man and superman-第24节

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starlight；　and　they　know　that　motor　cars　have　lamps　which　can　be
turned　to　account　for　lighting　a　card　party。

STRAKER。　＇calling　after　them＇　Don't　none　of　you　go　fooling　with
that　car；　d'ye　hear？

MENDOZA。　No　fear；　Monsieur　le　Chauffeur。　The　first　one　we
captured　cured　us　of　that。

STRAKER。　＇interested＇　What　did　it　do？

MENDOZA。　It　carried　three　brave　comrades　of　ours；　who　did　not
know　how　to　stop　it；　into　Granada；　and　capsized　them　opposite　the
police　station。　Since　then　we　never　touch　one　without　sending　for
the　chauffeur。　Shall　we　chat　at　our　ease？

TANNER。　By　all　means。

Tanner；　Mendoza；　and　Straker　sit　down　on　the　turf　by　the　fire。
Mendoza　delicately　waives　his　presidential　dignity；　of　which　the
right　to　sit　on　the　squared　stone　block　is　the　appanage；　by
sitting　on　the　ground　like　his　guests；　and　using　the　stone　only
as　a　support　for　his　back。

MENDOZA。　It　is　the　custom　in　Spain　always　to　put　off　business
until　to…morrow。　In　fact；　you　have　arrived　out　of　office　hours。
However；　if　you　would　prefer　to　settle　the　question　of　ransom　at
once；　I　am　at　your　service。

TANNER。　To…morrow　will　do　for　me。　I　am　rich　enough　to　pay
anything　in　reason。

MENDOZA。　＇respectfully；　much　struck　by　this　admission＇　You
are　a　remarkable　man；　sir。　Our　guests　usually　describe　themselves
as　miserably　poor。

TANNER。　Pooh！　Miserably　poor　people　don't　own　motor　cars。

MENDOZA。　Precisely　what　we　say　to　them。

TANNER。　Treat　us　well：　we　shall　not　prove　ungrateful。

STRAKER。　No　prickly　pears　and　broiled　rabbits；　you　know。　Don't
tell　me　you　can't　do　us　a　bit　better　than　that　if　you　like。

MENDOZA。　Wine；　kids；　milk；　cheese　and　bread　can　be　procured　for
ready　money。

STRAKER。　＇graciously＇　Now　you're　talking。

TANNER。　Are　you　all　Socialists　here；　may　I　ask？

MENDOZA。　＇repudiating　this　humiliating　misconception＇　Oh　no；　no；
no：　nothing　of　the　kind；　I　assure　you。　We　naturally　have　modern
views　as　to　the　justice　of　the　existing　distribution　of　wealth：
otherwise　we　should　lose　our　self…respect。　But　nothing　that　you
could　take　exception　to；　except　two　or　three　faddists。

TANNER。　I　had　no　intention　of　suggesting　anything　discreditable。
In　fact；　I　am　a　bit　of　a　Socialist　myself。

STRAKER。　＇drily＇　Most　rich　men　are；　I　notice。

MENDOZA。　Quite　so。　It　has　reached　us；　I　admit。　It　is　in　the　air
of　the　century。

STRAKER。　Socialism　must　be　looking　up　a　bit　if　your　chaps　are
taking　to　it。

MENDOZA。　That　is　true；　sir。　A　movement　which　is　confined　to
philosophers　and　honest　men　can　never　exercise　any　real　political
influence：　there　are　too　few　of　them。　Until　a　movement　shows
itself　capable　of　spreading　among　brigands；　it　can　never　hope　for
a　political　majority。

TANNER。　But　are　your　brigands　any　less　honest　than　ordinary
citizens？

MENDOZA。　Sir：　I　will　be　frank　with　you。　Brigandage　is　abnormal。
Abnormal　professions　attract　two　classes：　those　who　are　not　good
enough　for　ordinary　bourgeois　life　and　those　who　are　too　good　for
it。　We　are　dregs　and　scum；　sir：　the　dregs　very　filthy；　the　scum
very　superior。

STRAKER。　Take　care！　some　o　the　dregs'll　hear　you。

MENDOZA。　It　does　not　matter：　each　brigand　thinks　himself　scum；
and　likes　to　hear　the　others　called　dregs。

