登陆注册
5235600000056

第56章 XXXI(2)

"I write a book and state a case. I want people to THINK as I recommend, not to DO as I recommend. It is just Teaching. Only I make it into a story. I want to Teach new Ideas, new Lessons, to promulgate Ideas. Then when the Ideas have been spread abroad--Things will come about. Only now it is madness to fly in the face of the established order. Bernard Shaw, you know, has explained that with regard to Socialism. We all know that to earn all you consume is right, and that living on invested capital is wrong. Only we cannot begin while we are so few. It is Those Others."

"Precisely," said Widgery. "It is Those Others. They must begin first."

"And meanwhile you go on banking--"

"If I didn't, some one else would."

"And I live on Mr. Milton's Lotion while I try to gain a footing in Literature."

"TRY!" said Phipps. "You HAVE done so." And, "That's different," said Dangle, at the same time.

"You are so kind to me. But in this matter. Of course Georgina Griffiths in my book lived alone in a flat in Paris and went to life classes and had men visitors, but then she was over twenty-one."

"Jessica is only seventeen, and girlish for that," said Dangle.

"It alters everything. That child! It is different with a woman.

And Georgina Griffiths never flaunted her freedom-- on a bicycle, in country places. In this country. Where every one is so particular. Fancy, SLEEPING away from home. It's dreadful-- If it gets about it spells ruin for her."

"Ruin," said Widgery.

"No man would marry a girl like that," said Phipps.

"It must be hushed up," said Dangle.

"It always seems to me that life is made up of individuals, of individual cases. We must weigh each person against his or her circumstances. General rules don't apply--"

"I often feel the force of that," said Widgery. "Those are my rules. Of course my books--"

"It's different, altogether different," said Dangle. "A novel deals with typical cases."

"And life is not typical," said Widgery, with immense profundity.

Then suddenly, unintentionally, being himself most surprised and shocked of any in the room, Phipps yawned. The failing was infectious, and the gathering having, as you can easily understand, talked itself weary, dispersed on trivial pretences.

But not to sleep immediately. Directly Dangle was alone he began, with infinite disgust, to scrutinise his darkling eye, for he was a neat-minded little man in spite of his energy. The whole business--so near a capture--was horribly vexatious. Phipps sat on his bed for some time examining, with equal disgust, a collar he would have thought incredible for Sunday twenty-four hours before. Mrs. Milton fell a-musing on the mortality of even big, fat men with dog-like eyes, and Widgery was unhappy because he had been so cross to her at the station, and because so far he did not feel that he had scored over Dangle. Also he was angry with Dangle. And all four of them, being souls living very much upon the appearances of things, had a painful, mental middle distance of Botley derisive and suspicious, and a remoter background of London humorous, and Surbiton speculative. Were they really, after all, behaving absurdly?

MR. HOOPDRIVER, KNIGHT ERRANT

同类推荐
  • Salammbo

    Salammbo

    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。
  • 鲁班全书

    鲁班全书

    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。
  • 李商隐诗选

    李商隐诗选

    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。
  • 曲目新编

    曲目新编

    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。
  • 先哲医话

    先哲医话

    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
  • 长生指要篇

    长生指要篇

    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。
  • 三齐略记

    三齐略记

    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。
  • 燕子李三正传

    燕子李三正传

    燕子李三是清末民初一位传奇式的侠义人物,他的故事在京津一带流传甚广。他侠肝义胆,从不曾被命运缚住手脚;他穷困而不沮丧,遭痛楚而能超脱,是一位善于在打拼中“自胜”的人物。本书气势磅礴,情节跌宕起伏,将燕子李三的半生描写得活灵活现,从而为广大读者塑造了一个更加真实的燕子李三。
  • Pincher Martin
  • 萌系吃货女皇成长记

