north america-1- 第6部分

e　falseness　of　politicians。　〃And　what　will　England　do　for　cotton？　　Is　it　not　the　fact　that　Lord　John　Russell；　with　his　professed　neutrality；　intends　to　express　sympathy　with　the　Southintends　to　pave　the　way　for　the　advent　of　Southern　cotton？〃　　〃You　ought　to　love　us；〃　so　say　men　in　Boston；　〃because　we　have　been　with　you　in　heart　and　spirit　for　long；　long　years。　　But　your　trade　has　eaten　into　your　souls；　and　you　love　American　cotton　better　than　American　loyalty　and　American　fellowship。〃　　This　I　found　to　be　unfair；　and　in　what　politest　language　I　could　use　I　said　so。　　I　had　not　any　special　knowledge　of　the　minds　of　English　statesmen　on　this　matter；　but　I　knew　as　well　as　Americans　could　do　what　our　statesmen　had　said　and　done　respecting　it。　　That　cotton；　if　it　came　from　the　South；　would　be　made　very　welcome　in　Liverpool；　of　course　I　knew。　　If　private　enterprise　could　bring　it；　it　might　be　brought。　　But　the　very　declaration　made　by　Lord　John　Russell　was　the　surest　pledge　that　England；　as　a　nation；　would　not　interfere　even　to　supply　her　own　wants。　　It　may　easily　be　imagined　what　eager　words　all　this　would　bring　about；　but　I　never　found　that　eager　words　led　to　feelings　which　were　personally　hostile。　All　the　world　has　heard　of　Newport；　in　Rhode　Island；　as　being　the　Brighton；　and　Tenby；　and　Scarborough　of　New　England。　　And　the　glory　of　Newport　is　by　no　means　confined　to　New　England；　but　is　shared　by　New　York　and　Washington；　and　in　ordinary　years　by　the　extreme　South。　　It　is　the　habit　of　Americans　to　go　to　some　watering…place　every　summerthat　is；　to　some　place　either　of　sea　water　or　of　inland　waters。　　This　is　done　much　in　England；　more　in　Ireland　than　in　England；　but　I　think　more　in　the　States　than　even　in　Ireland。　But　of　all　such　summer　haunts；　Newport　is　supposed　to　be　in　many　ways　the　most　captivating。　　In　the　first　place；　it　is　certainly　the　most　fashionable；　and；　in　the　next　place；　it　is　said　to　be　the　most　beautiful。　　We　decided　on　going　to　Newportled　thither　by　the　latter　reputation　rather　than　the　former。　　As　we　were　still　in　the　early　part　of　September；　we　expected　to　find　the　place　full；　but　in　this　we　were　disappointeddisappointed；　I　say；　rather　than　gratified；　although　a　crowded　house　at　such　a　place　is　certainly　a　nuisance。　　But　a　house　which　is　prepared　to　make　up　six　hundred　beds；　and　which　is　called　on　to　make　up　only　twenty…five；　becomes；　after　awhile；　somewhat　melancholy。　　The　natural　depression　of　the　landlord　communicates　itself　to　his　servants；　and　from　the　servants　it　descends　to　the　twenty…five　guests；　who　wander　about　the　long　passages　and　deserted　balconies　like　the　ghosts　of　those　of　the　summer　visitors；　who　cannot　rest　quietly　in　their　graves　at　home。　In　England　we　know　nothing　of　hotels　prepared　for　six　hundred　visitors；　all　of　whom　are　expected　to　live　in　common。　　Domestic　architects　would　be　frightened　at　the　dimensions　which　are　needed；　and　at　the　number　of　apartments　which　are　required　to　be　clustered　under　one　roof。　　We　went　to　the　Ocean　Hotel　at　Newport；　and　fancied；　as　we　first　entered　the　hall　under　a　veranda　as　high　as　the　house；　and　made　our　way　into　the　passage；　that　we　had　been　taken　to　a　well…arranged　barrack。　　〃Have　you　rooms？〃　I　asked；　as　a　man　always　does　ask　on　first　reaching　his　inn。　　〃Rooms　enough；〃　the　clerk　said；　〃we　have　only　fifty　here。〃　　But　that　fifty　dwindled　down　to　twenty…five　during　the　next　day　or　two。　