the silver box-第2部分

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dicky；　eh；　Mrs。　Jones？

MRS。　JONES。　　He　did　n't　look　quite　himself。　　Of　course　I　did　n't
take　notice。

MARLOW。　　You're　used　to　them。　　How's　your　old　man？

MRS。　JONES。　　＇Softly　as　throughout。＇　　Well；　he　was　very　bad　last
night；　he　did　n't　seem　to　know　what　he　was　about。　　He　was　very　late；
and　he　was　most　abusive。　　But　now；　of　course；　he's　asleep。

MARLOW。　　That's　his　way　of　finding　a　job；　eh？

MRS。　JONES。　　As　a　rule；　Mr。　Marlow；　he　goes　out　early　every　morning
looking　for　work；　and　sometimes　he　comes　in　fit　to　dropand　of
course　I　can't　say　he　does　n't　try　to　get　it；　because　he　does。
Trade's　very　bad。　　＇She　stands　quite　still；　her　fan　and　brush　before
her；　at　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　long　vistas　of　experience；
traversing　them　with　her　impersonal　eye。＇　　But　he's　not　a　good
husband　to　melast　night　he　hit　me；　and　he　was　so　dreadfully
abusive。

MARLOW。　　Bank　'oliday；　eh！　　He　's　too　fond　of　the　〃Goat　and　Bells；〃
that's　what's　the　matter　with　him。　　I　see　him　at　the　corner　late
every　night。　　He　hangs　about。

MRS。　JONES。　　He　gets　to　feeling　very　low　walking　about　all　day　after
work；　and　being　refused　so　often；　and　then　when　he　gets　a　drop　in
him　it　goes　to　his　head。　　But　he　shouldn't　treat　his　wife　as　he
treats　me。　　Sometimes　I　've　had　to　go　and　walk　about　at　night；　when
he　wouldn't　let　me　stay　in　the　room；　but　he's　sorry　for　it
afterwards。　　And　he　hangs　about　after　me；　he　waits　for　me　in　the
street；　and　I　don't　think　he　ought　to；　because　I　've　always　been　a
good　wife　to　him。　　And　I　tell　him　Mrs。　Barthwick　wouldn't　like　him
coming　about　the　place。　　But　that　only　makes　him　angry；　and　he　says
dreadful　things　about　the　gentry。　　Of　course　it　was　through　me　that
he　first　lost　his　place；　through　his　not　treating　me　right；　and
that's　made　him　bitter　against　the　gentry。　　He　had　a　very　good　place
as　groom　in　the　country；　but　it　made　such　a　stir；　because　of　course
he　did　n't　treat　me　right。

MARLOW。　　Got　the　sack？

MRS。　JONES。　　Yes；　his　employer　said　he　couldn't　keep　him；　because
there　was　a　great　deal　of　talk；　and　he　said　it　was　such　a　bad
example。　　But　it's　very　important　for　me　to　keep　my　work　here；　I
have　the　three　children；　and　I　don't　want　him　to　come　about　after　me
in　the　streets；　and　make　a　disturbance　as　he　sometimes　does。

MARLOW。　　＇Holding　up　the　empty　decanter。＇　　Not　a　drain！　　Next　time
he　hits　you　get　a　witness　and　go　down　to　the　court

MRS。　JONES。　　Yes；　I　think　I　've　made　up　my　mind。　　I　think　I　ought
to。

MARLOW。　　That's　right。　　Where's　the　ciga？

　　　　　＇He　searches　for　the　silver　box；　he　looks　at　MRS。　JONES；　who　is
　　　　　sweeping　on　her　hands　and　knees；　he　checks　himself　and　stands
　　　　　reflecting。　　From　the　tray　he　picks　two　half…smoked　cigarettes；
　　　　　and　reads　the　name　on　them。＇

Nestorwhere　the　deuce？

　　　　　＇With　a　meditative　air　he　looks　again　at　MRS。　JONES；　and；
　　　　　taking　up　JACK'S　overcoat；　he　searches　in　the　pockets。
　　　　　WHEELER；　with　a　tray　of　breakfast　things；　comes　in。＇

MARLOW。　　＇Aside　to　WHEELER。＇　　Have　you　seen　the　cigarette…box？

WHEELER。　　No。

MARLOW。　　Well；　it's　gone。　　I　put　it　on　the　tray　last　night。　　And
he's　been　smoking。　　＇Showing　her　the　ends　of　cigarettes。＇　　It's　not
in　these　pockets。　　He　can't　have　taken　it　upstairs　this　morning！
Have　a　good　look　in　his　room　when　he　comes　down。　　Who's　been　in
here？

