man and superman-第28章

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lawyer。　And　the　women　loved　me　for　it；　bless　them！

DON　JUAN。　They　made　you　think　so。　What　will　you　say　when　I　tell
you　that　though　I　played　the　lawyer　so　callously；　they　made　me
think　so　too？　I　also　had　my　moments　of　infatuation　in　which　I
gushed　nonsense　and　believed　it。　Sometimes　the　desire　to　give
pleasure　by　saying　beautiful　things　so　rose　in　me　on　the　flood　of
emotion　that　I　said　them　recklessly。　At　other　times　I　argued
against　myself　with　a　devilish　coldness　that　drew　tears。　But　I
found　it　just　as　hard　to　escape　in　the　one　case　as　in　the　others。
When　the　lady's　instinct　was　set　on　me；　there　was　nothing　for　it
but　lifelong　servitude　or　flight。

ANA。　You　dare　boast；　before　me　and　my　father；　that　every　woman
found　you　irresistible。

DON　JUAN。　Am　I　boasting？　It　seems　to　me　that　I　cut　the　most
pitiable　of　figures。　Besides；　I　said　〃when　the　lady's　instinct
was　set　on　me。〃　It　was　not　always　so；　and　then；　heavens！　what
transports　of　virtuous　indignation！　what　overwhelming　defiance　to
the　dastardly　seducer！　what　scenes　of　Imogen　and　Iachimo！

ANA。　I　made　no　scenes。　I　simply　called　my　father。

DON　JUAN。　And　he　came；　sword　in　hand；　to　vindicate　outraged　honor
and　morality　by　murdering　me。

THE　STATUE。　Murdering！　What　do　you　mean？　Did　I　kill　you　or　did
you　kill　me？

DON　JUAN。　Which　of　us　was　the　better　fencer？

THE　STATUE。　I　was。

DON　JUAN。　Of　course　you　were。　And　yet　you；　the　hero　of　those
scandalous　adventures　you　have　just　been　relating　to　us；　you　had
the　effrontery　to　pose　as　the　avenger　of　outraged　morality　and
condemn　me　to　death！　You　would　have　slain　me　but　for　an　accident。

THE　STATUE。　I　was　expected　to；　Juan。　That　is　how　things　were
arranged　on　earth。　I　was　not　a　social　reformer；　and　I　always　did
what　it　was　customary　for　a　gentleman　to　do。

DON　JUAN。　That　may　account　for　your　attacking　me；　but　not　for　the
revolting　hypocrisy　of　your　subsequent　proceedings　as　a　statue。

THE　STATUE。　That　all　came　of　my　going　to　Heaven。

THE　DEVIL。　I　still　fail　to　see；　Senor　Don　Juan；　that　these
episodes　in　your　earthly　career　and　in　that　of　the　Senor
Commander　in　any　way　discredit　my　view　of　life。　Here；　I　repeat；
you　have　all　that　you　sought　without　anything　that　you　shrank
from。

DON　JUAN。　On　the　contrary；　here　I　have　everything　that
disappointed　me　without　anything　that　I　have　not　already　tried
and　found　wanting。　I　tell　you　that　as　long　as　I　can　conceive
something　better　than　myself　I　cannot　be　easy　unless　I　am
striving　to　bring　it　into　existence　or　clearing　the　way　for　it。
That　is　the　law　of　my　life。　That　is　the　working　within　me　of
Life's　incessant　aspiration　to　higher　organization；　wider；
deeper；　intenser　self…consciousness；　and　clearer
self…understanding。　It　was　the　supremacy　of　this　purpose　that
reduced　love　for　me　to　the　mere　pleasure　of　a　moment；　art　for　me
to　the　mere　schooling　of　my　faculties；　religion　for　me　to　a　mere
excuse　for　laziness；　since　it　had　set　up　a　God　who　looked　at　the
world　and　saw　that　it　was　good；　against　the　instinct　in　me　that
looked　through　my　eyes　at　the　world　and　saw　that　it　could　be
improved。　I　tell　you　that　in　the　pursuit　of　my　own　pleasure；　my
own　health；　my　own　fortune；　I　have　never　known　happiness。　It　was
not　love　for　Woman　that　delivered　me　into　her　hands：　it　was
fatigue；　exhaustion。　When　I　was　a　child；　and　bruised　my　head
against　a　stone；　I　ran　to　the　nearest　woman　and　cried　away　my
pain　against　her　apron。　When　I　grew　up；　and　bruised　my　soul
against　the　brutalities　and　stupidities　with　which　I　had　to
strive；　I　did　again　just　what　I　had　done　as　a　child。　I　have
enjoyed；　too；　my　rests；　my　recuperations；　my　breathing　times；　my
very　prostrations　after　strife；　but　rather　would　I　be　dragged
through　all　the　circles　of　the　foolish　Italian's　Inferno　than
through　the　pleasures　of　Europe。　That　is　what　has　made　this　place
of　eternal　pleasures　so　deadly　to　me。　It　is　the　absence　of　this
instinct　in　you　that　makes　you　that　strange　monster　called　a
Devil。　It　is　the　success　with　which　you　have　diverted　the
attention　of　men　from　their　real　purpose；　which　in　one　degree　or
another　is　the　same　as　mine；　to　yours；　that　has　earned　you　the
name　of　The　Tempter。　It　is　the　fact　that　they　are　doing　your
will；　or　rather　drifting　with　your　want　of　will；　instead　of　doing
their　own；　that　makes　them　the　uncomfortable；　false；　restless；
artificial；　petulant；　wretched　creatures　they　are。

