tea-table talk-第4章

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n　case。　　I　get　quite　angry　with　myself。　　It　seems　so　weak…minded；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　This　very　dress　I　have　on　now〃

〃It　is　very　charming；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃in　itself。　　I　have　been　admiring　it。　　Though　I　confess　I　think　you　look　even　better　in　dark　colours。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　replied　the　Old　Maid；　〃myself；　I　hate　it。　But　you　know　how　it　is。　　I　seemed　to　have　been　all　the　morning　in　the　shop。　　I　felt　so　tired。　　If　only〃

The　Old　Maid　stopped　abruptly。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　afraid　I've　interrupted。〃

〃I　am　so　glad　you　told　us；〃　said　the　Philosopher。　　〃Do　you　know　that　seems　to　me　an　explanation？〃

〃Of　what？〃　asked　the　Girton　Girl。

〃Of　how　so　many　of　us　choose　our　views；〃　returned　the　Philosopher；　〃we　don't　like　to　come　out　of　the　shop　without　something。〃

〃But　you　were　about　to　explain；〃　continued　the　Philosopher；　turning　to　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃to　prove　a　point。〃

〃That　I　had　been　talking　nonsense；〃　reminded　her　the　Minor　Poet；　〃if　you　are　sure　it　will　not　weary　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃it　is　quite　simple。　The　gifts　of　civilisation　cannot　be　the　meaningless　rubbish　you　advocates　of　barbarism　would　make　out。　　I　remember　Uncle　Paul's　bringing　us　home　a　young　monkey　he　had　caught　in　Africa。　　With　the　aid　of　a　few　logs　we　fitted　up　a　sort　of　stage…tree　for　this　little　brother　of　mine；　as　I　suppose　you　would　call　him；　in　the　gun…room。　It　was　an　admirable　imitation　of　the　thing　to　which　he　and　his　ancestors　must　have　been　for　thousands　of　years　accustomed；　and　for　the　first　two　nights　he　slept　perched　among　its　branches。　　On　the　third　the　little　brute　turned　the　poor　cat　out　of　its　basket　and　slept　on　the　eiderdown；　after　which　no　more　tree　for　him；　real　or　imitation。　　At　the　end　of　the　three　months；　if　we　offered　him　monkey…nuts；　he　would　snatch　them　from　our　hand　and　throw　them　at　our　head。　　He　much　preferred　gingerbread　and　weak　tea　with　plenty　of　sugar；　and　when　we　wanted　him　to　leave　the　kitchen　fire　and　enjoy　a　run　in　the　garden；　we　had　to　carry　him　out　swearingI　mean　he　was　swearing；　of　course。　　I　quite　agree　with　him。　　I　much　prefer　this　chair　on　which　I　am　sittingthis　'wooden　lumber；'　as　you　term　it　to　the　most　comfortable　lump　of　old　red　sandstone　that　the　best　furnished　cave　could　possibly　afford；　and　I　am　degenerate　enough　to　fancy　that　I　look　very　nice　in　this　frockmuch　nicer　than　my　brothers　or　sisters　to　whom　it　originally　belonged：　　they　didn't　know　how　to　make　the　best　of　it。〃

〃You　would　look　charming　anyhow；〃　I　murmured　with　conviction；　〃even…　…〃

〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say；〃　interrupted　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃please　don't。　　It's　very　shocking；　and；　besides；　I　don't　agree　with　you。　　I　should　have　had　a　thick；　coarse　skin；　with　hair　all　over　me　and　nothing　by　way　of　a　change。〃

〃I　am　contending；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet；　〃that　what　we　choose　to　call　civilisation　has　done　little　beyond　pandering　to　our　animal　desires。　Your　argument　confirms　my　theory。　　Your　evidence　in　support　of　civilisation　comes　to　thisthat　it　can　succeed　in　tickling　the　appetites　of　a　monkey。　　You　need　not　have　gone　back　so　far。　　The　noble　savage　of　today　flings　aside　his　clear　spring　water　to　snatch　at　the　missionary's　gin。　　He　will　even　discard　his　feathers；　which　at　least　were　picturesque；　for　a　chimney…pot　hat　innocent　of　nap。　Plaid　trousers　and　cheap　champagne　follow　in　due　course。　　Where　is　the　advancement？　　Civilisation　provides　us　with　more　luxuries　for　our　bodies。　　That　I　grant　you。　　Has　it　brought　us　any　real　improvement　that　could　not　have　been　arrived　at　sooner　by　other　roads？〃