WHEELER。　　Only　me　and　Mrs。　Jones。

MRS。　JONES。　　I　've　finished　here；　shall　I　do　the　drawing…room　now？

WHEELER。　　＇Looking　at　her　doubtfully。＇　　Have　you　seen　Better　do
the　boudwower　first。

　　　　　＇MRS。　JONES　goes　out　with　pan　and　brush。　　MARLOW　and　WHEELER
　　　　　look　each　other　in　the　face。＇

MARLOW。　　It'll　turn　up。

WHEELER。　　＇Hesitating。＇　　You　don't　think　she
＇Nodding　at　the　door。＇

MARLOW。　　＇Stoutly。＇　　I　don'tI　never　believes　anything　of
anybody。

WHEELER。　　But　the　master'll　have　to　be　told。

MARLOW。　　You　wait　a　bit；　and　see　if　it　don't　turn　up。　　Suspicion's
no　business　of　ours。　　I　set　my　mind　against　it。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　curtain　falls。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　curtain　rises　again　at　once。



SCENE　III

　　　　　BARTHWICK　and　MRS。　BARTHWICK　are　seated　at　the　breakfast　table。
　　　　　He　is　a　man　between　fifty　and　sixty；　quietly　important；　with　a
　　　　　bald　forehead；　and　pince…nez；　and　the　〃Times〃　in　his　hand。　　She
　　　　　is　a　lady　of　nearly　fifty；　well　dressed；　with　greyish　hair；
　　　　　good　features；　and　a　decided　manner。　　They　face　each　other。

BARTHWICK。　　＇From　behind　his　paper。＇　　The　Labour　man　has　got　in　at
the　by…election　for　Barnside；　my　dear。

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Another　Labour？　　I　can't　think　what　on　earth　the
country　is　about。

BARTHWICK。　　I　predicted　it。　　It's　not　a　matter　of　vast　importance。

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Not？　　How　can　you　take　it　so　calmly；　John？　　To　me
it's　simply　outrageous。　　And　there　you　sit；　you　Liberals；　and
pretend　to　encourage　these　people！

BARTHWICK。　　＇Frowning。＇　　The　representation　of　all　parties　is
necessary　for　any　proper　reform；　for　any　proper　social　policy。

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　I've　no　patience　with　your　talk　of　reformall　that
nonsense　about　social　policy。　　We　know　perfectly　well　what　it　is
they　want；　they　want　things　for　themselves。　　Those　Socialists　and
Labour　men　are　an　absolutely　selfish　set　of　people。　　They　have　no
sense　of　patriotism；　like　the　upper　classes；　they　simply　want　what
we've　got。

BARTHWICK。　　Want　what　we've　got！　　＇He　stares　into　space。＇　　My　dear；
what　are　you　talking　about？　　＇With　a　contortion。＇　　I　'm　no　alarmist。

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Cream？　　Quite　uneducated　men！　　Wait　until　they
begin　to　tax　our　investments。　　I　'm　convinced　that　when　they　once
get　a　chance　they　will　tax　everythingthey　've　no　feeling　for　the
country。　　You　Liberals　and　Conservatives；　you　're　all　alike；　you
don't　see　an　inch　before　your　noses。　　You've　no　imagination；　not　a
scrap　of　imagination　between　you。　　You　ought　to　join　hands　and　nip
it　in　the　bud。

BARTHWICK。　　You　're　talking　nonsense！　　How　is　it　possible　for
Liberals　and　Conservatives　to　join　hands；　as　you　call　it？　　That
shows　how　absurd　it　is　for　women　Why；　the　very　essence　of　a
Liberal　is　to　trust　in　the　people！

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Now；　John；　eat　your　breakfast。　　As　if　there　were
any　real　difference　between　you　and　the　Conservatives。　　All　the
upper　classes　have　the　same　interests　to　protect；　and　the　same
principles。　　＇Calmly。＇　　Oh！　　you're　sitting　upon　a　volcano；　John。

BARTHWICK。　　What！

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　I　read　a　letter　in　the　paper　yesterday。　　I　forget
the　man's　name；　but　it　made　the　whole　thing　perfectly　clear。　　You
don't　look　things　in　the　face。

BARTHWICK。　　Indeed！　　＇Heavily。＇　　I　am　a　Liberal！　　Drop　the　subject；
please！

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Toast？　　I　quite　agree　with　what　this　man　says：
Education　is　simply　ruining　the　lower　classes。　　It　unsettles　them；
and　that's　the　worst　thing　for　us　all。　　I　see　an　enormous　difference
in　the　manner　of　servants。

