man and superman-第17部分

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Maeterlinck's　book　about　the　bee？

OCTAVIUS。　＇keeping　his　temper　with　difficulty＇　I　am　not
discussing　literature　at　present。

TANNER。　Be　just　a　little　patient　with　me。　I　am　not　discussing
literature：　the　book　about　the　bee　is　natural　history。　It's　an
awful　lesson　to　mankind。　You　think　that　you　are　Ann's　suitor；
that　you　are　the　pursuer　and　she　the　pursued；　that　it　is　your
part　to　woo；　to　persuade；　to　prevail；　to　overcome。　Fool：　it　is
you　who　are　the　pursued；　the　marked　down　quarry；　the　destined
prey。　You　need　not　sit　looking　longingly　at　the　bait　through　the
wires　of　the　trap：　the　door　is　open；　and　will　remain　so　until　it
shuts　behind　you　for　ever。

OCTAVIUS。　I　wish　I　could　believe　that；　vilely　as　you　put　it。

TANNER。　Why；　man；　what　other　work　has　she　in　life　but　to　get　a
husband？　It　is　a　woman's　business　to　get　married　as　soon　as
possible；　and　a　man's　to　keep　unmarried　as　long　as　he　can。　You
have　your　poems　and　your　tragedies　to　work　at：　Ann　has　nothing。

OCTAVIUS。　I　cannot　write　without　inspiration。　And　nobody　can　give
me　that　except　Ann。

TANNER。　Well；　hadn't　you　better　get　it　from　her　at　a　safe
distance？　Petrarch　didn't　see　half　as　much　of　Laura；　nor　Dante
of　Beatrice；　as　you　see　of　Ann　now；　and　yet　they　wrote
first…rate　poetryat　least　so　I'm　told。　They　never　exposed　their
idolatry　to　the　test　of　domestic　familiarity；　and　it　lasted　them
to　their　graves。　Marry　Ann　and　at　the　end　of　a　week　you'll　find
no　more　inspiration　than　in　a　plate　of　muffins。

OCTAVIUS。　You　think　I　shall　tire　of　her。

TANNER。　Not　at　all：　you　don't　get　tired　of　muffins。　But　you　don't
find　inspiration　in　them；　and　you　won't　in　her　when　she　ceases　to
be　a　poet's　dream　and　becomes　a　solid　eleven　stone　wife。　You'll
be　forced　to　dream　about　somebody　else；　and　then　there　will　be　a
row。

OCTAVIUS。　This　sort　of　talk　is　no　use；　Jack。　You　don't
understand。　You　have　never　been　in　love。

TANNER。　I！　I　have　never　been　out　of　it。　Why；　I　am　in　love　even
with　Ann。　But　I　am　neither　the　slave　of　love　nor　its　dupe。　Go　to
the　bee；　thou　poet：　consider　her　ways　and　be　wise。　By　Heaven；
Tavy；　if　women　could　do　without　our　work；　and　we　ate　their
children's　bread　instead　of　making　it；　they　would　kill　us　as
the　spider　kills　her　mate　or　as　the　bees　kill　the　drone。　And
they　would　be　right　if　we　were　good　for　nothing　but　love。

OCTAVIUS。　Ah；　if　we　were　only　good　enough　for　Love！　There　is
nothing　like　Love：　there　is　nothing　else　but　Love：　without　it
the　world　would　be　a　dream　of　sordid　horror。

TANNER。　And　thisthis　is　the　man　who　asks　me　to　give　him　the
hand　of　my　ward！　Tavy：　I　believe　we　were　changed　in　our　cradles；
and　that　you　are　the　real　descendant　of　Don　Juan。

OCTAVIUS。　I　beg　you　not　to　say　anything　like　that　to　Ann。

TANNER。　Don't　be　afraid。　She　has　marked　you　for　her　own；　and
nothing　will　stop　her　now。　You　are　doomed。　＇Straker　comes　back
with　a　newspaper＇。　Here　comes　the　New　Man；　demoralizing　himself
with　a　halfpenny　paper　as　usual。

STRAKER。　Now；　would　you　believe　it：　Mr　Robinson；　when　we're
out　motoring　we　take　in　two　papers；　the　Times　for　him；　the　Leader
or　the　Echo　for　me。　And　do　you　　think　I　ever　see　my　paper？　Not
much。　He　grabs　the　Leader　and　leaves　me　to　stodge　myself　with　his
Times。

OCTAVIUS。　Are　there　no　winners　in　the　Times？

TANNER。　Enry　don't　old　with　bettin；　Tavy。　Motor　records　are　his
weakness。　What's　the　latest？

STRAKER。　Paris　to　Biskra　at　forty　mile　an　hour　average；　not
countin　the　Mediterranean。

