Chapter 8 chapter eight

Miss Ley found the rector sitting alone in the library, for father and daughter were going back to Tkenbury in the afternoon, and Bella had been shopping all morning. "You know, Algernon, that in this world the good men do the most harm," Miss Ley remarked, sitting down. And common sense deprives them of the defect of pain; but to a man conscious of his integrity there is no reason." "This is quite a subversive theory." The presiding pastor responded with a smile. "When evil men commit crimes, experience teaches them moderation, so that they do less harm. But once virtuous men stumble from the narrow path, they fall into a desperate struggle, and in the name of virtue Trying to make amends, and then making one mistake after another. In that case, they do a lot more damage to the people involved than outright villains because they can't accept that other norms can work."

"Please tell me your reason for this high-sounding talk." "I had a young friend who did one stupid thing, then tried to do another stupid thing to make it up. Just now, he came to me ostensibly for advice, when in fact he probably wanted me to praise him for his noble deed. applaud." Miss Ley told him Basil's story without naming the persons involved. "My first curate was at Portsmouth," said the presiding vicar, after Miss Ley had finished her account. "At that time, I had no tolerance for evil, and I was always trying to right it. I remember my A believer is in the same predicament, for that child, and for that woman, I insist that this man should marry that woman. I actually drag them to the altar by their hair, when this I thought I had done a good thing when a woman finally got her rightful place. Then six months later this man cut his wife's throat and of course he was legally hanged for it. I thought if I hadn't Mind your own business, and maybe these two lives won't be lost."

"Mrs. Grundy has an excellent understanding, and she doesn't deserve the bad reputation she has. She doesn't mind if a man is a little crazy, or if he thinks he's a coward; but with her admirable intelligence, she knows A woman needs some direct rules: if Mrs. Grundy makes a mistake, she will have no qualms about making it right. Society is a cruel monster, with obvious hypnotic effects, so you feel you are free; but This monster has been watching you, watching you slyly, and when you are not expecting, it stretches out its iron claws and crushes you." "I hope Bella won't come back too late," said the presiding pastor. "After lunch, we don't have much time to spare. We have to catch the train."

"Society has made its own Ten Commandments, a code that only applies to ordinary people, and they are not very good, and they are not very bad; but the strange thing is that whether your behavior exceeds or lags behind this code, you will be punished. Severe punishment." "Sometimes, when you're dead, people might think you're a god." "But, Algernon, it will be very miserable for you to live." Soon, Bella came in, and after the presiding priest went upstairs, Bella told Miss Ley that, on the advice of the bookseller, she had bought for Herbert Field two sets of famous tomes by Dowden The Life of Shelley.

"I hope he'll soon have enough poems to fill a volume," said Bella, "and then I can ask him if he'll let me arrange for them to be published. I don't know if Mr. Kent can Can't help me find a publisher." "My dear, you will find a bank for your best friend to support him," replied Miss Ley. Basil announced to his solicitor that he was going to get married, since his small estate was still in trust and required his mother to sign various documents.A day or two later, he received this letter: Mrs. Vizard is very clever. She has predicted that because of her beauty, wealth and status, she will return to her former glory in a few years.She knew best in her heart that after that trial, her status was precarious, and tact was necessary to avoid some traps.She understood that the two best stepping stones to the top of society were charity and Roman Catholicism, yet this astute person did not think that her condition was so hopeless that a conversion was necessary, but that a little diligence in the pursuit of charity would do the trick. enough.So Mrs. Vizard took pains to curry favor with a dull old lady whose position and wealth made her highly respectable, and whose kindness made her an easy tool to manipulate.Mrs. Edward Stringale was a little old woman with false teeth and a bright chestnut wig which was always combed askew; The characters are all summoned to their living rooms.She was a relation of Lord Vizard's, with whom she had had a hopeless quarrel, so the lady was a natural object of Mrs. Edward Stringale's nagging.Now, Mrs. Vizard has chosen an irresistible and pleasing way: she has an excellent eloquence and an excellent memory, and can always accurately remember the lies she has told. Therefore, She was never torn apart; she told Lady Edward as tragically as she could of her unhappy marriage, and the latter was deeply moved by it and promised to help her in whatever way he could.She was a frequent presence at the old lady's parties, and she was seen with the old lady in all fashion places; woman.

