north america-1-第7章

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njoy　herself；　and　as；　in　accordance　with　the　customs　of　the　place；　she　has　dined　at　two；　she　has　nothing　before　her　for　the　evening　but　the　society　of　that　huge；　furnished　cavern。　　Her　husband；　if　she　have　one；　or　her　father；　or　her　lover；　has　probably　entered　the　room　with　her。　　But　a　man　has　never　the　courage　to　endure　such　a　position　long。　　He　sidles　out　with　some　muttered　excuse；　and　seeks　solace　with　a　cigar。　　The　lady；　after　half　an　hour　of　contemplation；　creeps　silently　near　some　companion　in　the　desert；　and　suggests　in　a　whisper　that　Newport　does　not　seem　to　be　very　full　at　present。　We　stayed　there　for　a　week；　and　were　very　melancholy；　but　in　our　melancholy　we　still　talked　of　the　war。　　Americans　are　said　to　be　given　to　bragging；　and　it　is　a　sin　of　which　I　cannot　altogether　acquit　them。　　But　I　have　constantly　been　surprised　at　hearing　the　Northern　men　speak　of　their　own　military　achievements　with　anything　but　self…praise。　　〃We've　been　whipped；　sir；　and　we　shall　be　whipped　again　before　we've　done；　uncommon　well　whipped　we　shall　be。〃　　〃We　began　cowardly；　and　were　afraid　to　send　our　own　regiments　through　one　of　our　own　cities。〃　　This　alluded　to　a　demand　that　had　been　made　on　the　Government　that　troops　going　to　Washington　should　not　be　sent　through　Baltimore；　because　of　the　strong　feeling　for　rebellion　which　was　known　to　exist　in　that　city。　　President　Lincoln　complied　with　this　request；　thinking　it　well　to　avoid　a　collision　between　the　mob　and　the　soldiers。　　〃We　began　cowardly；　and　now　we're　going　on　cowardly；　and　darn't　attack　them。　　Well；　when　we've　been　whipped　often　enough；　then　we　shall　learn　the　trade。〃　　Now　all　thisand　I　heard　much　of　such　a　naturecould　not　be　called　boasting。　　But　yet　with　it　all　there　was　a　substratum　of　confidence。　　I　have　heard　Northern　gentlemen　complaining　of　the　President；　complaining　of　all　his　ministers；　one　after　another；　complaining　of　the　contractors　who　were　robbing　the　army；　of　the　commanders　who　did　not　know　how　to　command　the　army；　and　of　the　army　itself；　which　did　not　know　how　to　obey；　but　I　do　not　remember　that　I　have　discussed　the　matter　with　any　Northerner　who　would　admit　a　doubt　as　to　ultimate　success。　We　were　certainly　rather　melancholy　at　Newport；　and　the　empty　house　may　perhaps　have　given　its　tone　to　the　discussions　on　the　war。　　I　confess　that　I　could　not　stand　the　drawing…roomthe　ladies'　drawing…room；　as　such　like　rooms　are　always　called　at　the　hotels　and　that　I　basely　deserted　my　wife。　　I　could　not　stand　it　either　here　or　elsewhere；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　other　husbandsay；　and　even　loverswere　as　hard　pressed　as　myself。　　I　protest　that　there　is　no　spot　on　the　earth's　surface　so　dear　to　me　as　my　own　drawing…　room；　or　rather　my　wife's　drawing…room；　at　home；　that　I　am　not　a　man　given　hugely　to　clubs；　but　one　rather　rejoicing　in　the　rustle　of　petticoats。　　I　like　to　have　women　in　the　same　room　with　me。　　But　at　these　hotels　I　found　myself　driven　awaypropelled　as　it　were　by　some　unknown　forceto　absent　myself　from　the　feminine　haunts。　