man and superman-第36节

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old　times。

THE　DEVIL。　And　me　also。

ANA。　Stop！　＇The　trap　stops＇。

THE　DEVIL。　You；　Senora；　cannot　come　this　way。　You　will　have　an
apotheosis。　But　you　will　be　at　the　palace　before　us。

ANA。　That　is　not　what　I　stopped　you　for。　Tell　me　where　can　I　find
the　Superman？

THE　DEVIL。　He　is　not　yet　created；　Senora。

THE　STATUE。　And　never　will　be；　probably。　Let　us　proceed：　the　red
fire　will　make　me　sneeze。　＇They　descend＇。

ANA。　Not　yet　created！　Then　my　work　is　not　yet　done。　＇Crossing
herself　devoutly＇　I　believe　in　the　Life　to　Come。　＇Crying　to　the
universe＇　A　fathera　father　for　the　Superman！

She　vanishes　into　the　void；　and　again　there　is　nothing：　all
existence　seems　suspended　infinitely。　Then；　vaguely；　there　is　a
live　human　voice　crying　somewhere。　One　sees；　with　a　shock；　a
mountain　peak　showing　faintly　against　a　lighter　background。　The
sky　has　returned　from　afar；　and　we　suddenly　remember　where　we
were。　The　cry　becomes　distinct　and　urgent：　it　says　Automobile；
Automobile。　The　complete　reality　comes　back　with　a　rush：　in　a
moment　it　is　full　morning　in　the　Sierra；　and　the　brigands　are
scrambling　to　their　feet　and　making　for　the　road　as　the　goatherd
runs　down　from　the　hill；　warning　them　of　the　approach　of　another
motor。　Tanner　and　Mendoza　rise　amazedly　and　stare　at　one　another
with　scattered　wits。　Straker　sits　up　to　yawn　for　a　moment　before
he　gets　on　his　feet；　making　it　a　point　of　honor　not　to　show　any
undue　interest　in　the　excitement　of　the　bandits。　Mendoza　gives　a
quick　look　to　see　that　his　followers　are　attending　to　the　alarm；
then　exchanges　a　private　word　with　Tanner。

MENDOZA。　Did　you　dream？

TANNER。　Damnably。　Did　you？

MENDOZA。　Yes。　I　forget　what。　You　were　in　it。

TANNER。　So　were　you。　Amazing

MENDOZA。　I　warned　you。　＇a　shot　is　heard　from　the　road＇。　Dolts！
they　will　play　with　that　gun。　＇The　brigands　come　running　back
scared＇。　Who　fired　that　shot？　＇to　Duval＇　Was　it　you？

DUVAL。　＇breathless＇　I　have　not　shoot。　Dey　shoot　first。

ANARCHIST。　I　told　you　to　begin　by　abolishing　the　State。　Now　we
are　all　lost。

THE　ROWDY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。　＇stampeding　across　the　amphitheatre＇
Run；　everybody。

MENDOZA。　＇collaring　him；　throwing　him　on　his　back；　and　drawing　a
knife＇　I　stab　the　man　who　stirs。　＇He　blocks　the　way。　The　stampede
it　checked＇。　What　has　happened？

THE　SULKY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT；　A　motor

THE　ANARCHIST。　Three　men

DUVAL。　Deux　femmes

MENDOZA。　Three　men　and　two　women！　Why　have　you　not　brought　them
here？　Are　you　afraid　of　them？

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　＇getting　up＇　Thyve　a　hescort。　Ow；　de…ooh　lut's　ook
it；　Mendowza。

THE　SULKY　ONE。　Two　armored　cars　full　o　soldiers　at　the　end　o　the
valley。

ANARCHIST。　The　shot　was　fired　in　the　air。　It　was　a　signal。

Straker　whistles　his　favorite　air；　which　falls　on　the　ears　of　the
brigands　like　a　funeral　march。

TANNER。　It　is　not　an　escort；　but　an　expedition　to　capture　you。　We
were　advised　to　wait　for　it；　but　I　was　in　a　hurry。

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　＇in　an　agony　of　apprehension＇　And　Ow　my　good　Lord；
ere　we　are；　wytin　for　em！　Lut's　tike　to　the　mahntns。

