man and superman-第15部分

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MISS　RAMSDEN。　What　is　the　use　of　saying　no；　Roebuck？　Octavius
knows　that　I　would　not　turn　any　truly　contrite　and　repentant
woman　from　your　doors。　But　when　a　woman　is　not　only　wicked；　but
intends　to　go　on　being　wicked；　she　and　I　part　company。

ANN。　Oh；　Miss　Ramsden；　what　do　you　mean？　What　has　Violet　said？

RAMSDEN。　Violet　is　certainly　very　obstinate。　She　won't　leave
London。　I　don't　understand　her。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　I　do。　It's　as　plain　as　the　nose　on　your　face；
Roebuck；　that　she　won't　go　because　she　doesn't　want　to　be
separated　from　this　man；　whoever　he　is。

ANN。　Oh；　surely；　surely！　Octavius：　did　you　speak　to　her？

OCTAVIUS。　She　won't　tell　us　anything。　She　won't　make　any
arrangement　until　she　has　consulted　somebody。　It　can't　be　anybody
else　than　the　scoundrel　who　has　betrayed　her。

TANNER。　＇to　Octavius＇　Well；　let　her　consult　him。　He　will　be　glad
enough　to　have　her　sent　abroad。　Where　is　the　difficulty？

MISS　RAMSDEN。　＇Taking　the　answer　out　of　Octavius's　mouth＇。　The
difficulty；　Mr　Jack；　is　that　when　he　offered　to　help　her　I　didn't
offer　to　become　her　accomplice　in　her　wickedness。　She　either
pledges　her　word　never　to　see　that　man　again；　or　else　she　finds
some　new　friends；　and　the　sooner　the　better。

＇The　parlormaid　appears　at　the　door。　Ann　hastily　resumes　her
seat；　and　looks　as　unconcerned　as　possible。　Octavius
instinctively　imitates　her＇。

THE　MAID。　The　cab　is　at　the　door；　ma'am。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　What　cab？

THE　MAID。　For　Miss　Robinson。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　Oh！　＇Recovering　herself＇　All　right。　＇The　maid
withdraws＇。　She　has　sent　for　a　cab。

TANNER。　I　wanted　to　send　for　that　cab　half　an　hour　ago。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　I　am　glad　she　understands　the　position　she　has
placed　herself　in。

RAMSDEN。　I　don't　like　her　going　away　in　this　fashion；　Susan。　We
had　better　not　do　anything　harsh。

OCTAVIUS。　No：　thank　you　again　and　again；　but　Miss　Ramsden　is
quite　right。　Violet　cannot　expect　to　stay。

ANN。　Hadn't　you　better　go　with　her；　Tavy？

OCTAVIUS。　She　won't　have　me。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　Of　course　she　won't。　She's　going　straight　to　that
man。

TANNER。　As　a　natural　result　of　her　virtuous　reception　here。

RAMSDEN。　＇much　troubled＇　There；　Susan！　You　hear！　and　there's　some
truth　in　it。　I　wish　you　could　reconcile　it　with　your　principles
to　be　a　little　patient　with　this　poor　girl。　She's　very　young；　and
there's　a　time　for　everything。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　Oh；　she　will　get　all　the　sympathy　she　wants　from
the　men。　I'm　surprised　at　you；　Roebuck。

TANNER。　So　am　I；　Ramsden；　most　favorably。

Violet　appears　at　the　door。　She　is　as　impenitent　and　self…assured
a　young　lady　as　one　would　desire　to　see　among　the　best　behaved　of
her　sex。　Her　small　head　and　tiny　resolute　mouth　and　chin；　her
haughty　crispness　of　speech　and　trimness　of　carriage；　the
ruthless　elegance　of　her　equipment；　which　includes　a　very　smart
hat　with　a　dead　bird　in　it；　mark　a　personality　which　is　as
formidable　as　it　is　exquisitely　pretty。　She　is　not　a　siren；　like
Ann：　admiration　comes　to　her　without　any　compulsion　or　even
interest　on　her　part；　besides；　there　is　some　fun　in　Ann；　but　in
this　woman　none；　perhaps　no　mercy　either：　if　anything　restrains
her；　it　is　intelligence　and　pride；　not　compassion。　Her　voice
might　be　the　voice　of　a　schoolmistress　addressing　a　class　of
girls　who　had　disgraced　themselves；　as　she　proceeds　with　complete
composure　and　some　disgust　to　say　what　she　has　come　to　say。

