the ways of men-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Are　there　no　painters　to…day　who　will　whisper　to　our　wives　and　　mothers　the　secret　of　looking　really　lovely；　and　persuade　them　　to　abandon　their　foolish　efforts　at　rejuvenation？

Let　us　see　some　real　old　ladies　once　more；　as　they　look　at　us　　from　miniature　and　portrait。　　Few　of　us；　I　imagine；　but　　cherish　the　memory　of　some　such　being　in　the　old　home；　a　soft…　voiced　grandmother；　with　silvery　hair　brushed　under　a　discreet　　and　flattering　cap；　with　soft；　dark　raiment　and　tulle…wrapped　　throat。　　There　are　still；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　many　such　lovable　　women　in　our　land；　but　at　times　I　look　about　me　in　dismay；　and　　wonder　who　is　to　take　their　places　when　they　are　gone。　　Are　　there　to　be　no　more　〃old　ladies〃？　　Will　the　next　generation　　have　to　look　back　when　the　word　〃grandmother〃　is　mentioned；　to　　a　stylish　vision　in　Parisian　apparel；　decollete　and　decked　in　　jewels；　or　arrayed　in　cocky　little　bonnets；　perched　on　tousled　　curls；　knowing　jackets；　and　golfing　skirts？

The　present　horror　of　anything　elderly　comes；　probably；　from　　the　fact　that　the　preceding　generation　went　to　the　other　　extreme；　young　women　retiring　at　forty　into　becapped　old　age。　　　Knowing　how　easily　our　excitable　race　runs　to　exaggeration；　　one　trembles　to　think　what　surprises　the　future　may　hold；　or　　what　will　be　the　next　decree　of　Dame　Fashion。　　Having　　eliminated　the　〃old　lady〃　from　off　the　face　of　the　earth；　how　　fast　shall　we　continue　down　the　fatal　slope　toward　the　　ridiculous？　　Shall　we　be　compelled　by　a　current　stronger　than　　our　wills　to　array　ourselves　each　year　（the　bare　thought　makes　　one　shudder）　in　more　and　more　youthful　apparel；　until　　corpulent　senators　take　to　running　about　in　〃sailor　suits；〃　　and　octogenarian　business　men　go　〃down　town〃　in　〃pinafores；〃　　while　belles　of　sixty　or　seventy　summers　appear　in　Kate　　Greenaway　costumes；　and　dine　out　in　short…sleeved　bibs；　which　　will　allow　coy　glimpses　of　their　cunning　old　ankles　to　appear　　over　their　socks？




Chapter　23　…　Around　a　Spring


THE　greatest　piece　of　good　luck　that　can　befall　a　Continental　　village　is　the　discovery；　within　its　limits；　of　a　spring　　supplying　some　kind　of　malodorous　water。　　From　that　moment　the　　entire　community；　abandoning　all　other　plans；　give　themselves　　over　to　hatching　their　golden　egg；　experience　having　taught　　them　that　no　other　source　of　prosperity　can　compare　with　a　　SOURCE　THERMALE。　　If　the　water　of　the　newfound　spring；　besides　　having　an　unpleasant　smell；　is　also　hot；　then　Providence　has　　indeed　blessed　the　township。

The　first　step　is　to　have　the　fluid　analyzed　by　a　celebrity；　　and　its　medicinal　qualities　duly　set　forth　in　a　certificate。　　　The　second　is　to　get　official　recognition　from　the　government　　and　the　authorization　to　erect　a　bath　house。　　Once　these　　preliminaries　accomplished；　the　way　lies　plain　before　the　　fortunate　village；　every　citizen；　from　the　mayor　down　to　the　　humblest　laborer；　devotes　himself　to　solving　the　all…important　　problem　how　to　attract　strangers　to　the　place　and　keep　and　　amuse　them　when　they　have　been　secured。

Multicolored　pamphlets　detailing　the　local　attractions　are　　mailed　to　the　four　corners　of　the　earth；　and　brilliant　chromos　　of　the　village；　with　groups　of　peasants　in　the　foreground；　　wearing　picturesque　costumes；　are　posted　in　every　available　　railway　station　and　booking…office；　regardless　of　the　fact　　that　no　costumes　have　been　known　in　the　neighborhood　for　half　　a　century；　except　those　provided　by　the　hotel　proprietors　for　　their　housemaids。　　A　national　dress；　however；　has　a　fine　　effect　in　the　advertisement；　and　gives　a　local　color　to　the　　scene。　　What；　for　instance；　would　Athens　be　without　that　　superb　individual　in　national　get…up　whom　one　is　sure　to　see　　before　the　hotel　on　alighting　from　the　omnibus？　　I　am　　convinced　that　he　has　given　as　much　pleasure　as　the　Acropolis　　to　most　travellers；　the　knowledge　that　the　hotel　proprietors　　share　the　expenses　of　his　keep　and　toilet　cannot　dispel　the　　charm　of　those　scarlet　embroideries　and　glittering　arms。

After　preparing　their　trap；　the　wily　inhabitants　of　a　new　　watering…place　have　only　to　sit　down　and　await　events。　　The　　first　people　to　appear　on　the　scene　are；　naturally；　the　　English；　some　hidden　natural　law　compelling　that　race　to　　wander　forever　in　inexpensive　by…ways　and　serve　as　pioneers　　for　other　nations。　　No　matter　how　new　or　inaccessible　the　　spring；　you　are　sure　to　find　a　small　colony　of　Britons　　installed　in　the　half…finished　hotels；　reading　week…old　　editions　of　the　TIMES；　and　grumbling　over　the　increase　in　　prices　since　the　year　before。

