Unveiling a Parallel: A Romance Read online

  Chapter 2.

  A WOMAN.

  "Her face so fair, as flesh it seemed not, But heavenly portrait of bright angels hew, Clear as the skye withouten blame or blot, Through goodly mixture of complexion's dew; And in her cheeks the vermeil red did shew Like roses in a bed of lillies shed. * * * * * In her faire eyes two living lamps did flame." --SPENSER.

  Thus far, I had seen no women. I was curious on this point, and I wasnot kept long in suspense. Late in the afternoon of the day followingmy arrival, Severnius and I went out to walk about the grounds, andwere returning through an avenue of eucalyptus trees,--of a varietymore wide-spreading in their branches than any I have seen in ourcountry,--when a person alighted from a carriage in the _portecochere_ and, instead of entering the house, came to meet us. It was awoman. Though it was not left to her dress, nor her stature,--she wasnearly as tall as myself,--to proclaim that fact; her grace andcarriage would have determined her sex, if her beautiful face had not.She advanced swiftly, with long, free steps. Her white dress, similarin cut and style to ours, was relieved only by a girdle studded withgems. She carried a little white parasol with a gold fringe, and woreno head-gear to crush down her beautifully massed hair.

  I felt myself growing red under her lively gaze, and attributed it tomy clothes. I was not accustomed to them yet, and I felt as you wouldto appear before a beautiful woman in your night shirt. Especially ifyou fancied you saw something in her eyes which made you suspect thatshe thought you cut a ludicrous figure. Of course that was myimagination, my apparel, in her eyes, must have been correct, since itwas selected from among his best by my new friend, who wasunmistakably a man of taste.

  Her face, which was indescribably lovely, was also keenlyintelligent,--that sort of intelligence which lets nothing escape,which is as quick to grasp a humorous situation as a sublime truth. Itwas a face of power and of passion,--of, I might say, manlyself-restraint,--but yet so soft!

  I now observed for the first time the effect of the pinkish atmosphereon the complexion. You have seen ladies in a room where the light camethrough crimson hangings or glass stained red. So it was here.

  Severnius smiled, spoke, and gave her his hand. The glance theybestowed upon each other established their relationship in my mindinstantly. I had seen that glance a thousand times, without suspectingit had ever made so strong an impression upon me that in a case likethis I should accept its evidence without other testimony. They werebrother and sister. I was glad of that, for the reason, I suppose,that every unmarried man is glad to find a beautiful womanunmarried,--there are seductive possibilities in the situation.

  Severnius did his best to introduce us. He called her Elodia. Ilearned afterwards that ladies and gentlemen in that country have noperfunctory titles, like Mrs., or Mr., they support their dignitywithout that. It would have seemed belittling to say "Miss" Elodia.

  I had a feeling that she did not attach much importance to me, thatshe was half amused at the idea of me; a peculiar tilting-up of hereyebrows told me so, and I was piqued. It seemed unfair that, simplybecause she could not account for me, she should set me down asinferior, or impossible, or ridiculous, whichever was in her mind. Sheregarded me as I have sometimes regarded un-English foreigners in thestreets of New York.

  She indulged her curiosity about me only for a moment, asking a fewquestions I inferred, and then passed me over as though she had moreweighty matters in hand. I knew, later on, that she waived me as atopic of conversation when her brother insisted upon talking about me,saying half impatiently, "Wait till he can talk and explain himself,Severnius,--since you say he is going to learn our speech."

  I studied her with deep interest as we walked along, and no movementor accent of hers was lost upon me. Once she raised her hand--her widesleeve slipped back and bared a lovely arm--to break off a longscimeter-shaped leaf from a bough overhead. Quicker than thought Isprang at the bough and snapped off the leaf in advance of her, andpresented it with a low obeisance. She drew herself up with a look ofindignant surprise, but instantly relented as though to a person whoseeccentricities, for some reason or other, might better be excused. Shedid not, however, take the leaf,--it fluttered to the ground.

  She was not like any other woman,--any woman I had ever seen before.You could not accuse her of hauteur, yet she bore herself like a royalpersonage, though with no suggestion of affecting that sort of an air.You had to take her as seriously as you would the Czar. I saw this inher brother's attitude toward her. There was none of thatcondescension in his manner that there often is in our manner towardthe women of our households. I began to wonder whether she might notbe the queen of the realm! But she was not. She was simply a privatecitizen.

