the ways of men-第11节

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。　　Other　circles　are　charming；　　if　a　bit　slow；　and　the　〃Bohemia〃　and　semi…Bohemia　of　London　　have　a　delicate　flavor　of　their　own。

County　society；　that　ideal　life　so　attractive　to　American　　readers　of　British　novels；　is；　taken　on　the　whole；　the　most　　insipid　existence　conceivable。　　The　women　lack　the　sparkle　and　　charm　of　ours；　the　men；　who　are　out　all　day　shooting　or　　hunting　according　to　the　season；　get　back　so　fagged　that　if　　they　do　not　actually　drop　asleep　at　the　dinner…table；　they　　will　nap　immediately　after；　brightening　only　when　the　ladies　　have　retired；　when；　with　evening　dress　changed　for　comfortable　　smoking　suits；　the　hunters　congregate　in　the　billiard…room　for　　cigars　and　brandy　and　seltzer。

A　particularly　agreeable　American　woman；　whose　husband　insists　　on　going　every　winter　to　Melton…Mowbray　for　the　hunting；　was　　describing　the　other　day　the　life　there　among　the　women；　and　　expressing　her　wonder　that　those　who　did　not　hunt　could　　refrain　from　blowing　out　their　brains；　so　awful　was　the　　dulness　and　monotony！　　She　had　ended　by　not　dining　out　at　all；　　having　discovered　that　the　conversation　never　by　any　chance　　deviated　far　from　the　knees　of　the　horses　and　the　height　of　　the　hedges！

Which　reminds　one　of　Thackeray　relating　how　he　had　longed　to　　know　what　women　talked　about　when　they　were　alone　after　　dinner；　imagining　it　to　be　on　mysterious　and　thrilling　　subjects；　until　one　evening　he　overheard　such　a　conversation　　and　found　it　turned　entirely　on　children　and　ailments！　　As　　regards　wit；　the　English　are　like　the　Oriental　potentate　who　　at　a　ball　in　Europe　expressed　his　astonishment　that　the　guests　　took　the　trouble　to　dance　and　get　themselves　hot　and　　dishevelled；　explaining　that　in　the　East　he　paid　people　to　do　　that　for　him。　　In　England　〃amusers〃　are　invited　expressly　to　　be　funny；　anything　uttered　by　one　of　these　delightful　　individuals　is　sure　to　be　received　with　much　laughter。　　It　is　　so　simple　that　way！　　One　is　prepared　and　knows　when　to　laugh。　　　Whereas　amateur　wit　is　confusing。　　When　an　American　I　knew；　　turning　over　the　books　on　a　drawing…room　table　and　finding　　Hare's　WALKS　IN　LONDON；　in　two　volumes；　said；　〃So　you　part　　your　hair　in　the　middle　over　here；〃　the　remark　was　received　in　　silence；　and　with　looks　of　polite　surprise。

It　is　not　necessary；　however；　to　accumulate　proofs　that　this　　much　described　society　is　less　intelligent　than　our　own。　　　Their　authors　have　acknowledged　it；　and　well　they　may。　　For　　from　Scott　and　Dickens　down　to　Hall　Caine；　American　　appreciation　has　gone　far　toward　establishing　the　reputation　　of　English　writers　at　home。

In　spite　of　lack　of　humor　and　a　thousand　other　defects　which　　ought　to　make　English　swelldom　antagonistic　to　our　countrymen；　　the　fact　remains　that　〃smart〃　London　tempts　a　certain　number　　of　Americans　and　has　become　a　promised　land；　toward　which　they　　turn　longing　eyes。　　You　will　always　find　a　few　of　these　　votaries　over　there　in　the　〃season；〃　struggling　bravely　up　the　　social　current；　making　acquaintances；　spending　money　at　　charity　sales；　giving　dinners　and　fetes；　taking　houses　at　　Ascot　and　filling　them　with　their　new　friends'　friends。　　With　　more　or　less　success　as　the　new…comers　have　been　able　to　　return　satisfactory　answers　to　the　three　primary　questions。