TANNER。　How　many　killed？

STRAKER。　Two　silly　sheep。　What　does　it　matter？　Sheep　don't　cost
such　a　lot：　they　were　glad　to　ave　the　price　without　the　trouble
o　sellin　em　to　the　butcher。　All　the　same；　d'y'see；　there'll　be　a
clamor　agin　it　presently；　and　then　the　French　Government'll　stop
it；　an　our　chance　will　be　gone　see？　That　what　makes　me　fairly
mad：　Mr　Tanner　won't　do　a　good　run　while　he　can。

TANNER。　Tavy：　do　you　remember　my　uncle　James？

OCTAVIUS。　Yes。　Why？

TANNER。　Uncle　James　had　a　first　rate　cook：　he　couldn't　digest
anything　except　what　she　cooked。　Well；　the　poor　man　was　shy　and
hated　society。　But　his　cook　was　proud　of　her　skill；　and　wanted　to
serve　up　dinners　to　princes　and　ambassadors。　To　prevent　her　from
leaving　him；　that　poor　old　man　had　to　give　a　big　dinner　twice　a
month；　and　suffer　agonies　of　awkwardness。　Now　here　am　I；　and　here
is　this　chap　Enry　Straker；　the　New　Man。　I　loathe　travelling；　but
I　rather　like　Enry。　He　cares　for　nothing　but　tearing　along　in　a
leather　coat　and　goggles；　with　two　inches　of　dust　all　over　him；
at　sixty　miles　an　hour　and　the　risk　of　his　life　and　mine。　Except；
of　course；　when　he　is　lying　on　his　back　in　the　mud　under　the
machine　trying　to　find　out　where　it　has　given　way。　Well；　if　I
don't　give　him　a　thousand　mile　run　at　least　once　a　fortnight　I
shall　lose　him。　He　will　give　me　the　sack　and　go　to　some　American
millionaire；　and　I　shall　have　to　put　up　with　a　nice　respectful
groom…gardener…amateur；　who　will　touch　his　hat　and　know　his
place。　I　am　Enry's　slave；　just　as　Uncle　James　was　his　cook's
slave。

STRAKER。　＇exasperated＇　Garn！　I　wish　I　had　a　car　that　would　go　as
fast　as　you　can　talk；　Mr　Tanner。　What　I　say　is　that　you　lose
money　by　a　motor　car　unless　you　keep　it　workin。　Might　as　well　ave
a　pram　and　a　nussmaid　to　wheel　you　in　it　as　that　car　and　me　if
you　don't　git　the　last　inch　out　of　us　both。

TANNER。　＇soothingly＇　All　right；　Henry；　all　right。　We'll　go　out
for　half　an　hour　presently。

STRAKER。　＇in　disgust＇　Arf　an　ahr！　＇He　returns　to　his　machine；
seats　himself　in　it；　and　turns　up　a　fresh　page　of　his　paper　in
search　of　more　news＇。

OCTAVIUS。　Oh；　that　reminds　me。　I　have　a　note　for　you　from
Rhoda。　＇He　gives　Tanner　a　note＇。

TANNER。　＇opening　it＇　I　rather　think　Rhoda　is　heading　for　a　row
with　Ann。　As　a　rule　there　is　only　one　person　an　English　girl
hates　more　than　she　hates　her　mother；　and　that's　her　eldest
sister。　But　Rhoda　positively　prefers　her　mother　to　Ann。　She
＇indignantly＇　Oh；　I　say！

OCTAVIUS。　What's　the　matter？

TANNER。　Rhoda　was　to　have　come　with　me　for　a　ride　in　the　motor
car。　She　says　Ann　has　forbidden　her　to　go　out　with　me。

Straker　suddenly　begins　whistling　his　favorite　air　with
remarkable　deliberation。　Surprised　by　this　burst　of　larklike
melody；　and　jarred　by　a　sardonic　note　in　its　cheerfulness；　they
turn　and　look　inquiringly　at　him。　But　he　is　busy　with　his　paper；
and　nothing　comes　of　their　movement。

OCTAVIUS。　＇recovering　himself＇　Does　she　give　any　reason？

TANNER。　Reason！　An　insult　is　not　a　reason。　Ann　forbids　her　to　be
alone　with　me　on　any　occasion。　Says　I　am　not　a　fit　person　for　a
young　girl　to　be　with。　What　do　you　think　of　your　paragon　now？

OCTAVIUS。　You　must　remember　that　she　has　a　very　heavy
responsibility　now　that　her　father　is　dead。　Mrs　Whitefield　is
too　weak　to　control　Rhoda。