  She sat at the dinner table with us, and divided the honors equallywith Severnius.

  I wish I could give you an idea of that dinner,--the dining-room, theservice, the whole thing! It surpassed my finest conceptions of tasteand elegance.

  We sat down not merely to eat,--though I was hungry enough!--but toenjoy ourselves in other ways.

  There was everything for the eye to delight in. The room was rich inartistic decorations upon which the rarest talent must have beenemployed. The table arrangements were superb; gold and silver,crystal, fine china, embroidered linen, flowers. And the food, servedin many courses, was a happy combination of the substantial and thedelicate. There was music--not too near--of a bright and livelycharacter. Music enters largely into the life of these people. Itseemed to me that something beat time to almost everything we did.

  The conversation carried on between the brother and sister--in which Icould take no more part than a deaf-mute--was, I felt sure, extremelyentertaining if not important. My eyes served me well,--for one senseis quick to assume the burdens of another,--and I knew that the talkwas not mere banter, nor was it simply the necessary exchange of wordsand opinions about everyday matters which must take place in familiesperiodically, concerning fuel, and provisions, and servants, andwater-tax, and the like. It took a much higher range. The faces ofboth were animated, their eyes beamed brightly upon each other. It wasclear that the brother did not talk down to her understanding, ratherhe talked up to it,--or no, they were on a level with each other, thehighest level of both, for they held each other up to their best.However, Elodia had been away for a couple of days, I learned, andabsence gives a bloom of newness which it is delightful to brush off.

  I did not detect any of the quality we call chivalry in Severnius'pose, nor of its complement in hers. Though one would hardly expectthat between brothers and sisters anywhere. Still, we have a way withour near women relations which never ignores the distinction betweenthe sexes; we humor them, patronize them, tyrannize over them. Andthey defer to, and exalt us, and usually acknowledge our superiority.

  It was not so with this pair. They respected and honored each otherequally. And there was a charming _camaraderie_ between them, the sameas if they had both been men--or women, if you single out the rightkind.

  They held widely different opinions upon many subjects, but they nevercrowded them upon each other. Their tastes were dissimilar. For onething, Elodia had not her brother's fine religious sense. She seldomentered the sanctuary, though once or twice I saw her there, seatedfar apart from Severnius and myself.

  Stimulated by the hope of some day being able to talk with her, and ofconvincing her that I was a person not altogether beneath herintelligence, I devoted myself, mind and soul, to the Paleverianlanguage. In six weeks I could read and write it fairly well.

  Severnius was untiring in his teaching; and every day strengthened myregard for him as a man. He was an accomplished scholar, and he was asclean-souled as a child,--but not weakly or ignorantly so. He knewevil as well as good; but he renounced the one and accepted the other.He was a man "appointed by Almighty God to stand for a fact." And Inever knew him to weaken his position by defending it. Often we spenthours in the observatory together. It was a glorious thing
to me towatch the splendid fleet of asteroids sailing between Jupiter andMars, and to single out the variously colored moons of Jupiter, and todistinguish with extraordinary clearness a thousand other wonders butdimly seen from the Earth.

  Even to study the moons of Mars, the lesser one whirling round theplanet with such astonishing velocity, was a world of entertainment tome.

  I had begged Severnius not to ask me to see any visitors at all untilI could acquit myself creditably in conversation. He agreed, and Isaw no one. I believe that in those weeks of quiet study, observation,and close companionship of one noble man, my soul was cleared of muchdross. I lived with books, Severnius, and the stars.

  At last, I no longer feared to trust myself to speak, even to Elodia.It was a great surprise to her, and evidently a pleasure too.

  My first brilliant attempt was at the dinner table. Severnius adroitlydrew me into a conversation about our world. Elodia turned herdelightful gaze upon me so frankly and approvingly that I felt myselfblushing like a boy whom his pretty Sabbath-school teacher praiseswith her smile when he says his text.

