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С˵£º short stories and essays ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ4000×Ö

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when¡¡it¡¡came¡¡down¡¡to¡¡hard¡¡work£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡all¡¡be¡¡hard¡­working
donkeys£»¡¡and¡¡some¡¡of¡¡us¡¡may¡¡be¡¡toys¡¡and¡¡playthings¡¡without¡¡too¡¡great
reproach¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡gazed¡¡after¡¡the¡¡broken£»¡¡refluent¡¡wave¡¡of¡¡these¡¡amiable
creatures£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡vague¡¡toleration¡¡here¡¡formulated£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡was¡¡not¡¡quite
at¡¡peace¡¡in¡¡it£»¡¡or¡¡fully¡¡consoled¡¡in¡¡my¡¡habitual¡¡ethicism¡¡till¡¡the¡¡next
event¡¡brought¡¡the¡¡hunters¡¡with¡¡their¡¡high¡­jumping¡¡into¡¡the¡¡ring¡£¡¡¡¡These
noble¡¡animals¡¡unite¡¡use¡¡and¡¡beauty¡¡in¡¡such¡¡measure¡¡that¡¡the¡¡censor¡¡must
be¡¡of¡¡Catonian¡¡severity¡¡who¡¡can¡¡refuse¡¡them¡¡his¡¡praise¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡I¡¡reflected
that¡¡by¡¡them¡¡and¡¡their¡¡devoted¡¡riders¡¡our¡¡civilization¡¡had¡¡been
assimilated¡¡to¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mother¡­country¡¡in¡¡its¡¡finest¡¡expression£»¡¡and
another¡¡tie¡¡added¡¡to¡¡those¡¡that¡¡bind¡¡us¡¡to¡¡her¡¡through¡¡the¡¡language¡¡of
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American¡¡farmer¡¡in¡¡several¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country¡¡so¡¡that¡¡he¡¡submitted¡¡for
a¡¡consideration¡¡to¡¡have¡¡his¡¡crops¡¡ridden¡¡over£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡all¡¡but
exterminated¡¡the¡¡ferocious¡¡anise¡­seed¡¡bag£»¡¡once¡¡so¡¡common¡¡and¡¡destructive
among¡¡us£»¡¡I¡¡was¡¡in¡¡a¡¡fit¡¡mood¡¡to¡¡welcome¡¡the¡¡bars¡¡and¡¡hurdles¡¡which¡¡were
now¡¡set¡¡up¡¡at¡¡four¡¡or¡¡five¡¡places¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purposes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡high¡­jumping¡£
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little£»¡¡while¡¡I¡¡stand¡¡firmly¡¡to¡¡my¡¡admiration¡¡of¡¡his¡¡use¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡be¡¡honest£»
the¡¡tandem¡¡horse¡¡is¡¡more¡¡to¡¡my¡¡taste¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡is¡¡better¡¡shaped£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡bears
himself¡¡more¡¡proudly¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡hunter¡¡is¡¡apt¡¡to¡¡behave£»¡¡whatever¡¡his¡¡reserve
of¡¡intelligence£»¡¡like¡¡an¡¡excited¡¡hen£»¡¡he¡¡is¡¡apt¡¡to¡¡be¡¡ewe¡­necked¡¡and¡¡bred
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turkey¡­hen¡¡when¡¡not¡¡behaving¡¡like¡¡the¡¡common¡¡or¡¡garden¡¡hen¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡there
can¡¡be¡¡no¡¡question¡¡of¡¡his¡¡jumping£»¡¡which¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡be¡¡his¡¡chief¡¡business
in¡¡a¡¡world¡¡where¡¡we¡¡are¡¡all¡¡appointed¡¡our¡¡several¡¡duties£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡at¡¡once
began¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡vivid¡¡pleasure¡¡in¡¡his¡¡proficiency¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡always¡¡felt¡¡a
blind¡¡and¡¡insensate¡¡joy¡¡in¡¡running¡¡races£»¡¡which¡¡has¡¡no¡¡relation¡¡to¡¡any
particular¡¡horse£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡now¡¡experienced¡¡an¡¡impartial¡¡rapture¡¡in¡¡the
performances¡¡of¡¡these¡¡hunters¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡looked¡¡very¡¡much¡¡alike£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡it
had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡for¡¡the¡¡changing¡¡numbers¡¡on¡¡the¡¡sign¡­board¡¡in¡¡the¡¡centre¡¡of
the¡¡ring¡¡announcing¡¡that¡¡650£»¡¡675£»¡¡or¡¡602¡¡was¡¡now¡¡jumping£»¡¡I¡¡might¡¡have
thought¡¡it¡¡was¡¡650¡¡all¡¡the¡¡time¡£

