man and superman-第43章

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effort；　unclenches　her　fingers；　and　resumes　her　seat　with　studied
tranquillity　and　reasonableness。

VIOLET。　What　objection　have　you　to　me；　pray？　My　social　position
is　as　good　as　Hector's；　to　say　the　least。　He　admits　it。

MALONE。　＇shrewdly＇　You　tell　him　so　from　time　to　time；　eh？
Hector's　social　position　in　England；　Miss　Robinson；　is　just　what
I　choose　to　buy　for　him。　I　have　made　him　a　fair　offer。　Let　him
pick　out　the　most　historic　house；　castle　or　abbey　that　England
contains。　The　day　that　he　tells　me　he　wants　it　for　a　wife　worthy
of　its　traditions；　I　buy　it　for　him；　and　give　him　the　means　of
keeping　it　up。

VIOLET。　What　do　you　mean　by　a　wife　worthy　of　its　traditions？
Cannot　any　well　bred　woman　keep　such　a　house　for　him？

MALONE。　No：　she　must　be　born　to　it。

VIOLET。　Hector　was　not　born　to　it；　was　he？

MALONE。　His　granmother　was　a　barefooted　Irish　girl　that　nursed
me　by　a　turf　fire。　Let　him　marry　another　such；　and　I　will　not
stint　her　marriage　portion。　Let　him　raise　himself　socially　with
my　money　or　raise　somebody　else　so　long　as　there　is　a　social
profit　somewhere；　I'll　regard　my　expenditure　as　justified。　But
there　must　be　a　profit　for　someone。　A　marriage　with　you　would
leave　things　just　where　they　are。

VIOLET。　Many　of　my　relations　would　object　very　much　to　my
marrying　the　grandson　of　a　common　woman；　Mr　Malone。　That　may　be
prejudice；　but　so　is　your　desire　to　have　him　marry　a　title
prejudice。

MALONE。　＇rising；　and　approaching　her　with　a　scrutiny　in　which
there　is　a　good　deal　of　reluctant　respect＇　You　seem　a　pretty
straightforward　downright　sort　of　a　young　woman。

VIOLET。　I　do　not　see　why　I　should　be　made　miserably　poor　because
I　cannot　make　profits　for　you。　Why　do　you　want　to　make　Hector
unhappy？

MALONE。　He　will　get　over　it　all　right　enough。　Men　thrive　better
on　disappointments　in　love　than　on　disappointments　in　money。　I
daresay　you　think　that　sordid；　but　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。
My　father　died　of　starvation　in　Ireland　in　the　black　47；　Maybe
you've　heard　of　it。

VIOLET。　The　Famine？

MALONE。　＇with　smouldering　passion＇　No；　the　starvation。　When　a
country　is　full　of　food；　and　exporting　it；　there　can　be　no
famine。　My　father　was　starved　dead；　and　I　was　starved　out　to
America　in　my　mother's　arms。　English　rule　drove　me　and　mine　out
of　Ireland。　Well；　you　can　keep　Ireland。　I　and　my　like　are　coming
back　to　buy　England；　and　we'll　buy　the　best　of　it。　I　want　no
middle　class　properties　and　no　middle　class　women　for　Hector。
That's　straightforward　isn't　it；　like　yourself？

VIOLET。　＇icily　pitying　his　sentimentality＇　Really；　Mr　Malone；　I
am　astonished　to　hear　a　man　of　your　age　and　good　sense　talking　in
that　romantic　way。　Do　you　suppose　English　noblemen　will　sell
their　places　to　you　for　the　asking？

MALONE。　I　have　the　refusal　of　two　of　the　oldest　family　mansions
in　England。　One　historic　owner　can't　afford　to　keep　all　the　rooms
dusted：　the　other　can't　afford　the　death　duties。　What　do　you　say
now？

VIOLET。　Of　course　it　is　very　scandalous；　but　surely　you　know　that
the　Government　will　sooner　or　later　put　a　stop　to　all　these
Socialistic　attacks　on　property。

MALONE。　＇grinning＇　D'y'　think　they'll　be　able　to　get　that　done
before　I　buy　the　houseor　rather　the　abbey？　They're　both　abbeys。

VIOLET。　＇putting　that　aside　rather　impatiently＇　Oh；　well；　let　us
talk　sense；　Mr　Malone。　You　must　feel　that　we　haven't　been　talking
sense　so　far。

MALONE。　I　can't　say　I　do。　I　mean　all　I　say。

VIOLET。　Then　you　don't　know　Hector　as　I　do。　He　is　romantic　and
faddyhe　gets　it　from　you；　I　fancyand　he　wants　a　certain　sort
of　wife　to　take　care　of　him。　Not　a　faddy　sort　of　person；　you
know。

MALONE。　Somebody　like　you；　perhaps？

VIOLET。　＇quietly＇　Well；　yes。　But　you　cannot　very　well　ask　me　to
undertake　this　with　absolutely　no　means　of　keeping　up　his
position。

MALONE。　＇alarmed＇　Stop　a　bit；　stop　a　bit。　Where　are　we　getting
to？　I'm　not　aware　that　I'm　asking　you　to　undertake　anything。

VIOLET。　Of　course；　Mr　Malone；　you　can　make　it　very　difficult　for
me　to　speak　to　you　if　you　choose　to　misunderstand　me。

