第 36 节
作者:
这就是结局 更新:2021-04-30 15:46 字数:9321
old times。
THE DEVIL。 And me also。
ANA。 Stop! 'The trap stops'。
THE DEVIL。 You; Senora; cannot come this way。 You will have an
apotheosis。 But you will be at the palace before us。
ANA。 That is not what I stopped you for。 Tell me where can I find
the Superman?
THE DEVIL。 He is not yet created; Senora。
THE STATUE。 And never will be; probably。 Let us proceed: the red
fire will make me sneeze。 'They descend'。
ANA。 Not yet created! Then my work is not yet done。 'Crossing
herself devoutly' I believe in the Life to Come。 'Crying to the
universe' A fathera father for the Superman!
She vanishes into the void; and again there is nothing: all
existence seems suspended infinitely。 Then; vaguely; there is a
live human voice crying somewhere。 One sees; with a shock; a
mountain peak showing faintly against a lighter background。 The
sky has returned from afar; and we suddenly remember where we
were。 The cry becomes distinct and urgent: it says Automobile;
Automobile。 The complete reality comes back with a rush: in a
moment it is full morning in the Sierra; and the brigands are
scrambling to their feet and making for the road as the goatherd
runs down from the hill; warning them of the approach of another
motor。 Tanner and Mendoza rise amazedly and stare at one another
with scattered wits。 Straker sits up to yawn for a moment before
he gets on his feet; making it a point of honor not to show any
undue interest in the excitement of the bandits。 Mendoza gives a
quick look to see that his followers are attending to the alarm;
then exchanges a private word with Tanner。
MENDOZA。 Did you dream?
TANNER。 Damnably。 Did you?
MENDOZA。 Yes。 I forget what。 You were in it。
TANNER。 So were you。 Amazing
MENDOZA。 I warned you。 'a shot is heard from the road'。 Dolts!
they will play with that gun。 'The brigands come running back
scared'。 Who fired that shot? 'to Duval' Was it you?
DUVAL。 'breathless' I have not shoot。 Dey shoot first。
ANARCHIST。 I told you to begin by abolishing the State。 Now we
are all lost。
THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'stampeding across the amphitheatre'
Run; everybody。
MENDOZA。 'collaring him; throwing him on his back; and drawing a
knife' I stab the man who stirs。 'He blocks the way。 The stampede
it checked'。 What has happened?
THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT; A motor
THE ANARCHIST。 Three men
DUVAL。 Deux femmes
MENDOZA。 Three men and two women! Why have you not brought them
here? Are you afraid of them?
THE ROWDY ONE。 'getting up' Thyve a hescort。 Ow; de…ooh lut's ook
it; Mendowza。
THE SULKY ONE。 Two armored cars full o soldiers at the end o the
valley。
ANARCHIST。 The shot was fired in the air。 It was a signal。
Straker whistles his favorite air; which falls on the ears of the
brigands like a funeral march。
TANNER。 It is not an escort; but an expedition to capture you。 We
were advised to wait for it; but I was in a hurry。
THE ROWDY ONE。 'in an agony of apprehension' And Ow my good Lord;
ere we are; wytin for em! Lut's tike to the mahntns。
MENDOZA。 Idiot; what do you know about the mountains? Are you a
Spaniard? You would be given up by the first shepherd you met。
Besides; we are already within range of their rifles。
THE ROWDY ONE。 Bat
MENDOZA。 Silence。 Leave this to me。 'To Tanner' Comrade: you will
not betray us。
STRAKER。 Oo are you callin comrade?
MENDOZA。 Last night the advantage was with me。 The robber of the
poor was at the mercy of the robber of the rich。 You offered your
hand: I took it。
TANNER。 I bring no charge against you; comrade。 We have spent a
pleasant evening with you: that is all。
STRAKER。 I gev my and to nobody; see?
MENDOZA。 'turning on him impressively' Young man; if I am tried;
I shall plead guilty; and explain what drove me from England; home
and duty。 Do you wish to have the respectable name of Straker
dragged through the mud of a Spanish criminal court? The police
will search me。 They will find Louisa's portrait。 It will be
published in the illustrated papers。 You blench。 It will be your
doing; remember。
STRAKER。 'with baffled rage' I don't care about the court。 It's
avin our name mixed up with yours that I object to; you
blackmailin swine; you。
MENDOZA。 Language unworthy of Louisa's brother! But no matter:
you are muzzled: that is enough for us。 'He turns to face his own
men; who back uneasily across the amphitheatre towards the cave
to take refuge behind him; as a fresh party; muffled for
motoring; comes from the road in riotous spirits。 Ann; who makes
straight for Tanner; comes first; then Violet; helped over the
rough ground by Hector holding her right hand and Ramsden her
left。 Mendoza goes to his presidential block and seats himself
calmly with his rank and file grouped behind him; and his Staff;
consisting of Duval and the Anarchist on his right and the two
Social…Democrats on his left; supporting him in flank'。
ANN。 It's Jack!
