man and superman-第21节

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circumstances　which　make　it　impossible　for　her　to　come　on　such　an
expedition。

HECTOR。　＇amused　and　not　at　all　convinced＇　Too　American；　eh？　Must
the　young　lady　have　a　chaperone？

OCTAVIUS。　It's　not　that；　Maloneat　least　not　altogether。

HECTOR。　Indeed！　May　I　ask　what　other　objection　applies？

TANNER。　＇impatiently＇　Oh；　tell　him；　tell　him。　We　shall　never　be
able　to　keep　the　secret　unless　everybody　knows　what　it　is。　Mr
Malone：　if　you　go　to　Nice　with　Violet；　you　go　with　another　man's
wife。　She　is　married。

HECTOR。　（thunderstruck＇　You　don't　tell　me　so！

TANNER。　We　do。　In　confidence。

RAMSDEN。　＇with　an　air　of　importance；　lest　Malone　should　suspect　a
misalliance＇　Her　marriage　has　not　yet　been　made　known：　she
desires　that　it　shall　not　be　mentioned　for　the　present。

HECTOR。　I　shall　respect　the　lady's　wishes。　Would　it　be　indiscreet
to　ask　who　her　husband　is；　in　case　I　should　have　an　opportunity
of　consulting　him　about　this　trip？

TANNER。　We　don't　know　who　he　is。

HECTOR。　＇retiring　into　his　shell　in　a　very　marked　manner＇　In　that
case；　I　have　no　more　to　say。

They　become　more　embarrassed　than　ever。

OCTAVIUS。　You　must　think　this　very　strange。

HECTOR。　A　little　singular。　Pardon　me　for　saving　so。

RAMSDEN。　＇half　apologetic；　half　huffy＇　The　young　lady　was　married
secretly；　and　her　husband　has　forbidden　her；　it　seems；　to　declare
his　name。　It　is　only　right　to　tell　you；　since　you　are　interested
in　Misserin　Violet。

OCTAVIUS。　＇sympathetically＇　I　hope　this　is　not　a　disappointment
to　you。

HECTOR。　＇softened；　coming　out　of　his　shell　again＇　Well　it　is　a
blow。　I　can　hardly　understand　how　a　man　can　leave　a　wife　in　such
a　position。　Surely　it's　not　customary。　It's　not　manly。　It's　not
considerate。

OCTAVIUS。　We　feel　that；　as　you　may　imagine；　pretty　deeply。

RAMSDEN。　＇testily＇　It　is　some　young　fool　who　has　not　enough
experience　to　know　what　mystifications　of　this　kind　lead　to。

HECTOR。　＇with　strong　symptoms　of　moral　repugnance＇　I　hope　so。　A
man　need　be　very　young　and　pretty　foolish　too　to　be　excused　for
such　conduct。　You　take　a　very　lenient　view；　Mr　Ramsden。　Too
lenient　to　my　mind。　Surely　marriage　should　ennoble　a　man。

TANNER。　＇sardonically＇　Ha！

HECTOR。　Am　I　to　gather　from　that　cacchination　that　you　don't
agree　with　me；　Mr　Tanner？

TANNER。　＇drily＇　Get　married　and　try。　You　may　find　it　delightful
for　a　while：　you　certainly　won't　find　it　ennobling。　The　greatest
common　measure　of　a　man　and　a　woman　is　not　necessarily　greater
than　the　man's　single　measure。

HECTOR。　Well；　we　think　in　America　that　a　woman's　moral　number　is
higher　than　a　man's；　and　that　the　purer　nature　of　a　woman　lifts　a
man　right　out　of　himself；　and　makes　him　better　than　he　was。

OCTAVIUS。　＇with　conviction＇　So　it　does。

TANNER。　No　wonder　American　women　prefer　to　live　in　Europe！　It's
more　comfortable　than　standing　all　their　lives　on　an　altar　to　be
worshipped。　Anyhow；　Violet's　husband　has　not　been　ennobled。　So
what's　to　be　done？

HECTOR。　＇shaking　his　head＇　I　can't　dismiss　that　man's　conduct　as
lightly　as　you　do；　Mr　Tanner。　However；　I'll　say　no　more。　Whoever
he　is；　he's　Miss　Robinson's　husband；　and　I　should　be　glad　for　her
sake　to　think　better　of　him。