VIOLET。　I　have　only　looked　in　to　tell　Miss　Ramsden　that　she　will
find　her　birthday　present　to　me；　the　filagree　bracelet；　in　the
housekeeper's　room。

TANNER。　Do　come　in；　Violet；　and　talk　to　us　sensibly。

VIOLET。　Thank　you：　I　have　had　quite　enough　of　the　family
conversation　this　morning。　So　has　your　mother；　Ann：　she　has　gone
home　crying。　But　at　all　events；　I　have　found　out　what　some　of　my
pretended　friends　are　worth。　Good　bye。

TANNER。　No；　no：　one　moment。　I　have　something　to　say　which　I　beg
you　to　hear。　＇She　looks　at　him　without　the　slightest　curiosity；
but　waits；　apparently　as　much　to　finish　getting　her　glove　on　as
to　hear　what　he　has　to　say＇。　I　am　altogether　on　your　side　in　this
matter。　I　congratulate　you；　with　the　sincerest　respect；　on　having
the　courage　to　do　what　you　have　done。　You　are　entirely　in　the
right；　and　the　family　is　entirely　in　the　wrong。

Sensation。　Ann　and　Miss　Ramsden　rise　and　turn　toward　the　two。
Violet；　more　surprised　than　any　of　the　others；　forgets　her　glove；
and　comes　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　both　puzzled　and
displeased。　Qctavius　alone　does　not　move　or　raise　his　head；　he　is
overwhelmed　with　shame。

ANN。　＇pleading　to　Tanner　to　be　sensible＇　Jack！

MISS　RAMSDEN。　＇outraged｝　Well；　I　must　say！

VIOLET。　＇sharply　to　Tanner＇　Who　told　you？

TANNER。　Why；　Ramsden　and　Tavy　of　course。　Why　should　they　not？

VIOLET。　But　they　don't　know。

TANNER。　Don't　know　what？

VIOLET。　They　don't　know　that　I　am　in　the　right；　I　mean。

TANNER。　Oh；　they　know　it　in　their　hearts；　though　they　think
themselves　bound　to　blame　you　by　their　silly　superstitions　about
morality　and　propriety　and　so　forth。　But　I　know；　and　the　whole
world　really　knows；　though　it　dare　not　say　so；　that　you　were
right　to　follow　your　instinct；　that　vitality　and　bravery　are　the
greatest　qualities　a　woman　can　have；　and　motherhood　her　solemn
initiation　into　womanhood；　and　that　the　fact　of　your　not　being
legally　married　matters　not　one　scrap　either　to　your　own　worth　or
to　our　real　regard　for　you。

VIOLET。　＇flushing　with　indignation＇　Oh！　You　think　me　a　wicked
woman；　like　the　rest。　You　think　I　have　not　only　been　vile；　but
that　I　share　your　abominable　opinions。　Miss　Ramsden：　I　have　borne
your　hard　words　because　I　knew　you　would　be　sorry　for　them　when
you　found　out　the　truth。　But　I　won't　bear　such　a　horrible　insult
as　to　be　complimented　by　Jack　on　being　one　of　the　wretches　of
whom　he　approves。　I　have　kept　my　marriage　a　secret　for　my
husband's　sake。　But　now　I　claim　my　right　as　a　married　woman　not
to　be　insulted。

OCTAVIUS。　＇raising　his　head　with　inexpressible　relief＇　You　are
married！

VIOLET。　Yes；　and　I　think　you　might　have　guessed　it。　What　business
had　you　all　to　take　it　for　granted　that　I　had　no　right　to　wear　my
wedding　ring？　Not　one　of　you　even　asked　me：　I　cannot　forget　that。

TANNER。　＇in　ruins＇　I　am　utterly　crushed。　I　meant　wellI
apologizeabjectly　apologize。

VIOLET。　I　hope　you　will　be　more　careful　in　future　about　the
things　you　say。　Of　course　one　does　not　take　them　seriously。　But
they　are　very　disagreeable；　and　rather　in　bad　taste。

TANNER。　＇bowing　to　the　storm＇　I　have　no　defence：　I　shall　know
better　in　future　than　to　take　any　woman's　part。　We　have　all
disgraced　ourselves　in　your　eyes；　I　am　afraid；　except　Ann；　SHE
befriended　you。　For　Ann's　sake；　forgive　us。

VIOLET。　Yes：　Ann　has　been　very　kind；　but　then　Ann　knew。

TANNER。　Oh！

MISS　RAMSDEN。　＇stiffly＇　And　who；　pray；　is　the　gentleman　who　does
not　acknowledge　his　wife？

