第 4 节
作者:北方刷刷      更新:2021-02-19 21:33      字数:9321
  have the morals of a dragoon。 'She receives this with a shriek of
  laughter。 He struggles with his sense of humor。' At the same time
  'he sits down' there is a certain coarse fun in the idea which
  compels me to smile 'he turns up his moustache and smiles。'
  ERMYNTRUDE。 When I marry the Inca's son; Captain; I shall make
  the Inca order you to cut off that moustache。 It is too
  irresistible。 Doesn't it fascinate everyone in Perusalem?
  THE INCA 'leaning forward to her energetically'。 By all the
  thunders of Thor; madam; it fascinates the whole world。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 What I like about you; Captain Duval; is your
  modesty。
  THE INCA 'straightening up suddenly'。 Woman; do not be a fool。
  ERMYNTRUDE 'indignant'。 Well!
  THE INCA。 You must look facts in the face。 This moustache is an
  exact copy of the Inca's moustache。 Well; does the world occupy
  itself with the Inca's moustache or does it not? Does it ever
  occupy itself with anything else? If that is the truth; does its
  recognition constitute the Inca a coxcomb? Other potentates have
  moustaches: even beards and moustaches。 Does the world occupy
  itself with those beards and moustaches? Do the hawkers in the
  streets of every capital on the civilized globe sell ingenious
  cardboard representations of their faces on which; at the pulling
  of a simple string; the moustaches turn up and down; so'he
  makes his moustache turn; up and down several times'? No! I say
  No。 The Inca's moustache is so watched and studied that it has
  made his face the political barometer of the whole continent。
  When that moustache goes up; culture rises with it。 Not what you
  call culture; but Kultur; a word so much more significant that I
  hardly understand it myself except when I am in specially good
  form。 When it goes down; millions of men perish。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 You know; if I had a moustache like that; it would
  turn my head。 I should go mad。 Are you quite sure the Inca isn't
  mad?
  THE INCA。 How can he be mad; madam? What is sanity? The condition
  of the Inca's mind。 What is madness? The condition of the people
  who disagree with the Inca。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Then I am a lunatic because I don't like that
  ridiculous brooch。
  THE INCA。 No; madam: you are only an idiot。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Thank you。
  THE INCA。 Mark you: It is not to be expected that you should see
  eye to eye with the Inca。 That would be presumption。 It is for
  you to accept without question or demur the assurance of your
  Inca that the brooch is a masterpiece。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 MY Inca! Oh; come! I like that。 He is not my Inca
  yet。
  THE INCA。 He is everybody's Inca; madam。 His realm will yet
  extend to the confines of the habitable earth。 It is his divine
  right; and let those who dispute it look to themselves。 Properly
  speaking; all those who are now trying to shake his world
  predominance are not at war with him; but in rebellion against
  him。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Well; he started it; you know。
  THE INCA。 Madam; be just。 When the hunters surround the lion; the
  lion will spring。 The Inca had kept the peace of years。 Those who
  attacked him were steeped in blood; black blood; white blood;
  brown blood; yellow blood; blue blood。 The Inca had never shed a
  drop。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 He had only talked。
  THE INCA。 Only TALKED! ONLY talked! What is more glorious than
  talk? Can anyone in the world talk like him? Madam; when he
  signed the declaration of war; he said to his foolish generals
  and admirals; 'Gentlemen; you will all be sorry for this。' And
  they are。 They know now that they had better have relied on the
  sword of the spirit: in other words; on their Inca's talk; than
  on their murderous cannons。 The world will one day do justice to
  the Inca as the man who kept the peace with nothing but his
  tongue and his moustache。 While he talked: talked just as I am
  talking now to you; simply; quietly; sensibly; but GREATLY; there
  was peace; there was prosperity; Perusalem went from success to
  success。 He has been silenced for a year by the roar of
  trinitrotoluene and the bluster of fools; and the world is in
  ruins。 What a tragedy! 'He is convulsed with grief。'
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Captain Duval; I don't want to be unsympathetic; but
  suppose we get back to business。
  THE INCA。 Business! What business?
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Well; MY business。 You want me to marry one of the
  Inca's sons: I forget which。
  THE INCA。 As far as I can recollect the name; it is His Imperial
  Highness Prince Eitel William Frederick George Franz Josef
  Alexander Nicholas Victor Emmanuel Albert Theodore Wilson
  ERMYNTRUDE 'interrupting'。 Oh; please; please; mayn't I have one
  with a shorter name? What is he called at home?