  Up to that time, although she had been polite to me,--so entirelypolite that I never for a moment felt myself an intruder in herhome,--she apparently took no great interest in me. But now shevoluntarily addressed me whenever we met, and took pains to draw meout.

  Once she glanced at a book I was reading, a rather heavy work, andsmiled.

  "You have made astonishing progress," she said.

  "I have had the best of instructors," I replied.

  "Ah, yes; Severnius has great patience. And besides, he likes you. Andthen of course he is not wholly disinterested, he wants to hear aboutyour planet."

  "And do you?" I asked foolishly. I wanted somehow to get theconversation to running in a personal channel.

  "O, of course," she returned indifferently, "though I am not anastronomer. I should like to hear something about your people."

  I took that cue joyfully, and soon we were on very sociable terms witheach other. She listened to my stories and descriptions with a mostflattering interest, and I soon found myself worshiping her as agoddess. Yes, as a goddess, not a woman. Her entire lack of coquetryprevented me from making love to her, or would have prevented me if Ihad dared to have such a thought. If there could have been anythingtender between us, I think she must have made the advances. But thisis foolish. I am merely trying to give you some idea of the kind ofwoman she was. But I know that I cannot do that; the quality of awoman must be felt to be understood.

  There was a great deal of social gayety in Thursia. We went outfrequently, to opera, to concert, and to crowded gatherings insplendid homes. I observed that Elodia immediately became the centreof interest wherever she appeared. She gave fresh zest to everyamusement or conversation. She seemed to dignify with her presencewhatever happened to be going on, and made it worth while. Not thatshe distinguished herself in speech or act; she had the effect ofbeing infinitely greater than anything she did or said and one wasalways looking out for manifestations of that. She kept one's interestin her up to the highest pitch. I often asked myself, "Why is it thatwe are always looking at her with a kind of inquiry in ourglances?--what is it that we expect her to do?"

  It was a great part of her charm that she was not _blase_. She wasfull of interest in all about her, she was keenly and delightfullyalive. Her manners were perfect, and yet she seemed careless ofetiquette and conventions. Her good manners were a part of herself, asher regal carriage was.

  It was her unvarying habit, almost, to spend several hours down townevery day. I ventured to ask Severnius wherefore.

  He replied that she had large business interests, and looked carefullyafter them herself.

  I expressed astonishment, and Severnius was equally surprised at me. Iquestioned him and he explained.

  "My father was a banker," he said, "and very rich. My sister inheritedhis gift and taste for finance. I took after my mother's family, whowere scientists. We were trained, of course, in our early yearsaccording to our respective talents. At our parents' death weinherited their fortune in equal shares. Elodia was prepared to takeup my father's business where he left it. In fact he had associatedher with himself in the business for some time previous to hisdeparture, and she has carried it on very successfully ever since."

  "She is a banker!" said I.

  "Yes. I, myself, have always had a liking for astronomy, and I havebeen employed, ever since I finished my education, in the StateObservatory."

  "And how do you employ your capital?" I asked.

  "Elodia manages it for me. It is all in the bank, or in investmentswhich she makes. I use my dividends largely in the interest ofscience. The State does a great deal in that direction, but notenough."

  "And what, may I ask, does she do with her surplus,--your sister, Imean,--she must make a great deal of money?"

  "She re-invests it. She has a speculative tendency, and is ratherdaring; though they tell me she is very safe--far-sighted, orlarge-sighted, I should call it. I do not know how many greatenterprises she is connected with,--railroads, lines of steamers,mining and manufacturing operations. And besides, she ispublic-spirited. She is much interested in the cause ofeducation,--practical education for the poor especially. She ispresident of the school board here in the city, and she is also amember of the city council. A great many of our modern improvementsare due to her efforts."

  My look of amazement arrested his attention.

  "Why are you so surprised?" he asked. "Do not your women engage inbusiness?"

  "Well, not to such an extraordinary degree," I replied. "We have womenwho work in various ways, but there are very few of them who havelarge business interests, and they are not entrusted with importantpublic affairs, such as municipal government and the management ofschools!"

  "Oh!" returned Severnius with the note of one who does not quiteunderstand. "Would you mind telling me why? Is it because they areincapable, or--unreliable?"

