tea-table talk-第6章

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e　we　to　live　on'？〃

〃It　is　you　now　who　are　playing　with　words；〃　asserted　the　Old　Maid。　〃The　greater　includes　the　less。　　Loving　her；　he　would　naturally　desire〃

〃With　all　his　worldly　goods　her　to　endow；〃　completed　for　her　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃In　other　words；　he　pays　a　price　for　her。　　So　far　as　love　is　concerned；　they　are　quits。　　In　marriage；　the　man　gives　himself　to　the　woman　as　the　woman　gives　herself　to　the　man。　　Man　has　claimed；　I　am　aware；　greater　liberty　for　himself；　but　the　claim　has　always　been　vehemently　repudiated　by　woman。　　She　has　won　her　case。　Legally　and　morally　now　husband　and　wife　are　bound　by　the　same　laws。　This　being　so；　her　contention　that　she　gives　herself　falls　to　the　ground。　　She　exchanges　herself。　　Over　and　above；　she　alone　of　the　twain　claims　a　price。〃

〃Say　a　living　wage；〃　corrected　the　Philosopher。　　〃Lazy　rubbish　lolls　in　petticoats；　and　idle　stupidity　struts　in　trousers。　　But；　class　for　class；　woman　does　her　share　of　the　world's　work。　　Among　the　poor；　of　the　two　it　is　she　who　labours　the　longer。　　There　is　a　many…　versed　ballad　popular　in　country　districts。　　Often　I　have　heard　it　sung　in　shrill；　piping　voice　at　harvest　supper　or　barn　dance。　　The　chorus　runs　…


A　man's　work　'tis　till　set　of　sun；　But　a　woman's　work　is　never　done！


〃My　housekeeper　came　to　me　a　few　months　ago；〃　said　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃to　tell　me　that　my　cook　had　given　notice。　　'I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；'　I　answered；　'has　she　found　a　better　place？'　　'I　am　not　so　sure　about　that；'　answered　Markham；　'she's　going　as　general　servant。'　　'As　general　servant！'　I　exclaimed。　　'To　old　Hudson；　at　the　coal　wharf；'　answered　Markham。　　'His　wife　died　last　year；　if　you　remember。　　He's　got　seven　children；　poor　man；　and　no　one　to　look　after　them。'　　'I　suppose　you　mean；'　I　said；　'that　she's　marrying　him。'　　'Well；　that's　the　way　she　puts　it；'　laughed　Markham。　　'What　I　tell　her　is；　she's　giving　up　a　good　home　and　fifty　pounds　a　year；　to　be　a　general　servant　on　nothing　a　week。　　But　they　never　see　it。'〃

〃I　recollect　her；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet；　〃a　somewhat　depressing　lady。　　Let　me　take　another　case。　　You　possess　a　remarkably　pretty　housemaidEdith；　if　I　have　it　rightly。〃

〃I　have　noticed　her；〃　remarked　the　Philosopher。　　〃Her　manners　strike　me　as　really　quite　exceptional。〃

〃I　never　could　stand　any　one　about　me　with　carroty　hair；〃　remarked　the　Girton　Girl。

〃I　should　hardly　call　it　carroty；〃　contended　the　Philosopher。　〃There　is　a　golden　tint　of　much　richness　underlying；　when　you　look　closely。〃

〃She　is　a　very　good　girl；〃　agreed　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃but　I　am　afraid　I　shall　have　to　get　rid　of　her。　　The　other　woman　servants　don't　get　on　with　her。〃

〃Do　you　know　whether　she　is　engaged　or　not？〃　demanded　the　Minor　Poet。

〃At　the　present　moment；〃　answered　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃she　is　walking　out；　I　believe；　with　the　eldest　son　of　the　'Blue　Lion。'　　But　she　is　never　adverse　to　a　change。　　If　you　are　really　in　earnest　about　the　matter〃

〃I　was　not　thinking　of　myself；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃But　suppose　some　young　gentleman　of　personal　attractions　equal　to　those　of　the　'Blue　Lion；'　or　even　not　quite　equal；　possessed　of　two　or　three　thousand　a　year；　were　to　enter　the　lists；　do　you　think　the　'Blue　Lion'　would　stand　much　chance？〃

〃Among　the　Upper　Classes；〃　continued　the　Minor　Poet；　〃opportunity　for　observing　female　instinct　hardly　exists。　　The　girl's　choice　is　confined　to　lovers　able　to　pay　the　price　demanded；　if　not　by　the　beloved　herself；　by　those　acting　on　her　behalf。　　But　would　a　daughter　of　the　Working　Classes　ever　hesitate；　other　things　being　equal；　between　Mayfair　and　Seven　Dials？〃

〃Let　me　ask　you　one；〃　chimed　in　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃Would　a　bricklayer　hesitate　any　longer　between　a　duchess　and　a　scullery…　maid？〃

