man and superman-第21章
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Maeterlinck's book about the bee？
OCTAVIUS。 ＇keeping his temper with difficulty＇ I am not
discussing literature at present。
TANNER。 Be just a little patient with me。 I am not discussing
literature： the book about the bee is natural history。 It's an
awful lesson to mankind。 You think that you are Ann's suitor；
that you are the pursuer and she the pursued； that it is your
part to woo； to persuade； to prevail； to overcome。 Fool： it is
you who are the pursued； the marked down quarry； the destined
prey。 You need not sit looking longingly at the bait through the
wires of the trap： the door is open； and will remain so until it
shuts behind you for ever。
OCTAVIUS。 I wish I could believe that； vilely as you put it。
TANNER。 Why； man； what other work has she in life but to get a
husband？ It is a woman's business to get married as soon as
possible； and a man's to keep unmarried as long as he can。 You
have your poems and your tragedies to work at： Ann has nothing。
OCTAVIUS。 I cannot write without inspiration。 And nobody can give
me that except Ann。
TANNER。 Well； hadn't you better get it from her at a safe
distance？ Petrarch didn't see half as much of Laura； nor Dante
of Beatrice； as you see of Ann now； and yet they wrote
first…rate poetryat least so I'm told。 They never exposed their
idolatry to the test of domestic familiarity； and it lasted them
to their graves。 Marry Ann and at the end of a week you'll find
no more inspiration than in a plate of muffins。
OCTAVIUS。 You think I shall tire of her。
TANNER。 Not at all： you don't get tired of muffins。 But you don't
find inspiration in them； and you won't in her when she ceases to
be a poet's dream and becomes a solid eleven stone wife。 You'll
be forced to dream about somebody else； and then there will be a
row。
OCTAVIUS。 This sort of talk is no use； Jack。 You don't
understand。 You have never been in love。
TANNER。 I！ I have never been out of it。 Why； I am in love even
with Ann。 But I am neither the slave of love nor its dupe。 Go to
the bee； thou poet： consider her ways and be wise。 By Heaven；
Tavy； if women could do without our work； and we ate their
children's bread instead of making it； they would kill us as
the spider kills her mate or as the bees kill the drone。 And
they would be right if we were good for nothing but love。
OCTAVIUS。 Ah； if we were only good enough for Love！ There is
nothing like Love： there is nothing else but Love： without it
the world would be a dream of sordid horror。
TANNER。 And thisthis is the man who asks me to give him the
hand of my ward！ Tavy： I believe we were changed in our cradles；
and that you are the real descendant of Don Juan。
OCTAVIUS。 I beg you not to say anything like that to Ann。
TANNER。 Don't be afraid。 She has marked you for her own； and
nothing will stop her now。 You are doomed。 ＇Straker comes back
with a newspaper＇。 Here comes the New Man； demoralizing himself
with a halfpenny paper as usual。
STRAKER。 Now； would you believe it： Mr Robinson； when we're
out motoring we take in two papers； the Times for him； the Leader
or the Echo for me。 And do you think I ever see my paper？ Not
much。 He grabs the Leader and leaves me to stodge myself with his
Times。
OCTAVIUS。 Are there no winners in the Times？
TANNER。 Enry don't old with bettin； Tavy。 Motor records are his
weakness。 What's the latest？
STRAKER。 Paris to Biskra at forty mile an hour average； not
countin the Mediterranean。
TANNER。 How many killed？
STRAKER。 Two silly sheep。 What does it matter？ Sheep don't cost
such a lot： they were glad to ave the price without the trouble
o sellin em to the butcher。 All the same； d'y'see； there'll be a
clamor agin it presently； and then the French Government'll stop
it； an our chance will be gone see？ That what makes me fairly
mad： Mr Tanner won't do a good run while he can。
TANNER。 Tavy： do you remember my uncle James？
OCTAVIUS。 Yes。 Why？
TANNER。 Uncle James had a first rate cook： he couldn't digest
anything except what she cooked。 Well； the poor man was shy and
