man and superman-第38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！


much　less　misunderstood。

TANNER。　＇restively＇　I　quite　expect　to　get　married　in　the　course
of　the　afternoon。　You　all　seem　to　have　set　your　minds　on　it。

VIOLET。　You　might　do　worse。　＇To　Mrs　Whitefield：　putting　her　arm
round　her＇　Let　me　take　you　to　the　hotel　with　me：　the　drive　will
do　you　good。　Come　in　and　get　a　wrap。　＇She　takes　her　towards　the
villa＇。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇as　they　go　up　through　the　garden＇　I　don't　know
what　I　shall　do　when　you　are　gone；　with　no　one　but　Ann　in　the
house；　and　she　always　occupied　with　the　men！　It's　not　to　be
expected　that　your　husband　will　care　to　be　bothered　with　an　old
woman　like　me。　Oh；　you　needn't　tell　me：　politeness　is　all　very
well；　but　I　know　what　people　think＇She　talks　herself　and　Violet
out　of　sight　and　hearing＇。

Ann；　musing　on　Violet's　opportune　advice；　approaches　Tanner；
examines　him　humorously　for　a　moment　from　toe　to　top；　and　finally
delivers　her　opinion。

ANN。　Violet　is　quite　right。　You　ought　to　get　married。

TANNER。　＇explosively＇　Ann：　I　will　not　marry　you。　Do　you　　hear？　I
won't；　won't；　won't；　won't；　WON'T　marry　you。

ANN。　＇placidly＇　Well；　nobody　axd　you；　sir　she　said；　sir　she　said；
sir　she　said。　So　that's　settled。

TANNER。　Yes；　nobody　has　asked　me；　but　everybody　treats　the　thing
as　settled。　It's　in　the　air。　When　we　meet；　the　others　go　away　on
absurd　pretexts　to　leave　us　alone　together。　Ramsden　no　longer
scowls　at　me：　his　eye　beams；　as　if　he　were　already　giving　you
away　to　me　in　church。　Tavy　refers　me　to　your　mother　and　gives　me
his　blessing。　Straker　openly　treats　you　as　his　future　employer：
it　was　he　who　first　told　me　of　it。

ANN。　Was　that　why　you　ran　away？

TANNER。　Yes；　only　to　be　stopped　by　a　lovesick　brigand　and　run
down　like　a　truant　schoolboy。

ANN。　Well；　if　you　don't　want　to　be　married；　you　needn't　be　＇she
turns　away　from　him　and　sits　down；　much　at　her　ease＇。

TANNER。　＇following　her＇　Does　any　man　want　to　be　hanged？　Yet　men
let　themselves　be　hanged　without　a　struggle　for　life；　though　they
could　at　least　give　the　chaplain　a　black　eye。　We　do　the　world's
will；　not　our　own。　I　have　a　frightful　feeling　that　I　shall　let
myself　be　married　because　it　is　the　world's　will　that　you　should
have　a　husband。

ANN。　I　daresay　I　shall；　someday。

TANNER。　But　why　meme　of　all　men？　Marriage　is　to　me　apostasy；
profanation　of　the　sanctuary　of　my　soul；　violation　of　my　manhood；
sale　of　my　birthright；　shameful　surrender；　ignominious
capitulation；　acceptance　of　defeat。　I　shall　decay　like　a　thing
that　has　served　its　purpose　and　is　done　with；　I　shall　change　from
a　man　with　a　future　to　a　man　with　a　past；　I　shall　see　in　the
greasy　eyes　of　all　the　other　husbands　their　relief　at　the　arrival
of　a　new　prisoner　to　share　their　ignominy。　The　young　men　will
scorn　me　as　one　who　has　sold　out：　to　the　young　women　I；　who　have
always　been　an　enigma　and　a　possibility；　shall　be　merely　somebody
else's　propertyand　damaged　goods　at　that：　a　secondhand　man　at
best。

ANN。　Well；　your　wife　can　put　on　a　cap　and　make　herself　ugly　to
keep　you　in　countenance；　like　my　grandmother。

TANNER。　So　that　she　may　make　her　triumph　more　insolent　by
publicly　throwing　away　the　bait　the　moment　the　trap　snaps　on　the
victim！

ANN。　After　all；　though；　what　difference　would　it　make？　Beauty　is
all　very　well　at　first　sight；　but　who　ever　looks　at　it　when　it
has　been　in　the　house　three　days？　I　thought　our　pictures　very
lovely　when　papa　bought　them；　but　I　haven't　looked　at　them　for
years。　You　never　bother　about　my　looks：　you　are　too　well　used　to
me。　I　might　be　the　umbrella　stand。