THE　DEVIL。　＇mortified＇　Senor　Don　Juan：　you　are　uncivil　to　my
friends。

DON　JUAN。　Pooh！　why　should　I　be　civil　to　them　or　to　you？　In　this
Palace　of　Lies　a　truth　or　two　will　not　hurt　you。　Your　friends　are
all　the　dullest　dogs　I　know。　They　are　not　beautiful：　they　are
only　decorated。　They　are　not　clean：　they　are　only　shaved　and
starched。　They　are　not　dignified：　they　are　only　fashionably
dressed。　They　are　not　educated　they　are　only　college　passmen。
They　are　not　religious：　they　are　only　pewrenters。　They　are　not
moral：　they　are　only　conventional。　They　are　not　virtuous：　they
are　only　cowardly。　They　are　not　even　vicious：　they　are　only
〃frail。〃　They　are　not　artistic：　they　are　only　lascivious。　They
are　not　prosperous：　they　are　only　rich。　They　are　not　loyal；　they
are　only　servile；　not　dutiful；　only　sheepish；　not　public
spirited；　only　patriotic；　not　courageous；　only　quarrelsome；　not
determined；　only　obstinate；　not　masterful；　only　domineering；　not
self…controlled；　only　obtuse；　not　self…respecting；　only　vain；　not
kind；　only　sentimental；　not　social；　only　gregarious；　not
considerate；　only　polite；　not　intelligent；　only　opinionated；　not
progressive；　only　factious；　not　imaginative；　only　superstitious；
not　just；　only　vindictive；　not　generous；　only　propitiatory；　not
disciplined；　only　cowed；　and　not　truthful　at　allliars　every　one
of　them；　to　the　very　backbone　of　their　souls。

THE　STATUE。　Your　flow　of　words　is　simply　amazing；　Juan。　How　I
wish　I　could　have　talked　like　that　to　my　soldiers。

THE　DEVIL。　It　is　mere　talk；　though。　It　has　all　been　said　before；
but　what　change　has　it　ever　made？　What　notice　has　the　world　ever
taken　of　it？

DON　JUAN。　Yes；　it　is　mere　talk。　But　why　is　it　mere　talk？　Because；
my　friend；　beauty；　purity；　respectability；　religion；　morality；
art；　patriotism；　bravery　and　the　rest　are　nothing　but　words　which
I　or　anyone　else　can　turn　inside　out　like　a　glove。　Were　they
realities；　you　would　have　to　plead　guilty　to　my　indictment；　but
fortunately　for　your　self…respect；　my　diabolical　friend；　they　are
not　realities。　As　you　say；　they　are　mere　words；　useful　for　duping
barbarians　into　adopting　civilization；　or　the　civilized　poor　into
submitting　to　be　robbed　and　enslaved。　That　is　the　family　secret
of　the　governing　caste；　and　if　we　who　are　of　that　caste　aimed　at
more　Life　for　the　world　instead　of　at　more　power　and　luxury　for
our　miserable　selves；　that　secret　would　make　us　great。　Now；　since
I；　being　a　nobleman；　am　in　the　secret　too；　think　how　tedious　to
me　must　be　your　unending　cant　about　all　these　moralistic
figments；　and　how　squalidly　disastrous　your　sacrifice　of　your
lives　to　them！　If　you　even　believed　in　your　moral　game　enough　to
play　it　fairly；　it　would　be　interesting　to　watch；　but　you　don't：
you　cheat　at　every　trick；　and　if　your　opponent　outcheats　you；　you
upset　the　table　and　try　to　murder　him。

THE　DEVIL。　On　earth　there　may　be　some　truth　in　this；　because　the
people　are　uneducated　and　cannot　appreciate　my　religion　of　love
and　beauty；　but　here

