the ways of men-第13部分
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！
rriage？〃 pointing in the print to a high…swung family vehicle with a powdered coachman on the box； and two sky…blue lackeys standing behind。 〃I can remember； as if it were yesterday； going to drive with Lady B…； the British ambassadress； in just such a conveyance。 She drove four horses with feathers on their heads； when she used to come to Meurice's for me。 I blush when I think that my frock was so scant that I had to raise the skirt almost to my knees in order to get into her carriage。
〃Why we didn't all die of pneumonia is another marvel； for we wore low…necked dresses and the thinnest of slippers in the street； our heads being about the only part that was completely covered。 I was particularly proud of a turban surmounted with a bird of paradise； but Lady B… affected poke bonnets； then just coming into fashion； so large and so deep that when one looked at her from the side nothing was visible except two curls； ‘as damp and as black as leeches。' In other ways our toilets were absurdly unsuited for every…day wear； we wore light scarves over our necks； and rarely used furlined pelisses。〃
Returning to an examination of the panorama； my companion pointed out to me that there was no break in the boulevards； where the opera…house； with its seven radiating avenues； now stands； but a long line of Hotels； dozing behind high walls； and quaint two…storied buildings that undoubtedly dated from the razing of the city wall and the opening of the new thoroughfare under Louis XV。
A little farther on was the world…famous Maison Doree； where one almost expected to see Alfred de Musset and le docteur Veron dining with Dumas and Eugene Sue。
〃What in the name of goodness is that？〃 I exclaimed； pointing to a couple of black and yellow monstrosities on wheels； which looked like three carriages joined together with a 〃buggy〃 added on in front。
〃That's the diligence just arrived from Calais； it has been two days EN ROUTE； the passengers sleeping as best they could； side by side； and escaping from their confinement only when horses were changed or while stopping for meals。 That high two…wheeled trap with the little ‘tiger' standing up behind is a tilbury。 We used to see the Count d'Orsay driving one like that almost every day。 He wore butter…colored gloves； and the skirts of his coat were pleated full all around； and stood out like a ballet girl's。 It is a pity they have not included Louis Philippe and his family jogging off to Neuilly in the court ‘carryall；' … the ‘Citizen King；' with his blue umbrella between his knees； trying to look like an honest bourgeois； and failing even in that attempt to please the Parisians。
〃We were in Paris in '48； from my window at Meurice's I saw poor old JUSTE MILIEU read his abdication from the historic middle balcony of the Tuileries； and half an hour later we perceived the Duchesse d'Orleans leave the Tuileries on foot； leading her two sons by the hand； and walk through the gardens and across the Place de la Concorde to the Corps Legislatif； in a last attempt to save the crown for her son。 Futile effort！ That evening the ‘Citizen King' was hurried through those same gardens and into a passing cab； EN ROUTE for a life exile。
〃Our balcony at Meurice's was a fine point of observation from which to watch a revolution。 With an opera…glass we could see the mob surging to the sack of the palace； the priceless furniture and bric…a…brac flung into the street； court dresses waved on pikes from the tall windows； and finally the throne brought out； and carried off to be burned。 There was no keeping the men of our party in after that。 They rushed off to have a nearer glimpse of the fighting； and we saw no more of them until daybreak the following morning when； just as we were preparing to send for the police； two dilapidated； ragged； black…faced mortals appeared； in whom we barely recognized our husbands。 They had been impressed into service and passed their night building barricades。 My better half； however； had succeeded in snatching a handful of the gold fringe from the throne as it was carried by； an act of prowess that repaid him for all his troubles and fatigue。
〃I passed the greater part of forty…eight hours on our balcony； watching the mob marching by； singing LA MARSEILLAISE； and camping at night in the streets。 It was all I could do to tear myself away from the window long enough to eat and write in my journal。
〃There was no Avenue de l'Opera then。 The trip from the boulevards to the Palais…Royal had to be made by a long detour across the Place Vendome （where； by the bye； a cattle market was held） or through a labyrinth of narrow； bad…smelling little streets； where strangers easily lost their way。 Next to the boulevards； the Palais…Royal was the centre of the elegant and dissipated life in the capital。 It was there we met of an afternoon to drink chocolate at the ‘Rotonde；' or to dine at ‘Les Trois Freres Provencaux；' and let our husbands have a try at the gambling tables in the Passage d'Orleans。
〃No one thought of buying jewelry anywhere else。 It was from the windows of its shops that the fashions started on their way around the world。 When Victoria as a bride was visiting Louis Philippe； she was so fascinated by the aspect of the place that the gallant French king ordered a miniature copy of the scene； made IN PAPIER…MACHE； as a present for his guest； a sort of gigantic dolls' house in which not only the palace and its long colonnades were reproduced； but every tiny shop and the myriad articles for sale were copied with Chinese fidelity。 Unfortunately the pear…headed old king became England's uninvited guest before this clumsy toy was finished； so it never crossed the Channel； but can be seen to…day by any one curious enough to examine it； in the Musee Carnavalet。
〃Few of us realize that the Paris of Charles X。 and Louis Philippe would seem to us now a small； ill…paved； and worse… lighted provincial town； with few theatres or hotels； communicating with the outer world only 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
