登陆注册
5166900000006

第6章

OLIVE.Mayn't I read in the window, Mummy? Then I shall see if any soldiers pass.

KATHERINE.No.You can go out on the terrace a little, and then you must go up.

[OLIVE goes reluctantly out on to the terrace.]

STEEL.Awful news this morning of that Pass! And have you seen these? [Reading from the newspaper] "We will have no truck with the jargon of the degenerate who vilifies his country at such a moment.

The Member for Toulmin has earned for himself the contempt of all virile patriots." [He takes up a second journal] "There is a certain type of public man who, even at his own expense, cannot resist the itch to advertise himself.We would, at moments of national crisis, muzzle such persons, as we muzzle dogs that we suspect of incipient rabies...." They're in full cry after him!

KATHERINE.I mind much more all the creatures who are always flinging mud at the country making him their hero suddenly! You know what's in his mind?

STEEL.Oh! We must get him to give up that idea of lecturing everywhere against the war, Mrs.More; we simply must.

KATHERINE.[Listening] The deputation's come.Go and fetch him, Mr.Steel.He'll be in his room, at the House.

[STEEL goes out, and KATHERINE Stands at bay.In a moment he opens the door again, to usher in the deputation; then retires.

The four gentlemen have entered as if conscious of grave issues.

The first and most picturesque is JAMES HOME, a thin, tall, grey-bearded man, with plentiful hair, contradictious eyebrows, and the half-shy, half-bold manners, alternately rude and over polite, of one not accustomed to Society, yet secretly much taken with himself.He is dressed in rough tweeds, with a red silk tie slung through a ring, and is closely followed by MARKWACE, a waxy, round-faced man of middle-age, with sleek dark hair, traces of whisker, and a smooth way of continually rubbing his hands together, as if selling something to an esteemed customer.He is rather stout, wears dark clothes, with a large gold chain.Following him comes CHARLES SHELDER, a lawyer of fifty, with a bald egg-shaped head, and gold pince-nez.He has little side whiskers, a leathery, yellowish skin, a rather kind but watchful and dubious face, and when he speaks seems to have a plum in his mouth, which arises from the preponderance of his shaven upper lip.Last of the deputation comes WILLIAM BANNING, an energetic-looking, square-shouldered, self-made country-man, between fifty and sixty, with grey moustaches, ruddy face, and lively brown eyes.

KATHERINE.How do you do, Mr.Home?

HOME.[Bowing rather extravagantly over her hand, as if to show his independence of women's influence] Mrs.More! We hardly expected--This is an honour.

WACE.How do you do, Ma'am?

KATHERINE.And you, Mr.Wace?

WACE.Thank you, Ma'am, well indeed!

SHELDER.How d'you do, Mrs.More?

KATHERINE.Very well, thank you, Mr.Shelder.

BANNING.[Speaking with a rather broad country accent] This is but a poor occasion, Ma'am.

KATHERINE.Yes, Mr.Banning.Do sit down, gentlemen.

Seeing that they will not settle down while she is standing, she sits at the table.They gradually take their seats.Each member of the deputation in his own way is severely hanging back from any mention of the subject in hand; and KATHERINE as intent on drawing them to it.

KATHERINE.My husband will be here in two minutes.He's only over at the House.

SHELDER.[Who is of higher standing and education than the others]

Charming position--this, Mrs.More! So near the--er--Centre of--Gravity um?

KATHERINE.I read the account of your second meeting at Toulmin.

BANNING.It's bad, Mrs.More--bad.There's no disguising it.That speech was moon-summer madness--Ah! it was! Take a lot of explaining away.Why did you let him, now? Why did you? Not your views, I'm sure!

[He looks at her, but for answer she only compresses her lips.]

BANNING.I tell you what hit me--what's hit the whole constituency--and that's his knowing we were over the frontier, fighting already, when he made it.

KATHERINE.What difference does it make if he did know?

HOME.Hitting below the belt--I should have thought--you'll pardon me!

BANNING.Till war's begun, Mrs.More, you're entitled to say what you like, no doubt--but after! That's going against your country.

Ah! his speech was strong, you know--his speech was strong.

