man and superman-第13节

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knowledge　creates　new　mind　as　surely　as　any　woman　creates　new
men。　In　the　rage　of　that　creation　he　is　as　ruthless　as　the　woman；
as　dangerous　to　her　as　she　to　him；　and　as　horribly　fascinating。
Of　all　human　struggles　there　is　none　so　treacherous　and
remorseless　as　the　struggle　between　the　artist　man　and　the　mother
woman。　Which　shall　use　up　the　other？　that　is　the　issue　between
them。　And　it　is　all　the　deadlier　because；　in　your　romanticist
cant；　they　love　one　another。

OCTAVIUS。　Even　if　it　were　soand　I　don't　admit　it　for　a　moment
it　is　out　of　the　deadliest　struggles　that　we　get　the　noblest
characters。

TANNER。　Remember　that　the　next　time　you　meet　a　grizzly　bear　or　a
Bengal　tiger；　Tavy。

OCTAVIUS。　I　meant　where　there　is　love；　Jack。

TANNER。　Oh；　the　tiger　will　love　you。　There　is　no　love　sincerer
than　the　love　of　food。　I　think　Ann　loves　you　that　way：　she　patted
your　cheek　as　if　it　were　a　nicely　underdone　chop。

OCTAVIUS。　You　know；　Jack；　I　should　have　to　run　away　from　you　if　I
did　not　make　it　a　fixed　rule　not　to　mind　anything　you　say。　You
come　out　with　perfectly　revolting　things　sometimes。

Ramsden　returns；　followed　by　Ann。　They　come　in　quickly；　with
their　former　leisurely　air　of　decorous　grief　changed　to　one　of
genuine　concern；　and；　on　Ramsden's　part；　of　worry。　He　comes
between　the　two　men；　intending　to　address　Octavius；　but　pulls
himself　up　abruptly　as　he　sees　Tanner。

RAMSDEN。　I　hardly　expected　to　find　you　still　here；　Mr　Tanner。

TANNER。　Am　I　in　the　way？　Good　morning；　fellow　guardian　＇he　goes
towards　the　door＇。

ANN。　Stop；　Jack。　Granny：　he　must　know；　sooner　or　later。

RAMSDEN。　Octavius：　I　have　a　very　serious　piece　of　news　for　you。
It　is　of　the　most　private　and　delicate　natureof　the　most
painful　nature　too；　I　am　sorry　to　say。　Do　you　wish　Mr　Tanner　to
be　present　whilst　I　explain？

OCTAVIUS。　＇turning　pale＇　I　have　no　secrets　from　Jack。

RAMSDEN。　Before　you　decide　that　finally；　let　me　say　that　the　news
concerns　your　sister；　and　that　it　is　terrible　news。

OCTAVIUS。　Violet！　What　has　happened？　Is　shedead？

RAMSDEN。　I　am　not　sure　that　it　is　not　even　worse　than　that。

OCTAVIUS。　Is　she　badly　hurt？　Has　there　been　an　accident？

RAMSDEN。　No：　nothing　of　that　sort。

TANNER。　Ann：　will　you　have　the　common　humanity　to　tell　us　what
the　matter　is？

ANN。　＇half　whispering＇　I　can't。　Violet　has　done　something
dreadful。　We　shall　have　to　get　her　away　somewhere。　＇She　flutters
to　the　writing　table　and　sits　in　Ramsden's　chair；　leaving　the
three　men　to　fight　it　out　between　them＇。

OCTAVIUS。　＇enlightened＇　Is　that　what　you　meant；　Mr　Ramsden？

RAMSDEN。　Yes。　＇Octavius　sinks　upon　a　chair；　crushed＇。　I　am　afraid
there　is　no　doubt　that　Violet　did　not　really　go　to　Eastbourne
three　weeks　ago　when　we　thought　she　was　with　the　Parry
Whitefields。　And　she　called　on　a　strange　doctor　yesterday　with　a
wedding　ring　on　her　finger。　Mrs。　Parry　Whitefield　met　her　there
by　chance；　and　so　the　whole　thing　came　out。