OCTAVIUS。　＇touched；　for　he　divines　a　secret　sorrow＇　I'm　very
sorry；　Malone。　Very　sorry。

HECTOR。　＇gratefully＇　You're　a　good　fellow；　Robinson；　Thank　you。

TANNER。　Talk　about　something　else。　Violet's　coming　from　the
house。

HECTOR。　I　should　esteem　it　a　very　great　favor；　men；　if　you　would
take　the　opportunity　to　let　me　have　a　few　words　with　the　lady
alone。　I　shall　have　to　cry　off　this　trip；　and　it's　rather　a
delicate

RAMSDEN。　＇glad　to　escape＇　Say　no　more。　Come　Tanner；　Come；　Tavy。
＇He　strolls　away　into　the　park　with　Octavius　and　Tanner；　past　the
motor　car＇。

Violet　comes　down　the　avenue　to　Hector。

VIOLET。　Are　they　looking？

HECTOR。　No。

She　kisses　him。

VIOLET。　Have　you　been　telling　lies　for　my　sake？

HECTOR。　Lying！　Lying　hardly　describes　it。　I　overdo　it。　I　get
carried　away　in　an　ecstasy　of　mendacity。　Violet：　I　wish　you'd　let
me　own　up。

VIOLET。　＇instantly　becoming　serious　and　resolute＇　No；　no。　Hector：
you　promised　me　not　to。

HECTOR。　I'll　keep　my　promise　until　you　release　me　from　it。　But　I
feel　mean；　lying　to　those　men；　and　denying　my　wife。　Just
dastardly。

VIOLET。　I　wish　your　father　were　not　so　unreasonable。

HECTOR。　He's　not　unreasonable。　He's　right　from　his　point　of　view。
He　has　a　prejudice　against　the　English　middle　class。

VIOLET。　It's　too　ridiculous。　You　know　how　I　dislike　saying　such
things　to　you；　Hector；　but　if　I　were　tooh；　well；　no　matter。

HECTOR。　I　know。　If　you　were　to　marry　the　son　of　an　English
manufacturer　of　office　furniture；　your　friends　would　consider　it
a　misalliance。　And　here's　my　silly　old　dad；　who　is　the　biggest
office　furniture　man　in　the　world；　would　show　me　the　door　for
marrying　the　most　perfect　lady　in　England　merely　because　she　has
no　handle　to　her　name。　Of　course　it's　just　absurd。　But　I　tell
you；　Violet；　I　don't　like　deceiving　him。　I　feel　as　if　I　was
stealing　his　money。　Why　won't　you　let　me　own　up？

VIOLET。　We　can't　afford　it。　You　can　be　as　romantic　as　you　please
about　love；　Hector；　but　you　mustn't　be　romantic　about　money。

HECTOR。　＇divided　between　his　uxoriousness　and　his　habitual
elevation　of　moral　sentiment＇　That's　very　English。　＇Appealing
to　her　impulsively＇　Violet：　Dad's　bound　to　find　us　out　some
day。

VIOLET。　Oh　yes；　later　on　of　course。　But　don't　let's　go　over　this
every　time　we　meet；　dear。　You　promised

HECTOR。　All　right；　all　right；　I

VIOLET。　＇not　to　be　silenced＇　It　is　I　and　not　you　who　suffer　by
this　concealment；　and　as　to　facing　a　struggle　and　poverty　and　all
that　sort　of　thing　I　simply　will　not　do　it。　It's　too　silly。

HECTOR。　You　shall　not。　I'll　sort　of　borrow　the　money　from　my　dad
until　I　get　on　my　own　feet；　and　then　I　can　own　up　and　pay　up　at
the　same　time。

VIOLET。　＇alarmed　and　indignant＇　Do　you　mean　to　work？　Do　you　want
to　spoil　our　marriage？

HECTOR。　Well；　I　don't　mean　to　let　marriage　spoil　my　character。
Your　friend　Mr　Tanner　has　got　the　laugh　on　me　a　bit　already　about
that；　and

