worldly ways and byways- 第30部分

you　had　in　younger　days。　　One　is　tempted　to　look　a　little　closer；　

to　analyze　what　the　change　is；　in　what　this　subtle　difference　

consists；　which　you　feel　between　your　past　and　their　present。　　You　

are　surprised　and　a　little　angry　to　discover　that；　among　other　

things；　young　men　have　better　manners　than　were　general　among　the　

youths　of　fifteen　years　ago。



Anyone　over　forty　can　remember　three　epochs　in　men's　manners。　　When　

I　was　a　very　young　man；　there　were　still　going　about　in　society　a　

number　of　gentlemen　belonging　to　what　was　reverently　called　the　

〃old　school；〃　who　had　evidently　taken　Sir　Charles　Grandison　as　

their　model；　read　Lord　Chesterfield's　letters　to　his　son　with　

attention；　and　been　brought　up　to　commence　letters　to　their　

fathers；　〃Honored　Parent；〃　signing　themselves　〃Your　humble　servant　

and　respectful　son。〃　　There　are　a　few　such　old　gentlemen　still　to　

be　found　in　the　more　conservative　clubs；　where　certain　windows　are　

tacitly　abandoned　to　these　elegant…mannered　fossils。　　They　are　

quite　harmless　unless　you　happen　to　find　them　in　a　reminiscent　

mood；　when　they　are　apt　to　be　a　little　tiresome；　it　takes　their　

rusty　mental　machinery　so　long　to　get　working！　　Washington　

possesses　a　particularly　fine　collection　among　the　retired　army　and　

navy　officers　and　ex…officials。　　It　is　a　fact　well　known　that　no　

one　drawing　a　pension　ever　dies。



About　1875；　a　new　generation　with　new　manners　began　to　make　its　

appearance。　　A　number　of　its　members　had　been　educated　at　English　

universities；　and　came　home　burning　to　upset　old　ways　and　teach　

their　elders　how　to　live。　　They　broke　away　from　the　old　clubs　and　

started　smaller　and　more　exclusive　circles　among　themselves；　

principally　in　the　country。　　This　was　a　period　of　bad　manners。　　

True　to　their　English　model；　they　considered　it　〃good　form〃　to　be　

uncivil　and　to　make　no　effort　towards　the　general　entertainment　

when　in　society。　　Not　to　speak　more　than　a　word　or　two　during　a　

dinner　party　to　either　of　one's　neighbors　was　the　supreme　CHIC。　　As　

a　revolt　from　the　twice…told　tales　of　their　elders　they　held　it　to　

be　〃bad　form〃　to　tell　a　story；　no　matter　how　fresh　and　amusing　it　

might　be。　　An　unfortunate　outsider　who　ventured　to　tell　one　in　

their　club　was　crushed　by　having　his　tale　received　in　dead　silence。　　

When　it　was　finished　one　of　the　party　would　〃ring　the　bell；〃　and　

the　circle　order　drinks　at　the　expense　of　the　man　who　had　dared　to　

amuse　them。　　How　the　professional　story…teller　must　have　shuddered　

…　he　whose　story　never　was　ripe　until　it　had　been　told　a　couple　of　

hundred　times；　and　who　would　produce　a　certain　tale　at　a　certain　

course　as　surely　as　clock…work。



That　the　story…telling　type　was　a　bore；　I　grant。　　To　be　grabbed　on　

entering　your　club　and　obliged　to　listen　to　Smith's　last；　or　to　

have　the　conversation　after　dinner　monopolized　by　Jones　and　his　

eternal　〃Speaking　of　coffee；　I　remember　once；〃　etc。　added　an　

additional　hardship　to　existence。　　But　the　opposite　pose；　which　

became　the　fashion　among　the　reformers；　was　hardly　less　wearisome。　　

To　sit　among　a　group　of　perfectly　mute　men；　with　an　occasional　word　

dropping　into　the　silence　like　a　stone　in　a　well；　was　surely　little　

better。



A　girl　told　me　she　had　once　sat　through　an　entire　cotillion　with　a　

youth　whose　only　remark　during　the　evening　had　been　（after　absorbed　

contemplation　of　the　articles　in　question）；　〃How　do　you　like　my　

socks？〃



On　another　occasion　my　neighbor　at　table　said　to　me：



〃I　think　the　man　on　my　right　has　gone　to　sleep。　　He　is　sitting　with　