  Neither of the words he chose struck me pleasantly as applied to mycountrywomen. I remembered that I was the sole representative of theEarth on Mars, and that it stood me in hand to be careful about thesort of impressions I gave out. It was as if I were on the witness'stand, under oath. Facts must tell the story, not opinions,--thoughpersonally I have great confidence in my opinions. I thought of ourgovernment departments where women are the experts, and of theiralmost spotless record for faithfulness and honesty, and replied:

  "They are both capable and reliable, in as far as they have hadexperience. But their chances have been circumscribed, and I believethey lack the inclination to assume grave public duties. I fear Icannot make you understand,--our women are so different, so unlikeyour sister."

  Elodia was always my standard of comparison.

  "Perhaps you men take care of them all," suggested Severnius, "andthey have grown dependent. We have some such women here."

  "No, I do not think it is that entirely," said I. "For in my cityalone, more than a hundred and seventy thousand women support notonly themselves, but others who are dependent upon them."

  "Ah, indeed! but how?"

  "By work."

  "You mean servants?"

  "Not so-called. I mean intelligent, selfrespecting women; teachers,clerks, stenographers, type-writers."

  "I should think it would be more agreeable, and easier, for them toengage in business as our women do."

  "No doubt it would," I replied, feeling myself driven to a closescrutiny of the Woman Question, as we call it, for the first time inmy life. For I saw that my friend was deeply interested and wanted toget at the literal truth. "But the women of my country," I went on,"the self-supporting ones, do not have control of money. They have ahorror of speculation, and shrink from taking risks and makingventures, the failure of which would mean loss or ruin to others. Awoman's right to make her living is restricted to the powers withinherself, powers of brain and hand. She is a beginner, you know. Shehas not yet learned to make money by the labor of others; she
doesnot know how to manipulate those who are less intelligent and lesscapable than herself, and to turn their ignorance and helplessness toher own account. Perhaps I had better add that she is more religiousthan man, and is sustained in this seeming injustice by something shecalls conscience."

  Severnius was silent for a moment; he had a habit of setting hisreason to work and searching out explanations in his own mind, ofthings not easily understood.

  As a rule, the Marsians have not only very highly developed physicalfaculties, such as sight and hearing, but remarkably acute intellects.They let no statement pass without examination, and they scrutinizefacts closely and seek for causes.

  "If so many women," said he, "are obliged to support themselves andothers beside, as you say, by their work simply, they must receiveprincely wages,--and of course they have no responsibilities, which isa great saving of energy."

  I remembered having heard it stated that in New York City, the UnitedStates Bureau gives the average of women's wages--leaving outdomestic service and unskilled labor--as five dollars and eighty-fivecents per week. I mentioned the fact, and Severnius looked aghast.

  "What, a mere pittance!" said he. "Only about a third as much as Igive my stableman. But then the conditions are different, no doubt.Here in Thursia that would no more than fight off the wolf, as wesay,--the hunger and cold. It would afford no taste of the betterthings, freedom, leisure, recreation, but would reduce life to itslowest terms,--mere existence."

  "I fear the conditions are much the same with us," I replied.

  "And do your women submit to such conditions,--do they not try toalter them, throw them off?"

  "They submit, of course," I said; "I never heard of a revolt or aninsurrection among them! Though there seems to be growing up amongthem, lately, a determination strong as death, to work out of thoseconditions as fast as may be. They realize--just as men have beenforced to realize in this century--that work of the hands cannotcompete with work of machines, and that trained brains are bettercapital than trained fingers. So, slowly but surely, they are reachingup to the higher callings and working into places of honor and trust.The odds are against them, because the 'ins' always have a tremendousadvantage over the 'outs.' The women, having never been in, mustsubmit to a rigid examination and extraordinary tests. They know that,and they are rising to it. Whenever, it is said, they come intocompetition with men, in our colleges and training schools, they holdtheir own and more."

  "What are they fitting for?" asked Severnius.

  "Largely for the professions. They are becoming doctors, lawyers,editors, artists, writers. The enormous systems of public schools inmy own and other countries is entirely in their hands,--except ofcourse in the management and directorship."

  "Except in the management and directorship?" echoed Severnius.

