the ways of men-第46章
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d late） during the last ten minutes of a performance。 No sooner do they discover that the end is drawing near than people begin to struggle into their wraps。 By the time the players have lined up before the footlights the house is full of disappearing backs。
Past； indeed； are the unruffled days when a heroine was expected （after the action of a play had ended） to deliver the closing ENVOI dear to the writers of Queen Anne's day。 Thackeray writes：…
THE PLAY IS DONE！ THE CURTAIN DROPS； SLOW FALLING TO THE PROMPTER'S BELL！ A MOMENT YET THE ACTOR STOPS； AND LOOKS AROUND； TO SAY FAREWELL！
A comedian who attempted any such abuse of the situation to… day would find himself addressing empty benches。 Before he had finished the first line of his epilogue； most of his public would be housed in the rapid transit cars。 No talent； no novelty holds our audiences to the end of a performance。
On the opening night of the opera season this winter； one third of the 〃boxes〃 and orchestra stalls were vacant before Romeo （who； being a foreigner； was taking his time） had expired。
One overworked matron of my acquaintance has perfected an ingenious and time…saving combination。 By signalling from a window near her opera box to a footman below； she is able to get her carriage at least two minutes sooner than her neighbors。
During the last act of an opera like TANN…HAUSER or FAUST； in which the inconsiderate composer has placed a musical gem at the end； this lady is worth watching。 After getting into her wraps and overshoes she stands； hand on the door； at the back of her box； listening to the singers； at a certain moment she hurries to the window； makes her signal； scurries back； hears Calve pour her soul out in ANGES PURS； ANGES RADIEUX； yet manages to get down the stairs and into her carriage before the curtain has fallen。
We deplore the prevailing habit of 〃slouch〃； yet if you think of it； this universal hurry is the cause of it。 Our cities are left unsightly； because we cannot spare time to beautify them。 Nervous diseases are distressingly prevalent； still we hurry！ hurry！！ hurry！！！ until； as a diplomatist recently remarked to me； the whole nation seemed to him to be but five minutes ahead of an apoplectic fit。
The curious part of the matter is that after several weeks at home； much that was strange at first becomes quite natural to the traveller； who finds himself thinking with pity of benighted foreigners and their humdrum ways； and would resent any attempts at reform。
What； for instance； would replace for enterprising souls the joy of taking their matutinal car at a flying leap； or the rapture of being first out of a theatre？ What does part of a last act or the 〃star song〃 matter in comparison with five minutes of valuable time to the good？ Like the river captains； we propose to run under full head of steam and get there； or b… explode！
Chapter 33 … The Spirit of History
BUILDINGS become tombs when the race that constructed them has disappeared。 Libraries and manuscripts are catacombs where most of us might wander in the dark forever； finding no issue。 To know dead generations and their environments through these channels； to feel a love so strong that it calls the past forth from its winding…sheet； and gives it life again； as Christ did Lazarus； is the privilege only of great historians。
France is honoring the memory of such a man at this moment； one who for forty years sought the vital spark of his country's existence； striving to resuscitate what he called 〃the great soul of history；〃 as it developed through successive acts of the vast drama。 This employment of his genius is Michelet's title to fame。
In a sombre structure； the tall windows of which look across the Luxembourg trees to the Pantheon； where her husband's bust has recently been placed； a widow preserves with religious care the souvenirs of this great historian。 Nothing that can recall either his life or his labor is changed。
Madame Michelet's life is in strange contrast with the ways of the modern spouse who； under pretext of grief； discards and displaces every reminder of the dead。 In our day； when the great art is to forget； an existence consecrated to a memory is so rare that the world might be the better for knowing that a woman lives who； young and beautiful； was happy in the society of an old man； whose genius she appreciated and cherished； who loves him dead as she loved him living。 By her care the apartment remains as it stood when he left it； to die at Hyeres； … the furniture； the paintings； the writing…table。 No stranger has sat in his chair； no acquaintance has drunk from his cup。 This woman； who was a perfect wife and now fills one's ideal of what a widow's life should be； has constituted herself the vigilant guardian of her husband's memory。 She loves to talk of the illustrious dead； and tell how he was fond of saying that Virgil and Vico were his parents。 Any one who reads the GEORGICS or THE BIRD will see the truth of this； for he loved all created things； his ardent spiritism perceiving that the essence which moved the ocean's tides was the same that sang in the robin at the window during his last illness； which he called his 〃little captive soul。〃
The author of LA BIBLE DE L'HUMANITE had to a supreme degree the love of country； and possessed the power of reincarnating with each succeeding cycle of its history。 So luminous was his mind； so profound and far…reaching his sympathy； that he understood the obscure workings of the mediaeval mind as clearly as he appreciated Mirabeau's transcendent genius。 He believed that humanity； like Prometheus； was self…made； that nations modelled their own destiny during the actions and reactions of history； as each one of us acquires a personality through the struggles and temptations of existence； by the evolving power every soul carries within itself。
Michelet taught that each nation was the hero of its own drama； that great men have not been different from the rest of their race … on the contrary； being the condensation of an epoch； that； no matter what the apparent eccentricities of a leader may have been； he was the expression of a people's spirit。 This discovery that a race is transformed by its action upon itself and upon the elements it absorbs from without； wipes away at a stroke the popular belief in 〃predestined races〃 or providential 〃great men〃 appearing at crucial moments and riding victorious across the world。
An historian； if what he writes is to have any value； must know the people； the one great historical factor。 Radicalism in history is the beginning of truth。 Guided by this light of his own； Michelet discovered a fresh factor heretofore unnoticed； that vast fermentation which in France transforms all foreign elements into an integral part of the country's being。 After studying his own land through the thirteen centuries of her growth； from the chart of Childebert to the will of Louis XVI。； Michelet declared that while England is a composite empire and Germany a region； France is a personality。 In consequence he regarded the history of his country as a long dramatic poem。 Here we reach the inner thought of the historian； the secret impulse that guided his majestic pen。
The veritable hero of his splendid Iliad is at first ignorant and obscure； seeking passionately like OEdipus to know himself。 The interest of the piece is absorbing。 We can follow the gradual development of his nature as it becomes more attractive and sympathetic with each advancing age； until； through the hundred acts of the tragedy； he achieves a soul。 For Michelet to write the history of his country was to describe the long evolution of a hero。 He was fond of telling his friends that during the Revolution of July； while he was making his translation of Vico； this great fact was revealed to him in the blazing vision of a people in revolt。 At that moment the young and unknown author resolved to devote his life； his talents； his gift of clairvoyance； the magic of his inimitable style and creative genius； to fixing on paper the features se
