　vocabulary　has　been　extended　and　elaborated；　yet　face　to　face　with　the　realities　of　existence　it　is　unavailing。　　Clasping　the　living；　standing　beside　the　dead；　our　language　still　is　but　a　cry。　　Our　wants　have　grown　more　complicated；　the　ten…course　banquet；　with　all　that　it　involves；　has　substituted　itself　for　the　handful　of　fruits　and　nuts　gathered　without　labour；　the　stalled　ox　and　a　world　of　trouble　for　the　dinner　of　herbs　and　leisure　therewith。　　Are　we　so　far　removed　thereby　above　our　little　brother；　who；　having　swallowed　his　simple；　succulent　worm；　mounts　a　neighbouring　twig　and　with　easy　digestion　carols　thanks　to　God？　　The　square　brick　box　about　which　we　move；　hampered　at　every　step　by　wooden　lumber；　decked　with　many　rags　and　strips　of　coloured　paper；　cumbered　with　odds　and　ends　of　melted　flint　and　moulded　clay；　has　replaced　the　cheap；　convenient　cave。　　We　clothe　ourselves　in　the　skins　of　other　animals　instead　of　allowing　our　own　to　develop　into　a　natural　protection。　　We　hang　about　us　bits　of　stone　and　metal；　but　underneath　it　all　we　are　little　two…legged　animals；　struggling　with　the　rest　to　live　and　breed。　　Beneath　each　hedgerow　in　the　springtime　we　can　read　our　own　romances　in　the　makingthe　first　faint　stirring　of　the　blood；　the　roving　eye；　the　sudden　marvellous　discovery　of　the　indispensable　She；　the　wooing；　the　denial；　hope；　coquetry；　despair；　contention；　rivalry；　hate；　jealousy；　love；　bitterness；　victory；　and　death。　　Our　comedies；　our　tragedies；　are　being　played　upon　each　blade　of　grass。　　In　fur　and　feather　we　run　epitomised。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃I　have　heard　it　all　so　often。　　It　is　nonsense；　I　can　prove　it　to　you。〃

〃That　is　easy；〃　observed　the　Philosopher。　　〃The　Sermon　on　the　Mount　itself　has　been　proved　nonsenseamong　others；　by　a　bishop。　Nonsense　is　the　reverse　side　of　the　patternthe　tangled　ends　of　the　thread　that　Wisdom　weaves。〃

〃There　was　a　Miss　Askew　at　the　College；〃　said　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃She　agreed　with　every　one。　　With　Marx　she　was　a　Socialist；　with　Carlyle　a　believer　in　benevolent　despotism；　with　Spinoza　a　materialist；　with　Newman　a　fanatic。　　I　had　a　long　talk　with　her　before　she　left；　and　tried　to　understand　her；　she　was　an　interesting　girl。　　'I　think；'　she　said；　'I　could　choose　among　them　if　only　they　would　answer　one　another。　　But　they　don't。　　They　won't　listen　to　one　another。　　They　only　repeat　their　own　case。'〃

〃There　never　is　an　answer；〃　explained　the　Philosopher。　　〃The　kernel　of　every　sincere　opinion　is　truth。　　This　life　contains　only　the　questionsthe　solutions　to　be　published　in　a　future　issue。〃

〃She　was　a　curious　sort　of　young　woman；〃　smiled　the　Girton　Girl；　〃we　used　to　laugh　at　her。〃

〃I　can　quite　believe　it；〃　commented　the　Philosopher。

〃It　is　so　like　shopping；〃　said　the　Old　Maid。

〃Like　shopping！〃　exclaimed　the　Girton　Girl。

The　Old　Maid　blushed。　　〃I　was　merely　thinking；〃　she　said。　　〃It　sounds　foolish。　　The　idea　occurred　to　me。〃

