manalive-第40章
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recover her again and again with a raid and a romantic elopement。
He seriously sought by a perpetual recapture of his bride to keep alive
the sense of her perpetual value； and the perils that should be run
for her sake。
〃So far his motives are clear enough； but perhaps his convictions are
not quite so clear。 I think Innocent Smith has an idea at the bottom
of all this。 I am by no means sure that I believe it myself； but I am
quite sure that it is worth a man's uttering and defending。
〃The idea that Smith is attacking is this。 Living in an entangled
civilization； he have come to think certain things wrong which are
not wrong at all。 We have come to think outbreak and exuberance；
banging and barging； rotting and wrecking； wrong。 In themselves they
are not merely pardonable； they are unimpeachable。 There is nothing
wicked about firing a pistol off even at a friend； so long as you do not
mean to hit him and know you won't。 It is no more wrong than throwing
a pebble at the sealess； for you do occasionally hit the sea。
There is nothing wrong in bashing down a chimney…pot and breaking
through a roof； so long as you are not injuring the life or property
of other men。 It is no more wrong to choose to enter a house from
the top than to choose to open a packing…case from the bottom。
There is nothing wicked about walking round the world and coming back
to your own house； it is no more wicked than walking round the garden
and coming back to your own house。 And there is nothing wicked
about picking up your wife here； there； and everywhere； if； forsaking
all others； you keep only to her so long as you both shall live。
It is as innocent as playing a game of hide…and…seek in the garden。
You associate such acts with blackguardism by a mere snobbish association；
as you think there is something vaguely vile about going （or being
seen going） into a pawnbroker's or a public…house。 You think there
is something squalid and commonplace about such a connection。
You are mistaken。
〃This man's spiritual power has been precisely this；
that he has distinguished between custom and creed。
He has broken the conventions； but he has kept the commandments。
It is as if a man were found gambling wildly in a gambling hell；
and you found that he only played for trouser buttons。
It is as if you found a man making a clandestine appointment
with a lady at a Covent Garden ball； and then you found it
was his grandmother。 Everything is ugly and discreditable；
except the facts； everything is wrong about him； except that
he has done no wrong。
〃It will then be asked； ‘Why does Innocent Smith continued far into his
middle age a farcical existence； that exposes him to so many false charges？'
To this I merely answer that he does it because he really is happy；
because he really is hilarious； because he really is a man and alive。
He is so young that climbing garden trees and playing silly
practical jokes are still to him what they once were to us all。
And if you ask me yet again why he alone among men should be fed
with such inexhaustible follies； I have a very simple answer to that；
though it is one that will not be approved。
〃There is but one answer； and I am sorry if you don't like it。
If Innocent is happy； it is because he IS innocent。 If he can defy
the conventions； it is just because he can keep the commandments。
It is just because he does not want to kill but to excite to life
that a pistol is still as exciting to him as it is to a schoolboy。
It is just because he does not want to steal； because he does not covet
his neighbour's goods； that he has captured the trick （oh； how we all
long for it！）； the trick of coveting his own goods。 It is just because
he does not want to commit adultery that he achieves the romance of sex；
it is just because he loves one wife that he has a hundred honeymoons。
If he had really murdered a man； if he had really deserted a woman；
he would not be able to feel that a pistol or a love…letter was like a song
at least； not a comic song。〃
〃Do not imagine； please； that any such attitude is easy
to me or appeals in any particular way to my sympathies。
I am an Irishman； and a certain sorrow is in my bones； bred either
of the persecutions of my creed； or of my creed itself。
Speaking singly； I feel as if a man was tied to tragedy；
and there was no way out of the trap of old age and doubt。
But if there is a way out； then； by Christ and St。 Patrick；
this is the way out。 If one could keep as happy as a child or a dog；
it would be by being as innocent as a child； or as sinless as a dog。
Barely and brutally to be goodthat may be the road；
and he may have found it。 Well； well； well； I see a look
of skepticism on the face of my old friend Moses。 Mr。 Gould
does not believe that being perfectly good in all respects
would make a man merry。〃
〃No；〃 said Gould； with an unusual and convincing gravity；
〃I do not believe that being perfectly good in all respects
would make a man merry。〃
〃Well；〃 said Michael quietly； 〃will you tell me one thing？
Which of us has ever tried it？〃
A silence ensued； rather like the silence of some long geological
epoch which awaits the emergence of some unexpected type；
for there rose at last in the stillness a massive figure
that the other men had almost completely forgotten。
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 said Dr。 Warner cheerfully； 〃I've been pretty
well entertained with all this pointless and incompetent tomfoolery
for a couple of days； but it seems to be wearing rather thin；
and I'm engaged for a city dinner。 Among the hundred flowers
of futility on both sides I was unable to detect any sort of reason
why a lunatic should be allowed to shoot me in the back garden。〃
He had settled his silk hat on his head and gone out sailing placidly to
the garden gate； while the almost wailing voice of Pym still followed him：
〃But really the bullet missed you by several feet。〃 And another voice added：
〃The bullet missed him by several years。〃
There was a long and mainly unmeaning silence； and then
Moon said suddenly； 〃We have been sitting with a ghost。
Dr。 Herbert Warner died years ago。〃
Chapter V
How the Great Wind Went
from Beacon House
Mary was walking between Diana and Rosamund slowly up and down the garden；
they were silent； and the sun had set。 Such spaces of daylight as remained
open in the west were of a warm…tinted white； which can be compared
to nothing but a cream cheese； and the lines of plumy cloud that ran
across them had a soft but vivid violet bloom； like a violet smoke。
All the rest of the scene swept and faded away into a dove…like gray；
and seemed to melt and mount into Mary's dark…gray figure until she seemed
clothed with the garden and the skies。 There was something in these last
quiet colours that gave her a setting and a supremacy； and the twilight；
which concealed Diana's statelier figure and Rosamund's braver array；
exhibited and emphasized her； leaving her the lady of the garden； and alone。
When they spoke at last it was evident that a conversation long
fallen silent was being revived。
〃But where is your husband taking you？〃 asked Diana in her practical voice。
〃To an aunt；〃 said Mary； 〃that's just the joke。 There really
is an aunt； and we left the children with her when I arranged
to be turned out of the other boarding…house down the road。
We never take more than a week of this kind of holiday；
but sometimes we take two of them together。〃
〃Does the aunt mind much？〃 asked Rosamund innocently。 〃Of course；
I dare say it's very narrow…minded andwhat's that other word？
you know； what Goliath wasbut I've known many aunts who would
think itwell； silly。〃
〃Silly？〃 cried Mary with great heartiness。 〃Oh； my Sunday hat！
I should think it was silly！ But what do you expect？
He really is a good man； and it might have been snakes or something。〃
〃Snakes？〃 inquired Rosamund； with a slightly puzzled interest。
〃Uncle Harry kept snakes； and said they loved him；〃 replied Mary
with perfect simplicity。 〃Auntie let him have them in his pockets；
but not in the bedroom。〃
〃And you〃 began Diana； knitting
