man and superman-第40章

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yours　＇he　vanishes＇。

ANA。　How　annoying！

THE　STATUE。　＇calling　after　him＇　Bon　voyage；　Juan！　＇He　wafts　a
final　blast　of　his　great　rolling　chords　after　him　as　a　parting
salute。　A　faint　echo　of　the　first　ghostly　melody　comes　back　in
acknowledgment＇。　Ah！　there　he　goes。　＇Puffing　a　long　breath　out
through　his　lips＇　Whew！　How　he　does　talk！　They'll　never　stand　it
in　heaven。

THE　DEVIL。　＇gloomily＇　His　going　is　a　political　defeat。　I　cannot
keep　these　Life　Worshippers：　they　all　go。　This　is　the　greatest
loss　I　have　had　since　that　Dutch　painter　wenta　fellow　who　would
paint　a　hag　of　70　with　as　much　enjoyment　as　a　Venus　of　20。

THE　STATUE。　I　remember：　he　came　to　heaven。　Rembrandt。

THE　DEVIL。　Ay；　Rembrandt。　There　a　something　unnatural　about　these
fellows。　Do　not　listen　to　their　gospel；　Senor　Commander：　it　is
dangerous。　Beware　of　the　pursuit　of　the　Superhuman：　it　leads　to
an　indiscriminate　contempt　for　the　Human。　To　a　man；　horses　and
dogs　and　cats　are　mere　species；　outside　the　moral　world。　Well；　to
the　Superman；　men　and　women　are　a　mere　species　too；　also　outside
the　moral　world。　This　Don　Juan　was　kind　to　women　and　courteous　to
men　as　your　daughter　here　was　kind　to　her　pet　cats　and　dogs；　but
such　kindness　is　a　denial　of　the　exclusively　human　character　of
the　soul。

THE　STATUE。　And　who　the　deuce　is　the　Superman？

THE　DEVIL。　Oh；　the　latest　fashion　among　the　Life　Force　fanatics。
Did　you　not　meet　in　Heaven；　among　the　new　arrivals；　that　German
Polish　madmanwhat　was　his　name？　Nietzsche？

THE　STATUE。　Never　heard　of　him。

THE　DEVIL。　Well；　he　came　here　first；　before　he　recovered　his
wits。　I　had　some　hopes　of　him；　but　he　was　a　confirmed　Life　Force
worshipper。　It　was　he　who　raked　up　the　Superman；　who　is　as　old　as
Prometheus；　and　the　20th　century　will　run　after　this　newest　of
the　old　crazes　when　it　gets　tired　of　the　world；　the　flesh；　and
your　humble　servant。

THE　STATUE。　Superman　is　a　good　cry；　and　a　good　cry　is　half　the
battle。　I　should　like　to　see　this　Nietzsche。

THE　DEVIL。　Unfortunately　he　met　Wagner　here；　and　had　a　quarrel
with　him。

THE　STATUE。　Quite　right；　too。　Mozart　for　me！

THE　DEVIL。　Oh；　it　was　not　about　music。　Wagner　once　drifted　into
Life　Force　worship；　and　invented　a　Superman　called　Siegfried。　But
he　came　to　his　senses　afterwards。　So　when　they　met　here；
Nietzsche　denounced　him　as　a　renegade；　and　Wagner　wrote　a　pamphlet
to　prove　that　Nietzsche　was　a　Jew；　and　it　ended　in　Nietzsche's
going　to　heaven　in　a　huff。　And　a　good　riddance　too。　And　now；　my
friend；　let　us　hasten　to　my　palace　and　celebrate　your　arrival　with
a　grand　musical　service。

THE　STATUE。　With　pleasure：　you're　most　kind。

THE　DEVIL。　This　way；　Commander。　We　go　down　the　old　trap　＇he
places　himself　on　the　grave　trap＇。

THE　STATUE。　Good。　＇Reflectively＇　All　the　same；　the　Superman　is　a
fine　conception。　There　is　something　statuesque　about　it。　＇He
places　himself　on　the　grave　trap　beside　The　Devil。　It　begins　to
descend　slowly。　Red　glow　from　the　abyss＇。　Ah；　this　reminds　me　of
old　times。

THE　DEVIL。　And　me　also。

ANA。　Stop！　＇The　trap　stops＇。

THE　DEVIL。　You；　Senora；　cannot　come　this　way。　You　will　have　an
apotheosis。　But　you　will　be　at　the　palace　before　us。

ANA。　That　is　not　what　I　stopped　you　for。　Tell　me　where　can　I　find
the　Superman？

THE　DEVIL。　He　is　not　yet　created；　Senora。

THE　STATUE。　And　never　will　be；　probably。　Let　us　proceed：　the　red
fire　will　make　me　sneeze。　＇They　descend＇。

ANA。　Not　yet　created！　Then　my　work　is　not　yet　done。　＇Crossing
herself　devoutly＇　I　believe　in　the　Life　to　Come。　＇Crying　to　the
universe＇　A　fathera　father　for　the　Superman！

