the ways of men-第15节

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ly　by　means　of　a　horse…　drawn　‘post；'　and　practically　farther　from　London　than　　Constantinople　is　to…day。　　One　feels　this　isolation　in　the　　literature　of　the　time；　brilliant　as　the　epoch　was；　the　　horizon　of　its　writers　was　bounded　by　the　boulevards　and　the　　Faubourg　Saint…Germain。〃

Dumas　says　laughingly；　in　a　letter　to　a　friend：　〃I　have　never　　ventured　into　the　unexplored　country　beyond　the　Bastille；　but　　am　convinced　that　it　shelters　wild　animals　and　savages。〃　　The　　wit　and　brains　of　the　period　were　concentrated　into　a　small　　space。　　Money…making　had　no　more　part　in　the　programme　of　a　　writer　then　than　an　introduction　into　〃society。〃　　Catering　to　　a　foreign　market　and　snobbishness　were　undreamed…of　　degradations。　　Paris　had　not　yet　been　turned　into　the　FOIRE　DU　　MONDE　that　she　has　since　become；　with　whole　quarters　given　　over　to　the　use　of　foreigners；　…　theatres；　restaurants；　and　　hotels　created　only　for　the　use　of　a　polyglot　population　that　　could　give　lessons　to　the　people　around　Babel's　famous　　〃tower。〃




Chapter　13　…　Some　American　Husbands


UNTIL　the　beginning　of　this　century　men　played　the　BEAU　ROLE　　in　life's　comedy。　　As　in　the　rest　of　the　animal　world；　our　　males　were　the　brilliant　members　of　the　community；　flaunting　　their　gaudy　plumage　at　home　and　abroad；　while　the　women…folk　　remained　in　seclusion；　tending　their　children；　directing　the　　servants；　or　ministering　to　their　lords'　comfort。

In　those　happy　days　the　husband　ruled　supreme　at　his　own　　fireside；　receiving　the　homage　of　the　family；　who　bent　to　his　　will　and　obeyed　his　orders。

During　the　last　century；　however；　the　〃part〃　of　better　half　　has　become　less　and　less　attractive　in　America；　one　　prerogative　after　another　having　been　whisked　away　by　　enterprising　wives。　　Modern　Delilahs　have　yearly　snipped　off　　more　and　more　of　Samson's　luxuriant　curls；　and　added　those　　ornaments　to　their　own　COIFFURES；　until　in　the　majority　of　　families　the　husband　finds　himself　reduced　to　a　state　of　　bondage　compared　with　which　the　biblical　hero　enjoyed　a　　pampered　idleness。　　Times　have　indeed　changed　in　America　since　　the　native　chief　sat　in　dignified　repose　bedizened　with　all　　the　finery　at　hand；　while　the　ladies　of　the　family　waited　　tremblingly　upon　him。　　To…day　it　is　the　American　husband　who　　turns　the　grindstone　all　the　year　round；　and　it　is　his　pretty　　tyrant　who　enjoys　the　elegant　leisure　that　a　century　ago　was　　considered　a　masculine　luxury。

To　America　must　be　given　the　credit　of　having　produced　the　　model　husband；　a　new　species；　as　it　were；　of　the　GENUS　HOMO。

In　no　role　does　a　compatriot　appear　to　such　advantage　as　in　　that　of　Benedict。　　As　a　boy　he　is　often　too　advanced　for　his　　years　or　his　information；　in　youth　he　is　conspicuous　neither　　for　his　culture　nor　his　unselfishness。　　But　once　in　　matrimonial　harness　this　untrained　animal　becomes　bridle…wise　　with　surprising　rapidity；　and　will　for　the　rest　of　life　go　　through　his　paces；　waltzing；　kneeing；　and　saluting　with　hardly　　a　touch　of　the　whip。　　Whether　this　is　the　result　of　superior　　horse…womanship　on　the　part　of　American　wives　or　a　trait　　peculiar　to　sons　of　〃Uncle　Sam；〃　is　hard　to　say；　but　the　fact　　is　self…evident　to　any　observer　that　our　fair　equestrians　　rarely　meet　with　a　rebellious　mount。