Anything　was　more　palatable　than　them；　even　〃liquoring　up〃　at　a　nasty　bar；　or　smoking　in　a　comfortless　reading…room　among　a　deluge　of　American　newspapers。　　And　I　protest　alsohoping　as　I　do　so　that　I　may　say　much　in　this　book　to　prove　the　truth　of　such　protestationthat　this　comes　from　no　fault　of　the　American　women。　They　are　as　lovely　as　our　own　women。　　Taken　generally；　they　are　better　instructed；　though　perhaps　not　better　educated。　　They　are　seldom　troubled　with　mauvaise　honte；　I　do　not　say　it　in　irony；　but　begging　that　the　words　may　be　taken　at　their　proper　meaning。　　They　can　always　talk；　and　very　often　can　talk　well。　　But　when　assembled　together　in　these　vast；　cavernous；　would…be　luxurious；　but　in　truth　horribly　comfortless　hotel　drawing…rooms；　they　are　unapproachable。　I　have　seen　lovers；　whom　I　have　known　to　be　lovers；　unable　to　remain　five　minutes　in　the　same　cavern　with　their　beloved　ones。　And　then　the　music！　　There　is　always　a　piano　in　a　hotel　drawing…　room；　on　which；　of　course；　some　one　of　the　forlorn　ladies　is　generally　employed。　　I　do　not　suppose　that　these　pianos　are　in　fact；　as　a　rule；　louder　and　harsher；　more　violent　and　less　musical；　than　other　instruments　of　the　kind。　　They　seem　to　be　so；　but　that；　I　take　it；　arises　from　the　exceptional　mental　depression　of　those　who　have　to　listen　to　them。　　Then　the　ladies；　or　probably　some　one　lady；　will　sing；　and　as　she　hears　her　own　voice　ring　and　echo　through　the　lofty　corners　and　round　the　empty　walls；　she　is　surprised　at　her　own　force；　and　with　increased　efforts　sings　louder　and　still　louder。　　She　is　tempted　to　fancy　that　she　is　suddenly　gifted　with　some　power　of　vocal　melody　unknown　to　her　before；　and；　filled　with　the　glory　of　her　own　performance；　shouts　till　the　whole　house　rings。　　At　such　moments　she　at　least　is　happy；　if　no　one　else　is　so。　　Looking　at　the　general　sadness　of　her　position；　who　can　grudge　her　such　happiness？　And　then　the　childrenbabies；　I　should　say　if　I　were　speaking　of　English　bairns　of　their　age；　but　seeing　that　they　are　Americans；　I　hardly　dare　to　call　them　children。　　The　actual　age　of　these　perfectly…civilized　and　highly…educated　beings　may　be　from　three　to　four。　　One　will　often　see　five　or　six　such　seated　at　the　long　dinner…table　of　the　hotel；　breakfasting　and　dining　with　their　elders；　and　going　through　the　ceremony　with　all　the　gravity；　and　more　than　all　the　decorum；　of　their　grandfathers。　　When　I　was　three　years　old　I　had　not　yet；　as　I　imagine；　been　promoted　beyond　a　silver　spoon　of　my　own　wherewith　to　eat　my　bread　and　milk　in　the　nursery；　and　I　feel　assured　that　I　was　under　the　immediate　care　of　a　nursemaid；　as　I　gobbled　up　my　minced　mutton　mixed　with　potatoes　and　gravy。　　But　at　hotel　life　in　the　States　the　adult　infant　lisps　to　the　waiter　for　everything　at　table；　handles　his　fish　with　epicurean　delicacy；　is　choice　in　his　selection　of　pickles；　very　particular　that　his　beef…steak　at　breakfast　shall　be　hot；　and　is　instant　in　his　demand　for　fresh　ice　in　his　water。　　But　perhaps　his；　or　in　this　case　her；　retreat　from　the　room　when　the　meal　is　over；　is　the　chef…d'oeuvre　of　the　whole　performance。　　