man and superman-第39章

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play　it　fairly；　it　would　be　interesting　to　watch；　but　you　don't：
you　cheat　at　every　trick；　and　if　your　opponent　outcheats　you；　you
upset　the　table　and　try　to　murder　him。

THE　DEVIL。　On　earth　there　may　be　some　truth　in　this；　because　the
people　are　uneducated　and　cannot　appreciate　my　religion　of　love
and　beauty；　but　here

DON　JUAN。　Oh　yes：　I　know。　Here　there　is　nothing　but　love　and
beauty。　Ugh！　it　is　like　sitting　for　all　eternity　at　the　first　act
of　a　fashionable　play；　before　the　complications　begin。　Never　in
my　worst　moments　of　superstitious　terror　on　earth　did　I　dream
that　Hell　was　so　horrible。　I　live；　like　a　hairdresser；　in　the
continual　contemplation　of　beauty；　toying　with　silken　tresses。　I
breathe　an　atmosphere　of　sweetness；　like　a　confectioner's
shopboy。　Commander：　are　there　any　beautiful　women　in　Heaven？

THE　STATUE。　None。　Absolutely　none。　All　dowdies。　Not　two　pennorth
of　jewellery　among　a　dozen　of　them。　They　might　be　men　of　fifty。

DON　JUAN。　I　am　impatient　to　get　there。　Is　the　word　beauty　ever
mentioned；　and　are　there　any　artistic　people？

THE　STATUE。　I　give　you　my　word　they　won't　admire　a　fine　statue
even　when　it　walks　past　them。

DON　JUAN。　I　go。

THE　DEVIL。　Don　Juan：　shall　I　be　frank　with　you？

DON　JUAN。　Were　you　not　so　before？

THE　DEVIL。　As　far　as　I　went；　yes。　But　I　will　now　go　further；　and
confess　to　you　that　men　get　tired　of　everything；　of　heaven　no
less　than　of　hell；　and　that　all　history　is　nothing　but　a　record
of　the　oscillations　of　the　world　between　these　two　extremes。　An
epoch　is　but　a　swing　of　the　pendulum；　and　each　generation　thinks
the　world　is　progressing　because　it　is　always　moving。　But　when
you　are　as　old　as　I　am；　when　you　have　a　thousand　times　wearied　of
heaven；　like　myself　and　the　Commander；　and　a　thousand　times
wearied　of　hell；　as　you　are　wearied　now；　you　will　no　longer
imagine　that　every　swing　from　heaven　to　hell　is　an　emancipation；
every　swing　from　hell　to　heaven　an　evolution。　Where　you　now　see
reform；　progress；　fulfilment　of　upward　tendency；　continual　ascent
by　Man　on　the　stepping　stones　of　his　dead　selves　to　higher
things；　you　will　see　nothing　but　an　infinite　comedy　of　illusion。
You　will　discover　the　profound　truth　of　the　saying　of　my　friend
Koheleth；　that　there　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun。　Vanitas
vanitatum

DON　JUAN。　＇out　of　all　patience＇　By　Heaven；　this　is　worse　than
your　cant　about　love　and　beauty。　Clever　dolt　that　you　are；　is　a
man　no　better　than　a　worm；　or　a　dog　than　a　wolf；　because　he　gets
tired　of　everything？　Shall　he　give　up　eating　because　he　destroys
his　appetite　in　the　act　of　gratifying　it？　Is　a　field　idle　when　it
is　fallow？　Can　the　Commander　expend　his　hellish　energy　here
without　accumulating　heavenly　energy　for　his　next　term　of
blessedness？　Granted　that　the　great　Life　Force　has　hit　on　the
device　of　the　clockmaker's　pendulum；　and　uses　the　earth　for　its
bob；　that　the　history　of　each　oscillation；　which　seems　so　novel
to　us　the　actors；　is　but　the　history　of　the　last　oscillation
repeated；　nay　more；　that　in　the　unthinkable　infinitude　of　time
the　sun　throws　off　the　earth　and　catches　it　again　a　thousand
times　as　a　circus　rider　throws　up　a　ball；　and　that　the　total
of　all　our　epochs　is　but　the　moment　between　the　toss　and　the
catch；　has　the　colossal　mechanism　no　purpose？

THE　DEVIL。　None；　my　friend。　You　think；　because　you　have　a
purpose；　Nature　must　have　one。　You　might　as　well　expect　it　to
have　fingers　and　toes　because　you　have　them。

DON　JUAN。　But　I　should　not　have　them　if　they　served　no　purpose。
And　I；　my　friend；　am　as　much　a　part　of　Nature　as　my　own　finger　is
a　part　of　me。　If　my　finger　is　the　organ　by　which　I　grasp　the
sword　and　the　mandoline；　my　brain　is　the　organ　by　which　Nature
strives　to　understand　itself。　My　dog's　brain　serves　only　my　dog's
purposes；　but　my　brain　labors　at　a　knowledge　which　does　nothing
for　me　personally　but　make　my　body　bitter　to　me　and　my　decay　and
death　a　calamity。　Were　I　not　possessed　with　a　purpose　beyond　my
own　I　had　better　be　a　ploughman　than　a　philosopher；　for　the
ploughman　lives　as　long　as　the　philosopher；　eats　more；　sleeps
better；　and　rejoices　in　the　wife　of　his　bosom　with　less
misgiving。　This　is　because　the　philosopher　is　in　the　grip　of　the
Life　Force。　This　Life　Force　says　to　him　〃I　have　done　a　thousand
wonderful　things　unconsciously　by　merely　willing　to　live　and
following　the　line　of　least　resistance：　now　I　want　to　know　myself
and　my　destination；　and　choose　my　path；　so　I　have　made　a　special
braina　philosopher's　brainto　grasp　this　knowledge　for　me　as
the　husbandman's　hand　grasps　the　plough　for　me。　〃And　this〃　says
the　Life　Force　to　the　philosopher　〃must　thou　strive　to　do　for　me
until　thou　diest；　when　I　will　make　another　brain　and　another
philosopher　to　carry　on　the　work。〃

