the ways of men-第17节

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。　。　。　EPOUVANTES　…　　CRAIGNANT　EGALEMENT　SA　BROSSE　ET　SON　EPEE。


This　allusion　to　his　proficiency　in　fencing　was　considered　　particularly　neat；　and　became　the　favorite　song　of　the　studio；　　to　be　howled　in　and　out　of　season。

Curiously　enough；　there　is　always　something　in　Carolus…Duran's　　attitude　when　at　work　which　recalls　the　swordsman。　　With　an　　enormous　palette　in　one　hand　and　a　brush　in　the　other；　he　has　　a　way　of　planting　himself　in　front　of　his　sitter　that　is　　amusingly　suggestive　of　a　duel。　　His　lithe　body　sways　to　and　　fro；　his　fine　leonine　face　quivers　with　the　intense　study　of　　his　model；　then　with　a　sudden　spring　forward；　a　few　rapid　　touches　are　dashed　on　the　canvas　（like　home　strokes　in　the　　enemy's　weakest　spot）　with　a　precision　of　hand　acquired　only　　by　long　years　of　fencing。

An　order　to　paint　the　king　and　queen　of　Portugal　was　the　next　　step　on　the　road　to　fame；　another　rung　on　the　pleasant　ladder　　of　success。　　When　this　work　was　done　the　delighted　sovereign　　presented　the　painter　with　the　order　of　〃Christ　of　Portugal；〃　　together　with　many　other　gifts；　among　which　a　caricature　of　　the　master　at　work；　signed　by　his　sitter；　is　not　the　least　　valued。

When　the　great　schism　occurred　several　years　ago　which　rent　　the　art　world　of　France；　Carolus…Duran　was　elected　vice…　president　of　the　new　school　under　Meissonier；　to　whose　office　　he　succeeded　on　that　master's　death；　and　now　directs　and　　presides　over　the　yearly　exhibition　known　as　the　SALON　DU　　CHAMP　DE　MARS。

At　his　chateau　near　Paris　or　at　Saint　Raphael；　on　the　　Mediterranean；　the　master　lives；　like　Leonardo　of　old；　the　　existence　of　a　grand　seigneur；　surrounded　by　his　family；　　innumerable　guests；　and　the　horses　and　dogs　he　loves；　…　a　　group　of　which　his　ornate　figure　and　expressive　face　form　the　　natural　centre。　　Each　year　he　lives　more　away　from　the　world；　　but　no　more　inspiriting　sight　can　be　imagined　than　the　welcome　　the　president　receives　of　a　〃varnishing〃　day；　when　he　makes　　his　entry　surrounded　by　his　pupils。　　The　students　cheer　　themselves　hoarse；　and　the　public　climbs　on　everything　that　　comes　to　hand　to　see　him　pass。　　It　is　hard　to　realize　then　　that　this　is　the　same　man　who；　not　content　with　his　youthful　　progress；　retired　into　an　Italian　monastery　that　he　might　　commune　face　to　face　with　nature　undisturbed。

The　works　of　no　other　painter　give　me　the　same　sensation　of　　quivering　vitality；　except　the　Velasquez　in　the　Madrid　Gallery　　and；　perhaps；　Sargent　at　his　best；　and　one　feels　all　through　　the　American　painter's　work　the　influence　of　his　first　and　　only　master。

〃TOUT　CE　QUI　N'EST　PAS　INDISPENSABLE　EST　NUISIBLE；〃　a　phrase　　which　is　often　on　Carolus…Duran's　lips；　may　be　taken　as　the　　keynote　of　his　work；　where　one　finds　a　noble　simplicity　of　　line　and　color　scheme；　an　elimination　of　useless　detail；　a　　contempt　for　tricks　to　enforce　an　effect；　and　above　all　a　　comprehension　and　mastery　of　light；　vitality；　and　texture　…　　those　three　unities　of　the　painter's　art　…　that　bring　his　　canvases　very　near　to　those　of　his　self…imposed　Spanish　　master。

