man and superman-第13章

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！


understand　its　nature：　he　will　no　doubt　speak　for　himself。　But　we
are　agreed　that　we　can　decide　nothing　until　we　know　your　views。　I
am　afraid　I　shall　have　to　ask　you　to　choose　between　my　sole
guardianship　and　that　of　Mr　Tanner；　for　I　fear　it　is　impossible
for　us　to　undertake　a　joint　arrangement。

ANN。　＇in　a　low　musical　voice＇　Mamma

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇hastily＇　Now；　Ann；　I　do　beg　you　not　to　put　it　on
me。　I　have　no　opinion　on　the　subject；　and　if　I　had；　it　would
probably　not　be　attended　to。　I　am　quite　with　whatever　you　three
think　best。

Tanner　turns　his　head　and　looks　fixedly　at　Ramsden；　who　angrily
refuses　to　receive　this　mute　communication。

ANN。　＇resuming　in　the　same　gentle　voice；　ignoring　her　mother's
bad　taste＇　Mamma　knows　that　she　is　not　strong　enough　to　bear　the
whole　responsibility　for　me　and　Rhoda　without　some　help　and
advice。　Rhoda　must　have　a　guardian；　and　though　I　am　older；　I　do
not　think　any　young　unmarried　woman　should　be　left　quite　to　her
own　guidance。　I　hope　you　agree　with　me；　Granny？

TANNER。　＇starting＇　Granny！　Do　you　intend　to　call　your　guardians
Granny？

ANN。　Don't　be　foolish；　Jack。　Mr　Ramsden　has　always　been　Grandpapa
Roebuck　to　me：　I　am　Granny's　Annie；　and　he　is　Annie's　Granny。　I
christened　him　so　when　I　first　learned　to　speak。

RAMSDEN。　＇sarcastically＇　I　hope　you　are　satisfied；　Mr　Tanner。　Go
on；　Annie：　I　quite　agree　with　you。

ANN。　Well；　if　I　am　to　have　a　guardian；　CAN　I　set　aside　anybody
whom　my　dear　father　appointed　for　me？

RAMSDEN。　＇biting　his　lip＇　You　approve　of　your　father's　choice；
then？

ANN。　It　is　not　for　me　to　approve　or　disapprove。　I　accept　it。　My
father　loved　me　and　knew　best　what　was　good　for　me。

RAMSDEN。　Of　course　I　understand　your　feeling；　Annie。　It　is　what　I
should　have　expected　of　you；　and　it　does　you　credit。　But　it　does
not　settle　the　question　so　completely　as　you　think。　Let　me　put　a
case　to　you。　Suppose　you　were　to　discover　that　I　had　been　guilty
of　some　disgraceful　actionthat　I　was　not　the　man　your　poor　dear
father　took　me　for。　Would　you　still　consider　it　right　that　I
should　be　Rhoda's　guardian？

ANN。　I　can't　imagine　you　doing　anything　disgraceful；　Granny。

TANNER。　＇to　Ramsden＇　You　haven't　done　anything　of　the　sort；　have
you？

RAMSDEN。　＇indignantly＇　No　sir。

MRS。　WHITEFIELD。　＇placidly＇　Well；　then；　why　suppose　it？

ANN。　You　see；　Granny；　Mamma　would　not　like　me　to　suppose　it。

RAMSDEN。　＇much　perplexed＇　You　are　both　so　full　of　natural　and
affectionate　feeling　in　these　family　matters　that　it　is　very　hard
to　put　the　situation　fairly　before　you。

TANNER。　Besides；　my　friend；　you　are　not　putting　the　situation
fairly　before　them。

RAMSDEN。　＇sulkily＇　Put　it　yourself；　then。

TANNER。　I　will。　Ann：　Ramsden　thinks　I　am　not　fit　be　your
guardian；　and　I　quite　agree　with　him。　He　considers　that　if　your
father　had　read　my　book；　he　wouldn't　have　appointed　me。　That　book
is　the　disgraceful　action　he　has　been　talking　about。　He　thinks
it's　your　duty　for　Rhoda's　sake　to　ask　him　to　act　alone　and　to
make　me　withdraw。　Say　the　word　and　I　will。

ANN。　But　I　haven't　read　your　book；　Jack。

TANNER。　＇diving　at　the　waste…paper　basket　and　fishing　the　book
out　for　her＇　Then　read　it　at　once　and　decide。

RAMSDEN。　If　I　am　to　be　your　guardian；　I　positively　forbid　you　to
read　that　book；　Annie。　＇He　smites　the　table　with　his　fist　and
rises＇。

ANN。　Of　course；　if　you　don't　wish　it。　＇She　puts　the　book　on　the
table＇。

TANNER。　If　one　guardian　is　to　forbid　you　to　read　the　other
guardian's　book；　how　are　we　to　settle　it？　Suppose　I　order　you　to
read　it！　What　about　your　duty　to　me？

ANN。　＇gently＇　I　am　sure　you　would　never　purposely　force　me　into　a
painful　dilemma；　Jack。

RAMSDEN。　＇irritably＇　Yes；　yes；　Annie：　this　is　all　very　well；　and；
as　I　said；　quite　natural　and　becoming。　But　you　must　make　a　choice
one　way　or　the　other。　We　are　as　much　in　a　dilemma　as　you。

ANN。　I　feel　that　I　am　too　young；　too　inexperienced；　to　decide。　My
father's　wishes　are　sacred　to　me。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　If　you　two　men　won't　carry　them　out　I　must　say　it
is　rather　hard　that　you　should　put　the　responsibility　on　Ann。　It
seems　to　me　that　people　are　always　putting　things　on　other　people
in　this　world。