Any　one　who　has　studied　marital　ways　in　other　lands　will　　realize　that　in　no　country　have　the　men　effaced　themselves　so　　gracefully　as　with　us。　　In　this　respect　no　foreign　production　　can　compare　for　a　moment　with　the　domestic　article。　　In　　English；　French；　and　German　families　the　husband　is　still　all…　powerful。　　The　house　is　mounted；　guests　are　asked；　and　the　　year　planned　out　to　suit　his　occupations　and　pleasure。　　Here　　papa　is　rarely　consulted　until　such　matters　have　been　decided　　upon　by　the　ladies；　when　the　head　of　the　house　is　called　in　to　　sign　the　checks。

I　have　had　occasion　more　than　once　to　bewail　the　shortcomings　　of　the　American　man；　and　so　take　pleasure　in　pointing　out　the　　modesty　and　good　temper　with　which　he　fills　this　role。　　He　is　　trained　from　the　beginning　to　give　all　and　expect　nothing　in　　return；　an　American　girl　rarely　bringing　any　DOT　to　her　　husband；　no　matter　how　wealthy　her　family　may　be。　　If；　as　　occasionally　happens；　an　income　is　allowed　a　bride　by　her　　parents；　she　expects　to　spend　it　on　her　toilets　or　pleasures。　　　This　condition　of　the　matrimonial　market　exists　in　no　other　　country；　even　in　England；　where　MARIAGES　DE　CONVENANCE　are　　rare；　〃settlements〃　form　an　inevitable　prelude　to　conjugal　　bliss。

The　fact　that　she　contributes　little　or　nothing　to　the　common　　income　in　no　way　embarrasses　an　American　wife；　her　pretensions　　are　usually　in　an　inverse　proportion　to　her　personal　means。　　A　　man　I　knew　some　years　ago　deliberately　chose　his　bride　from　an　　impecunious　family　（in　the　hope　that　her　simple　surroundings　　had　inculcated　homely　taste）；　and　announced　to　an　incredulous　　circle　of　friends；　at　his　last　bachelor　dinner；　that　he　　intended；　in　future；　to　pass　his　evenings　at　his　fireside；　　between　his　book　and　his　pretty　spouse。　　Poor；　innocent；　　confiding　mortal！　　The　wife　quickly　became　a　belle　of　the　　fastest　set　in　town。　　Having　had　more　than　she　wanted　of　　firesides　and　quiet　evenings　before　her　marriage；　her　idea　was　　to　go　about　as　much　as　possible；　and；　when　not　so　occupied；　to　　fill　her　house　with　company。　　It　may　be　laid　down　as　a　maxim　　in　this　connection　that　a　man　marries　to　obtain　a　home；　and　a　　girl　to　get　away　from　one；　hence　disappointment　on　both　sides。

The　couple　in　question　have　in　all　probability　not　passed　an　　evening　alone　since　they　were　married；　the　lady　rarely　　stopping　in　the　round　of　her　gayeties　until　she　collapses　from　　fatigue。　　Their　home　is　typical　of　their　life；　which　itself　　can　be　taken　as　a　good　example　of　the　existence　that　most　of　　our　〃smart〃　people　lead。　　The　ground　floor　and　the　first　floor　　are　given　up　to　entertaining。　　The　second　is　occupied　by　the　　spacious　sitting；　bath；　and　sleeping　rooms　of　the　lady。　　A　　ten…by…twelve　chamber　suffices　for　my　lord；　and　the　only　den　　he　can　rightly　call　his　own　is　a　small　room　near　the　front　　door；　about　as　private　as　the　sidewalk；　which　is　turned　into　a　　cloak…room　whenever　the　couple　receive；　making　it　impossible　　to　keep　books　or　papers　of　value　there；　or　even　to　use　it　as　a　　smoking…room　after　dinner；　so　his　men　guests　sit　around　the　　dismantled　dining…table　while　the　ladies　are　enjoying　a　suite　　of　parlors　above。

