man and superman-第39节
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no better。
MALONE。 ＇furiously clenching his fists＇ Hector
HECTOR。 ＇with undaunted moral force＇ Oh； it's no use hectoring
me。 A private letter's a private letter； dad： you can't get over
that。
MALONE ＇raising his voice＇ I won't be talked back to by you；
d'y' hear？
VIOLET。 Ssh！ please； please。 Here they all come。
Father and son； checked； glare mutely at one another as Tanner
comes in through the little gate with Ramsden； followed by
Octavius and Ann。
VIOLET。 Back already！
TANNER。 The Alhambra is not open this afternoon。
VIOLET。 What a sell！
Tanner passes on； and presently finds himself between Hector and
a strange elder； both apparently on the verge of personal combat。
He looks from one to the other for an explanation。 They sulkily
avoid his eye； and nurse their wrath in silence。
RAMSDEN。 Is it wise for you to be out in the sunshine with such a
headache； Violet？
TANNER。 Have you recovered too； Malone？
VIOLET。 Oh； I forgot。 We have not all met before。 Mr Malone：
won't you introduce your father？
HECTOR。 ＇with Roman firmness＇ No； I will not。 He is no father of
mine。
MALONE。 ＇very angry＇ You disown your dad before your English
friends； do you？
VIOLET。 Oh please don't make a scene。
Ann and Octavius； lingering near the gate； exchange an astonished
glance； and discreetly withdraw up the steps to the garden； where
they can enjoy the disturbance without intruding。 On their way to
the steps Ann sends a little grimace of mute sympathy to Violet；
who is standing with her back to the little table； looking on in
helpless annoyance as her husband soars to higher and higher
moral eminences without the least regard to the old man's
millions。
HECTOR。 I'm very sorry； Miss Robinson； but I'm contending for a
principle。 I am a son； and； I hope； a dutiful one； but before
everything I'm a Man！！！ And when dad treats my private letters as
his own； and takes it on himself to say that I shan't marry you
if I am happy and fortunate enough to gain your consent； then I
just snap my fingers and go my own way。
TANNER。 Marry Violet！
RAMSDEN。 Are you in your senses？
TANNER。 Do you forget what we told you？
HECTOR。 ＇recklessly＇ I don't care what you told me。
RAMSDEN。 ＇scandalized＇ Tut tut； sir！ Monstrous！ ＇he flings away
towards the gate； his elbows quivering with indignation＇
TANNER。 Another madman！ These men in love should be locked up。
＇He gives Hector up as hopeless； and turns away towards the
garden； but Malone； taking offence in a new direction； follows
him and compels him； by the aggressivenes of his tone； to stop＇。
MALONE。 I don't understand this。 Is Hector not good enough for
this lady； pray？
TANNER。 My dear sir； the lady is married already。 Hector knows
it； and yet he persists in his infatuation。 Take him home and
lock him up。
MALONE。 ＇bitterly＇ So this is the high…born social tone I've
spoilt by my ignorant； uncultivated behavior！ Makin love to a
married woman！ ＇He comes angrily between Hector and Violet； and
almost bawls into Hector's left ear＇ You've picked up that habit
of the British aristocracy； have you？
HECTOR。 That's all right。 Don't you trouble yourself about that。
I'll answer for the morality of what I'm doing。
TANNER。 ＇coming forward to Hector's right hand with flashing
eyes＇ Well said； Malone！ You also see that mere marriage laws are
not morality！ I agree with you； but unfortunately Violet does
not。
MALONE。 I take leave to doubt that； sir。 ＇Turning on Violet＇ Let
me tell you； Mrs Robinson； or whatever your right name is； you
had no right to send that letter to my son when you were the wife
of another man。
HECTOR。 ＇outraged＇ This is the last straw。 Dad： you have insulted
my wife。
MALONE。 YOUR wife！
TANNER。 YOU the missing husband！ Another moral impostor！ ＇He
smites his brow； and collapses into Malone's chair＇。
MALONE。 You've married without my consent！
RAMSDEN。 You have deliberately humbugged us； sir！
HECTOR。 Here： I have had just about enough of being badgered。
Violet and I are married： that's the long and the short of it。
Now what have you got to sayany of you？
MALONE。 I know what I've got to say。 She's married a beggar。
HECTOR。 No； she's married a Worker ＇his American pronunciation
imparts an overwhelming intensity to this simple and unpopular
word＇。 I start to earn my own living this very afternoon。
MALONE。 ＇sneering angrily＇ Yes： you're very plucky now； because
you got your remittance from me yesterday or this morning； I
reckon。 Wait til it's spent。 You won't be so full of cheek then。
HECTOR。 ＇producing a letter from his pocketbook＇ Here it is
