man and superman-第9节

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soul　of　honor；　and　when　I　see　how　little　consideration　other　men
get　from　their　sons；　I　realize　how　much　better　than　a　son　he's
been　to　me。〃　There！　Doesn't　that　do　you　good？

OCTAVIUS。　Mr　Ramsden：　he　used　to　say　to　me　that　he　had　met　only
one　man　in　the　world　who　was　the　soul　of　honor；　and　that　was
Roebuck　Ramsden。

RAMSDEN。　Oh；　that　was　his　partiality：　we　were　very　old　friends；
you　know。　But　there　was　something　else　he　used　to　say　about　you。
I　wonder　whether　I　ought　to　tell　you　or　not！

OCTAVIUS。　You　know　best。

RAMSDEN。　It　was　something　about　his　daughter。

OCTAVIUS。　＇eagerly＇　About　Ann！　Oh；　do　tell　me　that；　Mr　Ramsden。

RAMSDEN。　Well；　he　said　he　was　glad；　after　all；　you　were　not　his
son；　because　he　thought　that　someday　Annie　and　you＇Octavius
blushes　vividly＇。　Well；　perhaps　I　shouldn't　have　told　you。　But　he
was　in　earnest。

OCTAVIUS。　Oh；　if　only　I　thought　I　had　a　chance！　You　know；　Mr
Ramsden；　I　don't　care　about　money　or　about　what　people　call
position；　and　I　can't　bring　myself　to　take　an　interest　in　the
business　of　struggling　for　them。　Well；　Ann　has　a　most　exquisite
nature；　but　she　is　so　accustomed　to　be　in　the　thick　of　that　sort
of　thing　that　she　thinks　a　man's　character　incomplete　if　he　is
not　ambitious。　She　knows　that　if　she　married　me　she　would　have　to
reason　herself　out　of　being　ashamed　of　me　for　not　being　a　big
success　of　some　kind。

RAMSDEN。　＇Getting　up　and　planting　himself　with　his　back　to　the
fireplace＇　Nonsense；　my　boy；　nonsense！　You're　too　modest。　What
does　she　know　about　the　real　value　of　men　at　her　age？　＇More
seriously＇　Besides；　she's　a　wonderfully　dutiful　girl。　Her
father's　wish　would　be　sacred　to　her。　Do　you　know　that　since　she
grew　up　to　years　of　discretion；　I　don't　believe　she　has　ever　once
given　her　own　wish　as　a　reason　for　doing　anything　or　not　doing
it。　It's　always　〃Father　wishes　me　to；〃　or　〃Mother　wouldn't　like
it。〃　It's　really　almost　a　fault　in　her。　I　have　often　told　her　she
must　learn　to　think　for　herself。

OCTAVIUS。　＇shaking　his　head＇　I　couldn't　ask　her　to　marry　me
because　her　father　wished　it；　Mr　Ramsden。

RAMSDEN。　Well；　perhaps　not。　No：　of　course　not。　I　see　that。　No：
you　certainly　couldn't。　But　when　you　win　her　on　your　own　merits；
it　will　be　a　great　happiness　to　her　to　fulfil　her　father's　desire
as　well　as　her　own。　Eh？　Come！　you'll　ask　her；　won't　you？

OCTAVIUS。　＇with　sad　gaiety＇　At　all　events　I　promise　you　I　shall
never　ask　anyone　else。

RAMSDEN。　Oh；　you　shan't　need　to。　She'll　accept　you；　my　boy
although　＇here　be　suddenly　becomes　very　serious　indeed＇　you　have
one　great　drawback。

OCTAVIUS。　＇anxiously＇　What　drawback　is　that；　Mr　Ramsden？　I　should
rather　say　which　of　my　many　drawbacks？

RAMSDEN。　I'll　tell　you；　Octavius。　＇He　takes　from　the　table　a　book
bound　in　red　cloth＇。　I　have　in　my　hand　a　copy　of　the　most
infamous；　the　most　scandalous；　the　most　mischievous；　the　most
blackguardly　book　that　ever　escaped　burning　at　the　hands　of　the
common　hangman。　I　have　not　read　it：　I　would　not　soil　my　mind　with
such　filth；　but　I　have　read　what　the　papers　say　of　it。　The　title
is　quite　enough　for　me。　＇He　reads　it＇。　The　Revolutionist's
Handbook　and　Pocket　Companion　by　John　Tanner；　M。I。R。C。；　Member　　of　the
Idle　Rich　Class。

