按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I recollect her；〃 answered the Minor Poet； 〃a somewhat depressing lady。 Let me take another case。 You possess a remarkably pretty housemaidEdith； if I have it rightly。〃
〃I have noticed her；〃 remarked the Philosopher。 〃Her manners strike me as really quite exceptional。〃
〃I never could stand any one about me with carroty hair；〃 remarked the Girton Girl。
〃I should hardly call it carroty；〃 contended the Philosopher。 〃There is a golden tint of much richness underlying； when you look closely。〃
〃She is a very good girl；〃 agreed the Woman of the World； 〃but I am afraid I shall have to get rid of her。 The other woman servants don't get on with her。〃
〃Do you know whether she is engaged or not？〃 demanded the Minor Poet。
〃At the present moment；〃 answered the Woman of the World； 〃she is walking out； I believe； with the eldest son of the 'Blue Lion。' But she is never adverse to a change。 If you are really in earnest about the matter〃
〃I was not thinking of myself；〃 said the Minor Poet。 〃But suppose some young gentleman of personal attractions equal to those of the 'Blue Lion；' or even not quite equal； possessed of two or three thousand a year； were to enter the lists； do you think the 'Blue Lion' would stand much chance？〃
〃Among the Upper Classes；〃 continued the Minor Poet； 〃opportunity for observing female instinct hardly exists。 The girl's choice is confined to lovers able to pay the price demanded； if not by the beloved herself； by those acting on her behalf。 But would a daughter of the Working Classes ever hesitate； other things being equal； between Mayfair and Seven Dials？〃
〃Let me ask you one；〃 chimed in the Girton Girl。 〃Would a bricklayer hesitate any longer between a duchess and a scullery… maid？〃
〃But duchesses don't fall in love with bricklayers；〃 returned the Minor Poet。 〃Now； why not？ The stockbroker flirts with the barmaidcases have been known； often he marries her。 Does the lady out shopping ever fall in love with the waiter at the bun…shop？ Hardly ever。 Lordlings marry ballet girls； but ladies rarely put their heart and fortune at the feet of the Lion Comique。 Manly beauty and virtue are not confined to the House of Lords and its dependencies。 How do you account for the fact that while it is common enough for the man to look beneath him； the woman will almost invariably prefer her social superior； and certainly never tolerate her inferior？ Why should King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid appear to us a beautiful legend； while Queen Cophetua and the Tramp would be ridiculous？〃
〃The simple explanation is；〃 expounded the Girton Girl； 〃woman is so immeasurably man's superior that only by weighting him more or less heavily with worldly advantages can any semblance of balance be obtained。〃
〃Then；〃 answered the Minor Poet； 〃you surely agree with me that woman is justified in demanding this 'make…weight。' The woman gives her love； if you will。 It is the art treasure； the gilded vase thrown in with the pound of tea； but the tea has to be paid for。〃
〃It all sounds very clever；〃 commented the Old Maid； 〃yet I fail to see what good comes of ridiculing a thing one's heart tells one is sacred。〃
〃Do not be so sure I am wishful to ridicule；〃 answered the Minor Poet。 〃Love is a wondrous statue God carved with His own hands and placed in the Garden of Life； long ago。 And man； knowing not sin； worshipped her； seeing her beautiful。 Till the time came when man learnt evil； then saw that the statue was naked； and was ashamed of it。 Since when he has been busy； draping it； now in the fashion of this age； now in the fashion of that。 We have shod her in dainty bottines； regretting the size of her feet。 We employ the best artistes to design for her cunning robes that shall disguise her shape。 Each season we fix fresh millinery upon her changeless head。 We hang around her robes of woven words。 Only the promise of her ample breasts we cannot altogether hide； shocking us not a little； only that remains to tell us that beneath the tawdry tissues still stands the changeless statue God carved with His own hands。〃
〃I like you better when you talk like that；〃 said the Old Maid； 〃but I never feel quite sure of you。 All I mean； of course； is that money should not be her first consideration。 Marriage for moneyit is not marriage； one cannot speak of it。 Of course； one must be reasonable。〃
〃You mean；〃 persisted the Minor Poet； 〃you would have her think also of her dinner； of her clothes； her necessities； luxuries。〃
〃It is not only for herself；〃 answered the Old Maid。
〃For whom？〃 demanded the Minor Poet。
The white hands of the Old Maid fluttered on her lap； revealing her trouble； for of the old school is this sweet friend of mine。
〃There are the children to be considered；〃 I explained。 〃A woman feels it even without knowing。 It is her instinct。〃
The Old Maid smiled on me her thanks。
〃It is where I was leading；〃 said the Minor Poet。 〃Woman has been appointed by Nature the trustee of the children。 It is her duty to think of them； to plan for them。 If in marriage she does not take the future into consideration； she is untrue to her trust。〃
〃Before you go further；〃 interrupted the Philosopher； 〃there is an important point to be considered。 Are children better or worse for a pampered upbringing？ Is not poverty often the best school？〃
〃It is what I always tell George；〃 remarked the Woman of the World； 〃when he grumbles at the tradesmen's books。 If Papa could only have seen his way to being a poor man； I feel I should have been a better wife。〃
〃Please don't suggest the possibility；〃 I begged the Woman of the World； 〃the thought is too bewildering。〃
〃You were never imaginative；〃 replied the Woman of the World。
〃Not to that extent；〃 I admitted。
〃'The best mothers make the worst children；'〃 quoted the Girton Girl。 〃I intend to bear that in mind。〃
〃Your mother was a very beautiful characterone of the most beautiful I ever knew；〃 remarked the Old Maid。
〃There is some truth in the saying；〃 agreed the Minor Poet； 〃but only because it is the exception； and Nature invariably puts forth all her powers to counteract the result of deviation from her laws。 Were it the rule； then the bad mother would be the good mother and the good mother the bad mother。 And〃
〃Please don't go on；〃 said the Woman of the World。 〃I was up late last night。〃
〃I was merely going to show；〃 explained the Minor Poet； 〃that all roads lead to the law that the good mother is the best mother。 Her duty is to her children； to guard their infancy； to take thought for their equipment。〃
〃Do you seriously ask us to believe；〃 demanded the Old Maid； 〃that the type of woman who does marry for money considers for a single moment any human being but herself？〃
〃Not consciously； perhaps；〃 admitted the Minor Poet。 〃Our instincts； that they may guide us easily； are purposely made selfish。 The flower secretes honey for its own purposes； not with any sense of charity towards the bee。 Man works； as he thinks； for beer and baccy； in reality； for the benefit of unborn generations。 The woman； in acting selfishly； is assisting Nature's plans。 In olden days she chose her mate for his strength。 S