man and superman-第36章
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by which I knew what she would be like in thirty years time。 I
noted the gleam of gold from a dead tooth in the laughing mouth：
I made curious observations of the strange odors of the chemistry
of the nerves。 The visions of my romantic reveries； in which I
had trod the plains of heaven with a deathless； ageless creature
of coral and ivory； deserted me in that supreme hour。 I
remembered them and desperately strove to recover their illusion；
but they now seemed the emptiest of inventions： my judgment was
not to be corrupted： my brain still said No on every issue。 And
whilst I was in the act of framing my excuse to the lady； Life
seized me and threw me into her arms as a sailor throws a scrap
of fish into the mouth of a seabird。
THE STATUE。 You might as well have gone without thinking such a
lot about it； Juan。 You are like all the clever men： you have
more brains than is good for you。
THE DEVIL。 And were you not the happier for the experience； Senor
Don Juan？
DON JUAN。 The happier； no： the wiser； yes。 That moment introduced
me for the first time to myself； and； through myself； to the
world。 I saw then how useless it is to attempt to impose
conditions on the irresistible force of Life； to preach prudence；
careful selection； virtue； honor； chastity
ANA。 Don Juan： a word against chastity is an insult to me。
DON JUAN。 I say nothing against your chastity； Senora； since it
took the form of a husband and twelve children。 What more could
you have done had you been the most abandoned of women？
ANA。 I could have had twelve husbands and no children that's what
I could have done； Juan。 And let me tell you that that would have
made all the difference to the earth which I replenished。
THE STATUE。 Bravo Ana！ Juan： you are floored； quelled；
annihilated。
DON JUAN。 No； for though that difference is the true essential
differenceDona Ana has； I admit； gone straight to the real
pointyet it is not a difference of love or chastity； or even
constancy； for twelve children by twelve different husbands would
have replenished the earth perhaps more effectively。 Suppose my
friend Ottavio had died when you were thirty； you would never
have remained a widow： you were too beautiful。 Suppose the
successor of Ottavio had died when you were forty； you would
still have been irresistible； and a woman who marries twice
marries three times if she becomes free to do so。 Twelve lawful
children borne by one highly respectable lady to three different
fathers is not impossible nor condemned by public opinion。 That
such a lady may be more law abiding than the poor girl whom we
used to spurn into the gutter for bearing one unlawful infant is
no doubt true； but dare you say she is less self…indulgent？
ANA。 She is less virtuous： that is enough for me。
DON JUAN。 In that case； what is virtue but the Trade Unionism of
the married？ Let us face the facts； dear Ana。 The Life Force
respects marriage only because marriage is a contrivance of its
own to secure the greatest number of children and the closest
care of them。 For honor； chastity and all the rest of your moral
figments it cares not a rap。 Marriage is the most licentious of
human institutions
ANA。 Juan！
THE STATUE。 ＇protesting＇ Really！
DON JUAN。 ＇determinedly＇ I say the most licentious of human
institutions： that is the secret of its popularity。 And a woman
seeking a husband is the most unscrupulous of all the beasts of
prey。 The confusion of marriage with morality has done more to
destroy the conscience of the human race than any other single
error。 Come； Ana！ do not look shocked： you know better than any
of us that marriage is a mantrap baited with simulated
accomplishments and delusive idealizations。 When your sainted
mother； by dint of scoldings and punishments； forced you to learn
how to play half a dozen pieces on the spinet which she hated as
much as you didhad she any other purpose than to delude your
suitors into the belief that your husband would have in his home
an angel who would fill it with melody； or at least play him to
sleep after dinner？ You married my friend Ottavio： well； did you
ever open the spinet from the hour when the Church united him to
you？
ANA。 You are a fool； Juan。 A young married woman has something
else to do than sit at the spinet without any support for her
back； so she gets out of the habit of playing。
DON JUAN。 Not if she loves music。 No： believe me； she only throws
away the bait when the bird is in the net。
ANA。 ＇bitterly＇ And men； I suppose； never throw off the mask when
their bird is in the net。 The husband never becomes negligent；
selfish； brutaloh never！
DON JUAN。 What do these recriminations prove； Ana？ Only that the
hero is as gross an imposture as the heroine。
ANA。 It is all nonsense： most marriages are perfectly
comfortable。
DON JUAN。 〃Perfectly〃 is a strong expression； Ana。 What you mean
is that sensible people make the best of one another。 Send me to
the galleys and chain me to the felon whose number happens to be
next before mine； and I must accept the inevitable and make the
best of the companionship。 Many such companionships； they tell
me； are touchingly affectionate； and most are at least tolerably
friendly。 But that does not make a chain a desirable ornament nor
the galleys an abode of bliss。 Those who talk most about the
blessings of marriage and the constancy of its vows are the very
people who declare that if the chain were broken and the
prisoners left free to choose； the whole social fabric would fly
asunder。 You cannot have the argument both ways。 If the prisoner
is happy； why lock him in？ If he is not； why pretend that he is？
ANA。 At all events； let me take an old woman's privilege again；
and tell you flatly that marriage peoples the world and
debauchery does not。
DON JUAN。 How if a time comes when this shall cease to be true？ Do
you not know that where there is a will there is a waythat
whatever Man really wishes to do he will finally discover a means
of doing？ Well； you have done your best； you virtuous ladies； and
others of your way of thinking； to bend Man's mind wholly towards
honorable love as the highest good； and to understand by
honorable love romance and beauty and happiness in the possession
of beautiful； refined； delicate； affectionate women。 You have
taught women to value their own youth； health； shapeliness； and
refinement above all things。 Well； what place have squalling
babies and household cares in this exquisite paradise of the
senses and emotions？ Is it not the inevitable end of it all that
the human will shall say to the human brain： Invent me a means by
which I can have love； beauty； romance； emotion； passion without
their wretched penalties； their expenses； their worries； their
trials； their illnesses and agonies and risks of death； their
retinue of servants and nurses and doctors and schoolmasters。
THE DEVIL。 All this； Senor Don Juan； is realized here in my
realm。
DON JUAN。 Yes； at the cost of death。 Man will not take it at that
price： he demands the romantic delights of your hell whilst he is
still on earth。 Well； the means will be found： the brain will not
fail when the will is in earnest。 The day is coming when great
nations will find their numbers dwindling from census to census；
when the six roomed villa will rise in price above the family
mansion； when the viciously reckless poor and the stupidly pious
rich will delay the extinction of the race only by degrading it；
whilst the boldly prudent； the thriftily selfish and ambitious；
the imaginative and poetic； the lovers of money and solid
comfort； the worshippers of success； art； and of love； will all
oppose to the Force of Life the device of sterility。
THE STATUE。 That is all very eloquent； my young friend； but if
you had lived to Ana's age； or even to mine； you would have
learned that the people who get rid of the fear of poverty and
children and all the other family troubles； and devote themselves
to having a good time of it； only leave their minds free for the
fear of old age and ugliness and impotence and death。 The
childless laborer is more tormented by his wife's idleness and
her constant demands for amusement