TANNER。　Come！　you　are　a　wit。　＇Mendoza　inclines　his　head；
flattered＇。　May　one　ask　you　a　blunt　question？

MENDOZA。　As　blunt　as　you　please。

TANNER。　How　does　it　pay　a　man　of　your　talent　to　shepherd　such　a
flock　as　this　on　broiled　rabbit　and　prickly　pears？　I　have　seen
men　less　gifted；　and　I'll　swear　less　honest；　supping　at　the　Savoy
on　foie　gras　and　champagne。

MENDOZA。　Pooh！　they　have　all　had　their　turn　at　the　broiled
rabbit；　just　as　I　shall　have　my　turn　at　the　Savoy。　Indeed；　I　have
had　a　turn　there　alreadyas　waiter。

TANNER。　A　waiter！　You　astonish　me！

MENDOZA。　＇reflectively＇　Yes：　I；　Mendoza　of　the　Sierra；　was　a
waiter。　Hence；　perhaps；　my　cosmopolitanism。　＇With　sudden
intensity＇　Shall　I　tell　you　the　story　of　my　life？

STRAKER。　＇apprehensively＇　If　it　ain't　too　long；　old　chap

TANNER。　＇interrupting　him＇　Tsh…sh：　you　are　a　Philistine；　Henry：
you　have　no　romance　in　you。　＇To　Mendoza＇　You　interest　me
extremely；　President。　Never　mind　Henry：　he　can　go　to　sleep。

MENDOZA。　The　woman　I　loved

STRAKER。　Oh；　this　is　a　love　story；　is　it？　Right　you　are。　Go　on：　I
was　only　afraid　you　were　going　to　talk　about　yourself。

MENDOZA。　Myself！　I　have　thrown　myself　away　for　her　sake：　that　is
why　I　am　here。　No　matter：　I　count　the　world　well　lost　for　her。
She　had；　I　pledge　you　my　word；　the　most　magnificent　head　of　hair
I　ever　saw。　She　had　humor；　she　had　intellect；　she　could　cook　to
perfection；　and　her　highly　strung　temperament　made　her　uncertain；
incalculable；　variable；　capricious；　cruel；　in　a　word；　enchanting。

STRAKER。　A　six　shillin　novel　sort　o　woman；　all　but　the　cookin。　Er
name　was　Lady　Gladys　Plantagenet；　wasn't　it？

MENDOZA。　No；　sir：　she　was　not　an　earl's　daughter。　Photography；
reproduced　by　the　half…tone　process；　has　made　me　familiar　with
the　appearance　of　the　daughters　of　the　English　peerage；　and　I　can
honestly　say　that　I　would　have　sold　the　lot；　faces；　dowries；
clothes；　titles；　and　all；　for　a　smile　from　this　woman。　Yet　she
was　a　woman　of　the　people；　a　worker：　otherwiselet　me
reciprocate　your　bluntnessI　should　have　scorned　her。

TANNER。　Very　properly。　And　did　she　respond　to　your　love？

MENDOZA。　Should　I　be　here　if　she　did？　She　objected　to　marry　a
Jew。

TANNER。　On　religious　grounds？

MENDOZA。　No：　she　was　a　freethinker。　She　said　that　every　Jew
considers　in　his　heart　that　English　people　are　dirty　in　their
habits。

TANNER。　＇surprised＇　Dirty！

MENDOZA。　It　showed　her　extraordinary　knowledge　of　the　world；　for
it　is　undoubtedly　true。　Our　elaborate　sanitary　code　makes　us
unduly　contemptuous　of　the　Gentile。

