elizabeth and her german garden-第14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！


ing　to　believe　that　they　would　strongly　object　to　soap；　I　am　sure　they　would　not　wear　new　clothes；　and　I　hear　them　coming　home　from　their　work　at　dusk　singing。　They　are　like　little　children　or　animals　in　their　utter　inability　to　grasp　the　idea　of　a　future；　and　after　all；　if　you　work　all　day　in　God's　sunshine；　when　evening　comes　you　are　pleasantly　tired　and　ready　for　rest　and　not　much　inclined　to　find　fault　with　your　lot。　I　have　not　yet　persuaded　myself；　however；　that　the　women　are　happy。　They　have　to　work　as　hard　as　the　men　and　get　less　for　it；　they　have　to　produce　offspring；　quite　regardless　of　times　and　seasons　and　the　general　fitness　of　things　；　they　have　to　do　this　as　expeditiously　as　possible；　so　that　they　may　not　unduly　interrupt　the　work　in　hand；　nobody　helps　them；　notices　them；　or　cares　about　them；　least　of　all　the　husband。　It　is　quite　a　usual　thing　to　see　them　working　in　the　fields　in　the　morning；　and　working　again　in　the　afternoon；　having　in　the　interval　produced　a　baby。　　The　baby　is　left　to　an　old　woman　whose　duty　it　is　to　look　after　babies　collectively。　When　I　expressed　my　horror　at　the　poor　creatures　working　immediately　afterwards　as　though　nothing　had　happened；　the　Man　of　Wrath　informed　me　that　they　did　not　suffer　because　they　had　never　worn　corsets；　nor　had　their　mothers　and　grandmothers。　We　were　riding　together　at　the　time；　and　had　just　passed　a　batch　of　workers；　and　my　husband　was　speaking　to　the　overseer；　when　a　woman　arrived　alone；　and　taking　up　a　spade；　began　to　dig。　She　grinned　cheerfully　at　us　as　she　made　a　curtesy；　and　the　overseer　remarked　that　she　had　just　been　back　to　the　house　and　had　a　baby。

〃Poor；　poor　woman！〃　　I　cried；　as　we　rode　on；　feeling　for　some　occult　reason　very　angry　with　the　Man　of　Wrath。　〃And　her　wretched　husband　doesn't　care　a　rap；　and　will　probably　beat　her　to…night　if　his　supper　isn't　right。　What　nonsense　it　is　to　talk　about　the　equality　of　the　sexes　when　the　women　have　the　babies！　〃

〃Quite　so；　my　dear；〃　replied　the　Man　of　Wrath；　smiling　condescendingly。　〃You　have　got　to　the　very　root　of　the　matter。　　Nature；　while　imposing　this　agreeable　duty　on　the　woman；　weakens　her　and　disables　her　for　any　serious　competition　with　man。　　How　can　a　person　who　is　constantly　losing　a　year　of　the　best　part　of　her　life　compete　with　a　young　man　who　never　loses　any　time　at　all？　　He　has　the　brute　force；　and　his　last　word　on　any　subject　could　always　be　his　fist。〃

I　said　nothing。　　It　was　a　dull；　gray　afternoon　in　the　beginning　of　November；　and　the　leaves　dropped　slowly　and　silently　at　our　horses'　feet　as　we　rode　towards　the　Hirschwald。

〃It　is　a　universal　custom；〃　proceeded　the　Man　of　Wrath；　〃amongst　these　Russians；　and　I　believe　amongst　the　lower　classes　everywhere；　and　certainly　commendable　on　the　score　of　simplicity；　to　silence　a　woman's　objections　and　aspirations　by　knocking　her　down。　I　have　heard　it　said　that　this　apparently　brutal　action　has　anything　but　the　maddening　effect　tenderly　nurtured　persons　might　suppose；　and　that　the　patient　is　soothed　and　satisfied　with　a　rapidity　and　completeness　unattainable　by　other　and　more　polite　methods。　Do　you　suppose；〃　he　went　on；　flicking　a　twig　off　a　tree　with　his　whip　as　we　passed；　〃that　the　intellectual　husband；　wrestling　intellectually　with　the　chaotic　yearnings　of　his　intellectual　wife；　ever　achieves　the　result　aimed　at？　　He　may　and　does　go　on　wrestling　till　he　is　tired；　but　never　does　he　in　the　very　least　convince　her　of　her　folly；　while　his　brother　in　the　ragged　coat　has　got　through　the　whole　business　in　less　time　than　it　takes　me　to　speak　about　it。　There　is　no　doubt　that　these　poor　women　fulfil　their　vocation　far　more　thoroughly　than　the　women　in　our　class；　and；　as　the　truest：　happiness　consists　in　finding　one's　vocation　quickly　and　continuing　in　it　all　one's　days；　I　consider　they　are　to　be　envied　rather　than　not；　since　they　are　early　taught；　by　the　impossibility　of　argument　with　marital　muscle；　the　impotence　of　female　endeavour　and　the　blessings　of　content。〃