What　Americans　are　these；　who　force　us　to　blush　for　them　　infinitely　more　than　for　the　unlettered　tourists　trotting　　conscientiously　around　the　country；　doing　the　sights　and　　asking　for　soda…water　and　buckwheat　cakes　at　the　hotels！

Any　one　who　has　been　an　observer　of　the　genus　〃Climber〃　at　　home；　and　wondered　at　their　way　and　courage；　will　recognize　　these　ambitious　souls　abroad；　five　minutes'　conversation　is　　enough。　　It　is　never　about　a　place　that　they　talk；　but　of　the　　people　they　know。　　London　to　them　is　not　the　city　of　Dickens。　　　It　is　a　place　where　one　may　meet　the　Prince　of　Wales　and　　perhaps　obtain　an　entrance　into　his　set。

One　description　will　cover　most　climbers。　　They　are；　as　a　　rule；　people　who　start　humbly　in　some　small　city；　then　when　　fortune　comes；　push　on　to　New　York　and　Newport；　where　they　　carry　all　before　them　and　make　their　houses　centres　and　　themselves　powers。　　Next　comes　the　discovery　that　the　circle　　into　which　they　have　forced　their　way　is　not　nearly　as　　attractive　as　it　appeared　from　a　distance。　　Consequently　that　　vague　disappointment　is　felt　which　most　of　us　experience　on　　attaining　a　long　desired　goal　…　the　unsatisfactoriness　of　　success！　　Much　the　same　sensation　as　caused　poor　Du　Maurier　to　　answer；　when　asked　shortly　before　his　death　why　he　looked　so　　glum；　〃I'm　soured　by　success！〃

So　true　is　this　of　all　human　nature　that　the　following　recipe　　might　be　given　for　the　attainment　of　perfect　happiness：　〃Begin　　far　down　in　any　walk　of　life。　　Rise　by　your　efforts　higher　　each　year；　and　then　be　careful　to　die　before　discovering　that　　there　is　nothing　at　the　top。　　The　excitement　of　the　struggle　…　　‘the　rapture　of　the　chase'　…　are　greater　joys　than　　achievement。〃

Our　ambitious　friends　naturally　ignore　this　bit　of　philosophy。　　　When　it　is　discovered　that　the　〃world〃　at　home　has　given　but　　an　unsatisfactory　return　for　cash　and　conniving；　it　occurs　to　　them　that　the　fault　lies　in　the　circle；　and　they　assume　that　　their　particular　talents　require　a　larger　field。　　Having　　conquered　all　in　sight；　these　social　Alexanders　pine　for　a　new　　world；　which　generally　turns　out　to　be　the　〃Old；〃　so　a　　crossing　is　made；　and　the　〃Conquest　of　England〃　begun　with　all　　the　enthusiasm　and　push　employed　on　starting　out　from　the　　little　native　city　twenty　years　before。

It　is　in　Victoria's　realm　that　foemen　worthy　of　their　steel　　await　the　conquerors。　　Home　society　was　a　too　easy　prey；　　opening　its　doors　and　laying　down　its　arms　at　the　first　　summons。　　In　England　the　new…comers　find　that　their　little　　game　has　been　played　before；　and；　well；　what　they　imagined　was　　a　discovery　proves　to　be　a　long…studied　science　with　〃DONNANT！　　DONNANT！〃　as　its　fundamental　law。　　Wily　opponents　with　trump　　cards　in　their　hands　and　a　profound　knowledge　of　〃Hoyle〃　　smilingly　offer　them　seats。　　Having　acquired　in　a　home　game　a　　knowledge　of　〃bluff；〃　our　friends　plunge　with　delight　into　the　　fray；　only　to　find　English　society　so　formed　that；　climb　they　　never　so　wisely；　the　top　can　never　be　reached。　　Work　as　hard　　as　they　may；　succeed　even　beyond　their　fondest　hopes；　there　　will　always　remain　circles　above；　toward　which　to　yearn　…　　people　who　will　refuse　to　know　them；　houses　they　will　never　be　　invited　to　enter。　　Think　of　the　charm；　the　attraction　such　a　　civilization　must　have　for　the　real　born　climber；　and　you；　my　　reader；　will　understand　why　certain　of　our　compatriots　enjoy　　living　in　England；　and　why　when　once　the　intoxicating　draught　　（supplied　to　the　ambitious　on　the　other　side）　has　been　tasted；　　all　home　concoctions　prove　insipid。




