man and superman-第37节
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TANNER。 My escort。
Mendoza； with a Mephistophelean smile； bows profoundly。 An
irrepressible grin runs from face to face among the brigands。 They
touch their hats； except the Anarchist； who defies the State with
folded arms。
ACT IV
The garden of a villa in Granada。 Whoever wishes to know what it
is like must go to Granada and see。 One may prosaically specify a
group of hills dotted with villas； the Alhambra on the top of one
of the hills； and a considerable town in the valley； approached
by dusty white roads in which the children； no matter what they
are doing or thinking about； automatically whine for halfpence
and reach out little clutching brown palms for them； but there is
nothing in this description except the A1hambra； the begging； and
the color of the roads； that does not fit Surrey as well as
Spain。 The difference is that the Surrey hills are comparatively
small and ugly； and should properly be called the Surrey
Protuberances； but these Spanish hills are of mountain stock： the
amenity which conceals their size does not compromise their
dignity。
This particular garden is on a hill opposite the Alhambra； and
the villa is as expensive and pretentious as a villa must be if
it is to be let furnished by the week to opulent American and
English visitors。 If we stand on the lawn at the foot of the
garden and look uphill； our horizon is the stone balustrade of a
flagged platform on the edge of infinite space at the top of the
hill。 Between us and this platform is a flower garden with a
circular basin and fountain in the centre； surrounded by
geometrical flower beds； gravel paths； and clipped yew trees in
the genteelest order。 The garden is higher than our lawn； so we
reach it by a few steps in the middle of its embankment。 The
platform is higher again than the garden； from which we mount a
couple more steps to look over the balustrade at a fine view of
the town up the valley and of the hills that stretch away beyond
it to where； in the remotest distance； they become mountains。 On
our left is the villa； accessible by steps from the left hand
corner of the garden。 Returning from the platform through the
garden and down again to the lawn （a movement which leaves the
villa behind us on our right） we find evidence of literary
interests on the part of the tenants in the fact that there is no
tennis net nor set of croquet hoops； but； on our left； a little
iron garden table with books on it； mostly yellow…backed； and a
chair beside it。 A chair on the right has also a couple of open
books upon it。 There are no newspapers； a circumstance which；
with the absence of games； might lead an intelligent spectator to
the most far reaching conclusions as to the sort of people who
live in the villa。 Such speculations are checked； however； on
this delightfully fine afternoon； by the appearance at a little
gate in a paling an our left； of Henry Straker in his
professional costume。 He opens the gate for an elderly gentleman；
and follows him on to the lawn。
This elderly gentleman defies the Spanish sun in a black frock
coat； tall silk bat； trousers in which narrow stripes of dark
grey and lilac blend into a highly respectable color； and a black
necktie tied into a bow over spotless linen。 Probably therefore a
man whose social position needs constant and scrupulous
affirmation without regard to climate： one who would dress thus
for the middle of the Sahara or the top of Mont Blanc。 And since
he has not the stamp of the class which accepts as its
life…mission the advertizing and maintenance of first rate
tailoring and millinery； he looks vulgar in his finery； though in
a working dress of any kind he would look dignified enough。 He is
a bullet cheeked man with a red complexion； stubbly hair；
smallish eyes； a hard mouth that folds down at the corners； and a
dogged chin。 The looseness of skin that comes with age has
attacked his throat and the laps of his cheeks； but he is still
hard as an apple above the mouth； so that the upper half of his
face looks younger than the lower。 He has the self…confidence of
one who has made money； and something of the truculence of one
who has made it in a brutalizing struggle； his civility having
under it a perceptible menace that he has other methods in
reserve if necessary。 Withal； a man to be rather pitied when he
is not to be feared； for there is something pathetic about him at
times； as if the huge commercial machine which has worked him
into his frock coat had allowed him very little of his own way