TANNER。　Did　you　ever　hear　that；　Henry？

STRAKER。　I've　heard　my　sister　say　so。　She　was　cook　in　a　Jewish
family　once。

MENDOZA。　I　could　not　deny　it；　neither　could　I　eradicate　the
impression　it　made　on　her　mind。　I　could　have　got　round　any　other
objection；　but　no　woman　can　stand　a　suspicion　of　indelicacy　as　to
her　person。　My　entreaties　were　in　vain：　she　always　retorted　that
she　wasn't　good　enough　for　me；　and　recommended　me　to　marry　an
accursed　barmaid　named　Rebecca　Lazarus；　whom　I　loathed。　I　talked
of　suicide：　she　offered　me　a　packet　of　beetle　poison　to　do　it
with。　I　hinted　at　murder：　she　went　into　hysterics；　and　as　I　am　a
living　man　I　went　to　America　so　that　she　might　sleep　without
dreaming　that　I　was　stealing　upstairs　to　cut　her　throat。　In
America　I　went　out　west　and　fell　in　with　a　man　who　was　wanted　by
the　police　for　holding　up　trains。　It　was　he　who　had　the　idea　of
holding　up　motors　carsin　the　South　of　Europe：　a　welcome　idea　to
a　desperate　and　disappointed　man。　He　gave　me　some　valuable
introductions　to　capitalists　of　the　right　sort。　I　formed　a
syndicate；　and　the　present　enterprise　is　the　result。　I　became
leader；　as　the　Jew　always　becomes　leader；　by　his　brains　and
imagination。　But　with　all　my　pride　of　race　I　would　give
everything　I　possess　to　be　an　Englishman。　I　am　like　a　boy：　I　cut
her　name　on　the　trees　and　her　initials　on　the　sod。　When　I　am
alone　I　lie　down　and　tear　my　wretched　hair　and　cry　Louisa

STRAKER。　＇startled＇　Louisa！

MENDOZA。　It　is　her　nameLouisaLouisa　Straker

TANNER。　Straker！

STRAKER。　＇scrambling　up　on　his　knees　most　indignantly＇　Look　here：
Louisa　Straker　is　my　sister；　see？　Wot　do　you　mean　by　gassin　about
her　like　this？　Wot　she　got　to　do　with　you？

MENDOZA。　A　dramatic　coincidence！　You　are　Enry；　her　favorite
brother！

STRAKER。　Oo　are　you　callin　Enry？　What　call　have　you　to　take　a
liberty　with　my　name　or　with　hers？　For　two　pins　I'd　punch　your
fat　ed；　so　I　would。

MENDOZA。　＇with　grandiose　calm＇　If　I　let　you　do　it；　will　you
promise　to　brag　of　it　afterwards　to　her？　She　will　be　reminded　of
her　Mendoza：　that　is　all　I　desire。

TANNER。　This　is　genuine　devotion；　Henry。　You　should　respect　it。

STRAKER。　＇fiercely＇　Funk；　more　likely。

MENDOZA。　＇springing　to　his　feet＇　Funk！　Young　man：　I　come　of　a
famous　family　of　fighters；　and　as　your　sister　well　knows；　you
would　have　as　much　chance　against　me　as　a　perambulator　against
your　motor　car。

STRAKER。　＇secretly　daunted；　but　rising　from　his　knees　with　an　air
of　reckless　pugnacity＇　I　ain't　afraid　of　you。　With　your　Louisa！
Louisa！　Miss　Straker　is　good　enough　for　you；　I　should　think。

MENDOZA。　I　wish　you　could　persuade　her　to　think　so。

STRAKER。　＇exasperated＇　Here

TANNER。　＇rising　quickly　and　interposing＇　Oh　come；　Henry：　even　if
you　could　fight　the　President　you　can't　fight　the　whole　League　of
the　Sierra。　Sit　down　again　and　be　friendly。　A　cat　may　look　at　a
king；　and　even　a　President　of　brigands　may　look　at　your　sister。
All　this　family　pride　is　really　very　old　fashioned。

STRAKER。　＇subdued；　but　grumbling＇　Let　him　look　at　her。　But　wot
does　he　mean　by　makin　out　that　she　ever　looked　at　im？
＇Reluctantly　resuming　his　couch　on　the　turf＇　Ear　him　talk；　one　ud
think　she　was　keepin　company　with　him。　＇He　turns　his　back　on　them
and　composes　himself　to　sleep＇。

MENDOZA。　＇to　Tanner；　becoming　more　confidential　as　he　finds
himself　virtually　alone　with　a　sympathetic　listener　in　the　still
starlight　of　the　mountains；　for