At　first　the　idea　of　such　an　unequal　division　of　the　house　　shocks　our　sense　of　justice；　until　we　reflect　that　the　　American　husband　is　not　expected　to　remain　at　home。　　That's　　not　his　place！　　If　he　is　not　down　town　making　money；　fashion　　dictates　that　he　must　be　at　some　club…house　playing　a　game。　　A　　man　who　should　remain　at　home；　and　read　or　chat　with　the　　ladies　of　his　family；　would　be　considered　a　bore　and　unmanly。　　　There　seems　to　be　no　place　in　an　American　house　for　its　head。　　　More　than　once　when　the　friend　I　have　referred　to　has　asked　　me；　at　the　club；　to　dine　informally　with　him；　we　have　found；　　on　arriving；　that　Madame；　having　an　evening　off；　had　gone　to　　bed　and　forgotten　to　order　any　dinner；　so　we　were　obliged　to　　return　to　the　club　for　our　meal。　　When；　however；　his　wife　is　　in　good　health；　she　expects　her　weary　husband　to　accompany　her　　to　dinner；　opera；　or　ball；　night　after　night；　oblivious　of　the　　work　the　morrow　holds　in　store　for　him。

In　one　family　I　know；　paterfamilias　goes　by　the　name　of　the　　〃purse。〃　　The　more　one　sees　of　American　households　the　more　　appropriate　that　name　appears。　　Everything　is　expected　of　the　　husband；　and　he　is　accorded　no　definite　place　in　return。　　He　　leaves　the　house　at　8。30。　　When　he　returns；　at　five；　if　his　　wife　is　entertaining　a　man　at　tea；　it　would　be　considered　the　　height　of　indelicacy　for　him　to　intrude　upon　them；　for　his　　arrival　would　cast　a　chill　on　the　conversation。　　When　a　couple　　dine　out；　the　husband　is　always　LA　BETE　NOIRE　of　the　hostess；　　no　woman　wanting　to　sit　next　to　a　married　man；　if　she　can　help　　it。

The　few　Benedicts　who　have　had　the　courage　to　break　away　from　　these　conditions　and　amuse　themselves　with　yachts；　salmon　　rivers；　or　〃grass…bachelor〃　trips　to　Europe；　while　secretly　　admired　by　the　women；　are　frowned　upon　in　society　as　dangerous　　examples；　likely　to　sow　the　seeds　of　discontent　among　their　　comrades；　although　it　is　the　commonest　thing　in　the　world　for　　an　American　wife　to　take　the　children　and　go　abroad　on　a　tour。

Imagine　a　German　or　Italian　wife　announcing　to　her　spouse　that　　she　had　decided　to　run　over　to　England　for　a　year　with　her　　children；　that　they　might　learn　English。　　The　mind　recoils　in　　horror　from　the　idea　of　the　catastrophe　that　would　ensue。

Glance　around　a　ball…room；　a　dinner　party；　or　the　opera；　if　　you　have　any　doubts　as　to　the　unselfishness　of　our　married　　men。　　How　many　of　them　do　you　suppose　are　present　for　their　　own　pleasure？　　The　owner　of　an　opera　box　rarely　retains　a　seat　　in　his　expensive　quarters。　　You　generally　find　him　idling　in　　the　lobbies　looking　at　his　watch；　or　repairing　to　a　　neighboring　concert　hall　to　pass　the　weary　hours。　　At　a　ball　　it　is　even　worse。　　One　wonders　why　card…rooms　are　not　provided　　at　large　balls　（as　is　the　custom　abroad）；　where　the　bored　　hu