the ways of men-第14章
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e performance was received in complete silence。 ‘Poor Calve；' I heard an old friend of my mother's murmur。 ‘Her voice used to be so nice； and now it's all gone！' Taking in the situation at a glance； I threw my voice well up into my nose and started off on a well…known provincial song； in the shrill falsetto of our peasant women。 The effect was instantaneous！ Long before the end the performance was drowned in thunders of applause。 Which proves that to be popular a singer must adapt herself to her audience。〃
Luncheon over； we repaired for cigarettes and coffee to an upper room； where Calve was giving Dagnan…Bouveret some sittings for a portrait； and lingered there until four o'clock； when our hostess left us for her siesta； and a 〃break〃 took those who cared for the excursion across the valley to inspect the ruins of a Roman bath。 A late dinner brought us together again in a small dining room； the convalescents having eaten their simple meal and disappeared an hour before。 During this time； another transformation had taken place in our mercurial hostess！ It was the Calve of Paris； Calve the witch； Calve the CAPITEUSE； who presided at the dainty； flower…decked table and led the laughing conversation。
A few notes struck on a guitar by one of the party； as we sat an hour later on the moonlit terrace； were enough to start off the versatile artist； who was in her gayest humor。 She sang us stray bits of opera； alternating her music with scenes burlesqued from recent plays。 No one escaped her inimitable mimicry； not even the 〃divine Sarah；〃 Calve giving us an unpayable impersonation of the elderly TRAGEDIENNE as Lorenzaccio； the boy hero of Alfred de Musset's drama。 Burlesquing led to her dancing some Spanish steps with an abandon never attempted on the stage！ Which in turn gave place to an imitation of an American whistling an air from CARMEN； and some 〃coon songs〃 she had picked up during her stay at New York。 They； again； were succeeded by a superb rendering of the imprecation from Racine's CAMILLE； which made her audience realize that in gaining a soprano the world has lost； perhaps； its greatest TRAGEDIENNE。
At eleven o'clock the clatter of hoofs in the court warned us that the pleasant evening had come to an end。 A journalist EN ROUTE for Paris was soon installed with me in the little omnibus that was to take us to the station； Calve herself lighting our cigars and providing the wraps that were to keep out the cool night air。
As we passed under the low archway of the entrance amid a clamor of 〃adieu〃 and 〃au revoir；〃 the young Frenchman at my side pointed up to a row of closed windows overhead。 〃Isn't it a lesson；〃 he said； 〃for all of us； to think of the occupants of those little rooms； whom the generosity and care of that gracious artist are leaning by such pleasant paths back to health and courage for their toilsome lives？〃
Chapter 11 … A Cry For Fresh Air
〃ONCE upon a time；〃 reads the familiar nursery tale； while the fairies； invited by a king and queen to the christening of their daughter； were showering good gifts on the baby princess； a disgruntled old witch； whom no one had thought of asking to the ceremony； appeared uninvited on the scene and revenged herself by decreeing that the presents of the good fairies； instead of proving beneficial； should bring only trouble and embarrassment to the royal infant。
A telling analogy might be drawn between that unhappy princess over whose fate so many youthful tears have been shed； and the condition of our invention…ridden country； for we see every day how the good gifts of those nineteenth century fairies； Science and Industry； instead of proving blessings to mankind； are being turned by ignorance and stupidity into veritable afflictions。
If a prophetic gentleman had told Louis Fourteenth's shivering courtiers … whom an iron etiquette forced on winter mornings into the （appropriately named） Galerie des Glaces； stamping their silk…clad feet and blowing on their blue fingers； until the king should appear … that within a century and a half one simple discovery would enable all classes of people to keep their shops and dwellings at a summer temperature through the severest winters； the half…frozen nobles would have flouted the suggestion as an 〃iridescent dream；〃 a sort of too…good… to…be…true prophecy。
What was to those noblemen an unheard…of luxury has become within the last decade one of the primary necessities of our life。
The question arises now： Are we gainers by the change？ Has the indiscriminate use of heat been of advantage； either mentally or physically； to the nation？
The incubus of caloric that sits on our gasping country is particularly painful at this season； when nature undertakes to do her own heating。
In other less…favored lands； the first spring days； the exquisite awakening of the world after a long winter； bring to the inhabitants a sensation of joy and renewed vitality。 We； however； have discounted that enjoyment。 Delicate gradations of temperature are lost on people who have been stewing for six months in a mixture of steam and twice…breathed air。
What pleasure can an early April day afford the man who has slept in an over…heated flat and is hurrying to an office where eighty degrees is the average all the year round？ Or the pale shop…girl； who complains if a breath of morning air strays into the suburban train where she is seated？
As people who habitually use such 〃relishes〃 as Chutney and Worcestershire are incapable of appreciating delicately prepared food； so the 〃soft〃 mortals who have accustomed themselves to a perpetual August are insensible to fine shadings of temperature。
The other day I went with a friend to inspect some rooms he had been decorating in one of our public schools。 The morning had been frosty； but by eleven o'clock the sun warmed the air uncomfortably。 On entering the school we were met by a blast of heated air that was positively staggering。 In the recitation rooms； where； as in all New York schoolrooms； the children were packed like dominoes in a box； the temperature could not have been under eighty…five。
The pale； spectacled spinster in charge； to whom we complained of this； was astonished and offended at what she considered our interference； and answered that 〃the children liked it warm；〃 as for herself she 〃had a cold and could not think of opening a window。〃 If the rooms were too warm it was the janitor's fault； and he had gone out！
Twelve o'clock struck before we had finished our tour of inspection。 It is to be doubted if anywhere else in the world could there be found such a procession of pasty…faced； dull… eyed youngsters as trooped past us down the stairs。 Their appearance was the natural result of compelling children dressed for winter weather to sit many hours each day in hothouses； more suited to tropical plants than to growing human beings。
A gentleman with us remarked with a sigh； 〃I have been in almost every school in the city and find the same condition everywhere。 It is terrible； but there doesn't seem to be any remedy for it。〃 The taste for living in a red…hot atmosphere is growing on our people； even public vehicles have to be heated now to please the patrons。
When tiresome old Benjamin Franklin made stoves popular he struck a terrible blow at the health of his compatriots； the introduction of steam heat and consequent suppression of all health…giving ventilation did the rest； the rosy cheeks of American children went up the chimney with the last whiff of wood smoke； and have never returned。 Much of our home life followed； no family can be expected to gather in cheerful converse around a 〃radiator。〃
How can this horror of fresh air among us be explained？ If people really enjoy living in overheated rooms with little or no ventilation； why is it that we hear so much complaining； when during the summer months the thermometer runs up into the familiar nineties？ Why are children hurried out of town； and why do wives consider it a necessity to desert their husbands？
It's rather inconsistent； to say the least； for n