VIOLET。　＇promptly＇　That　is　my　business；　Miss　Ramsden；　and　not
yours。　I　have　my　reasons　for　keeping　my　marriage　a　secret　for　the
present。

RAMSDEN。　All　I　can　say　is　that　we　are　extremely　sorry；　Violet。　I
am　shocked　to　think　of　how　we　have　treated　you。

OCTAVIUS。　＇awkwardly＇　I　beg　your　pardon；　Violet。　I　can　say　no
more。

MISS　RAMSDEN。　＇still　loth　to　surrender＇　Of　course　what　you　say
puts　a　very　different　complexion　on　the　matter。　All　the　same；　I
owe　it　to　myself

VIOLET。　＇cutting　her　short＇　You　owe　me　an　apology；　Miss　Ramsden：
that's　what　you　owe　both　to　yourself　and　to　me。　If　you　were　a
married　woman　you　would　not　like　sitting　in　the　housekeeper's
room　and　being　treated　like　a　naughty　child　by　young　girls　and
old　ladies　without　any　serious　duties　and　responsibilities。

TANNER。　Don't　hit　us　when　we're　down；　Violet。　We　seem　to　have
made　fools　of　ourselves；　but　really　it　was　you　who　made　fools　of
us。

VIOLET。　It　was　no　business　of　yours；　Jack；　in　any　case。

TANNER。　No　business　of　mine！　Why；　Ramsden　as　good　as　accused　me
of　being　the　unknown　gentleman。

Ramsden　makes　a　frantic　demonstration；　but　Violet's　cool　keen
anger　extinguishes　it。

VIOLET。　You！　Oh；　how　infamous！　how　abominable！　How　disgracefully
you　have　all　been　talking　about　me！　If　my　husband　knew　it　he
would　never　let　me　speak　to　any　of　you　again。　＇To　Ramsden＇　I
think　you　might　have　spared　me；　at　least。

RAMSDEN。　But　I　assure　you　I　neverat　least　it　is　a　monstrous
perversion　of　something　I　said　that

MISS　RAMSDEN。　You　needn't　apologize；　Roebuck。　She　brought　it　all
on　herself。　It　is　for　her　to　apologize　for　having　deceived　us。

VIOLET。　I　can　make　allowances　for　you；　Miss　Ramsden：　you　cannot
understand　how　I　feel　on　this　subject　though　I　should　have
expected　rather　better　taste　from　people　of　greater　experience。
However；　I　quite　feel　that　you　have　all　placed　yourselves　in　a
very　painful　position；　and　the　most　truly　considerate　thing　for
me　to　do　is　to　go　at　once。　Good　morning。

She　goes；　leaving　them　staring。

Miss　RAMSDEN。　Well；　I　must　say！

RAMSDEN。　＇plaintively＇　I　don't　think　she　is　quite　fair　to　us。

TANNER。　You　must　cower　before　the　wedding　ring　like　the　rest　of
us；　Ramsden。　The　cup　of　our　ignominy　is　full。




Act　II

On　the　carriage　drive　in　the　park　of　a　country　house　near
Richmond　a　motor　car　has　broken　down。　It　stands　in　front　of　a
clump　of　trees　round　which　the　drive　sweeps　to　the　house；　which
is　partly　visible　through　them：　indeed　Tanner；　standing　in　the
drive　with　the　car　on　his　right　hand；　could　get　an　unobstructed
view　of　the　west　corner　of　the　house　on　his　left　were　he　not　far
too　much　interested　in　a　pair　of　supine　legs　in　blue　serge
trousers　which　protrude　from　beneath　the　machine。　He　is　watching
them　intently　with　bent　back　and　hands　supported　on　his　knees。
His　leathern　overcoat　and　peaked　cap　proclaim　him　one　of　the
dismounted　passengers。

THE　LEGS。　Aha！　I　got　him。

TANNER。　All　right　now？

THE　LEGS。　All　right　now。

Tanner　stoops　and　takes　the　legs　by　the　ankles；　drawing　their
owner　forth　like　a　wheelbarrow；　walking　on　his　hands；　with　a
hammer　in　his　mouth。　He　is　a　young　man　in　a　neat　suit　of　blue
serge；　clean　shaven；　dark　eyed；　square　fingered；　with　short　well
brushed　black　hair　and　rather　irregular　sceptically　turned
eyebrows。　When　he　is　manipulating　the　car