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

solution of the money difficulty. Violet looks up hopefully. Hector: don’t be rash, my boy. I’m sorry for what I said: I never meant to insult Violet: I take it all back. She’s just the wife you want: there! Hector Patting him on the shoulder. Well, that’s all right, dad. Say no more: we’re friends again. Only, I take no money from anybody. Malone Pleading abjectly. Don’t be hard on me, Hector. I’d rather you quarrelled and took the money than made friends and starved. You don’t know what the world is: I do. Hector No, no, no. That’s fixed: that’s not going to change. He passes his father inexorably by, and goes to Violet. Come, Mrs. Malone: you’ve got to move to the hotel with me, and take your proper place before the world. Violet But I must go in, dear, and tell Davis to pack. Won’t you go on and make them give you a room overlooking the garden for me? I’ll join you in half an hour. Hector Very well. You’ll dine with us, Dad, won’t you? Malone Eager to conciliate him. Yes, yes. Hector See you all later. He waves his hand to Ann, who has now been joined by Tanner, Octavius, and Ramsden in the garden, and goes out through the little gate, leaving his father and Violet together on the lawn. Malone You’ll try to bring him to his senses, Violet: I know you will. Violet I had no idea he could be so headstrong. If he goes on like that, what can I do? Malone Don’t be discurridged: domestic pressure may be slow; but it’s sure. You’ll wear him down. Promise me you will. Violet I will do my best. Of course I think it’s the greatest nonsense deliberately making us poor like that. Malone Of course it is. Violet After a moment’s reflection. You had better give me the remittance. He will want it for his hotel bill. I’ll see whether I can induce him to accept it. Not now, of course, but presently. Malone Eagerly. Yes, yes, yes: that’s just the thing. He hands her the thousand dollar bill, and adds cunningly. Y’understand that this is only a bachelor allowance. Violet Coolly. Oh, quite. She takes it. Thank you. By the way, Mr. Malone, those two houses you mentioned⁠—the abbeys. Malone Yes? Violet Don’t take one of them until I’ve seen it. One never knows what may be wrong with these places. Malone I won’t. I’ll do nothing without consulting you, never fear. Violet Politely, but without a ray of gratitude. Thanks: that will be much the best way. She goes calmly back to the villa, escorted obsequiously by Malone to the upper end of the garden. Tanner Drawing Ramsden’s attention to Malone’s cringing attitude as he takes leave of Violet. And that poor devil is a billionaire! One of the master spirits of the age! Led on a string like a pug dog by the first girl who takes the trouble to despise him. I wonder will it ever come to that with me. He comes down to the lawn. Ramsden Following him. The sooner the better for you. Malone Clapping his hands as he returns through the garden. That’ll be a grand woman for Hector. I wouldn’t exchange her for ten duchesses. He descends to the lawn and comes between Tanner and Ramsden. Ramsden Very civil to the billionaire. It’s an unexpected pleasure to find you in this corner of the world, Mr. Malone. Have you come to buy up the Alhambra? Malone Well, I don’t say I mightn’t. I think I could do better with it than the Spanish government. But that’s not what I came about. To tell you the truth, about a month ago I overheard a deal between two men over a bundle of shares. They differed about the price: they were young and greedy, and didn’t know that if the shares were worth what was bid for them they must be worth what was asked, the margin being too small to be of any account, you see. To amuse meself, I cut in and bought the shares. Well, to this day I haven’t found out what the business is. The office is in this town; and the name is Mendoza, Limited. Now whether Mendoza’s a mine, or a steamboat line, or a bank, or a patent article⁠— Tanner He’s a man. I know him: his principles are thoroughly commercial. Let us take you round the town in our motor, Mr. Malone, and call on him on the way. Malone If you’ll be so kind, yes. And may I ask who⁠— Tanner Mr. Roebuck Ramsden, a very old friend of your daughter-in-law. Malone Happy to meet you, Mr. Ramsden. Ramsden Thank you. Mr. Tanner is also one of our circle. Malone Glad to know you also, Mr. Tanner. Tanner Thanks. Malone and Ramsden go out very amicably through the little gate. Tanner calls to Octavius, who is wandering in the garden with Ann. Tavy! Tavy comes to the steps, Tanner whispers loudly to him. Violet has married a financier of brigands. Tanner hurries away to overtake Malone and Ramsden. Ann strolls to the steps with an idle impulse to torment Octavius. Ann Won’t you go with them, Tavy? Octavius Tears suddenly flushing his eyes. You cut me to the heart, Ann, by wanting me to go He comes down on the lawn to hide his face from her. She follows him caressingly. Ann Poor Ricky Ticky Tavy! Poor heart! Octavius It belongs to you, Ann. Forgive me: I must speak of it. I love you. You know I love you. Ann What’s the good, Tavy? You know that my mother is determined that I shall marry Jack. Octavius Amazed. Jack! Ann It seems absurd, doesn’t it? Octavius With growing resentment. Do you mean to say that Jack has been playing with me all this time? That he has been urging me