van bibbers life凡比博传通俗说,让知识变得平等

1、SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFESODES IN VANBIBBERS LIFERichard Harding Davis1没错,就是要让所有知识变得,不喜欢各种专业术语来知识的海洋无比浩瀚,人哪怕穷尽一生,也只是弱水三千的其中一瓢,但是,如果可以通俗的解释知识,那就可以节省许多时间,而且通俗易懂,很难忘记,但是的力量是有限的,需要!的人加入,来完成这场专业难懂的知识通俗化的如果您也有类似的想法,如果您也厌倦了传统的教育, 如果您也讨厌专业的名词术语,那就加入,在通俗说,你会遇到很多志同道合的朋友,他们都是致力于知识通俗化的运动!SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LI

2、FEHerof theAppearanceIt was atact of thenight of The Sultana,and every member of the Lester Comic Opera Company, from Lesterhimself down to the wardrobe womans son, who would have had to workif his mother lost hlace, was sick winxiety.There is perhaps only one othlace as feverish as it is behind the

3、scenes on thenight of a comic opera, andt is a newspr officeon the last night of aialn, when the returns are beingflashethe canvas outside, and the mob is howling, and the editor-in-chief is expecting to go to the Court of St. James if the election comes hisway, and the office-boy is betting his wag

4、est it wont.Such nights as these try mens souls; but Van Bibbassed the stage-door man wis calmly polite a nod as though thece had been runningadred nights, and the manager was thinking up souvenirs for the onedred and fiftieth, and the primana had, as usual, begun to hfor anew set of costumes. The s

5、tage-door keeper hesied and was lost, andVan Bibber steppedo the unsuppressed excitement of the place wipleased snit the familiar smell of paand burning gas, and the dustyodort came from the scene-lofts above.For a moment he hesiedhe cross-lights and confuabout him,failing to recognizeheir new costu

6、mes his old acquaanof thecompany; but he saw Kripps, the stage-manager,he centre of the stage,perspiring and in his shirt-sleeves as always, wildly waving an arm tosome onehe fs, and beckoning with the other to the gasmanheact,front entrance. The stage hands were striking the scene for theand fighti

7、ng with the set for the second, and dragging out a canvas floor oftelated marble, and running a throne and a practical pair of steps overit, and aiming the high quaking walls of a palace and abuse at whoevercameheir way.Now then, Van Bibber, shouted Kripps, wiwild glance ofrecognition, as the white-

8、and-black figure came towards him, you knowyoure the only man in New York who gets behind here to-night. But youcant stay. Lower it, lower it, cant you? This to the man2he fs. AnySODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEother night goes, but not this night. I canve it. I-Where is the backingfor the centre entrance?

9、 Didnt Il you men-Van Bibber dodged two stage hands who were steering a scene at him,stepped over the carpet as it unrolled, and brushed through a group ofanxious, whispering chorus peopleroom.o the quiet of the stars dressing-The star saw himhe long mirror before which he sat, while hisdresser tugg

10、ed at his boots, and threw up his hands desperay.Well, he cried,ock resignation, are we in it or are we not? Aretheyheir seats still or have they fled?How are you, John? said Van Bibber to the dresser. Then he droppedo a big arm-chairto light his cigar bet very well. I wouldnhe corner, and got up ag

11、ain wiing sighn the wires around the gas-burner. Oh, its goingve come around if it wasnt. If the rest of it is asgood as theact, you neednt worry.Van Bibbers unchallenged freedom behind the scenes had been asource of much comment and plexity tothe members of the Lesterappearance there during mmer, a

12、nd had continued toComic Opera Company. He had made hisone hot night of the long run of the previoubemost nightly visitor for severalks. Atit wapedthe was backing thwealthy individuals supplying the finanece,t he was the Angel, as those weak andare called who allow themselves to be ledofor theatrica

13、l experiments. But as he neveeredthrough the curtain-hole to count the house, nor made frequent trips to thefront of it to undisturbesign blockedlook at the box sheet, but was, on the contrary, just asa rainy night as on those when the standing room onlythe front entrance, thipition was discarded as