Chapter　10　…　CALVE　at　Cabrieres


WHILE　I　was　making　a　〃cure〃　last　year　at　Lamalou；　an　obscure　　Spa　in　the　Cevennes　Mountains；　Madame　Calve；　to　whom　I　had　　expressed　a　desire　to　see　her　picturesque　home；　telegraphed　an　　invitation　to　pass　the　day　with　her；　naming　the　train　she　　could　meet；　which　would　allow　for　the　long　drive　to　her　　chateau　before　luncheon。　　It　is　needless　to　say　the　invitation　　was　accepted。　　As　my　train　drew　up　at　the　little　station；　　Madame　Calve；　in　her　trap；　was　the　first　person　I　saw；　and　no　　time　was　lost　in　getting　EN　ROUTE。

During　the　hour　passed　on　the　poplar…bordered　road　that　leads　　straight　and　white　across　the　country　I　had　time　to　appreciate　　the　transformation　in　the　woman　at　my　side。　　Was　this　gray…　clad；　nunlike　figure　the　passionate；　sensuous　Carmen　of　　Bizet's　masterpiece？　　Could　that　calm；　pale　face；　crossed　by　　innumerable　lines　of　suffering；　as　a　spider's　web　lies　on　a　　flower；　blaze　and　pant　with　Sappho's　guilty　love？

Something　of　these　thoughts　must　have　appeared　on　my　face；　for　　turning　with　a　smile；　she　asked；　〃You　find　me　changed？　　It's　　the　air　of　my　village。　　Here　I'm　myself。　　Everywhere　else　I'm　　different。　　On　the　stage　I　am　any　part　I　may　be　playing；　but　　am　never　really　happy　away　from　my　hill　there。〃　　As　she　spoke；　　a　sun…baked　hamlet　came　in　sight；　huddled　around　the　base　of　　two　tall　towers　that　rose　cool　and　gray　in　the　noonday　heat。

〃All　that　wing；〃　she　added；　〃is　arranged　for　the　convalescent　　girls　whom　I　have　sent　down　to　me　from　the　Paris　hospitals　for　　a　cure　of　fresh　air　and　simple　food。　　Six　years　ago；　just　　after　I　had　bought　this　place；　a　series　of　operations　became　　necessary　which　left　me　prostrated　and　anaemic。　　No　tonics　　were　of　benefit。　　I　grew　weaker　day　by　day；　until　the　doctors　　began　to　despair　of　my　life。　　Finally；　at　the　advice　of　an　old　　woman　here　who　passes　for　being　something　of　a　curer；　I　tried　　the　experiment　or　lying　five　or　six　hours　a　day　motionless　in　　the　sunlight。　　It　wasn't　long　before　I　felt　life　creeping　back　　to　my　poor　feeble　body。　　The　hot　sun　of　our　magic　south　was　a　　more　subtle　tonic　than　any　drug。　　When　the　cure　was　complete；　　I　made　up　my　mind　that　each　summer　the　same　chance　should　be　　offered　to　as　many　of　my　suffering　sisters　as　this　old　place　　could　be　made　to　accommodate。〃

The　bells　on　the　shaggy　Tarbes　ponies　she　was　driving　along　　the　Languedoc　road　dr