hated society。 But his cook was proud of her skill； and wanted to
serve up dinners to princes and ambassadors。 To prevent her from
leaving him； that poor old man had to give a big dinner twice a
month； and suffer agonies of awkwardness。 Now here am I； and here
is this chap Enry Straker； the New Man。 I loathe travelling； but
I rather like Enry。 He cares for nothing but tearing along in a
leather coat and goggles； with two inches of dust all over him；
at sixty miles an hour and the risk of his life and mine。 Except；
of course； when he is lying on his back in the mud under the
machine trying to find out where it has given way。 Well； if I
don't give him a thousand mile run at least once a fortnight I
shall lose him。 He will give me the sack and go to some American
millionaire； and I shall have to put up with a nice respectful
groom…gardener…amateur； who will touch his hat and know his
place。 I am Enry's slave； just as Uncle James was his cook's
slave。
STRAKER。 ＇exasperated＇ Garn！ I wish I had a car that would go as
fast as you can talk； Mr Tanner。 What I say is that you lose
money by a motor car unless you keep it workin。 Might as well ave
a pram and a nussmaid to wheel you in it as that car and me if
you don't git the last inch out of us both。
TANNER。 ＇soothingly＇ All right； Henry； all right。 We'll go out
for half an hour presently。
STRAKER。 ＇in disgust＇ Arf an ahr！ ＇He returns to his machine；
seats himself in it； and turns up a fresh page of his paper in
search of more news＇。
OCTAVIUS。 Oh； that reminds me。 I have a note for you from
Rhoda。 ＇He gives Tanner a note＇。
TANNER。 ＇opening it＇ I rather think Rhoda is heading for a row
with Ann。 As a rule there is only one person an English girl
hates more than she hates her mother； and that's her eldest
sister。 But Rhoda positively prefers her mother to Ann。 She
＇indignantly＇ Oh； I say！
OCTAVIUS。 What's the matter？
TANNER。 Rhoda was to have come with me for a ride in the motor
car。 She says Ann has forbidden her to go out with me。
Straker suddenly begins whistling his favorite air with
remarkable deliberation。 Surprised by this burst of larklike
melody； and jarred by a sardonic note in its cheerfulness； they
turn and look inquiringly at him。 But he is busy with his paper；
and nothing comes of their movement。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇recovering himself＇ Does she give any reason？
TANNER。 Reason！ An insult is not a reason。 Ann forbids her to be
alone with me on any occasion。 Says I am not a fit person for a
young girl to be with。 What do you think of your paragon now？
OCTAVIUS。 You must remember that she has a very heavy
responsibility now that her father is dead。 Mrs Whitefield is
too weak to control Rhoda。
TANNER。 ＇staring at him＇ In short； you agree with Ann。
OCTAVIUS。 No； but I think I understand her。 You must admit that
your views are hardly suited for the formation of a young girl's
mind and character。
TANNER。 I admit nothing of the sort。 I admit that the formation
of a young lady's mind and character usually consists in telling
her lies； but I object to the particular lie that I am in the
habit of abusing the confidence of girls。
OCTAVIUS。 Ann doesn't say that； Jack。
TANNER。 What else does she mean？
STRAKER。 ＇catching sight of Ann coming from the house＇ Miss
Whitefield； gentlemen。 ＇He dismounts and strolls away down the
avenue with the air of a man who knows he is no longer wanted＇。
ANN。 ＇coming between Octavius and Tanner＇。 Good morning； Jack。 I
have come to tell you that poor Rhoda has got one of her
headaches and cannot go out with you to…day in the car。 It is a
cruel disappointment to her； poor child！
TANNER。 What do you say now； Tavy；
OCTAVIUS。 Surely you cannot misunderstand； Jack。 Ann is showing
you the kindest consideration； even at the cost of deceiving you。
ANN。 What do you mean？
TANNER。 Would you like to cure Rhoda's headache； Ann？
ANN。 Of course。
TANNER。 Then tell her what you said just now； and add that you
arrived about two minutes after I had received her letter and
read it。
ANN。 Rhoda has written to you！
TANNER。 With full particu