She　vanishes　into　the　void；　and　again　there　is　nothing：　all
existence　seems　suspended　infinitely。　Then；　vaguely；　there　is　a
live　human　voice　crying　somewhere。　One　sees；　with　a　shock；　a
mountain　peak　showing　faintly　against　a　lighter　background。　The
sky　has　returned　from　afar；　and　we　suddenly　remember　where　we
were。　The　cry　becomes　distinct　and　urgent：　it　says　Automobile；
Automobile。　The　complete　reality　comes　back　with　a　rush：　in　a
moment　it　is　full　morning　in　the　Sierra；　and　the　brigands　are
scrambling　to　their　feet　and　making　for　the　road　as　the　goatherd
runs　down　from　the　hill；　warning　them　of　the　approach　of　another
motor。　Tanner　and　Mendoza　rise　amazedly　and　stare　at　one　another
with　scattered　wits。　Straker　sits　up　to　yawn　for　a　moment　before
he　gets　on　his　feet；　making　it　a　point　of　honor　not　to　show　any
undue　interest　in　the　excitement　of　the　bandits。　Mendoza　gives　a
quick　look　to　see　that　his　followers　are　attending　to　the　alarm；
then　exchanges　a　private　word　with　Tanner。

MENDOZA。　Did　you　dream？

TANNER。　Damnably。　Did　you？

MENDOZA。　Yes。　I　forget　what。　You　were　in　it。

TANNER。　So　were　you。　Amazing

MENDOZA。　I　warned　you。　＇a　shot　is　heard　from　the　road＇。　Dolts！
they　will　play　with　that　gun。　＇The　brigands　come　running　back
scared＇。　Who　fired　that　shot？　＇to　Duval＇　Was　it　you？

DUVAL。　＇breathless＇　I　have　not　shoot。　Dey　shoot　first。

ANARCHIST。　I　told　you　to　begin　by　abolishing　the　State。　Now　we
are　all　lost。

THE　ROWDY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。　＇stampeding　across　the　amphitheatre＇
Run；　everybody。

MENDOZA。　＇collaring　him；　throwing　him　on　his　back；　and　drawing　a
knife＇　I　stab　the　man　who　stirs。　＇He　blocks　the　way。　The　stampede
it　checked＇。　What　has　happened？

THE　SULKY　SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT；　A　motor

THE　ANARCHIST。　Three　men

DUVAL。　Deux　femmes

MENDOZA。　Three　men　and　two　women！　Why　have　you　not　brought　them
here？　Are　you　afraid　of　them？

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　＇getting　up＇　Thyve　a　hescort。　Ow；　de…ooh　lut's　ook
it；　Mendowza。

THE　SULKY　ONE。　Two　armored　cars　full　o　soldiers　at　the　end　o　the
valley。

ANARCHIST。　The　shot　was　fired　in　the　air。　It　was　a　signal。

Straker　whistles　his　favorite　air；　which　falls　on　the　ears　of　the
brigands　like　a　funeral　march。

TANNER。　It　is　not　an　escort；　but　an　expedition　to　capture　you。　We
were　advised　to　wait　for　it；　but　I　was　in　a　hurry。

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　＇in　an　agony　of　apprehension＇　And　Ow　my　good　Lord；
ere　we　are；　wytin　for　em！　Lut's　tike　to　the　mahntns。

MENDOZA。　Idiot；　what　do　you　know　about　the　mountains？　Are　you　a
Spaniard？　You　would　be　given　up　by　the　first　shepherd　you　met。
Besides；　we　are　already　within　range　of　their　rifles。

THE　ROWDY　ONE。　Bat

MENDOZA。　Silence。　Leave　this　to　me。　＇To　Tanner＇　Comrade：　you　will
not　betray　us。

STRAKER。　Oo　are　you　callin　comrade？

MENDOZA。　Last　night　the　advantage　was　with　me。　The　robber　of　the
poor　was　at　the　mercy　of　the　robber　of　the　rich。　You　offered　your
hand：　I　took　it。

TANNER。　I　bring　no　charge　against　you；　comrade。　We　have　spent　a
pleasant　evening　with　you：　that　is　all。

STRAKER。　I　gev　my　and　to　nobody；　see？

MENDOZA。　＇turning　on　him　impressively＇　Young　man；　if　I　am　tried；
I　shall　plead　guilty；　and　explain　what　drove　me　from　England；　home
and　duty。　Do　you　wish　to　have　the　respectable　name　of　Straker
dragged　through　the　mud　of　a　Spanish　criminal　court？　The　police
will　search　me。　They　will　find　Louisa's　portrait。　It　will　be
published　in　the　illustrated　papers。　You　blench。　It　will　be　your
doing；　remember。

STRAKER。　＇with　baffled　rage＇　I　don't　care　about　the　court。　It's
avin　our　name　mixed　up　with　yours　that　I　object　to；　you
blackmailin　swine；　you。

MENDOZA。　Language　unworthy　of　Louisa's　brother！　But　no　matter：
you　are　muzzled：　that　is　enough　for　us。　＇He　turns　to　face　his　own
men；　who　back　uneasily　across　the　amphitheatre　towards　the　cave
to　take　refuge　behind　him；　as　a　fresh　party；　muffled　for
motoring；　comes　from　the　road　in　riotous　spirits。　Ann；　who　makes
straight　for　Tanner；　comes　first；　then　Violet；　helped　over　the
rough　ground　by　Hector　holding　her　right　hand　and　Ramsden　her
left。　Mendoza　goes　to　his　presidential　block　and　seats　himself
calmly　with　his　rank　and　file　grouped　behind　him；　and　his　Staff；
consisting　of　Duval　and　the　Anarchist　on　his　right　and　the　two
Social…Democrats　on　his　left；　supporting　him　in　flank＇。

ANN。　It's　Jack！

TANNER。　Caught！

HECTOR。　Why；　certainly　it　is。　I　said　it　was　you；　Tanner；　We've
just　been　stopped　by　a　puncture：　the　road　is　full　of　nails。

VIOLET。　What　are　you　doing　here　with　all　these　men？

ANN。　Why　did　you　leave　us　without　a　word　of　warning？

HEC