man and superman-第30部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


I　had　not　finished　when　His　Excellency　interrupted　me。

THE　STATUE。　I　begin　to　doubt　whether　you　ever　will　finish；　my
friend。　You　are　extremely　fond　of　hearing　yourself　talk。

DON　JUAN。　True；　but　since　you　have　endured　so　much。　you　may　as
well　endure　to　the　end。　Long　before　this　sterilization　which　I
described　becomes　more　than　a　clearly　foreseen　possibility；　the
reaction　will　begin。　The　great　central　purpose　of　breeding　the
race；　ay；　breeding　it　to　heights　now　deemed　superhuman：　that
purpose　which　is　now　hidden　in　a　mephitic　cloud　of　love　and
romance　and　prudery　and　fastidiousness；　will　break　through　into
clear　sunlight　as　a　purpose　no　longer　to　be　confused　with　the
gratification　of　personal　fancies；　the　impossible　realization　of
boys'　and　girls'　dreams　of　bliss；　or　the　need　of　older　people　for
companionship　or　money。　The　plain…spoken　marriage　services　of　the
vernacular　Churches　will　no　longer　be　abbreviated　and　half
suppressed　as　indelicate。　The　sober　decency；　earnestness　and
authority　of　their　declaration　of　the　real　purpose　of　marriage
will　be　honored　and　accepted；　whilst　their　romantic　vowings　and
pledgings　and　until…death…do…us…partings　and　the　like　will　be
expunged　as　unbearable　frivolities。　Do　my　sex　the　justice　to
admit；　Senora；　that　we　have　always　recognized　that　the　sex
relation　is　not　a　personal　or　friendly　relation　at　all。

ANA。　Not　a　personal　or　friendly　relation！　What　relation　is　more
personal？　more　sacred？　more　holy？

DON　JUAN。　Sacred　and　holy；　if　you　like；　Ana；　but　not　personally
friendly。　Your　relation　to　God　is　sacred　and　holy：　dare　you　call
it　personally　friendly？　In　the　sex　relation　the　universal
creative　energy；　of　which　the　parties　are　both　the　helpless
agents；　over…rides　and　sweeps　away　all　personal　considerations
and　dispenses　with　all　personal　relations。　The　pair　may　be　utter
strangers　to　one　another；　speaking　different　languages；　differing
in　race　and　color；　in　age　and　disposition；　with　no　bond　between
them　but　a　possibility　of　that　fecundity　for　the　sake　of　which
the　Life　Force　throws　them　into　one　another's　arms　at　the
exchange　of　a　glance。　Do　we　not　recognize　this　by　allowing
marriages　to　be　made　by　parents　without　consulting　the　woman？
Have　you　not　often　expressed　your　disgust　at　the　immorality　of
the　English　nation；　in　which　women　and　men　of　noble　birth　become
acquainted　and　court　each　other　like　peasants？　And　how　much　does
even　the　peasant　know　of　his　bride　or　she　of　him　before　he
engages　himself？　Why；　you　would　not　make　a　man　your　lawyer　or
your　family　doctor　on　so　slight　an　acquaintance　as　you　would　fall
in　love　with　and　marry　him！

ANA。　Yes；　Juan：　we　know　the　libertine's　philosophy。　Always　ignore
the　consequences　to　the　woman。

DON　JUAN。　The　consequences；　yes：　they　justify　her　fierce　grip　of
the　man。　But　surely　you　do　not　call　that　attachment　a　sentimental
one。　As　well　call　the　policeman's　attachment　to　his　prisoner　a
love　relation。

ANA。　You　see　you　have　to　confess　that　marriage　is　necessary；
though；　according　to　you；　love　is　the　slightest　of　all　the
relations。

DON　JUAN。　How　do　you　know　that　it　is　not　the　greatest　of　all　the
relations？　far　too　great　to　be　a　personal　matter。　Could　your
father　have　served　his　country　if　he　had　refused　to　kill　any
enemy　of　Spain　unless　he　personally　hated　him？　Can　a　woman　serve
her　country　if　she　refuses　to　marry　any　man　she　does　not
personally　love？　You　know　it　is　not　so：　the　woman　of　noble　birth
marries　as　the　man　of　noble　birth　fights；　on　political　and　family
grounds；　not　on　personal　ones。