DON　JUAN。　Oh　yes：　I　know。　Here　there　is　nothing　but　love　and
beauty。　Ugh！　it　is　like　sitting　for　all　eternity　at　the　first　act
of　a　fashionable　play；　before　the　complications　begin。　Never　in
my　worst　moments　of　superstitious　terror　on　earth　did　I　dream
that　Hell　was　so　horrible。　I　live；　like　a　hairdresser；　in　the
continual　contemplation　of　beauty；　toying　with　silken　tresses。　I
breathe　an　atmosphere　of　sweetness；　like　a　confectioner's
shopboy。　Commander：　are　there　any　beautiful　women　in　Heaven？

THE　STATUE。　None。　Absolutely　none。　All　dowdies。　Not　two　pennorth
of　jewellery　among　a　dozen　of　them。　They　might　be　men　of　fifty。

DON　JUAN。　I　am　impatient　to　get　there。　Is　the　word　beauty　ever
mentioned；　and　are　there　any　artistic　people？

THE　STATUE。　I　give　you　my　word　they　won't　admire　a　fine　statue
even　when　it　walks　past　them。

DON　JUAN。　I　go。

THE　DEVIL。　Don　Juan：　shall　I　be　frank　with　you？

DON　JUAN。　Were　you　not　so　before？

THE　DEVIL。　As　far　as　I　went；　yes。　But　I　will　now　go　further；　and
confess　to　you　that　men　get　tired　of　everything；　of　heaven　no
less　than　of　hell；　and　that　all　history　is　nothing　but　a　record
of　the　oscillations　of　the　world　between　these　two　extremes。　An
epoch　is　but　a　swing　of　the　pendulum；　and　each　generation　thinks
the　world　is　progressing　because　it　is　always　moving。　But　when
you　are　as　old　as　I　am；　when　you　have　a　thousand　times　wearied　of
heaven；　like　myself　and　the　Commander；　and　a　thousand　times
wearied　of　hell；　as　you　are　wearied　now；　you　will　no　longer
imagine　that　every　swing　from　heaven　to　hell　is　an　emancipation；
every　swing　from　hell　to　heaven　an　evolution。　Where　you　now　see
reform；　progress；　fulfilment　of　upward　tendency；　continual　ascent
by　Man　on　the　stepping　stones　of　his　dead　selves　to　higher
things；　you　will　see　nothing　but　an　infinite　comedy　of　illusion。
You　will　discover　the　profound　truth　of　the　saying　of　my　friend
Koheleth；　that　there　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun。　Vanitas
vanitatum

DON　JUAN。　＇out　of　all　patience＇　By　Heaven；　this　is　worse　than
your　cant　about　love　and　beauty。　Clever　dolt　that　you　are；　is　a
man　no　better　than　a　worm；　or　a　dog　than　a　wolf；　because　he　gets
tired　of　everything？　Shall　he　give　up　eating　because　he　destroys
his　appetite　in　the　act　of　gratifying　it？　Is　a　field　idle　when　it
is　fallow？　Can　the　Commander　expend　his　hellish　energy　here
without　accumulating　heavenly　energy　for　his　next　term　of
blessedness？　Granted　that　the　great　Life　Force　has　hit　on　the
device　of　the　clockmaker's　pendulum；　and　uses　the　earth　for　its
bob；　that　the　history　of　each　oscillation；　which　seems　so　novel
to　us　the　actors；　is　but　the　history　of　the　last　oscillation
repeated；　nay　more；　that　in　the　unthinkable　infinitude　of　time
the　sun　throws　off　the　earth　and　catches　it　again　a　thousand
times　as　a　circus　rider　throws　up　a　ball；　and　that　the　total
of　all　our　epochs　is　but　the　moment　between　the　toss　and　the
catch；　has　the　colossal　mechanism　no　purpose？

THE　DEVIL。　None；　my　friend。　You　think；　because　you　have　a
purpose；　Nature　must　have　one。　You　might　as　well　expect　it　to
have　fingers　and　toes　because　you　have　them。

DON　JUAN。　But　I　should　not　have　them　if　they　served　no　purpose。
And　I；　my　friend；　am　as　much　a　part　of　Nature　as　my　own　finger　is
a　part　of　me。　If　my　finger　is　the　organ　by　which　I　grasp　the
sword　and　the　mandoline；　my　brain　is　the　organ　by　which　Nature
strives　to　understand　itself。　My　dog's　brain　serves　only　my　dog's
purposes；　but　my　brain　labors　at　a　knowledge　which　does　nothing
for　me　personally　but　make　my　body　bitter　to　me　and　my　decay　and
death　a　calamity。　Were　I　not　possessed　with　a　purpose　beyond　my
own　I　had　better　be　a　ploughman　than　a　philosopher；　for　the
ploughman　lives　as　long　as　the　philosopher；　eats　more；　sleeps
better；　and　rejoices　in　the　wife　of　his　bosom　with　less
misgivin