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still¡¡a¡¡fine¡¡sight¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡became¡¡very¡¡fastidious¡¡as¡¡to¡¡which¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡it
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and¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know¡¡to¡¡this¡¡hour¡¡which¡¡I¡¡prefer¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡suppose¡¡I¡¡was
becoming¡¡gradually¡¡spoiled¡¡by¡¡my¡¡pleasure£»¡¡for¡¡as¡¡time¡¡went¡¡on¡¡I¡¡noticed
that¡¡I¡¡was¡¡not¡¡satisfied¡¡with¡¡the¡¡monotonous¡¡excellence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡horses'
execution¡£¡¡¡¡Will¡¡it¡¡be¡¡credited¡¡that¡¡I¡¡became¡¡willing¡¡something¡¡should
happen£»¡¡anything£»¡¡to¡¡vary¡¡it£¿¡¡¡¡I¡¡asked¡¡myself¡¡why£»¡¡if¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡more
exciting¡¡incidents¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hunting¡­field¡¡which¡¡I¡¡had¡¡read¡¡of¡¡must¡¡befall£»
I¡¡should¡¡not¡¡see¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡Several¡¡of¡¡the¡¡horses¡¡had¡¡balked¡¡at¡¡the¡¡barriers£»
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looked¡¡eagerly¡¡for¡¡the¡¡prostrate¡¡horse¡¡and¡¡rider¡¡under¡¡the¡¡bars£»¡¡but¡¡they
were¡¡cantering¡¡safely¡¡away¡£




IV¡£

It¡¡was¡¡enough£»¡¡however¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡perceived¡¡that¡¡I¡¡was¡¡becoming¡¡demoralized£»¡¡and
that¡¡if¡¡I¡¡were¡¡to¡¡write¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Horse¡¡Show¡¡with¡¡at¡¡all¡¡the¡¡superiority¡¡one
likes¡¡to¡¡feel¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡rich¡¡and¡¡great£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡better¡¡come¡¡away¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I
came¡¡away¡¡critical£»¡¡even¡¡in¡¡my¡¡downfall£»¡¡and¡¡feeling¡¡that£»¡¡circus¡¡for
circus£»¡¡the¡¡Greatest¡¡Show¡¡on¡¡Earth¡¡which¡¡I¡¡had¡¡often¡¡seen¡¡in¡¡that¡¡place
had¡¡certain¡¡distinct¡¡advantages¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Horse¡¡Show¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡had¡¡three¡¡rings
and¡¡two¡¡platforms£»¡¡and£»¡¡for¡¡another¡¡thing£»¡¡the¡¡drivers¡¡and¡¡riders¡¡in¡¡the
races£»¡¡when¡¡they¡¡won£»¡¡bore¡¡the¡¡banner¡¡of¡¡victory¡¡aloft¡¡in¡¡their¡¡hands£»
instead¡¡of¡¡poorly¡¡letting¡¡a¡¡blue¡¡or¡¡red¡¡ribbon¡¡flicker¡¡at¡¡their¡¡horses'
ears¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡events¡¡were¡¡more¡¡frequent¡¡and¡¡rapid£»¡¡the¡¡costumes¡¡infinitely
more¡¡varied¡¡and¡¡picturesque¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡for¡¡the¡¡people¡¡in¡¡the¡¡boxes£»¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not
know¡¡that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡less¡¡distinguished¡¡than¡¡these¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Horse¡¡Show£»¡¡but
if¡¡they¡¡were¡¡not¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡high¡¡level¡¡in¡¡which¡¡distinction¡¡was
impossible£»¡¡they¡¡did¡¡not¡¡show¡¡it¡¡in¡¡their¡¡looks¡£

The¡¡Horse¡¡Show£»¡¡in¡¡fine£»¡¡struck¡¡me¡¡as¡¡a¡¡circus¡¡of¡¡not¡¡all¡¡the¡¡first
qualities£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡moments¡¡of¡¡suspecting¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡no¡¡more¡¡than¡¡the
evolution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡county¡¡cattle¡¡show¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡in¡¡any¡¡case¡¡I¡¡had¡¡to¡¡own¡¡that
its¡¡great¡¡success¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡legitimate£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡horse£»¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡whole£»
appeals¡¡to¡¡a¡¡wider¡¡range¡¡of¡¡humanity£»¡¡vertically¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡horizontally£»
than¡¡any¡¡other¡¡interest£»¡¡not¡¡excepting¡¡politics¡¡or¡¡religion¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡cannot£»
indeed£»¡¡regard¡¡him¡¡as¡¡a¡¡civilizing¡¡influence£»¡¡but¡¡then¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡be
always¡¡civilizing¡£






