man and superman-第27节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


last；　and　now　I　fear　it　is　shockingly　mutilated。　My　poor　father！

DON　JUAN。　Hush！　Listen！　＇Two　great　chords　rolling　on　syncopated
waves　of　sound　break　forth：　D　minor　and　its　dominant：　a　round　of
dreadful　joy　to　all　musicians＇。　Ha！　Mozart's　statue　music。　It　is
your　father。　You　had　better　disappear　until　I　prepare　him。　＇She
vanishes＇。

》From　the　void　comes　a　living　statue　of　white　marble；　designed
to　represent　a　majestic　old　man。　But　he　waives　his　majesty　with
infinite　grace；　walks　with　a　feather…like　step；　and　makes　every
wrinkle　in　his　war　worn　visage　brim　over　with　holiday　joyousness。
To　his　sculptor　he　owes　a　perfectly　trained　figure；　which　he
carries　erect　and　trim；　and　the　ends　of　his　moustache　curl　up；
elastic　as　watchsprings；　giving　him　an　air　which；　but　for　its
Spanish　dignity；　would　be　called　jaunty。　He　is　on　the　pleasantest
terms　with　Don　Juan。　His　voice；　save　for　a　much　more
distinguished　intonation；　is　so　like　the　voice　of　Roebuck　Ramsden
that　it　calls　attention　to　the　fact　that　they　are　not　unlike　one
another　in　spite　of　their　very　different　fashion　of　shaving。

DON　JUAN。　Ah；　here　you　are；　my　friend。　Why　don't　you　learn　to
sing　the　splendid　music　Mozart　has　written　for　you？

THE　STATUE。　Unluckily　he　has　written　it　for　a　bass　voice。　Mine　is
a　counter　tenor。　Well：　have　you　repented　yet？

DON　JUAN。　I　have　too　much　consideration　for　you　to　repent；　Don
Gonzalo。　If　I　did；　you　would　have　no　excuse　for　coming　from
Heaven　to　argue　with　me。

THE　STATUE。　True。　Remain　obdurate；　my　boy。　I　wish　I　had　killed
you；　as　I　should　have　done　but　for　an　accident。　Then　I　should
have　come　here；　and　you　would　have　had　a　statue　and　a　reputation
for　piety　to　live　up　to。　Any　news？

DON　JUAN。　Yes：　your　daughter　is　dead。

THE　STATUE。　＇puzzled＇　My　daughter？　＇Recollecting＇　Oh！　the　one　you
were　taken　with。　Let　me　see：　what　was　her　name？

DON　JUAN。　Ana。

THE　STATUE。　To　be　sure：　Ana。　A　goodlooking　girl；　if　I　recollect
aright。　Have　you　warned　Whatshisnameher　husband？

DON　JUAN。　My　friend　Ottavio？　No：　I　have　not　seen　him　since　Ana
arrived。

Ana　comes　indignantly　to　light。

ANA。　What　does　this　mean？　Ottavio　here　and　YOUR　friend！　And　you；
father；　have　forgotten　my　name。　You　are　indeed　turned　to　stone。

THE　STATUE。　My　dear：　I　am　so　much　more　admired　in　marble　than　I
ever　was　in　my　own　person　that　I　have　retained　the　shape　the
sculptor　gave　me。　He　was　one　of　the　first　men　of　his　day：　you
must　acknowledge　that。

ANA。　Father！　Vanity！　personal　vanity！　from　you！

THE　STATUE。　Ah；　you　outlived　that　weakness；　my　daughter：　you　must
be　nearly　80　by　this　time。　I　was　cut　off　（by　an　accident）　in　my
64th　year；　and　am　considerably　your　junior　in　consequence。
Besides；　my　child；　in　this　place；　what　our　libertine　friend　here
would　call　the　farce　of　parental　wisdom　is　dropped。　Regard　me；　I
beg；　as　a　fellow　creature；　not　as　a　father。

ANA。　You　speak　as　this　villain　speaks。

THE　STATUE。　Juan　is　a　sound　thinker；　Ana。　A　bad　fencer；　but　a
sound　thinker。

ANA。　＇horror　creeping　upon　her＇　I　begin　to　understand。　These　are
devils；　mocking　me。　I　had　better　pray。