TANNER。　＇staring　at　him＇　In　short；　you　agree　with　Ann。

OCTAVIUS。　No；　but　I　think　I　understand　her。　You　must　admit　that
your　views　are　hardly　suited　for　the　formation　of　a　young　girl's
mind　and　character。

TANNER。　I　admit　nothing　of　the　sort。　I　admit　that　the　formation
of　a　young　lady's　mind　and　character　usually　consists　in　telling
her　lies；　but　I　object　to　the　particular　lie　that　I　am　in　the
habit　of　abusing　the　confidence　of　girls。

OCTAVIUS。　Ann　doesn't　say　that；　Jack。

TANNER。　What　else　does　she　mean？

STRAKER。　＇catching　sight　of　Ann　coming　from　the　house＇　Miss
Whitefield；　gentlemen。　＇He　dismounts　and　strolls　away　down　the
avenue　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　knows　he　is　no　longer　wanted＇。

ANN。　＇coming　between　Octavius　and　Tanner＇。　Good　morning；　Jack。　I
have　come　to　tell　you　that　poor　Rhoda　has　got　one　of　her
headaches　and　cannot　go　out　with　you　to…day　in　the　car。　It　is　a
cruel　disappointment　to　her；　poor　child！

TANNER。　What　do　you　say　now；　Tavy；

OCTAVIUS。　Surely　you　cannot　misunderstand；　Jack。　Ann　is　showing
you　the　kindest　consideration；　even　at　the　cost　of　deceiving　you。

ANN。　What　do　you　mean？

TANNER。　Would　you　like　to　cure　Rhoda's　headache；　Ann？

ANN。　Of　course。

TANNER。　Then　tell　her　what　you　said　just　now；　and　add　that　you
arrived　about　two　minutes　after　I　had　received　her　letter　and
read　it。

ANN。　Rhoda　has　written　to　you！

TANNER。　With　full　particulars。

OCTAVIUS。　Never　mind　him；　Ann。　You　were　right；　quite　right。　Ann
was　only　doing　her　duty；　Jack；　and　you　know　it。　Doing　it　in　the
kindest　way；　too。

ANN。　＇going　to　Octavius＇　How　kind　you　are；　Tavy！　How　helpful！
How　well　you　understand！

Octavius　beams。

TANNER。　Ay：　tighten　the　coils。　You　love　her；　Tavy；　don't　you？

OCTAVIUS。　She　knows　I　do。

ANN。　Hush。　For　shame；　Tavy！

TANNER。　Oh；　I　give　you　leave。　I　am　your　guardian；　and　I　commit
you　to　Tavy's　care　for　the　next　hour。

ANN。　No；　Jack。　I　must　speak　to　you　about　Rhoda。　Ricky：　will　you
go　back　to　the　house　and　entertain　your　American　friend？　He's
rather　on　Mamma's　hands　so　early　in　the　morning。　She　wants　to
finish　her　housekeeping。

OCTAVIUS。　I　fly；　dearest　Ann　＇he　kisses　her　hand＇。

ANN。　＇tenderly＇　Ricky　Ticky　Tavy！

He　looks　at　her　with　an　eloquent　blush；　and　runs　off。

TANNER。　＇bluntly＇　Now　look　here；　Ann。　This　time　you've　landed
yourself；　and　if　Tavy　were　not　in　love　with　you　past　all
salvation　he'd　have　found　out　what　an　incorrigible　liar　you　are。

ANN。　You　misunderstand；　Jack。　I　didn't　dare　tell　Tavy　the　truth。

TANNER。　No：　your　daring　is　generally　in　the　opposite　direction。
What　the　devil　do　you　mean　by　telling　Rhoda　that　I　am　too　vicious
to　associate　with　her？　How　can　I　ever　have　any　human　or　decent
relations　with　her　again；　now　that　you　have　poisoned　her　mind　in
that　abominable　way？

ANN。　I　know　you　are　incapable　of　behaving　badly。

TANNER。　Then　why　did　you　lie　to　her？

ANN。　I　had　to。

TANNER。　Had　to！

ANN。　Mother　made　me。

TANNER。　＇his　eye　flashing＇　Ha！　I　might　have　known　it。　The　mother！
Always　the　mother！

ANN。　It　was　that　dreadful　book　of　yours。　You　know　how　timid
mother　is。　All　timid　women　are　conventional：　we　must　be
conventional；　Jack；　or　we　are　so　cruelly；　so　vilely　misunderstood。
Even　you；　who　are　a　man；　cannot　say　what　you　think　without　being
misunderstood　and　vilifiedyes：　I　admit　it：　I　have　had　to　vilify
you。　Do　you　want　to　have　poor　Rhoda　misunderstood　and　vilified　to
the　same　way