novel notes-第30部分

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rite　to　my　aunt　and　obtain　from　her　the　old　lady's　view。　　You；〃　he　said；　turning　to　me；　〃can　put　the　case　to　your　wife；　and　get　the　young　lady's　ideal。　　Let　Brown　write　to　his　sister　at　Newnham；　and　find　out　whom　the　intellectual　maiden　favours；　while　Jephson　can　learn　from　Miss　Medbury　what　is　most　attractive　to　the　common…sensed　girl。〃

This　plan　we　had　adopted；　and　the　result　was　now　under　consideration。　　MacShaughnassy　opened　the　proceedings　by　reading　his　aunt's　letter。　　Wrote　the　old　lady：


〃I　think；　if　I　were　you；　my　dear　boy；　I　should　choose　a　soldier。　You　know　your　poor　grandfather；　who　ran　away　to　America　with　that　WICKED　Mrs。　Featherly；　the　banker's　wife；　was　a　soldier；　and　so　was　your　poor　cousin　Robert；　who　lost　eight　thousand　pounds　at　Monte　Carlo。　　I　have　always　felt　singularly　drawn　towards　soldiers；　even　as　a　girl；　though　your　poor　dear　uncle　could　not　bear　them。　　You　will　find　many　allusions　to　soldiers　and　men　of　war　in　the　Old　Testament　（see　Jer。　xlviii。　14）。　　Of　course　one　does　not　like　to　think　of　their　fighting　and　killing　each　other；　but　then　they　do　not　seem　to　do　that　sort　of　thing　nowadays。〃


〃So　much　for　the　old　lady；〃　said　MacShaughnassy；　as　he　folded　up　the　letter　and　returned　it　to　his　pocket。　　〃What　says　culture？〃

Brown　produced　from　his　cigar…case　a　letter　addressed　in　a　bold　round　hand；　and　read　as　follows：


〃What　a　curious　coincidence！　　A　few　of　us　were　discussing　this　very　subject　last　night　in　Millicent　Hightopper's　rooms；　and　I　may　tell　you　at　once　that　our　decision　was　unanimous　in　favour　of　soldiers。　You　see；　my　dear　Selkirk；　in　human　nature　the　attraction　is　towards　the　opposite。　　To　a　milliner's　apprentice　a　poet　would　no　doubt　be　satisfying；　to　a　woman　of　intelligence　he　would　he　an　unutterable　bore。　　What　the　intellectual　woman　requires　in　man　is　not　something　to　argue　with；　but　something　to　look　at。　　To　an　empty…headed　woman　I　can　imagine　the　soldier　type　proving　vapid　and　uninteresting；　to　the　woman　of　mind　he　represents　her　ideal　of　mana　creature　strong；　handsome；　well…dressed；　and　not　too　clever。〃


〃That　gives　us　two　votes　for　the　army；〃　remarked　MacShaughnassy；　as　Brown　tore　his　sister's　letter　in　two；　and　threw　the　pieces　into　the　waste…paper　basket。　　〃What　says　the　common…sensed　girl？〃

〃First　catch　your　common…sensed　girl；〃　muttered　Jephson；　a　little　grumpily；　as　it　seemed　to　me。　　〃Where　do　you　propose　finding　her？〃

〃Well；〃　returned　MacShaughnassy；　〃I　looked　to　find　her　in　Miss　Medbury。〃

As　a　rule；　the　mention　of　Miss　Medbury's　name　brings　a　flush　of　joy　to　Jephson's　face；　but　now　his　features　wore　an　expression　distinctly　approaching　a　scowl。

〃Oh！〃　he　replied；　〃did　you？　　Well；　then；　the　common…sensed　girl　loves　the　military　also。〃

〃By　Jove！〃　exclaimed　MacShaughnassy；　〃what　an　extraordinary　thing。　What　reason　does　she　give？〃

〃That　there's　a　something　about　them；　and　that　they　dance　so　divinely；〃　answered　Jephson；　shortly。

〃Well；　you　do　surprise　me；〃　murmured　MacShaughnassy；　〃I　am　astonished。〃

Then　to　me　he　said：　　〃And　what　does　the　young　married　woman　say？　The　same？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃precisely　the　same。〃

〃Does　SHE　give　a　reason？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh　yes；〃　I　explained；　〃because　you　can't　help　liking　them。〃

There　was　silence　for　the　next　few　minutes；　while　we　smoked　and　thought。　　I　fancy　we　were　all　wishing　we　had　never　started　this　inquiry。

