登陆注册
5431400000021

第21章

MRS TARLETON. [on the steps] Is anything the matter, John? Nurse says she heard you calling me a quarter of an hour ago; and that your voice sounded as if you were ill. [She comes between Tarleton and the man.] Is anything the matter?

TARLETON. This is the son of an old friend of mine. Mr--er--Mr Gunner. [To the man, who rises awkwardly]. My wife.

MRS TARLETON. Good evening to you.

GUNNER. Er-- [He is too nervous to speak, and makes a shambling bow].

Bentley looks in at the pavilion door, very peevish, and too preoccupied with his own affairs to pay any attention to those of the company.

BENTLEY. I say: has anybody seen Hypatia? She promised to come out with me; and I cant find her anywhere. And wheres Joey?

GUNNER. [suddenly breaking out aggressively, being incapable of any middle way between submissiveness and violence] I can tell you where Hypatia is. I can tell you where Joey is. And I say it's a scandal and an infamy. If people only knew what goes on in this so-called respectable house it would be put a stop to. These are the morals of our pious capitalist class! This is your rotten bourgeoisie! This!--MRS TARLETON. Dont you dare use such language in company. I wont allow it.

TARLETON. All right, Chickabiddy: it's not bad language: it's only Socialism.

MRS TARLETON. Well, I wont have any Socialism in my house.

TARLETON. [to Gunner] You hear what Mrs Tarleton says. Well, in this house everybody does what she says or out they go.

GUNNER. Do you suppose I want to stay? Do you think I would breathe this polluted atmosphere a moment longer than I could help?

BENTLEY. [running forward between Lina and Gunner] But what did you mean by what you said about Miss Tarleton and Mr Percival, you beastly rotter, you?

GUNNER. [to Tarleton] Oh! is Hypatia your daughter? And Joey is Mister Percival, is he? One of your set, I suppose. One of the smart set! One of the bridge-playing, eighty-horse-power, week-ender set!

One of the johnnies I slave for! Well, Joey has more decency than your daughter, anyhow. The women are the worst. I never believed it til I saw it with my own eyes. Well, it wont last for ever. The writing is on the wall. Rome fell. Babylon fell. Hindhead's turn will come.

MRS TARLETON. [naively looking at the wall for the writing]

Whatever are you talking about, young man?

GUNNER. I know what I'm talking about. I went into that Turkish bath a boy: I came out a man.

MRS TARLETON. Good gracious! hes mad. [To Lina] Did John make him take a Turkish bath?

LINA. No. He doesnt need Turkish baths: he needs to put on a little flesh. I dont understand what it's all about. I found him trying to shoot Mr Tarleton.

MRS TARLETON. [with a scream] Oh! and John encouraging him, I'll be bound! Bunny: you go for the police. [To Gunner] I'll teach you to come into my house and shoot my husband.

GUNNER. Teach away. I never asked to be let off. I'm ashamed to be free instead of taking my part with the rest. Women--beautiful women of noble birth--are going to prison for their opinions. Girl students in Russia go to the gallows; let themselves be cut in pieces with the knout, or driven through the frozen snows of Siberia, sooner than stand looking on tamely at the world being made a hell for the toiling millions. If you were not all skunks and cowards youd be suffering with them instead of battening here on the plunder of the poor.

MRS TARLETON. [much vexed] Oh, did you ever hear such silly nonsense? Bunny: go and tell the gardener to send over one of his men to Grayshott for the police.

GUNNER. I'll go with him. I intend to give myself up. I'm going to expose what Ive seen here, no matter what the consequences may be to my miserable self.

TARLETON. Stop. You stay where you are, Ben. Chickabiddy: youve never had the police in. If you had, youd not be in a hurry to have them in again. Now, young man: cut the cackle; and tell us, as short as you can, what did you see?

GUNNER. I cant tell you in the presence of ladies.

MRS TARLETON. Oh, you are tiresome. As if it mattered to anyone what you saw. Me! A married woman that might be your mother. [To Lina]

And I'm sure youre not particular, if youll excuse my saying so.

TARLETON. Out with it. What did you see?

GUNNER. I saw your daughter with my own eyes--oh well, never mind what I saw.

BENTLEY. [almost crying with anxiety] You beastly rotter, I'll get Joey to give you such a hiding--TARLETON. You cant leave it at that, you know. What did you see my daughter doing?

