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！
officer of 'bersaglieri'； who had come down from antiquity to the topmost
gradine of the arena over against me； and stood there defined against the
clear evening sky； one hand on his hip； and the other at his side； while
his thin cockerel plumes streamed in the light wind。 I have since
wondered if he knew how beautiful he was； and I am sure that； if he did
not； all the women there did； and that was doubtless enough for the young
officer of 'bersaglieri'。
II。
I think that he was preliminary to the sole event of that partial circus
I have mentioned。 This event was one that I have often witnessed
elsewhere； but never in such noble and worthy keeping。 The top of the
outer arena wall must itself be fifty feet high； and the pole in the
centre of its oval seemed to rise fifty feet higher yet。 At its base an
immense net was stretched； and a man in a Prince Albert coat and a derby
hat was figuring about； anxiously directing the workmen who were fixing
the guy…ropes； and testing every particular of the preparation with his
own hands。 While this went on； a young girl ran out into the arena； and；
after a bow to the spectators； quickly mounted to the top of the pole；
where she presently stood in statuesque beauty that took all eyes even
from the loveliness of the officer of 'bersaglieri'。 There the man in
the Prince Albert coat and the derby hat stepped back from the net and
looked up at her。
She called down； in English that sounded like some delocalized；
denaturalized speech； it was so strange then and there； 〃Is it all
right？〃
He shouted back in the same alienated tongue； 〃Yes； keep to the left；〃
and she dived straight downward in the long plunge； till； just before she
reached the net； she turned a quick somersault into its elastic mesh。
It was all so exquisitely graceful that one forgot how wickedly dangerous
it was； but I think that the brief English colloquy was the great wonder
of the event for me； and I doubt if I could ever have been perfectly
happy again； if chance had not amiably suffered me to satisfy my
curiosity concerning the speakers。 A few evenings after that； I was at
that copy of a copy of a tournament； and； a few gradines below me； I saw
the man of the Prince Albert coat and the derby hat。 I had already made
up my mind that he was an American； for I supposed that an Englishman
would rather perish than wear such a coat with such a hat； and as I had
wished all my life to speak to a circus…man； I went down and boldly
accosted him。 〃Are you a brother Yankee？〃 I asked； and he laughed； and
confessed that he was an Englishman； but he said he was glad to meet any
one who spoke English； and he made a place for me by his side。 He was
very willing to tell how he happened to be there； and he explained that
he was the manager of a circus； which had been playing to very good
business all winter in Spain。 In an evil hour he decided to come to
Italy； but he found the prices so ruinously low that he was forced to
disband his company。 This diving girl was all that remained to him of
its many attractions； and he was trying to make a living for both in a
country where the admission to a circus was six of our cents； with fifty
for a reserved seat。 But he was about to give it up and come to America；
where he said Barnum had offered him an engagement。 I hope he found it
profitable； and is long since an American citizen； with as good right as
any of us to wear a Prince Albert coat with a derby hat。
III。
There used to be very good circuses in Venice； where many Venetians had
the only opportunity of their lives to see a horse。 The horses were the
great attraction for them； and； perhaps in concession to their habitual
destitution in this respect； the riding was providentially very good。 It
was so good that it did not bore me； as circus…riding mostly does；
especially that of the silk…clad jockey who stands in his high boots； on
his back…bared horse； and ends by waving an American flag in triumph at
having been so tiresome。
I am at a loss to know why they make such an ado about the lady who jumps
through paper hoops； which have first had holes poked in them to render
her transit easy； or why it should be thought such a merit in her to hop
over a succession of banners which are swept under her feet in a manner
to minify her exertion almost to nothing； but I observe it is so at all
circuses。 At my first Venetian circus； which was on a broad expanse of
the Riva degli Schiavoni； there was a girl who flung herself to the
ground and back to her horse again； holding by his mane with one hand；
quite like the goddess out of the bath…gown at my village circus the
other day； and apparently there are more circuses in the world than
circus events。 It must be as hard to think up anything new in that kind
as in romanticistic fiction； which circus…acting otherwise largely
resembles。
At a circus which played all one winter in Florence I saw for the first
time…outside of polite societythe clown in evening dress； who now seems
essential to all circuses of metropolitan pretensions； and whom I missed
so gladly at my village circus。 He is nearly as futile as the lady
clown； who is one of the saddest and strangest developments of New
Womanhood。
Of the clowns who do not speak； I believe I like most the clown who
catches a succession of peak…crowned soft hats on his head； when thrown
across the ring by an accomplice。 This is a very pretty sight always；
and at the Hippodrome in Paris I once saw a gifted creature take his
stand high up on the benches among the audience and catch these hats on
his head from a flight of a hundred feet through the air。 This made me
proud of human nature； which is often so humiliating； and altogether I do
not think that after a real country circus there are many better things
in life than the Hippodrome。 It had a state； a dignity； a smoothness； a
polish； which I should not know where to match； and when the superb coach
drove into the ring to convey the lady performers to the scene of their
events； there was a majesty in the effect which I doubt if courts have
the power to rival。 Still； it should be remembered that I have never
been at court； and speak from a knowledge of the Hippodrome only。
AT A DIME MUSEUM
〃I see；〃 said my friend； 〃that you have been writing a good deal about
the theatre during the past winter。 You have been attacking its high
hats and its high prices； and its low morals； and I suppose that you
think you have done good； as people call it。〃
I。
This seemed like a challenge of some sort； and I prepared myself to take
it up warily。 I said I should be very sorry to do good； as people called
it； because such a line of action nearly always ended in spiritual pride
for the doer and general demoralization for the doee。 Still； I said； a
law had lately been passed in Ohio giving a man who found himself behind
a high hat at the theatre a claim for damages against the manager； and if
the passage of this law could be traced ever so faintly and indirectly to
my teachings； I should not altogether grieve for the good I had done。
I added that if all the States s