we　were　a　melancholy　set；　the　ladies　appearing　to　be　afflicted　in　this　way　worse　than　the　gentlemen；　on　account　of　their　enforced　abstinence　from　tobacco。　　What　can　twelve　ladies　do　scattered　about　a　drawing…room；　so　called；　intended　for　the　accommodation　of　two　hundred？　　The　drawing…room　at　the　Ocean　Hotel；　Newport；　is　not　as　big　as　Westminster　Hall；　but　would；　I　should　think；　make　a　very　good　House　of　Commons　for　the　British　nation。　　Fancy　the　feelings　of　a　lady　when　she　walks　into　such　a　room；　intending　to　spend　her　evening　there；　and　finds　six　or　seven　other　ladies　located　on　various　sofas　at　terrible　distances；　all　strangers　to　her。　　She　has　come　to　Newport　probably　to　enjoy　herself；　and　as；　in　accordance　with　the　customs　of　the　place；　she　has　dined　at　two；　she　has　nothing　before　her　for　the　evening　but　the　society　of　that　huge；　furnished　cavern。　　Her　husband；　if　she　have　one；　or　her　father；　or　her　lover；　has　probably　entered　the　room　with　her。　　But　a　man　has　never　the　courage　to　endure　such　a　position　long。　　He　sidles　out　with　some　muttered　excuse；　and　seeks　solace　with　a　cigar。　　The　lady；　after　half　an　hour　of　contemplation；　creeps　silently　near　some　companion　in　the　desert；　and　suggests　in　a　whisper　that　Newport　does　not　seem　to　be　very　full　at　present。　We　stayed　there　for　a　week；　and　were　very　melancholy；　but　in　our　melancholy　we　still　talked　of　the　war。　　Americans　are　said　to　be　given　to　bragging；　and　it　is　a　sin　of　which　I　cannot　altogether　acquit　them。　　But　I　have　constantly　been　surprised　at　hearing　the　Northern　men　speak　of　their　own　military　achievements　with　anything　but　self…praise。　　〃We've　been　whipped；　sir；　and　we　shall　be　whipped　again　before　we've　done；　uncommon　well　whipped　we　shall　be。〃　　〃We　began　cowardly；　and　were　afraid　to　send　our　own　regiments　through　one　of　our　own　cities。〃　　This　alluded　to　a　demand　that　had　been　made　on　the　Government　that　troops　going　to　Washington　should　not　be　sent　through　Baltimore；　because　of　the　strong　feeling　for　rebellion　which　was　known　to　exist　in　that　city。　　President　Lincoln　complied　with　this　request；　thinking　it　well　to　avoid　a　collision　between　the　mob　and　the　soldiers。　　〃We　began　cowardly；　and　now　we're　going　on　cowardly；　and　darn't　attack　them。　　Well；　when　we've　been　whipped　often　enough；　then　we　shall　learn　the　trade。〃　　Now　all　thisand　I　heard　much　of　such　a　naturecould　not　be　called　boasting。　　But　yet　with　it　all　there　was　a　substratum　of　confidence。　　I　have　heard　Northern　gentlemen　complaining　of　the　President；　complaining　of　all　his　ministers；　one　after　another；　complaining　of　the　contractors　who　were　robbing　the　army；　of　the　commanders　who　did　not　know　how　to　command　the　army；　and　of　the　army　itself；　which　did　not　know　how　to　obey；　but　I　do　not　remember　that　I　have　discussed　the　matter　with　any　Northerner　who　would　admit　a　doubt　as　to　ultimate　success。　We　were　certainly　rather　melancholy　at　Newport；　and　the　empty　house　may　perhaps　have　given　its　tone　to　the　discussions　on　the　war。　　I　confess　that　I　could　not　stand　the　drawing…roomthe　ladies'　drawing…room；　as　such　like　rooms　are　always　called　at　the　hotels　and　that　I　basely　deserted　my　wife。　　I　could　not　stand　it　either　here　or　elsewhere；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　other　husbandsay；　and　even　loverswere　as　hard　pressed　as　myself。　　I　protest　that　there　is　no　spot　on　the　earth's　surface　so　dear　to　me　as　my　own　drawing…　room；　or　rather　my　wife's　drawing…room；　at　home；　that　I　am　not　a　man　given　hugely　to　clubs；　but　one　rather　rejoicing　in　the　rustle　of　petticoats。　　