the inca of perusalem-第6章

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THE　INCA。　Madam；　I　am　no　captain。　I

ERMYNTRUDE。　You　are　the　Inca　in　disguise。

THE　INCA。　Good　heavens！　how　do　you　know　that？　Who　has　betrayed
me？

ERMYNTRUDE。　How　could　I　help　divining　it；　Sir？　Who　is　there　in
the　world　like　you？　Your　magnetism

THE　INCA。　True：　I　had　forgotten　my　magnetism。　But　you　know　now
that　beneath　the　trappings　of　Imperial　Majesty　there　is　a　Man：
simple；　frank；　modest；　unaffected；　colloquial：　a　sincere　friend；
a　natural　human　being；　a　genial　comrade；　one　eminently　calculated
to　make　a　woman　happy。　You；　on　the　other　hand；　are　the　most
charming　woman　I　have　ever　met。　Your　conversation　is　wonderful。　I
have　sat　here　almost　in　silence；　listening　to　your　shrewd　and
penetrating　account　of　my　character；　my　motives；　if　I　may　say　so；
my　talents。　Never　has　such　justice　been　done　me：　never　have　I
experienced　such　perfect　sympathy。　Will　youI　hardly　know　how　to
put　thiswill　you　be　mine？

ERMYNTRUDE。　Oh；　Sir；　you　are　married。

THE　INCA。　I　am　prepared　to　embrace　the　Mahometan　faith；　which
allows　a　man　four　wives；　if　you　will　consent。　It　will　please　the
Turks。　But　I　had　rather　you　did　not　mention　it　to　the　Inca…ess。
if　you　don't　mind。

ERMYNTRUDE。　This　is　really　charming　of　you。　But　the　time　has　come
for　me　to　make　a　revelation。　It　is　your　Imperial　Majesty's　turn
now　to　brace　yourself。　To　steel　yourself。　I　am　not　the　princess。
I　am

THE　INCA。　The　daughter　of　my　old　friend　Archdeacon　Daffodil
Donkin；　whose　sermons　are　read　to　me　every　evening　after　dinner。
I　never　forget　a　face。

ERMYNTRUDE。　You　knew　all　along！

THE　INCA　＇bitterly；　throwing　himself　into　his　chair＇。　And　you
supposed　that　I；　who　have　been　condemned　to　the　society　of
princesses　all　my　wretched　life；　believed　for　a　moment　that　any
princess　that　ever　walked　could　have　your　intelligence！

ERMYNTRUDE。　How　clever　of　you；　Sir！　But　you　cannot　afford　to
marry　me。

THE　INCA　＇springing　up＇。　Why　not？

ERMYNTRUDE。　You　are　too　poor。　You　have　to　eat　war　bread。　Kings
nowadays　belong　to　the　poorer　classes。　The　King　of　England　does
not　even　allow　himself　wine　at　dinner。

THE　INCA　＇delighted＇。　Haw！　Ha　ha！　Haw！　haw！　＇He　is　convulsed　with
laughter；　and　；finally　has　to　relieve　his　feelings　by　waltzing
half　round　the　room。＇

ERMYNTRUDE。　You　may　laugh；　Sir；　but　I　really　could　not　live　in
that　style。　I　am　the　widow　of　a　millionaire；　ruined　by　your
little　war。

THE　INCA。　A　millionaire！　What　are　millionaires　now；　with　the
world　crumbling？

ERMYNTRUDE。　Excuse　me：　mine　was　a　hyphenated　millionaire。

THE　INCA。　A　highfalutin　millionaire；　you　mean。　＇Chuckling＇。　Haw！
ha　ha！　really　very　nearly　a　pun；　that。　＇He　sits　down　in　her
chair。＇

ERMYNTRUDE　＇revolted；　sinking　into　his　chair＇。　I　think　it　quite
the　worst　pun　I　ever　heard。

THE　INCA。　The　best　puns　have　all　been　made　years　ago：　nothing
remained　but　to　achieve　the　worst。　However；　madam　＇he　rises
majestically；　and　she　is　about　to　rise　also＇。　No：　I　prefer　a
seated　audience　＇she　falls　back　into　her　seat　at　the　imperious
wave　of　his　hand＇。　So　＇he　clicks　his　heels＇。　Madam；　I　recognize
my　presumption　in　having　sought　the　honor　of　your　hand。　As　you
say；　I　cannot　afford　it。　Victorious　as　I　am；　I　am　hopelessly
bankrupt；　and　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　am　intelligent　enough　to　know
it。　And　I　shall　be　beaten　in　consequence；　because　my　most
implacable　enemy；　though　only　a　few　months　further　away　from
bankruptcy　than　myself；　has　not　a　ray　of　intelligence；　and　will
go　on　fighting　until　civilization　is　destroyed；　unless　I；　out　of
sheer　pity　for　the　world；　condescend　to　capitulate。