OCTAVIUS。　＇smiling＇　But　Jack

RAMSDEN。　＇testily＇　For　goodness'　sake；　don't　call　him　Jack　under
my　roof　＇he　throws　the　book　violently　down　on　the　table；　Then；
somewhat　relieved；　he　comes　past　the　table　to　Octavius；　and
addresses　him　at　close　quarters　with　impressive　gravity＇。　Now；
Octavius；　I　know　that　my　dead　friend　was　right　when　he　said　you
were　a　generous　lad。　I　know　that　this　man　was　your　schoolfellow；
and　that　you　feel　bound　to　stand　by　him　because　there　was　a
boyish　friendship　between　you。　But　I　ask　you　to　consider　the
altered　circumstances。　You　were　treated　as　a　son　in　my　friend's
house。　You　lived　there；　and　your　friends　could　not　be　turned　from
the　door。　This　Tanner　was　in　and　out　there　on　your　account
almost　from　his　childhood。　He　addresses　Annie　by　her　Christian
name　as　freely　as　you　do。　Well；　while　her　father　was　alive；　that
was　her　father's　business；　not　mine。　This　man　Tanner　was　only　a
boy　to　him：　his　opinions　were　something　to　be　laughed　at；　like　a
man's　hat　on　a　child's　head。　But　now　Tanner　is　a　grown　man　and
Annie　a　grown　woman。　And　her　father　is　gone。　We　don't　as　yet　know
the　exact　terms　of　his　will；　but　he　often　talked　it　over　with　me；
and　I　have　no　more　doubt　than　I　have　that　you're　sitting　there
that　the　will　appoints　me　Annie's　trustee　and　guardian。
＇Forcibly＇　Now　I　tell　you；　once　for　all；　I　can't　and　I　won't　have
Annie　placed　in　such　a　position　that　she　must；　out　of　regard　for
you；　suffer　the　intimacy　of　this　fellow　Tanner。　It's　not　fair：
it's　not　right：　it's　not　kind。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？

OCTAVIUS。　But　Ann　herself　has　told　Jack　that　whatever　his
opinions　are；　he　will　always　be　welcome　because　he　knew　her　dear
father。

RAMSDEN。　＇out　of　patience＇　That　girl's　mad　about　her　duty　to　her
parents。　＇He　starts　off　like　a　goaded　ox　in　the　direction　of　John
Bright；　in　whose　expression　there　is　no　sympathy　for　him。　As　he
speaks；　he　fumes　down　to　Herbert　Spencer；　who　receives　him　still
more　coldly＇　Excuse　me；　Octavius；　but　there　are　limits　to　social
toleration。　You　know　that　I　am　not　a　bigoted　or　prejudiced　man。
You　know　that　I　am　plain　Roebuck　Ramsden　when　other　men　who　have
done　less　have　got　handles　to　their　names；　because　I　have　stood
for　equality　and　liberty　of　conscience　while　they　were　truckling
to　the　Church　and　to　the　aristocracy。　Whitefield　and　I　lost
chance　after　chance　through　our　advanced　opinions。　But　I　draw　the
line　at　Anarchism　and　Free　Love　and　that　sort　of　thing。　If　I　am
to　be　Annie's　guardian；　she　will　have　to　learn　that　she　has　a
duty　to　me。　I　won't　have　it：　I　will　not　have　it。　She　must　forbid
John　Tanner　the　house；　and　so　must　you。

The　parlormaid　returns。

OCTAVIUS。　But

RAMSDEN。　＇calling　his　attention　to　the　servant＇　Ssh！　Well？

THE　MAID。　Mr　Tanner　wishes　to　see　you；　sir。

RAMSDEN。　Mr　Tanner！

OCTAVIUS。　Jack！

RAMSDEN。　How　dare　Mr　Tanner　call　on　me！　Say　I　cannot　see　him。

OCTAVIUS。　＇hurt＇　I　am　sorry　you　are　turning　my　friend　from　your
door　like　that。

THE　MAID。　＇calmly＇　He's　not　at　the　door；　sir。　He's　upstairs　in
the　drawingroom　with　Miss　Ramsden。　He　came　with　Mrs　Whitefield
and　Miss　Ann　and　Miss　Robinson；　sir。