14、untenable. Nor did he show the leasteresthe primana, or in anyof the othretty women of the company; he did not know them, nor didhe make any effort to know them, and it was not until they inquiredconcerning him outside of the theatret they learned what a figurehesol life of the city he really was. H

15、e spent most of his time in Lestersdressing-room smoking, listening to the reminiscenof Lesters dresserwhen Lester was on the stage; and this secluand his clerical attire of3SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEevening dress led the second comedian to call him Lesters fatherconfessor, and to suggesttask for his

16、 sins. Andt he came to the theatre only to take the star tohis the second comedian was unknowingly not sovery far wrong. Lester, the comedian, and young Van Bibber had known each other at the university, when Lesters voice and gift of mimicry hadmade him the leaderhe college theatricals; and later,

17、when he had goneupon the stage, and had been cut oy his family even after he hade famous, or on account of it, Van Bibber had gone to visit him, andhad found him as simple and sincere and boyish as he had beenhe daysof his Hasty- Pudding sucses. And Lester, for his part, had found VanBibber as likab

18、le as did every one else, anded his quiet voice andyouthful knowledge of the world as a grateful ref to the boisterouscamaraderie of his profesal acquaan. And he allowed Van Bibberto scold him, and to remind him of what he owed to himself, and to touch,even whether it hurt or not, upon his better si

19、de. Andime he admittedto finding his friends occaal comments on stage matters of value ascoming from the poof view of those who look on at the game; and evenKripps, the veteran, regarded him with respect after he had told him t he could turn a set of purple costumes black by throwing a red light on

20、them. To the company, after he came to know them, he was gravely polite,and, to those who knew him if they had overheard, amusinglycommonplace in his conversation. He understood them bettern theydid themselves, and made no mistakes. The women smen were suspicious and shy of him until they sawhim, bu

21、t thet he was quite asshy of the women; and then they made him a confidant, and told him alltheir woes and troubles, and exhibited all their little jealousies andambitions,he innocent hopet he would repeat what they said toLester. They were simple, unconventional, light- hearted folk, and Van Bibber

22、 found them vastly more entertaining and preferable to the silenceof the deserted club, where the matting was down, and from whence theregular habitues had departed to the other side or tport. He liked theswing of the light, bright music as it came to him through the open door of the dressing-room,

23、and the glimpse he got of the chorus people crowdingand pushing for a quick charge up the iron stairway, and the feverish smell4SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEof oxygenhe air, and thcturesque disorder of Lesters wardrobe, andthe wigs and swords, and the mysterious articles of make- up, all mixedtogether n

24、ewspAndtalent toon a tray with half-finished cigars and autograph books andr noti.he often wished he was clever enough to be an artist with thepathe unconsciously graceful groupshe sharply dividedlight and shadow of the wings as he saw them. The brilliantly colored, fantastically clothed girls leani

25、ng against the bare brick wall of the theatre,or whispering together in circles, with their arms close about one another,or reading apart and solitary, or working at somsoberly as though they were in a rocking-chairece oncy-work asheir own flat, and notleaning against a scene brace, with the glare o

26、f the stage and the applauseof the house just behind them. He liked to watch them coquetting with the big firemandetailed from theprecinct engine-house,andclingingdesperay to the curtain wire, or with one of the chorus men on the stairs,or teasing the phlegmatic scene- shifters as they tried to catc

27、h a minutessleep on a pile of canvas. He even fave the primanas smiling athim from the stage, as he stood watching her from the wings, and sdback at her with polite cynicism, as though he did not know and she didnot knowerestet her swere not for him, but to disturb some moreehe front row. And so,ime

28、, the company became sowell accustomed to himt he moved in and about as unnoticed as thestage-manager himself, who prowled around hissing hush on principle,even though he was the onlya noise.who could fairly be said to be makingThe second act was on, and Lester came off the stage and ran to the dres

29、sing-room and beckoned violently. Come here, he said; you ought to see this; the children are ng their turn. You want to hear them.Theyre great!Van Bibbut his cigaro a tumbler and stepped outo the wings.They were crowdeboth sides of the stage with the members of thecompany; the girls were tiptoeing,