OCTAVIUS。　＇rising　with　his　fists　clenched＇　Who　is　the　scoundrel？

ANN。　She　won't　tell　us。

OCTAVIUS。　＇collapsing　upon　his　chair　again＇　What　a　frightful
thing！

TANNER。　＇with　angry　sarcasm＇　Dreadful。　Appalling。　　Worse　than
death；　as　Ramsden　says。　＇He　comes　to　Octavius＇。　What　would　you
not　give；　Tavy；　to　turn　it　into　a　railway　accident；　with　all　her
bones　broken　or　something　equally　respectable　and　deserving　of
sympathy？

OCTAVIUS。　Don't　be　brutal；　Jack。

TANNER。　Brutal！　Good　Heavens；　man；　what　are　you　crying　for？　Here
is　a　woman　whom　we　all　supposed　to　be　making　bad　water　color
sketches；　practising　Grieg　and　Brahms；　gadding　about　to　concerts
and　parties；　wasting　her　life　and　her　money。　We　suddenly　learn
that　she　has　turned　from　these　sillinesses　to　the　fulfilment　of
her　highest　purpose　and　greatest　functionto　increase；　multiply
and　replenish　the　earth。　And　instead　of　admiring　her　courage　and
rejoicing　in　her　instinct；　instead　of　crowning　the　completed
womanhood　and　raising　the　triumphal　strain　of　〃Unto　us　a　child　is
born：　unto　us　a　son　is　given；〃　here　you　areyou　who　have　been　as
merry　as　Brigs　in　your　mourning　for　the　deadall　pulling　long
faces　and　looking　as　ashamed　and　disgraced　as　if　the　girl　had
committed　the　vilest　of　crimes。

RAMSDEN。　＇roaring　with　rage＇　I　will　not　have　these　abominations
uttered　in　my　house　＇he　smites　the　writing　table　with　his　fist＇。

TANNER。　Look　here：　if　you　insult　me　again　I'll　take　you　at　your
word　and　leave　your　house。　Ann：　where　is　Violet　now？

ANN。　Why？　Are　you　going　to　her？

TANNER。　Of　course　I　am　going　to　her。　She　wants　help；　she　wants
money；　she　wants　respect　and　congratulation。　She　wants　every
chance　for　her　child。　She　does　not　seem　likely　to　get　it　from
you：　she　shall　from　me。　Where　is　she？

ANN。　Don't　be　so　headstrong；　Jack。　She's　upstairs。

TANNER。　What！　Under　Ramsden's　sacred　roof！　Go　and　do　your
miserable　duty；　Ramsden。　Hunt　her　out　into　the　street。　Cleanse
your　threshold　from　her　contamination。　Vindicate　the　purity　of
your　English　home。　I'll　go　for　a　cab；

ANN。　＇alarmed＇　Oh；　Granny；　you　mustn't　do　that。

OCTAVIUS。　＇broken…heartedly；　rising＇　I'll　take　her　away；　Mr
Ramsden。　She　had　no　right　to　come　to　your　house。

RAMSDEN。　＇indignantly＇　But　I　am　only　too　anxious　to　help　her。
＇turning　on　Tanner＇　How　dare　you；　sir；　impute　such　monstrous
intentions　to　me？　I　protest　against　it。　I　am　ready　to　put　down　my
last　penny　to　save　her　from　being　driven　to　run　to　you　for
protection。

TANNER。　＇subsiding＇　It's　all　right；　then。　He's　not　going　to　act
up　to　his　principles。　It's　agreed　that　we　all　stand　by　Violet。

OCTAVIUS。　But　who　is　the　man？　He　can　make　reparation　by　marrying
her；　and　he　shall；　or　he　shall　answer　for　it　to　me。

RAMSDEN。　He　shall；　Octavius。　There　you　speak　like　a　man。

TANNER。　Then　you　don't　think　him　a　scoundrel；　after　all？

OCTAVIUS。　Not　a　scoundrel！　He　is　a　heartless　scoundrel。

RAMSDEN。　A　damned　scoundrel。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Annie；　but　I　can
say　no　less。

TANNER。　So　we　are　to　marry　your　sister　to　a　damned　scoundrel　by
way　of　reforming　her　character！　On　my　soul；　I　think　you　are　all
mad。

ANN。　Don't　be　absurd；　Jack。　Of　course　you　are　quite　right；　Tavy；
but　we　don't　know　who　he　is：　Violet　won't　tell　us。