I　like　to　have　women　in　the　same　room　with　me。　　But　at　these　hotels　I　found　myself　driven　awaypropelled　as　it　were　by　some　unknown　forceto　absent　myself　from　the　feminine　haunts。　Anything　was　more　palatable　than　them；　even　〃liquoring　up〃　at　a　nasty　bar；　or　smoking　in　a　comfortless　reading…room　among　a　deluge　of　American　newspapers。　　And　I　protest　alsohoping　as　I　do　so　that　I　may　say　much　in　this　book　to　prove　the　truth　of　such　protestationthat　this　comes　from　no　fault　of　the　American　women。　They　are　as　lovely　as　our　own　women。　　Taken　generally；　they　are　better　instructed；　though　perhaps　not　better　educated。　　They　are　seldom　troubled　with　mauvaise　honte；　I　do　not　say　it　in　irony；　but　begging　that　the　words　may　be　taken　at　their　proper　meaning。　　They　can　always　talk；　and　very　often　can　talk　well。　　But　when　assembled　together　in　these　vast；　cavernous；　would…be　luxurious；　but　in　truth　horribly　comfortless　hotel　drawing…rooms；　they　are　unapproachable。　I　have　seen　lovers；　whom　I　have　known　to　be　lovers；　unable　to　remain　five　minutes　in　the　same　cavern　with　their　beloved　ones。　And　then　the　music！　　There　is　always　a　piano　in　a　hotel　drawing…　room；　on　which；　of　course；　some　one　of　the　forlorn　ladies　is　generally　employed。　　I　do　not　suppose　that　these　pianos　are　in　fact；　as　a　rule；　louder　and　harsher；　more　violent　and　less　musical；　than　other　instruments　of　the　kind。　　They　seem　to　be　so；　but　that；　I　take　it；　arises　from　the　exceptional　mental　depression　of　those　who　have　to　listen　to　them。　　Then　the　ladies；　or　probably　some　one　lady；　will　sing；　and　as　she　hears　her　own　voice　ring　and　echo　through　the　lofty　corners　and　round　the　empty　walls；　she　is　surprised　at　her　own　force；　and　with　increased　efforts　sings　louder　and　still　louder。　　She　is　tempted　to　fancy　that　she　is　suddenly　gifted　with　some　power　of　vocal　melody　unknown　to　her　before；　and；　filled　with　the　glory　of　her　own　performance；　shouts　till　the　whole　house　rings。　　At　such　moments　she　at　least　is　happy；　if　no　one　else　is　so。　　Looking　at　the　general　sadness　of　her　position；　who　can　grudge　her　such　happiness？　And　then　the　childrenbabies；　I　should　say　if　I　were　speaking　of　English　bairns　of　their　age；　but　seeing　that　they　are　Americans；　I　hardly　dare　to　call　them　children。　　The　actual　age　of　these　perfectly…civilized　and　highly…educated　beings　may　be　from　three　to　four。　　One　will　often　see　five　or　six　such　seated　at　the　long　dinner…table　of　the　hotel；　breakfasting　and　dining　with　their　elders；　and　going　through　the　ceremony　with　all　the　gravity；　and　more　than　all　the　decorum；　of　their　grandfathers。　　When　I　was　three　years　old　I　had　not　yet；　as　I　imagine；　been　promoted　beyond　a　silver　spoon　of　my　own　wherewith　to　eat　my　bread　and　milk　in　the　nursery；　and　I　feel　assured　that　I　was　under　the　immediate　care　of　a　nursemaid；　as　I　gobbled　up　my　minced　mutton　mixed　with　potatoes　and　gravy。　　But　at　hotel　life　in　the　States　the　adult　infant　lisps　to　the　waiter　for　everything　at　table；　handles　his　fish　with　epicurean　delicacy；　is　choice　in　his　selection　of　pickles；　very　particular　that　his　beef…steak　at　breakfast　shall　be　hot；　and　is　instant　in　his　demand　for　fresh　ice　in　his　water。　　But　perhaps　his；　or　in　this　case　her；　retreat　from　the　room　when　the　meal　is　over；　is　the　chef…d'oeuvre　of　the　whole　performance。　　The　little；　precocious；　full…blown　beauty　of　four　signifies　that　she　has　complete