north america-1-第8章

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now　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　ordinary　bathers；　for　all　ladies；　and　for　men　less　savage　in　their　instincts　than　I　am；　the　bathing　at　Newport　is　very　good。　The　private　housesvilla　residences　as　they　would　be　termed　by　an　auctioneer　in　Englandare　excellent。　　Many　of　them　are；　in　fact；　large　mansions；　and　are　surrounded　with　grounds　which；　as　the　shrubs　grow　up；　will　be　very　beautiful。　　Some　have　large；　well…kept　lawns；　stretching　down　to　the　rocks；　and　these；　to　my　taste；　give　the　charm　to　Newport。　　They　extend　about　two　miles　along　the　coast。　Should　my　lot　have　made　me　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；　I　should　have　had　no　objection　to　become　the　possessor　of　one　of　these　〃villa　residences；〃　but　I　do　not　think　that　I　should　have　〃gone　in〃　for　hotel　life　at　Newport。　We　hired　saddle…horses；　and　rode　out　nearly　the　length　of　the　island。　　It　was　all　very　well；　but　there　was　little　in　it　remarkable　either　as　regards　cultivation　or　scenery。　　We　found　nothing　that　it　would　be　possible　either　to　describe　or　remember。　The　Americans　of　the　United　States　have