  THE INCA。 He is usually called Sonny; madam。 'With great charm of
  manner。' But you will please understand that the Inca has no
  desire to pin you to any particular son。 There is Chips and Spots
  and Lulu and Pongo and the Corsair and the Piffler and Jack
  Johnson the Second; all unmarried。 At least not seriously
  married: nothing; in short; that cannot be arranged。 They are all
  at your service。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Are they all as clever and charming as their father?
  THE INCA 'lifts his eyebrows pityingly; shrugs his shoulders;
  then; with indulgent paternal contempt'。 Excellent lads; madam。
  Very honest affectionate creatures。 I have nothing against them。
  Pongo imitates farmyard soundscock crowing and that sort of
  thingextremely well。 Lulu plays Strauss's Sinfonia Domestica on
  the mouth organ really screamingly。 Chips keeps owls and rabbits。
  Spots motor bicycles。 The Corsair commands canal barges and
  steers them himself。 The Piffler writes plays; and paints most
  abominably。 Jack Johnson trims ladies' hats; and boxes with
  professionals hired for that purpose。 He is invariably
  victorious。 Yes: they all have their different little talents。
  And also; of course; their family resemblances。 For example; they
  all smoke; they all quarrel with one another; and they none of
  them appreciate their father; who; by the way; is no mean
  painter; though the Piffler pretends to ridicule his efforts。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Quite a large choice; eh?
  THE INCA。 But very little to choose; believe me。 I should not
  recommend Pongo; because he snores so frightfully that it has
  been necessary to build him a sound…proof bedroom: otherwise the
  royal family would get no sleep。 But any of the others would suit
  equally wellif you are really bent on marrying one of them。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 If! What is this? I never wanted to marry one of
  them。 I thought you wanted me to。
  THE INCA。 I did; madam; but 'confidentially; flattering her' you
  are not quite the sort of person I expected you to be; and I
  doubt whether any of these young degenerates would make you
  happy。 I trust I am not showing any want of natural feeling when
  I say that from the point of view of a lively; accomplished; and
  beautiful woman 'Ermyntrude bows' they might pall after a time。 I
  suggest that you might prefer the Inca himself。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Oh; Captain; how could a humble person like myself be
  of any interest to a prince who is surrounded with the ablest and
  most far…reaching intellects in the world?
  TAE INCA 'explosively'。 What on earth are you talking about;
  madam? Can you name a single man in the entourage of the Inca who
  is not a born fool?
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Oh; how can you say that! There is Admiral von
  Cockpits
  THE INCA 'rising intolerantly and striding about the room'。 Von
  Cockpits! Madam; if Von Cockpits ever goes to heaven; before
  three weeks are over the Angel Gabriel will be at war with the
  man in the moon。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 But General Von Schinkenburg
  THE INCA。 Schinkenburg! I grant you; Schinkenburg has a genius
  for defending market gardens。 Among market gardens he is
  invincible。 But what is the good of that? The world does not
  consist of market gardens。 Turn him loose in pasture and he is
  lost。 The Inca has defeated all these generals again and again at
  manoeuvres; and yet he has to give place to them in the field
  because he would be blamed for every disasteraccused of
  sacrificing the country to his vanity。 Vanity! Why do they call
  him vain? Just because he is one of the few men who are not
  afraid to live。 Why do they call themselves brave? Because they
  have not sense enough to be afraid to die。 Within the last year
  the world has produced millions of heroes。 Has it produced more
  than one Inca? 'He resumes his seat。'
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Fortunately not; Captain。 I'd rather marry Chips。
  THE INCA 'making a wry face'。 Chips! Oh no: I wouldn't marry
  Chips。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Why?
  THE INCA 'whispering the secret'。 Chips talks too much about
  himself。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 Well; what about Snooks?
  THE INCA。 Snooks? Who is he? Have I a son named Snooks? There are
  so many'wearily' so manythat I often forget。 'Casually。' But
  I wouldn't marry him; anyhow; if I were you。
  ERMYNTRUDE。 But hasn't any of them inherited the family genius?
  Surely; if Providence has entrusted them with the care of
  Perusalemif they are all descended from Bedrock the Great
  THE INCA 'interrupting her impatiently'。 Madam; if you ask me; I
  consider Bedrock a grossly overrated monarch。
  ERMYNTRUDE 'shocked'。 Oh; Captain! Take care! Incadisparagement。
  THE INCA。 I repeat; grossly overrated。 Strictly