30、 with their hands on the shoulders of themen, and making futile little leapso the air to get a better view, andothers were resting on one kneet those behind might see over their5SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEshoulders. There were over a dozen children before the footlights, with theprimanahe centre. She

31、was singing the verses of a song, and theywere following her movements, and joininghe chorus with high pivoi. They seemed entirely too much at home and too self-conscious: toplease Van Bibber; but there was one exception. The one exception wasthe smallest of them, a very, very little girl, with long

32、 auburn hair andblack eyes; such a very little girlt every onehe house looked at her, and then looked at no one else. She was apparently as unconcerned toall about her, excepting the pretty primapiano at home practising a singing lesson. some new sort of a game. When the primana, as though she were

33、by aShe seemed to think it was na raised her arms, the childraised hers; when the primana courtesied, she stumbledo one, andstraightened herself justime to get the curls out of her eyes, and to seet the primaif to say, WE arena was laughing at her, and to scheerfully back asng our best anyway, arent

34、 we? She had big, gentleeyes and two wonderful dimples, andhe excitement of the dancing andthe singing her eyes laughed and flashed, and the dimples deepened anddisappeared and reappeared again. She was as happy and innocent lookingas though it were ninehe morning and she were playing school at akin

35、dergarten. From all over the house the women were murmuring theirdelight, and the men were laughing and pulling their mustaches and nudging each other to look at the littlest one.The girlshe wings were rapturousheir enthusiasm, and werecalling her absurdly extravagant titles of endearment, and makin

36、g so muchnoiset Kripps stopped grinning at her from the entrance, and lookedback over his shoulder as he looked when he threatened fines and calls forearly rehearsal. And when she had finished finally, and the primaand the children ran off together, there was a roar from the housenat wentto Lesters

37、head like wine, and seemed to leap clear across the footlightsand drag the children back again.t settles it! cried Lester, in a suppressed roar of triumph. I knewt child would catch them.There were four encores, and then the children and Elise Broughten,the pretty primana, came off jubilant and happ

38、y, with the Littlest Girls6SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEarms full of flowers, which the managemend with kindly forethoughtprepared for the primana, but whicht delightful youngandthe delighted leader of the orchestra hassed over to the little girl.Well, gasped Miss Broughten, as she came up to Van Bibber

39、laughing, and with one hanher side and breathing very quickly, willyou kindlyl me who is the leading woman now? Am I the primana,or am I not? I wasnt in it, was I? You were not, said Van Bibber.He turned from the pretty primana andted up the wardrobewoman, and told her he wanted to meet the Littlest

40、 Girl. And the wardrobewoman, who was fluttering wildly about, and as delighted as though theywere all her own children, told him to comeo the property-room, wherethe children were, and which had been changedo a dressing-roomtesthey might be by themselves. The six little girls were in six different

41、sof dishabille, but they were too little to mindpolite to observe it.t, and Van Bibber was tooThis is the little girl, sir, said the wardrobe woman, excitedly, proudat being the means of bringing together two such prominent people. Hername is Madeline. Speak to twhat a great big hit youse made.tlema

42、n, Madeline; he wants tol youThe little girl was seateone of the cushions of a double throne sohigh from the groundt the young woman who was pulling off thechilds silk stockings and putting woollen ones onheir place did sowithout stoo. The young woman looked at Van Bibber and noddedsomewhat doubtful

43、ly and ungraciously, and Van Bibber turned to the littlegirl in preference. The young womans face was one of a typefamiliar to be pleasant.t was tooHe took the Littlest Girls small hand in his and shook it solemnly, and said, I am very glad to know you. Can I sit up here beside you, or do you rule a

44、lone?Yes, maam-yes, sir, answered the little girl.Van Bibbut his hands on the arms of the throne and vaulted upbeside the girl, and pulled out the flower in his button-hole and gave it toher.7SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFENow, prompted the wardrobe woman, what do you say to thegentleman?nk you, sir, stam

45、mered the little girl.She is not much used to gentlemens society, explained the woman who was pulling on the stockings.I see, said Van Bibber. He did not know exactly what to say next.And yet he wanted to talk to the child very much, so muoren hegenerally wanted to talk to most young women, who show