That　four　distinctly　different　types　of　educated　womanhood　should；　with　promptness　and　unanimity　quite　unfeminine；　have　selected　the　soldier　as　their　ideal；　was　certainly　discouraging　to　the　civilian　heart。　　Had　they　been　nursemaids　or　servant　girls；　I　should　have　expected　it。　　The　worship　of　Mars　by　the　Venus　of　the　white　cap　is　one　of　the　few　vital　religions　left　to　this　devoutless　age。　　A　year　or　two　ago　I　lodged　near　a　barracks；　and　the　sight　to　be　seen　round　its　huge　iron　gates　on　Sunday　afternoons　I　shall　never　forget。　　The　girls　began　to　assemble　about　twelve　o'clock。　　By　two；　at　which　hour　the　army；　with　its　hair　nicely　oiled　and　a　cane　in　its　hand；　was　ready　for　a　stroll；　there　would　be　some　four　or　five　hundred　of　them　waiting　in　a　line。　　Formerly　they　had　collected　in　a　wild　mob；　and　as　the　soldiers　were　let　out　to　them　two　at　a　time；　had　fought　for　them；　as　lions　for　early　Christians。　　This；　however；　had　led　to　scenes　of　such　disorder　and　brutality；　that　the　police　had　been　obliged　to　interfere；　and　the　girls　were　now　marshalled　in　QUEUE；　two　abreast；　and　compelled；　by　a　force　of　constables　specially　told　off　for　the　purpose；　to　keep　their　places　and　wait　their　proper　turn。

At　three　o'clock　the　sentry　on　duty　would　come　down　to　the　wicket　and　close　it。　　〃They're　all　gone；　my　dears；〃　he　would　shout　out　to　the　girls　still　left；　〃it's　no　good　your　stopping；　we've　no　more　for　you　to…day。〃

〃Oh；　not　one！〃　some　poor　child　would　murmur　pleadingly；　while　the　tears　welled　up　into　her　big　round　eyes；　〃not　even　a　little　one。　I've　been　waiting　SUCH　a　long　time。〃

〃Can't　help　that；〃　the　honest　fellow　would　reply；　gruffly；　but　not　unkindly；　turning　aside　to　hide　his　emotion；　〃you've　had　'em　all　between　you。　　We　don't　make　'em；　you　know：　　you　can't　have　'em　if　we　haven't　got　'em；　can　you？　　Come　earlier　next　time。〃

Then　he　would　hurry　away　to　escape　further　importunity；　and　the　police；　who　appeared　to　have　been　waiting　for　this　moment　with　gloating　anticipation；　would　jeeringly　hustle　away　the　weeping　remnant。　　〃Now　then；　pass　along；　you　girls；　pass　along；〃　they　would　say；　in　that　irritatingly　unsympathetic　voice　of　theirs。　　〃You've　had　your　chance。　　Can't　have　the　roadway　blocked　up　all　the　afternoon　with　this　'ere　demonstration　of　the　unloved。　　Pass　along。〃

In　connection　with　this　same　barracks；　our　char…woman　told　Amenda；　who　told　Ethelbertha；　who　told　me　a　story；　which　I　now　told　the　boys。

Into　a　certain　house；　in　a　certain　street　in　the　neighbourhood；　there　moved　one　day　a　certain　family。　　Their　servant　had　left　them　most　of　their　servants　did　at　the　end　of　a　weekand　the　day　after　the　moving…in　an　advertisement　for　a　domestic　was　drawn　up　and　sent　to　the　Chronicle。　　It　ran　thus：


WANTED；　GENERAL　SERVANT；　in　small　family　of　eleven。　　Wages；　6　pounds；　no　beer　money。　　Must　be　early　riser　and　hard　worker。　Washing　done　at　home。　　Must　be　good　cook；　and　not　object　to　window…　cleaning。　　Unitarian　preferred。Apply；　with　references；　to　A。　B。；　etc。


That　advertisement　was　sent　off　on　Wednesday　afternoon。　　At　seven　o'clock　on　Thursday　morning　the　whole　family　were　awakened　by　continuous　ringing　of　the　street…door　bell。　　The　husband；　looking　out　of　window；　was　surprised　to　see　a　crowd　of　about　fifty　girls　surrounding　the　house。　　He　slipped　on　his　dressing…gown　and　went　down　to　see　what　was　the　matter。　　The　moment　he　opened　the　door；　fifteen　of　them　charged　tumultuously　into　the　passage；　sweeping　him　completely　off　his　legs。　　Once　inside；　these　fifteen　faced　round；　fought　the　other　thirty…five　or　so　back　on　to　the　door…step；　and　slammed　the　door　in　their　faces。　　Then　they　picked　up　the　master　of　the　house；　and　asked　him　politely　to　conduct　them　to　A。　B。〃