When Basil obediently came to see her, he found her mother seated in the pose of her favorite portrait; bold in color, which hung just behind her on the wall, as can be seen by contrast. , In ten years, this wise woman has not changed much.Next to her were the same cigarettes and smelling salts, and a French novel that had recently sparked a lawsuit. Tall, she has a clear silhouette; she wears a gown of rich color, but unlike most rural women, the hem of the gown is not sloppy.She doesn't want to hide the extremely curvaceous figure that men see, wears extremely bold and revealing sexy clothes, wants to draw special attention to her body, and doesn't want to hide anything.She's also no stranger to the intricacies of cosmetics: British women who wear make-up tend to make their faces look terrible—it feels like the entrance to hell.Mrs Vizard couldn't shake the idea that make-up made people look evil and vulgar, and her colorful rouge box concealed a little devil with tiny hooves and a tail.Therefore, once she was caught in it, in order to dispel her doubts, she used it almost to the extreme.Mrs Vizard used all the tricks a wise man knows, and thanks to her resourcefulness, the result was very satisfactory: even her hair, which most women leave untouched, was dyed into the exact same color as their eyes and complexion, so that most men tend to lose their wits in the presence of Mrs. Vizard.Her brows are done to perfection, and the eyeliner on the lashes adds to the allure of her sparkling eyes; the lip decoration is the work of an artist, and Mrs Vizard's lips are not inferior Cupid's bow and arrow.

Mrs Vizard, who had not seen her son for five years, noticed the change in him with interest but without emotion. "Let me make you some tea," she said. "By the way, why didn't you come to see me when you came back from the Cape of Good Hope?" "You forgot, you ordered Miller not to receive me again." "You shouldn't take that seriously; I fire the maid every time she messes with my hair, but she's been with me for years. I forgive you a week after that .” Eyes met, they realized that their relationship hadn't changed.Madam Vizard shrugged.

"I brought you here today because I thought you might have become more tolerant after five years. But it's clear that you're the kind of man who never improves." A year ago, Basil would have answered that he would never condone dishonor, but now, because he was deeply ashamed, Basil chose to keep silent.He wanted to keep the atmosphere polite and nonchalant, the way her mother used to be.Basil, anticipating her next question, felt himself in great torment at the thought that he would have to partly tell this woman who despised him his secret.However, just because it was so off-putting, he decided to answer her question openly.

"Who are you going to marry?" "Someone you've never heard of before," he replied, laughing. "Do you want to keep the lucky guy's name a secret?" "Miss Bush." "That doesn't sound very famous, does it? Who is her father?" "He's in this city." "Is her family rich?" "Very poor." Mrs. Vizard observed her son carefully, and then leaned over with a strange expression. "With the liberty of asking, is she what your annoying grandma calls a lady?" "She's a bartender in Fleet Street," he answered boldly.

The second question followed, as expected, and at a very high pitch. "So, when will you give birth?" Although he had a premonition, it still hit Basil hard, and he couldn't be more shocked.He felt blood rushing to his face all over his body, and his legs began to shake.She looked at him contemptuously.Because the scar was uncovered by his mother's strong insight, for a moment, he didn't know how to answer. "I guessed right, didn't I? Apparently noble people fall too. Ah, dear, I haven't forgotten those charming words you said to me five years ago. Do you remember? Do you remember your That wording of chastity and honour? And you gave me a name—a name a well-bred son would not normally apply to his own mother; but I guess your wife might be more than this?"