  "Of course they do not provide and disburse the funds, see to thebuilding of school-houses, and dictate the policy of the schools!" Iretorted. "But they teach them; you can hardly find a male teacherexcept at the head of a school,--to keep the faculty in order."

  Severnius refrained from comment upon this, seeing, I suppose, that Iwas getting a little impatient. He walked along with his head down. Ithink I neglected to say that we were taking a long tramp into thecountry, as we often did. In order to change the conversation, I askedhim what sort of a government they had in Paleveria, and was delightedwhen he replied that it was a free republic.

  "My country is a republic also," I said, proudly.

  "We both have much to be thankful for," he answered. "A republic isthe only natural government in the world, and man cannot get abovenature."

  I thought this remark rather singular,--at variance with progress andhigh civilization. But I let it pass, thinking to take it up at somefuture time.

  "How do you vote here?" I asked. "What are your qualifications andrestrictions?"

  "Briefly told," he replied. "Every citizen may vote on all publicquestions, and in all elections."

  "But what constitutes citizenship?"

  "A native-born is a citizen when he or she reaches maturity.Foreigners are treated as minors until they have lived as long underthe government as it takes for a child to come of age. It is thus," headded, facetiously, "that we punish people for presuming to be bornoutside our happy country."

  "Excuse me," I said, "but do I understand you to say that your womenhave the right of suffrage?"

  "Assuredly. Do not yours?"

  "Indeed no!" I replied, the masculine instinct of superiority swellingwithin me.

  Severnius wears spectacles. He adjusted them carefully on his nose andlooked at me.

  "But did you not tell me just now that your country is a republic?"

  "It is, but we do not hold that women are our political equals," Ianswered.

  His face was an exclamation and interrogation point fused into one.

  "Indeed! and how do you manage it,--how, for instance, can you preventthem from voting?"

  "O, they don't often try it," I said, laughing. "When they do, wesimply throw their ballots out of the count."

  "Is it possible! That seems to me a great unfairness. However, it canbe accounted for, I suppose, from the fact that things are sodifferent on the Earth to what they are here. Our government, you see,rests upon a system of taxation. We tax all property to defraygovernmental expenses, and for many other purposes tending toward thegeneral good; which makes it necessary that all our citizens shallhave a voice in our political economy. But you say your women have noproperty, and so--"

  "I beg your pardon!" I interposed; "I did not say that. We have agreat many very rich women,--women whose husbands or fathers have leftthem fortunes."

  "Then they of course have a vote?"

  "They do not. You can't make a distinction like that."

  "No? But you exempt their property, perhaps?"

  "Of course not."

  "Do you tell me that you tax property, to whatever amount, and forwhatever purpose, you choose, without allowing the owner herfractional right to decide about either the one or the other?"

  "Their interests are identical with ours," I replied, "so what is thedifference? We men manage the government business, and I fancy we doit sufficiently well."

  I expanded my chest after this remark, and Severnius simply looked atme. I think that at that moment I suffered vicariously in his scornfulregard for all my countrymen.

  I did not like the Socratic method he had adopted in thisconversation, and I turned the tables on him.

  "Do your women hold office, other than in the school board and thecouncil?" I asked.

  "O, yes, fully half our offices are filled by women."

  "And you make no discrimination in the kind of office?"

  "The law makes none; those things adjust themselves. Fitness,equipment, are the only things considered. A woman, the same as a man,is governed by her taste and inclination in the matter ofoffice-holding. Do women never take a hand in state affairs on theEarth?"

  "Yes, in some countries they do,--monarchies. There have been a goodmany women sovereigns. There are a few now."

  "And are they successful rulers?"

  "Some are, some are not."

  "The same as men. That proves that your women are not reallyinferior."

  "Well, I should say not!" I retorted. "Our women are very superior; wetreat them more as princesses than as inferiors,--they are angels."

  I was carried away in the heat of resentment, and knew that what I hadsaid was half cant.

  "I beg your pardon!" said Severnius quickly; "I got a wrongimpression from your statements. I fear I am very stupid. Are they allangels?"

  I gave him a furtive glance and saw that he was in earnest. His browswere drawn together with a puzzled look.

