第 36 节
作者:
痛罚 更新:2024-04-07 11:54 字数:9322
International Council of Women that year; as the
climax of her career。 She said it after the unex…
pected and wonderful ovation she had received from
the German people; and certainly throughout her
inspiring life nothing had happened that moved her
more deeply。
For some time Mrs。 Carrie Chapman Catt; of
whose splendid work for the Cause I shall later have
more to say; had cherished the plan of forming an
International Suffrage Alliance。 She believed the
time had come when the suffragists of the entire
world could meet to their common benefit; and Miss
Anthony; always Mrs。 Catt's devoted friend and ad…
mirer; agreed with her。 A committee was appointed
to meet in Berlin in 1904; just before the meeting
of the International Council of Women; and Miss
Anthony was appointed chairman of the committee。
At first the plan of the committee was not welcomed
by the International Council; there was even a sus…
picion that its purpose was to start a rival organiza…
tion。 But it met; a constitution was framed; and
officers were elected; Mrs。 Cattthe ideal choice
for the placebeing made president。 As a climax
to the organization; a great public mass…meeting had
been arranged by the German suffragists; but at the
special plea of the president of the International
Council Miss Anthony remained away from this
meeting。 It was represented to her that the in…
terests of the Council might suffer if she and other
of its leading speakers were also leaders in the suf…
frage movement。 In the interest of harmony; there
fore; she followed the wishes of the Council's presi…
dentto my great unhappiness and to that of other
suffragists。
When the meeting was opened the first words of
the presiding officer were; ‘‘Where is Susan B。 An…
thony?'' and the demonstration that followed the
question was the most unexpected and overwhelm…
ing incident of the gathering。 The entire audience
rose; men jumped on their chairs; and the cheering
continued without a break for ten minutes。 Every
second of that time I seemed to see Miss Anthony;
alone in her hotel room; longing with all her big
heart to be with us; as we longed to have her。 I
prayed that the loss of a tribute which would have
meant so much might be made up to her; and it was。
Afterward; when we burst in upon her and told her
of the great demonstration the mere mention of her
name had caused; her lips quivered and her brave
old eyes filled with tears。 As we looked at her I
think we all realized anew that what the world called
stoicism in Susan B。 Anthony throughout the years
of her long struggle had been; instead; the splendid
courage of an indomitable soulwhile all the time
the woman's heart had longed for affection and
recognition。 The next morning the leading Berlin
newspaper; in reporting the debate and describing
the spontaneous tribute to Miss Anthony; closed
with these sentences: ‘‘The Americans call her
‘Aunt Susan。' She is our ‘Aunt Susan;' too!''
Throughout the remainder of Miss Anthony's
visit she was the most honored figure at the Inter…
national Council。 Every time she entered the great
convention…hall the entire audience rose and re…
mained standing until she was seated; each mention
of her name was punctuated by cheers; and the en…
thusiasm when she appeared on the platform to say
a few words was beyond bounds。 When the Em…
press of Germany gave her reception to the officers
of the Council; she crowned the hospitality of her
people in a characteristically gracious way。 As soon
as Miss Anthony was presented to her the Empress
invited her to be seated; and to remain seated; al…
though every one else; including the august lady
herself; was standing。 A little later; seeing the in…
trepid warrior of eighty…four on her feet with the
other delegates; the Empress sent one of her aides
across the room with this message: ‘‘Please tell my
friend Miss Anthony that I especially wish her to
be seated。 We must not let her grow weary。''
In her turn; Miss Anthony was fascinated by the
Empress。 She could not keep her eyes off that
charming royal lady。 Probably the thing that most
impressed her was the ability of her Majesty as a
linguist。 Receiving women from every civilized
country on the globe; the Empress seemed to address
each in her own tongue…slipping from one language
into the next as easily as from one topic to another。
‘‘And here I am;'' mourned ‘‘Aunt Susan;'' ‘‘speak…
ing only one language; and that not very well。''
At this Berlin quinquennial; by the way; I preached
the Council sermon; and the occasion gained a cer…
tain interest from the fact that I was the first or…
dained woman to preach in a church in Germany。
It then took on a tinge of humor from the additional
fact that; according to the German law; as suddenly
revealed to us by the police; no clergyman was per…
mitted to preach unless clothed in clerical robes in
the pulpit。 It happened that I had not taken my
clerical robes with meI am constantly forgetting
those clerical robes!so the pastor of the church
kindly offered me his robes。
Now the pastor was six feet tall and broad in pro…
portion; and I; as I have already confessed; am very
short。 His robes transformed me into such an absurd
caricature of a preacher that it was quite impossible
for me to wear them。 What; then; were we to do?