"If there is lust in my blood, it is because I am very unfortunate to be your son!" he cried fiercely. "When I think of you pretending to be a gentleman, I can't help but admire you, you play your little game all the time. But frankly, your little tricks make me sick. I don't like it Something sneaky with the bartender." "I know I was wrong, but I'm ready to make amends." "Fools! Saint keep me away from those penitent fools. If you can't err like a gentleman, you'd better be virtuous. A gentleman doesn't marry a barmaid just because she seduces her—" Unless he has the soul of a shop assistant. How dare you come and lecture me brazenly!" Her eyes fluttered as she recalled the past; she stood beside Basil like an angry, violent goddess. "Do you know what life is? Do you know the fiery passion that runs through my veins? You have no idea what the devil is tearing at my chest. What qualifications do you have to judge me? Do you think I care? I Every day has been pleasant, and always will be; and, anyway, if you are not such a self-righteous person, you can see that I am better than most women, because I never Will abandon hapless friends, or attack hapless enemies." She said it all fiercely, fluently, as if she used to talk to herself and now finally found a chance to use it.Soon, however, she returned to the more effective vitriol she knew well. "When I am old, I will go to the Catholic Church to live a holy day and wait for death." "Is there anything else you want to tell me?" Basil asked coldly. "No," she replied, shrugging, "you're such a natural idiot. You're one of those doomed mediocrities because you can't face Satan like a man. You go, go Marry your bartender! Tell you, you make me sick." Clenching his fists angrily, he turned to the door, but before he could reach it the steward announced the arrival of Lord De Capiter, and a tall and handsome young man entered the door.Basil gave him an angry look, for he could easily guess the connection between his mother and the rich young man.Lord De Capiter watched him go in amazement. "Who is this amiable man?" he asked. Madam Vizard smiled exasperatedly. "A fool. I'm not interested in him at all." "Is it one of my exes?" "No, of course not," replied Mrs. Vizard—amused by the remark. "Give me a kiss, child." Basil, desperately disappointed, returned to Temple, and when he reached his door, Jenny opened it for him.Then he remembered that she had said she would come to hear him that afternoon about the final arrangements for the wedding, which they would have at a registry office. "Basil, I met my brother Jimmy on the seashore," she said, "and I brought him here to see you." After entering the door, he saw a thin young man sitting at the table with his legs dangling in the air.His hair was yellowish brown, his pointy face was cleanly groomed, and his eyes looked hollow.He looked more ordinary than Jenny, spoke with a Cockney accent, and when he laughed he showed little discolored teeth with a sly and hideous expression.He was dressed stylishly—a city jock with a rolled-brimmed bowler hat, a checkered suit, and a bright violet shirt; he brandished a thin bamboo cane. "Hello," he said, and nodded to Basil. "Nice to meet you." "Sorry to keep you waiting." "Don't be sorry," Mr. Bush replied cheerfully. "I can't stay long because I'm a businessman, but I thought I'd better stop by and say hello to my future brother-in-law. I'm a sincere people." "It's very kind of you," said Basil politely. "My dear Basil, he was very surprised when he heard that we were going to be married," cried Jenny joyfully. "For now, don't you mind," James said. "Dude, I'm an emotional man." "It's all right, Jimmy, you're so cautious!" "I know you're going to be embarrassed. Well, I should go." "Won't you have a cup of tea?" asked Basil. "I bless you, but I don't want to bother you canaries. And I'm not very fond of tea; I think that's what women do. I like something more powerful." "Jimmy is like that," Jenny exclaimed happily. "Mr. Bush, I have some whiskey." Basil said, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, don't call me that. Just call me Jimmy. I can't stand being called that formally. We're gentlemen. Mind you, I'm not a boastful woodcutter, but I dare say it—I A gentleman. It's not self-proclaimed, is it?" "Honey, it's not. It's just a statement of fact." "It's an unavoidable fact, so what's there to be proud of? If I meet a lad at a club and he wants to buy me a drink, I don't ask him if he's an aristocrat." "You're just drinking." "You'd do the same, wouldn't you?" "I suppose so. Now, may I buy you a whiskey?" "Since