the ways of men-第12部分

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in　all　New　York　schoolrooms；　the　　children　were　packed　like　dominoes　in　a　box；　the　temperature　　could　not　have　been　under　eighty…five。

The　pale；　spectacled　spinster　in　charge；　to　whom　we　complained　　of　this；　was　astonished　and　offended　at　what　she　considered　　our　interference；　and　answered　that　〃the　children　liked　it　　warm；〃　as　for　herself　she　〃had　a　cold　and　could　not　think　of　　opening　a　window。〃　　If　the　rooms　were　too　warm　it　was　the　　janitor's　fault；　and　he　had　gone　out！

Twelve　o'clock　struck　before　we　had　finished　our　tour　of　　inspection。　　It　is　to　be　doubted　if　anywhere　else　in　the　world　　could　there　be　found　such　a　procession　of　pasty…faced；　dull…　eyed　youngsters　as　trooped　past　us　down　the　stairs。　　Their　　appearance　was　the　natural　result　of　compelling　children　　dressed　for　winter　weather　to　sit　many　hours　each　day　in　　hothouses；　more　suited　to　tropical　plants　than　to　growing　　human　beings。

A　gentleman　with　us　remarked　with　a　sigh；　〃I　have　been　in　　almost　every　school　in　the　city　and　find　the　same　condition　　everywhere。　　It　is　terrible；　but　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　　remedy　for　it。〃　　The　taste　for　living　in　a　red…hot　atmosphere　　is　growing　on　our　people；　even　public　vehicles　have　to　be　　heated　now　to　please　the　patrons。

When　tiresome　old　Benjamin　Franklin　made　stoves　popular　he　　struck　a　terrible　blow　at　the　health　of　his　compatriots；　the　　introduction　of　steam　heat　and　consequent　suppression　of　all　　health…giving　ventilation　did　the　rest；　the　rosy　cheeks　of　　American　children　went　up　the　chimney　with　the　last　whiff　of　　wood　smoke；　and　have　never　returned。　　Much　of　our　home　life　　followed；　no　family　can　be　expected　to　gather　in　cheerful　　converse　around　a　〃radiator。〃

How　can　this　horror　of　fresh　air　among　us　be　explained？　　If　　people　really　enjoy　living　in　overheated　rooms　with　little　or　　no　ventilation；　why　is　it　that　we　hear　so　much　complaining；　　when　during　the　summer　months　the　thermometer　runs　up　into　the　　familiar　nineties？　　Why　are　children　hurried　out　of　town；　and　　why　do　wives　consider　it　a　necessity　to　desert　their　husbands？

It's　rather　inconsistent；　to　say　the　least；　for　not　one　of　　those　deserters　but　would　〃kick〃　if　the　theatre　or　church　they　　attend　fell　below　that　temperature　in　December。

It　is　impossible　to　go　into　our　banks　and　offices　and　not　　realize　that　the　air　has　been　breathed　again　and　again；　heated　　and　cooled；　but　never　changed；　…　doors　and　windows　fit　too　　tightly　for　that。

The　pallor　and　dazed　expression　of　the　employees　tell　the　same　　tale。　　I　spoke　to　a　youth　the　other　day　in　an　office　about　his　　appearance　and　asked　if　he　was　ill。　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃I　　have　had　a　succession　of　colds　all　winter。　　You　see；　my　desk　　here　is　next　to　the　radiator；　so　I　am　in　a　perpetual　　perspiration　and　catch　cold　as　soon　as　I　go　out。　　Last　winter　　I　passed　three　months　in　a　farmhouse；　where　the　water　froze　in　　my　room　at　night；　and　we　had　to　wear　overcoats　to　our　meals。　　　Yet　I　never　had　a　cold　there；　and　gained　in　weight　and　　strength。〃

Twenty　years　ago　no　〃palatial　private　residence〃　was　　considered　complete　unless　there　was　a　stationary　washstand　　（forming　a　direct　connection　with　the　sewer）　in　each　bedroom。　　　We　looked　pityingly　on　foreigners　who　did　not　enjoy　these　　advantages；　until　one　day　we　realized　that　the　latter　were　in　　the　right；　and　straightway　stationary　washstands　disappeared。