46、ed no hesiionalking to him. With them he had no difficulty whatsoever. There was adoll lying on the top of a chest near them, and hsurveyed it critically. Is this your doll? he asked.cked this up andNo, said Madeline, poing to one of the children, who was muchtallern herself; its at ittle durls. My

47、doll hes dead.Dear me! said Van Bibber. He made a mental note to get a live onehe morning, and then he said: to life.ts very sad. But dead dolls do comeThe little girl looked up at him, and surveyed himently andcritically, and then sd, with the dimples showing, as much as to sayt she understood him

48、and approved of him entirely. Van Bibber answered this sign language by taking Madelines hand in his and askingher how she liked being a gretress, and how soond begostorm becauseT photographer hadnt the proofs. The youngat it, but Madeline yawned awoman understood this, and deigned to svery polite a

49、nd sleepy yawn, and closed her eyes. Van Bibber moved upcloser, and she leaned over until her bare shoulder touched his arm, andwhile the woman buttoneher absurdly small shoes, she let her curlyhead fall on his elbow and rest there. Any number of people had shownconfidence in Van Bibber-nothat form

50、exactly, buthe same spirit-and though he was used to being trusted, he felt a sharp thrill of pleasure atthe touch of the childs heahis arm, andhe warm clasp of herfingers around his. And he was conscious of a keen sense of pity andsorrow for her rising in him, which he crushed by thinkingt it wasen

51、tirely wasted, andhappy.t the child was probably perfectly and ignorantly8SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFELook att, now, said the wardrobe woman, catching sight of the childs closed eyelids; just look at the rest of the little dears, alltexcited they cant stand still to get their hats on, and she just asun

52、concerned as you please, and after making the hit of thece, too.Shes not used to it, you see, said the young woman, knowingly; shet know what it means. Its justt much play to her.This last was said wiquestioning glance at Van Bibber, in whomshe still feared to find the disguised agent of a Childrens

53、 Aid Society. VanBibber only nodded in reply, and did not answer her, because he found hecould not very well, for he was looking a long wayahead at what the e, and thinking ofthe beauty of herfuture was to bring to the confiding litteing at hit would marthe evil knowledge and tempionsqualy st face,

54、and its strange mark of gentleness andrefinement. of his newhrough theOutside he could hear his friend Lester shouting the refraintopical song, and the laughter and the hand-clapwings and open door, broken but tumultuous.cameDoes she come of profesal people? Van Bibber asked, dropo the vernacular. H

55、e spoke softly, not so mucht he might not disturbthe child, butt she might not understand what he said.Yes, the woman answered, shortly, and bent her head to smooth outthe childs stage dress across her knees.Van Bibber touched the little girls head with his hand and foundtshe was asleep, and so let

56、his hand rest there, with the curls betn hisfingers. Are-are you her mother? he asked, wislight inclination ofhis head. He felt quite confident she was not;east, he hoped not.The woman shook her head. No, she said. Who is her mother?The woman looked at the sleng child and then up at him almostdefian

57、tly. Ida Clare was her mother, she said.Van Bibbers protecting hand left the child addenly as thoughsomething had burned it, and he drew back so quicklyt her headslipped from his arm, and she awoke and raised her eyes and looked up athim questioningly. He looked back at her wiglance of the strangest

58、concern and of the deepest pity. Then he stooped and drew her towards9SODES IN VAN BIBBERS LIFEhim very tenderly, put her head backhe corner of his arm, and watchedher in silence while she sd drowsily and went to sleep again.And who takes care of her now? he asked.The woman straightened herself and

59、seemed reved. She sawt thetstranger had recognized the childs pedigree and knew her story, andhe was not going to comment on it. I do, she said. After the divorce Idacame to me, she said, speaking more freely. I used to be in her companywhen she wasng Aladdin, and then when I left the stage and star

60、ted tokeep an actors boarding-house, she came to me. She livewith us ayear, until she died, and she made me the guardian of the child. I train children for the stage, you know, me and my sister, Ada Dyer; youve heard of her, I guess. The courts pay us for her keep, but it isnt much, andIm expecting