THE　STATUE。　＇impressed＇　A　very　clever　point　that；　Juan：　I　must
think　it　over。　You　are　really　full　of　ideas。　How　did　you　come　to
think　of　this　one？

DON　JUAN。　I　learnt　it　by　experience。　When　I　was　on　earth；　and
made　those　proposals　to　ladies　which；　though　universally
condemned；　have　made　me　so　interesting　a　hero　of　legend；　I　was
not　infrequently　met　in　some　such　way　as　this。　The　lady　would　say
that　she　would　countenance　my　advances；　provided　they　were
honorable。　On　inquiring　what　that　proviso　meant；　I　found　that　it
meant　that　I　proposed　to　get　possession　of　her　property　if　she
had　any；　or　to　undertake　her　support　for　life　if　she　had　not；
that　I　desired　her　continual　companionship；　counsel　and
conversation　to　the　end　of　my　days；　and　would　bind　myself
under　penalties　to　be　always　enraptured　by　them；　and；　above　all；
that　I　would　turn　my　back　on　all　other　women　for　ever　for　her
sake。　I　did　not　object　to　these　conditions　because　they　were
exorbitant　and　inhuman：　it　was　their　extraordinary　irrelevance
that　prostrated　me。　I　invariably　replied　with　perfect　frankness
that　I　had　never　dreamt　of　any　of　these　things；　that　unless　the
lady's　character　and　intellect　were　equal　or　superior　to　my　own；
her　conversation　must　degrade　and　her　counsel　mislead　me；　tha　t
her　constant　companionship　might；　for　all　I　knew；　become
intolerably　tedious　to　me；　that　I　could　not　answer　for　my
feelings　for　a　week　in　advance；　much　less　to　the　end　of　my　life；
that　to　cut　me　off　from　all　natural　and　unconstrained　relations
with　the　rest　of　my　fellow　creatures　would　narrow　and　warp　me　if
I　submitted　to　it；　and；　if　not；　would　bring　me　under　the　curse　of
clandestinity；　that；　finally；　my　proposals　to　her　were　wholly
unconnected　with　any　of　these　matters；　and　were　the　outcome　of　a
perfectly　simple　impulse　of　my　manhood　towards　her　womanhood。

ANA。　You　mean　that　it　was　an　immoral　impulse。

DON　JUAN。　Nature；　my　dear　lady；　is　what　you　call　immoral。　I　blush
for　it；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　Nature　is　a　pandar；　Time　a　wrecker；
and　Death　a　murderer。　I　have　always　preferred　to　stand　up　to
those　facts　and　build　institutions　on　their　recognition。　You
prefer　to　propitiate　the　three　devils　by　proclaiming　their
chastity；　their　thrift；　and　their　loving　kindness；　and　to　base
your　institutions　on　these　flatteries。　Is　it　any　wonder　that　the
institutions　do　not　work　smoothly？

THE　STATUE。　What　used　the　ladies　to　say；　Juan？

DON　JUAN。　Oh；　come！　Confidence　for　confidence。　First　tell　me　what
you　used　to　say　to　the　ladies。

THE　STATUE。　I！　Oh；　I　swore　that　I　would　be　faithful　to　the　death；
that　I　should　die　if　they　refused　me；　that　no　woman　could　ever　be
to　me　what　she　was

ANA。　She？　Who？

THE　STATUE。　Whoever　it　happened　to　be　at　the　time；　my　dear。　I　had
certain　things　I　always　said。　One　of　them　was　that　even　when　I
was　eighty；　one　white　hair　of　the　woman　I　loved　would　make　me
tremble　more　than　the　thickest　gold　tress　from　the　most　beautiful
young　head。　Another　was　that　I　could　not　bear　the　thought　of
anyone　else　being　the　mother　of　my　children。

DON　JUAN。　＇revolted＇　You　old　rascal！

THE　STATUE。　＇Stoutly＇　Not　a　bit；　for　I　really　believed　it　with
all　my　soul　at　the　moment。　I　had　a　heart：　not　like　you。　And　it
was　this　sincerity　that　made　me　successful。

