man and superman-第38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！


had　to　follow　a　rather　eccentric　member　of　our　party　who　started
first　and　came　here。　Won't　you　sit　down？　＇She　clears　the　nearest
chair　of　the　two　books　on　it＇。

MALONE。　＇impressed　by　this　attention＇　Thank　you。　＇He　sits　down；
examining　her　curiously　as　she　goes　to　the　iron　table　to　put　down
the　books。　When　she　turns　to　him　again；　he　says＇　Miss　Robinson；　I
believe？

VIOLET。　＇sitting　down＇　Yes。

MALONE。　＇Taking　a　letter　from　his　pocket＇　Your　note　to　Hector　runs
as　follows　＇Violet　is　unable　to　repress　a　start。　He　pauses
quietly　to　take　out　and　put　on　his　spectacles；　which　have　gold
rims＇：　〃Dearest：　they　have　all　gone　to　the　Alhambra　for　the
afternoon。　I　have　shammed　headache　and　have　the　garden　all　to
myself。　Jump　into　Jack's　motor：　Straker　will　rattle　you　here　in　a
jiffy。　Quick；　quick；　quick。　Your　loving　Violet。〃　＇He　looks　at
her；　but　by　this　time　she　has　recovered　herself；　and　meets　his
spectacles　with　perfect　composure。　He　continues　slowly＇　Now　I
don't　know　on　what　terms　young　people　associate　in　English
society；　but　in　　America　that　note　would　be　considered　to　imply　a
very　　considerable　degree　of　affectionate　intimacy　between　the
parties。

VIOLET。　Yes：　I　know　your　son　very　well；　Mr　Malone。　Have　you　any
objection？

MALONE。　＇somewhat　taken　aback＇　No；　no　objection　exactly。　Provided
it　is　understood　that　my　son　is　altogether　dependent　on　me；　and
that　I　have　to　be　consulted　in　any　important　step　he　may　propose
to　take。

VIOLET。　I　am　sure　you　would　not　be　unreasonable　with　him；　Mr
Malone。

MALONE。　I　hope　not；　Miss　Robinson；　but　at　your　age　you　might
think　many　things　unreasonable　that　don't　seem　so　to　me。

VIOLET。　＇with　a　little　shrug＇　Oh　well；　I　suppose　there's　no　use
our　playing　at　cross　purposes；　Mr　Malone。　Hector　wants　to　marry
me。

MALONE。　I　inferred　from　your　note　that　he　might。　Well；　Miss
Robinson；　he　is　his　own　master；　but　if　he　marries　you　he　shall
not　have　a　rap　from　me。　＇He　takes　off　his　spectacles　and　pockets
them　with　the　note＇。

VIOLET。　＇with　some　severity＇　That　is　not　very　complimentary　to
me；　Mr　Malone。

MALONE。　I　say　nothing　against　you；　Miss　Robinson：　I　daresay　you
are　an　amiable　and　excellent　young　lady。　But　I　have　other　views
for　Hector。

VIOLET。　Hector　may　not　have　other　views　for　himself；　Mr　Malone。

MALONE。　Possibly　not。　Then　he　does　without　me：　that's　all。　I
daresay　you　are　prepared　for　that。　When　a　young　lady　writes　to　a
young　man　to　come　to　her　quick；　quick；　quick；　money　seems　nothing
and　love　seems　everything。

VIOLET。　＇sharply＇　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr　Malone：　I　do　not　think
anything　so　foolish。　Hector　must　have　money。

MALONE。　＇staggered＇　Oh；　very　well；　very　well。　No　doubt　he　can
work　for　it。

VIOLET。　What　is　the　use　of　having　money　if　you　have　to　work　for
it？　＇She　rises　impatiently＇。　It's　all　nonsense；　Mr　Malone：　you
must　enable　your　son　to　keep　up　his　position。　It　is　his　right。

MALONE。　＇grimly＇　I　should　not　advise　you　to　marry　him　on　the
strength　of　that　right；　Miss　Robinson。