〃Pray　go　on；〃　I　said　politely。

〃These　women　accept　their　beatings　with　a　simplicity　worthy　of　all　praise；　and　far　from　considering　themselves　insulted；　admire　the　strength　and　energy　of　the　man　who　can　administer　such　eloquent　rebukes。　In　Russia；　not　only　may　a　man　beat　his　wife；　but　it　is　laid　down　in　the　catechism　and　taught　all　boys　at　the　time　of　confirmation　as　necessary　at　least　once　a　week；　whether　she　has　done　anything　or　not；　for　the　sake　of　her　general　health　and　happiness。〃

I　thought　I　observed　a　tendency　in　the　Man　of　Wrath　rather　to　gloat　over　these　castigations。

〃Pray；　my　dear　man；〃　I　said；　pointing　with　my　whip；　〃look　at　that　baby　moon　so　innocently　peeping　at　us　over　the　edge　of　the　mist　just　behind　that　silver　birch；　and　don't　talk　so　much　about　women　and　things　you　don't　understand。　What　is　the　use　of　your　bothering　about　fists　and　whips　and　muscles　and　all　the　dreadful　things　invented　for　the　confusion　of　obstreperous　wives？　　You　know　you　are　a　civilised　husband；　and　a　civilised　husband　is　a　creature　who　has　ceased　to　be　a　man。

〃And　a　civilised　wife？〃　he　asked；　bringing　his　horse　close　up　beside　me　and　putting　his　arm　round　my　waist；　〃has　she　ceased　to　be　a　woman？〃

〃I　should　think　so　indeed；she　is　a　goddess；　and　can　never　be　worshipped　and　adored　enough。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　conversation　is　growing　personal。〃

I　started　off　at　a　canter　across　the　short；　springy　turf。　The　Hirschwald　is　an　enchanted　place　on　such　an　evening；　when　the　mists　lie　low　on　the　turf；　and　overhead　the　delicate；　bare　branches　of　the　silver　birches　stand　out　clear　against　the　soft　sky；　while　the　little　moon　looks　down　kindly　on　the　damp　November　world。　Where　the　trees　thicken　into　a　wood；　the　fragrance　of　the　wet　earth　and　rotting　leaves　kicked　up　by　the　horses'　hoofs　fills　my　soul　with　delight。　　I　particularly　love　that　smell；it　brings　before　me　the　entire　benevolence　of　Nature；　for　ever　working　death　and　decay；　so　piteous　in　themselves；　into　the　means　of　fresh　life　and　glory；　and　sending　up　sweet　odours　as　she　works。


December　7th。I　have　been　to　England。　　I　went　for　at　least　a　month　and　stayed　a　week　in　a　fog　and　was　blown　home　again　in　a　gale。　Twice　I　fled　before　the　fogs　into　the　country　to　see　friends　with　gardens；　but　it　was　raining；　and　except　the　beautiful　lawns　（not　to　be　had　in　the　Fatherland）　and　the　infinite　possibilities；　there　was　nothing　to　interest　the　intelligent　and　garden…loving　foreigner；　for　the　good　reason　that　you　cannot　be　interested　in　gardens　under　an　umbrella。　　So　I　went　back　to　the　fogs；　and　after　groping　about　for　a　few　days　more　began　to　long　inordinately　for　Germany。　A　terrific　gale　sprang　up　after　I　had　started；　and　the　journey　both　by　sea　and　land　was　full　of　horrors；　the　trains　in　Germany　being　heated　to　such　an　extent　that　it　is　next　to　impossible　to　sit　still；　great　gusts　of　hot　air　coming　up　under　the　cushions；　the　cushions　themselves　being　very　hot；　and　the　wretched　traveller　still　hotter。

