man and superman-第28部分

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with　that　exception；　agreed　so　far；　will　you　not　agree　with　me
further　that　Life　has　not　measured　the　success　of　its　attempts　at
godhead　by　the　beauty　or　bodily　perfection　of　the　result；　since
in　both　these　respects　the　birds；　as　our　friend　Aristophanes　long
ago　pointed　out；　are　so　extraordinarily　superior；　with　their
power　of　flight　and　their　lovely　plumage；　and；　may　I　add；　the
touching　poetry　of　their　loves　and　nestings；　that　it　is
inconceivable　that　Life；　having　once　produced　them；　should；　if
love　and　beauty　were　her　object；　start　off　on　another　line　and
labor　at　the　clumsy　elephant　and　the　hideous　ape；　whose
grandchildren　we　are？

ANA。　Aristophanes　was　a　heathen；　and　you；　Juan；　I　am　afraid；　are
very　little　better。

THE　DEVIL。　You　conclude；　then；　that　Life　was　driving　at
clumsiness　and　ugliness？

DON　JUAN。　No；　perverse　devil　that　you　are；　a　thousand　times　no。
Life　was　driving　at　brainsat　its　darling　object：　an　organ　by
which　it　can　attain　not　only　self…consciousness　but
self…understanding。

THE　STATUE。　This　is　metaphysics；　Juan。　Why　the　devil　should＇to
the　Devil＇　I　BEG　your　pardon。

THE　DEVIL。　Pray　don't　mention　it。　I　have　always　regarded　the　use
of　my　name　to　secure　additional　emphasis　as　a　high　compliment　to
me。　It　is　quite　at　your　service；　Commander。

THE　STATUE。　Thank　you：　that's　very　good　of　you。　Even　in　heaven；　I
never　quite　got　out　of　my　old　military　habits　of　speech。　What　I
was　going　to　ask　Juan　was　why　Life　should　bother　itself　about
getting　a　brain。　Why　should　it　want　to　understand　itself？　Why　not
be　content　to　enjoy　itself？

DON　JUAN。　Without　a　brain；　Commander；　you　would　enjoy　yourself
without　knowing　it；　and　so　lose　all　the　fun。

THE　STATUE。　True；　most　true。　But　I　am　quite　content　with　brain
enough　to　know　that　I'm　enjoying　myself。　I　don't　want　to
understand　why。　In　fact；　I'd　rather　not。　My　experience　is　that
one's　pleasures　don't　bear　thinking　about。

DON　JUAN。　That　is　why　intellect　is　so　unpopular。　But　to　Life；　the
force　behind　the　Man；　intellect　is　a　necessity；　because　without
it　he　blunders　into　death。　Just　as　Life；　after　ages　of　struggle；
evolved　that　wonderful　bodily　organ　the　eye；　so　that　the　living
organism　could　see　where　it　was　going　and　what　was　coming　to　help
or　threaten　it；　and　thus　avoid　a　thousand　dangers　that　formerly
slew　it；　so　it　is　evolving　to…day　a　mind's　eye　that　shall　see；
not　the　physical　world；　but　the　purpose　of　Life；　and　thereby
enable　the　individual　to　work　for　that　purpose　instead　of
thwarting　and　baffling　it　by　setting　up　shortsighted　personal
aims　as　at　present。　Even　as　it　is；　only　one　sort　of　man　has　ever
been　happy；　has　ever　been　universally　respected　among　all　the
conflicts　of　interests　and　illusions。

