Much in his conduct seemed puzzling to me. A stony4 calm, a certain lassitude in his movements,—an enforced pose calculated to conceal5 the internal restlessness which his eyes could not help betraying.
Only when the time to eat came he became all life. Then he stretched his neck aloft, that he might see clearly the dish that was being brought in. His nostrils6 dilated7 as if the sooner to inhale8 the delightful9 aroma10. His mouth made remarkable11 twitching12 movements and his tongue moved over his thin lips with that peculiar13 [Pg 81]rapid movement that one may observe in a woman when she is engaged in animated14 conversation with a man. He became restless, fidgetted nervously15 in his chair, and followed tensely the distribution of the food by his wife, a corpulent, energetic and almost masculine woman, who, very naturally and to his secret distress16, helped her guests first. Finally—much too late to suit him—he received his portion. First he regarded his food with the eye of an expert, turning it from side to side with his knife and fork. Then he cut off a small piece and rolled it about in his mouth with audible clucking and smacking17 of his tongue, let it rest on his tongue awhile, his face the meantime assuming an expression of visionary ecstasy18. It was easy to see that for him eating had become the day’s most important task. During the meal he never stopped talking of the excellence19 of the food, all the while smacking his tongue and lips, and literally20 expounding21 a system of culinary criticism.
When finally, to my great relief, the grace after dinner had been pronounced, I hoped at last to be done with the wearying, unpleasant chatter22 about eating. But this time I had really reckoned without my host.
“What shall we serve our guests to-morrow, my dear?” the gourmand23 inquired of his sterner half.
“To-morrow? The big white goose with the black patch.”
[Pg 82]
“The big white goose with the black patch! Ah! She’ll taste wonderful! You don’t know how childishly happy it makes me. Come, let me show you the white goose with the black patch!”
Resistance was useless. I had to go into the poultry-yard, where my host stopped in front of a well-fed goose. “She’ll make a fine roast! I am greatly pleased with this goose.”
No matter what subject was discussed, political, literary, or economic, the main motif24 kept recurring25: “I love to think of the big white goose with the black patch!”
The meaning of gourmandism26 then suddenly flashed on me. What passions must this man have suppressed, how much must he have renounced27, before his craving28 for pleasure had found new delights in this roundabout way! Behind this monomaniac delight in eating, thought I, there must lurk29 a great secret.
And such was indeed the case. My amiable30 host was really his wife’s prisoner. While he was residing in the capital he had begun to indulge in a perversion31. His vice32 grew on him to such an extent that it threatened to destroy everything, health, fortune, mind, ambition, personality, spirit, everything. There was nothing left for him to do but to tell his wife all and implore33 her assistance in saving him. The virile34 woman soon hit on the only remedy. He became her prisoner. They broke off all relationships that bound them to their social group. Most of the year they spent in the [Pg 83]country and lived in the city only two or three winter months. The time was spent in eating and card playing, to which fully35 half of the day was devoted36. He was never alone. At most he was permitted to take a short walk in the country. His wife had charge of the family treasury37, with which he had nothing to do. Of course, this did not cure his pathological craving, but it made gratification impossible. And gradually there began to develop in him the pleasure for delicate dishes. In this indirect way he satisfied a part of his sensuous38 craving. Thus he transformed his passion. His meals took the place of the hours spent in the embraces of a lover. For him eating was a re-coinage of his sexuality.
Is this an exceptional case, or is this phenomenon the rule? This is the first question that forces itself on our attention. An answer to it would take us into the deeps of the whole sexual problem. But let us limit ourselves for the present only to what is essential for an answer to our immediate39 question. Between hunger and love there is an endless number of associations. The most important is this: both are opposed by one counter-impulse, namely, disgust. Both love and hunger are desires to touch, (to incorporate or to be incorporated with the desired object); disgust is the fear of doing so. Love is accompanied with a counter-impulse, a restraining influence, which we call shame. But this very feeling, [Pg 84]shame, is manifested by certain primitive40 peoples in connection with eating. In Tahiti, says Cook, not even the members of the family eat together, but eat seated several metres apart and with their backs to one another. The Warua, an African tribe, conceal their faces with a cloth while they are drinking. The Bakairi are innocent of any sense of shame in connection with nakedness, but never eat together.
The Viennese psychiatrist41 Freud, the Englishman Havelock Ellis (“The Sexual Impulse”), and the Spanish Sociologist42 Solila, regard the sucking of the breast by an infant as a kind of sexual act which creates permanent associations between hunger and love. And the language we speak has coined certain turns of expression which bring these connections out unmistakably and which have great interest for us as fossilisations of primitive thought processes and as rudiments43 of cannibalism44. Note, for example, the following expressions: “I could bite her”; or, “I love the child so I could eat it up!” But we express even disgust, aversion and hatred45 in terms of eating, e.g., “I can’t stomach the fellow,” or, “he turns my stomach,” “she is not to my taste,” etc.
