a mortal antipathy-第50部分

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yacht；　felucca；　gondola；　Nile…boat；　in　all　sorts　of　places；　from

crowded　capitals　to　〃deserts　where　no　men　abide；〃everywhere　keeping

company　with　you　in　your　natural　and　pleasant　descriptions　of　your

experiences。　　And　now　that　you　have　returned　to　your　home　in　the

great　city　I　must　write　you　a　few　lines　of　welcome；　if　nothing　more。



You　will　find　Arrowhead　Village　a　good　deal　changed　since　you　left

it。　　We　are　discovered　by　some　of　those　over…rich　people　who　make　the

little　place　upon　which　they　swarm　a　kind　of　rural　city。　　When　this

happens　the　consequences　are　striking；some　of　them　desirable　and

some　far　otherwise。　　The　effect　of　well…built；　well…furnished；　well…

kept　houses　and　of　handsome　grounds　always　maintained　in　good　order

about　them　shows　itself　in　a　large　circuit　around　the　fashionable

centre。　　Houses　get　on　a　new　coat　of　paint；　fences　are　kept　in　better

order；　little　plots　of　flowers　show　themselves　where　only　ragged

weeds　had　rioted；　the　inhabitants　present　themselves　in　more　comely

attire　and　drive　in　handsomer　vehicles　with　more　carefully　groomed

horses。　　On　the　other　hand；　there　is　a　natural　jealousy　on　the　part

of　the　natives　of　the　region　suddenly　become　fashionable。　　They　have

seen　the　land　they　sold　at　farm　prices　by　the　acre　coming　to　be

valued　by　the　foot；　like　the　corner　lots　in　a　city。　　Their　simple　and

humble　modes　of　life　look　almost　poverty…stricken　in　the　glare　of

wealth　and　luxury　which　so　outshines　their　plain　way　of　living。　　It

is　true　that　many　of　them　have　found　them　selves　richer　than　in

former　days；　when　the　neighborhood　lived　on　its　own　resources。　　They

know　how　to　avail　themselves　of　their　altered　position；　and　soon

learn　to　charge　city　prices　for　country　products；　but　nothing　can

make　people　feel　rich　who　see　themselves　surrounded　by　men　whose

yearly　income　is　many　times　their　own　whole　capital。　　I　think　it

would　be　better　if　our　rich　men　scattered　themselves　more　than　they

do；buying　large　country　estates；　building　houses　and　stables　which

will　make　it　easy　to　entertain　their　friends；　and　depending　for

society　on　chosen　guests　rather　than　on　the　mob　of　millionaires　who

come　together　for　social　rivalry。　　But　I　do　not　fret　myself　about　it。

Society　will　stratify　itself　according　to　the　laws　of　social

gravitation。　　It　will　take　a　generation　or　two　more；　perhaps；　to

arrange　the　strata　by　precipitation　and　settlement；　but　we　can　always

depend　on　one　principle　to　govern　the　arrangement　of　the　layers。

People　interested　in　the　same　things　will　naturally　come　together。

The　youthful　heirs　of　fortunes　who　keep　splendid　yachts　have　little

to　talk　about　with　the　oarsman　who　pulls　about　on　the　lake　or　the

river。　　What　does　young　Dives；　who　drives　his　four…in…hand　and　keeps

a　stable　full　of　horses；　care　about　Lazarus；　who　feels　rich　in　the

possession　of　a　horse…railroad　ticket？　　You　know　how　we　live　at　our

house；　plainly；　but　with　a　certain　degree　of　cultivated　propriety。

We　make　no　pretensions　to　what　is　called　〃style。〃　　We　are　still　in

that　social　stratum　where　the　article　called　〃a　napkin…ring〃　is

recognized　as　admissible　at　the　dinner…table。　　That　fact　sufficiently

defines　our　modest　pretensions。　　The　napkin…ring　is　the　boundary　mark

