man and superman-第46章

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distaste　which　prevents　her；　finally　runs　away　through　the　garden
and　into　the　villa＇。

Octavius　again　takes　refuge　at　the　table；　bowing　his　head　on　his
arms　and　sobbing　softly。　Mrs　Whitefield；　who　has　been　pottering
round　the　Granada　shops；　and　has　a　net　full　of　little　parcels　in
her　hand；　comes　in　through　the　gate　and　sees　him。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇running　to　him　and　lifting　his　head＇　What's　the
matter；　Tavy？　Are　you　ill？

OCTAVIUS。　No；　nothing；　nothing。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇still　holding　his　head；　anxiously＇　But　you're
crying。　Is　it　about　Violet's　marriage？

OCTAVIUS。　No；　no。　Who　told　you　about　Violet？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇restoring　the　head　to　its　owner＇　I　met　Roebuck
and　that　awful　old　Irishman。　Are　you　sure　you're　not　ill？　What's
the　matter？

OCTAVIUS。　＇affectionately＇　It's　nothingonly　a　man's　broken
heart。　Doesn't　that　sound　ridiculous？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　But　what　is　it　all　about？　Has　Ann　been　doing
anything　to　you？

OCTAVIUS。　It's　not　Ann's　fault。　And　don't　think　for　a　moment　that
I　blame　you。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇startled＇　For　what？

OCTAVIUS。　＇pressing　her　hand　consolingly＇　For　nothing。　I　said　I
didn't　blame　you。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　But　I　haven't　done　anything。　What's　the　matter？

OCTAVIUS。　＇smiling　sadly＇　Can't　you　guess？　I　daresay　you　are
right　to　prefer　Jack　to　me　as　a　husband　for　Ann；　but　I　love　Ann；
and　it　hurts　rather。　＇He　rises　and　moves　away　from　her　towards　the
middle　of　the　lawn＇。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇following　him　hastily＇　Does　Ann　say　that　I　want
her　to　marry　Jack？

OCTAVIUS。　Yes：　she　has　told　me。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇thoughtfully＇　Then　I'm　very　sorry　for　you；　Tavy。
It's　only　her　way　of　saying　SHE　wants　to　marry　Jack。　Little　she
cares　what　I　say　or　what　I　want！

OCTAVIUS。　But　she　would　not　say　it　unless　she　believed　it。　Surely
you　don't　suspect　Ann　ofof　DECEIT！！

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　Well；　never　mind；　Tavy。　I　don't　know　which　is
best　for　a　young　man：　to　know　too　little；　like　you；　or　too　much；
like　Jack。

Tanner　returns。

TANNER。　Well；　I've　disposed　of　old　Malone。　I've　introduced　him　to
Mendoza；　Limited；　and　left　the　two　brigands　together　to　talk　it
out。　Hullo；　Tavy！　anything　wrong？

OCTAVIUS。　I　must　go　wash　my　face；　I　see。　＇To　Mrs　Whitefield＇　Tell
him　what　you　wish。　＇To　Tanner＇　You　may　take　it　from　me；　Jack；
that　Ann　approves　of　it。

TANNER。　＇puzzled　by　his　manner＇　Approves　of　what？

OCTAVIUS。　Of　what　Mrs　Whitefield　wishes。　＇He　goes　his　way　with
sad　dignity　to　the　villa＇。

TANNER。　＇to　Mrs　Whitefield＇　This　is　very　mysterious。　What　is　it
you　wish？　It　shall　be　done；　whatever　it　is。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇with　snivelling　gratitude＇　Thank　you；　Jack。　＇She
sits　down。　Tanner　brings　the　other　chair　from　the　table　and　sits
close　to　her　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　giving　her　his　whole
attention＇。　I　don't　know　why　it　is　that　other　people's　children
are　so　nice　to　me；　and　that　my　own　have　so　little　consideration
for　me。　It's　no　wonder　I　don't　seem　able　to　care　for　Ann　and
Rhoda　as　I　do　for　you　and　Tavy　and　Violet。　It's　a　very　queer
world。　It　used　to　be　so　straightforward　and　simple；　and　now
nobody　seems　to　think　and　feel　as　they　ought。　Nothing　has　been
right　since　that　speech　that　Professor　Tyndall　made　at　Belfast。

TANNER。　Yes：　life　is　more　complicated　than　we　used　to　think。　But
what　am　I　to　do　for　you？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　That's　just　what　I　want　to　tell　you。　Of　course
you'll　marry　Ann　whether　I　like　it　myself　or　not

TANNER。　＇starting＇　It　seems　to　me　that　I　shall　presently　be
married　to　Ann　whether　I　like　it　myself　or　not。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇peacefully＇　Oh；　very　likely　you　will：　you　know
what　she　is　when　she　has　set　her　mind　on　anything。　But　don't　put
it　on　me：　that's　all　I　ask。　Tavy　has　just　let　out　that　she's　been
saying　that　I　am　making　her　marry　you；　and　the　poor　boy　is
breaking　his　heart　about　it；　for　he　is　in　love　with　her　himself；
though　what　he　sees　in　her　so　wonderful；　goodness　knows：　I　don't。
It's　no　use　telling　Tavy　that　Ann　puts　things　into　people's　heads
by　telling　them　that　I　want　them　when　the　thought　of　them　never
crossed　my　mind。　It　only　sets　Tavy　against　me。　But　you　know
better　than　that。　So　if　you　marry　her；　don't　put　the　blame　on　me。