Ramsden's　feelings　are　beyond　words。

OCTAVIUS。　＇grinning＇　That's　very　like　Jack；　Mr　Ramsden。　You　must
see　him；　even　if　it's　only　to　turn　him　out。

RAMSDEN。　＇hammering　out　his　words　with　suppressed　fury＇　Go
upstairs　and　ask　Mr　Tanner　to　be　good　enough　to　step　down　here。
＇The　parlormaid　goes　out；　and　Ramsden　returns　to　the　fireplace；
as　to　a　fortified　position＇。　I　must　say　that　of　all　the
confounded　pieces　of　impertinencewell；　if　these　are　Anarchist
manners　I　hope　you　like　them。　And　Annie　with　him！　Annie！　A　＇he
chokes＇。

OCTAVIUS。　Yes：　that's　what　surprises　me。　He's　so　desperately
afraid　of　Ann。　There　must　be　something　the　matter。

Mr　John　Tanner　suddenly　opens　the　door　and　enters。　He　is　too
young　to　be　described　simply　as　a　big　man　with　a　beard。　But　it　is
already　plain　that　middle　life　will　find　him　in　that　category。　He
has　still　some　of　the　slimness　of　youth；　but　youthfulness　is　not
the　effect　he　aims　at：　his　frock　coat　would　befit　a　prime
minister；　and　a　certain　high　chested　carriage　of　the　shoulders；　a
lofty　pose　of　the　head；　and　the　Olympian　majesty　with　which　a
mane；　or　rather　a　huge　wisp；　of　hazel　colored　hair　is　thrown　back
from　an　imposing　brow；　suggest　Jupiter　rather　than　Apollo。　He　is
prodigiously　fluent　of　speech；　restless；　excitable　（mark　the
snorting　nostril　and　the　restless　blue　eye；　just　the
thirty…secondth　of　an　inch　too　wide　open）；　possibly　a　little　mad。
He　is　carefully　dressed；　not　from　the　vanity　that　cannot　resist
finery；　but　from　a　sense　of　the　importance　of　everything　he　does
which　leads　him　to　make　as　much　of　paying　a　call　as　other　men　do
of　getting　married　or　laying　a　foundation　stone。　A　sensitive；
susceptible；　exaggerative；　earnest　man：　a　megalomaniac；　who　would
be　lost　without　a　sense　of　humor。

Just　at　present　the　sense　of　humor　is　in　abeyance。　To　say　that　he
is　excited　is　nothing：　all　his　moods　are　phases　of　excitement。　He
is　now　in　the　panic…stricken　phase；　and　he　walks　straight　up　to
Ramsden　as　if　with　the　fixed　intention　of　shooting　him　on　his　own
hearthrug。　But　what　he　pulls　from　his　breast　pocket　is　not　a
pistol；　but　a　foolscap　document　which　he　thrusts　under　the
indignant　nose　of　Ramsden　as　he　exclaims

TANNER。　Ramsden：　do　you　know　what　that　is？

RAMSDEN。　＇loftily＇　No；　Sir。

TANNER。　It's　a　copy　of　Whitefield's　will。　Ann　got　it　this
morning。

RAMSDEN。　When　you　say　Ann；　you　mean；　I　presume；　Miss　Whitefield。

TANNER。　I　mean　our　Ann；　your　Ann；　Tavy's　Ann；　and　now；　Heaven
help　me；　my　Ann！

OCTAVIUS。　＇rising；　very　pale＇　What　do　you　mean？

TANNER。　Mean！　＇He　holds　up　the　will＇。　Do　you　know　who　is
appointed　Ann's　guardian　by　this　will？

RAMSDEN。　＇coolly＇　I　believe　I　am。

TANNER。　You！　You　and　I；　man。　I！　I！！　I！！！　Both　of　us！　＇He　flings
the　will　down　on　the　writing　table＇。

RAMSDEN。　You！　Impossible。

TANNER。　It's　only　too　hideously