man and superman-第12章

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TANNER。　You　lie；　Tavy：　you　are。　So　let's　have　her　down　from　the
drawing…room　and　ask　her　what　she　intends　us　to　do。　Off　with　you；
Tavy；　and　fetch　her。　＇Tavy　turns　to　go＇。　And　don't　be　long　for
the　strained　relations　between　myself　and　Ramsden　will　make　the
interval　rather　painful　＇Ramsden　compresses　his　lips；　but　says
nothing＇。

OCTAVIUS。　Never　mind　him；　Mr　Ramsden。　He's　not　serious。　＇He　goes
out＇。

RAMSDEN　＇very　deliberately＇　Mr　Tanner：　you　are　the　most　impudent
person　I　have　ever　met。

TANNER。　＇seriously＇　I　know　it；　Ramsden。　Yet　even　I　cannot　wholly
conquer　shame。　We　live　in　an　atmosphere　of　shame。　We　are　ashamed
of　everything　that　is　real　about　us；　ashamed　of　ourselves；　of　our
relatives；　of　our　incomes；　of　our　accents；　of　our　opinions；　of
our　experience；　just　as　we　are　ashamed　of　our　naked　skins。　Good
Lord；　my　dear　Ramsden；　we　are　ashamed　to　walk；　ashamed　to　ride　in
an　omnibus；　ashamed　to　hire　a　hansom　instead　of　keeping　a
carriage；　ashamed　of　keeping　one　horse　instead　of　two　and　a
groom…gardener　instead　of　a　coachman　and　footman。　The　more　things
a　man　is　ashamed　of；　the　more　respectable　he　is。　Why；　you're
ashamed　to　buy　my　book；　ashamed　to　read　it：　the　only　thing　you're
not　ashamed　of　is　to　judge　me　for　it　without　having　read　it；　and
even　that　only　means　that　you're　ashamed　to　have　heterodox
opinions。　Look　at　the　effect　I　produce　because　my　fairy　godmother
withheld　from　me　this　gift　of　shame。　I　have　every　possible　virtue
that　a　man　can　have　except

RAMSDEN。　I　am　glad　you　think　so　well　of　yourself。

TANNER。　All　you　mean　by　that　is　that　you　think　I　ought　to　be
ashamed　of　talking　about　my　virtues。　You　don't　mean　that　I
haven't　got　them：　you　know　perfectly　well　that　I　am　as　sober　and
honest　a　citizen　as　yourself；　as　truthful　personally；　and　much
more　truthful　politically　and　morally。

RAMSDEN。　＇touched　on　his　most　sensitive　point＇　I　deny　that。　I
will　not　allow　you　or　any　man　to　treat　me　as　if　I　were　a　mere
member　of　the　British　public。　I　detest　its　prejudices；　I　scorn
its　narrowness；　I　demand　the　right　to　think　for　myself。　You　pose
as　an　advanced　man。　Let　me　tell　you　that　I　was　an　advanced　man
before　you　were　born。

TANNER。　I　knew　it　was　a　long　time　ago。

RAMSDEN。　I　am　as　advanced　as　ever　I　was。　I　defy　you　to　prove　that
I　have　ever　hauled　down　the　flag。　I　am　more　advanced　than　ever　I
was。　I　grow　more　advanced　every　day。

TANNER。　More　advanced　in　years；　Polonius。

RAMSDEN。　Polonius！　So　you　are　Hamlet；　I　suppose。

TANNER。　No：　I　am　only　the　most　impudent　person　you've　ever　met。
That's　your　notion　of　a　thoroughly　bad　character。　When　you　want
to　give　me　a　piece　of　your　mind；　you　ask　yourself；　as　a　just　and
upright　man；　what　is　the　worst　you　can　fairly　say　of　me。　Thief；
liar；　forger；　adulterer；　perjurer；　glutton；　drunkard？　Not　one　of
these　names　fit　me。　You　have　to　fall　back　on　my　deficiency　in
shame。　Well；　I　admit　it。　I　even　congratulate　myself；　for　if　I
were　ashamed　of　my　real　self；　I　should　cut　as　stupid　a　figure　as
any　of　the　rest　of　you。　Cultivate　a　little　impudence；　Ramsden；
and　you　will　become　quite　a　remarkable　man。

RAMSDEN。　I　have　no

TANNER。　You　have　no　desire　for　that　sort　of　notoriety。　Bless　you；
I　knew　that　answer　would　come　as　well　as　I　know　that　a　box　of
matches　will　come　out　of　an　automatic　machine　when　I　put　a　penny
in　the　slot：　you　would　be　ashamed　to　say　anything　else。

