man and superman-第15章
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merry as Brigs in your mourning for the deadall pulling long
faces and looking as ashamed and disgraced as if the girl had
committed the vilest of crimes。
RAMSDEN。 ＇roaring with rage＇ I will not have these abominations
uttered in my house ＇he smites the writing table with his fist＇。
TANNER。 Look here： if you insult me again I'll take you at your
word and leave your house。 Ann： where is Violet now？
ANN。 Why？ Are you going to her？
TANNER。 Of course I am going to her。 She wants help； she wants
money； she wants respect and congratulation。 She wants every
chance for her child。 She does not seem likely to get it from
you： she shall from me。 Where is she？
ANN。 Don't be so headstrong； Jack。 She's upstairs。
TANNER。 What！ Under Ramsden's sacred roof！ Go and do your
miserable duty； Ramsden。 Hunt her out into the street。 Cleanse
your threshold from her contamination。 Vindicate the purity of
your English home。 I'll go for a cab；
ANN。 ＇alarmed＇ Oh； Granny； you mustn't do that。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇broken…heartedly； rising＇ I'll take her away； Mr
Ramsden。 She had no right to come to your house。
RAMSDEN。 ＇indignantly＇ But I am only too anxious to help her。
＇turning on Tanner＇ How dare you； sir； impute such monstrous
intentions to me？ I protest against it。 I am ready to put down my
last penny to save her from being driven to run to you for
protection。
TANNER。 ＇subsiding＇ It's all right； then。 He's not going to act
up to his principles。 It's agreed that we all stand by Violet。
OCTAVIUS。 But who is the man？ He can make reparation by marrying
her； and he shall； or he shall answer for it to me。
RAMSDEN。 He shall； Octavius。 There you speak like a man。
TANNER。 Then you don't think him a scoundrel； after all？
OCTAVIUS。 Not a scoundrel！ He is a heartless scoundrel。
RAMSDEN。 A damned scoundrel。 I beg your pardon； Annie； but I can
say no less。
TANNER。 So we are to marry your sister to a damned scoundrel by
way of reforming her character！ On my soul； I think you are all
mad。
ANN。 Don't be absurd； Jack。 Of course you are quite right； Tavy；
but we don't know who he is： Violet won't tell us。
TANNER。 What on earth does it matter who he is？ He's done his
part； and Violet must do the rest。
RAMSDEN。 ＇beside himself＇ Stuff！ lunacy！ There is a rascal in our
midst； a libertine； a villain worse than a murderer； and we are
not to learn who he is！ In our ignorance we are to shake him by
the hand； to introduce him into our homes； to trust our daughters
with him； toto
ANN。 ＇coaxingly＇ There； Granny； don't talk so loud。 It's most
shocking： we must all admit that； but if Violet won't tell us；
what can we do？ Nothing。 Simply nothing。
RAMSDEN。 Hmph！ I'm not so sure of that。 If any man has paid
Violet any special attention； we can easily find that out。 If
there is any man of notoriously loose principles among us
TANNER。 Ahem！
RAMSDEN。 ＇raising his voice＇ Yes sir； I repeat； if there is any
man of notoriously loose principles among us
TANNER。 Or any man notoriously lacking in self…control。
RAMSDEN。 ＇aghast＇ Do you dare to suggest that I am capable of
such an act？
TANNER。 My dear Ramsden； this is an act of which every man is
capable。 That is what comes of getting at cross purposes with
Nature。 The suspicion you have just flung at me clings to us all。
It's a sort of mud that sticks to the judge's ermine or the
cardinal's robe as fast as to the rags of the tramp。 Come； Tavy：
don't look so bewildered： it might have been me： it might have
been Ramsden； just as it might have been anybody。 If it had； what
could we do but lie and protest as Ramsden is going to protest。
RAMSDEN。 ＇choking＇＇ III
TANNER。 Guilt itself could not stammer more confusedly； And yet
you know perfectly well he's innocent； Tavy。
RAMSDEN。 ＇exhausted＇ I am glad you admit that； sir。 I admit；
myself； that there is an element of truth in what you say；
grossly as you may distort it to gratify your malicious humor。 I
hope； Octavius； no suspicion of me is possible in your mind。