〃You　were　thinking　of　the　difficulty　of　choosing？〃　I　suggested。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　Old　Maid。　　〃They　will　show　you　so　many　different　things；　one　is　quite　unableat　least；　I　know　it　is　so　in　my　own　case。　　I　get　quite　angry　with　myself。　　It　seems　so　weak…minded；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　This　very　dress　I　have　on　now〃

〃It　is　very　charming；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃in　itself。　　I　have　been　admiring　it。　　Though　I　confess　I　think　you　look　even　better　in　dark　colours。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　replied　the　Old　Maid；　〃myself；　I　hate　it。　But　you　know　how　it　is。　　I　seemed　to　have　been　all　the　morning　in　the　shop。　　I　felt　so　tired。　　If　only〃

The　Old　Maid　stopped　abruptly。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　afraid　I've　interrupted。〃

〃I　am　so　glad　you　told　us；〃　said　the　Philosopher。　　〃Do　you　know　that　seems　to　me　an　explanation？〃

〃Of　what？〃　asked　the　Girton　Girl。

〃Of　how　so　many　of　us　choose　our　views；〃　returned　the　Philosopher；　〃we　don't　like　to　come　out　of　the　shop　without　something。〃

〃But　you　were　about　to　explain；〃　continued　the　Philosopher；　turning　to　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃to　prove　a　point。〃

〃That　I　had　been　talking　nonsense；〃　reminded　her　the　Minor　Poet；　〃if　you　are　sure　it　will　not　weary　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃it　is　quite　simple。　The　gifts　of　civilisation　cannot　be　the　meaningless　rubbish　you　advocates　of　barbarism　would　make　out。　　I　remember　Uncle　Paul's　bringing　us　home　a　young　monkey　he　had　caught　in　Africa。　　With　the　aid　of　a　few　logs　we　fitted　up　a　sort　of　stage…tree　for　this　little　brother　of　mine；　as　I　suppose　you　would　call　him；　in　the　gun…room。　It　was　an　admirable　imitation　of　the　thing　to　which　he　and　his　ancestors　must　have　been　for　thousands　of　years　accustomed；　and　for　the　first　two　nights　he　slept　perched　among　its　branches。　　On　the　third　the　little　brute　turned　the　poor　cat　out　of　its　basket　and　slept　on　the　eiderdown；　after　which　no　more　tree　for　him；　real　or　imitation。　　At　the　end　of　the　three　months；　if　we　offered　him　monkey…nuts；　he　would　snatch　them　from　our　hand　and　throw　them　at　our　head。　　He　much　preferred　gingerbread　and　weak　tea　with　plenty　of　sugar；　and　when　we　wanted　him　to　leave　the　kitchen　fire　and　enjoy　a　run　in　the　garden；　we　had　to　carry　him　out　swearingI　mean　he　was　swearing；　of　course。　　I　quite　agree　with　him。　　I　much　prefer　this　chair　on　which　I　am　sittingthis　'wooden　lumber；'　as　you　term　it　to　the　most　comfortable　lump　of　old　red　sandstone　that　the　best　furnished　cave　could　possibly　afford；　and　I　am　degenerate　enough　to　fancy　that　I　look　very　nice　in　this　frockmuch　nicer　than　my　brothers　or　sisters　to　whom　it　originally　belonged：　　they　didn't　know　how　to　make　the　best　of　it。〃

〃You　would　look　charming　anyhow；〃　I　murmured　with　conviction；　〃even…　…〃

〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say；〃　interrupted　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃please　don't。　　It's　very　shocking；　and；　besides；　I　don't　agree　with　you。　　I　should　have　had　a　thick；　coarse　skin；　with　hair　all　over　me　and　nothing　by　way　of　a　change。〃

