man and superman-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


by　which　I　knew　what　she　would　be　like　in　thirty　years　time。　I
noted　the　gleam　of　gold　from　a　dead　tooth　in　the　laughing　mouth：
I　made　curious　observations　of　the　strange　odors　of　the　chemistry
of　the　nerves。　The　visions　of　my　romantic　reveries；　in　which　I
had　trod　the　plains　of　heaven　with　a　deathless；　ageless　creature
of　coral　and　ivory；　deserted　me　in　that　supreme　hour。　I
remembered　them　and　desperately　strove　to　recover　their　illusion；
but　they　now　seemed　the　emptiest　of　inventions：　my　judgment　was
not　to　be　corrupted：　my　brain　still　said　No　on　every　issue。　And
whilst　I　was　in　the　act　of　framing　my　excuse　to　the　lady；　Life
seized　me　and　threw　me　into　her　arms　as　a　sailor　throws　a　scrap
of　fish　into　the　mouth　of　a　seabird。

THE　STATUE。　You　might　as　well　have　gone　without　thinking　such　a
lot　about　it；　Juan。　You　are　like　all　the　clever　men：　you　have
more　brains　than　is　good　for　you。

THE　DEVIL。　And　were　you　not　the　happier　for　the　experience；　Senor
Don　Juan？

DON　JUAN。　The　happier；　no：　the　wiser；　yes。　That　moment　introduced
me　for　the　first　time　to　myself；　and；　through　myself；　to　the
world。　I　saw　then　how　useless　it　is　to　attempt　to　impose
conditions　on　the　irresistible　force　of　Life；　to　preach　prudence；
careful　selection；　virtue；　honor；　chastity

ANA。　Don　Juan：　a　word　against　chastity　is　an　insult　to　me。

DON　JUAN。　I　say　nothing　against　your　chastity；　Senora；　since　it
took　the　form　of　a　husband　and　twelve　children。　What　more　could
you　have　done　had　you　been　the　most　abandoned　of　women？

ANA。　I　could　have　had　twelve　husbands　and　no　children　that's　what
I　could　have　done；　Juan。　And　let　me　tell　you　that　that　would　have
made　all　the　difference　to　the　earth　which　I　replenished。

THE　STATUE。　Bravo　Ana！　Juan：　you　are　floored；　quelled；
annihilated。

DON　JUAN。　No；　for　though　that　difference　is　the　true　essential
differenceDona　Ana　has；　I　admit；　gone　straight　to　the　real
pointyet　it　is　not　a　difference　of　love　or　chastity；　or　even
constancy；　for　twelve　children　by　twelve　different　husbands　would
have　replenished　the　earth　perhaps　more　effectively。　Suppose　my
friend　Ottavio　had　died　when　you　were　thirty；　you　would　never
have　remained　a　widow：　you　were　too　beautiful。　Suppose　the
successor　of　Ottavio　had　died　when　you　were　forty；　you　would
still　have　been　irresistible；　and　a　woman　who　marries　twice
marries　three　times　if　she　becomes　free　to　do　so。　Twelve　lawful
children　borne　by　one　highly　respectable　lady　to　three　different
fathers　is　not　impossible　nor　condemned　by　public　opinion。　That
such　a　lady　may　be　more　law　abiding　than　the　poor　girl　whom　we
used　to　spurn　into　the　gutter　for　bearing　one　unlawful　infant　is
no　doubt　true；　but　dare　you　say　she　is　less　self…indulgent？

ANA。　She　is　less　virtuous：　that　is　enough　for　me。

DON　JUAN。　In　that　case；　what　is　virtue　but　the　Trade　Unionism　of
the　married？　Let　us　face　the　facts；　dear　Ana。　The　Life　Force
respects　marriage　only　because　marriage　is　a　contrivance　of　its
own　to　secure　the　greatest　number　of　children　and　the　closest
care　of　them。　For　honor；　chastity　and　all　the　rest　of　your　moral
figments　it　cares　not　a　rap。　Marriage　is　the　most　licentious　of
human　institutions

