the call of the canyon-第40章

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〃You　women　make　a　man　sick　with　this　rot　about　soldiers；〃　he　said；　the　gleam　in　his　eye　growing　ugly。　〃A　uniform　goes　to　a　woman's　head　no　matter　what's　inside　it。　I　don't　see　where　your　vaunted　honor　of　soldiers　comes　in　considering　how　they　accepted　the　let…down　of　women　during　and　after　the　war。〃

〃How　could　you　see　when　you　stayed　comfortably　at　home？〃　retorted　Carley。

〃All　I　could　see　was　women　falling　into　soldiers'　arms；〃　he　said；　sullenly。

〃Certainly。　Could　an　American　girl　desire　any　greater　happinessor　opportunity　to　prove　her　gratitude？〃　flashed　Carley；　with　proud　uplift　of　head。

〃It　didn't　look　like　gratitude　to　me；〃　returned　Morrison。

〃Well；　it　was　gratitude；〃　declared　Carley；　ringingly。　〃If　women　of　America　did　throw　themselves　at　soldiers　it　was　not　owing　to　the　moral　lapse　of　the　day。　It　was　woman's　instinct　to　save　the　race！　Always；　in　every　war；　women　have　sacrificed　themselves　to　the　future。　Not　vile；　but　noble！　。　。　。　You　insult　both　soldiers　and　women；　Mr。　Morrison。　I　wonderdid　any　American　girls　throw　themselves　at　you？〃

Morrison　turned　a　dead　white；　and　his　mouth　twisted　to　a　distorted　checking　of　speech；　disagreeable　to　see。

〃No；　you　were　a　slacker；〃　went　on　Carley；　with　scathing　scorn。　〃You　let　the　other　men　go　fight　for　American　girls。　Do　you　imagine　one　of　them　will　ever　marry　you？　。　。　。　All　your　life；　Mr。　Morrison；　you　will　be　a　marked　man…　…outside　the　pale　of　friendship　with　real　American　men　and　the　respect　of　real　American　girls。〃

Morrison　leaped　up；　almost　knocking　the　table　over；　and　he　glared　at　Carley　as　he　gathered　up　his　hat　and　cane。　She　turned　her　back　upon　him。　From　that　moment　he　ceased　to　exist　for　Carley。　She　never　spoke　to　him　again。


Next　day　Carley　called　upon　her　dearest　friend；　whom　she　had　not　seen　for　some　time。

〃Carley　dear；　you　don't　look　so　very　well；〃　said　Eleanor；　after　greetings　had　been　exchanged。

〃Oh；　what　does　it　matter　how　I　look？〃　queried　Carley；　impatiently。

〃You　were　so　wonderful　when　you　got　home　from　Arizona。〃

〃If　I　was　wonderful　and　am　now　commonplace　you　can　thank　your　old　New　York　for　it。〃

〃Carley；　don't　you　care　for　New　York　any　more？〃　asked　Eleanor。

〃Oh；　New　York　is　all　right；　I　suppose。　It's　I　who　am　wrong。〃

〃My　dear；　you　puzzle　me　these　days。　You've　changed。　I'm　sorry。　I'm　afraid　you're　unhappy。〃

〃Me？　Oh；　impossible！　I'm　in　a　seventh　heaven；〃　replied　Carley；　with　a　hard　little　laugh。　〃What　're　you　doing　this　afternoon？　Let's　go　outridingor　somewhere。〃

〃I'm　expecting　the　dressmaker。〃

〃Where　are　you　going　to…night？〃

〃Dinner　and　theater。　It's　a　party；　or　I'd　ask　you。〃

〃What　did　you　do　yesterday　and　the　day　before；　and　the　days　before　that？〃

Eleanor　laughed　indulgently；　and　acquainted　Carley　with　a　record　of　her　social　wanderings　during　the　last　few　days。

〃The　same　old　things…over　and　over　again！　Eleanor　don't　you　get　sick　of　it？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Oh　yes；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　returned　Eleanor；　thoughtfully。　〃But　there's　nothing　else　to　do。〃

〃Eleanor；　I'm　no　better　than　you；〃　said　Carley；　with　disdain。　〃I'm　as　useless　and　idle。　But　I'm　beginning　to　see　myselfand　youand　all　this　rotten　crowd　of　ours。　We're　no　good。　But　you're　married；　Eleanor。　You're　settled　in　life。　You　ought　to　do　something。　I'm　single　and　at　loose　ends。　Oh；　I'm　in　revolt！　。　。　。　Think；　Eleanor；　just　think。　Your　husband　works　hard　to　keep　you　in　this　expensive　apartment。　You　have　a　car。　He　dresses　you　in　silks　and　satins。　You　wear　diamonds。　You　eat　your　breakfast　in　bed。　You　loll　around　in　a　pink　dressing　gown　all　morning。　You　dress　for　lunch　or　tea。　You　ride　or　golf　or　worse　than　waste　your　time　on　some　lounge　lizard；　dancing　till　time　to　come　home　to　dress　for　dinner。　You　let　other　men　make　love　to　you。　Oh；　don't　get　sore。　You　do。　。　。　。　And　so　goes　the　round　of　your　life。　What　good　on　earth　are　you；　anyhow？　You're　just　aa　gratification　to　the　senses　of　your　husband。　And　at　that　you　don't　see　much　of　hint。〃

〃Carley；　how　you　rave！〃　exclaimed　her　friend。　〃What　has　gotten　into　you　lately？　Why；　everybody　tells　me　you'reyou're　queer！　The　way　you　insulted　Morrisonhow　unlike　you；　Carley！〃