TANNER。　＇emphatically＇　I　haven't　the　slightest　intention　of
marrying　her。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇slyly＇　She'd　suit　you　better　than　Tavy。　She'd
meet　her　match　in　you；　Jack。　I'd　like　to　see　her　meet　her　match。

TANNER。　No　man　is　a　match　for　a　woman；　except　with　a　poker　and　a
pair　of　hobnailed　boots。　Not　always　even　then。　Anyhow；　I　can't
take　the　poker　to　her。　I　should　be　a　mere　slave。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　No：　she's　afraid　of　you。　At　all　events；　you　would
tell　her　the　truth　about　herself。　She　wouldn't　be　able　to　slip
out　of　it　as　she　does　with　me。

TANNER。　Everybody　would　call　me　a　brute　if　I　told　Ann　the　truth
about　herself　in　terms　of　her　own　moral　code。　To　begin　with；　Ann
says　things　that　are　not　strictly　true。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　I'm　glad　somebody　sees　she　is　not　an　angel。

TANNER。　In　shortto　put　it　as　a　husband　would　put　it　when
exasperated　to　the　point　of　speaking　outshe　is　a　liar。　And
since　she　has　plunged　Tavy　head　over　ears　in　love　with　her
without　any　intention　of　marrying　him；　she　is　a　coquette；
according　to　the　standard　definition　of　a　coquette　as　a　woman　who
rouses　passions　she　has　no　intention　of　gratifying。　And　as　she
has　now　reduced　you　to　the　point　of　being　willing　to　sacrifice　me
at　the　altar　for　the　mere　satisfaction　of　getting　me　to　call　her
a　liar　to　her　face；　I　may　conclude　that　she　is　a　bully　as　well。
She　can't　bully　men　as　she　bullies　women；　so　she　habitually　and
unscrupulously　uses　her　personal　fascination　to　make　men　give　her
whatever　she　wants。　That　makes　her　almost　something　for　which　I
know　no　polite　name。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇in　mild　expostulation＇　Well；　you　can't　expect
perfection；　Jack。

TANNER。　I　don't。　But　what　annoys　me　is　that　Ann　does。　I　know
perfectly　well　that　all　this　about　her　being　a　liar　and　a　bully
and　a　coquette　and　so　forth　is　a　trumped…up　moral　indictment
which　might　be　brought　against　anybody。　We　all　lie；　we　all　bully
as　much　as　we　dare；　we　all　bid　for　admiration　without　the　least
intention　of　earning　it；　we　all　get　as　much　rent　as　we　can　out　of
our　powers　of　fascination。　If　Ann　would　admit　this　I　shouldn't
quarrel　with　her。　But　she　won't。　If　she　has　children　she'll　take
advantage　of　their　telling　lies　to　amuse　herself　by　whacking
them。　If　another　woman　makes　eyes　at　me；　she'll　refuse　to　know　a
coquette。　She　will　do　just　what　she　likes　herself　whilst
insisting　on　everybody　else　doing　what　the　conventional　code
prescribes。　In　short；　I　can　stand　everything　except　her
confounded　hypocrisy。　That's　what　beats　me。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇carried　away　by　the　relief　of　hearing　her　own
opinion　so　eloquently　expressed＇　Oh；　she　is　a　hypocrite。　She　is：
she　is。　Isn't　she？

TANNER。　Then　why　do　you　want　to　marry　me　to　her？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇querulously＇　There　now！　put　it　on　me；　of　course。
I　never　thought　of　it　until　Tavy　told　me　she　said　I　did。　But；　you
know；　I'm　very　fond　of　Tavy：　he's　a　sort　of　son　to　me；　and　I
don't　want　him　to　be　trampled　on　and　made　wretched。

TANNER。　Whereas　I　don't　matter；　I　suppose。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　Oh；　you　are　different；　somehow：　you　are　able　to
take　care　of　yourself。　You'd　serve　her　out。　And　anyhow；　she　must
marry　somebody。

TANNER。　Aha！　there　speaks　the　life　instinct。　You　detest　her；　but
you　feel　that　you　must　get　her　married。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　＇rising；　shocked＇　Do　you　mean　that　I　detest　my
own　daughter！　Surely　you　don't　believe　me　to　be　so　wicked　and
unnatural　as　that；　merely　because　I　see　her　faults。

TANNER。　＇cynically＇　You　love　her；　then？

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　Why；　of　course　I　do。　What　queer　things　you　say；
Jack！　We　can't　help　loving　our　own　blood　relations。

TANNER。　Well；　perhaps　it　saves　unpleasantness　to　say　so。　But　for
my　part；　I　suspect　that　the　tables　of　consanguinity　have　a
natural　basis　in　a　natural　repugnance　＇he　rises＇。

MRS　WHITEFIELD。　You　shouldn't　say　things　like　that；　Jack。　I　hope
you　won't　tell　Ann　that　I　have　been　speaking　to　you。　I　only
wanted　to　set　myself　right　with　you　and　Tavy。　I　couldn't　sit
mumchance　and　have　everything　put　on　me。

TANNER。　＇politely＇　Quite