ANA。　Juan！

THE　STATUE。　＇protesting＇　Really！

DON　JUAN。　＇determinedly＇　I　say　the　most　licentious　of　human
institutions：　that　is　the　secret　of　its　popularity。　And　a　woman
seeking　a　husband　is　the　most　unscrupulous　of　all　the　beasts　of
prey。　The　confusion　of　marriage　with　morality　has　done　more　to
destroy　the　conscience　of　the　human　race　than　any　other　single
error。　Come；　Ana！　do　not　look　shocked：　you　know　better　than　any
of　us　that　marriage　is　a　mantrap　baited　with　simulated
accomplishments　and　delusive　idealizations。　When　your　sainted
mother；　by　dint　of　scoldings　and　punishments；　forced　you　to　learn
how　to　play　half　a　dozen　pieces　on　the　spinet　which　she　hated　as
much　as　you　didhad　she　any　other　purpose　than　to　delude　your
suitors　into　the　belief　that　your　husband　would　have　in　his　home
an　angel　who　would　fill　it　with　melody；　or　at　least　play　him　to
sleep　after　dinner？　You　married　my　friend　Ottavio：　well；　did　you
ever　open　the　spinet　from　the　hour　when　the　Church　united　him　to
you？

ANA。　You　are　a　fool；　Juan。　A　young　married　woman　has　something
else　to　do　than　sit　at　the　spinet　without　any　support　for　her
back；　so　she　gets　out　of　the　habit　of　playing。

DON　JUAN。　Not　if　she　loves　music。　No：　believe　me；　she　only　throws
away　the　bait　when　the　bird　is　in　the　net。

ANA。　＇bitterly＇　And　men；　I　suppose；　never　throw　off　the　mask　when
their　bird　is　in　the　net。　The　husband　never　becomes　negligent；
selfish；　brutaloh　never！

DON　JUAN。　What　do　these　recriminations　prove；　Ana？　Only　that　the
hero　is　as　gross　an　imposture　as　the　heroine。

ANA。　It　is　all　nonsense：　most　marriages　are　perfectly
comfortable。

DON　JUAN。　〃Perfectly〃　is　a　strong　expression；　Ana。　What　you　mean
is　that　sensible　people　make　the　best　of　one　another。　Send　me　to
the　galleys　and　chain　me　to　the　felon　whose　number　happens　to　be
next　before　mine；　and　I　must　accept　the　inevitable　and　make　the
best　of　the　companionship。　Many　such　companionships；　they　tell
me；　are　touchingly　affectionate；　and　most　are　at　least　tolerably
friendly。　But　that　does　not　make　a　chain　a　desirable　ornament　nor
the　galleys　an　abode　of　bliss。　Those　who　talk　most　about　the
blessings　of　marriage　and　the　constancy　of　its　vows　are　the　very
people　who　declare　that　if　the　chain　were　broken　and　the
prisoners　left　free　to　choose；　the　whole　social　fabric　would　fly
asunder。　You　cannot　have　the　argument　both　ways。　If　the　prisoner
is　happy；　why　lock　him　in？　If　he　is　not；　why　pretend　that　he　is？

ANA。　At　all　events；　let　me　take　an　old　woman's　privilege　again；
and　tell　you　flatly　that　marriage　peoples　the　world　and
debauchery　does　not。

DON　JUAN。　How　if　a　time　comes　when　this　shall　cease　to　be　true？　Do
you　not　know　that　where　there　is　a　will　there　is　a　waythat
whatever　Man　really　wishes　to　do　he　will　finally　discover　a　means
of　doing？　Well；　you　have　done　your　best；　you　virtuous　ladies；　and
others　of　your　way　of　thinking；　to　bend　Man's　mind　wholly　towards
honorable　love　as　the　highest　good；　and　to　understand　by
honorable　love　romance　and　beauty　and　happiness　in　the　possession
of　beautiful；　refined；　delicate；　affectionate　women。　You　have
taught　women　to　value　their　own　youth；　health；　shapeliness；　and
refinement　above　all　things。　Well；　what　place　have　squalling
babies　and　household　cares　in　this　exquisite　paradise　of　the
senses　and　emotions？　Is　it　not　the　inevitable　end　of　it　all　that
the　human　will　shall　say　to　the　human　brain：　Invent　me　a　means　by
which　I　can　have　love；　beauty；　romance；　emotion；　passion　without
their　wretched　penalties；　their　expenses；　their　worries；　their
trials；　their　illnesses　and　agonies　and　risks　of　death；　their
retinue　of　servants　and　nurses　and　doctors　and　schoolmasters。