THE　STATUE。　＇consoling　her＇　No；　no；　no；　my　child：　do　not　pray。　If
you　do；　you　will　throw　away　the　main　advantage　of　this　place。
Written　over　the　gate　here　are　the　words　〃Leave　every　hope
behind；　ye　who　enter。〃　Only　think　what　a　relief　that　is！　For　what
is　hope？　A　form　of　moral　responsibility。　Here　there　is　no　hope；
and　consequently　no　duty；　no　work；　nothing　to　be　gained　by
praying；　nothing　to　be　lost　by　doing　what　you　like。　Hell；　in
short；　is　a　place　where　you　have　nothing　to　do　but　amuse
yourself。　＇Don　Juan　sighs　deeply＇。　You　sigh；　friend　Juan；　but　if
you　dwelt　in　heaven；　as　I　do；　you　would　realize　your　advantages。

DON　JUAN。　You　are　in　good　spirits　to…day；　Commander。　You　are
positively　brilliant。　What　is　the　matter？

THE　STATUE。　I　have　come　to　a　momentous　decision；　my　boy。　But
first；　where　is　our　friend　the　Devil？　I　must　consult　him　in　the
matter。　And　Ana　would　like　to　make　his　acquaintance；　no　doubt。

ANA。　You　are　preparing　some　torment　for　me。

DON　JUAN。　All　that　is　superstition；　Ana。　Reassure　yourself。
Remember：　the　devil　is　not　so　black　as　he　is　painted。

THE　STATUE。　Let　us　give　him　a　call。

At　the　wave　of　the　statue's　hand　the　great　chords　roll　out　again
but　this　time　Mozart's　music　gets　grotesquely　adulterated　with
Gounod's。　A　scarlet　halo　begins　to　glow；　and　into　it　the　Devil
rises；　very　Mephistophelean；　and　not　at　all　unlike　Mendoza；
though　not　so　interesting。　He　looks　older；　is　getting　prematurely
bald；　and；　in　spite　of　an　effusion　of　goodnature　and　friendliness；
is　peevish　and　sensitive　when　his　advances　are　not　reciprocated。
He　does　not　inspire　much　confidence　in　his　powers　of　hard　work　or
endurance；　and　is；　on　the　whole；　a　disagreeably　self…indulgent
looking　person；　but　he　is　clever　and　plausible；　though
perceptibly　less　well　bred　than　the　two　other　men；　and　enormously
less　vital　than　the　woman。

THE　DEVIL。　＇heartily＇　Have　I　the　pleasure　of　again　receiving　a
visit　from　the　illustrious　Commander　of　Calatrava？　＇Coldly＇　Don
Juan；　your　servant。　＇Politely＇　And　a　strange　lady？　My　respects；
Senora。

ANA。　Are　you

THE　DEVIL。　＇bowing＇　Lucifer；　at　your　service。

ANA。　I　shall　go　mad。

THE　DEVIL。　＇gallantly＇　Ah；　Senora；　do　not　be　anxious。　You　come　to
us　from　earth；　full　of　the　prejudices　and　terrors　of　that
priest…ridden　place。　You　have　heard　me　ill　spoken　of；　and　yet；
believe　me；　I　have　hosts　of　friends　there。

ANA。　Yes：　you　reign　in　their　hearts。

THE　DEVIL。　＇shaking　his　head＇　You　flatter　me；　Senora；　but　you　are
mistaken。　It　is　true　that　the　world　cannot　get　on　without　me；　but
it　never　gives　me　credit　for　that：　in　its　heart　it　mistrusts　and
hates　me。　Its　sympathies　are　all　with　misery；　with　poverty；　with
starvation　of　the　body　and　of　the　heart。　I　call　on　it　to
sympathize　with　joy；　with　love；　with　happiness；　with　beauty。

DON　JUAN。　＇nauseated＇　Excuse　me：　I　am　going。　You　know　I　cannot
stand　this。

THE　DEVIL。　＇angrily＇　Yes：　I　know　that　you　are　no　friend　of　mine。

THE　STATUE。　What　harm　is　he　doing　you；　Juan？　It　seems　to　me　that
he　was　talking　excellent　sense　when　you　interrupted　him。