VIOLET。　The　beast！　I　hate　Jack　Tanner。

HECTOR。　＇magnanimously＇　Oh；　he's　all　right：　he　only　needs　the
love　of　a　good　woman　to　ennoble　him。　Besides；　he's　proposed　a
motoring　trip　to　Nice；　and　I'm　going　to　take　you。

VIOLET。　How　jolly！

HECTOR。　Yes；　but　how　are　we　going　to　manage？　You　see；　they've
warned　me　off　going　with　you；　so　to　speak。　They've　told　me　in
confidence　that　you're　married。　That's　just　the　most　overwhelming
confidence　I've　ever　been　honored　with。

Tanner　returns　with　Straker；　who　goes　to　his　car。

TANNER。　Your　car　is　a　great　success；　Mr　Malone。　Your　engineer　is
showing　it　off　to　Mr　Ramsden。

HECTOR。　＇eagerlyforgetting　himself＇　Let's　come；　Vi。

VIOLET。　＇coldly；　warning　him　with　her　eyes＇　I　beg　your　pardon；
Mr　Malone；　I　did　not　quite　catch

HECTOR。　＇recollecting　himself＇　I　ask　to　be　allowed　the　pleasure
of　showing　you　my　little　American　steam　car；　Miss　Robinson。

VIOLET。　I　shall　be　very　pleased。　＇They　go　off　together　down　the
avenue＇。

TANNER。　About　this　trip；　Straker。

STRAKER。　＇preoccupied　with　the　car＇　Yes？

TANNER。　Miss　Whitefield　is　supposed　to　be　coming　with　me。

STRAKER。　So　I　gather。

TANNER。　Mr　Robinson　is　to　be　one　of　the　party。

STRAKER。　Yes。

TANNER。　Well；　if　you　can　manage　so　as　to　be　a　good　deal　occupied
with　me；　and　leave　Mr　Robinson　a　good　deal　occupied　with　Miss
Whitefield；　he　will　be　deeply　grateful　to　you。

STRAKER。　＇looking　round　at　him＇　Evidently。

TANNER。　〃Evidently〃！　Your　grandfather　would　have　simply　winked。

STRAKER。　My　grandfather　would　have　touched　his　at。

TANNER。　And　I　should　have　given　your　good　nice　respectful
grandfather　a　sovereign。

STRAKER。　Five　shillins；　more　likely。　＇He　leaves　the　car　and
approaches　Tanner＇。　What　about　the　lady's　views？

TANNER。　She　is　just　as　willing　to　be　left　to　Mr　Robinson　as　Mr
Robinson　is　to　be　left　to　her。　＇Straker　looks　at　his　principal
with　cool　scepticism；　then　turns　to　the　car　whistling　his
favorite　air＇。　Stop　that　aggravating　noise。　What　do　you　mean　by
it？　＇Straker　calmly　resumes　the　melody　and　finishes　it。　Tanner
politely　hears　it　out　before　he　again　addresses　Straker；　this
time　with　elaborate　seriousness＇。　Enry：　I　have　ever　been　a　warm
advocate　of　the　spread　of　music　among　the　masses；　but　I　object　to
your　obliging　the　company　whenever　Miss　Whitefield's　name　is
mentioned。　You　did　it　this　morning；　too。

STRAKER。　＇obstinately＇　It's　not　a　bit　o　use。　Mr　Robinson　may　as
well　give　it　up　first　as　last。

TANNER。　Why？

STRAKER。　Garn！　You　know　why。　Course　it's　not　my　business；　but　you
needn't　start　kiddin　me　about　it。

TANNER。　I　am　not　kidding。　I　don't　know　why。

STRAKER。　＇Cheerfully　sulky＇　Oh；　very　well。　All　right。　It　ain't　my
business。

TANNER。　＇impressively＇　I　trust；　Enry；　that；　as　between　employer
and　engineer；　I　shall　always　know　how　to　keep　my　proper　distance；
and　not　intrude　my　private　affairs　on　you。　Even　our　business
arrangements　are　subject　to　the　approval　of　your　Trade　Union。　But
don't　abuse　your　advantages。　Let　me　remind　you　that　Voltaire　said
that　what　was　too　silly　to　be　said　could　be　sung。

STRAKER。　It　wasn't