THE　DEVIL。　All　this；　Senor　Don　Juan；　is　realized　here　in　my
realm。

DON　JUAN。　Yes；　at　the　cost　of　death。　Man　will　not　take　it　at　that
price：　he　demands　the　romantic　delights　of　your　hell　whilst　he　is
still　on　earth。　Well；　the　means　will　be　found：　the　brain　will　not
fail　when　the　will　is　in　earnest。　The　day　is　coming　when　great
nations　will　find　their　numbers　dwindling　from　census　to　census；
when　the　six　roomed　villa　will　rise　in　price　above　the　family
mansion；　when　the　viciously　reckless　poor　and　the　stupidly　pious
rich　will　delay　the　extinction　of　the　race　only　by　degrading　it；
whilst　the　boldly　prudent；　the　thriftily　selfish　and　ambitious；
the　imaginative　and　poetic；　the　lovers　of　money　and　solid
comfort；　the　worshippers　of　success；　art；　and　of　love；　will　all
oppose　to　the　Force　of　Life　the　device　of　sterility。

THE　STATUE。　That　is　all　very　eloquent；　my　young　friend；　but　if
you　had　lived　to　Ana's　age；　or　even　to　mine；　you　would　have
learned　that　the　people　who　get　rid　of　the　fear　of　poverty　and
children　and　all　the　other　family　troubles；　and　devote　themselves
to　having　a　good　time　of　it；　only　leave　their　minds　free　for　the
fear　of　old　age　and　ugliness　and　impotence　and　death。　The
childless　laborer　is　more　tormented　by　his　wife's　idleness　and
her　constant　demands　for　amusement　and　distraction　than　he　could
be　by　twenty　children；　and　his　wife　is　more　wretched　than　he。　I
have　had　my　share　of　vanity；　for　as　a　young　man　I　was　admired　by
women；　and　as　a　statue　I　am　praised　by　art　critics。　But　I　confess
that　had　I　found　nothing　to　do　in　the　world　but　wallow　in　these
delights　I　should　have　cut　my　throat。　When　I　married　Ana's
motheror　perhaps；　to　be　strictly　correct；　I　should　rather　say
when　I　at　last　gave　in　and　allowed　Ana's　mother　to　marry　meI
knew　that　I　was　planting　thorns　in　my　pillow；　and　that　marriage
for　me；　a　swaggering　young　officer　thitherto　unvanquished；　meant
defeat　and　capture。

ANA。　＇scandalized＇　Father！

THE　STATUE。　I　am　sorry　to　shock　you；　my　love；　but　since　Juan　has
stripped　every　rag　of　decency　from　the　discussion　I　may　as　well
tell　the　frozen　truth。

ANA。　Hmf！　I　suppose　I　was　one　of　the　thorns。

THE　STATUE。　By　no　means：　you　were　often　a　rose。　You　see；　your
mother　had　most　of　the　trouble　you　gave。

DON　JUAN。　Then　may　I　ask；　Commander；　why　you　have　left　Heaven　to
come　here　and　wallow；　as　you　express　it；　in　sentimental
beatitudes　which　you　confess　would　once　have　driven　you　to　cut
your　throat？

THE　STATUE。　＇struck　by　this＇　Egad；　that's　true。

THE　DEVIL。　＇alarmed＇　What！　You　are　going　back　from　your　word。　＇To
Don　Juan＇　And　all　your　philosophizing　has　been　nothing　but　a　mask
for　proselytizing！　＇To　the　Statue＇　Have　you　forgotten　already　the
hideous　dulness　from　which　I　am　offering　you　a　refuge　here？　＇To
Don　Juan＇　And　does　your　demonstration　of　the　approaching
sterilization　and　extinction　of　mankind　lead　to　anything　better
than　making　the　most　of　those　pleasures　of　art　and　love　which　you
yourself　admit　refined　you；　elevated　you；　developed　you？

DON　JUAN。　I　never　demonstrated　the　extinction　of　mankind。　Life
cannot　will　its　own　extinction　either　in　its　blind　amorphous
state　or　in　any　of　the　forms　into　which　it　has　organized　itself。
I　had　not　finished　when　His　Excellency　interrupted　me。

THE　STATUE。　I　begin　to　doubt　whether　you　ever　will　f