between　certain　classes。　　But　one　evening　Mrs。　Butts　and　I　went　out

to　a　party　given　by　the　lady　of　a　worthy　family；　where　the　napkin

itself　was　a　newly　introduced　luxury。　　The　conversation　of　the

hostess　and　her　guests　turned　upon　details　of　the　kitchen　and　the

laundry；　upon　the　best　mode　of　raising　bread；　whether　with　〃emptins〃

（emptyings；　yeast）　or　baking　powder；　about　〃bluing〃　and　starching　and

crimping；　and　similar　matters。　　Poor　Mrs。　Butts！　　She　knew　nothing

more　about　such　things　than　her　hostess　did　about　Shakespeare　and　the

musical　glasses。　　What　was　the　use　of　trying　to　enforce　social

intercourse　under　such　conditions？　　Incompatibility　of　temper　has

been　considered　ground　for　a　divorce；　incompatibility　of　interests　is

a　sufficient　warrant　for　social　separation。　　The　multimillionaires

have　so　much　that　is　common　among　themselves；　and　so　little　that　they

share　with　us　of　moderate　means；　that　they　will　naturally　form　a

specialized　class；　and　in　virtue　of　their　palaces；　their　picture…

galleries；　their　equipages；　their　yachts；　their　large　hospitality；

constitute　a　kind　of　exclusive　aristocracy。　　Religion；　which　ought　to

be　the　great　leveller；　cannot　reduce　these　elements　to　the　same

grade。　　You　may　read　in　the　parable；　〃Friend；　how　camest　thou　in

hither　not　having　a　wedding　garment？〃　　The　modern　version　would　be；

〃How　came　you　at　Mrs。　Billion's　ball　not　having　a　dress　on　your　back

which　came　from　Paris？〃



The　little　church　has　got　a　new　stained　window；　a　saint　who　reminds

me　of　Hamlet's　uncle；a　thing　〃of　shreds　and　patches；〃　but　rather

pretty　to　look　at；　with　an　inscription　under　it　which　is　supposed　to

be　the　name　of　the　person　in　whose　honor　the　window　was　placed　in　the

church。　　Smith　was　a　worthy　man　and　a　faithful　churchwarden；　and　I

hope　posterity　will　be　able　to　spell　out　his　name　on　his　monumental

window；　but　that　old　English　lettering　would　puzzle　Mephistopheles

himself；　if　he　found　himself　before　this　memorial　tribute；　on　the

inside；you　know　he　goes　to　church　sometimes；　if　you　remember　your

Faust。



The　rector　has　come　out；　in　a　quiet　way；　as　an　evolutionist。　　He　has

always　been　rather　〃broad　〃　in　his　views；　but　cautious　in　their

expression。　　You　can　tell　the　three　branches　of　the　mother…island

church　by　the　way　they　carry　their　heads。　　The　low…church　clergy　look

down；　as　if　they　felt　themselves　to　be　worms　of　the　dust；　the　high…

church　priest　drops　his　head　on　one　side；　after　the　pattern　of　the

mediaeval　saints；　the　broad…church　preacher　looks　forward　and　round

about　him；　as　if　he　felt　himself　the　heir　of　creation。　　Our　rector

carries　his　head　in　the　broad…church　aspect；　which　I　suppose　is　the

least　open　to　the　charge　of　affectation；in　fact；　is　the　natural　and

manly　way　of　carrying　it。



The　Society　has　justified　its　name　of　Pansophian　of　late　as　never

before。　　Lurida　has　stirred　up　our　little　community　and　its

neighbors；　so　that　we　get　essays　on　all　sorts　of　subjects；　poems　and

stories　in　large　numbers。　　I　know　all　about　it；　for　she　often

consults　me　as　to　the　merits　of　a　particular　contribution。



What　is　to　be　the　fate　of　Lurida？　　I　often　think；　with　no　little

interest　and　some　degree　of　anxiety；　about　her　future。　　Her　body　is

so　frail　and　her　mind　so　excessively　and　constantly　active　that　I　am

afraid　one　or　the　other　will　give　way。　　I　do　not　suppose　she　thinks