How　much　time　must　pass　and　how　many　victims　be　sacrificed　　before　we　come　to　our　senses　on　the　great　radiator　question？

As　a　result　of　our　population　living　in　a　furnace；　it　happens　　now　that　when　you　rebel　on　being　forced　to　take　an　impromptu　　Turkish　bath　at　a　theatre；　the　usher　answers　your　complaint　　with　〃It　can't　be　as　warm　as　you　think；　for　a　lady　over　there　　has　just　told　me　she　felt　chilly　and　asked　for　more　heat！〃

Another　invention　of　the　enemy　is　the　〃revolving　door。〃　　By　　this　ingenious　contrivance　the　little　fresh　air　that　formerly　　crept　into　a　building　is　now　excluded。　　Which　explains　why　on　　entering　our　larger　hotels　one　is　taken　by　the　throat；　as　it　　were；　by　a　sickening　long…dead　atmosphere　…　in　which　the　　souvenir　of　past　meals　and　decaying　flowers　floats　like　a　　regret　…　such　as　explorers　must　find　on　opening　an　Egyptian　　tomb。

Absurd　as　it　may　seem；　it　has　become　a　distinction　to　have　　cool　rooms。　　Alas；　they　are　rare！　　Those　blessed　households　　where　one　has　the　delicious　sensation　of　being　chilly　and　can　　turn　with　pleasure　toward　crackling　wood！　　The　open　fire　has　　become；　within　the　last　decade；　a　test　of　refinement；　almost　a　　question　of　good　breeding；　forming　a　broad　distinction　between　　dainty　households　and　vulgar　ones；　and　marking　the　line　which　　separates　the　homes　of　cultivated　people　from　the　parlors　of　　those　who　care　only　for　display。

A　drawing…room　filled　with　heat；　the　source　of　which　remains　　invisible；　is　as　characteristic　of　the　parvenu　as　clanking　　chains　on　a　harness　or　fine　clothes　worn　in　the　street。

An　open　fire　is　the　〃eye〃　of　a　room；　which　can　no　more　be　　attractive　without　it　than　the　human　face　can　be　beautiful　if　　it　lacks　the　visual　organs。　　The　〃gas　fire〃　bears　about　the　　same　relation　to　the　real　thing　as　a　glass　eye　does　to　a　　natural　one；　and　produces　much　the　same　sensation。　　Artificial　　eyes　are　painful　necessities　in　some　cases；　and　therefore　　cannot　be　condemned；　but　the　household　which　gathers　　complacently　around　a　〃gas　log〃　must　have　something　radically　　wrong　with　it；　and　would　be　capable　of　worse　offences　against　　taste　and　hospitality。

There　is　a　tombstone　in　a　New　England　grave…yard　the　　inscription　on　which　reads：　〃I　was　well；　I　wanted　to　be　　better。　　Here　I　am。〃

As　regards　heating　of　our　houses；　it's　to　be　feared　that　we　　have　gone　much　the　same　road　as　the　unfortunate　New　Englander。　　　I　don't　mean　to　imply　that　he　is　now　suffering　from　too　much　　heat；　but　we；　as　a　nation；　certainly　are。

Janitors　and　parlor…car　conductors　have　replaced　the　wicked　　fairies　of　other　days；　but　are　apparently　animated　by　their　　malignant　spirit；　and　employ　their　hours　of　brief　authority　as　　cruelly。　　No　witch　dancing　around　her　boiling　cauldron　was　　ever　more　joyful　than　the　fireman　of　a　modern　hotel；　as　he　　gleefully　turns　more　and　more　steam　upon　his　helpless　victims。　　　Long　acquaintance　with　that　gentleman　has　convinced　me　that　he　　cannot　plead　ignorance　as　an　excuse　for　falling　into　these　　excesses。　　It　is　pure；　unadulterated　perversity；　else　why　　should　he　invariably　choose　the　mildest　mornings　to　show　what　　his　engines　can　do？

Many　explanations　have　been　offered　for　this　love　of　a　high　　temperature　by　our　compatriots。　　Perhaps　the　true　one　has　not　　yet　been　found。　　Is　it　not　possible　that　what　appears　to　be　　folly　and　almost　criminal　negligence　of　the　rules　of　health；　　may　be；　after　all；　only　a　commendable　ambition　to　renew　the　　exploits　of　those　biblical　heroes；　Shadrach；　Meshach；　and　　Abednego？




