man and superman-第23章

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great　paths　to　cultivate　himself　in　a　first　rate　manner　before
venturing　across　the　Atlantic。　To　this　culture　he　finds　English
people　either　totally　indifferent　as　they　very　commonly　are　to
all　culture；　or　else　politely　evasive；　the　truth　being　that
Hector's　culture　is　nothing　but　a　state　of　saturation　with　our
literary　exports　of　thirty　years　ago；　reimported　by　him　to　be
unpacked　at　a　moment's　notice　and　hurled　at　the　head　of　English
literature；　science　and　art；　at　every　conversational　opportunity。
The　dismay　set　up　by　these　sallies　encourages　him　in　his　belief
that　he　is　helping　to　educate　England。　When　he　finds　people
chattering　harmlessly　about　Anatole　France　and　Nietzsche；　he
devastates　them　with　Matthew　Arnold；　the　Autocrat　of　the
Breakfast　Table；　and　even　Macaulay；　and　as　he　is　devoutly
religious　at　bottom；　he　first　leads　the　unwary；　by　humorous
irreverences；　to　wave　popular　theology　out　of　account　in
discussing　moral　questions　with　him；　and　then　scatters　them　in
confusion　by　demanding　whether　the　carrying　out　of　his　ideals　of
conduct　was　not　the　manifest　object　of　God　Almighty　in　creating
honest　men　and　pure　women。　The　engaging　freshness　of　his
personality　and　the　dumbfoundering　staleness　of　his　culture　make
it　extremely　difficult　to　decide　whether　he　is　worth　knowing；　for
whilst　his　company　is　undeniably　pleasant　and　enlivening；　there
is　intellectually　nothing　new　to　be　got　out　of　him；　especially　as
he　despises　politics；　and　is　careful　not　to　talk　commercial　shop；
in　which　department　he　is　probably　much　in　advance　of　his　English
capitalist　friends。　He　gets　on　best　with　romantic　Christians　of
the　amoristic　sect：　hence　the　friendship　which　has　sprung　up
between　him　and　Octavius。

In　appearance　Hector　is　a　neatly　built　young　man　of　twenty…four；
with　a　short；　smartly　trimmed　black　beard；　clear；　well　shaped
eyes；　and　an　ingratiating　vivacity　of　expression。　He　is；　from　the
fashionable　point　of　view；　faultlessly　dressed。　As　he　comes　along
the　drive　from　the　house　with　Mrs　Whitefield　he　is　sedulously
making　himself　agreeable　and　entertaining；　and　thereby　placing　on
her　slender　wit　a　burden　it　is　unable　to　bear。　An　Englishman
would　let　her　alone；　accepting　boredom　and　indifference　of　their
common　lot；　and　the　poor　lady　wants　to　be　either　let　alone　or　let
prattle　about　the　things　that　interest　her。

Ramsden　strolls　over　to　inspect　the　motor　car。　Octavius　joins
Hector。

ANN。　＇pouncing　on　her　mother　joyously＇　Oh；　mamma；　what　do　you
think！　Jack　is　going　to　take　me　to　Nice　in　his　motor　car。　Isn't
it　lovely？　I　am　the　happiest　person　in　London。

TANNER。　＇desperately＇　Mrs　Whitefield　objects。　I　am　sure　she
objects。　Doesn't　she；　Ramsden？

RAMSDEN。　I　should　think　it　very　likely　indeed。

ANN。　You　don't　object；　do　you；　mother？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　I　object！　Why　should　I？　I　think　it　will　do　you
good；　Ann。　＇Trotting　over　to　Tanner＇　I　meant　to　ask　you　to　take
Rhoda　out　for　a　run　occasionally：　she　is　too　much　in　the　house；
but　it　will　do　when　you　come　back。

TANNER。　Abyss　beneath　abyss　of　perfidy！

ANN。　＇hastily；　to　distract　attention　from　this　outburst＇　Oh；　I
forgot：　you　have　not　met　Mr　Malone。　Mr　Tanner；　my　guardian：　Mr
Hector　Malone。

HECTOR。　Pleased　to　meet　you；　Mr　Tanner。　I　should　like　to　suggest
an　extension　of　the　travelling　party　to　Nice；　if　I　may。

ANN。　Oh；　we're　all　coming。　That's　understood；　isn't　it？

HECTOR。　I　also　am　the　modest　possessor　of　a　motor　car。　If　Miss
Robinson　will　allow　me　the　privilege　of　taking　her；　my　car　is　at
her　service。

OCTAVIUS。　Violet！

General　constraint。

ANN。　＇subduedly＇　Come；　mother：　we　must　leave　them　to　talk　over
the　arrangements。　I　must　see　to　my　travelling　kit。

Mrs　Whitefield　looks　bewildered；　but　Ann　draws　her　discreetly
away；　and　they　disappear　round　the　corner　towards　the　house。

HECTOR。　I　think　I　may　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　I　can　depend　on
Miss　Robinson's　consent。

Continued　embarrassment。

OCTAVIUS。　I'm　afraid　we　must　leave　Violet　behind；　There　are
circumstances　which　make　it　impossible　for　her　to　come　on　such　an
expedition。

HECTOR。　＇amused　and　not　at　all　convinced＇　Too　American；　eh？　Must
the　young　lady　have　a　chaperone？