KATHERINE.He had made up his mind to speak.It was just an accident the news coming then.

[A silence.]

BANNING.Well, that's true, I suppose.What we really want is to make sure he won't break out again.

HOME.Very high-minded, his views of course--but, some consideration for the common herd.You'll pardon me!

SHELDER.We've come with the friendliest feelings, Mrs.More--but, you know, it won't do, this sort of thing!

WACE.We shall be able to smooth him down.Oh! surely.

BANNING.We'd be best perhaps not to mention about his knowing that fighting had begun.

[As he speaks, MORE enters through the French windows.They all rise.]

MORE.Good-morning, gentlemen.

[He comes down to the table, but does not offer to shake hands.]

BANNING.Well, Mr.More? You've made a woeful mistake, sir; I tell you to your face.

MORE.As everybody else does, Banning.Sit down again, please.

[They gradually resume their seats, and MORE sits in KATHERINE's chair.She alone remains standing leaning against the corner of the bay window, watching their faces.]

BANNING.You've seen the morning's telegrams? I tell you, Mr.

More--another reverse like that, and the flood will sweep you clean away.And I'll not blame it.It's only flesh and blood.

MORE, Allow for the flesh and blood in me, too, please.When I spoke the other night it was not without a certain feeling here.[He touches his heart.]

BANNING.But your attitude's so sudden--you'd not been going that length when you were down with us in May.

MORE.Do me the justice to remember that even then I was against our policy.It cost me three weeks' hard struggle to make up my mind to that speech.One comes slowly to these things, Banning.

SHELDER.Case of conscience?

同类推荐
  • 演司空表圣诗品二十四首

    演司空表圣诗品二十四首

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 梵天择地法

    梵天择地法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 毗尼日用录

    毗尼日用录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Make-Believe Man

    The Make-Believe Man

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清素灵上篇

    上清素灵上篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 死神养成系统

    死神养成系统

    注意,这不是死神同人!这就是一现代宅女得到超级无敌金手指系统后的少女幻想日常吐槽!重点在日常!我要重启第一人称!前两本书写崩了,这本练笔,废了!不推荐大家花冤枉钱!…………以下正文:一条锁链,一把镰刀,一个系统,一段封印在灵魂深处的前生记忆,造就了一个奇葩。原以为我的人生会一直普普通通,没想到。。。那些梦,原来竟是我真实的经历。想知道我的经历吗?请跟我来,进入我的世界,来感受我的不可思议的那些经历。…………咳咳,请看书的不要想太多,这是无脑装逼日常,经不起推敲。虽然偶尔会有一小段烧脑的部分。…………欢迎各位加一下书友群,群名称:三十三界天外天,群号:659981557
  • 错嫁王妃不为妃

    错嫁王妃不为妃

    大晚上的,被人追杀也就不说了,毒发也可暂且忽略不顾,可是尼玛,说她是他老婆,囚禁?还能更过分点吗?某女怒不可遏,逮着机会,三十六计走为上计。可是,革命还未成功,她竟然又遭劫持。而某男却伫立一边,冷眼旁观,“你下的毒最好能毒死她,不然你就不要在这跟本王多费唇舌了。”某女怒了,“离君羽,你要是拿我当替死鬼,我做鬼也不会放过你的”一纸契约,三月为期,她嫁他为妃。表面他们是恩爱夫妻,鹣鲽情深。暗里他们却是上辈子的仇人,下辈子的冤家。可是她坠崖时,他却生死相随?他身陷囹圄,她却拼死相救?而在她决定违背师命,愿以一死来堵他的一份柔情时,亲耳听到的却又是他对另一个女人诉说的无限思念……
  • 落伤

    落伤

    如果有人问,沈恒,你最爱的人是谁,那么沈恒一定会毫不犹豫的就说,程念欢。如果有人问,沈恒,你印象最深的是什么事,那么沈恒一定会眯起眼睛,回想着那久远的往事,然后慢慢的叙述程念欢沉睡半年之后突然醒过来的样子。记忆就是这样子,不管在你脑海里沉睡了多久,总有一天会复苏。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 剑男诗选(中国21世纪诗丛)

    剑男诗选(中国21世纪诗丛)