〃I　am　contending；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet；　〃that　what　we　choose　to　call　civilisation　has　done　little　beyond　pandering　to　our　animal　desires。　Your　argument　confirms　my　theory。　　Your　evidence　in　support　of　civilisation　comes　to　thisthat　it　can　succeed　in　tickling　the　appetites　of　a　monkey。　　You　need　not　have　gone　back　so　far。　　The　noble　savage　of　today　flings　aside　his　clear　spring　water　to　snatch　at　the　missionary's　gin。　　He　will　even　discard　his　feathers；　which　at　least　were　picturesque；　for　a　chimney…pot　hat　innocent　of　nap。　Plaid　trousers　and　cheap　champagne　follow　in　due　course。　　Where　is　the　advancement？　　Civilisation　provides　us　with　more　luxuries　for　our　bodies。　　That　I　grant　you。　　Has　it　brought　us　any　real　improvement　that　could　not　have　been　arrived　at　sooner　by　other　roads？〃

〃It　has　given　us　Art；〃　said　the　Girton　Girl。

〃When　you　say　'us；'〃　replied　the　Minor　Poet；　〃I　presume　you　are　referring　to　the　one　person　in　half　a　million　to　whom　Art　is　anything　more　than　a　name。　　Dismissing　the　countless　hordes　who　have　absolutely　never　heard　the　word；　and　confining　attention　to　the　few　thousands　scattered　about　Europe　and　America　who　prate　of　it；　how　many　of　even　these　do　you　think　it　really　influences；　entering　into　their　lives；　refining；　broadening　them？　　Watch　the　faces　of　the　thin　but　conscientious　crowd　streaming　wearily　through　our　miles　of　picture　galleries　and　art　museums；　gaping；　with　guide…book　in　hand；　at　ruined　temple　or　cathedral　tower；　striving；　with　the　spirit　of　the　martyr；　to　feel　enthusiasm　for　Old　Masters　at　which；　left　to　themselves；　they　would　enjoy　a　good　laughfor　chipped　statues　which；　uninstructed；　they　would　have　mistaken　for　the　damaged　stock　of　a　suburban　tea…garden。　　Not　more　than　one　in　twelve　enjoys　what　he　is　looking　at；　and　he　by　no　means　is　bound　to　be　the　best　of　the　dozen。　　Nero　was　a　genuine　lover　of　Art；　and　in　modern　times　August　the　Strong；　of　Saxony；　'the　man　of　sin；'　as　Carlyle　calls　him；　has　left　undeniable　proof　behind　him　that　he　was　a　connoisseur　of　the　first　water。　　One　recalls　names　even　still　more　recent。　　Are　we　so　sure　that　Art　does　elevate？〃

〃You　are　talking　for　the　sake　of　talking；〃　told　him　the　Girton　Girl。

〃One　can　talk　for　the　sake　of　thinking　also；〃　reminded　her　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃The　argument　is　one　that　has　to　be　faced。　　But　admitting　that　Art　has　been　of　service　to　mankind　on　the　whole；　that　it　possesses　one…tenth　of　the　soul…forming　properties　claimed　for　it　in　the　advertisementwhich　I　take　to　be　a　generous　estimateits　effect　upon　the　world　at　large　still　remains　infinitesimal。〃

〃It　works　down；〃　maintained　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃From　the　few　it　spreads　to　the　many。〃

〃The　process　appears　to　be　somewhat　slow；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet。　〃The　result；　for　whatever　it　may　be　worth；　we　might　have　obtained　sooner　by　doing　away　with　the　middleman。〃

〃What　middleman？〃　demanded　the　Girton　Girl。

〃The　artist；〃　explained　the　Minor　Poet；　〃the　man　who　has　turned　the　whole　thing　into　a　business；　the　shopman　who　sells　emotions　over　the　counter。　　A　Corot；　a　Turner　is；　after　all；　but　a　poor　apology　compared　with　a　walk　in　spring　through　the　Black　Forest　or　the　view　from　Hampstead　Heath　on　a　November　afternoon。　　Had　we　been　less　occupied　acquiring　'the　advantages　of　civilisation；'　working　upward　through　the　weary　centuries　to　the　city　slum；　the　corrugated…iron…　roofed　farm；　we　might　ha