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！
and Joan of Arc。
Lord Ipsden hated argument； but jealousy is a brass spur； it made even
this man fluent for once。
He suggested 〃that five hundred years added to a world's life made it
just five hundred years older； not youngerand if older； grayerand if
grayer； wiser。
〃Of Abbot Sampson；〃 said he； 〃whom I confess both a great and a good man；
his author； who with all his talent belongs to the class muddle…head；
tells us that when he had been two years in authority his red hair had
turned gray； fighting against the spirit of his age； how the deuce； then；
could he be a sample of the spirit of his age？
〃Joan of Arc was burned by acclamation of her age； and is admired by our
age。 Which fact identifies an age most with a heroine； to give her your
heart； or to give her a blazing fagot and death？〃
〃Abbot Sampson and Joan of Arc；〃 concluded he； 〃prove no more in favor of
their age； and no less against it； than Lot does for or against Sodom。
Lot was in Sodom； but not of it； and so were Sampson and Joan in； but not
of； the villainous times they lived in。
〃The very best text…book of true religion is the New Testament； and I
gather from it； that the man who forgives his enemies while their ax
descends on his head； however poor a creature he may be in other
respects； is a better Christian than the man who has the God of Mercy
forever on his lips； and whose hands are swift to shed blood。
〃The earnest men of former ages are not extinct in this；〃 added he。
〃Whenever a scaffold is erected outside a prison…door； if you are earnest
in pursuit of truth； and can put up with disgusting objects； you shall
see a relic of ancient manners hanged。
〃There still exist； in parts of America； rivers on whose banks are
earnest men who shall take your scalp； the wife's of your bosom； and the
innocent child's of her bosom。
〃In England we are as earnest as ever in pursuit of heaven； and of
innocent worldly advantages。 If； when the consideration of life and death
interposes； we appear less earnest in pursuit of comparative trifles such
as kingdoms or dogmas； it is because cooler in action we are more earnest
in thoughtbecause reason； experience； and conscience are things that
check the unscrupulousness or beastly earnestness of man。
〃Moreover； he who has the sense to see that questions have three sides is
no longer so intellectually as well as morally degraded as to be able to
cut every throat that utters an opinion contrary to his own。
〃If the phrase 'earnest man' means man imitating the beasts that are deaf
to reason； it is to be hoped that civilization and Christianity will
really extinguish the whole race for the benefit of the earth。〃
Lord Ipsden succeeded in annoying the fair theorist； but not in
convincing her。
The mediaeval enthusiasts looked on him as some rough animal that had
burst into sacred grounds unconsciously； and gradually edged away from
him。
CHAPTER X。
LORD IPSDEN had soon the mortification of discovering that this Mr。
was a constant visitor at the house； and； although his cousin gave him
her ear in this man's absence； on the arrival of her fellow…enthusiast he
had ever the mortification of finding himself _de trop。_
Once or twice he demolished this personage in argument； and was rewarded
by finding himself more _de trop。_
But one day Lady Barbara； being in a cousinly humor； expressed a wish to
sail in his lordship's yacht； and this hint soon led to a party being
organized； and a sort of picnic on the island of Inch Coombe； his
lordship's cutter being the mode of conveyance to and from that spot。
Now it happened on that very day Jean Carnie's marriage was celebrated on
that very island by her relations and friends。
So that we shall introduce our readers to
THE RIVAL PICNICS。
We begin with _Les gens comme il faut。_
PICNIC NO。 1。
The servants were employed in putting away dishes into hampers。
There was a calm silence。 〃Hem！〃 observed Sir Henry Talbot。
〃Eh？〃 replied the Honorable Tom Hitherington。
〃Mamma；〃 said Miss Vere； 〃have you brought any work？〃
〃No； my dear。〃
〃At a picnic；〃 said Mr。 Hitherington； isn't it the thing for
somebodyawto do something？〃
〃Ipsden；〃 said Lady Barbara； 〃there is an understanding _between_ you and
Mr。 Hitherington。 I condemn you to turn him into English。〃
〃Yes； Lady Barbara； I'll tell you； he means…do you mean anything； Tom？〃
_Hitherington。_ 〃Can't anybody guess what I mean？〃
_Lady Barbara。_ 〃Guess first yourself； you can't be suspected of being in
the secret。〃
_Hither。_ 〃What I mean is； that people sing a song； or run races； or
preach a sermon； or do something funny at a picnicawsomebody gets up
and does something。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃Then perhaps Miss Vere； whose singing is famous； will have
the complaisance to sing to us。〃
_Miss Vere。_ 〃I should be happy； Lady Barbara； but I have not brought my
music。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃Oh； we are not critical； the simplest air； or even a
fragment of melody； the sea and the sky will be a better accompaniment
than Broadwood ever made。〃
_Miss V。_ 〃I can't sing a note without book。〃
_Sir H。 Talbot。_ 〃Your music is in your soulnot at your fingers' ends。〃
_Lord Ipsden； to Lady Bar。_ 〃It is in her book； and not in her soul。〃
_Lady Bar。； to Lord Ips。_ 〃Then it has chosen the better situation of the
two。〃
_Ips。_ 〃Miss Vere is to the fine art of music what the engrossers are to
the black art of law； it all filters through them without leaving any
sediment； and so the music of the day passes through Miss Vere's mind；
but none remainsto stain its virgin snow。〃
He bows； she smiles。
_Lady Bar。； to herself。_ 〃Insolent。 And the little dunce thinks he is
complimenting her。〃
_Ips。_ 〃Perhaps Talbot will come to our rescuehe is a fiddler。〃
_Tal。_ 〃An amateur of the violin。〃
_Ips。_ 〃It is all the same thing。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃I wish it may prove so。〃
＇Note： original has music notation here＇
_Miss V。_ 〃Beautiful。〃
_Mrs。 Vere。_ 〃Charming。〃
_Hither。_ 〃Superb！〃
_Ips。_ 〃You are aware that good music is a thing to be wedded to immortal
verse； shall I recite a bit of poetry to match Talbot's strain？〃
_Miss V。_ 〃Oh； yes！ how nice。〃
_Ips。 （rhetorically）。_ 〃A。 B。 C。 D。 E。 F。 G。 H。 I。 J。 K。 L。 M。 N。 O。 P。
Q。 R。 S。 T。 U。 V。 W。 X。 Y。 Z。 Y。 X。 W。 V。 U。 T。 S。 O。 N。 M。 L。 K。 J。 I。
H。 G。 F。 A。 M。 little p。 little t。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃Beautiful！ Superb！ Ipsden has been taking lessons on the
thinking instrument。〃
_Hither。_ 〃He has been _perdu_ among vulgar people。〃
_Tal。_ 〃And expects a pupil of Herz to play him tunes！〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃What are tunes； Sir Henry？〃
_Tal。_ 〃Something I don't play； Lady Barbara。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃I understand you； something we ought to like。〃
_Ips。_ 〃I have a Stradivarius violin at home。 It is yours； Talbot； if you
can define a tune。〃
_Tal。_ 〃A tune iseverybody knows what。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃A tune is a tune； that is what you meant to say。〃
_Tal。_ 〃Of course it is。〃
_Lady Bar。_ 〃Be reasonable； Ipsden； no man can do two things at once； how
can the pupil of Herz condemn a thing and know what it means
contemporaneously？〃
_Ips。_ 〃Is the drinking…song in 'Der Freischutz' a tu