按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
she not be 〃that charming ladee；〃 〃veree chic； you know！〃 And the
old Timsgood old…fashioned gentlemandrinking his liquor well。
Eh！ bienwhat are we now？ Dark beasts； despised by all。 That is
life； Monsieur。 ＇He stares into the fire。＇
WELLWYN。 We're our own enemies； Ferrand。 I can afford ityou
can't。 Quite true！
FERRAND。 ＇Earnestly。＇ Monsieur； do you know this？ You are the
sole being that can do us goodwe hopeless ones。
WELLWYN。 ＇Shaking his head。＇ Not a bit of it； I'm hopeless too。
FERRAND。 ＇Eagerly。＇ Monsieur； it is just that。 You understand。
When we are with you we feel somethinghere＇he touches his
heart。＇ If I had one prayer to make； it would be； Good God； give me
to understand！ Those sirs； with their theories； they can clean our
skins and chain our 'abitsthat soothes for them the aesthetic
sense； it gives them too their good little importance。 But our
spirits they cannot touch； for they nevare understand。 Without
that； Monsieur； all is dry as a parched skin of orange。
WELLWYN。 Don't be so bitter。 Think of all the work they do！
FERRAND。 Monsieur； of their industry I say nothing。 They do a good
work while they attend with their theories to the sick and the tame
old； and the good unfortunate deserving。 Above all to the little
children。 But； Monsieur； when all is done； there are always us
hopeless ones。 What can they do with me； Monsieur； with that girl；
or with that old man？ Ah！ Monsieur； we； too； 'ave our qualities；
we othersit wants you courage to undertake a career like mine； or
like that young girl's。 We wild oneswe know a thousand times more
of life than ever will those sirs。 They waste their time trying to
make rooks white。 Be kind to us if you will； or let us alone like
Mees Ann； but do not try to change our skins。 Leave us to live； or
leave us to die when we like in the free air。 If you do not wish of
us； you have but to shut your pockets andyour doorswe shall die
the faster。
WELLWYN。 ＇With agitation。＇ But that； you knowwe can't donow
can we？
FERRAND。 If you cannot； how is it our fault？ The harm we do to
othersis it so much？ If I am criminal； dangerousshut me up！
I would not pity myselfnevare。 But we in whom something moves
like that flame； Monsieur； that cannot keep stillwe otherswe are
not manythat must have motion in our lives； do not let them make
us prisoners； with their theories； because we are not like themit
is life itself they would enclose！ ＇He draws up his tattered
figure； then bending over the fire again。＇ I ask your pardon； I am
talking。 If I could smoke； Monsieur！
＇WELLWYN hands him a tobacco pouch； and he rolls a cigarette
with his yellow…Stained fingers。
FERRAND。 The good God made me so that I would rather walk a whole
month of nights； hungry； with the stars； than sit one single day
making round business on an office stool！ It is not to my
advantage。 I cannot help it that I am a vagabond。 What would you
have？ It is stronger than me。 ＇He looks suddenly at WELLWYN。＇
Monsieur； I say to you things I have never said。
WELLWYN。 ＇Quietly。＇ Go on； go on。 ＇There is silence。＇
FERRAND。 ＇Suddenly。＇ Monsieur！ Are you really English？ The
English are so civilised。
WELLWYN。 And am I not？
FERRAND。 You treat me like a brother。
＇WELLWYN has turned towards the street door at a sound of feet；
and the clamour of voices。＇
TIMSON。 ＇From the street。＇ Take her in 'ere。 I knows 'im。
＇Through the open doorway come a POLICE CONSTABLE and a LOAFER；
bearing between them the limp white faced form of MRS。 MEGAN；
hatless and with drowned hair； enveloped in the policeman's
waterproof。 Some curious persons bring up the rear； jostling
in the doorway； among whom is TIMSON carrying in his hands the
policeman's dripping waterproof leg pieces。＇
FERRAND。 ＇Starting forward。＇ Monsieur； it is that little girl！
WELLWYN。 What's happened？ Constable！ What's happened！
＇The CONSTABLE and LOAFER have laid the body down on the dais；
with WELLWYN and FERRAND they stand bending over her。＇
CONSTABLE。 'Tempted sooicide； sir； but she hadn't been in the water
'arf a minute when I got hold of her。 ＇He bends lower。＇ Can't
understand her collapsin' like this。
WELLWYN。 ＇Feeling her heart。＇ I don't feel anything。
FERRAND。 ＇In a voice sharpened by emotion。＇ Let me try； Monsieur。
CONSTABLE。 ＇Touching his arm。＇ You keep off； my lad。
WELLWYN。 No； constablelet him。 He's her friend。
CONSTABLE。 ＇Releasing FERRANDto the LOAFER。＇ Here you！ Cut off
for a doctor…sharp now！ ＇He pushes back the curious persons。＇ Now
then； stand away there； pleasewe can't have you round the body。
Keep backClear out； now！
＇He slowly moves them back； and at last shepherds them through
the door and shuts it on them； TIMSON being last。
FERRAND。 The rum！
＇WELLWYN fetches the decanter。 With the little there is left
FERRAND chafes the girl's hands and forehead； and pours some
between her lips。 But there is no response from the inert
body。＇
FERRAND。 Her soul is still away； Monsieur！
＇WELLWYN； seizing the decanter； pours into it tea and boiling
water。
CONSTABLE。 It's never drownin'； sirher head was hardly under； I
was on to her like knife。
FERRAND。 ＇Rubbing her feet。＇ She has not yet her philosophy；
Monsieur； at the beginning they often try。 If she is dead！ ＇In a
voice of awed rapture。＇ What fortune！
CONSTABLE。 ＇With puzzled sadness。＇ True enough； sirthat！ We'd
just begun to know 'er。 If she 'as been takenher best friends
couldn't wish 'er better。
WELLWYN。 ＇Applying the decanter to her dips。＇ Poor little thing！
I'll try this hot tea。
FERRAND。 ＇Whispering。＇ 'La mortle grand ami！'
WELLWYN。 Look！ Look at her！ She's coming round！
＇A faint tremor passes over MRS。 MEGAN's body。 He again
applies the hot drink to her mouth。 She stirs and gulps。＇
CONSTABLE。 ＇With intense relief。＇ That's brave！ Good lass！
She'll pick up now； sir。
＇Then； seeing that TIMSON and the curious persons have again
opened the door； he drives them out； and stands with his back
against it。 MRS。 MEGAN comes to herself。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Sitting on the dais and supporting heras if to a
child。＇ There you are； my dear。 There； therebetter now！ That's
right。 Drink a little more of this tea。
＇MRS。 MEGAN drinks from the decanter。＇
FERRAND。 ＇Rising。＇ Bring her to the fire； Monsieur。
＇They take her to the fire and seat her on the little stool。
From the moment of her restored animation FERRAND has resumed
his air of cynical detachment； and now stands apart with arms
folded； watching。＇
WELLWYN。 Feeling better； my child？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。
WELLWYN。 That's good。 That's good。 Now； how was it？ Um？
MRS。 MEGAN。 I dunno。 ＇She shivers。＇ I was standin' here just now
when you was talkin'； and when I heard 'im； it cam' over me to do
itlike。
WELLWYN。 Ah； yes I know。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I didn't seem no good to meself nor any one。 But when
I got in the water； I didn't want to any more。 It was