BARTHWICK；　＇With　suspicious　emphasis。＇　　I　welcome　any　change　that
will　lead　to　something　better。　　＇He　opens　a　letter。＇　　H'm！　　This　is
that　affair　of　Master　Jack's　again。　　〃High　Street；　Oxford。　　Sir；　We
have　received　Mr。　John　Barthwick；　Senior's；　draft　for　forty　pounds！〃
Oh！　the　letter's　to　him！　　〃We　now　enclose　the　cheque　you　cashed　with
us；　which；　as　we　stated　in　our　previous　letter；　was　not　met　on
presentation　at　your　bank。　　We　are；　Sir；　yours　obediently；　Moss　and
Sons；　Tailors。〃　　H　'm！　　＇Staring　at　the　cheque。＇　　A　pretty　business
altogether！　　The　boy　might　have　been　prosecuted。

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Come；　John；　you　know　Jack　did　n't　mean　anything；　he
only　thought　he　was　overdrawing。　　I　still　think　his　bank　ought　to
have　cashed　that　cheque。　　They　must　know　your　position。

BARTHWICK。　　＇Replacing　in　the　envelope　the　letter　and　the　cheque。＇
Much　good　that　would　have　done　him　in　a　court　of　law。

　　　　　＇He　stops　as　JACK　comes　in；　fastening　his　waistcoat　and
　　　　　staunching　a　razor　cut　upon　his　chin。＇

JACK。　　＇Sitting　down　between　them；　and　speaking　with　an　artificial
joviality。＇　　Sorry　I　'm　late。　　＇He　looks　lugubriously　at　the
dishes。＇　　Tea；　please；　mother。　　Any　letters　for　me？　　＇BARTHWICK
hands　the　letter　to　him。＇　　But　look　here；　I　say；　this　has　been
opened！　　I　do　wish　you　would　n't

BARTHWICK。　　＇Touching　the　envelope。＇　　I　suppose　I　'm　entitled　to
this　name。

JACK。　　＇Sulkily。＇　　Well；　I　can't　help　having　your　name；　father！　　＇He
reads　the　letter；　and　mutters。＇　　Brutes！

BARTHWICK。　　＇Eyeing　him。＇　　You　don't　deserve　to　be　so　well　out　of
that。

JACK。　　Haven't　you　ragged　me　enough；　dad？

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Yes；　John；　let　Jack　have　his　breakfast。

BARTHWICK。　　If　you　hadn't　had　me　to　come　to；　where　would　you　have
been？　　It's　the　merest　accidentsuppose　you　had　been　the　son　of　a
poor　man　or　a　clerk。　　Obtaining　money　with　a　cheque　you　knew　your
bank　could　not　meet。　　It　might　have　ruined　you　for　life。　　I　can't
see　what's　to　become　of　you　if　these　are　your　principles。　　I　never
did　anything　of　the　sort　myself。

JACK。　　I　expect　you　always　had　lots　of　money。　　If　you've　got　plenty
of　money；　of　course

BARTHWICK。　　On　the　contrary；　I　had　not　your　advantages。　　My　father
kept　me　very　short　of　money。

JACK。　　How　much　had　you；　dad？

BARTHWICK。　　It's　not　material。　　The　question　is；　do　you　feel　the
gravity　of　what　you　did？

JACK。　　I　don't　know　about　the　gravity。　　Of　course；　I　'm　very　sorry
if　you　think　it　was　wrong。　　Have　n't　I　said　so！　　I　should　never　have
done　it　at　all　if　I　had　n't　been　so　jolly　hard　up。

BARTHWICK。　　How　much　of　that　forty　pounds　have　you　got　left；　Jack？

JACK。　　＇Hesitating。＇　　I　don't　knownot　much。

BARTHWICK。　　How　much？

JACK。　　＇Desperately。＇　　I　have　n't　got　any。

BARTHWICK。　　What？

JACK。　　I　know　I　've　got　the　most　beastly　headache。

　　　　　＇He　leans　his　head　on　his　hand。＇

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　Headache？　　My　dear　boy！　　Can't　you　eat　any
breakfast？

JACK。　　＇Drawing　in　his　breath。＇　　Too　jolly　bad！

MRS。　BARTHWICK。　　I'm　so　sorry。　　Come　with　me；　dear；　I'll　give　you
something　that　will　take　it　away　at　once。

　　　　　＇They　leave　the　room；　and　BARTHWICK；　tearing　up　the　letter；
　　　　　goes　to　the　fireplace　and　puts　the　pieces　in　the　fire。　　While
　　　　　he　is　doing　this　MARLOW　comes　in；　and　looking　round　him；　is
　　　　　about　quietly　to　withdraw。＇

BARTHWICK。　　What's　that？　　What　d　'you　want？

MARL