TANNER。　You　lie；　you　vampire：　you　lie。

ANN。　Flatterer。　Why　are　you　trying　to　fascinate　me；　Jack；　if　you
don't　want　to　marry　me？

TANNER。　The　Life　Force。　I　am　in　the　grip　of　the　Life　Force。

ANN。　I　don't　understand　in　the　least：　it　sounds　like　the　Life
Guards。

TANNER。　Why　don't　you　marry　Tavy？　He　is　willing。　Can　you　not　be
satisfied　unless　your　prey　struggles？

ANN。　＇turning　to　him　as　if　to　let　him　into　a　secret＇　Tavy　will
never　marry。　Haven't　you　noticed　that　that　sort　of　man　never
marries？

TANNER。　What！　a　man　who　idolizes　women　　who　sees　nothing　in
nature　but　romantic　scenery　for　love　duets！　Tavy；　the　chivalrous；
the　faithful；　the　tenderhearted　and　true！　Tavy　never　marry！　Why；
he　was　born　to　be　swept　up　by　the　first　pair　of　blue　eyes　he
meets　in　the　street。

ANN。　Yes；　I　know。　All　the　same；　Jack；　men　like　that　always　live
in　comfortable　bachelor　lodgings　with　broken　hearts；　and　are
adored　by　their　landladies；　and　never　get　married。　Men　like　you
always　get　married。

TANNER。　＇Smiting　his　brow＇　How　frightfully；　horribly　true！　It　has
been　staring　me　in　the　face　all　my　life；　and　I　never　saw　it
before。

ANN。　Oh；　it's　the　same　with　women。　The　poetic　temperament's　a
very　nice　temperament；　very　amiable；　very　harmless　and　poetic；　I
daresay；　but　it's　an　old　maid's　temperament。

TANNER。　Barren。　The　Life　Force　passes　it　by。

ANN。　If　that's　what　you　mean　by　the　Life　Force；　yes。

TANNER。　You　don't　care　for　Tavy？

ANN。　＇looking　round　carefully　to　make　sure　that　Tavy　is　not
within　earshot＇　No。

TANNER。　And　you　do　care　for　me？

ANN。　＇rising　quietly　and　shaking　her　finger　at　him＇　Now　Jack！
Behave　yourself。

TANNER。　Infamous；　abandoned　woman！　Devil！

ANN。　Boa…constrictor！　Elephant！

TANNER。　Hypocrite！

ANN。　＇Softly＇　I　must　be；　for　my　future　husband's　sake。

TANNER。　For　mine！　＇Correcting　himself　savagely＇　I　mean　for　his。

ANN。＇ignoring　the　correction＇　Yes；　for　yours。　You　had　better
marry　what　you　call　a　hypocrite；　Jack。　Women　who　are　not
hypocrites　go　about　in　rational　dress　and　are　insulted　and　get
into　all　sorts　of　hot　water。　And　then　their　husbands　get　dragged
in　too；　and　live　in　continual　dread　of　fresh　complications。
Wouldn't　you　prefer　a　wife　you　could　depend　on？

TANNER。　No；　a　thousand　times　no：　hot　water　is　the　revolutionist's
element。　You　clean　men　as　you　clean　milkpails；　by　scalding　them。

ANN。　Cold　water　has　its　uses　too。　It's　healthy。

TANNER。　＇despairingly＇　Oh；　you　are　witty：　at　the　supreme　moment
the　Life　Force　endows　you　with　every　quality。　Well；　I　too　can　be
a　hypocrite。　Your　father's　will　appointed　me　your　guardian；　not
your　suitor。　I　shall　be　faithful　to　my　trust。

ANN。　＇in　low　siren　tones＇　He　asked　me　who　would　I　have　as　my
guardian　before　he　made　that　will。　I　chose　you！

TANNER。　The　will　is　yours　then！　The　trap　was　laid　from　the
beginning。

ANN。　＇concentrating　all　her　magic＇　From　the　beginning　from　our
childhoodfor　both　of　usby　the　Life　Force。

TANNER。　I　will　not　marry　you。　I　will　not　marry　you。

ANN。　Oh；　you　will；　you　will。

TANNER。　I　tell　you；　no；　no；　no。

ANN。　I　tell　you；　yes；　yes；　yes。

TANNER。　NO。

ANN。　＇coaxingimploringalmost　exhausted＇　Yes。　Before　it　is　too
late　for　repentance。　Yes。

TANNER。　＇struck　by　the　echo　from　the　past＇　When　did　all　this
happen　to　me　before？　Are　we　two　dreaming？

