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

you’re Ector: if you avn’t noticed it before you soon will. The growing strain of the conversation is here relieved by Violet, who has sallied from the villa and through the garden to the steps, which she now descends, coming very opportunely between Malone and Straker. Violet To Straker. Did you take my message? Straker Yes, miss. I took it to the hotel and sent it up, expecting to see young Mr. Malone. Then out walks this gent, and says it’s all right and he’ll come with me. So as the hotel people said he was Mr. Ector Malone, I fetched him. And now he goes back on what he said. But if he isn’t the gentleman you meant, say the word: it’s easy enough to fetch him back again. Malone I should esteem it a great favor if I might have a short conversation with you, madam. I am Hector’s father, as this bright Britisher would have guessed in the course of another hour or so. Straker Coolly defiant. No, not in another year or so. When we’ve ad you as long to polish up as we’ve ad im, perhaps you’ll begin to look a little bit up to is mark. At present you fall a long way short. You’ve got too many aitches, for one thing. To Violet, amiably. All right, Miss: you want to talk to him: I shan’t intrude. He nods affably to Malone and goes out through the little gate in the paling. Violet Very civilly. I am so sorry, Mr. Malone, if that man has been rude to you. But what can we do? He is our chauffeur. Malone Your what? Violet The driver of our automobile. He can drive a motor car at seventy miles an hour, and mend it when it breaks down. We are dependent on our motor cars; and our motor cars are dependent on him; so of course we are dependent on him. Malone I’ve noticed, madam, that every thousand dollars an Englishman gets seems to add one to the number of people he’s dependent on. However, you needn’t apologize for your man: I made him talk on purpose. By doing so I learnt that you’re staying here in Grannida with a party of English, including my son Hector. Violet Conversationally. Yes. We intended to go to Nice; but we had to follow a rather eccentric member of our party who started first and came here. Won’t you sit down? She clears the nearest chair of the two books on it. Malone Impressed by this attention. Thank you. He sits down, examining her curiously as she goes to the iron table to put down the books. When she turns to him again, he says. Miss Robinson, I believe? Violet Sitting down. Yes. Malone Taking a letter from his pocket. Your note to Hector runs as follows: Violet is unable to repress a start. He pauses quietly to take out and put on his spectacles, which have gold rims. “Dearest: they have all gone to the Alhambra for the afternoon. I have shammed headache and have the garden all to myself. Jump into Jack’s motor: Straker will rattle you here in a jiffy. Quick, quick, quick. Your loving Violet.” He looks at her; but by this time she has recovered herself, and meets his spectacles with perfect composure. He continues slowly. Now I don’t know on what terms young people associate in English society; but in America that note would be considered to imply a very considerable degree of affectionate intimacy between the parties. Violet Yes: I know your son very well, Mr. Malone. Have you any objection? Malone Somewhat taken aback. No, no objection exactly. Provided it is understood that my son is altogether dependent on me, and that I have to be consulted in any important step he may propose to take. Violet I am sure you would not be unreasonable with him, Mr. Malone. Malone I hope not, Miss Robinson; but at your age you might think many things unreasonable that don’t seem so to me. Violet With a little shrug. Oh well, I suppose there’s no use our playing at cross purposes, Mr. Malone. Hector wants to marry me. Malone I inferred from your note that he might. Well, Miss Robinson, he is his own master; but if he marries you he shall not have a rap from me. He takes off his spectacles and pockets them with the note. Violet With some severity. That is not very complimentary to me, Mr. Malone. Malone I say nothing against you, Miss Robinson: I daresay you are an amiable and excellent young lady. But I have other views for Hector. Violet Hector may not have other views for himself, Mr. Malone. Malone Possibly not. Then he does without me: that’s all. I daresay you are prepared for that. When a young lady writes to a young man to come to her quick, quick, quick, money seems nothing and love seems everything. Violet Sharply. I beg your pardon, Mr. Malone: I do not think anything so foolish. Hector must have money. Malone Staggered. Oh, very well, very well. No doubt he can work for it. Violet What is the use of having money if you have to work for it? She rises impatiently. It’s all nonsense, Mr. Malone: you must enable your son to keep up his position. It is his right. Malone Grimly. I should not advise you to marry him on the strength of that right, Miss Robinson. Violet, who has almost lost her temper, controls herself with an effort; unclenches her fingers; and resumes her seat with studied tranquillity and reasonableness. Violet What objection have you to me, pray? My social position is as good as Hector’s, to say the least. He admits it. Malone Shrewdly. You tell him so from time to time, eh? Hector’s social position in England, Miss Robinson, is just what I choose to buy for him. I have made him a fair offer. Let him pick out the most