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！
“surely you could teach her to believe that a man’s intellect is； and always will be； fundamentally superior to a woman’s？” i suggested。 she brightened at this and began to turn over our old minutes again。 “yes；” she said； “think of their discoveries； their mathematics； their science； their philosophy； their scholarship—” and then she began to laugh； “i shall never forget old hobkin and the hairpin；” she said； and went on reading and laughing and i thought she was quite happy； when suddenly she drew the book from her and burst out； “oh； cassandra； why do you torment me？ don’t you know that our belief in man’s intellect is the greatest fallacy of them all？” “what？” i exclaimed。 “ask any journalist； schoolmaster； politician or public house keeper in the land and they will all tell you that men are much cleverer than women。” “as if i doubted it；” she said scornfully。 “how could they help it？ haven’t we bred them and fed and kept them in fort since the beginning of time so that they may be clever even if they’re nothing else？ it’s all our doing！” she cried。 “we insisted upon having intellect and now we’ve got it。 and it’s intellect；” she continued； “that’s at the bottom of it。 what could be more charming than a boy before he has begun to cultivate his intellect？ he is beautiful to look at； he gives himself no airs； he understands the meaning of art and literature instinctively； he goes about enjoying his life and making other people enjoy theirs。 then they teach him to cultivate his intellect。 he bees a barrister； a civil servant； a general； an author； a professor。 every day he goes to an office。 every year he produces a book。 he maintains a whole family by the products of his brain—poor devil！ soon he cannot e into a room without making us all feel unfortable； he condescends to every woman he meets； and dares not tell the truth even to his own wife； instead of rejoicing our eyes we have to shut them if we are to take him in our arms。 true； they console themselves with stars of all shapes； ribbons of all shades； and ines of all sizes—but what is to console us？ that we shall be able in ten years’ time to spend a weekend at lahore？ or that the least insect in japan has a name twice the length of its body？ oh； cassandra； for heaven’s sake let us devise a method by which men may bear children！ it is our only chance。 for unless we provide them with some innocent occupation we shall get neither good people nor good books； we shall perish beneath the fruits of their unbridled activity； and not a human being will survive to know that there once was shakespeare！”
“it is too late；” i replied。 “we cannot provide even for the children that we have。”
“and then you ask me to believe in intellect；” she said。
while we spoke； man were crying hoarsely and wearily in the street； and； listening； we heard that the treaty of peace had just been signed。 the voices died away。 the rain was falling and interfered no doubt with the proper explosion of the fireworks。
“my cook will have bought the evening news；” said castalia； “and ann will be spelling it out over her tea。 i must go home。”
“it’s no good—not a bit of good；” i said。 “once she knows how to read there’s only one thing you can teach her to believe in—and that is herself。”
“well； that would be a change；” sighed castalia。
so we swept up the papers of our society； and； though ann was playing with her doll very happily； we solemnly made her a present of the lot and told her we had chosen her to be president of the society of the future—upon which she burst into tears； poor little girl。
．．
3。 Monday or Tuesday
小！说
3。 monday or tuesday
lazy and indifferent； shaking space easily from his wings； knowing his way； the heron passes over the church beneath the sky。 white and distant； absorbed in itself； endlessly the sky covers and uncovers； moves and remains。 a lake？ blot the shores of it out！ a mountain？ oh； perfect—the sun gold on its slopes。 down that falls。 ferns then； or white feathers； for ever and ever—
desiring truth； awaiting it； laboriously distilling a few words； for ever desiring—（a cry starts to the left； another to the right。 wheels strike divergently。 omnibuses conglomerate in conflict）—for ever desiring—（the clock asseverates with twelve distinct strokes that it is midday； light sheds gold scales； children swarm）—for ever desiring truth。 red is the dome； coins hang on the trees； smoke trails from the chimneys； bark； shout； cry “iron for sale”—and truth？
radiating to a point men’s feet and women’s feet； black or gold–encrusted—（this foggy weather—sugar？ no； thank you—the monwealth of the future）—the firelight darting and making the room red； save for the black figures and their bright eyes； while outside a van discharges； miss thingummy drinks tea at her desk； and plate–glass preserves fur coats—
flaunted； leaf—light； drifting at corners； blown across the wheels； silver–splashed； home or not home； gathered； scattered； squandered in separate scales； swept up； down； torn； sunk； assembled—and truth？
now to recollect by the fireside on the white square of marble。 from ivory depths words rising shed their blackness； blossom and penetrate。 fallen the book； in the flame； in the smoke； in the momentary sparks—or now voyaging； the marble square pendant； minarets beneath and the indian seas； while space rushes blue and stars glint—truth？ content with closeness？
lazy and indifferent the heron returns； the sky veils her stars； then bares them。
。。
4。 An Unwritten Novel
4。 an unwritten novel
such an expression of unhappiness was enough by itself to make one’s eyes slide above the paper’s edge to the poor woman’s face—insignificant without that look； almost a symbol of human destiny with it。 life’s what you see in people’s eyes； life’s what they learn； and； having learnt it； never； though they seek to hide it； cease to be aware of—what？ that life’s like that； it seems。 five faces opposite—five mature faces—and the knowledge in each face。 strange； though； how people want to conceal it！ marks of reticence are on all those faces： lips shut； e