seriously　of　ever　being　married。　　She　grows　more　and　more　zealous　in

behalf　of　her　own　sex；　and　sterner　in　her　judgment　of　the　other。　　She

declares　that　she　never　would　marry　any　man　who　was　not　an　advocate

of　female　suffrage；　and　as　these　gentlemen　are　not　very　common

hereabouts　the　chance　is　against　her　capturing　any　one　of　the　hostile

sex。



What　do　you　think？　　I　happened；　just　as　I　was　writing　the　last

sentence；　to　look　out　of　my　window；　and　whom　should　I　see　but　Lurida；

with　a　young　man　in　tow；　listening　very　eagerly　to　her　conversation；

according　to　all　appearance！　　I　think　he　must　be　a　friend　of　the

rector；　as　I　have　seen　a　young　man　like　this　one　in　his　company。　　Who

knows？



Affectionately　yours；　etc。









DR。　BUTTS　TO　MRS。　BUTTS。



MY　BELOVED　WIFE；This　letter　will　tell　you　more　news　than　you　would

have　thought　could　have　been　got　together　in　this　little　village

during　the　short　time　you　have　been　staying　away　from　it。



Lurida　Vincent　is　engaged！　　He　is　a　clergyman　with　a　mathematical

turn。　　The　story　is　that　he　put　a　difficult　problem　into　one　of　the

mathematical　journals；　and　that　Lurida　presented　such　a　neat　solution

that　the　young　man　fell　in　love　with　her　on　the　strength　of　it。　　I

don't　think　the　story　is　literally　true；　nor　do　I　believe　that　other

report　that　he　offered　himself　to　her　in　the　form　of　an　equation

chalked　on　the　blackboard；　but　that　it　was　an　intellectual　rather

than　a　sentimental　courtship　I　do　not　doubt。　　Lurida　has　given　up　the

idea　of　becoming　a　professional　lecturer；so　she　tells　me；thinking

that　her　future　husband's　parish　will　find　her　work　enough　to　do。　　A

certain　amount　of　daily　domestic　drudgery　and　unexciting　intercourse

with　simple…minded　people　will　be　the　best　thing　in　the　world　for

that　brain　of　hers；　always　simmering　with　some　new　project　in　its

least　fervid　condition。



All　our　summer　visitors　have　arrived。　　Euthymia　Mrs。　Maurice

Kirkwood　and　her　husband　and　little　Maurice　are　here　in　their

beautiful　house　looking　out　on　the　lake。　　They　gave　a　grand　party　the

other　evening。　　You　ought　to　have　been　there；　but　I　suppose　you　could

not　very　well　have　left　your　sister　in　the　middle　of　your　visit：　All

the　grand　folks　were　there；　of　course。　　Lurida　and　her　young　man

Gabriel　is　what　she　calls　himwere　naturally　the　objects　of　special

attention。　　Paolo　acted　as　major…domo；　and　looked　as　if　he　ought　to

be　a　major…general。　　Nothing　could　be　pleasanter　than　the　way　in

which　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Kirkwood　received　their　plain　country　neighbors；

that　is；　just　as　they　did　the　others　of　more　pretensions；　as　if　they

were　really　glad　to　see　them；　as　I　am　sure　they　were。　　The　old

landlord　and　his　wife　had　two　arm…chairs　to　themselves；　and　I　saw

Miranda　with　the　servants　of　the　household　looking　in　at　the　dancers

and　out　at　the　little　groups　in　the　garden；　and　evidently　enjoying　it

as　much　as　her　old　employers。　　It　was　a　most　charming　and　successful

party。　　We　had　two　sensations　in　the　course　of　the　evening。　　One　was

pleasant　and　somewhat　exciting；　the　other　was　thrilling　and　of

strange　and　startling　interest。



You　remember　how　emaciated　poor　Maurice　Kirkwood　was　left　after　his

fever；　in　that　first　season　when　he　was　among　us。　　He　was　out　in　a

boat　one　day；　when　a　ring　slipped　off　his　thin　finger　and　sunk　in　a