THE¡¡PROBLEM¡¡OF¡¡THE¡¡SUMMER

It¡¡has¡¡sometimes¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡me¡¡that¡¡the¡¡solution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡problem¡¡how¡¡and
where¡¡to¡¡spend¡¡the¡¡summer¡¡was¡¡simplest¡¡with¡¡those¡¡who¡¡were¡¡obliged¡¡to
spend¡¡it¡¡as¡¡they¡¡spent¡¡the¡¡winter£»¡¡and¡¡increasingly¡¡difficult¡¡in¡¡the
proportion¡¡of¡¡one's¡¡ability¡¡to¡¡spend¡¡it¡¡wherever¡¡and¡¡however¡¡one¡¡chose¡£
Few¡¡are¡¡absolutely¡¡released¡¡to¡¡this¡¡choice£»¡¡however£»¡¡and¡¡those¡¡few¡¡are
greatly¡¡to¡¡be¡¡pitied¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡they¡¡are¡¡often¡¡envied¡¡and¡¡hated¡¡for¡¡it
by¡¡those¡¡who¡¡have¡¡no¡¡such¡¡choice£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡is¡¡a¡¡pathetic¡¡mistake¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡we
could¡¡look¡¡into¡¡their¡¡hearts£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡we¡¡should¡¡witness¡¡there¡¡so¡¡much
misery¡¡that¡¡we¡¡should¡¡wish¡¡rather¡¡to¡¡weep¡¡over¡¡them¡¡than¡¡to¡¡reproach¡¡them
with¡¡their¡¡better¡¡fortune£»¡¡or¡¡what¡¡appeared¡¡so¡£




I¡£

For¡¡most¡¡people¡¡choice¡¡is¡¡a¡¡curse£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡this¡¡curse¡¡that¡¡the¡¡summer
brings¡¡upon¡¡great¡¡numbers¡¡who¡¡would¡¡not¡¡perhaps¡¡otherwise¡¡be¡¡afflicted¡£
They¡¡are¡¡not¡¡in¡¡the¡¡happy¡¡case¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡must¡¡stay¡¡at¡¡home£»¡¡their¡¡hard
necessity¡¡is¡¡that¡¡they¡¡can¡¡go¡¡away£»¡¡and¡¡try¡¡to¡¡be¡¡more¡¡agreeably¡¡placed
somewhere¡¡else£»¡¡but¡¡although¡¡I¡¡say¡¡they¡¡are¡¡in¡¡great¡¡numbers£»¡¡they¡¡are¡¡an
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one¡¡must¡¡begin¡¡at¡¡once¡¡to¡¡distinguish¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡the¡¡problem¡¡of¡¡the¡¡East
rather¡¡than¡¡of¡¡the¡¡West¡¡£¨where¡¡people¡¡are¡¡much¡¡more¡¡in¡¡the¡¡habit¡¡of
staying¡¡at¡¡home¡¡the¡¡year¡¡round£©£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡the¡¡problem¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡¡and
not¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡am¡¡not¡¡sure¡¡that¡¡there¡¡is¡¡one¡¡practical¡¡farmer¡¡in
the¡¡whole¡¡United¡¡States¡¡who¡¡is¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡witness¡¡in¡¡his¡¡household¡¡those
sad¡¡dissensions¡¡which¡¡almost¡¡separate¡¡the¡¡families¡¡of¡¡professional¡¡men¡¡as
to¡¡where¡¡and¡¡how¡¡they¡¡shall¡¡pass¡¡the¡¡summer¡£¡¡¡¡People¡¡of¡¡this¡¡class£»¡¡which
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combined¡¡ideal¡¡for¡¡their¡¡summer¡¡outing¡¡was¡¡summed¡¡up¡¡in¡¡the¡¡simple¡¡desire
for¡¡society¡¡and¡¡solitude£»¡¡mountain¡­air¡¡and¡¡sea¡­bathing¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡spent¡¡the
whole¡¡months¡¡of¡¡April£»¡¡May£»¡¡and¡¡June¡¡in¡¡a¡¡futile¡¡inquiry¡¡for¡¡a¡¡resort
uniting¡¡these¡¡attractions£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡the¡¡first¡¡of¡¡July¡¡they¡¡drove¡¡to¡¡the
station¡¡with¡¡no¡¡definite¡¡point¡¡in¡¡view¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡they¡¡found¡¡that¡¡they¡¡could
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and¡¡they¡¡took¡¡the¡¡first¡¡train¡¡for¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡they¡¡decided¡¡next¡¡morning¡¡to
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decided¡¡to¡¡go¡¡there£»¡¡but¡¡before¡¡arriving¡¡at¡¡the¡¡junction¡¡they¡¡decided
again¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡on¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡arrived¡¡at¡¡their¡¡original¡¡destination£»¡¡and¡¡the
following¡¡day¡¡telegraphed¡¡for¡¡rooms¡¡at¡¡a¡¡hotel¡¡farther¡¡down¡¡the¡¡coast¡£
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