MALONE。　＇half　bewildered＇　I　don't　wish　to　take　any　unfair
advantage；　but　we　seem　to　have　got　off　the　straight　track
somehow。

Straker；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　been　making　haste；　opens
the　little　gate；　and　admits　Hector；　who；　snorting　with
indignation；　comes　upon　the　lawn；　and　is　making　for　his　father
when　Violet；　greatly　dismayed；　springs　up　and　intercepts　him。
Straker　doer　not　wait；　at　least　he　does　not　remain　visibly　within
earshot。

VIOLET。　Oh；　how　unlucky！　Now　please；　Hector；　say　nothing。　Go　away
until　I　have　finished　speaking　to　your　father。

HECTOR。　＇inexorably＇　No；　Violet：　I　mean　to　have　this　thing　out；
right　away。　＇He　puts　her　aside；　passes　her　by；　and　faces　his
father；　whose　cheeks　darken　as　his　Irish　blood　begins　to　simmer＇。
Dad：　you've　not　played　this　hand　straight。

MALONE。　Hwat　d'y'mean？

HECTOR。　You've　opened　a　letter　addressed　to　me。　You've
impersonated　me　and　stolen　a　march　on　this　lady。　That's
dishonorable。

MALONE。　＇threateningly＇　Now　you　take　care　what　you're　saying；
Hector。　Take　care；　I　tell　you。

HECTOR。　I　have　taken　care。　I　am　taking　care。　I'm　taking　care　of
my　honor　and　my　position　in　English　society。

MALONE。　＇hotly＇　Your　position　has　been　got　by　my　money：　do　you
know　that？

HECTOR。　Well；　you've　just　spoiled　it　all　by　opening　that　letter。
A　letter　from　an　English　lady；　not　addressed　to　youa
confidential　letter！　a　delicate　letter！　a　private　letter　opened
by　my　father！　That's　a　sort　of　thing　a　man　can't　struggle　against
in　England。　The　sooner　we　go　back　together　the　better。　＇He
appeals　mutely　to　the　heavens　to　witness　the　shame　and　anguish　of
two　outcasts＇。

VIOLET。　＇snubbing　him　with　an　instinctive　dislike　for　scene
making＇　Don't　be　unreasonable；　Hector。　It　was　quite　natural　of　Mr
Malone　to　open　my　letter：　his　name　was　on　the　envelope。

MALONE。　There！　You've　no　common　sense；　Hector。　I　thank　you；　Miss
Robinson。

HECTOR。　I　thank　you；　too。　It's　very　kind　of　you。　My　father　knows
no　better。

MALONE。　＇furiously　clenching　his　fists＇　Hector

HECTOR。　＇with　undaunted　moral　force＇　Oh；　it's　no　use　hectoring
me。　A　private　letter's　a　private　letter；　dad：　you　can't　get　over
that。

MALONE　＇raising　his　voice＇　I　won't　be　talked　back　to　by　you；
d'y'　hear？

VIOLET。　Ssh！　please；　please。　Here　they　all　come。

Father　and　son；　checked；　glare　mutely　at　one　another　as　Tanner
comes　in　through　the　little　gate　with　Ramsden；　followed　by
Octavius　and　Ann。

VIOLET。　Back　already！

TANNER。　The　Alhambra　is　not　open　this　afternoon。

VIOLET。　What　a　sell！

Tanner　passes　on；　and　presently　finds　himself　between　Hector　and
a　strange　elder；　both　apparently　on　the　verge　of　personal　combat。
He　looks　from　one　to　the　other　for　an　explanation。　They　sulkily
avoid　his　eye；　and　nurse　their　wrath　in　silence。

RAMSDEN。　Is　it　wise　for　you　to　be　out　in　the　sunshine　with　such　a
headache；　Violet？

TANNER。　Have　you　recovered　too；　Malone？

VIOLET。　Oh；　I　forgot。　We　have　not　all　met　before。　Mr　Malone：
won't　you　introduce　your　father？

HECTOR。　＇with　Roman　firmness＇　No；　I　will　not。　He　is　no　father　of
mine。

MALONE。　＇very　angry＇　You　disown　your　dad　before　your　English
friends；　do　you？

VIOLET。　Oh　please　don't　make　a　scene。

Ann　and　Octavius；　lingering　near　the　gate；　exchange　an　astonished
glance；　and　discreetly　withdraw　up　the　steps　to　the　garden；　where
they　can　enjoy　the　disturbance　without　intruding。　On　their　way　to
the　steps　Ann　sends　a　little　grimace　of　mute　sympathy　to　Violet；
who　is　standing　with　her　back　to　the　little　table；　looking　on　in
helpless　annoyance　as　her　husband　soars　to　higher　and　higher
moral　eminences　without　the　least　regard　to　the　old　man's
millions。

HECTOR。　I'm　very　sorry；　Miss　Robinson；　but　I'm　contending　for　a
principle。　I　am　a　son；　and；　I　hope；　a　dutiful　one；　but　before
everything　I'm　a　Man！！！　And　when　dad　treats　my　private　letters　as
his　own；　and　takes　it　on　himself　to　say　that　I　shan't　marry　you
if　I　am　happy　and　fortunate　enough　to　gain　your　consent；　then　I
just　snap　my　fingers　and　go　my　own　way。

TANNER。　Marry　Violet！

RAMSDEN。　Are　you　in　your　senses？

TANNER。　Do　you　forget　what　we　told　y