MENDOZA。　Idiot；　what　do　you　know　about　the　mountains？　Are　you　a
Spaniard？　You　would　be　given　up　by　the　first　shepherd　you　met。
Besides；　we　are　already　within　range　of　their　rifles。

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　Bat

MENDOZA。　Silence。　Leave　this　to　me。　＇To　Tanner＇　Comrade：　you　will
not　betray　us。

STRAKER。　Oo　are　you　callin　comrade？

MENDOZA。　Last　night　the　advantage　was　with　me。　The　robber　of　the
poor　was　at　the　mercy　of　the　robber　of　the　rich。　You　offered　your
hand：　I　took　it。

TANNER。　I　bring　no　charge　against　you；　comrade。　We　have　spent　a
pleasant　evening　with　you：　that　is　all。

STRAKER。　I　gev　my　and　to　nobody；　see？

MENDOZA。　＇turning　on　him　impressively＇　Young　man；　if　I　am　tried；
I　shall　plead　guilty；　and　explain　what　drove　me　from　England；　home
and　duty。　Do　you　wish　to　have　the　respectable　name　of　Straker
dragged　through　the　mud　of　a　Spanish　criminal　court？　The　police
will　search　me。　They　will　find　Louisa's　portrait。　It　will　be
published　in　the　illustrated　papers。　You　blench。　It　will　be　your
doing；　remember。

STRAKER。　＇with　baffled　rage＇　I　don't　care　about　the　court。　It's
avin　our　name　mixed　up　with　yours　that　I　object　to；　you
blackmailin　swine；　you。

MENDOZA。　Language　unworthy　of　Louisa's　brother！　But　no　matter：
you　are　muzzled：　that　is　enough　for　us。　＇He　turns　to　face　his　own
men；　who　back　uneasily　across　the　amphitheatre　towards　the　cave
to　take　refuge　behind　him；　as　a　fresh　party；　muffled　for
motoring；　comes　from　the　road　in　riotous　spirits。　Ann；　who　makes
straight　for　Tanner；　comes　first；　then　Violet；　helped　over　the
rough　ground　by　Hector　holding　her　right　hand　and　Ramsden　her
left。　Mendoza　goes　to　his　presidential　block　and　seats　himself
calmly　with　his　rank　and　file　grouped　behind　him；　and　his　Staff；
consisting　of　Duval　and　the　Anarchist　on　his　right　and　the　two
Social…Democrats　on　his　left；　supporting　him　in　flank＇。

ANN。　It's　Jack！

TANNER。　Caught！

HECTOR。　Why；　certainly　it　is。　I　said　it　was　you；　Tanner；　We've
just　been　stopped　by　a　puncture：　the　road　is　full　of　nails。

VIOLET。　What　are　you　doing　here　with　all　these　men？

ANN。　Why　did　you　leave　us　without　a　word　of　warning？

HECTOR。　I　want　that　bunch　of　roses；　Miss　Whitefield。　＇To　Tanner＇
When　we　found　you　were　gone；　Miss　Whitefield　bet　me　a　bunch　of
roses　my　car　would　not　overtake　yours　before　you　reached　Monte
Carlo。

TANNER。　But　this　is　not　the　road　to　Monte　Carlo。

HECTOR。　No　matter。　Miss　Whitefield　tracked　you　at　every　stopping
place：　she　is　a　regular　Sherlock　Holmes。

TANNER。　The　Life　Force！　I　am　lost。

OCTAVIUS。　＇Bounding　gaily　down　from　the　road　into　the
amphitheatre；　and　coming　between　Tanner　and　Straker＇　I　am　so　glad
you　are　safe；　old　chap。　We　were　afraid　you　had　been　captured　by
brigands。

RAMSDEN。　＇who　has　been　staring　at　Mendoza＇　I　seem　to　remember　the
face　of　your　friend　here。　＇Mendoza　rises　politely　and　advances
with　a　smile　between　Ann　and　Ramsden＇。

HECTOR。　Why；　so　do　I。

OCTAVIUS。　I　know　you　perfectly　well；　Sir；　but　I　can't　think　where
I　have　met　you。