ERMYNTRUDE。　The　sooner　the　better；　Sir。　Many　fine　young　men　are
dying　while　you　wait。

THE　INCA　＇flinching　painfully＇。　Why？　Why　do　they　do　it？

ERMYNTRUDE。　Because　you　make　them。

THE　INCA。　Stuff！　How　can　I？　I　am　only　one　man；　and　they　are
millions。　Do　you　suppose　they　would　really　kill　each　other　if
they　didn't　want　to；　merely　for　the　sake　of　my　beautiful　eyes？　Do
not　be　deceived　by　newspaper　claptrap；　madam。　I　was　swept　away　by
a　passion　not　my　own；　which　imposed　itself　on　me。　By　myself　I　am
nothing。　I　dare　not　walk　down　the　principal　street　of　my　own
capital　in　a　coat　two　years　old；　though　the　sweeper　of　that
street　can　wear　one　ten　years　old。　You　talk　of　death　as　an
unpopular　thing。　You　are　wrong：　for　years　I　gave　them　art；
literature；　science；　prosperity；　that　they　might　live　more
abundantly；　and　they　hated　me；　ridiculed　me；　caricatured
me。　Now　that　I　give　them　death　in　its　frightfullest　forms；　they
are　devoted　to　me。　If　you　doubt　me；　ask　those　who　for　years　have
begged　our　taxpayers　in　vain　for　a　few　paltry　thousands　to　spend
on　Life：　on　the　bodies　and　minds　of　the　nation's　children；　on　the
beauty　and　healthfulness　of　its　cities；　on　the　honor　and　comfort
of　its　worn…out　workers。　They　refused：　and　because　they　refused；
death　is　let　loose　on　them。　They　grudged　a　few　hundreds　a　year
for　their　salvation：　they　now　pay　millions　a　day　for　their　own
destruction　and　damnation。　And　this　they　call　my　doing！　Let　them
say　it；　if　they　dare；　before　the　judgment…seat　at　which　they　and
I　shall　answer　at　last　for　what　we　have　left　undone　no　less　than
for　what　we　have　done。　＇Pulling　himself　together　suddenly。＇
Madam；　I　have　the　honor　to　be　your　most　obedient　＇he　clicks　his
heels　and　bows＇。

ERMYNTRUDE。　Sir！　＇She　curtsies。＇

THE　INCA　＇turning　at　the　door＇。　Oh；　by　the　way；　there　is　a
princess；　isn't　there；　somewhere　on　the　premises？

ERMYNTRUDE。　There　is。　Shall　I　fetch　her？

THE　INCA　＇dubious＇；　Pretty　awful；　I　suppose；　eh？

ERMYNTRUDE。　About　the　usual　thing。

THE　INCA　＇sighing＇。　Ah　well！　What　can　one　expect？　I　don't　think　I
need　trouble　her　personally。　Will　you　explain　to　her　about　the
boys？

ERMYNTRUDE。　I　am　afraid　the　explanation　will　fall　rather　flat
without　your　magnetism。

THE　INCA　＇returning　to　her　and　speaking　very　humanly＇。　You　are
making　fun　of　me。　Why　does　everybody　make　fun　of　me？　Is　it　fair？

ERMYNTRUDE　＇seriously＇。　Yes；　it　is　fair。　What　other　defence　have
we　poor　common　people　against　your　shining　armor；　your　mailed
fist；　your　pomp　and　parade；　your　terrible　power　over　us？　Are
these　things　fair？

THE　INCA。　Ah；　well；　perhaps；　perhaps。　＇He　looks　at　his　watch。＇　By
the　way；　there　is　time　for　a　drive　round　the　town　and　a　cup　of
tea　at　the　Zoo。　Quite　a　bearable　band　there：　it　does　not　play　any
patriotic　airs。　I　am　sorry　you　will　not　listen　to　any　more
permanent　arrangement；　but　if　you　would　care　to　come

ERMYNTRUDE　＇eagerly＇。　Ratherrrrrr。　I　shall　be　delighted。

THE　INCA　＇cautiously＇。　In　the　strictest　honor；　you　understand。

ERMYNTRUDE。　Don't　be　afraid。　I　promise　to　refuse　any　incorrect
proposals。

THE　INCA　＇enchanted＇。　Oh！　Charming　woman：　how　well　you　understand
men！

He　offers　her　his　arm：　they　go　out　together。







End