As　soon　as　the　first　stray　Britons　have　developed　into　an　　〃English　colony；〃　the　municipality　consider　themselves　　authorized　to　construct　a　casino　and　open　avenues；　which　are　　soon　bordered　by　young　trees　and　younger　villas。　　In　the　wake　　of　the　English　come　invalids　of　other　nationalities。　　If　a　　wandering　〃crowned　head〃　can　be　secured　for　a　season；　a　great　　step　is　gained；　as　that　will　attract　the　real　paying　public　　and　the　Americans；　who　as　a　general　thing　are　the　last　to　　appear　on　the　scene。

At　this　stage　of　its　evolution；　the　〃city　fathers〃　build　a　　theatre　in　connection　with　their　casino；　and　（persuading　the　　government　to　wink　at　their　evasion　of　the　gambling　laws）　add　　games　of　chance　to　the　other　temptations　of　the　place。

There　is　no　better　example　of　the　way　a　spring　can　be　　developed　by　clever　handling；　and　satisfactory　results　　obtained　from　advertising　and　judicious　expenditure；　than　Aix…　les…Bains；　which　twenty　years　ago　was　but　a　tiny　mountain　　village；　and　to…day　ranks　among　the　wealthiest　and　most　　brilliant　EAUX　in　Europe。　　In　this　case；　it　is　true；　they　had　　tradition　to　fall　back　on；　for　Aquae　Gratinae　was　already　a　　favorite　watering…place　in　the　year　30　B。C。；　when　Caesar　took　　the　cure。

There　is　little　doubt　in　my　mind　that　when　the　Roman　Emperor　　first　arrived　he　found　a　colony　of　spinsters　and　retired　army　　officers　（from　recently　conquered　Britain）　living　around　this　　spring　in　POPINAE　（which　are　supposed　to　have　corresponded　to　　our　modern　boarding…house）；　wearing　waterproof　togas　and　　common…sense　cothurni；　with　double　cork　soles。

The　wife　of　another　Caesar　fled　hither　in　1814。　　The　little　　inn　where　she　passed　a　summer　in　the　company　of　her　one…eyed　　lover　…　while　the　fate　of　her　husband　and　son　was　being　　decided　at　Vienna　and　Waterloo　…　is　still　standing；　and　serves　　as　the　annex　of　a　vast　new　hotel。

The　way　in　which　a　watering…place　is　〃run〃　abroad；　where　　tourists　are　regarded　as　godsends；　to　be　cherished；　spoiled；　　and　despoiled；　is　amusingly　different　from　the　manner　of　our　　village　populations　when　summer　visitors　（whom　they　look　upon　　as　natural　enemies）　appear　on　the　scene。　　Abroad　the　entire　　town；　together　with　the　surrounding　villages；　hamlets；　and　　farmhouses；　rack　their　brains　and　devote　their　time　to　　inventing　new　amusements　for　the　visitor；　and　original　ways　of　　enticing　the　gold　from　his　pocket　…　for；　mind　you；　on　both　　continents　the　object　is　the　same。　　In　Europe　the　rural　　Machiavellis　have　had　time　to　learn　that　smiling　faces　and　　picturesque　surroundings　are　half　the　battle。

Another　point　which　is　perfectly　understood　abroad　is　that　a　　cure　must　be　largely　mental；　that　in　consequence　boredom　　retards　recovery。　　So　during　every　hour　of　the　day　and　evening　　a　different　amusement　is　provided　for　those　who　feel　inclined　　to　be　amused。　　At　Aix；　for　instance；　Colonne's　orchestra　plays　　under　the　trees　at　the　Villa　des　Fleurs　while　you　are　sipping　　your　after…luncheon　coffee。　　At　three　o'clock　〃Guignol〃　　performs　for　the　youngsters。　　At　five　o'clock　there　is　another　　concert　in　the　Casino。　　At　eight　o'clock　an　operetta　is　given　　at　the　villa；　and　a　comedy　in　the　Casino；　both　ending　　discreetly　at　eleven　o'clock。　　Once　a　week；　as　a　variety；　the　　park　is　illuminated　and　fireworks　help　to　pass　the　evening。

If　neither　music　nor　Guignol　tempts　you；　every　form　of　trap　　from　a　four…horse　break　to　a　donkey…chair　（the　latter　much　in　　fashion　since　the　English　queen's　visit）　is　standing　ready　in　　the　little　square。　　On　the　neighboring　lake　you　have　but　to　　choose　between　a　dozen　kinds　of　boats。　　The　hire　of　all　these　　modes　of　conveyance　being　fixed　by　the　municipality；　and　　plainly　printed　in　boat　or　carriage；　extortions　or　discussions　　are　impossible。　　If　you　prefer　a　ramble　among　the　hills；　the　　wily　native　is　lying　in　wait　for　you　there　also。　　When　you　　arrive　breathless　at　your　journey's　end；　a　shady　arbor　offers　　shelter　where　you　may　cool　off　and　enjoy　the　view。　　It　is　not　　by　accident　that　a　dish　of　freshly　gathered　strawberries　and　a　　bowl　of　milk　happen　to　be　standing　near　by。

When　bicycling　around　the　lake　you　begin　to　feel　how　nice　a　　half　hour's　rest　would　be。　　Presto！　a　terrace　overhanging　the　　water　appears；　and　a　farmer's　wife　who　proposes　brewing　you　a　　cup　of　tea；　supplementing　it　with　butter　and　bread　of　her　own　　making。　　Weak　human　nature　cannot　withstand　such　　blandishments。　　You　find　yourself　becoming　fond　of　the　people　　and　their　smiling　ways；　returning　again　and　again　to　shores　　where　you　are　made　so　welcome。　　The　fact　that　〃business〃　is　at　　the　bottom　of　all　this　in　no　way　interferes　with　one's　　enjoyment。　　On　the　contrary；　to　a　practical　mi