tea-table talk(茶桌上的谈话)-第14章
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Jeanne； that I have；' replied my sweet Madame with a sigh； and led the
conversation by slow degrees back to the subject of dinner。 I turned to
her when Jeanne had left the room。 I can remember still the burning
indignation of my face。 I had often spoken to the man myself； and had
thought what a delightful husband he wasso kind； so attentive； so proud；
seemingly； of his dainty femme。 'Doesn't that prove what I say；' I cried；
'that men are beasts？' 'I am afraid it helps in that direction；' replied my
old friend。 'And yet you defend them；' I answered。 'At my age； my
dear；' she replied； 'one neither defends nor blames； one tries to understand。'
She put her thin white hand upon my head。 'Shall we hear a little more of
the story？' she said。 'It is not a pleasant one； but it may be useful to us。' 'I
don't want to hear any more of it；' I answered； 'I have heard enough。' 'It is
sometimes well；' she persisted； 'to hear the whole of a case before forming
our judgment。' And she rang the bell for Jeanne。 'That story about our
little grocer friend；' she said'it is rather interesting to me。 Why did he
leave her and run awaydo you know？' Jeanne shrugged her ample
shoulders。 'Oh！ the old story； Madame；' she answered； with a short laugh。
'Who was she？' asked my friend。 'The wife of Monsieur Savary； the
wheelwright； as good a husband as ever a woman had。 It's been going on
for months； the hussy！' 'Thank you； that will do； Jeanne。' She turned
again to me so soon as Jeanne had left the room。 'My dear；' she said；
'whenever I see a bad man； I peep round the corner for the woman。
Whenever I see a bad woman； I follow her eyes； I know she is looking for
her mate。 Nature never makes odd samples。'〃
〃I cannot help thinking；〃 said the Philosopher； 〃that a good deal of
harm is being done to the race as a whole by the overpraise of women。〃
〃Who overpraises them？〃 demanded the Girton Girl。 〃Men may talk
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nonsense to usI don't know whether any of us are foolish enough to
believe itbut I feel perfectly sure that when they are alone most of their
time is occupied in abusing us。〃
〃That is hardly fair；〃 interrupted the Old Maid。 〃I doubt if they do
talk about us among themselves as much as we think。 Besides； it is
always unwise to go behind the verdict。 Some very beautiful things have
been said about women by men。〃
〃Well； ask them；〃 said the Girton Girl。 〃Here are three of them
present。 Now； honestly； when you talk about us among yourselves； do
you gush about our virtue； and goodness； and wisdom？〃
〃'Gush；'〃 said the Philosopher； reflecting； 〃'gush' would hardly be the
correct word。〃
〃In justice to the truth；〃 I said； 〃I must admit our Girton friend is to a
certain extent correct。 Every man at some time of his life esteems to
excess some one particular woman。 Very young men； lacking in
experience； admire perhaps indiscriminately。 To them； anything in a
petticoat is adorable： the milliner makes the angel。 And very old men； so
I am told； return to the delusions of their youth； but as to this I cannot as
yet speak positively。 The rest of uswell； when we are alone； it must be
confessed； as our Philosopher says； that 'gush' is not the correct word。〃
〃I told you so；〃 chortled the Girton Girl。
〃Maybe；〃 I added； 〃it is merely the result of reaction。 Convention
insists that to her face we show her a somewhat exaggerated deference。
Her very follies we have to regard as added charmsthe poets have
decreed it。 Maybe it comes as a relief to let the pendulum swing back。〃
〃But is it not a fact；〃 asked the Old Maid； 〃that the best men and even
the wisest are those who have held women in most esteem？ Do we not
gauge civilization by the position a nation accords to its women？〃
〃In the same way as we judge them by the mildness of their laws； their
tenderness for the weak。 Uncivilised man killed off the useless numbers
of the tribe； we provide for them hospitals； almshouses。 Man's attitude
towards woman proves the extent to which he has conquered his own
selfishness； the distance he has travelled from the law of the ape： might
is right。
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〃Please don't misunderstand me；〃 pleaded the Philosopher； with a
nervous glance towards the lowering eyebrows of the Girton Girl。 〃I am
not saying for a moment woman is not the equal of man； indeed； it is my
belief that she is。 I am merely maintaining she is not his superior。 The
wise man honours woman as his friend； his fellow… labourer； his
complement。 It is the fool who imagines her unhuman。〃
〃But are we not better；〃 persisted the Old Maid； 〃for our ideals？ I
don't say we women are perfectplease don't think that。 You are not
more alive to our faults than we are。 Read the women novelists from
George Eliot downwards。 But for your own sakeis it not well man
should have something to look up to； and failing anything better？〃
〃I draw a very wide line；〃 answered the Philosopher； 〃between ideals
and delusions。 The ideal has always helped man； but that belongs to the
land of his dreams； his most important kingdom； the kingdom of his future。
Delusions are earthly structures； that sooner or later fall about his ears；
blinding him with dust and dirt。 The petticoat…governed country has
always paid dearly for its folly。〃 〃Elizabeth！〃 cried the Girton Girl。
〃Queen Victoria！〃
〃Were ideal sovereigns；〃 returned the Philosopher； 〃leaving the
government of the country to its ablest men。 France under its
Pompadours； the Byzantine Empire under its Theodoras； are truer
examples of my argument。 I am speaking of the unwisdom of assuming
all women to be perfect。 Belisarius ruined himself and his people by
believing his own wife to be an honest woman。〃
〃But chivalry；〃 I argued； 〃has surely been of service to mankind？〃
〃To an immense extent；〃 agreed the Philosopher。 〃It seized a natural
human passion and turned it to good uses。 Then it was a reality。 So
once was the divine right of kings； the infallibility of the Church； for
cumbering the ground with the lifeless bodies of which mankind has paid
somewhat dearly。 Not its upstanding lies they can be faced and
defeatedbut its dead truths are the world's stumbling…blocks。 To the
man of war and rapine； trained in cruelty and injustice； the woman was the
one thing that spoke of the joy of y