RAMSDEN。　　I　am　sorry　you　take　it　that　way。

ANN。　＇touchingly＇　Do　you　refuse　to　accept　me　as　your　ward；
Granny？

RAMSDEN。　No：　I　never　said　that。　I　greatly　object　to　act　with　Mr
Tanner：　that's　all。

MRS。　WHITEFIELD。　Why？　What's　the　matter　with　poor　Jack？

TANNER。　My　views　are　too　advanced　for　him。

RAMSDEN。　＇indignantly＇　They　are　not。　I　deny　it。

ANN。　Of　course　not。　What　nonsense！　Nobody　is　more　advanced　than
Granny。　I　am　sure　it　is　Jack　himself　who　has　made　all　the
difficulty。　Come；　Jack！　Be　kind　to　me　in　my　sorrow。　You　don't
refuse　to　accept　me　as　your　ward；　do　you？

TANNER。　＇gloomily＇　No。　I　let　myself　in　for　it；　so　I　suppose　I
must　face　it。　＇He　turns　away　to　the　bookcase；　and　stands　there；
moodily　studying　the　titles　of　the　volumes＇。

ANN。　＇rising　and　expanding　with　subdued　but　gushing　delight＇　Then
we　are　all　agreed；　and　my　dear　father's　will　is　to　be　carried
out。　You　don't　know　what　a　joy　that　is　to　me　and　to　my　mother！
＇She　goes　to　Ramsden　and　presses　both　his　hands；　saying＇　And　I
shall　have　my　dear　Granny　to　help　and　advise　me。　＇She　casts　a
glance　at　Tanner　over　her　shoulder＇。　And　Jack　the　Giant　Killer。
＇She　goes　past　her　mother　to　Octavius＇。　And　Jack's　inseparable
friend　Ricky…ticky…tavy　＇he　blushes　and　looks　inexpressibly
foolish＇。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇rising　and　shaking　her　widow's　weeds　straight＇
Now　that　you　are　Ann's　guardian；　Mr　Ramsden；　I　wish　you　would
speak　to　her　about　her　habit　of　giving　people　nicknames。　They
can't　be　expected　to　like　it。　＇She　moves　towards　the　door＇。

ANN。　How　can　you　say　such　a　thing；　Mamma！　＇Glowing　with
affectionate　remorse＇　Oh；　I　wonder　can　you　be　right！　Have　I　been
inconsiderate？　＇She　turns　to　Octavius；　who　is　sitting　astride
his　chair　with　his　elbows　on　the　back　of　it。　Putting　her　hand　on
his　forehead　the　turns　his　face　up　suddenly＇。　Do　you　want　to　be
treated　like　a　grown　up　man？　Must　I　call　you　Mr　Robinson　in
future？

OCTAVIUS。　＇earnestly＇　Oh　please　call　me　Ricky…tickytavy；　〃Mr
Robinson〃　would　hurt　me　cruelly。　She　laughs　and　pats　his　cheek
with　her　finger；　then　comes　back　to　Ramsden＇。　You　know　I'm
beginning　to　think　that　Granny　is　rather　a　piece　of　impertinence。
But　I　never　dreamt　of　its　hurting　you。

RAMSDEN。　＇breezily；　as　he　pats　her　affectionately　on　the　back＇　My
dear　Annie；　nonsense。　I　insist　on　Granny。　I　won't　answer　to　any
other　name　than　Annie's　Granny。

ANN。　＇gratefully＇　You　all　spoil　me；　except　Jack。

TANNER。　＇over　his　shoulder；　from　the　bookcase＇　I　think　you　ought
to　call　me　Mr　Tanner。

ANN。　＇gently＇　No　you　don't；　Jack。　That's　like　the　things　you　say
on　purpose　to　shock　people：　those　who　know　you　pay　no　attention
to　them。　But；　if　you　like；　I'll　call　you　after　your　famous
ancestor　Don　Juan。

RAMSDEN。　Don　Juan！

ANN。　＇innocently＇　Oh；　is　there　any　harm　in　it？　I　didn't　know。
Then　I　certainly　won't　call　you　that。　May　I　call　you　Jack　until
I　can　think　of　something　else？

TANKER。　Oh；　for　Heaven's　sake　don't　try　to　invent　anything　worse。
I　capitulate。　I　consent　to　Jack。　I　embrace　Jack。　Here　endeth　my
first　and　last　attempt　to　assert　my　authority。

ANN。　You　see；　Mamma；　they　all　really　like　to　have　pet　names。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　Well；　I　think　you　might　at　least　drop　them　until
we　are　out　of　mourning。

ANN。　＇reproachfully；　stricken　to　the　soul＇　Oh；　how　could　you
remind　me；　mother？　＇She　hastily　leaves　the　room　to　conceal　her
emotion＇。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　Of　course。　My　fault　as　usual！　＇She　follows　Ann＇。

TANNER。　＇coming　from　the　bockcase＇　Ramsden：　we're　beaten
smashednonentitized；　like　her　mother。

RAMSDEN。　Stuff；　Sir。　＇He　follows　Mrs　Whitefield　out　of　the　room＇。

TANNER。　＇left　alone　with　Octavius；　stares　whimsically　at　him＇
Tavy：　do　you　want　to　count　for　something　in　the　world？

OCTAVIUS。　I　want　to　count　for　something　as　a　poet：　I　want　to
write　a　great　play。

TANNER。　With　Ann　as　the　heroine？

OCTAVIUS。　Yes：　I　confess　it。

TANNER。　Take　care；　Tavy。　The　play　with　Ann　as　the　heroine　is　all
right；　but　if　you're　not　very　careful；　by　Heaven　she'll　marry
you。