    萌系吃货女皇成长记

    "卿卿被养父母当牲口贩卖,被婊子情敌杀害,临死之际因老道士送的一场机缘来到架空时空,顾卿卿成为了乾清公主。在这里她有一个各种宠溺自己的女儿控父皇,一个名义上自己儿砸的小萌娃嘟嘟,还有一个救了自己能占卜能治病的银发神医林穆清,以及一群目的各异的不靠谱暗卫。到最后顾卿卿才醒悟,原来一切表面上的美好背后都是晦暗的阴谋。“呵,我便杀尽天下欺我,辱我,背叛我之人!”顾卿卿浑身浴血而立在万千尸骨之上,笑看染上殷红鲜血的万里河山,却唯独染不上林穆清银色的发,清冷的眸。他还是那般遗世而独立,“卿卿,真正爱你之人一直都在你身后,你可曾回眸一看。”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 孩子学习的黄金期:父母如何帮助小学低年级孩子学习

    孩子学习的黄金期:父母如何帮助小学低年级孩子学习

    《孩子学习的黄金期》从激发兴趣、学习环节、各科学习、才艺培养等多个方面,就广大父母如何帮助小学低年级孩子学习这一问题进行了详细的说明和科学的指导,以帮助家长引导孩子一入学就很快适应学枝的生活和学习,并且努力在各方面出类拔萃。以生动的事例引人入胜,并具极强的指导性,是《孩子学习的黄金期》的一大特点。同时,书中字里行间溢出深厚的文学和学术功底,处处折射出深思熟虑后的简洁与深刻,读来轻松易懂,常有欣喜。可以说,这是一本集指导性、操作性和知识性于一体本的家庭教育读物。
  • 木槿花西月锦绣(5):紫蕖连理帝王花

    木槿花西月锦绣(5):紫蕖连理帝王花

    宋明磊联合轩辕淑仪公主施计气死德宗,逼反了新太子,谋杀丽太妃,想挟太子世子轩辕楽登机,轩辕淑仪垂帘听政,他在背后号令天下,原非白早已识破他的计划,称机拥立原青江黄袍加身。原氏终于实现了十世的梦想,站到了天下至高处。木槿为解大理的疫症,同恢复记忆的兰生进入暗宫取金婵花,无意见得知了原氏与司马氏双生子诞,龙主九天的秘密……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 奉旨成婚,傲娇皇后独占恩宠

    奉旨成婚,傲娇皇后独占恩宠

    奉旨成婚,她本就不愿,更在新婚之夜,被他冷落,不过是一盖头,自己摘了便是。”她恶语相讥,“夫君若是不愿,抗旨拒婚便是,如今口口声声,堂堂太子殿下,却原来只是心有不甘又不敢抗争的懦夫而已。”后来登基,他厌恶的盯着她,“若不是祖宗规矩,这皇后之位,断不能落到你上。”她言笑晏晏,“谢皇上施舍,只是臣妾这人一向霸道,属于自己的东西,宁愿碍眼的占着,也绝不退让。”后来两两生厌,她退位让贤,他却步步紧逼,“这皇后之位,朕既然给了你,就没想过再要回来,你是朕的皇后,不论生死。”她怀抱圣旨,眉目如画,“这废后圣旨,还是皇上亲自写的,皇上怎可如此欺瞒世人。”
  • 史上第一宠妻

    史上第一宠妻

    一纸婚书,她成功把自己嫁给了江城最牛叉的男人叶少。她以为婚后的生活是各过各,互不相干的。结果某人立即化身为狼,成为史上第一妻奴。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 疯狂的人民币

    疯狂的人民币

    中国究竟有多少财富藏于民间?温州炒房团、山西煤老板是否是疯狂热钱的元凶?农产品、房价、股市、黄金、创业板、艺术收藏……热钱的触角向四面八方伸展,热钱是如何炒作的?中国经济会否重蹈日本经济覆辙?热钱是否是绑架中国经济,造成通胀的罪魁祸首?人民币陷入疯狂,我们将何去何从?游走在全国各地的疯狂热钱,是国际游资为做空中国经济,导致中国经济发生大崩溃而进行的可怕阴谋?还是国内资本借机套利,险中求富贵?热钱汹涌,通胀严重,本书为保卫你的财富提供应对方案和解决思路。