THE　STATUE。　You　mean　the　military　man。

DON　JUAN。　Commander：　I　do　not　mean　the　military　man。　When　the
military　man　approaches；　the　world　locks　up　its　spoons　and　packs
off　its　womankind。　No：　I　sing；　not　arms　and　the　hero；　but　the；
philosophic　man：　he　who　seeks　in　contemplation　to　discover　the
inner　will　of　the　world；　in　invention　to　discover　the　means　of
fulfilling　that　will；　and　in　action　to　do　that　will　by　the
so…discovered　means。　Of　all　other　sorts　of　men　I　declare　myself
tired。　They're　tedious　failures。　When　I　was　on　earth；　professors
of　all　sorts　prowled　round　me　feeling　for　an　unhealthy　spot　in　me
on　which　they　could　fasten。　The　doctors　of　medicine　bade　me
consider　what　I　must　do　to　save　my　body；　and　offered　me　quack
cures　for　imaginary　diseases。　I　replied　that　I　was　not　a
hypochondriac；　so　they　called　me　Ignoramus　and　went　their　way。
The　doctors　of　divinity　bade　me　consider　what　I　must　do　to　save
my　soul；　but　I　was　not　a　spiritual　hypochondriac　any　more　than　a
bodily　one；　and　would　not　trouble　myself　about　that　either；　so
they　called　me　Atheist　and　went　their　way。　After　them　came　the
politician；　who　said　there　was　only　one　purpose　in　Nature；　and
that　was　to　get　him　into　parliament。　I　told　him　I　did　not　care
whether　he　got　into　parliament　or　not；　so　he　called　me　Mugwump
and　went　his　way。　Then　came　the　romantic　man；　the　Artist；　with
his　love　songs　and　his　paintings　and　his　poems；　and　with　him　I
had　great　delight　for　many　years；　and　some　profit；　for　I
cultivated　my　senses　for　his　sake；　and　his　songs　taught　me　to
hear　better；　his　paintings　to　see　better；　and　his　poems　to　feel
more　deeply。　But　he　led　me　at　last　into　the　worship　of　Woman。

ANA。　Juan！

DON　JUAN。　Yes：　I　came　to　believe　that　in　her　voice　was　all　the
music　of　the　song；　in　her　face　all　the　beauty　of　the　painting；
and　in　her　soul　all　the　emotion　of　the　poem。

ANA。　And　you　were　disappointed；　I　suppose。　Well；　was　it　her　fault
that　you　attributed　all　these　perfections　to　her？

DON　JUAN。　Yes；　partly。　For　with　a　wonderful　instinctive　cunning；
she　kept　silent　and　allowed　me　to　glorify　her；　to　mistake　my　own
visions；　thoughts；　and　feelings　for　hers。　Now　my　friend　the
romantic　man　was　often　too　poor　or　too　timid　to　approach　those
women　who　were　beautiful　or　refined　enough　to　seem　to　realize　his
ideal；　and　so　he　went　to　his　grave　believing　in　his　dream。　But　I
was　more　favored　by　nature　and　circumstance。　I　was　of　noble
birth　and　rich；　and　when　my　person　did　not　please；　my
conversation　flattered；　though　I　generally　found　myself
fortunate　in　both。

THE　STATUE。　Coxcomb！

DON　JUAN。　Yes；　but　even　my　coxcombry　pleased。　Well；　I　found　that
when　I　had　touched　a　woman's　imagination；　she　would　allow　me　to
persuade　myself　that　she　loved　me；　but　when　my　suit　was　granted
she　never　said　〃I　am　happy：　my　love　is　satisfied〃：　she　always
said；　first；　〃At　last；　the　barriers　are　down；〃　and　second；　〃When
will　you　come　again？〃

ANA。　That　is　exactly　what　men　say。

DON　JUAN。　I　protest　I　never　said　it。　But　all　women　say　it。　Well；
these　two　speeches　always　alarmed　me；　for　the　first　meant　that
the　lady's　impulse　had　been　solely　to　throw　down　my
fortifications　and　gain　my　citadel；　and　the　second　openly
announced　that　henceforth　she　regarded　me　as　her　property；　and
counted　my　time　as　already　wholly　at　her　disposal。

THE　DEVIL。　That　is　where　your　want　of　heart　came　in。

THE　STATUE。　＇shaking　his　head＇　You　shouldn't　repeat　what　a　woman
says；　Juan。

ANA。　＇severely＇　It　should　be　sacred　to　you。

THE　STATUE。　Still；　they　certainly　do　always　say　it。　I　never
minded　the　barriers；　but　there　was　always　a　slight　shock　about
the　other；　unless　one　was　very　hard　hit　indeed。

DON　JUAN。　Then　the　lady；　who　had　been　happy　and　idle　enough
before；　became　anxious；　preoccupied　with　me；　always　intriguing；
conspiring；　pursuing；　watching；　waiting；　bent　wholly　on　making
sure　of　her　preyI　being　the　prey；　you　understand。　Now　this　was
not　what　I　had　bargained　for。　It　may　have　been　very　proper　and
very　natural；　but　it　was　not　music；　painting；　poetry　and　joy
incarnated　in　a　beautiful　woman。　I　ran　away　from　it。　I　ran　away
from　it　very　often：　in　fact　I　became　famous　for　running　away　from
it。