MENDOZA。　＇to　Violet＇　Do　YOU　remember　me；　madam？

VIOLET。　Oh；　quite　well；　but　I　am　so　stupid　about　names。

MENDOZA。　It　was　at　the　Savoy　Hotel。　＇To　Hector＇　You；　sir；　used　to
come　with　this　lady　＇Violet＇　to　lunch。　＇To　Octavius＇　You；　sir；
often　brought　this　lady　＇Ann＇　and　her　mother　to　dinner　on　your
way　to　the　Lyceum　Theatre。　＇To　Ramsden＇　You；　sir；　used　to　come　to
supper；　with　＇dropping　his　voice　to　a　confidential　but　perfectly
audible　whisper＇　several　different　ladies。

RAMSDEN。　＇angrily＇　Well；　what　is　that　to　you；　pray？

OCTAVIUS。　Why；　Violet；　I　thought　you　hardly　knew　one　another
before　this　trip；　you　and　Malone！

VIOLET。　＇vexed＇　I　suppose　this　person　was　the　manager。

MENDOZA。　The　waiter；　madam。　I　have　a　grateful　recollection　of　you
all。　I　gathered　from　the　bountiful　way　in　which　you　treated　me
that　you　all　enjoyed　your　visits　very　much。

VIOLET。　What　impertinence！　＇She　turns　her　back　on　him；　and　goes
up　the　hill　with　Hector＇。

RAMSDEN。　That　will　do；　my　friend。　You　do　not　expect　these　ladies
to　treat　you　as　an　acquaintance；　I　suppose；　because　you　have
waited　on　them　at　table。

MENDOZA。　Pardon　me：　it　was　you　who　claimed　my　acquaintance。　The
ladies　followed　your　example。　However；　this　display　of　the
unfortunate　manners　of　your　class　closes　the　incident。　For　the
future；　you　will　please　address　me　with　the　respect　due　to　a
stranger　and　fellow　traveller。　＇He　turns　haughtily　away　and
resumes　his　presidential　seat＇。

TANNER。　There！　I　have　found　one　man　on　my　journey　capable　of
reasonable　conversation；　and　you　all　instinctively　insult　him。
Even　the　New　Man　is　as　bad　as　any　of　you。　Enry：　you　have　behaved
just　like　a　miserable　gentleman。

STRAKER。　Gentleman！　Not　me。

RAMSDEN。　Really；　Tanner；　this　tone

ANN。　Don't　mind　him；　Granny：　you　ought　to　know　him　by　this　time
＇she　takes　his　arm　and　coaxes　him　away　to　the　hill　to　join　Violet
and　Hector。　Octavius　follows　her；　doglike＇。

VIOLET。　＇calling　from　the　hill＇　Here　are　the　soldiers。　They　are
getting　out　of　their　motors。

DUVAL。　＇panicstricken＇　Oh；　nom　de　Dieu！

THE　ANARCHIST。　Fools：　the　State　is　about　to　crush　you　because　you
spared　it　at　the　prompting　of　the　political　hangers…on　of　the
bourgeoisie。

THE　SULKY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。　＇argumentative　to　the　last＇　On　the
contrary；　only　by　capturing　the　State　machine

THE　ANARCHIST。　It　is　going　to　capture　you。

THE　ROWDY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。　＇his　anguish　culminating＇　Ow；　chock
it。　Wot　are　we　ere　for？　WOT　are　we　wytin　for？

MENDOZA。　＇between　his　teeth＇　Goon。　Talk　politics；　you　idiots：
nothing　sounds　more　respectable。　Keep　it　up；　I　tell　you。

The　soldiers　line　the　road；　commanding　the　amphitheatre　with
their　rifles。　The　brigands；　struggling　with　an　over…whelming
impulse　to　hide　behind　one　another；　look　as　unconcerned　as　they
can。　Mendoza　rises　superbly；　with　undaunted　front。　The　officer
in　command　steps　down　from　the　road　in　to　the　amphitheatre；
looks　hard　at　the　brigands；　and　then　inquiringly　at　Tanner。

THE　OFFICER。　Who　are　these　men；　Senor　Ingles？

TANNER。　My　escort。

Mendoza；　with　a　Mephistophelean　smile；　bows　profoundly。　An
irrepressible　grin　runs　from　face　to