man and superman-第10章
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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 tha
