tea-table talk-第6部分

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　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；〃　explained　the　Girton　Girl；　〃I　learnt　it　at　school。　　Whenever　complete　silence　falls　upon　any　company；　it　is　always　twenty　minutes　past　the　hour。〃

〃Why　do　we　talk　so　much？〃　demanded　the　Minor　Poet。

〃As　a　matter　of　fact；〃　observed　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃I　don't　think　we　donot　we；　personally；　not　much。　　Most　of　our　time　we　appear　to　be　listening　to　you。〃

〃Then　why　do　I　talk　so　much；　if　you　prefer　to　put　it　that　way？〃　continued　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃If　I　talked　less；　one　of　you　others　would　have　to　talk　more。〃

〃There　would　be　that　advantage　about　it；〃　agreed　the　Philosopher。

〃In　all　probability；　you；〃　returned　to　him　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Whether　as　a　happy　party　we　should　gain　or　lose　by　the　exchange；　it　is　not　for　me　to　say；　though　I　have　my　own　opinion。　　The　essential　remains…　…that　the　stream　of　chatter　must　be　kept　perpetually　flowing。　　Why？〃

〃There　is　a　man　I　know；〃　I　said；　〃you　may　have　met　him；　a　man　named　Longrush。　　He　is　not　exactly　a　bore。　　A　bore　expects　you　to　listen　to　him。　　This　man　is　apparently　unaware　whether　you　are　listening　to　him　or　not。　　He　is　not　a　fool。　　A　fool　is　occasionally　amusing　Longrush　never。　　No　subject　comes　amiss　to　him。　　Whatever　the　topic；　he　has　something　uninteresting　to　say　about　it。　　He　talks　as　a　piano…organ　grinds　out　music　steadily；　strenuously；　tirelessly。　　The　moment　you　stand　or　sit　him　down　he　begins；　to　continue　ceaselessly　till　wheeled　away　in　cab　or　omnibus　to　his　next　halting…place。　　As　in　the　case　of　his　prototype；　his　rollers　are　changed　about　once　a　month　to　suit　the　popular　taste。　　In　January　he　repeats　to　you　Dan　Leno's　jokes；　and　gives　you　other　people's　opinions　concerning　the　Old　Masters　at　the　Guild…hall。　　In　June　he　recounts　at　length　what　is　generally　thought　concerning　the　Academy；　and　agrees　with　most　people　on　most　points　connected　with　the　Opera。　　If　forgetful　for　a　momentas　an　Englishman　may　be　excused　for　beingwhether　it　be　summer　or　winter；　one　may　assure　oneself　by　waiting　to　see　whether　Longrush　is　enthusing　over　cricket　or　football。　　He　is　always　up…to…　date。　　The　last　new　Shakespeare；　the　latest　scandal；　the　man　of　the　hour；　the　next　nine　days'　wonderby　the　evening　Longrush　has　his　roller　ready。　　In　my　early　days　of　journalism　I　had　to　write　each　evening　a　column　for　a　provincial　daily；　headed　'What　People　are　Saying。'　　The　editor　was　precise　in　his　instructions。　　'I　don't　want　your　opinions；　I　don't　want　you　to　be　funny；　never　mind　whether　the　thing　appears　to　you　to　be　interesting　or　not。　　I　want　it　to　be　real；　the　things　people　ARE　saying。'　　I　tried　to　be　conscientious。　Each　paragraph　began　with　'That。'　　I　wrote　the　column　because　I　wanted　the　thirty　shillings。　　Why　anybody　ever　read　it；　I　fail　to　understand　to　this　day；　but　I　believe　it　was　one　of　the　popular　features　of　the　paper。　　Longrush　invariably　brings　back　to　my　mind　the　dreary　hours　I　spent　penning　that　fatuous　record。〃

〃I　think　I　know　the　man　you　mean；〃　said　the　Philosopher。　　〃I　had　forgotten　his　name。〃