THE　DEVIL。　What　is　the　use　of　knowing？

DON　JUAN。　Why；　to　be　able　to　choose　the　line　of　greatest
advantage　instead　of　yielding　in　the　direction　of　the　least
resistance。　Does　a　ship　sail　to　its　destination　no　better　than　a
log　drifts　nowhither？　The　philosopher　is　Nature's　pilot。　And
there　you　have　our　difference：　to　be　in　hell　is　to　drift：　to　be
in　heaven　is　to　steer。

THE　DEVIL。　On　the　rocks；　most　likely。

DON　JUAN。　Pooh！　which　ship　goes　oftenest　on　the　rocks　or　to　the
bottomthe　drifting　ship　or　the　ship　with　a　pilot　on　board？

THE　DEVIL。　Well；　well；　go　your　way；　Senor　Don　Juan。　I　prefer　to
be　my　own　master　and　not　the　tool　of　any　blundering　universal
force。　I　know　that　beauty　is　good　to　look　at；　that　music　is　good
to　hear；　that　love　is　good　to　feel；　and　that　they　are　all　good　to
think　about　and　talk　about。　I　know　that　to　be　well　exercised　in
these　sensations；　emotions；　and　studies　is　to　be　a　refined　and
cultivated　being。　Whatever　they　may　say　of　me　in　churches　on
earth；　I　know　that　it　is　universally　admitted　in　good　society
that　the　prince　of　Darkness　is　a　gentleman；　and　that　is　enough
for　me。　As　to　your　Life　Force；　which　you　think　irresistible；　it
is　the　most　resistible　thing　in　the　world　for　a　person　of　any
character。　But　if　you　are　naturally　vulgar　and　credulous；　as　all
reformers　are；　it　will　thrust　you　first　into　religion；　where　you
will　sprinkle　water　on　babies　to　save　their　souls　from　me；　then
it　will　drive　you　from　religion　into　science；　where　you　will
snatch　the　babies　from　the　water　sprinkling　and　inoculate　them
with　disease　to　save　them　from　catching　it　accidentally；　then　you
will　take　to　politics；　where　you　will　become　the　catspaw　of
corrupt　functionaries　and　the　henchman　of　ambitious　humbugs；　and
the　end　will　be　despair　and　decrepitude；　broken　nerve　and
shattered　hopes；　vain　regrets　for　that　worst　and　silliest　of
wastes　and　sacrifices；　the　waste　and　sacrifice　of　the　power　of
enjoyment：　in　a　word；　the　punishment　of　the　fool　who　pursues　the
better　before　he　has　secured　the　good。

DON　JUAN。　But　at　least　I　shall　not　be　bored。　The　service　of　the
Life　Force　has　that　advantage；　at　all　events。　So　fare　you　well；
Senor　Satan。

THE　DEVIL。　＇amiably＇　Fare　you　well；　Don　Juan。　I　shall　often　think
of　our　interesting　chats　about　things　in　general。　I　wish　you
every　happiness：　Heaven；　as　I　said　before；　suits　some　people。　But
if　you　should　change　your　mind；　do　not　forget　that　the　gates　are
always　open　here　to　the　repentant　prodigal。　If　you　feel　at　any
time　that　warmth　of　heart；　sincere　unforced　affection；　innocent
enjoyment；　and　warm；　breathing；　palpitating　reality

DON　JUAN。　Why　not　say　flesh　and　blood　at　once；　though　we　have
left　those　two　greasy　commonplaces　behind　us？

THE　DEVIL。　＇angrily＇　You　throw　my　friendly　farewell　back　in　my
teeth；　then；　Don　Juan？

DON　JUAN。　By　no　means。　But　though　there　is　much　to　be　learnt　from
a　cynical　devil；　I　really　cannot　stand　a　sentimental　one。　Senor
Commander：　you　know　the　way　to　the　frontier　of　hell　and　heaven。
Be　good　enough　to　direct　me。

THE　STATUE。　Oh；　the　frontier　is　only　the　difference　between　two
ways　of　looking　at　things。　Any　road　will　take　you　across　it　if
you　really　want　to　get　there。

DON　JUAN。　Good。　＇saluting　Dona　Ana＇　Senora：　your　servant。

ANA。　But　I　am　going　with　you。

DON　JUAN。　I　can　find　my　own　way　to　heaven；　Ana；　but　I　cannot　find
yours　＇he　vanishes＇。

ANA。　How　annoying！

THE　STATUE。　＇ca