OCTAVIUS。　It's　not　that；　Maloneat　least　not　altogether。

HECTOR。　Indeed！　May　I　ask　what　other　objection　applies？

TANNER。　＇impatiently＇　Oh；　tell　him；　tell　him。　We　shall　never　be
able　to　keep　the　secret　unless　everybody　knows　what　it　is。　Mr
Malone：　if　you　go　to　Nice　with　Violet；　you　go　with　another　man's
wife。　She　is　married。

HECTOR。　（thunderstruck＇　You　don't　tell　me　so！

TANNER。　We　do。　In　confidence。

RAMSDEN。　＇with　an　air　of　importance；　lest　Malone　should　suspect　a
misalliance＇　Her　marriage　has　not　yet　been　made　known：　she
desires　that　it　shall　not　be　mentioned　for　the　present。

HECTOR。　I　shall　respect　the　lady's　wishes。　Would　it　be　indiscreet
to　ask　who　her　husband　is；　in　case　I　should　have　an　opportunity
of　consulting　him　about　this　trip？

TANNER。　We　don't　know　who　he　is。

HECTOR。　＇retiring　into　his　shell　in　a　very　marked　manner＇　In　that
case；　I　have　no　more　to　say。

They　become　more　embarrassed　than　ever。

OCTAVIUS。　You　must　think　this　very　strange。

HECTOR。　A　little　singular。　Pardon　me　for　saving　so。

RAMSDEN。　＇half　apologetic；　half　huffy＇　The　young　lady　was　married
secretly；　and　her　husband　has　forbidden　her；　it　seems；　to　declare
his　name。　It　is　only　right　to　tell　you；　since　you　are　interested
in　Misserin　Violet。

OCTAVIUS。　＇sympathetically＇　I　hope　this　is　not　a　disappointment
to　you。

HECTOR。　＇softened；　coming　out　of　his　shell　again＇　Well　it　is　a
blow。　I　can　hardly　understand　how　a　man　can　leave　a　wife　in　such
a　position。　Surely　it's　not　customary。　It's　not　manly。　It's　not
considerate。

OCTAVIUS。　We　feel　that；　as　you　may　imagine；　pretty　deeply。

RAMSDEN。　＇testily＇　It　is　some　young　fool　who　has　not　enough
experience　to　know　what　mystifications　of　this　kind　lead　to。

HECTOR。　＇with　strong　symptoms　of　moral　repugnance＇　I　hope　so。　A
man　need　be　very　young　and　pretty　foolish　too　to　be　excused　for
such　conduct。　You　take　a　very　lenient　view；　Mr　Ramsden。　Too
lenient　to　my　mind。　Surely　marriage　should　ennoble　a　man。

TANNER。　＇sardonically＇　Ha！

HECTOR。　Am　I　to　gather　from　that　cacchination　that　you　don't
agree　with　me；　Mr　Tanner？

TANNER。　＇drily＇　Get　married　and　try。　You　may　find　it　delightful
for　a　while：　you　certainly　won't　find　it　ennobling。　The　greatest
common　measure　of　a　man　and　a　woman　is　not　necessarily　greater
than　the　man's　single　measure。

HECTOR。　Well；　we　think　in　America　that　a　woman's　moral　number　is
higher　than　a　man's；　and　that　the　purer　nature　of　a　woman　lifts　a
man　right　out　of　himself；　and　makes　him　better　than　he　was。

OCTAVIUS。　＇with　conviction＇　So　it　does。

TANNER。　No　wonder　American　women　prefer　to　live　in　Europe！　It's
more　comfortable　than　standing　all　their　lives　on　an　altar　to　be
worshipped。　Anyhow；　Violet's　husband　has　not　been　ennobled。　So
what's　to　be　done？

HECTOR。　＇shaking　his　head＇　I　can't　dismiss　that　man's　conduct　as
lightly　as　you　do；　Mr　Tanner。　However；　I'll　say　no　more。　Whoever
he　is；　he's　Miss　Robinson's　husband；　and　I　should　be　glad　for　her
sake　to　think　better　of　him。

OCTAVIUS。　＇touched；　for　he　divines　a　secret　sorrow＇　I'm　very
sorry；　Malone。　Very　sorry。

HECTOR。　＇gratefully＇　You're　a　good　fellow；　Robinson；　Thank　you。

TANNER。　Talk　about　something　else。　Violet's　coming　from　the
house。

HECTOR。　I　should　esteem　it　a　very　great　favor；　men；　if　you　would
take　the　opportunity　to　let　me　have　a　few　words　with　the　lady
alone。　I　shall　have　to　cry　off　this　trip；　and　it's　rather　a
delicate

RAMSDEN。　＇glad　to　escape＇　Say　no　more。　Come　Tanner；　Come；　Tavy。
＇He　strolls　away　into　the　park　with　Octavius　and　Tanner；　past　the
motor　car＇。

Violet　comes　down　the　avenue　to　Hector。

VIOLET。　Are　they　looking？

HECTOR。　No。

She　kisses　him。

VIOLET。　Have　you　been　telling　lies　for　my　sake？

HECTOR。　Lying！　Lying　hardly　describes　it。　I　overdo　it。　I　get
carried　away　in　an　ecstasy　of　mendacity。　Violet：　I　wish　you'd　let
me　own　up。

VIOLET。　＇instantly　becoming　serious　and　resolute＇　No；　no。　Hector：
you　promised　me　not　to。

HECTOR。　I'll　keep　my　promise　until　you　release　me　from