On the other hand the names of certain dishes reveal connections with other emotional complexes than the pure pleasure of eating. There is an everyday symbolism which we all pass by blindly. Let him who has any interest [Pg 85]in this subject read Rudolph Kleinpaul’s book, “Sprache ohne Worte” (Language without Words). This symbolism plays a much more important r?le than we are wont46 to admit. For it alone is capable of interpreting the puzzling names of the various delicacies47 on the bill of fare. We are cannibals, for we eat “Moors in their ‘Jackets’” (a fine revenge on the tawny48 cannibals!) “poor knights,” “master of the chase,” “apprentice-locksmith,” and many more of the same kind. “Bridal roast” holds an important place in the menus of the whole world. Social inferiority is compensated49 for by numerous royal dishes ... e.g., steak-a-la-king, cutlet-a-la-king, chicken-a-la-king, royal pudding, etc., etc. One who will take the trouble, as Kleinpaul did in his “Gastronomic Fairy-tale,” to follow up these things, will discover many remarkable links with unconscious ideas. We are really hemmed50 in on every side by fairy tales. Every word we speak, every name we utter, has its story. And the many fairy tales in which children are devoured51 by wolves, witches, man-eaters, and sea-monsters, together with the tales in which so much is said about man-eating cannibals, reveal to us a fragment of our pre-historic past in which love and hate actually resulted in persons being eaten. In their na?veté our children betray this very clearly. When the little ones eat maccaroni, noodles, or similar dishes, they often make believe they are eating up somebody.
[Pg 86]
But, “something too much of this.” Let us turn our attention again to the epicures52, the little progeny53 of a great race. It is not difficult to divide them into five classes according to which one of the five senses is being chiefly gratified during the eating process. First, there are the “Voyeurs,” to use the term so aptly coined by the French with reference to a phenomenon in the sexual sphere. They must “see” before they can enjoy. To see is the important thing with them. The dishes must be served neatly54 and must look inviting55. They are the admirers of the many-coloured adornments on patisserie, of torts, cakes, and puddings built in the shape of houses, churches, towers, animals, wedding-bells, etc. They reckon their pleasures by the colour nuances of their foods. Their chief delight is in the fore-pleasure derived56 through the eyes. (This is clearly implied in the popular phrase “a feast for the eyes.”)
Not quite as common are the listeners “who are thrown into a mild ecstasy by the sizzling of a roast, the cracking of dry crumbs58, and the fiz of certain liquids.” Numberless are the “smellers” whose sensitive noses drink in the aroma of the foods as their chief delight, whereas the eating, as such, is performed mechanically, as an unavoidable adjunct. Such persons can revel59 in the memories of a luscious60 dish, and many of their associations are linked with the olfactory61 organ. The pleasure in offensive [Pg 87]odours, such as arise from certain cheeses, garlic, rarebits, and wild game is to some extent a perversion nutritional62 instinct and betrays innate63 relationships to sexual aberrations64, as are unequivocally indicated by certain popular ditties and college songs. The folk-lore of all nations teems65 with hints at such things.
An important group, the fourth, is that of the “toucher.” As we know the tongue of man is the most important of the gustatory organs, even though it has not that primacy and importance which it has in many animals. Such “touchers” derive57 their greatest pleasure from the mere66 touching67 of the food with the tongue. They prefer smooth and slippery foods, e.g., oysters68 which they can suck down, and they love to roll the food around in their mouths. It goes without saying that these persons are also “tasters,” as indeed the majority of eaters are. But for all that, these have their own peculiar traits; whereas the feeling of fullness or satiety69 is to many persons a kind of discomfort70, and a full stomach gives rise to a disagreeably painful sensation, to these “touchers” a full stomach means the most delightful sensation the day has to offer.
Of the “gourmands” (literally “the relishers”) we need not say much. The whole world knows them; to describe them many words and phrases have been coined, e.g., sweet-toothed, cat-toothed, epicures, etc.
As might have been expected, these various [Pg 88]forms are often combined in one person, and your genuine gourmand eats with all his senses. We need only keep our eyes open at a restaurant to observe that most persons show some trace of epicurism71. Very few resist the temptation to follow the platter the waiter is carrying to some table. (Almost every one likes to see what his neighbour is eating.) We may be discussing art, politics, love, or what not, yet watch carefully how much the person serving is taking for himself or dishing out for the others, and how little he is leaving for us. Most of the time in these cases we are the victims of an optical deception72. Our neighbour’s portion always seems bigger than ours. Hunger and envy magnify the other person’s portion and minimise ours. And is it not an everyday experience that we order what our neighbour is eating? “Waiter, what is that you served the man over there? Bring me the same!”
