Man and Superman, George Bernard Shaw [hardest books to read txt] 📗

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 well⁠—I apologize⁠—abjectly 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 never⁠—at 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 his movements are swift and sudden, yet attentive and deliberate. With Tanner and Tanner’s friends his manner is not in the least deferential, but cool and reticent, keeping them quite effectually at a distance whilst giving them no excuse for complaining of him. Nevertheless he has a vigilant eye on them always, and that, too, rather cynically, like a man who knows the world well from its seamy side. He speaks slowly and with a touch of sarcasm; and as he does