第 36 节
作者:痛罚      更新:2024-04-07 11:54      字数:9322
  International Council of Women that year; as the
  climax of her career。  She said it after the unex…
  pected and wonderful ovation she had received from
  the German people; and certainly throughout her
  inspiring life nothing had happened that moved her
  more deeply。
  For some time Mrs。 Carrie Chapman Catt; of
  whose splendid work for the Cause I shall later have
  more to say; had cherished the plan of forming an
  International Suffrage Alliance。  She believed the
  time had come when the suffragists of the entire
  world could meet to their common benefit; and Miss
  Anthony; always Mrs。 Catt's devoted friend and ad…
  mirer; agreed with her。  A committee was appointed
  to meet in Berlin in 1904; just before the meeting
  of the International Council of Women; and Miss
  Anthony was appointed chairman of the committee。
  At first the plan of the committee was not welcomed
  by the International Council; there was even a sus…
  picion that its purpose was to start a rival organiza…
  tion。  But it met; a constitution was framed; and
  officers were elected; Mrs。 Cattthe ideal choice
  for the placebeing made president。  As a climax
  to the organization; a great public mass…meeting had
  been arranged by the German suffragists; but at the
  special plea of the president of the International
  Council Miss Anthony remained away from this
  meeting。  It was represented to her that the in…
  terests of the Council might suffer if she and other
  of its leading speakers were also leaders in the suf…
  frage movement。  In the interest of harmony; there
  fore; she followed the wishes of the Council's presi…
  dentto my great unhappiness and to that of other
  suffragists。
  When the meeting was opened the first words of
  the presiding officer were; ‘‘Where is Susan B。 An…
  thony?'' and the demonstration that followed the
  question was the most unexpected and overwhelm…
  ing incident of the gathering。  The entire audience
  rose; men jumped on their chairs; and the cheering
  continued without a break for ten minutes。  Every
  second of that time I seemed to see Miss Anthony;
  alone in her hotel room; longing with all her big
  heart to be with us; as we longed to have her。  I
  prayed that the loss of a tribute which would have
  meant so much might be made up to her; and it was。
  Afterward; when we burst in upon her and told her
  of the great demonstration the mere mention of her
  name had caused; her lips quivered and her brave
  old eyes filled with tears。  As we looked at her I
  think we all realized anew that what the world called
  stoicism in Susan B。 Anthony throughout the years
  of her long struggle had been; instead; the splendid
  courage of an indomitable soulwhile all the time
  the woman's heart had longed for affection and
  recognition。  The next morning the leading Berlin
  newspaper; in reporting the debate and describing
  the spontaneous tribute to Miss Anthony; closed
  with these sentences:  ‘‘The Americans call her
  ‘Aunt Susan。'  She is our ‘Aunt Susan;' too!''
  Throughout the remainder of Miss Anthony's
  visit she was the most honored figure at the Inter…
  national Council。  Every time she entered the great
  convention…hall the entire audience rose and re…
  mained standing until she was seated; each mention
  of her name was punctuated by cheers; and the en…
  thusiasm when she appeared on the platform to say
  a few words was beyond bounds。  When the Em…
  press of Germany gave her reception to the officers
  of the Council; she crowned the hospitality of her
  people in a characteristically gracious way。  As soon
  as Miss Anthony was presented to her the Empress
  invited her to be seated; and to remain seated; al…
  though every one else; including the august lady
  herself; was standing。  A little later; seeing the in…
  trepid warrior of eighty…four on her feet with the
  other delegates; the Empress sent one of her aides
  across the room with this message:  ‘‘Please tell my
  friend Miss Anthony that I especially wish her to
  be seated。  We must not let her grow weary。''
  In her turn; Miss Anthony was fascinated by the
  Empress。  She could not keep her eyes off that
  charming royal lady。  Probably the thing that most
  impressed her was the ability of her Majesty as a
  linguist。  Receiving women from every civilized
  country on the globe; the Empress seemed to address
  each in her own tongue…slipping from one language
  into the next as easily as from one topic to another。
  ‘‘And here I am;'' mourned ‘‘Aunt Susan;'' ‘‘speak…
  ing only one language; and that not very well。''
  At this Berlin quinquennial; by the way; I preached
  the Council sermon; and the occasion gained a cer…
  tain interest from the fact that I was the first or…
  dained woman to preach in a church in Germany。
  It then took on a tinge of humor from the additional
  fact that; according to the German law; as suddenly
  revealed to us by the police; no clergyman was per…
  mitted to preach unless clothed in clerical robes in
  the pulpit。  It happened that I had not taken my
  clerical robes with meI am constantly forgetting
  those clerical robes!so the pastor of the church
  kindly offered me his robes。
  Now the pastor was six feet tall and broad in pro…
  portion; and I; as I have already confessed; am very
  short。  His robes transformed me into such an absurd
  caricature of a preacher that it was quite impossible
  for me to wear them。  What; then; were we to do?