How a person eats always reveals something of his hidden personality. In the case of most human beings at meals the same thing happens that one may observe at the menagerie during feeding-time: the peacefully reposing73 lion becomes a beast of prey74. That is why beautiful women become ugly when they eat and lose their charm, cease to become interesting when they are seen eating. It is not a meaningless custom that we honour distinguished75 persons by dining them. By so doing we create a situation in which there is no superiority and [Pg 89]in which we feel ourselves at one with the great man and on a level with him.
Much more complicated than the psychology76 of the ordinary eater is that of the gourmand, who always seems even to himself to be an exceptional kind of person and who has in unsuspected ways enlarged the sphere of possible pleasures. In most of these cases we shall find that they are persons of whom life has demanded many renunciations. Just as the habitual77 drinker rarely stupifies himself because of the pleasure he takes in drinking but mostly out of a desire to drown in unconsciousness a great pain, to draw the veil over some humiliation78, disillusionment, failure, or disappointment, so the gourmand likewise compensates79 himself for his lost world. He has the same right to the pleasures of life that others have. Well for him that he is capable of securing his portion in this way!
Inexperienced humanitarians80 long for the time when eating will be superfluous81, when a few pills of concentrated albumin combined with a few drops of some essential ferment82 will supply the necessary energy for our mental and physical labours. What a stupid dream! If such a time ever came, how unhappy humanity would be! The most of mankind, truth compels me to say, live only to eat. For them “eating” is synonymous with “life.” With the discovery of such pills the wine of life would be drawn83. No! No! No! If there were no such thing [Pg 90]as eating we should have to invent it to save man from despairing. Eating enables one who has suffered shipwreck84 on Life’s voyage to withdraw into a sphere which once meant the greatest happiness to all human beings and still means it to all animals. One takes refuge in the primal85 instincts where one is safe and comfortable, until Mother Earth again devours86 and assimilates him before she awakes him to new life. We are all eternal links in an unending chain of links.
And that is the whole meaning of eating: life and death. Every bite we eat means a quick death for myriads87 of living things. They must die that we may live. And so we live by death until our death gives life to others.
It’s no mere accident that Don Juan is summoned from the feast to his death.
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1
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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3
asceticism
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| n.禁欲主义 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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6
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inhale
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| v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟) | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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aroma
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| n.香气，芬芳，芳香 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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20
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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expounding
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的现在分词 ) | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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23
gourmand
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| n.嗜食者 | |
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motif
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| n.(图案的)基本花纹，(衣服的)花边；主题 | |
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25
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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gourmandism
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| n.美食主义 | |
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27
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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lurk
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| n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏 | |
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30
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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perversion
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| n.曲解；堕落；反常 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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33
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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34
virile
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| adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的 | |
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35
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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38
sensuous
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| adj.激发美感的；感官的，感觉上的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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40
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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41
psychiatrist
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| n.精神病专家；精神病医师 | |
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42
sociologist
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| n.研究社会学的人，社会学家 | |
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43
rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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cannibalism
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| n.同类相食；吃人肉 | |
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45
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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46
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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47
delicacies
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| n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到 | |
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48
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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49
compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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50
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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51
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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52
epicures
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| n.讲究饮食的人( epicure的名词复数 ) | |
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53
progeny
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| n.后代，子孙；结果 | |
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54
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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55
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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56
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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57
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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58
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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59
revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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60
luscious
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| adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的 | |
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61
olfactory
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| adj.嗅觉的 | |
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62
nutritional
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| adj.营养的，滋养的 | |
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innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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64
aberrations
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| n.偏差( aberration的名词复数 )；差错；脱离常规；心理失常 | |
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65
teems
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| v.充满( teem的第三人称单数 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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66
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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68
oysters
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| 牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 ) | |
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satiety
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| n.饱和；(市场的)充分供应 | |
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70
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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71
epicurism
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| n.贪口福，美食主义 | |
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72
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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73
reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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74
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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75
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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76
psychology
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| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
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77
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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78
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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compensates
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的第三人称单数 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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80
humanitarians
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| n.慈善家( humanitarian的名词复数 ) | |
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81
superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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82
ferment
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| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
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83
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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85
primal
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| adj.原始的；最重要的 | |
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86
devours
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| 吞没( devour的第三人称单数 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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