  I had a sudden vision of a scene in Five Points; several groups offrowsled, petticoated beings, laughing, joking, swearing, quarreling,fighting, and drinking beer from dirty mugs.

  "No, not all of them," I replied, smiling. "That was a figure ofspeech. Th
ere are so many classes."

  "Let us confine our discussion to one, then," he returned. "To thewomen who might be of your own family; that will simplify matters. Andnow tell me, please, how this state of things came about, thissubjection of a part of your people. I cannot understand it,--thesesubjects being of your own flesh and blood. I should think it wouldbreed domestic discontent, where some of the members of a family wielda power and enjoy a privilege denied to the others. Fancy my shakinga ballot over Elodia's head!"

  "O, Elodia!" I said, and was immediately conscious that my accent wastraitorous to my countrywomen. I made haste to add,

  "Your sister is--incomparable. She is unusual even here. I have seennone others like her."

  "How do you mean?"

  "I mean that she is as responsible as a man; she is not inconsequent."

  "Are your women inconsequent?"

  "They have been called so, and we think it rather adds to theirattractiveness. You see they have always been relieved ofresponsibility, and I assure you the large majority of them have nodesire to assume it,--I mean in the matter of government andpolitics."

  "Yes?"

  I dislike an interrogative "yes," and I made no reply. Severniusadded,

  "I suppose they have lost the faculty which you say they lack,--thefaculty that makes people responsible,--through disuse. I have seenthe same thing in countries on the other side of our globe, whereraces have been held as slaves for several centuries. They seem tohave no ideas about personal rights, or liberties, as pertaining tothemselves, and no inclination in that direction. It always struck meas being the most pathetic feature of their condition that they andeverybody else accepted it as a matter of course, as they would a lawof nature. In the place of strength and self-assertion there has cometo them a dumb patience, or an unquestioning acquiescence like that ofpeople born blind. Are your women happy?"

  "You should see them!" I exclaimed, with certain ball-room memoriesrushing upon me, and visions of fair faces radiant with the joy ofliving. But these were quickly followed by other pictures, and I feltbound to add, "Of late, a restless spirit has developed in certaincircles,--"

  "The working circles, I suppose," interrupted Severnius. "You spoke ofthe working women getting into the professions."

  "Not those exclusively. Even the women of leisure are not so satisfiedas they used to be. There has been, for a great many years, more orless chaffing about women's rights, but now they are beginning to takethe matter seriously."

  "Ah, they are waking up, perhaps?"

  "Yes, some of them are waking up,--a good many of them. It is a littleridiculous, when one thinks of it, seeing they have no power toenforce their 'rights', and can never attain them except through thecondescension of men. Tell me, Severnius, when did your women wakeup?"

  Severnius smiled. "My dear sir, I think they have never been asleep!"

  We stalked along silently for a time; the subject passed out of mymind, or was driven out by the beauties of the landscape about us. Iwas especially impressed with the magnificence of the trees thathedged every little patch of farm land, and threw their protectingarms around houses and cottages, big and little; and with the manypellucid streams flowing naturally, or divided like strands of silkand guided in new courses, to lave the roots of trees or run throughpasture lands where herds were feeding.

  A tree is something to be proud of in Paleveria, more than a fineresidence; more even than ancient furniture and cracked china. Perhapsbecause the people sit out under their trees a great deal, and theshade of them has protected the heads of many generations, and theyhave become hallowed through sacred memories and traditions. InPaleveria they have tree doctors, whose business it is to ward offdisease, heal wounded or broken boughs, and exterminate destructiveinsects.

  Severnius startled me suddenly with another question:

  "What, may I ask, is your theory of Man's creation?"

  "God made Man, and from one of his ribs fashioned woman," I repliedcatechetically.

  "Ours is different," said he. "It is this: A pair of creatures, maleand female, sprang simultaneously from an enchanted lake in themountain region of a country called Caskia, in the northern part ofthis continent. They were only animals, but they were beautiful andinnocent. God breathed a Soul into them and they were Man and Woman,equals in all things."

  "A charming legend!" said I.

  Later on I learned the full breadth of the meaning of the equality hespoke of. At that time it was impossible for me to comprehend it, andI can only convey it to you in a complete account of my furtherexperiences on that wonderful planet.