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！
from the test of the foot came the ultimate test of the thinker： 〃Is it
accepted of Song？〃
The monastery； in like manner； holds its sons to little trivial rules of
time and exactitude； not to be broken； laws that are made secure against
the restlessness of the heart fretting for insignificant libertiestrivial laws
to restrain from a trivial freedom。 And within the gate of these laws
which seem so small； lies the world of mystic virtue。 They enclose； they
imply； they lock； they answer for it。 Lesser virtues may flower in daily
liberty and may flourish in prose； but infinite virtues and greatness are
compelled to the measure of poetry； and obey the constraint of an hourly
convent bell。 It is no wonder that every poet worthy the name has had a
passion for metre； for the very verse。 To him the difficult fetter is the
condition of an interior range immeasurable。
27
… Page 28…
The Spirit of Place and Other Essays
HAVE PATIENCE； LITTLE
SAINT
Some considerable time must have gone by since any kind of courtesy
ceased； in England； to be held necessary in the course of communication
with a beggar。 Feeling may be humane； and the interior act most gentle；
there may be a tacit apology； and a profound misgiving unexpressed； a
reluctance not only to refuse but to be arbiter； a dislike of the office； a
regret； whether for the unequal distribution of social luck or for a purse
left at home； equally sincere； howbeit custom exacts no word or sign；
nothing whatever of intercourse。 If a dog or a cat accosts you； or a calf in
a field comes close to you with a candid infant face and breathing nostrils
of investigation； or if any kind of animal comes to you on some obscure
impulse of friendly approach； you acknowledge it。 But the beggar to
whom you give nothing expects no answer to a question； no recognition of
his presence； not so much as the turn of your eyelid in his direction； and
never a word to excuse you。
Nor does this blank behaviour seem savage to those who are used to
nothing else。 Yet it is somewhat more inhuman to refuse an answer to the
beggar's remark than to leave a shop without 〃Good morning。〃 When
complaint is made of the modern social mannerthat it has no merit but
what is negative； and that it is apt even to abstain from courtesy with more
lack of grace than the abstinence absolutely requiresthe habit of manner
towards beggars is probably not so much as thought of。 To the simply
human eye； however； the prevalent manner towards beggars is a striking
thing； it is significant of so much。
Obviously it is not easy to reply to begging except by the intelligible
act of giving。 We have not the ingenuous simplicity that marks the caste
answering more or less to that of Vere de Vere； in Italy； for example。 An
elderly Italian lady on her slow way from her own ancient ancestral
palazzo to the village； and accustomed to meet； empty…handed； a certain
number of beggars； answers them by a retort which would be； literally
28
… Page 29…
The Spirit of Place and Other Essays
translated； 〃Excuse me； dear； I； too； am a poor devil；〃 and the last word
she naturally puts into the feminine。
Moreover； the sentence is spoken in all the familiarity of the local
dialecta dialect that puts any two people at once upon equal terms as
nothing else can do it。 Would it were possible to present the phrase to
English readers in all its own helpless good…humour。 The excellent
woman who uses it is practising no eccentricity thereby； and raises no
smile。 It is only in another climate； and amid other manners； that one
cannot recall it without a smile。 To a mind having a lively sense of
contrast it is not a little pleasant to imagine an elderly lady of
corresponding station in England replying so to importunities for alms；
albeit we have nothing answering to the good fellowship of a broad patois
used currently by rich and poor； and yet slightly grotesque in the case of
all speakersa dialect in which； for example； no sermon is ever preached；
and in which no book is ever printed； except for fun； a dialect 〃familiar；
but by no means vulgar。〃 Besides； even if our Englishwoman could by
any possibility bring herself to say to a mendicant； 〃Excuse me； dear； I；
too； am a poor devil；〃 she would still not have the opportunity of putting
the last word punctually into the feminine； which does so complete the
character of the sentence。
The phrase at the head of this paper is the far more graceful phrase of
excuse customary in the courteous manners of Portugal。 And everywhere
in the South； where an almost well…dressed old woman； who suddenly
begins to beg from you when you least expected it； calls you 〃my
daughter；〃 you can hardly reply without kindness。 Where the tourist is
thoroughly well known； doubtless the company of beggars are used to
savage manners in the rich； but about the byways and remoter places there
must still be some dismay at the anger； the silence； the indignation； and the
inexpensive haughtiness wherewith the opportunity of alms…giving is
received by travellers。
In nothing do we show how far the West is from the East so
emphatically as we show it by our lofty ways towards those who so
manifestly put themselves at our feet。 It is certainly not pleasant to see
them there； but silence or a storm of impersonal protesta protest that
29
… Page 30…
The Spirit of Place and Other Essays
appeals vaguely less to the beggars than to some not impossible police
does not seem the most appropriate manner of rebuking them。 We have；
it may be； a scruple on the point of human dignity； compromised by the
entreaty and the thanks of the mendicant； but we have a strange way of
vindicating that dignity when we refuse to man； woman； or child the
recognition of a simply human word。 Nay； our offence is much the
greater of the two。 It is not merely a rough and contemptuous intercourse；
it is the refusal of intercoursethe last outrage。 How do we propose to
redress those conditions of life that annoy us when a brother whines； if we
deny the presence； the voice； and the being of this brother； and if； because
fortune has refused him money； we refuse him existence？
We take the matter too seriously； or not seriously enough； to hold it in
the indifference of the wise。 〃Have patience； little saint；〃 is a phrase that
might teach us the cheerful way to endure our own unintelligible fortunes
in the midst； say； of the population of a hill…village among the most barren
of the Maritime Alps； where huts of stone stand among the stones of an
unclothed earth； and there is no sign of daily bread。 The people； albeit
unused to travellers； yet know by instinct what to do； and beg without the
delay of a moment as soon as they see your unwonted figure。 Let it be
taken for granted that you give all you can； some form of refusal becomes
necessary at last； and the gentlestit is worth while to remember is the
most effectual。 An indignant tourist； one who to the portent of a
puggaree which； perhaps； he wears on a grey day； adds that of
ungovernable rage； is so wild a visitor that no attempt at all is made to
understand him； and the beggars beg dismayed but unalarmed；
uninterruptedly； without a pause or a conjecture。 They beg by rote；
thinking of something else； as occasion arises； and all indifferent to the
violence of the rich。
It is the merry beggar who has so lamentably disappear