＇thrusting it on his father＇。 Now you just take your remittance
and yourself out of my life。 I'm done with remittances； and I'm
done with you。 I don't sell the privilege of insulting my wife
for a thousand dollars。
MALONE。 ＇deeply wounded and full of concern＇ Hector： you
don't know what poverty is。
HECTOR。 ＇fervidly＇ Well； I want to know what it is。 I want'be a
Man。 Violet： you come along with me； to your own home： I'll see
you through。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇jumping down from the garden to the lawn and running
to Hector's left hand＇ I hope you'll shake hands with me before you
go； Hector。 I admire and respect you more than I can say。 ＇He is
affected almost to tears as they shake hands＇。
VIOLET。 ＇also almost in tears； but of vexation＇ Oh don't be an
idiot； Tavy。 Hector's about as fit to become a workman as you
are。
TANNER。 ＇rising from his chair on the other ride of Hector＇ Never
fear： there's no question of his becoming a navvy； Mrs Malone。
＇To Hector＇ There's really no difficulty about capital to start
with。 Treat me as a friend： draw on me。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇impulsively＇ Or on me。
MALONE。 ＇with fierce jealousy＇ Who wants your dirty money？ Who
should he draw on but his own father？ ＇Tanner and Octavius
recoil； Octavius rather hurt； Tanner consoled by the solution of
the money difficulty。 Violet looks up hopefully＇。 Hector： don't
be rash； my boy。 I'm sorry for what I said： I never meant to
insult Violet： I take it all back。 She's just the wife you want：
there！
HECTOR。 ＇Patting him on the shoulder＇ Well； that's all right；
dad。 Say no more： we're friends again。 Only； I take no money from
anybody。
MALONE。 ＇pleading abjectly＇ Don't be hard on me； Hector。 I'd
rather you quarrelled and took the money than made friends and
starved。 You don't know what the world is： I do。
HECTOR。 No； no； NO。 That's fixed： that's not going to change。 ＇He
passes his father inexorably by； and goes to Violet＇。 Come； Mrs
Malone： you've got to move to the hotel with me； and take your
proper place before the world。
VIOLET。 But I must go in； dear； and tell Davis to pack。 Won't you
go on and make them give you a room overlooking the garden for
me？ I'll join you in half an hour。
HECTOR。 Very well。 You'll dine with us； Dad； won't you？
MALONE。 ＇eager to conciliate him＇ Yes； yes。
HECTOR。 See you all later。 ＇He waves his hand to Ann； who has now
been joined by Tanner； Octavius； and Ramsden in the garden； and
goes out through the little gate； leaving his father and Violet
together on the lawn＇。
MALONE。 You'll try to bring him to his senses； Violet： I know you
will。
VIOLET。 I had no idea he could be so headstrong。 If he goes on
like that； what can I do？
MALONE。 Don't be discurridged： domestic pressure may be slow； but
it's sure。 You'll wear him down。 Promise me you will。
VIOLET。 I will do my best。 Of course I think it's the greatest
nonsense deliberately making us poor like that。
MALONE。 Of course it is。
VIOLET。 ＇after a moment's reflection＇ You had better give me the
remittance。 He will want it for his hotel bill。 I'll see whether
I can induce him to accept it。 Not now； of course； but presently。
MALONE。 ＇eagerly＇ Yes； yes； yes： that's just the thing ＇he hands
her the thousand dollar bill； and adds cunningly＇ Y'understand
that this is only a bachelor allowance。
VIOLET。 ＇Coolly＇ Oh； quite。 ＇She takes it＇。 Thank you。 By the
way； Mr Malone； those two houses you mentionedthe abbeys。
MALONE。 Yes？
VIOLET。 Don't take one of them until I've seen it。 One never
knows what may be wrong with these places。
MALONE。 I won't。 I'll do nothing without consulting you； never
fear。
VIOLET。 ＇politely； but without a ray of gratitude＇ Thanks： that
will be much the best way。 ＇She goes calmly back to the villa；
escorted obsequiously by Malone to the upper end of the garden＇。
TANNER。 ＇drawing Ramsden's attention to Malone's cringing
attitude as he takes leave of Violet＇ And that poor devil is a
billionaire！ one of the master spirits of the age！ Led on a
string like a pug dog by the first girl who takes the trouble to
despise him。 I wonder will it ever come to that with me。 ＇He
comes down to the lawn。＇
RAMSDEN。 ＇following him＇ The sooner the better for you。
MALONE。 ＇clapping his hands as he returns through the garden＇
That'll be a grand woman for Hector。 I wouldn't exchange her for
ten duchesses。 ＇He descends to the lawn and comes between Tanner
and Ramsden＇。
RAMSDEN。 ＇very civil to the billionaire＇ It's an unexpected
pleasure to find you in this corner of the world； Mr Malone。 Have
you com