〃I　thought　it　possible　you　might　have　met　him；〃　I　replied。　　〃Well；　my　cousin　Edith　was　arranging　a　dinner…party　the　other　day；　and；　as　usual；　she　did　me　the　honour　to　ask　my　advice。　　Generally　speaking；　I　do　not　give　advice　nowadays。　　As　a　very　young　man　I　was　generous　with　it。　　I　have　since　come　to　the　conclusion　that　responsibility　for　my　own　muddles　and　mistakes　is　sufficient。　　However；　I　make　an　exception　in　Edith's　case；　knowing　that　never　by　any　chance　will　she　follow　it。〃

〃Speaking　of　editors；〃　said　the　Philosopher；　〃Bates　told　me　at　the　club　the　other　night　that　he　had　given　up　writing　the　'Answers　to　Correspondents'　personally；　since　discovery　of　the　fact　that　he　had　been　discussing　at　some　length　the　attractive　topic；　'Duties　of　a　Father；'　with　his　own　wife；　who　is　somewhat　of　a　humorist。〃

〃There　was　the　wife　of　a　clergyman　my　mother　used　to　tell　of；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃who　kept　copies　of　her　husband's　sermons。　She　would　read　him　extracts　from　them　in　bed；　in　place　of　curtain　lectures。　　She　explained　it　saved　her　trouble。　　Everything　she　felt　she　wanted　to　say　to　him　he　had　said　himself　so　much　more　forcibly。〃

〃The　argument　always　appears　to　me　weak；〃　said　the　Philosopher。　　〃If　only　the　perfect　may　preach；　our　pulpits　would　remain　empty。　　Am　I　to　ignore　the　peace　that　slips　into　my　soul　when　perusing　the　Psalms；　to　deny　myself　all　benefit　from　the　wisdom　of　the　Proverbs；　because　neither　David　nor　Solomon　was　a　worthy　casket　of　the　jewels　that　God　had　placed　in　them？　　Is　a　temperance　lecturer　never　to　quote　the　self…reproaches　of　poor　Cassio　because　Master　Will　Shakespeare；　there　is　evidence　to　prove；　was　a　gentleman；　alas！　much　too　fond　of　the　bottle？　　The　man　that　beats　the　drum　may　be　himself　a　coward。　　It　is　the　drum　that　is　the　important　thing　to　us；　not　the　drummer。〃

〃Of　all　my　friends；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃the　one　who　has　the　most　trouble　with　her　servants　is　poor　Jane　Meredith。〃

〃I　am　exceedingly　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　observed　the　Philosopher；　after　a　slight　pause。　　〃But　forgive　me；　I　really　do　not　see〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　answered　the　Woman　of　the　World。　　〃I　thought　everybody　knew　'Jane　Meredith。'　　She　writes　'The　Perfect　Home'　column　for　The　Woman's　World。〃

〃It　will　always　remain　a　riddle；　one　supposes；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet。　〃Which　is　the　real　egoI；　the　author　of　'The　Simple　Life；'　fourteenth　edition；　three　and　sixpence　net〃

〃Don't；〃　pleaded　the　Old　Maid；　with　a　smile；　〃please　don't。〃

〃Don't　what？〃　demanded　the　Minor　Poet。

〃Don't　ridicule　itmake　fun　of　it；　even　though　it　may　happen　to　be　your　own。　　There　are　parts　of　it　I　know　by　heart。　　I　say　them　over　to　myself　when　Don't　spoil　it　for　me。〃　　The　Old　Maid　laughed；　but　nervously。

〃My　dear　lady；〃　reassured　her　the　Minor　Poet；　〃do　not　be　afraid。　　No　one　regards　that　poem　with　more　reverence　than　do　I。　　You　can　have　but　small　conception　what　a　help　it　is　to　me　also。　　I；　too；　so　often　read　it　to　myself；　and　when　We　understand。　　As　one　who　turns　his　back　on　scenes　of　riot　to　drink　the　moonlight　in　quiet　ways；　I　go　to　it　for　sweetness　and　for　peace。　　So　much　do　I　admire　the　poem；　I　naturally　feel　desire　and　curiosity　t