But　when　I　reached　my　home　and　got　out　of　the　train　into　the　purest；　brightest　snow…atmosphere；　the　air　so　still　that　the　whole　world　seemed　to　be　listening；　the　sky　cloudless；　the　crisp　snow　sparkling　underfoot　and　on　the　trees；　and　a　happy　row　of　three　beaming　babies　awaiting　me；　I　was　consoled　for　all　my　torments；　only　remembering　them　enough　to　wonder　why　I　had　gone　away　at　all。

The　babies　each　had　a　kitten　in　one　hand　and　an　elegant　bouquet　of　pine　needles　and　grass　in　the　other；　and　what　with　the　due　presentation　of　the　bouquets　and　the　struggles　of　the　kittens；　the　hugging　and　kissing　was　much　interfered　with。　Kittens；　bouquets；　and　babies　were　all　somehow　squeezed　into　the　sleigh；　and　off　we　went　with　jingling　bells　and　shrieks　of　delight。　　　〃Directly　you　comes　home　the　fun　begins；〃　said　the　May　baby；　sitting　very　close　to　me。　　〃How　the　snow　purrs！〃　cried　the　April　baby；　as　the　horses　scrunched　it　up　with　their　feet。　The　June　baby　sat　loudly　singing　〃The　King　of　Love　my　Shepherd　is；〃　and　swinging　her　kitten　round　by　its　tail　to　emphasise　the　rhythm。

The　house；　half…buried　in　the　snow；　looked　the　very　abode　of　peace；　and　I　ran　through　all　the　rooms；　eager　to　take　possession　of　them　again；　and　feeling　as　though　I　had　been　away　for　ever。　When　I　got　to　the　library　I　came　to　a　standstill；ah；　the　dear　room；　what　happy　times　I　have　spent　in　it　rummaging　amongst　the　books；　making　plans　for　my　garden；　building　castles　in　the　air；　writing；　dreaming；　doing　nothing！　　There　was　a　big　peat　fire　blazing　half　up　the　chimney；　and　the　old　housekeeper　had　put　pots　of　flowers　about；　and　on　the　writingtable　was　a　great　bunch　of　violets　scenting　the　room。　〃Oh；　how　good　it　is　to　be　home　again！〃　　I　sighed　in　my　satisfaction。　The　babies　clung　about　my　knees；　looking　up　at　me　with　eyes　full　of　love。　Outside　the　dazzling　snow　and　sunshine；　inside　the　bright　room　and　happy　facesI　thought　of　those　yellow　fogs　and　shivered。　　　The　library　is　not　used　by　the　Man　of　Wrath　；　it　is　neutral　ground　where　we　meet　in　the　evenings　for　an　hour　before　he　disappears　into　his　own　roomsa　series　of　very　smoky　dens　in　the　southeast　corner　of　the　house。　　It　looks；　I　am　afraid；　rather　too　gay　for　an　ideal　library；　and　its　colouring；　white　and　yellow；　is　so　cheerful　as　to　be　almost　frivolous。　There　are　white　bookcases　all　round　the　walls；　and　there　is　a　great　fireplace；　and　four　windows；　facing　full　south；　opening　on　to　my　most　cherished　bit　of　garden；　the　bit　round　the　sun…dial；　so　that　with　so　much　colour　and　such　a　big　fire　and　such　floods　of　sunshine　it　has　anything　but　a　sober　air；　in　spite　of　the　venerable　volumes　filling　the　shelves。　Indeed；　I　should　never　be　surprised　if　they　skipped　down　from　their　places；　and；　picking　up　their　leaves；　began　to　dance。

With　this　room　to　live　in；　I　can　look　forward　with　perfect　equanimity　to　being　snowed　up　for　any　time　Providence　thinks　proper；　and　to　go　into　the　garden　in　its　snowed…up　state　is　like　going　into　a　bath　of　purity。　The　first　breath　on　opening　the　door　is　so　ineffably　pure　that　it　makes　me　gasp；　and　I　feel　a　black　and　sinful　object　in　the　midst　of　all　the　spotlessness。　　　Yesterday　I　sat　out　of　doors　near　the　sun…dial　the　whole　afternoon；　with　the　thermometer　so　many　degrees　below　freezing　that　it　will　be　weeks　finding　its　way　u