Violet；　who　has　almost　lost　her　temper；　controls　herself　with　an
effort；　unclenches　her　fingers；　and　resumes　her　seat　with　studied
tranquillity　and　reasonableness。

VIOLET。　What　objection　have　you　to　me；　pray？　My　social　position
is　as　good　as　Hector's；　to　say　the　least。　He　admits　it。

MALONE。　＇shrewdly＇　You　tell　him　so　from　time　to　time；　eh？
Hector's　social　position　in　England；　Miss　Robinson；　is　just　what
I　choose　to　buy　for　him。　I　have　made　him　a　fair　offer。　Let　him
pick　out　the　most　historic　house；　castle　or　abbey　that　England
contains。　The　day　that　he　tells　me　he　wants　it　for　a　wife　worthy
of　its　traditions；　I　buy　it　for　him；　and　give　him　the　means　of
keeping　it　up。

VIOLET。　What　do　you　mean　by　a　wife　worthy　of　its　traditions？
Cannot　any　well　bred　woman　keep　such　a　house　for　him？

MALONE。　No：　she　must　be　born　to　it。

VIOLET。　Hector　was　not　born　to　it；　was　he？

MALONE。　His　granmother　was　a　barefooted　Irish　girl　that　nursed
me　by　a　turf　fire。　Let　him　marry　another　such；　and　I　will　not
stint　her　marriage　portion。　Let　him　raise　himself　socially　with
my　money　or　raise　somebody　else　so　long　as　there　is　a　social
profit　somewhere；　I'll　regard　my　expenditure　as　justified。　But
there　must　be　a　profit　for　someone。　A　marriage　with　you　would
leave　things　just　where　they　are。

VIOLET。　Many　of　my　relations　would　object　very　much　to　my
marrying　the　grandson　of　a　common　woman；　Mr　Malone。　That　may　be
prejudice；　but　so　is　your　desire　to　have　him　marry　a　title
prejudice。

MALONE。　＇rising；　and　approaching　her　with　a　scrutiny　in　which
there　is　a　good　deal　of　reluctant　respect＇　You　seem　a　pretty
straightforward　downright　sort　of　a　young　woman。

VIOLET。　I　do　not　see　why　I　should　be　made　miserably　poor　because
I　cannot　make　profits　for　you。　Why　do　you　want　to　make　Hector
unhappy？

MALONE。　He　will　get　over　it　all　right　enough。　Men　thrive　better
on　disappointments　in　love　than　on　disappointments　in　money。　I
daresay　you　think　that　sordid；　but　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。
My　father　died　of　starvation　in　Ireland　in　the　black　47；　Maybe
you've　heard　of　it。

VIOLET。　The　Famine？

MALONE。　＇with　smouldering　passion＇　No；　the　starvation。　When　a
country　is　full　of　food；　and　exporting　it；　there　can　be　no
famine。　My　father　was　starved　dead；　and　I　was　starved　out　to
America　in　my　mother's　arms。　English　rule　drove　me　and　mine　out
of　Ireland。　Well；　you　can　keep　Ireland。　I　and　my　like　are　coming
back　to　buy　England；　and　we'll　buy　the　best　of　it。　I　want　no
middle　class　properties　and　no　middle　class　women　for　Hector。
That's　straightforward　isn't　it；　like　yourself？

VIOLET。　＇icily　pitying　his　sentimentality＇　Really；　Mr　Malone；　I
am　astonished　to　hear　a　man　of　your　age　and　good　sense　talking　in
that　romantic　way。　Do　you　suppose　English　noblemen　will　sell
their　places　to　you　for　the　asking？

MALONE。　I　have　the　refusal　of　two　of　the　oldest　family　mansions
in　England。　One　historic　owner　can't　afford　to　keep　all　the　rooms
dusted：　the　other　can't　afford　the　death　duties。　What　do　you　say
now？

VIOLET。　Of　course　it　is　very　scandalous；　but　surely　you　know　that
the　Government　will　sooner　or　later　put　a　stop　to　all　these
Socialistic　attacks　on　property。