At　first；　owing　to　the　clamour　of　the　mob　outside；　who　were　hammering　at　the　door　and　shouting　curses　through　the　keyhole；　he　could　understand　nothing；　but　at　length　they　succeeded　in　explaining　to　him　that　they　were　domestic　servants　come　ill　answer　to　his　wife's　advertisement。　　The　man　went　and　told　his　wife；　and　his　wife　said　she　would　see　them；　one　at　a　time。

Which　one　should　have　audience　first　was　a　delicate　question　to　decide。　　The　man；　on　being　appealed　to；　said　he　would　prefer　to　leave　it　to　them。　　They　accordingly　discussed　the　matter　among　themselves。　　At　the　end　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　victor；　having　borrowed　some　hair…pins　and　a　looking…glass　from　our　charwoman；　who　had　slept　in　the　house；　went　upstairs；　while　the　remaining　fourteen　sat　down　in　the　hall；　and　fanned　themselves　with　their　bonnets。

〃A。　B。〃　was　a　good　deal　astonished　when　the　first　applicant　presented　herself。　　She　was　a　tall；　genteel…looking　girl。　　Up　to　yesterday　she　had　been　head　housemaid　at　Lady　Stanton's；　and　before　that　she　had　been　under…cook　for　two　years　to　the　Duchess　of　York。

〃And　why　did　you　leave　Lady　Stanton？〃　asked　〃A。　B。〃

〃To　come　here；　mum；〃　replied　the　girl。　　The　lady　was　puzzled。

〃And　you'll　be　satisfied　with　six　pounds　a　year？〃　she　asked。

〃Certainly；　mum；　I　think　it　ample。〃

〃And　you　don't　mind　hard　work？〃

〃I　love　it；　mum。〃

〃And　you're　an　early　riser？〃

〃Oh　yes；　mum；　it　upsets　me　stopping　in　bed　after　half…past　five。〃

〃You　know　we　do　the　washing　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　mum。　　I　think　it　so　much　better　to　do　it　at　home。　　Those　laundries　ruin　good　clothes。　　They're　so　careless。〃

〃Are　you　a　Unitarian？〃　continued　the　lady。

〃Not　yet；　mum；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃but　I　should　like　to　be　one。〃

The　lady　took　her　reference；　and　said　she　would　write。

The　next　applicant　offered　to　come　for　three　poundsthought　six　pounds　too　much。　　She　expressed　her　willingness　to　sleep　in　the　back　kitchen：　　a　shakedown　under　the　sink　was　all　she　wanted。　　She　likewise　had　yearnings　towards　Unitarianism。

The　third　girl　did　not　require　any　wages　at　allcould　not　understand　what　servants　wanted　with　wagesthought　wages　only　encouraged　a　love　of　foolish　finerythought　a　comfortable　home　in　a　Unitarian　family　ought　to　be　sufficient　wages　for　any　girl。

This　girl　said　there　was　one　stipulation　she　should　like　to　make；　and　that　was　that　she　should　be　allowed　to　pay　for　all　breakages　caused　by　her　own　carelessness　or　neglect。　　She　objected　to　holidays　and　evenings　out；　she　held　that　they　distracted　a　girl　from　her　work。

The　fourth　candidate　offered　a　premium　of　five　pounds　for　the　place；　and　then　〃A。　B。〃　began　to　get　frightened；　and　refused　to　see　any　more　of　the　girls；　convinced　that　they　must　be　lunatics　from　some　neighbouring　asylum　out　for　a　walk。

Later　in　the　day；　meeting　the　next…door　lady　on　the　door…step；　she　related　her　morning's　experiences。

〃Oh；　that's　nothing　extraordinary；〃　said　the　next…door　lady；　〃none　of　us　on　this　side　of　the　street　pay　wages；　and　we　get　the　pick　of　all　the　best　servants　in　London。　　Why；　girls　will　come　from　the　other　end　of　the　kingdom　to　get　into　one　of　these　houses。　　It's　the　dream　of　their　lives