short stories and essays-第18章

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to　themselves；　though；　for　that　matter；　neither　do　the　nobilities　of
foreign　countries；　and　on　one　or　two　occasions　when　I　have　seen　them；
kings　and　emperors　have　failed　me　in　like　manner。　　They　have　all　wanted
that　indescribable　something　which　I　have　found　so　satisfying　in
aristocracies　and　royalties　on　the　stage；　and　here　at　the　Horse　Show；
while　I　made　my　tour；　I　constantly　met　handsome；　actor…like　folk　on　foot
who　could　much　better　have　taken　the　role　of　the　people　in　the　boxes。
The　promenaders　may　not　have　been　actors　at　all；　they　may　have　been　the
real　thing　for　which　I　was　in　vain　scanning　the　boxes；　but　they　looked
like　actors；　who　indeed　set　an　example　to　us　all　in　personal　beauty　and
in　correctness　of　dress。

I　mean　nothing　offensive　either　to　swells　or　to　actors。　　We　have　not
distinction；　as　a　people；　Matthew　Arnold　noted　that；　and　it　is　not　our
business　to　have　it：　When　it　is　our　business　our　swells　will　have　it；
just　as　our　actors　now　have　it；　especially　our　actors　of　English　birth。
I　had　not　this　reflection　about　me　at　the　time　to　console　me　for　my
disappointment；　and　it　only　now　occurs　to　me　that　what　I　took　for　an
absence　of　distinction　may　have　been　such　a　universal　prevalence　of　it
that　the　result　was　necessarily　a　species　of　indistinction。　　But　in　the
complexion　of　any　social　assembly　we　Americans　are　at　a　disadvantage　with
Europeans　from　the　want　of　uniforms。　　A　few　military　scattered　about　in
those　boxes；　or　even　a　few　sporting　bishops　in　shovel…hats　and　aprons；
would　have　done　much　to　relieve　them　from　the　reproach　I　have　been
heaping　upon　them。　　Our　women；　indeed；　poor　things；　always　do　their　duty
in　personal　splendor；　and　it　is　not　of　a　poverty　in　their　modes　at　the
Horse　Show　that　I　am　complaining。　　If　the　men　had　borne　their　part　as
well；　there　would　not　have　been　these　tears：　and　yet；　what　am　I　saying？
There　was　here　and　there　a　clean…shaven　face　（which　I　will　not　believe
was　always　an　actor's）；　and　here　and　there　a　figure　superbly　set　up；　and
so　faultlessly　appointed　as　to　shoes；　trousers；　coat；　tie；　hat；　and
gloves　as　to　have　a　salience　from　the　mass　of　good　looks　and　good　clothes
which　I　will　not　at　last　call　less　than　distinction。




II。

At　any　rate；　I　missed　these　marked　presences　when　I　left　the　lines　of　the
promenaders　around　the　ellipse；　and　climbed　to　a　seat　some　tiers　above
the　boxes。　　I　am　rather　anxious　to　have　it　known　that　my　seat　was　not　one
of　those　cheap　ones　in　the　upper　gallery；　but　was　with　the　virtuous　poor
who　could　afford　to　pay　a　dollar　and　a　half　for　their　tickets。　　I　bought
it　of　a　speculator　on　the　sidewalk；　who　said　it　was　his　last；　so　that　I
conceived　it　the　last　in　the　house；　but　I　found　the　chairs　by　no　means
all　filled；　though　it　was　as　good　an　audience　as　I　have　sometimes　seen　in
the　same　place　at　other　circuses。　　The　people　about　me　were　such　as　I　had
noted　at　the　other　circuses；　hotel…sojourners；　kindly…looking　comers　from
provincial　towns　and　cities；　whom　I　instantly　felt　myself　at　home　with；
and　free　to　put　off　that　gloomy　severity　of　aspect　which　had　grown　upon
me　during　my　association　with　the　swells　below。　　My　neighbors　were
sufficiently　well　dressed；　and　if　they　had　no　more　distinction　than　their
betters；　or　their　richers；　they　had　not　the　burden　of　the　occasion　upon
them；　and　seemed　really　glad　of　what　was　going　on　in　the　ring。