    当一个人从扮繁复杂的异乡回到故乡,故乡是不需要辨别的。故乡就是我们与生俱来的深切记忆,一个人回到故乡,他就是回到母亲的怀抱,他就可以宠辱皆忘,直至消失在与故乡无边的融人中。与物欲横流,人情淡漠的他乡相比。只有故乡才是我们皓首单衣仍不忘返回的最后归宿,只有故乡,才能让一个游予在他的怀中快乐地哭泣。
  • 奔月舞

    奔月舞

    八月中旬傍晚最后一缕金色的阳光从屋檐落下,喧嚣了整日的集市渐渐安静下来,然而清水河畔的画舫上却开始张灯结彩,迎接一年一度的中秋盛宴。微波粼粼的水面倒映着舫上繁华的彩灯,从河面拂过的清风中带着奢靡的香粉味和女子们娇柔的笑声。清水河畔有一处歌楼,名为“一等堂”。这里不仅是清歌雅乐之处,而且还是一个有名的美女窝。早有“天下美女尽出一等堂”的赞誉将其推上遥不可及的尊崇地位。为了帮舞姬们抬身价,一等堂的惯用办法就是故弄玄虚,所以就连许多常年流连于此的人都不曾亲眼见过一等堂中红牌的真容。
  • 穿越“死亡之海”

    穿越“死亡之海”

    “塔克拉玛干”维吾尔语意思是“进去出不来的地方”,亦被称为“死亡之海”。郭小川在诗集《昆仑行》中曾一咏三叹:这里是名为“进去出不来”的大沙漠,黑夜只听风声,白日只见云朵;这里是几乎没有动物的“死亡之国”,大雁不敢停留,小鸟不能掠过……来到和田,我就急不可待地和新疆生产建设兵团农14师以及北京市援疆指挥部的同志一道去采访老战士宋才盛。他们几个月前还见过面。没承想此番找到宋家,却是斯人已“去”。
  • JUDE THE OBSCURE

    JUDE THE OBSCURE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 异大陆修仙记

    异大陆修仙记

    这是个魔法和斗气并存的大陆,增强自身实力的方法,要么学习魔法成为圣法师,要么学习斗气成为斗圣。 他是大陆上最强大帝国的皇子,天赋极高的他却被人陷害无法学习斗气和魔法。她是一个来自异大陆的小女孩,从小也无法学习斗气和魔法。 在这个强者为尊的世界看他们怎么打破枷锁一步步走向成仙之路。“我活这么久本来就是逆天之事,既然上天都可以违逆,何况其他。”“我们修炼的目的只是为了不受天地的约束,最终破碎虚空、永生不灭。”
  • 南心不负

    南心不负

    她是,不明学渣,二货小迷糊:傅一。他是,毒舌颜控,自恋傲娇少爷:南烛。这世上傅一最讨厌两个人,一个叫陆寻。而另一个,就是南烛。讨厌陆寻的原因:个人隐私,不想多说。而讨厌南烛的原因却很简单:她死缠烂打求个联盟,他却嫌她又笨又丑。不料一朝失手命犯桃花,少爷家宠变仨。(咳咳,后话,这是后话……)故事从傅一的妈妈杜明华准备和南烛的堂哥南阳再婚说起,因着某些过往,傅一坚决反对这桩婚姻。经调查,她找到了南烛,她使尽浑身解数终于让南烛同意与她联盟。两人正式开启斗嘴、斗智、斗爱的冤家(甜蜜)模式。然而,同盟本是近水楼台,水到渠成。谁料竟杀出个温柔男神撬墙角。T大校草南烛满心欢喜要泡汤,悄悄躲墙角暗暗哀嚎。皇天不负有心人,阴差阳错,傅一来到南烛妈妈的公司实习上班,却被误会窃取合同方案,所有人都不信她时,只有南烛对她深信不疑,那一刻,他不离不弃,似全世界唯一的光。
  • 至尊龙帝

    至尊龙帝

    一个自封尘十万年的神魔陵园中跌入凡间的少年,与诸天万界天骄争锋,演绎出一段不朽的传奇。我既生,万界再无至尊!