Those　who　know　the　French　painter's　more　important　works　and　　his　many　splendid　studies　from　the　nude；　feel　it　a　pity　that　　such　masterpieces　as　the　equestrian　portrait　of　Mlle。　　Croisette；　of　the　Comedie　Francaise；　the　REVEIL；　the　superb　　full　length　of　Mme。　Pelouse　on　the　Terrace　of　Chenonceau；　and　　the　head　of　Gounod　in　the　Luxembourg；　could　not　be　collected　　into　one　exhibition；　that　lovers　of　art　here　in　America　might　　realize　for　themselves　how　this　master's　works　are　of　the　　class　that　typify　a　school　and　an　epoch；　and　engrave　their　　author's　name　among　those　destined　to　become　household　words　　in　the　mouths　of　future　generations。




Chapter　15　…　The　Grand　Opera　Fad


WITHOUT　being　more　curious　than　my　neighbors；　there　are　　several　social　mysteries　that　I　should　like　to　fathom；　among　　others；　the　real　reasons　that　induce　the　different　classes　of　　people　one　sees　at　the　opera　to　attend　that　form　of　　entertainment。

A　taste　for　the　theatre　is　natural　enough。　　It　is　also　easy　to　　understand　why　people　who　are　fond　of　sport　and　animals　enjoy　　races　and　dog　shows。　　But　the　continued　vogue　of　grand　opera；　　and　more　especially　of　Wagner's　long…drawn…out　compositions；　　among　our　restless；　unmusical　compatriots；　remains　　unexplained。

The　sheeplike　docility　of　our　public　is　apparent　in　numberless　　ways；　in　none；　however；　more　strikingly　than　in　their　choice　　of　amusements。　　In　business　and　religion；　people　occasionally　　think　for　themselves；　in　the　selection　of　entertainments；　　never！　but　are　apparently　content　to　receive　their　opinions　　and　prejudices　ready…made　from　some　unseen　and　omnipotent　　Areopagus。

The　careful　study　of　an　opera　audience　from　different　parts　of　　our　auditorium　has　brought　me　to　the　conclusion　that　the　　public　there　may　be　loosely　divided　into　three　classes　…　　leaving　out　reporters　of　fashionable　intelligence；　dressmakers　　in　search　of　ideas；　and　the　lady　inhabitants　of　〃Crank　Alley〃　　（as　a　certain　corner　of　the　orchestra　is　called）；　who　sit　in　　perpetual　adoration　before　the　elderly　tenor。

First　…　but　before　venturing　further　on　dangerously　thin　ice；　　it　may　be　as　well　to　suggest　that　this　subject　is　not　treated　　in　absolute　seriousness；　and　that　all　assertions　must　not　be　　taken　AU　PIED　DE　LA　LETTRE。　　First；　then；　and　most　important；　　come　the　stockholders；　for　without　them　the　Metropolitan　would　　close。　　The　majority　of　these　fortunate　people　and　their　　guests　look　upon　the　opera　as　a　social　function；　where　one　can　　meet　one's　friends　and　be　seen；　an　entertaining　antechamber　in　　which　to　linger　until　it's　time　to　〃go　on；〃　her　Box　being　to…　day　as　necessary　a　part　of　a　great　lady's　outfit　as　a　country　　house　or　a　ball…room。

Second　are　those　who　attend　because　it　has　become　the　correct　　thing　to　be　seen　at　the　opera。　　There　is　so　much　wealth　in　　this　city　and　so　little　opportunity　for　its　display；　so　many　　people　long　to　go　about　who　are　asked　nowhere；　that　the　opera　　has　been　seized　upon　as　a　centre　in　which　to　air　rich　apparel　　and　elbow　the　〃world。〃　　This　list　fills　a　large　part　of　the　　closely　packed　parquet　and　first　balcony。

Third；　and　last；　come　the　lovers　of　music；　who　mostly　inhabit　　greater　altitudes。