and left his affections hungry and baffled。 At the first word
that falls from him it is clear that he is an Irishman whose
native intonation has clung to him through many changes of place
and rank。 One can only guess that the original material of his
speech was perhaps the surly Kerry brogue； but the degradation of
speech that occurs in London； Glasgow； Dublin and big cities
generally has been at work on it so long that nobody but an
arrant cockney would dream of calling it a brogue now； for its
music is almost gone； though its surliness is still perceptible。
Straker； as a very obvious cockney； inspires him with implacable
contempt； as a stupid Englishman who cannot even speak his own
language properly。 Straker； on the other hand； regards the old
gentleman's accent as a joke thoughtfully provided by Providence
expressly for the amusement of the British race； and treats him
normally with the indulgence due to an inferior and unlucky
species； but occasionally with indignant alarm when the old
gentleman shows signs of intending his Irish nonsense to be taken
seriously。
STRAKER。 I'll go tell the young lady。 She said you'd prefer to
stay here ＇he turns to go up through the garden to the villa＇。
MALONE。 ＇who has been looking round him with lively curiosity＇
The young lady？ That's Miss Violet； eh？
STRAKER。 ＇stopping on the steps with sudden suspicion＇ Well； you
know； don't you？
MALONE。 Do I？
STRAKER。 ＇his temper rising＇ Well； do you or don't you？
MALONE。 What business is that of yours？
Straker； now highly indignant； comes back from the steps and
confronts the visitor。
STRAKER。 I'll tell you what business it is of mine。 Miss
Robinson
MALONE。 ＇interrupting＇ Oh； her name is Robinson； is it？ Thank
you。
STRAKER。 Why； you don't know even her name？
MALONE。 Yes I do； now that you've told me。
STRAKER。 ＇after a moment of stupefaction at the old man's
readiness in repartee＇ Look here： what do you mean by gittin into
my car and lettin me bring you here if you're not the person I
took that note to？
MALONE。 Who else did you take it to； pray？
STRAKER。 I took it to Mr Ector Malone； at Miss Robinson's
request； see？ Miss Robinson is not my principal： I took it to
oblige her。 I know Mr Malone； and he ain't you； not by a long
chalk。 At the hotel they told me that your name is Ector Malone。
MALONE。 Hector Malone。
STRAKER。 ＇with calm superiority＇ Hector in your own country：
that's what comes o livin in provincial places like Ireland and
America。 Over here you're Ector： if you avn't noticed it before
you soon will。
The growing strain of the conversation is here relieved by
Violet； who has sallied from the villa and through the garden to
the steps； which she now descends； coming very opportunely
between Malone and Straker。
VIOLET。 ＇to Straker＇ Did you take my message？
STRAKER。 Yes； miss。 I took it to the hotel and sent it up；
expecting to see young Mr Malone。 Then out walks this gent； and
says it's all right and he'll come with me。 So as the hotel
people said he was Mr Ector Malone； I fetched him。 And now he
goes back on what he said。 But if he isn't the gentleman you
meant； say the word： it's easy enough to fetch him back again。
MALONE。 I should esteem it a great favor if I might have a short
conversation with you； madam。 I am Hector's father； as this
bright Britisher would have guessed in the course of another hour
or so。
STRAKER。 ＇coolly defiant＇ No； not in another year or so。 When
we've ad you as long to polish up as we've ad im； perhaps you'll
begin to look a little bit up to is mark。 At present you fall a
long way short。 You've got too many aitches； for one thing。 ＇To
Violet； amiably＇ All right； Miss： you want to talk to him： I
shan't intrude。 ＇He nods affably to Malone and goes out through
the little gate in the paling＇。
VIOLET。 ＇very civilly＇ I am so sorry； Mr Malone； if that man has
been rude to you。 But what can we do？ He is our chauffeur。
MALONE。 Your what？
VIOLET。 The driver of our automobile。 He can drive a motor car at
seventy miles an hour； and mend it when it breaks down。 We are
dependent on our motor cars； and our motor cars are dependent on
him； so of course we are dependent on him。
MALONE。 I've noticed； madam； that every thousand dollars an
Englishman gets seems to add one to the number of people he's
dependent on。 However； you needn't apologize for your man： I made
him talk on purpose。 By doing so I learnt that you're staying
here in Grannida with a party of English； including my son
Hector。
VIOLET。 ＇conversationally＇ Yes。 We intended to go to Nice； but we
had to follow a rather eccentric member of our party who started
f