〃It　has　given　us　Art；〃　said　the　Girton　Girl。

〃When　you　say　'us；'〃　replied　the　Minor　Poet；　〃I　presume　you　are　referring　to　the　one　person　in　half　a　million　to　whom　Art　is　anything　more　than　a　name。　　Dismissing　the　countless　hordes　who　have　absolutely　never　heard　the　word；　and　confining　attention　to　the　few　thousands　scattered　about　Europe　and　America　who　prate　of　it；　how　many　of　even　these　do　you　think　it　really　influences；　entering　into　their　lives；　refining；　broadening　them？　　Watch　the　faces　of　the　thin　but　conscientious　crowd　streaming　wearily　through　our　miles　of　picture　galleries　and　art　museums；　gaping；　with　guide…book　in　hand；　at　ruined　temple　or　cathedral　tower；　striving；　with　the　spirit　of　the　martyr；　to　feel　enthusiasm　for　Old　Masters　at　which；　left　to　themselves；　they　would　enjoy　a　good　laughfor　chipped　statues　which；　uninstructed；　they　would　have　mistaken　for　the　damaged　stock　of　a　suburban　tea…garden。　　Not　more　than　one　in　twelve　enjoys　what　he　is　looking　at；　and　he　by　no　means　is　bound　to　be　the　best　of　the　dozen。　　Nero　was　a　genuine　lover　of　Art；　and　in　modern　times　August　the　Strong；　of　Saxony；　'the　man　of　sin；'　as　Carlyle　calls　him；　has　left　undeniable　proof　behind　him　that　he　was　a　connoisseur　of　the　first　water。　　One　recalls　names　even　still　more　recent。　　Are　we　so　sure　that　Art　does　elevate？〃

〃You　are　talking　for　the　sake　of　talking；〃　told　him　the　Girton　Girl。

〃One　can　talk　for　the　sake　of　thinking　also；〃　reminded　her　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃The　argument　is　one　that　has　to　be　faced。　　But　admitting　that　Art　has　been　of　service　to　mankind　on　the　whole；　that　it　possesses　one…tenth　of　the　soul…forming　properties　claimed　for　it　in　the　advertisementwhich　I　take　to　be　a　generous　estimateits　effect　upon　the　world　at　large　still　remains　infinitesimal。〃

〃It　works　down；〃　maintained　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃From　the　few　it　spreads　to　the　many。〃

〃The　process　appears　to　be　somewhat　slow；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet。　〃The　result；　for　whatever　it　may　be　worth；　we　might　have　obtained　sooner　by　doing　away　with　the　middleman。〃

〃What　middleman？〃　demanded　the　Girton　Girl。

〃The　artist；〃　explained　the　Minor　Poet；　〃the　man　who　has　turned　the　whole　thing　into　a　business；　the　shopman　who　sells　emotions　over　the　counter。　　A　Corot；　a　Turner　is；　after　all；　but　a　poor　apology　compared　with　a　walk　in　spring　through　the　Black　Forest　or　the　view　from　Hampstead　Heath　on　a　November　afternoon。　　Had　we　been　less　occupied　acquiring　'the　advantages　of　civilisation；'　working　upward　through　the　weary　centuries　to　the　city　slum；　the　corrugated…iron…　roofed　farm；　we　might　have　found　time　to　learn　to　love　the　beauty　of　the　world。　　As　it　is；　we　have　been　so　busy　'civilising'　ourselves　that　we　have　forgotten　to　live。　　We　are　like　an　old　lady　I　once　shared　a　carriage　with　across　the　Simplon　Pass。〃

〃By　the　way；〃　I　remarked；　〃one　is　going　to　be　saved　all　that　bother　in　the　future。　　They　have　nearly　completed　the　new　railway　line。　One　will　be　able　to　go　from　Domo　d'Orsola　to　Brieg　in　a　little　over　the　two　hours。　　They　tell　me　the　tunnelling　is　wonderful。〃

〃It　will　be　very　charming；〃　sighed　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃I　am　looking　forward　to　a　future　when；　thanks　to　'civilisation；'　travel　will　be　done　away　with　altogether。　　We　shall　be　sewn　up　in　a　sack　and　shot　there。　　At　the　time　I　speak　of　we　still　had　to　be　content　with　the　road　winding　through　some　of　the　most　magnificent　scenery　in　Switzerland。　　I　rather　enjoyed　the　drive　myself；　but　my　companion　was　quite　unable　to　appreciate　it。　　Not　because　she　did　not　care　for　scenery。　　As　she　explained　to　me；　she　was　passionately　fond　of　it。　But　her　luggage　claimed　all　her　attention。　　There　were　seventeen　pieces　of　it　altogether；　and　every　time　the　ancient　vehicle　lurched　or　swayed；　which　on　an　average　was　once　every　thirty　seconds；　she　was　in　terror　lest　one　or　more　of　them　should　be　jerked　out。　　Half　her　day　was　taken　up　in　counting　them　and　re…arranging　them；　and　the　only　view　in　which　she　was　interested　was　the　cloud　of　dust　behind　us。　　One　bonnet…box　did　contrive　during　the　course　of　the　journey　to　make　its　escape；　after　which　she　sat　with　her　arms　round　as　many　of　the　remaining　sixteen　articles　as　she　could　encompass；　and　sighed。〃

〃I　knew　an　Italian　countess；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃she　had　been　at　school　with　mamma。　　She　never　would　go　half　a　mile　out　of　her　way　for　scenery。　　'Why　should　I？'　she　would　say。　　'What　are　the　painters　for？　　If　there　is　anything　good；　let　them　bring　it　to　me　and　I　will　look　at　it。　　She　said　she　preferred　the　picture　to　the　real　thing；　it　was　so　much　more　artistic。　　In　the　landscape　itself；　she　complained；