The　motive　of　the　typical　box…owner　is　simple。　　Her　night　at　　the　opera　is　the　excuse　for　a　cosy　little　dinner；　one　woman　　friend　（two　would　spoil　the　effect　of　the　box）　and　four　men；　　without　counting　the　husband；　who　appears　at　dinner；　but　　rarely　goes　further。　　The　pleasant　meal　and　the　subsequent　　smoke　are　prolonged　until　9　or　9。30；　when　the　men　are　finally　　dragged　murmuring　from　their　cigars。　　If　she　has　been　　fortunate　and　timed　her　arrival　to　correspond　with　an　　ENTR'ACTE；　my　lady　is　radiant。　　The　lights　are　up；　she　can　see　　who　are　present；　and　the　public　can　inspect　her　toilet　and　　jewels　as　she　settles　herself　under　the　combine　d　gaze　of　the　　house；　and　proceeds　to　hold　an　informal　reception　for　the　rest　　of　the　evening。　　The　men　she　has　brought　with　her　quickly　cede　　their　places　to　callers；　and　wander　yawning　in　the　lobby　or　　invade　the　neighboring　boxes　and　add　their　voices　to　the　　general　murmur。

Although　there　is　much　less　talking　than　formerly；　it　is　the　　toleration　of　this　custom　at　all　by　the　public　that　indicates　　（along　with　many　other　straws）　that　we　are　not　a　music…loving　　people。　　Audible　conversation　during　a　performance　would　not　　be　allowed　for　a　moment　by　a　Continental　audience。　　The　little　　visiting　that　takes　place　in　boxes　abroad　is　done　during　the　　ENTR'ACTES；　when　people　retire　to　the　salons　back　of　their　　LOGES　to　eat　ices　and　chat。　　Here　those　little　parlors　are　　turned　into　cloak…rooms；　and　small　talk　goes　on　in　many　boxes　　during　the　entire　performance。　　The　joke　or　scandal　of　the　day　　is　discussed；　strangers　in　town；　or　literary　and　artistic　　lights　…　〃freaks；〃　they　are　discriminatingly　called　…　are　　pointed　out；　toilets　passed　in　review；　and　those　dreadful　two　　hours　passed　which；　for　some　undiscovered　reason；　must　elapse　　between　a　dinner　and　a　dance。　　If　a　favorite　tenor　is　singing；　　and　no　one　happens　to　be　whispering　nonsense　over　her　　shoulder；　my　lady　may　listen　in　a　distrait　way。　　It　is　not　　safe；　however；　to　count　on　prolonged　attention　or　ask　her　　questions　about　the　performance。　　She　is　apt　to　be　a　bit　hazy　　as　to　who　is　singing；　and　with　the　exception　of　FAUST　and　　CARMEN；　has　rudimentary　ideas　about　plots。　　Singers　come　and　　go；　weep；　swoon；　or　are　killed；　without　interfering　with　her　　equanimity。　　She　has；　for　instance；　seen　the　HUGUENOTS　and　the　　RHEINGOLD　dozens　of　times；　but　knows　no　more　why　Raoul　is　　brought　blindfolded　to　Chenonceaux；　or　what　Wotan　and　Erda　say　　to　each　other　in　their　interminable　scenes；　than　she　does　of　　the　contents　of　the　Vedas。　　For　the　matter　of　that；　if　three　　or　four　principal　airs　were　suppressed　from　an　opera　and　the　　scenery　and　costumes　changed；　many　in　that　chattering　circle　　would；　I　fear；　not　know　what　they　were　listening　to。

Last　winter；　when　Melba　sang　in　AIDA；　disguised　by　dark　hair　　and　a　brown　skin；　a　lady　near　me　vouchsafed　the　opinion　that　　the　〃little　black　woman　hadn't　a　bad　voice；〃　a　gentleman　（to　　whom　I　remarked　last　week　〃that　as　Sembrich