Chapter　12　…　The　Paris　of　our　Grandparents


WE　are　apt　to　fall　into　the　error　of　assuming　that　only　　American　cities　have　displaced　their　centres　and　changed　their　　appearance　during　the　last　half…century。

The　〃oldest　inhabitant；〃　with　his　twice…told　tales　of　　transformations　and　changes；　is　to　a　certain　extent　　responsible　for　this；　by　contrast；　we　imagine　that　the　　capitals　of　Europe　have　always　been　just　as　we　see　them。　　So　　strong　is　this　impression　that　it　requires　a　serious　effort　of　　the　imagination　to　reconstruct　the　Paris　that　our　grandparents　　knew　and　admired；　few　as　the　years　are　that　separate　their　day　　from　ours。

It　is；　for　instance；　difficult　to　conceive　of　a　Paris　that　　ended　at　the　rue　Royale；　with　only　waste　land　and　market　　gardens　beyond　the　Madeleine；　where　to…day　so　many　avenues　　open　their　stately　perspectives；　yet　such　was　the　case！　　The　　few　fine　residences　that　existed　beyond　that　point　faced　the　　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　with　gardens　running　back　to　an　unkempt　　open　country　called　the　Champs　Elysees；　where　an　unfinished　　Arc　de　Triomphe　stood　alone　in　a　wilderness　that　no　one　ever　　dreamed　of　traversing。

The　fashionable　ladies　of　that　time　drove　in　the　afternoon　　along　the　boulevards　from　the　Madeleine　to　the　Chateau　d'Eau；　　and　stopped　their　ponderous　yellow　barouches　at　Tortoni's；　　where　ices　were　served　to　them　in　their　carriages；　while　they　　chatted　with　immaculate　dandies　in　skin…tight　nankeen　　unmentionables；　blue　swallow…tailed　coats；　and　furry　‘beaver〃　　hats。

While　looking　over　some　books　in　the　company　of　an　old　lady　　who　from　time　to　time　opens　her　store　of　treasures　and　recalls　　her　remote　youth　at　my　request；　and　whose　SPIRITUEL　and　　graphic　language　gives　to　her　souvenirs　the　air　of　being　stray　　chapters　from　some　old…fashioned　romance；　I　received　a　vivid　　impression　of　how　the　French　capital　must　have　looked　fifty　　years　ago。

Emptying　in　her　company　a　chest　of　books　that　had　not　seen　the　　light　for　several　decades；　we　came　across　a　〃Panorama　of　the　　Boulevards；〃　dated　1845；　which　proved　when　unfolded　to　be　a　　colored　lithograph；　a　couple　of　yards　long　by　five　or　six　　inches　high；　representing　the　line　of　boulevards　from　the　　Madeleine　to　the　Place　de　la　Bastille。　　Each　house；　almost　　each　tree；　was　faithfully　depicted；　together　with　the　crowds　　on　the　sidewalks　and　the　carriages　in　the　street。　　The　whole　　scene　was　as　different　from　the　effect　made　by　that　　thoroughfare　to…day　as　though　five　hundred　and　not　fifty　years　　had　elapsed　since　the　little　book　was　printed。　　The　picture　　breathed　an　atmosphere　of　calm　and　nameless　quaintness　that　　one　finds　now　only　in　old　provincial　cities　which　have　escaped　　the　ravages　of　improvement。

My　companion　sat　with　the　book　unfolded　before　her；　in　a　　smiling　trance。　　Her　mind　had　turned　back　to　the　far…away　days　　when　she　first　trod　those　streets　a　bride；　with　all　the　　pleasures　and　few　of　the　cares　of　life　to　think　about。

I　watched　her　in　silence　（it　seemed　a　sacrilege　to　break　in　on　　such　a　train　of　thought）；　until　gradually　her　eyes　lost　their　　far…away　expression；　and；　turning　to　me　with　a　smile；　she　　exclaimed：　〃How　we　ever　had　the　courage　to　appear　in　the　　street　dressed　as　we　were　is　a　mystery！　　Do　you　see　that　　carriage？〃　pointing　in　the　print　to　a　high…swung　family　　vehicle　with　a　powdered　coachman　on　the　box；