There　again　I　was　sensible　of　the　vast　advantage　of　costume。　　The　bugler
who　stood　up　at　one　end　of　the　central　platform　and　blew　a　fine　fanfare
（I　hope　it　was　a　fanfare）　towards　the　gates　where　the　horses　were　to
enter　from　their　stalls　in　the　basement　was　a　hussar…like　shape　that
filled　my　romantic　soul　with　joy；　and　the　other　figures　of　the　management
I　thought　very　fortunate　compromises　between　grooms　and　ringmasters。　　At
any　rate；　their　nondescript　costumes　were　gay；　and　a　relief　from　the
fashions　in　the　boxes　and　the　promenade；　they　were　costumes；　and　costumes
are　always　more　sincere；　if　not　more　effective；　than　fashions。　　As　I　have
hinted；　I　do　not　know　just　what　costumes　they　were；　but　they　took　the
light　well　from　the　girandole　far　aloof　and　from　the　thousands　of　little
electric　bulbs　that　beaded　the　roof　in　long　lines；　and　dispersed　the
sullenness　of　the　dull；　rainy　afternoon。　　When　the　knights　entered　the
lists　on　the　seats　of　their　dog…carts；　with　their　squires　beside　them；
and　their　shining　tandems　before　them；　they　took　the　light　well；　too；　and
the　spectacle　was　so　brilliant　that　I　trust　my　imagery　may　be　forgiven　a
novelist　pining　for　the　pageantries　of　the　past。　　I　do　not　know　to　this
moment　whether　these　knights　were　bona　fide　gentlemen；　or　only　their
deputies；　driving　their　tandems　for　them；　and　I　am　equally　at　a　loss　to
account　for　the　variety；　of　their　hats。　　Some　wore　tall；　shining　silk
hats；　some　flat…topped；　brown　derbys；　some　simple　black　pot…hats；and　is
there；　then；　no　rigor　as　to　the　head…gear　of　people　driving　tandems？
I　felt　that　there　ought　to　be；　and　that　there　ought　to　be　some　rule　as　to
where　the　number　of　each　tandem　should　be　displayed。　　As　it　was；　this　was
sometimes　carelessly　stuck　into　the　seat　of　the　cart；　sometimes　it　was
worn　at　the　back　of　the　groom's　waist；　and　sometimes　full　upon　his
stomach。　　In　the　last　position　it　gave　a　touch　of　burlesque　which　wounded
me；　for　these　are　vital　matters；　and　I　found　myself　very　exacting　in
them。

With　the　horses　themselves　I　could　find　no　fault　upon　the　grounds　of　my
censure　of　the　show　in　some　other　ways。　　They　had　distinction；　they　were
patrician；　they　were　swell。　　They　felt　it；　they　showed　it；　they　rejoiced
in　it；　and　the　most　reluctant　observer　could　not　deny　them　the　glory　of
blood；　of　birth；　which　the　thoroughbred　horse　has　expressed　in　all　lands
and　ages。　　Their　lordly　port　was　a　thing　that　no　one　could　dispute；　and
for　an　aristocracy　I　suppose　that　they　had　a　high　average　of
intelligence；　though　there　might　be　two　minds　about　this。　　They　made　me
think　of　mettled　youths　and　haughty　dames；　they　abashed　the　humble　spirit
of　the　beholder　with　the　pride　of　their　high…stepping；　their　curvetting
and　caracoling；　as　they　jingled　in　their　shining　harness　around　the　long
ring。　　Their　noble　uselessness　took　the　fancy；　for　I　suppose　that　there
is　nothing　so　superbly　superfluous　as　a　tandem；　outside　or　inside　of　the
best　society。　　It　is　something　which　only　the　ambition　of　wealth　and
unbroken　leisure　can　mount　to；　and　I　was　glad　that　the　display　of　tandems
was　the　first　event　of　the　Horse　Show　which　I　witnessed；　for　it　seemed　to
me　that　it　must　beyond　all　others　typify　the　power　which　created　the
Horse　Show。　　I　wished　that　the　human　side　of　it　could　have　been　more
unquestionably　adequate；　but　the　equine　side　of　the　event　was　perfect。
Still；　I　felt　a　certain　relief；　as　in　something　innocent　and　simple　and
childlike；　in　the　next　event。




III。

This　was　the　inundation　of　the　tan…bark　with　troops　of　pretty　Shetland
ponies　of　all　ages；　sizes；　and　colors。　　A　cry　of　delight　went　up　from　a
group　of　little　people　near　me；　and　the　spell　of　the　Horse　Show　was
broken。　　It　was　no　longer　a　solemnity　of　fashion；　it　was　a　sweet　and
kindly　pleasure　which　every　one　could　share；　or　every　one　who　had　ever
had；　or　ever　wished　to　have；　a　Shetland　pony；　the　touch　of　nature　made
the　whole　show　kin。　　I　could　not　see　that　the　freakish；　kittenish
creatures　did　anything　to　claim　our　admiration；　but　they　won　our
affection　by　every　trait　of　ponyish　caprice　and　obstinacy。　　The　small
colts　broke　away　from　the　small　mares；　and　gambolled　over　the　tanbark　in
wanton　groups；　with　gay　or　plaintive　whinnyings；　which　might　well　have
touched　a　responsive　chord　in　the　bosom　of　fashion　itself：　I　dare　say　it
is　not　so　hard　as　it　looks。　　The　scene　remanded　us　to　a　moment　of
childhood；　and　I　found　myself　so　fond　of　all　the　ponies　that　I　felt　it
invidious　of　the　judges　to　choose　among　them　for　the　prizes；　they　ought
every　one　to　have　had　the　prize。

I　suppose　a　Shetland　pony　is　not　a　very　useful　animal　in　our　conditions；
no　doubt　a　good；　tough；　stubbed　donkey　would　be　worth　all　their　tribe
when　it　came　down　to　hard　work；　but　we　cannot　all　be　hard…working
donkeys；　and　some　of　us　may