11-7 传统的法国人

The French Are Traditionalists

The French are at heart traditionalists. Though they dearly love revolutions, pulling everything down and starting from scratch, they disapprove 1 of shifts in behaviour. Everything must be done comme il faut (properly), an expression that applies equally to getting married and getting drunk, stuffing1 a duck and filling in a form, addressing an envelope and addressing a teacher. There is an established order of things, and the order was established by the French.

The desire to maintain standards is best seen on any holiday in the summer. Where the Spanish, the Italians, the British, and even the Germans, relax sufficiently 2 to let a little stubble2 grow, or mealtimes become irregular, or dress become bizarre and ill coordinated 3, the French behave as though they were still under the microscope of real life.

French men and women take two hours over their morning toilette3. Watch any Frenchman at a campsite4 in the summer and see how long he spends shaving, trimming his moustache, and on general ablutions5. By the time he has finished, it is the hour of the apéritif 4.

Wives cook three course luncheons6 which they serve to their husbands in the sweltering7 heat at little tables with linen 6 napkins and polished cutlery8. The white wine stands in an ice bucket; the red wine is chambré in the tent. Everything is correct the bread, the cheese, the sauce.

Monsieur eats greedily. Madame stands behind him, and a little to the side, nodding happily. She will do the washing up immediately the meal is finished. All will neat and tidy before any other activity is even considered. Meanwhile, all over the rest of the campsite, foreigners are dropping food out of their hands, their mouths, their pockets.

注释：

1. stuff [stQf] vt. 把填料（或佐料等）塞入（鸡、鸭、鱼等），给……装馅

2. stubble [5stQbl] n. 发茬，须茬

3. toilette [twB:5let] n. 梳妆，打扮

4. campsite [kAmp5sait] n. （野）营地

5. ablution [E5blu:FEn] n. [常作～s]沐浴，洗澡

6. luncheon 5 [5lQntFEn] n. 午餐

7. sweltering [5sweltEriN] a.（天气、季节）闷热的，热得难受的

8. cutlery [5kQtlEri] n. [总称]（刀、叉、匙等）餐具

传统的法国人

法国人骨子里是传统主义者。虽然他们深爱革命，喜欢推翻一切之后从头再来，但他们却不赞同任何不符合规矩的行为。事事都要按规矩办，结婚、醉酒是这样，填鸭、填表是这样，书写信封、称呼老师也是这样。事情都有既定的规矩，而这些规矩是由法国人自己定的。

　　夏天度假时最能看出法国人要保持规范的愿望了。当西班牙人、意大利人、英国人、甚至德国人都在充分放松的时候，比如让胡须茬子多长一点呀，就餐时间变得不规律呀，衣服也穿得希奇古怪或者不配套的时候，法国人却一如既往像平常一样地过，仿佛有显微镜在检验着他们的一举一动。

　　法国人，男人也好女人也好，早上要花两个小时梳洗打扮。在夏天的营地，随便找一位法国男士，看看他剃须、修髭、沐浴花多少时间。待他做完这一切，就到喝开胃酒的时候了。

　　在闷热的天气里，妻子们做好三道菜的午餐，放在小桌上供她们的丈夫食用。小桌上放好了亚麻餐巾和擦得锃亮的餐具。白葡萄酒搁在冰桶里；而红葡萄酒则应存放在室温中。面包、奶酪、调味汁——一切都符合规矩。

先生大吃大喝，太太站在他身后靠边一点的地方愉快地点着头。饭一吃完她就立即去洗刷餐具。不把一切收拾得干净整齐是决不考虑其他任何活动的。而与此同时，在营地所有其他的地方，其他国家人的食物正从他们的手里、嘴里、口袋里掉到地上。