ANA。　Infamous；　you　mean；

DON　JUAN。　I　did　not　run　away　from　you。　Do　you　blame　me　for
running　away　from　the　others？

ANA。　Nonsense；　man。　You　are　talking　to　a　woman　of　77　now。　If　you
had　had　the　chance；　you　would　have　run　away　from　me　tooif　I　had
let　you。　You　would　not　have　found　it　so　easy　with　me　as　with　some
of　the　others。　If　men　will　not　be　faithful　to　their　home　and
their　duties；　they　must　be　made　to　be。　I　daresay　you　all　want　to
marry　lovely　incarnations　of　music　and　painting　and　poetry。　Well；
you　can't　have　them；　because　they　don't　exist。　If　flesh　and　blood
is　not　good　enough　for　you　you　must　go　without：　that's　all。　Women
have　to　put　up　with　flesh…and…blood　husbandsand　little　enough
of　that　too；　sometimes；　and　you　will　have　to　put　up　with
flesh…and…blood　wives。　The　Devil　looks　dubious。　The　Statue　makes
a　wry　face。　I　see　you　don't　like　that；　any　of　you；　but　it's　true；
for　all　that；　so　if　you　don't　like　it　you　can　lump　it。

DON　JUAN。　My　dear　lady；　you　have　put　my　whole　case　against
romance　into　a　few　sentences。　That　is　just　why　I　turned　my　back
on　the　romantic　man　with　the　artist　nature；　as　he　called　his
infatuation。　I　thanked　him　for　teaching　me　to　use　my　eyes　and
ears；　but　I　told　him　that　his　beauty　worshipping　and　happiness
hunting　and　woman　idealizing　was　not　worth　a　dump　as　a　philosophy
of　life；　so　he　called　me　Philistine　and　went　his　way。

ANA。　It　seems　that　Woman　taught　you　something；　too；　with　all　her
defects。

DON　JUAN。　She　did　more：　she　interpreted　all　the　other　teaching
for　me。　Ah；　my　friends；　when　the　barriers　were　down　for　the　first
time；　what　an　astounding　illumination！　I　had　been　prepared　for
infatuation；　for　intoxication；　for　all　the　illusions　of　love's
young　dream；　and　lo！　never　was　my　perception　clearer；　nor　my
criticism　more　ruthless。　The　most　jealous　rival　of　my　mistress
never　saw　every　blemish　in　her　more　keenly　than　I。　I　was　not
duped：　I　took　her　without　chloroform。

ANA。　But　you　did　take　her。

DON　JUAN。　That　was　the　revelation。　Up　to　that　moment　I　had　never
lost　the　sense　of　being　my　own　master；　never　consciously　taken　a
single　step　until　my　reason　had　examined　and　approved　it。　I　had
come　to　believe　that　I　was　a　purely　rational　creature：　a　thinker！
I　said；　with　the　foolish　philosopher；　〃I　think；　therefore　I　am。〃
It　was　Woman　who　taught　me　to　say　〃I　am；　therefore　I　think。〃　And
also　〃I　would　think　more；　therefore　I　must　be　more。〃

THE　STATUE。　This　is　extremely　abstract　and　metaphysical；　Juan。　If
you　would　stick　to　the　concrete；　and　put　your　discoveries　in　the
form　of　entertaining　anecdotes　about　your　adventures　with　women；
your　conversation　would　be　easier　to　follow。

DON　JUAN。　Bah！　what　need　I　add？　Do　you　not　understand　that　when　I
stood　face　to　face　with　Woman；　every　fibre　in　my　clear　critical
brain　warned　me　to　spare　her　and　save　myself。　My　morals　said　No。
My　conscience　said　No。　My　chivalry　and　pity　for　her　said　No。　My
prudent　regard　for　myself　said　No。　My　ear；　practised　on　a
thousand　songs　and　symphonies；　my　eye；　exercised　on　a　thousand
paintings；　tore　her　voice；　her　features；　her　color　to　shreds。　I
caught　all　those　tell…tale　resemblances　to　her　father　and　mother
by　which　I　knew　what　she　would　be　like　in　thirty　years　time。　I
noted　the　gleam　of　gold　from　a　dead　tooth　in　the　laughing　mouth：