TANNER。 Caught!
HECTOR。 Why; certainly it is。 I said it was you; Tanner; We've
just been stopped by a puncture: the road is full of nails。
VIOLET。 What are you doing here with all these men?
ANN。 Why did you leave us without a word of warning?
HECTOR。 I want that bunch of roses; Miss Whitefield。 'To Tanner'
When we found you were gone; Miss Whitefield bet me a bunch of
roses my car would not overtake yours before you reached Monte
Carlo。
TANNER。 But this is not the road to Monte Carlo。
HECTOR。 No matter。 Miss Whitefield tracked you at every stopping
place: she is a regular Sherlock Holmes。
TANNER。 The Life Force! I am lost。
OCTAVIUS。 'Bounding gaily down from the road into the
amphitheatre; and coming between Tanner and Straker' I am so glad
you are safe; old chap。 We were afraid you had been captured by
brigands。
RAMSDEN。 'who has been staring at Mendoza' I seem to remember the
face of your friend here。 'Mendoza rises politely and advances
with a smile between Ann and Ramsden'。
HECTOR。 Why; so do I。
OCTAVIUS。 I know you perfectly well; Sir; but I can't think where
I have met you。
MENDOZA。 'to Violet' Do YOU remember me; madam?
VIOLET。 Oh; quite well; but I am so stupid about names。
MENDOZA。 It was at the Savoy Hotel。 'To Hector' You; sir; used to
come with this lady 'Violet' to lunch。 'To Octavius' You; sir;
often brought this lady 'Ann' and her mother to dinner on your
way to the Lyceum Theatre。 'To Ramsden' You; sir; used to come to
supper; with 'dropping his voice to a confidential but perfectly
audible whisper' several different ladies。
RAMSDEN。 'angrily' Well; what is that to you; pray?
OCTAVIUS。 Why; Violet; I thought you hardly knew one another
before this trip; you and Malone!
VIOLET。 'vexed' I suppose this person was the manager。
MENDOZA。 The waiter; madam。 I have a grateful recollection of you
all。 I gathered from the bountiful way in which you treated me
that you all enjoyed your visits very much。
VIOLET。 What impertinence! 'She turns her back on him; and goes
up the hill with Hector'。
RAMSDEN。 That will do; my friend。 You do not expect these ladies
to treat you as an acquaintance; I suppose; because you have
waited on them at table。
MENDOZA。 Pardon me: it was you who claimed my acquaintance。 The
ladies followed your example。 However; this display of the
unfortunate manners of your class closes the incident。 For the
future; you will please address me with the respect due to a
stranger and fellow traveller。 'He turns haughtily away and
resumes his presidential seat'。
TANNER。 There! I have found one man on my journey capable of
reasonable conversation; and you all instinctively insult him。
Even the New Man is as bad as any of you。 Enry: you have behaved
just like a miserable gentleman。
STRAKER。 Gentleman! Not me。
RAMSDEN。 Really; Tanner; this tone
ANN。 Don't mind him; Granny: you ought to know him by this time
'she takes his arm and coaxes him away to the hill to join Violet
and Hector。 Octavius follows her; doglike'。
VIOLET。 'calling from the hill' Here are the soldiers。 They are
getting out of their motors。
DUVAL。 'panicstricken' Oh; nom de Dieu!
THE ANARCHIST。 Fools: the State is about to crush you because you
spared it at the prompting of the political hangers…on of the
bourgeoisie。
THE SULKY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'argumentative to the last' On the
contrary; only by capturing the State machine
THE ANARCHIST。 It is going to capture you。
THE ROWDY SOCIAL…DEMOCRAT。 'his anguish culminating' Ow; chock
it。 Wot are we ere for? WOT are we wytin for?
MENDOZA。 'between his teeth' Goon。 Talk politics; you idiots:
nothing sounds more respectable。 Keep it up; I tell you。
The soldiers line the road; commanding the amphitheatre with
their rifles。 The brigands; struggling with an over…whelming
impulse to hide behind one another; look as unconcerned as they
can。 Mendoza rises superbly; with undaunted front。 The officer
in command steps down from the road in to the amphitheatre;
looks hard at the brigands; and then inquiringly at Tanner。
THE OFFICER。 Who are these men; Senor Ingles?
TANNER。 My escort。
Mendoza; with a Mephistophelean smile; bows profoundly。 An
irrepressible grin runs from face to