OCTAVIUS。 Of you！ No； not for a moment。
TANNER。 ＇drily＇ I think he suspects me just a little。
OCTAVIUS。 Jack： you couldn'tyou wouldn't
TANNER。 Why not？
OCTAVIUS。 ＇appalled＇ Why not！
TANNER。 Oh； well； I'll tell you why not。 First； you would feel
bound to quarrel with me。 Second； Violet doesn't like me。 Third；
if I had the honor of being the father of Violet's child； I
should boast of it instead of denying it。 So be easy： our
Friendship is not in danger。
OCTAVIUS。 I should have put away the suspicion with horror if
only you would think and feel naturally about it。 I beg your
pardon。
TANNER。 MY pardon！ nonsense！ And now let's sit down and have a
family council。 ＇He sits down。 The rest follow his example； more
or less under protest＇。 Violet is going to do the State a
service； consequently she must be packed abroad like a criminal
until it's over。 What's happening upstairs？
ANN。 Violet is in the housekeeper's roomby herself； of course。
TANNER。 Why not in the drawingroom？
ANN。 Don't be absurd； Jack。 Miss Ramsden is in the drawingroom
with my mother； considering what to do。
TANNER。 Oh！ the housekeeper's room is the penitentiary； I
suppose； and the prisoner is waiting to be brought before her
judges。 The old cats！
ANN。 Oh； Jack！
RAMSDEN。 You are at present a guest beneath the roof of one of
the old cats； sir。 My sister is the mistress of this house。
TANNER。 She would put me in the housekeeper's room； too； if she
dared； Ramsden。 However； I withdraw cats。 Cats would have more
sense。 Ann： as your guardian； I order you to go to Violet at once
and be particularly kind to her。
ANN。 I have seen her； Jack。 And I am sorry to say I am afraid she
is going to be rather obstinate about going abroad。 I think Tavy
ought to speak to her about it。
OCTAVIUS。 How can I speak to her about such a thing ＇he breaks
down＇？
ANN。 Don't break down； Ricky。 Try to bear it for all our sakes。
RAMSDEN。 Life is not all plays and poems； Octavius。 Come！ face it
like a man。
TANNER。 ＇chafing again＇ Poor dear brother！ Poor dear friends of
the family！ Poor dear Tabbies and Grimalkins。 Poor dear everybody
except the woman who is going to risk her life to create another
life！ Tavy： don't you be a selfish ass。 Away with you and talk to
Violet； and bring her down here if she cares to come。 ＇Octavius
rises＇。 Tell her we'll stand by her。
RAMSDEN。 ＇rising＇ No； sir
TANNER。 ＇rising also and interrupting him＇ Oh； we understand：
it's against your conscience； but still you'll do it。
OCTAVIUS。 I assure you all； on my word； I never meant to be
selfish。 It's so hard to know what to do when one wishes
earnestly to do right。
TANNER。 My dear Tavy； your pious English habit of regarding the
world as a moral gymnasium built expressly to strengthen your
character in； occasionally leads you to think about your own
confounded principles when you should be thinking about other
people's necessities。 The need of the present hour is a happy
mother and a healthy baby。 Bend your energies on that； and you
will see your way clearly enough。
Octavius； much perplexed； goes out。
RAMSDEN。 ＇facing Tanner impressively＇ And Morality； sir？ What is
to become of that？
TANNER。 Meaning a weeping Magdalen and an innocent child branded
with her shame。 Not in our circle； thank you。 Morality can go to
its father the devil。
RAMSDEN。 I thought so； sir。 Morality sent to the devil to please
our libertines； male and female。 That is to be the future of
England； is it？
TANNER。 Oh； England will survive your disapproval。 Meanwhile； I
understand that you agree with me as to the practical course we
are to take？
RAMSDEN。 Not in your spirit sir。 Not for your reasons。
TANNER。 You can explain that if anybody calls you to account；
here or hereafter。 ＇He turns away； and plants himself in front of
Mr Herbert Spencer； at whom he stares gloomily＇。
ANN。 ＇rising and coming to Ramsden＇ Granny： hadn't you better go
up to the drawingroom and tell them what we intend to do？
RAMSDEN。 ＇looking pointedly at Tanner＇ I hardly like to leave you
alone with this gentleman。 Will you not come with me？
ANN。 Miss Ramsden wo