The　crushing　retort　for　which　Ramsden　has　been　visibly　collecting
his　forces　is　lost　for　ever；　for　at　this　point　Octavius　returns
with　Miss　Ann　Whitefield　and　her　mother；　and　Ramsden　springs　up
and　hurries　to　the　door　to　receive　them。　Whether　Ann　is
good…looking　or　not　depends　upon　your　taste；　also　and　perhaps
chiefly　on　your　age　and　sex。　To　Octavius　she　is　an　enchantingly
beautiful　woman；　in　whose　presence　the　world　becomes
transfigured；　and　the　puny　limits　of　individual　consciousness　are
suddenly　made　infinite　by　a　mystic　memory　of　the　whole　life　of
the　race　to　its　beginnings　in　the　east；　or　even　back　to　the
paradise　from　which　it　fell。　She　is　to　him　the　reality　of
romance；　the　leaner　good　sense　of　nonsense；　the　unveiling　of　his
eyes；　the　freeing　of　his　soul；　the　abolition　of　time；　place　and
circumstance；　the　etherealization　of　his　blood　into　rapturous
rivers　of　the　very　water　of　life　itself；　the　revelation　of　all
the　mysteries　and　the　sanctification　of　all　the　dogmas。　To　her
mother　she　is；　to　put　it　as　moderately　as　possible；　nothing
whatever　of　the　kind。　Not　that　Octavius's　admiration　is　in　any
way　ridiculous　or　discreditable。　Ann　is　a　well　formed　creature；
as　far　as　that　goes；　and　she　is　perfectly　ladylike；　graceful；　and
comely；　with　ensnaring　eyes　and　hair。　Besides；　instead　of　making
herself　an　eyesore；　like　her　mother；　she　has　devised　a　mourning
costume　of　black　and　violet　silk　which　does　honor　to　her　late
father　and　reveals　the　family　tradition　of　brave　unconventionality
by　which　Ramsden　sets　such　store。

But　all　this　is　beside　the　point　as　an　explanation　of　Ann's
charm。　Turn　up　her　nose；　give　a　cast　to　her　eye；　replace　her
black　and　violet　confection　by　the　apron　and　feathers　of　a　flower
girl；　strike　all　the　aitches　out　of　her　speech；　and　Ann　would
still　make　men　dream。　Vitality　is　as　common　as　humanity；　but；
like　humanity；　it　sometimes　rises　to　genius；　and　Ann　is　one　of
the　vital　geniuses。　Not　at　all；　if　you　please；　an　oversexed
person：　that　is　a　vital　defect；　not　a　true　excess。　She　is　a
perfectly　respectable；　perfectly　self…controlled　woman；　and　looks
it；　though　her　pose　is　fashionably　frank　and　impulsive。　She
inspires　confidence　as　a　person　who　will　do　nothing　she　does　not
mean　to　do；　also　some　fear；　perhaps；　as　a　woman　who　will　probably
do　everything　she　means　to　do　without　taking　more　account　of
other　people　than　may　be　necessary　and　what　she　calls　right。　In
short；　what　the　weaker　of　her　own　sex　sometimes　call　a　cat。

Nothing　can　be　more　decorous　than　her　entry　and　her　reception　by
Ramsden；　whom　she　kisses。　The　late　Mr　Whitefield　　would　be
gratified　almost　to　impatience　by　the　long　faces　of　the　men
（except　Tanner；　who　is　fidgety）；　the　silent　handgrasps；　the
sympathetic　placing　of　chairs；　the　sniffing　of　the　widow；　and　the
liquid　eye　of　the　daughter；　whose　heart；　apparently；　will　not　let
her　control　her　tongue　to　speech。　Ramsden　and　Octavius　take　the
two　chairs　from　the　wall；　and　place　them　for　the　two　ladies；　but
Ann　comes　to　Tanner　and　takes　his　chair；　which　he　offers　with　a
brusque　gesture；　subsequently　relieving　his　irritation　by　sitting
down　on　the　corner　of　the　writing　table　with　studied　indecorum。
Octavius　gives　Mrs　Whitefield　a　chair　next　Ann；　and　himself　takes
the　vacant　one　which　Ramsden　has　placed　under　the　nose　of　the
effigy　of　Mr　Herbert　Spencer。

Mrs　Whitefield；　by　the　way；　is　a　little　woman；　whose　faded　flaxen
hair　looks　like　straw　on　an　egg。　She　has　an　expression　of
muddled　shrewdness；　a　squeak　of　protest　in　her　voice；　and　an　odd
air　of　continually　elbowing　away　some　larger　person　who　is
crushing　her　into　a　corner。　One　guesses　her　as　one　of　those　women
who　are　conscious　of　being　treated　as　silly　and　negligible；　and
who；　without　having　strength　enough　to　assert　themselves
effectually；　at　any　rate　never　submit　to　their　fate。　There　is　a
touch　of　chivalry　in　Octavius's　scrupulous　attention　to　her；
even　whilst　his　whole　soul　is　absorbed　by　Ann。

Ramsden　goes　solemnly　back　to　his　magisterial　seat　at　the　writing
table；　ignoring　Tanner；　and　opens　the　proceedings。

RAMSDEN。　I　am　sorry；　Annie；　to　force　business　on　you　at　a　sad
time　like　the　present。　But　your　poor　dear　father's　will　has
raised　a　very　serious　question。　You　have　read　it；　I　believe？

＇Ann　assents　with　a　nod　and　a　catch　of　her　breath；　too　much
affected　to　speak＇。

I　must　say　I　am　surprised　to　find　Mr　Tanner　named　as　joint
guardian　and　trustee　with　myself　of　you　and　Rhoda。　＇A　pause。　They
all　look　portentous；　but　they　have　nothing　to　say。　Ramsden；　a
little　ruffled　by　the　lack　of　any　response；　continues＇　I　don't
know　that　I　can　consent　to　act　under　such　conditions。　Mr　Tanner
has；　I　understand；　some　objection　also；　but　I　do　not　profess　to
understand　its　nature：　he　will　no　doubt　speak　for　himself。　But　we
are　agreed　that　we