his　eyes　closed！〃　　She　was　mistaken。　　He　was　practising　his　newly　

acquired　〃repose　of　manner；〃　and　living　up　to　the　standard　of　his　

set。



The　model　young　man　of　that　period　had　another　offensive　habit；　his　

pose　of　never　seeing　you；　which　got　on　the　nerves　of　his　elders　to　

a　considerable　extent。　　If　he　came　into　a　drawing…room　where　you　

were　sitting　with　a　lady；　he　would　shake　hands　with　her　and　begin　a　

conversation；　ignoring　your　existence；　although　you　may　have　been　

his　guest　at　dinner　the　night　before；　or　he　yours。　　This　was　also　a　

tenet　of　his　creed　borrowed　from　trans…Atlantic　cousins；　who；　by　

the　bye；　during　the　time　I　speak　of；　found　America；　and　especially　

our　Eastern　states；　a　happy　hunting…ground；　…　all　the　clubs；　

country　houses；　and　society　generally　opening　their　doors　to　the　

〃sesame〃　of　English　nationality。　　It　took　our　innocent　youths　a　

good　ten　years　to　discover　that　there　was　no　reciprocity　in　the　

arrangement；　it　was　only　in　the　next　epoch　（the　list　of　the　three　

referred　to）　that　our　men　recovered　their　self…respect；　and　assumed　

towards　foreigners　in　general　the　attitude　of　polite　indifference　

which　is　their　manner　to　us　when　abroad。　　Nothing　could　have　been　

more　provincial　and　narrow　than　the　ideas　of　our　〃smart〃　men　at　

that　time。　　They　congregated　in　little　cliques；　huddling　together　

in　public；　and　cracking　personal　old　jokes；　but　were　speechless　

with　MAUVAISE　HONTE　if　thrown　among　foreigners　or　into　other　

circles　of　society。　　All　this　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　considering　

the　amount　of　their　general　education　and　reading。　　One　charming　

little　custom　then　greatly　in　vogue　among　our　JEUNESSE　DOREE　was　to　

remain　at　a　ball；　after　the　other　guests　had　retired；　tipsy；　and　

then　break　anything　that　came　to　hand。　　It　was　so　amusing　to　throw　

china；　glass；　or　valuable　plants；　out　of　the　windows；　to　strip　to　

the　waist　and　box　or　bait　the　tired　waiters。



I　look　at　the　boys　growing　up　around　me　with　sincere　admiration；　

they　are　so　superior　to　their　predecessors　in　breeding；　in　

civility；　in　deference　to　older　people；　and　in　a　thousand　other　

little　ways　that　mark　high…bred　men。　　The　stray　Englishman；　of　no　

particular　standing　at　home　no　longer　finds　our　men　eager　to　

entertain　him；　to　put　their　best　〃hunter〃　at　his　disposition；　to　

board；　lodge；　and　feed　him　indefinitely；　or　make　him　honorary　

member　of　all　their　clubs。　　It　is　a　constant　source　of　pleasure　to　

me　to　watch　this　younger　generation；　so　plainly　do　I　see　in　them　

the　influence　of　their　mothers　…　women　I　knew　as　girls；　and　who　

were　so　far　ahead　of　their　brothers　and　husbands　in　refinement　and　

culture。　　To　have　seen　these　girls　marry　and　bring　up　their　sons　so　

well　has　been　a　satisfaction　and　a　compensation　for　many　

disillusions。　　Woman's　influence　will　always　remain　the　strongest　

lever　that　can　be　brought　to　bear　in　raising　the　tone　of　a　family；　

it　is　impossible　not　to　see　about　these　young　men　a　reflection　of　

what　we　found　so　charming　in　their　mothers。　　One　despairs　at　times　

of　humanity；　seeing　vulgarity　and　snobbishness　riding　triumphantly　

upward；　but　where　the　tone　of　the　younger　generation　is　as　high　as　

I　have　lately　found　it；　there　is　still　much　hope　for　the　future。









CHAPTER　32　…　An　Ideal　Hostess





THE　saying　that　〃One…half　of　the　world　ignores　how　the　other　half　

lives〃　received　for　me　an　additional　confirmation　this　last　week；　

when　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　meet　again　an　old　friend；　now　for　