〃But　duchesses　don't　fall　in　love　with　bricklayers；〃　returned　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Now；　why　not？　　The　stockbroker　flirts　with　the　barmaidcases　have　been　known；　often　he　marries　her。　　Does　the　lady　out　shopping　ever　fall　in　love　with　the　waiter　at　the　bun…shop？　Hardly　ever。　　Lordlings　marry　ballet　girls；　but　ladies　rarely　put　their　heart　and　fortune　at　the　feet　of　the　Lion　Comique。　　Manly　beauty　and　virtue　are　not　confined　to　the　House　of　Lords　and　its　dependencies。　　How　do　you　account　for　the　fact　that　while　it　is　common　enough　for　the　man　to　look　beneath　him；　the　woman　will　almost　invariably　prefer　her　social　superior；　and　certainly　never　tolerate　her　inferior？　　Why　should　King　Cophetua　and　the　Beggar　Maid　appear　to　us　a　beautiful　legend；　while　Queen　Cophetua　and　the　Tramp　would　be　ridiculous？〃

〃The　simple　explanation　is；〃　expounded　the　Girton　Girl；　〃woman　is　so　immeasurably　man's　superior　that　only　by　weighting　him　more　or　less　heavily　with　worldly　advantages　can　any　semblance　of　balance　be　obtained。〃

〃Then；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet；　〃you　surely　agree　with　me　that　woman　is　justified　in　demanding　this　'make…weight。'　　The　woman　gives　her　love；　if　you　will。　　It　is　the　art　treasure；　the　gilded　vase　thrown　in　with　the　pound　of　tea；　but　the　tea　has　to　be　paid　for。〃

〃It　all　sounds　very　clever；〃　commented　the　Old　Maid；　〃yet　I　fail　to　see　what　good　comes　of　ridiculing　a　thing　one's　heart　tells　one　is　sacred。〃

〃Do　not　be　so　sure　I　am　wishful　to　ridicule；〃　answered　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Love　is　a　wondrous　statue　God　carved　with　His　own　hands　and　placed　in　the　Garden　of　Life；　long　ago。　　And　man；　knowing　not　sin；　worshipped　her；　seeing　her　beautiful。　　Till　the　time　came　when　man　learnt　evil；　then　saw　that　the　statue　was　naked；　and　was　ashamed　of　it。　　Since　when　he　has　been　busy；　draping　it；　now　in　the　fashion　of　this　age；　now　in　the　fashion　of　that。　　We　have　shod　her　in　dainty　bottines；　regretting　the　size　of　her　feet。　　We　employ　the　best　artistes　to　design　for　her　cunning　robes　that　shall　disguise　her　shape。　　Each　season　we　fix　fresh　millinery　upon　her　changeless　head。　We　hang　around　her　robes　of　woven　words。　　Only　the　promise　of　her　ample　breasts　we　cannot　altogether　hide；　shocking　us　not　a　little；　only　that　remains　to　tell　us　that　beneath　the　tawdry　tissues　still　stands　the　changeless　statue　God　carved　with　His　own　hands。〃

〃I　like　you　better　when　you　talk　like　that；〃　said　the　Old　Maid；　〃but　I　never　feel　quite　sure　of　you。　　All　I　mean；　of　course；　is　that　money　should　not　be　her　first　consideration。　　Marriage　for　moneyit　is　not　marriage；　one　cannot　speak　of　it。　　Of　course；　one　must　be　reasonable。〃

〃You　mean；〃　persisted　the　Minor　Poet；　〃you　would　have　her　think　also　of　her　dinner；　of　her　clothes；　her　necessities；　luxuries。〃

〃It　is　not　only　for　herself；〃　answered　the　Old　Maid。

〃For　whom？〃　demanded　the　Minor　Poet。

The　white　hands　of　the　Old　Maid　fluttered　on　her　lap；　revealing　her　trouble；　for　of　the　old　school　is　this　sweet　friend　of　mine。

〃There　are　the　children　to　be　considered；〃　I　explained。　　〃A　woman　feels　it　even　without　knowing。　　It　is　her　instinct。〃

The　Old　Maid　smiled　on　me　her　thanks。

〃It　is　where　I　was　leading；〃　said　the　Minor　Poet。　　〃Woman　has　been　appointed　by　Nature　the　trustee　of　the　children。　　It　is　her　duty　to　think　of　them；　to　plan　for　them。　　If　in　marriage　she　does　not　take　the　future　into　consideration；　she　is　untrue　to　her　trust。〃

〃Before　you　go　further；〃　interrupted　the　Philosopher；　〃there　is　an　important　point　to　be　considered。　　Are　children　better　or　worse　for　a　pampered　upbringing？　　Is　not　poverty　often　the　best　school？〃

〃It　is　what　I　always　tell　George；〃　remarked　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃when　he　grumbles　at　the　tradesmen's　books。　　If　Papa　could　only　have　seen　his　way　to　being　a　poor　man；　I　feel　I　should　have　been　a　better　wife。〃

〃Please　don't　suggest　the　possibility；〃　I　begged　the　Woman　of　the　World；　〃the　thought　is　too　bewildering。〃

〃You　were　never　imaginative；〃　replied　the　Woman　of　the　World。

〃Not　to　that　extent；〃　I　admitted。

〃'The　best　mothers　make　the　worst　children；'〃　quoted　the　Girton　Girl。　　〃I　intend　to　bear　that　in　mind。〃

〃Your　mother　was　a　very　beautiful　characterone　of　the　most　beautiful　I　ever　knew；〃　remarked　the　Old　Maid。

〃There　is　some　truth　in　the　saying；〃　agreed　the　Minor　Poet；　〃but　only　because　it　is　the　exception；　and　Nature　invariably　puts　forth　all　her　powers　to　counteract　the　result　of　deviation　from　her　laws。　Were　it　the　rule；　then　the　bad　mo