DON　JUAN。　Sincerity！　To　be　fool　enough　to　believe　a　ramping；
stamping；　thumping　lie：　that　is　what　you　call　sincerity！　To　be　so
greedy　for　a　woman　that　you　deceive　yourself　in　your　eagerness　to
deceive　her：　sincerity；　you　call　it！

THE　STATUE。　Oh；　damn　your　sophistries！　I　was　a　man　in　love；　not　a
lawyer。　And　the　women　loved　me　for　it；　bless　them！

DON　JUAN。　They　made　you　think　so。　What　will　you　say　when　I　tell
you　that　though　I　played　the　lawyer　so　callously；　they　made　me
think　so　too？　I　also　had　my　moments　of　infatuation　in　which　I
gushed　nonsense　and　believed　it。　Sometimes　the　desire　to　give
pleasure　by　saying　beautiful　things　so　rose　in　me　on　the　flood　of
emotion　that　I　said　them　recklessly。　At　other　times　I　argued
against　myself　with　a　devilish　coldness　that　drew　tears。　But　I
found　it　just　as　hard　to　escape　in　the　one　case　as　in　the　others。
When　the　lady's　instinct　was　set　on　me；　there　was　nothing　for　it
but　lifelong　servitude　or　flight。

ANA。　You　dare　boast；　before　me　and　my　father；　that　every　woman
found　you　irresistible。

DON　JUAN。　Am　I　boasting？　It　seems　to　me　that　I　cut　the　most
pitiable　of　figures。　Besides；　I　said　〃when　the　lady's　instinct
was　set　on　me。〃　It　was　not　always　so；　and　then；　heavens！　what
transports　of　virtuous　indignation！　what　overwhelming　defiance　to
the　dastardly　seducer！　what　scenes　of　Imogen　and　Iachimo！

ANA。　I　made　no　scenes。　I　simply　called　my　father。

DON　JUAN。　And　he　came；　sword　in　hand；　to　vindicate　outraged　honor
and　morality　by　murdering　me。

THE　STATUE。　Murdering！　What　do　you　mean？　Did　I　kill　you　or　did
you　kill　me？

DON　JUAN。　Which　of　us　was　the　better　fencer？

THE　STATUE。　I　was。

DON　JUAN。　Of　course　you　were。　And　yet　you；　the　hero　of　those
scandalous　adventures　you　have　just　been　relating　to　us；　you　had
the　effrontery　to　pose　as　the　avenger　of　outraged　morality　and
condemn　me　to　death！　You　would　have　slain　me　but　for　an　accident。

THE　STATUE。　I　was　expected　to；　Juan。　That　is　how　things　were
arranged　on　earth。　I　was　not　a　social　reformer；　and　I　always　did
what　it　was　customary　for　a　gentleman　to　do。

DON　JUAN。　That　may　account　for　your　attacking　me；　but　not　for　the
revolting　hypocrisy　of　your　subsequent　proceedings　as　a　statue。

THE　STATUE。　That　all　came　of　my　going　to　Heaven。

THE　DEVIL。　I　still　fail　to　see；　Senor　Don　Juan；　that　these
episodes　in　your　earthly　career　and　in　that　of　the　Senor
Commander　in　any　way　discredit　my　view　of　life。　Here；　I　repeat；
you　have　all　that　you　sought　without　anything　that　you　shrank
from。

DON　JUAN。　On　the　contrary；　here　I　have　everything　that
disappointed　me　without　anything　that　I　have　not　already　tried
and　found　wanting。　I　tell　you　that　as　long　as　I　can　conceive
something　better　than　myself　I　cannot　be　easy　unless　I　am
striving　to　bring　it　into　existence　or　clearing　the　way　for　it。
That　is　the　law　of　my　life。　That　is　the　working　within　me　of
Life's　incessant　aspiration　to　higher　organization；　wider；
deeper；　intenser　self…consciousness；　and　clearer
self…understanding。　It　was　the　supremacy　of　this　purpose　that
reduced　love　for　me　to　the　mere　pleasure　of　a　moment；　art　for　me
to　the　mere　schooling　of　my　faculties；　religion　for　me　to　a　mere
excuse　for　laziness；　since　it　had　set　up　a　God　who　looked　at　the
world　and　saw　that　it　was　good；　against　the　instinct　in　me　that
looked　through　my　eyes　at　the　world　and　saw　that　it　could　be
improv