TANNER。　What　on　earth　does　it　matter　who　he　is？　He's　done　his
part；　and　Violet　must　do　the　rest。

RAMSDEN。　＇beside　himself＇　Stuff！　lunacy！　There　is　a　rascal　in　our
midst；　a　libertine；　a　villain　worse　than　a　murderer；　and　we　are
not　to　learn　who　he　is！　In　our　ignorance　we　are　to　shake　him　by
the　hand；　to　introduce　him　into　our　homes；　to　trust　our　daughters
with　him；　toto

ANN。　＇coaxingly＇　There；　Granny；　don't　talk　so　loud。　It's　most
shocking：　we　must　all　admit　that；　but　if　Violet　won't　tell　us；
what　can　we　do？　Nothing。　Simply　nothing。

RAMSDEN。　Hmph！　I'm　not　so　sure　of　that。　If　any　man　has　paid
Violet　any　special　attention；　we　can　easily　find　that　out。　If
there　is　any　man　of　notoriously　loose　principles　among　us

TANNER。　Ahem！

RAMSDEN。　＇raising　his　voice＇　Yes　sir；　I　repeat；　if　there　is　any
man　of　notoriously　loose　principles　among　us

TANNER。　Or　any　man　notoriously　lacking　in　self…control。

RAMSDEN。　＇aghast＇　Do　you　dare　to　suggest　that　I　am　capable　of
such　an　act？

TANNER。　My　dear　Ramsden；　this　is　an　act　of　which　every　man　is
capable。　That　is　what　comes　of　getting　at　cross　purposes　with
Nature。　The　suspicion　you　have　just　flung　at　me　clings　to　us　all。
It's　a　sort　of　mud　that　sticks　to　the　judge's　ermine　or　the
cardinal's　robe　as　fast　as　to　the　rags　of　the　tramp。　Come；　Tavy：
don't　look　so　bewildered：　it　might　have　been　me：　it　might　have
been　Ramsden；　just　as　it　might　have　been　anybody。　If　it　had；　what
could　we　do　but　lie　and　protest　as　Ramsden　is　going　to　protest。

RAMSDEN。　＇choking＇＇　III

TANNER。　Guilt　itself　could　not　stammer　more　confusedly；　And　yet
you　know　perfectly　well　he's　innocent；　Tavy。

RAMSDEN。　＇exhausted＇　I　am　glad　you　admit　that；　sir。　I　admit；
myself；　that　there　is　an　element　of　truth　in　what　you　say；
grossly　as　you　may　distort　it　to　gratify　your　malicious　humor。　I
hope；　Octavius；　no　suspicion　of　me　is　possible　in　your　mind。

OCTAVIUS。　Of　you！　No；　not　for　a　moment。

TANNER。　＇drily＇　I　think　he　suspects　me　just　a　little。

OCTAVIUS。　Jack：　you　couldn'tyou　wouldn't

TANNER。　Why　not？

OCTAVIUS。　＇appalled＇　Why　not！

TANNER。　Oh；　well；　I'll　tell　you　why　not。　First；　you　would　feel
bound　to　quarrel　with　me。　Second；　Violet　doesn't　like　me。　Third；
if　I　had　the　honor　of　being　the　father　of　Violet's　child；　I
should　boast　of　it　instead　of　denying　it。　So　be　easy：　our
Friendship　is　not　in　danger。

OCTAVIUS。　I　should　have　put　away　the　suspicion　with　horror　if
only　you　would　think　and　feel　naturally　about　it。　I　beg　your
pardon。

TANNER。　MY　pardon！　nonsense！　And　now　let's　sit　down　and　have　a
family　council。　＇He　sits　down。　The　rest　follow　his　example；　more
or　less　under　protest＇。　Violet　is　going　to　do　the　State　a
service；　consequently　she　must　be　packed　abroad　like　a　criminal
until　it's　over。　What's　happening　upstairs？

ANN。　Violet　is　in　the　housekeeper's　roomby　herself；　of　course。

TANNER。　Why　not　in　the　drawingroom？

ANN。　Don't　be　absurd；　Jack。　Miss　Ramsden　is　in　the　drawingroom
with　my　mother；　considering　what　to　do。

TANNER。