some　years　retired　from　the　stage；　where　she　had　by　her　charm　and　

beauty；　as　well　as　by　her　singing；　held　all　the　Parisian　world　at　

her　pretty　feet。



Our　meeting　was　followed　on　her　part　by　an　invitation　to　take　

luncheon　with　her　the　next　day；　〃to　meet　a　few　friends；　and　talk　

over　old　times。〃　　So　half…past　twelve　（the　invariable　hour　for　the　

〃second　breakfast；〃　in　France）　the　following　day　found　me　entering　

a　shady　drawing…room；　where　a　few　people　were　sitting　in　the　cool　

half…light　that　strayed　across　from　a　canvas…covered　balcony　

furnished　with　plants　and　low　chairs。　　Beyond　one　caught　a　glimpse　

of　perhaps　the　gayest　picture　that　the　bright　city　of　Paris　offers；　

…　the　sweep　of　the　Boulevard　as　it　turns　to　the　Rue　Royale；　the　

flower　market；　gay　with　a　thousand　colors　in　the　summer　sunshine；　

while　above　all　the　color　and　movement；　rose；　cool　and　gray；　the　

splendid　colonnade　of　the　Madeleine。　　The　rattle　of　carriages；　the　

roll　of　the　heavy　omnibuses　and　the　shrill　cries　from　the　street　

below　floated　up；　softened　into　a　harmonious　murmur　that　in　no　way　

interfered　with　our　conversation；　and　is　sweeter　than　the　finest　

music　to　those　who　love　their　Paris。



Five　or　six　rooms　EN　SUITE　opening　on　the　street；　and　as　many　more　

on　a　large　court；　formed　the　apartment；　where　everything　betrayed　

the　ARTISTE　and　the　singer。　　The　walls；　hung　with　silk　or　tapestry；　

held　a　collection　of　original　drawings　and　paintings；　a　fortune　in　

themselves；　the　dozen　portraits　of　our　hostess　in　favorite　roles　

were　by　men　great　in　the　art　world；　a　couple　of　pianos　covered　with　

well…worn　music　and　numberless　photographs　signed　with　names　that　

would　have　made　an　autograph…fiend's　mouth　water。



After　a　gracious；　cooing　welcome；　more　whispered　than　spoken；　I　was　

presented　to　the　guests　I　did　not　know。　　Before　this　ceremony　was　

well　over；　two　maids　in　black；　with　white　caps；　opened　a　door　into　

the　dining…room　and　announced　luncheon。　　As　this　is　written　on　the　

theme　that　〃people　know　too　little　how　their　neighbors　live；〃　I　

give　the　MENU。　　It　may　amuse　my　readers　and　serve；　perhaps；　as　a　

little　object　lesson　to　those　at　home　who　imagine　that　quantity　and　

not　quality　is　of　importance。



Our　gracious　hostess　had　earned　a　fortune　in　her　profession　（and　I　

am　told　that　two　CHEFS　preside　over　her　simple　meals）；　so　it　was　

not　a　spirit　of　economy　which　dictated　this　simplicity。　　At　first；　

HORS　D'OEUVRES　were　served；　…　all　sorts　of　tempting　little　things；　

…　very　thin　slices　of　ham；　spiced　sausages；　olives　and　caviar；　and　

eaten　…　not　merely　passed　and　refused。　　Then　came　the　one　hot　dish　

of　the　meal。　　〃One！〃　　I　think　I　hear　my　reader　exclaim。　　Yes；　my　

friend；　but　that　one　was　a　marvel　in　its　way。　　Chicken　A　

L'ESPAGNOLE；　boiled；　and　buried　in　rice　and　tomatoes　cooked　whole