〃I'm　glad　I　found　the　nerve　to　do　it。　What　do　you　think；　Eleanor？〃

〃Oh；　I　despise　him。　But　you　can't　say　the　things　you　feel。〃

〃You'd　be　bigger　and　truer　if　you　did。　Some　day　I'll　break　out　and　flay　you　and　your　friends　alive。〃

〃But；　Carley；　you're　my　friend　and　you're　just　exactly　like　we　are。　Or　you　were；　quite　recently。〃

〃Of　course；　I'm　your　friend。　I've　always　loved　you；　Eleanor；〃　went　on　Carley；　earnestly。　〃I'm　as　deep　in　thisthis　damned　stagnant　muck　as　you；　or　anyone。　But　I'm　no　longer　blind。　There's　something　terribly　wrong　with　us　women；　and　it's　not　what　Morrison　hinted。〃

〃Carley；　the　only　thing　wrong　with　you　is　that　you　jilted　poor　Glennand　are　breaking　your　heart　over　him　still。〃

〃Don'tdon't！〃　cried　Carley；　shrinking。　〃God　knows　that　is　true。　But　there's　more　wrong　with　me　than　a　blighted　love　affair。〃

〃Yes；　you　mean　the　modern　feminine　unrest？〃

〃Eleanor；　I　positively　hate　that　phrase　'modern　feminine　unrest！'　It　smacks　of　ultraultraOh！　I　don't　know　what。　That　phrase　ought　to　be　translated　by　a　Western　acquaintance　of　mineone　Haze　Ruff。　I'd　not　like　to　hurt　your　sensitive　feelings　with　what　he'd　say。　But　this　unrest　means　speed…mad；　excitement…mad；　fad…mad；　dress…mad；　or　I　should　say　undress…mad；　culture　mad；　and　Heaven　only　knows　what　else。　The　women　of　our　set　are　idle；　luxurious；　selfish；　pleasure…craving；　lazy；　useless；　work…and…children　shirking；　absolutely　no　good。〃

〃Well；　if　we　are；　who's　to　blame？〃　rejoined　Eleanor；　spiritedly。　〃Now；　Carley　Burch；　you　listen　to　me。　I　think　the　twentieth…century　girl　in　America　is　the　most　wonderful　female　creation　of　all　the　ages　of　the　universe。　I　admit　it。　That　is　why　we　are　a　prey　to　the　evils　attending　greatness。　Listen。　Here　is　a　crying　sinan　infernal　paradox。　Take　this　twentieth…century　girl；　this　American　girl　who　is　the　finest　creation　of　the　ages。　A　young　and　healthy　girl；　the　most　perfect　type　of　culture　possible　to　the　freest　and　greatest　city　on　earth…New　York！　She　holds　absolutely　an　unreal；　untrue　position　in　the　scheme　of　existence。　Surrounded　by　parents；　relatives；　friends；　suitors；　and　instructive　schools　of　every　kind；　colleges；　institutions；　is　she　really　happy；　is　she　really　living？〃

〃Eleanor；〃　interrupted　Carley；　earnestly；　〃she　is　not。　。　。　。　And　I've　been　trying　to　tell　you　why。〃

〃My　dear；　let　me　get　a　word　in；　will　you；〃　complained　Eleanor。　〃You　don't　know　it　all。　There　are　as　many　different　points　of　view　as　there　are　people。　。　。　。　Well；　if　this　girl　happened　to　have　a　new　frock；　and　a　new　beau　to　show　it　to；　she'd　say；　'I'm　the　happiest　girl　in　the　world。'　But　she　is　nothing　of　the　kind。　Only　she　doesn't　know　that。　She　approaches　marriage；　or；　for　that　matter；　a　more　matured　life；　having　had　too　much；　having　been　too　well　taken　care　of；　knowing　too　much。　Her　masculine　satellitesfather；　brothers；　uncles；　friends；　loversall　utterly　spoil　her。　Mind　you；　I　mean；　girls　like　us；　of　the　middle　classwhich　is　to　say　the　largest　and　best　class　of　Americans。　We　are　spoiled。　。　。　。　This　girl　marries。　And　life　goes　on　smoothly；　as　if　its　aim　was　to　exclude　friction　and　effort。　Her　husband　makes　it　too　easy　for　her。　She　is　an　ornament；　or　a　toy；　to　be　kept　in　a　luxurious　cage。　To　soil　her　pretty　hands　would　be　disgraceful！　Even　f　she　can't　afford　a　maid；　the　modern　devices　of　science　make　the　care　of　her　four…room　apartment　a　farce。　Electric　dish…washer；　clothes…washer；　vacuum…cleaner；　and　the　near…by　delicatessen　and　the　caterer　simply　rob　a　young　wife　of　her　housewifely　heritage。　If　she　has　a　babywhich　happens　occasionally；　Carley；　in　spite　of　your　assertionit　very　soon　goes　to　the　kindergarten。　Then　what　does　she　find　to　do　with　hours　and　hours？　If　she　is　not　married；　what　on　earth　can　she　find　to　do？〃

〃She　can　work；〃　replied　Carley；　bluntly。

〃Oh　yes；　she　can；　but　she　doesn't；〃　went　on　Eleanor。　〃You　don't　work。　I　never　did。　We　both　hated　the　idea。　You're　calling　spades　spades；　Carley；　but　you　seem　to　be　riding　a　morbid；　impractical　thesis。　Well；　our　young　American　girl　or　bride　goes　in　for　being　rushed　or　she　goes　in　for　fads；　the　ultra　s