  Lacking clerical robes; the police would not allow
  me to utter six words。  It was finally decided that
  the clergyman should meet the letter of the law by
  entering the pulpit in his robes and standing by my
  side while I delivered my sermon。  The law soberly
  accepted this solution of the problem; and we offered
  the congregation the extraordinary tableau of a
  pulpit combining a large and impressive pastor
  standing silently beside a small and inwardly con…
  vulsed woman who had all she could do to deliver
  her sermon with the solemnity the occasion re…
  quired。
  At this same conference I made one of the few
  friendships I enjoy with a member of a European
  royal family; for I met the Princess Blank of Italy;
  who overwhelmed me with attention during my visit;
  and from whom I still receive charming letters。  She
  invited me to visit her in her castle in Italy; and to
  accompany her to her mother's castle in Austria;
  and she finally insisted on knowing exactly why I
  persistently refused both invitations。
  ‘‘Because; my dear Princess;'' I explained; ‘‘I am
  a working…woman。''
  ‘‘Nobody need KNOW that;'' murmured the Princess;
  calmly。
  ‘‘On the contrary;'' I assured her; ‘‘it is the first
  thing I should explain。''
  ‘‘But why?'' the Princess wanted to know。
  I studied her in silence for a moment。  She was a
  new and interesting type to me; and I was glad to
  exchange viewpoints with her。
  ‘‘You are proud of your family; are you not?'' I
  asked。  ‘‘You are proud of your great line?''
  The Princess drew herself up。  ‘‘Assuredly;'' she
  said。
  ‘‘Very well;'' I continued。  ‘‘I am proud; too。
  What I have done I have done unaided; and; to be
  frank with you; I rather approve of it。  My work
  is my patent of nobility; and I am not willing to
  associate with those from whom it would have to be
  concealed or with those who would look down upon
  it。''
  The Princess sighed。  I was a new type to her;
  too; as new as she was to me; but I had the ad…
  vantage of her; for I could understand her point of
  view; whereas she apparently could not follow mine。
  She was very gracious to me; however; showing me
  kindness and friendship in a dozen ways; giving me
  an immense amount of her time and taking rather
  more of my time than I could spare; but never for…
  getting for a moment that her blood was among the
  oldest in Europe; and that all her traditions were in
  keeping with its honorable age。
  After the Berlin meeting Miss Anthony and I
  were invited to spend a week…end at the home of
  Mrs。 Jacob Bright; that ‘‘Aunt Susan'' might re…
  new her acquaintance with Annie Besant。  This
  visit is among my most vivid memories。  Originally
  ‘‘Aunt Susan'' had greatly admired Mrs。 Besant;
  and had openly lamented the latter's concentration
  on theosophical interestswhen; as Miss Anthony
  put it; ‘‘there are so many live problems here in this
  world。''  Now she could not conceal her disapproval
  of the ‘‘other…worldliness'' of Mrs。 Besant; Mrs。
  Bright; and her daughter。  Some remarkable and;
  to me; most amusing discussions took place among
  the three; but often; during Mrs。 Besant's most sus…
  tained oratorical flights; Miss Anthony's interest
  would wander; and she would drop a remark that
  showed she had not heard a word。  She had a great
  admiration for Mrs。 Besant's intellect; but she dis…
  approved of her flowing and picturesque white robes;
  of her bare feet; of her incessant cigarette…smoking;
  above all; of her views。  At las