第 22 节
作者:青词      更新:2021-08-14 15:19      字数:9322
  for their brief hour of splendor!
  Cannes   with   its   excellent   harbor   is   the   centre   of   interest   during   the
  racing season when the Tsarewitsch comes on his yacht Czaritza。 At the
  Battle   of   Flowers;   one   is   pretty  sure   to   see   the   Duke   of   Cambridge;   his
  Imperial Highness; the Grand Duke Michael; Prince Christian of Denmark;
  H。R。H。 the Duke of Nassau; H。R。H。 the Archduke Ferdinand d'Este; their
  Serene     Highnesses       of  Mecklenburg…        Schwerin     and    the  Saxe…Coburg…
  Gothas;   also   H。R。H。   Marie   Valerie   and   the   Schleswig…Holsteins;   pelting
  each other and the public with CONFETTI and flowers。 Indeed; half the
  A1MANACH   DE   GOTHA;   that   continental   〃society   list;〃   seems   to   be
  sunning itself here and forgetting its cares; on bicycles or on board yachts。
  It   is   said   that   the   Crown   Princess   of   Honolulu   (whoever   she   may   be)
  honors      Mentone      with   her   presence;     and    the  newly     deposed     Queen
  〃Ranavalo〃 of Madagascar is EN ROUTE to join in the fun。
  This   crowd   of   royalty   reminds   me   of   a   story   the   old   sea…dogs   who
  gather     about    the    〃Admirals'     corner〃     of   the   Metropolitan       Club    in
  Washington;       love   to  tell  you。   An    American      cockswain;     dazzled    by   a
  doubly royal visit; with attending suites; on board the old 〃Constitution;〃
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  came up to his commanding officer and touching his cap; said:
  〃Beg pardon; Admiral; but one of them kings has tumbled down   the
  gangway and broke his leg。〃
  It has become a much more amusing thing to wear a crown than it was。
  Times have changed indeed since   Marie Laczinska lived the fifty  lonely
  years of her wedded life and bore her many children; in one bed…room at
  Versailles … a monotony only broken by visits to Fontainebleau or Marly。
  Shakespeare's line no longer fits the case。
  Beyond securing rich matches for their children; and keeping a sharp
  lookout that the Radicals at home do not unduly cut down their civil lists;
  these great ones have little but their amusements to occupy them。 Do they
  ever   reflect;   as   they   rush   about   visiting   each   other   and   squabbling   over
  precedence when   they  meet;   that some fine   morning   the   tax…payers   may
  wake up; and ask each other why they are being crushed under such heavy
  loads; that eight hundred or more quite useless people may pass their lives
  in foreign watering…places; away from their homes and their duties? It will
  be a bad day for them when the long…suffering subjects say to them; 〃Since
  we get on so exceedingly well during your many visits abroad; we think
  we will try how it will work without you at all!〃
  The Prince of little Monaco seems to be about the only one up to the
  situation; for he at least stays at home; and in connection with two other
  gentlemen runs an exceedingly good hotel and several restaurants on his
  estates; doing all he can to attract money into the place; while making the
  strictest laws to prevent his subjects gambling at the famous tables。 Now if
  other royalties instead of amusing themselves all the year round would go
  in for something practical like this; they might become useful members of
  the community。 This idea of Monaco's Prince strikes one as most timely;
  and   as   opening   a   career   for   other   indigent   crowned   heads。   Hotels   are
  getting so good and so numerous; that without some especial 〃attraction〃 a
  new one can hardly succeed; but a 〃Hohenzollern House〃 well situated in
  Berlin; with William II。 to receive the tourists at the door; and his fat wife
  at the desk; would be sure to prosper。 It certainly would be pleasanter for
  him   to   spend   money   so   honestly   earned   than   the   millions   wrested   from
  half…starving   peasants   which   form   his   present   income。   Besides   there   is
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  almost   as   much   gold   lace   on   a   hotel   employee's   livery   as   on   a   court
  costume!
  The numerous crowned heads one meets wandering about; can hardly
  lull themselves over their 〃games〃 with the flattering unction that they are
  of use; for; have they not France before them (which they find so much to
  their   taste)   stronger;   richer;   more   respected   than   ever   since   she   shook
  herself   free   of   such   incumbrances?   Not   to   mention   our   own   democratic
  country; which has managed to hold its own; in spite of their many gleeful
  predictions to the contrary。
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  CHAPTER 18 … A Rock Ahead
  HAVING had occasion several times during this past season; to pass
  by   the   larger   stores   in   the   vicinity   of   Twenty…third   Street;   I   have   been
  struck    more    than   ever;  by   the  endless    flow   of  womankind       that   beats
  against   the   doors   of   those   establishments。   If   they  were   temples   where   a
  beneficent deity was distributing health; learning; and all the good things
  of existence; the rush could hardly have been greater。 It saddened me to
  realize    that   each   of  the   eager    women     I  saw    was;   on   the   contrary;
  dispensing   something   of   her   strength   and   brain;   as   well   as   the   wearily
  earned stipend of the men of her family (if not her own); for what could be
  of little profit to her。
  It occurred to me that; if the people who are so quick to talk about the
  elevating and refining influences of women; could take an hour or two and
  inspect the centres in question; they might not be so firm in their beliefs。
  For; reluctant as I am to acknowledge it; the one great misfortune in this
  country;   is   the   unnatural   position   which   has   been   (from   some   mistaken
  idea of chivalry) accorded to women here。 The result of placing them on
  this pedestal; and treating them as things apart; has been to make women
  in America poorer helpmeets to their husbands than in any other country
  on the face of the globe; civilized or uncivilized。
  Strange as it may appear; this is not confined to the rich; but permeates
  all classes; becoming more harmful in descending the social scale; and it
  will   bring   about   a   disintegration   of   our   society;   sooner   than   could   be
  believed。 The saying on which we have all been brought up; viz。; that you
  can gauge the point of civilization attained in a nation by the position it
  accords to woman; was quite true as long as woman was considered man's
  inferior。 To   make her  his equal   was perfectly just;   all the  trouble  begins
  when you attempt to make her man's superior; a something apart from his
  working life; and not the companion of his troubles and cares; as she was
  intended to be。
  When a small shopkeeper in Europe marries; the next day you will see
  his young wife taking her place at the desk in his shop。 While he serves his
  customers; his smiling spouse keeps the books; makes change; and has an
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  eye on the employees。 At noon they dine together; in the evening; after the
  shop is closed; are pleased or saddened together over the results of the day。
  The wife's DOT  almost always   goes into   the business; so that there is   a
  community of interest to unite them; and their lives are passed together。 In
  this country; what happens? The husband places his new wife in a small
  house; or in two or three furnished rooms; generally so far away that all
  idea   of   dining   with   her   is   impossible。   In   consequence;   he   has   a   〃quick
  lunch〃 down town; and does not see his wife between eight o'clock in the
  morning and seven in the evening。 His business is a closed book to her; in
  which   she   can   have   no   interest;   for   her   weary  husband   naturally  revolts
  from talking 〃shop;〃 even if she is in a position to understand him。
  His false sense of shielding her from the rude world makes him keep
  his troubles to himself; so she rarely knows his financial position and sulks
  over his 〃meanness〃 to her; in regard to pin…money; and being a perfectly
  idle person; her days are apt to be passed in a way especially devised by
  Satan for unoccupied hands。 She has learned no cooking from her mother;
  〃going to market〃 has become a thing of the past。 So she falls a victim to
  the    allurements     of   the  ba