The　little；　precocious；　full…blown　beauty　of　four　signifies　that　she　has　completed　her　mealor　is　〃through〃　her　dinner；　as　she　would　express　itby　carefully　extricating　herself　from　the　napkin　which　has　been　tucked　around　her。　　Then　the　waiter；　ever　attentive　to　her　movements；　draws　back　the　chair　on　which　she　is　seated；　and　the　young　lady　glides　to　the　floor。　　A　little　girl　in　Old　England　would　scramble　down；　but　little　girls　in　New　England　never　scramble。　　Her　father　and　mother；　who　are　no　more　than　her　chief　ministers；　walk　before　her　out　of　the　saloon；　and　then　sheswims　after　them。　　But　swimming　is　not　the　proper　word。　　Fishes；　in　making　their　way　through　the　water；　assist；　or　rather　impede；　their　motion　with　no　dorsal　wriggle。　　No　animal　taught　to　move　directly　by　its　Creator　adopts　a　gait　so　useless；　and　at　the　same　time　so　graceless。　　Many　women；　having　received　their　lessons　in　walking　from　a　less　eligible　instructor；　do　move　in　this　way；　and　such　women　this　unfortunate　little　lady　has　been　instructed　to　copy。　　The　peculiar　step　to　which　I　allude　is　to　be　seen　often　on　the　boulevards　in　Paris。　　It　is　to　be　seen　more　often　in　second…rate　French　towns；　and　among　fourth…rate　French　women。　　Of　all　signs　in　women　betokening　vulgarity；　bad　taste；　and　aptitude　to　bad　morals；　it　is　the　surest。　　And　this　is　the　gait　of　going　which　American　mothers　some　American　mothers　I　should　saylove　to　teach　their　daughters！　As　a　comedy　at　a　hotel　it　is　very　delightful；　but　in　private　life　I　should　object　to　it。　To　me　Newport　could　never　be　a　place　charming　by　reason　of　its　own　charms。　　That　it　is　a　very　pleasant　place　when　it　is　full　of　people　and　the　people　are　in　spirits　and　happy；　I　do　not　doubt。　　But　then　the　visitors　would　bring；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；　the　pleasantness　with　them。　　The　coast　is　not　fine。　　To　those　who　know　the　best　portions　of　the　coast　of　Wales　or　Cornwallor　better　still；　the　western　coast　of　Ireland；　of　Clare　and　Kerry　for　instanceit　would　not　be　in　any　way　remarkable。　　It　is　by　no　means　equal　to　Dieppe　or　Biarritz；　and　not　to　be　talked　of　in　the　same　breath　with　Spezzia。　　The　hotels；　too；　are　all　built　away　from　the　sea；　so　that　one　cannot　sit　and　watch　the　play　of　the　waves　from　one's　windows。　　Nor　are　there　pleasant　rambling　paths　down　among　the　rocks；　and　from　one　short　strand　to　another。　　There　is　excellent　bathing　for　those　who　like　bathing　on　shelving　sand。　　I　don't。　　The　spot　is　about　half　a　mile　from　the　hotels；　and　to　this　the　bathers　are　carried　in　omnibuses。　　Till　one　o'clock　ladies　bathe；　which　operation；　however；　does　not　at　all　militate　against　the　bathing　of　men；　but　rather　necessitates　it　as　regards　those　men　who　have　ladies　with　them。　　For　here　ladies　and　gentlemen　bathe　in　decorous　dresses；　and　are　very　polite　to　each　other。　　I　must　say　that　I　think　the　ladies　have　the　best　of　it。　　My　idea　of　sea　bathing；　for　my　own　gratification；　is　not　compatible　with　a　full　suit　of　clothing。　　I　own　that　my　tastes　are　vulgar；　and　perhaps　indecent；　but　I　love　to　jump　into　the　deep；　clear　sea　from　off　a　rock；　and　I　love　to　be　hampered　by　no　outward　impediments　as　I　do　so。　　For　ordinar