MALONE。　＇grinning＇　D'y'　think　they'll　be　able　to　get　that　done
before　I　buy　the　houseor　rather　the　abbey？　They're　both　abbeys。

VIOLET。　＇putting　that　aside　rather　impatiently＇　Oh；　well；　let　us
talk　sense；　Mr　Malone。　You　must　feel　that　we　haven't　been　talking
sense　so　far。

MALONE。　I　can't　say　I　do。　I　mean　all　I　say。

VIOLET。　Then　you　don't　know　Hector　as　I　do。　He　is　romantic　and
faddyhe　gets　it　from　you；　I　fancyand　he　wants　a　certain　sort
of　wife　to　take　care　of　him。　Not　a　faddy　sort　of　person；　you
know。

MALONE。　Somebody　like　you；　perhaps？

VIOLET。　＇quietly＇　Well；　yes。　But　you　cannot　very　well　ask　me　to
undertake　this　with　absolutely　no　means　of　keeping　up　his
position。

MALONE。　＇alarmed＇　Stop　a　bit；　stop　a　bit。　Where　are　we　getting
to？　I'm　not　aware　that　I'm　asking　you　to　undertake　anything。

VIOLET。　Of　course；　Mr　Malone；　you　can　make　it　very　difficult　for
me　to　speak　to　you　if　you　choose　to　misunderstand　me。

MALONE。　＇half　bewildered＇　I　don't　wish　to　take　any　unfair
advantage；　but　we　seem　to　have　got　off　the　straight　track
somehow。

Straker；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　been　making　haste；　opens
the　little　gate；　and　admits　Hector；　who；　snorting　with
indignation；　comes　upon　the　lawn；　and　is　making　for　his　father
when　Violet；　greatly　dismayed；　springs　up　and　intercepts　him。
Straker　doer　not　wait；　at　least　he　does　not　remain　visibly　within
earshot。

VIOLET。　Oh；　how　unlucky！　Now　please；　Hector；　say　nothing。　Go　away
until　I　have　finished　speaking　to　your　father。

HECTOR。　＇inexorably＇　No；　Violet：　I　mean　to　have　this　thing　out；
right　away。　＇He　puts　her　aside；　passes　her　by；　and　faces　his
father；　whose　cheeks　darken　as　his　Irish　blood　begins　to　simmer＇。
Dad：　you've　not　played　this　hand　straight。

MALONE。　Hwat　d'y'mean？

HECTOR。　You've　opened　a　letter　addressed　to　me。　You've
impersonated　me　and　stolen　a　march　on　this　lady。　That's
dishonorable。

MALONE。　＇threateningly＇　Now　you　take　care　what　you're　saying；
Hector。　Take　care；　I　tell　you。

HECTOR。　I　have　taken　care。　I　am　taking　care。　I'm　taking　care　of
my　honor　and　my　position　in　English　society。

MALONE。　＇hotly＇　Your　position　has　been　got　by　my　money：　do　you
know　that？

HECTOR。　Well；　you've　just　spoiled　it　all　by　opening　that　letter。
A　letter　from　an　English　lady；　not　addressed　to　youa
confidential　letter！　a　delicate　letter！　a　private　letter　opened
by　my　father！　That's　a　sort　of　thing　a　man　can't　struggle　against
in　England。　The　sooner　we　go　back　together　the　better。　＇He
appeals　mutely　to　the　heavens　to　witness　the　shame　and　anguish　of
two　outcasts＇。

VIOLET。　＇snubbing　him　with　an　instinctive　dislike　for　scene
making＇　Don't　be　unreasonable；　Hector。　It　was　quite　natural　of　Mr
Malone　to　open　my　letter：　his　name　was　on　the　envelope。

MALONE。　There！　You've　no　common　sense；　Hector。　I　thank　you；　Miss
Robinson。

HECTOR。　I　thank　you；　too。　It's　very　kind　of　you。　My　father　knows
no　better。

MALONE。　＇furiously　clenching　his　fists＇　Hector

HECTOR。　＇with　undaunted　moral　force＇　Oh；　it's　no　us