GUNNER. After all, why shouldnt she do it? The Russian students do it. Women should be as free as men. I'm a fool. I'm so full of your bourgeois morality that I let myself be shocked by the application of my own revolutionary principles. If she likes the man why shouldnt she tell him so?

MRS TARLETON. I do wonder at you, John, letting him talk like this before everybody. [Turning rather tartly to Lina] Would you mind going away to the drawing-room just for a few minutes, Miss Chipenoska. This is a private family matter, if you dont mind.

LINA. I should have gone before, Mrs Tarleton, if there had been anyone to protect Mr Tarleton and the young gentleman.

TARLETON. Youre quite right, Miss Lina: you must stand by. I could have tackled him this morning; but since you put me through those exercises I'd rather die than even shake hands with a man, much less fight him.

GUNNER. It's all of a piece here. The men effeminate, the women unsexed--TARLETON. Dont begin again, old chap. Keep it for Trafalgar Square.

HYPATIA'S VOICE OUTSIDE. No, no. [She breaks off in a stifled half laugh, half scream, and is seen darting across the garden with Percival in hot pursuit. Immediately afterwards she appears again, and runs into the pavilion. Finding it full of people, including a stranger, she stops; but Percival, flushed and reckless, rushes in and seizes her before he, too, realizes that they are not alone. He releases her in confusion].

Dead silence. They are all afraid to look at one another except Mrs Tarleton, who stares sternly at Hypatia. Hypatia is the first to recover her presence of mind.

同类推荐
  • 医学举要

    医学举要

    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。
  • Voyages of Dr.Doolittle

    Voyages of Dr.Doolittle

    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。
  • NOSTROMO

    NOSTROMO

    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。
  • 太上秘法镇宅灵符

    太上秘法镇宅灵符

    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。
  • 南海志

    南海志

    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
  • 成熟力

    成熟力

    一个人走向成熟是困难的,年龄的增长、阅历的增加,甚至历尽沧桑却并不能确保一个人的心理成熟。本书告诉你成熟的意义,怎样让自我变得成熟等内容,具体包括:认识自我就是一种成熟、成熟的人能主宰自己的心灵、成熟的人懂得放下等。
  • 人不好绝望,但也不可乱希望

    人不好绝望,但也不可乱希望

    《一绿色之候鸟》是陈映真小说中高度难解的一篇,它在隐晦的寓言形式中包含着政治与思想的批判性。“一绿色之候鸟”不只是泛泛的希望,而有一个更具历史性的所指。小说的三个主要人物代表了1960年代台湾知识分子的三种可能的主体状态和面对“未来”的方式。关于赵公的勾勒隐藏着对国民党统治的批判以及对知识分子精神与人格状态的悲叹;年轻的陈老师缺少主体性,一心只想生活在远方来日,是作者批判的对象;低调的季公是小说的核心角色,承载了作者关于出路的探索。
  • 萌妻入怀:男神老公,放肆宠

    萌妻入怀:男神老公,放肆宠

    【本文甜宠欢脱,欢迎各位入坑】男神结婚了,新娘却不是自己,面对这么狗血剧情,时锦锦的决定就是——抢婚,于是整个S市的人都知道季家少爷养了个小恶魔。而时锦锦借着男神的势力,开始横行霸道,各种行为令人发指,众人纷纷上门告状。哪知季少霸气开口,“她的行为都是我惯的!”时锦锦从角落里跑出来对着众人,傲气十足的微抬下巴。“爹地,我妈咪说,他们不服气可以来单挑,绝对实力碾压,但是需要先来你这边交辛苦费。”季少瞥了一眼扮演女儿的小妻子,笑得邪恶。然众人卒。
  • 慕尼黑之恋

    慕尼黑之恋

    走出弗雷德里克街,能听到隐隐的涛声,这是绕城的因河在夜色中奔流。河畔灯光幽暗看不到人影,河面范动着白色的波光,河对岸山影绰约,一派寂寥神秘的景象,与弗雷德里克街的喧闹形成强烈对比。人间的繁华和冷寂,在一个小城里,就展现得如此鲜明。
  • 神医丑妃狠彪悍