ANN。　＇suddenly　losing　her　courage；　with　an　anguish　that　she　does
not　conceal＇　No。　We　are　awake；　and　you　have　said　no：　that　is　all。

TANNER。　＇brutally＇　Well？

ANN。　Well；　I　made　a　mistake：　you　do　not　love　me。

TANNER。　＇seizing　her　in　his　arms＇　It　is　false：　I　love　you。　The
Life　Force　enchants　me：　I　have　the　whole　world　in　my　arms　when　I
clasp　you。　But　I　am　fighting　for　my　freedom；　for　my　honor；　for
myself；　one　and　indivisible。

ANN。　Your　happiness　will　be　worth　them　all。

TANNER。　You　would　sell　freedom　and　honor　and　self　for　happiness？

ANN。　It　will　not　be　all　happiness　for　me。　Perhaps　death。

TANNER。　＇groaning＇　Oh；　that　clutch　holds　and　hurts。　What　have　you
grasped　in　me？　Is　there　a　father's　heart　as　well　as　a　mother's？

ANN。　Take　care；　Jack：　if　anyone　comes　while　we　are　like　this；　you
will　have　to　marry　me。

TANNER。　If　we　two　stood　now　on　the　edge　of　a　precipice；　I　would
hold　you　tight　and　jump。

ANN。　＇panting；　failing　more　and　more　under　the　strain＇　Jack：　let
me　go。　I　have　dared　so　frightfullyit　is　lasting　longer　than　I
thought。　Let　me　go：　I　can't　bear　it。

TANNER。　Nor　I。　Let　it　kill　us。

ANN。　Yes：　I　don't　care。　I　am　at　the　end　of　my　forces。　I　don't
care。　I　think　I　am　going　to　faint。

At　this　moment　Violet　and　Octavius　come　from　the　villa　with　Mrs
Whitefield；　who　is　wrapped　up　for　driving。　Simultaneously　Malone
and　Ramsden；　followed　by　Mendoza　and　Straker；　come　in　through　the
little　gate　in　the　paling。　Tanner　shamefacedly　releases　Ann；　who
raises　her　hand　giddily　to　her　forehead。

MALONE。　Take　care。　Something's　the　matter　with　the　lady。

RAMSDEN。　What　does　this　mean？

VIOLET。　＇running　between　Ann　and　Tanner＇　Are　you　ill？

ANN。　＇reeling；　with　a　supreme　effort＇　I　have　promised　to　marry
Jack。　＇She　swoons。　Violet　kneels　by　her　and　chafes　her　band。
Tanner　runs　round　to　her　other　hand；　and　tries　to　lift　her　bead。
Octavius　goes　to　Violet's　assistance；　but　does　not　know　what　to
do。　Mrs　Whitefield　hurries　back　into　the　villa。　Octavius；　Malone
and　Ramsden　run　to　Ann　and　crowd　round　her；　stooping　to　assist。
Straker　coolly　comes　to　Ann's　feet；　and　Mendoza　to　her　head；　both
upright　and　self…possessed＇。

STRAKER。　Now　then；　ladies　and　gentlemen：　she　don't　want　a　crowd
round　her：　she　wants　airall　the　air　she　can　git。　If　you　please；
gents　＇Malone　and　Ramsden　allow　him　to　drive　them　gently　past
Ann　and　up　the　lawn　towards　the　garden；　where　Octavius；　who　has
already　become　conscious　of　his　uselessness；　joins　them。　Straker；
following　them　up；　pauses　for　a　moment　to　instruct　Tanner＇。　Don't
lift　er　ed；　Mr　Tanner：　let　it　go　flat　so's　the　blood　can　run　back
into　it。

MENDOZA。　He　is　right；　Mr　Tanner。　Trust　to　the　air　of　the　Sierra。
＇He　withdraws　delicately　to　the　garden　steps＇。

TANNER。　＇rising＇　I　yield　to　your　superior　knowledge　of　physiology；
Henry。　＇He　withdraws　to　the　corner　of　the　lawn；　and　Octavius
immediately　hurries　down　to　him＇。

TAVY。　＇aside　to　Tanner；　grasping　his　hand＇　Jack：　be　very　happy。

TANNER。　＇aside　to　Tavy＇　I　never　asked　her。　It　is　a　trap　for　me。
＇He　goes　up　the　lawn　towards　the　garden。　Octavius　remains
petrified＇。

MENDOZA。　＇intercepting　Mrs　Whitefield；　who　comes　from　the　villa
with　a　glass　of　brandy＇　What　is　this；　madam　＇he　takes　it　from
her＇？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　A　little　brandy。

MENDOZA。　The　worst　thing　you　could　give　her。　Allow　me。　＇He
swallows　it＇。　Tru