Lacking clerical robes; the police would not allow
me to utter six words。 It was finally decided that
the clergyman should meet the letter of the law by
entering the pulpit in his robes and standing by my
side while I delivered my sermon。 The law soberly
accepted this solution of the problem; and we offered
the congregation the extraordinary tableau of a
pulpit combining a large and impressive pastor
standing silently beside a small and inwardly con…
vulsed woman who had all she could do to deliver
her sermon with the solemnity the occasion re…
quired。
At this same conference I made one of the few
friendships I enjoy with a member of a European
royal family; for I met the Princess Blank of Italy;
who overwhelmed me with attention during my visit;
and from whom I still receive charming letters。 She
invited me to visit her in her castle in Italy; and to
accompany her to her mother's castle in Austria;
and she finally insisted on knowing exactly why I
persistently refused both invitations。
‘‘Because; my dear Princess;'' I explained; ‘‘I am
a working…woman。''
‘‘Nobody need KNOW that;'' murmured the Princess;
calmly。
‘‘On the contrary;'' I assured her; ‘‘it is the first
thing I should explain。''
‘‘But why?'' the Princess wanted to know。
I studied her in silence for a moment。 She was a
new and interesting type to me; and I was glad to
exchange viewpoints with her。
‘‘You are proud of your family; are you not?'' I
asked。 ‘‘You are proud of your great line?''
The Princess drew herself up。 ‘‘Assuredly;'' she
said。
‘‘Very well;'' I continued。 ‘‘I am proud; too。
What I have done I have done unaided; and; to be
frank with you; I rather approve of it。 My work
is my patent of nobility; and I am not willing to
associate with those from whom it would have to be
concealed or with those who would look down upon
it。''
The Princess sighed。 I was a new type to her;
too; as new as she was to me; but I had the ad…
vantage of her; for I could understand her point of
view; whereas she apparently could not follow mine。
She was very gracious to me; however; showing me
kindness and friendship in a dozen ways; giving me
an immense amount of her time and taking rather
more of my time than I could spare; but never for…
getting for a moment that her blood was among the
oldest in Europe; and that all her traditions were in
keeping with its honorable age。
After the Berlin meeting Miss Anthony and I
were invited to spend a week…end at the home of
Mrs。 Jacob Bright; that ‘‘Aunt Susan'' might re…
new her acquaintance with Annie Besant。 This
visit is among my most vivid memories。 Originally
‘‘Aunt Susan'' had greatly admired Mrs。 Besant;
and had openly lamented the latter's concentration
on theosophical interestswhen; as Miss Anthony
put it; ‘‘there are so many live problems here in this
world。'' Now she could not conceal her disapproval
of the ‘‘other…worldliness'' of Mrs。 Besant; Mrs。
Bright; and her daughter。 Some remarkable and;
to me; most amusing discussions took place among
the three; but often; during Mrs。 Besant's most sus…
tained oratorical flights; Miss Anthony's interest
would wander; and she would drop a remark that
showed she had not heard a word。 She had a great
admiration for Mrs。 Besant's intellect; but she dis…
approved of her flowing and picturesque white robes;
of her bare feet; of her incessant cigarette…smoking;
above all; of her views。 At las