    神医丑妃狠彪悍

    什么?她前身的死竟是因为看到自己心爱的男人对别的女人百般呵护,还被人侮辱嘲笑她小心翼翼保存了十年的定情玉佩是个桃核?为此而去跳湖寻死?岂有此理!向来只有她江陌舞欺负别人!什么时候轮到她被欺负了?凭什么庶出的妹妹就可以风光大嫁挂着伪善的嘴脸恶毒到底?而她这个嫡出的女儿就要被谩骂殴打百般羞辱?大好姻缘被山寨掉包!掉包就掉包吧!还让她连夜坐马车出嫁?马车就马车吧!凭什么还不让她看一眼自己的嫁妆?不让看嫁妆她也忍了!反正这个病秧子南屏王活不了几天了,一旦他挂了,这家里所有的东西就都是她的了!可这个男人婚后不但没有任何重病的症状,还天天活蹦乱跳的出现在她的房间、后院、床上,包括内室里面,各种姿态地对她时刻放电。之前媒婆明明说他只有三个月的命她才嫁过来的,她现在怎么觉得这厮是越战越勇呢?占着她的嫁妆,霸着她的房间,还想夺走她的心?做他的春秋大梦去吧!她江陌舞在现代是出了名的神医回魂手,一向是医术高超,目中无人惯了。更是出了名的游戏人间纨绔不羁,一个没几天活头的病秧子妄想栓住她?小心她拆了他的屏王府!她不会偷心,只会偷药材,偷金银珠宝贝,偶尔逗弄下武林盟主、镇远将军…
  • 小巴掌童话6

    小巴掌童话6

    《小巴掌童话6》选了18篇童话,包括《河马先生钓鱼》《星妈妈和小豆豆星》《小熊,在夏天里冬眠》等。《河马先生钓鱼》《小巴掌童话》温暖又耐人品读的创作构思,将亲情、友情融其中,也不乏品格养成类的作品,隐含做人的道理和小哲思。
  • 丑女来让祸水爱

    丑女来让祸水爱

    玩弄人于股掌之中,是他的兴趣,慵懒的笑容,是他的面具,而潇洒过人生则就是他奉为宗旨的人生哲理了。所以,迄今为止,风度翩翩,拥有“祸水”容颜的他依然是快乐的单身贵族一个,而且纯洁如昔!容颜被毁,家遭惨变,寄人篱下,总之所有的倒霉事都让她遇见了。就在她的日子过得凄惨无比时,她遇见了他。这、这拥有天人般容颜的男人在朝她笑?当即以为他在嘲弄自己的她,转身撒腿就跑了!咦?他、他干嘛追着自己不放,难道他的眼睛被糊住,没看见她长得什么样吗?这赖在她身边,笑得傻呆呆的他,竟然出得厅堂,入得厨房,把她当宝宠,她是在做梦吗?天上竟然掉下这么好的事!?难不成老天在补偿她,给她这个丑女送来一位权高位重的“大祸水”?
  • 错进洞房:娘子快到碗里来

    错进洞房:娘子快到碗里来

    她是娇贵的首富千金,他是宰相家的纨绔长子,原本毫无交集的两人却被别人算计成为夫妻。都说她自小娇宠无才无智,他却发现她既可爱又聪慧,简直是天下掉下的好娇妻。听闻他不学无术风流成性,她却觉得他既温柔又专情,并且还有几分神秘感,确实是做夫君的不二人选。既然这样,她干脆将错就错,小手一拍,这个夫君我要了!嗯,有眼光!某男也不甘示弱,张开双臂笑得邪魅,娘子快到怀里来!
  • 石诱

    石诱

    传说,有块石头散发淡淡紫光,一旦找到,便有无上好处,许多人闻名寻找,我陪着女友也踏上了寻找之路。也是这路才知道人会变,不会一直有着那份纯真的!“喂,你怎么这么相信你女友呢?”风音不解……“喂,你怎么不说话?”“……你之前不是还恨男人嘛”钟清说“我发现你的遭遇应该是女的遇到才对。”原来在洛风音心中我不是男的。……难道相信你这块石头变出来的人?
  • 总裁喂我一颗药

    总裁喂我一颗药

    为什么全世界每天来来往往那么多人,老天偏要安排他们两人相遇?为什么他能越过千千万万个大胸长腿的美女,一眼看上土气没内涵的你?谢君予沉思……答案也许只有一个。难道,我就是传说的那个“天选之人”!路之涣:“来,该吃药了。”逗比粗线条女主VS高冷控制狂男主