THE　DEVIL。　＇warmly　shaking　the　statue's　hand＇　Thank　you；　my
friend：　thank　you。　You　have　always　understood　me：　he　has　always
disparaged　and　avoided　me。

DON　JUAN。　I　have　treated　you　with　perfect　courtesy。

THE　DEVIL。　Courtesy！　What　is　courtesy？　I　care　nothing　for　mere
courtesy。　Give　me　warmth　of　heart；　true　sincerity；　the　bond　of
sympathy　with　love　and　joy

DON　JUAN。　You　are　making　me　ill。

THE　DEVIL。　There！　＇Appealing　to　the　statue＇　You　hear；　sir！　Oh；　by
what　irony　of　fate　was　this　cold　selfish　egotist　sent　to　my
kingdom；　and　you　taken　to　the　icy　mansions　of　the　sky！

THE　STATUE。　I　can't　complain。　I　was　a　hypocrite；　and　it　served　me
right　to　be　sent　to　heaven。

THE　DEVIL。　Why；　sir；　do　you　not　join　us；　and　leave　a　sphere　for
which　your　temperament　is　too　sympathetic；　your　heart　too　warm；
your　capacity　for　enjoyment　too　generous？

THE　STATUE。　I　have　this　day　resolved　to　do　so。　In　future；
excellent　Son　of　the　Morning；　I　am　yours。　I　have　left　Heaven　for
ever。

THE　DEVIL。　＇again　grasping　his　hand＇　Ah；　what　an　honor　for　me！
What　a　triumph　for　our　cause！　Thank　you；　thank　you。　And　now；　my
friendI　may　call　you　so　at　lastcould　you　not　persuade　HIM
to　take　the　place　you　have　left　vacant　above？

THE　STATUE。　＇shaking　his　head＇　I　cannot　conscientiously　recommend
anybody　with　whom　I　am　on　friendly　terms　to　deliberately　make
himself　dull　and　uncomfortable。

THE　DEVIL。　Of　course　not；　but　are　you　sure　HE　would　be
uncomfortable？　Of　course　you　know　best：　you　brought　him　here
originally；　and　we　had　the　greatest　hopes　of　him。　His　sentiments
were　in　the　best　taste　of　our　best　people。　You　remember　how　he
sang？　＇He　begins　to　sing　in　a　nasal　operatic　baritone；　tremulous
from　an　eternity　of　misuse　in　the　French　manner＇。

　　　　　　Vivan　le　femmine！
　　　　　　Viva　il　buon　vino！

THE　STATUE。　＇taking　up　the　tune　an　octave　higher　in　his　counter
tenor＇

　　　　　　Sostegno　a　gloria
　　　　　　D'umanita。

THE　DEVIL。　Precisely。　Well；　he　never　sings　for　us　now。

DON　JUAN。　Do　you　complain　of　that？　Hell　is　full　of　musical
amateurs：　music　is　the　brandy　of　the　damned。　May　not　one　lost
soul　be　permitted　to　abstain？

THE　DEVIL。　You　dare　blaspheme　against　the　sublimest　of　the　arts！

DON　JUAN。　＇with　cold　disgust＇　You　talk　like　a　hysterical　woman
fawning　on　a　fiddler。

THE　DEVIL。　I　am　not　angry。　I　merely　pity　you。　You　have　no　soul；
and　you　are　unconscious　of　all　that　you　lose。　Now　you；　Senor
Commander；　are　a　born　musician。　How　well　you　sing！　Mozart　would
be　delighted　if　he　were　still　here；　but　he　moped　and　went　to
heaven。　Curious　how　these　clever　men；　whom　you　would　have
supposed　born　to　be　popular　here；　have　turned　out　social
failures；　like　Don　Juan！

DON　JUAN。　I　am　really　very　sorry　to　be　a　social　failure。

THE　DEVIL。　Not　that　we　don't　admire　your　intellect；　you　know。　We
do。　But　I　look　at　the　matter　from　your　own　point　of　view。　You
don't　get　on　with　us。　The　place　doesn't　suit　you。　The　truth　is；
you　haveI　won't　say　no　heart；　for　we　know　that　beneath　all　your
affected　cynicism　you　have　a　warm　one。