you're so earnest, I'll have some. My motto is: Never refuse a drink. Because it's good for your teeth." Basil poured the wine. "Hold on tight, man," James yelled, "you don't have to add too much soda. I'm lucky." He drank the wine in the glass and smacked his lips. "I want to say, this is great. Now, I have to go." Basil did not urge him to stay, but offered a cigar to the departing guest.James took it and looked at it carefully. "Villar y Villar!" he exclaimed. "Excellent. How much did you pay for it?" "I don't know how much they're worth. Someone gave them to me." Basil lit a match. "Won't you take the tags off?" "If I knew what it was, I wouldn't take it off," James said. "I don't smoke Villar y Villar every day, so when I smoke it, I leave the label on it... ...well, goodbye, see you later, my old friend." After he was gone, Jenny turned to her lover. "Kiss me...here! Now I can sit down and talk to you in silence. Do you like my brother?" "I don't know him very well yet," replied Basil cautiously. "He's not a bad guy, and he's a good laugh. He's just like my mother." "Is that so?" cried Basil cheerfully. "Is your father such a man?" "Well, you know, my father wasn't as educated as Jimmy. Jimmy went to boarding school in Margate. You went to boarding school too, didn't you?" "Yes, I'm at Harrow." "The air in Harrow isn't as good as in Margate?" "Yes," replied Basil. "Come sit next to me, honey... I'm so glad we're alone. I wish I could be alone with you all my life. You're sure you love me, aren't you?" "yes." "Are you in love?" "Yes." He repeated with a smile. She stared at him carefully for a long time, and suddenly her eyes became dull.She looked away. "Basil, I have something to say to you. It is a serious matter." "What's the matter, dear?" He put his hands on Jenny's waist and held her in front of him. "No, don't do this," she said, getting up and avoiding it, "please stay where you are. If I look at you, I won't be able to speak." He hesitated, guessing what Jenny wanted to tell him.She spoke intermittently, seeming to be trying very hard to control herself. "Basil, you're sure you love me, aren't you?" "I'm pretty sure," he replied, trying to smile. "Because I don't want you marrying me because you feel sorry for me or something like that. If you're only going to marry me because you think you have to, then I don't think it's necessary at all." "Jenny, why did you suddenly think of saying this?" "I've been thinking about it for a long time. I was too happy to think about it the other day when you proposed to marry me. But I love you so much that I can see that things have been different since then. I don't want to hurt you. I know I'm not the kind of woman you should marry, and I can't help you get ahead." Her voice was trembling, but she forced herself to go on, and Basil listened to her in silence.He cannot see her face. "Basil, I want to know if you really care about me. If not, you just have to answer truthfully and we can break up. After all, I'm not the first girl to get into this kind of trouble, you know, I can easily fix that." He hesitated for a moment, feeling pain in his heart.Miss Ley's relentless suggestion and mother's sarcasm came back again: now that the girl herself had offered him the opportunity, should she take it? He rejoiced in being free at last; a few simple words could shatter that terrible nightmare, and he could begin his life anew, wiser and better.But Jenny turned, and Basil saw anxiety in her beautiful, mournful eyes; she could hardly breathe in her shockingly agonized anticipation.Seeing this, Basil lost his courage. "Jenny, stop torturing yourself," he said brokenly. "You're torturing me too. You know I love you and I want to marry you." "real?" "yes." She sighed deeply, and two lines of tears welled up immediately.She was silent for a while. "Basil, you saved my life," she said at last, "and I have made up my mind that if you don't want to marry me, I will take my own life." "What nonsense are you talking about!" "I mean it. I can't face that ending. I've already thought about it—I'm going to wait until dark, and then, go to the bridge." "Jenny, I will do my best to be a good husband," he said. But when Jenny left, Basil nearly collapsed, and a wave of uncontrollable despair swept over him.He thought of Miss Ley's comparison of life to a game of chess, and he recalled painfully the wrong paths he had taken: the results hanging on the scales again and again, so that if only he had made a different choice, everything would be back on track ; However, every choice seems to have little to do with it, and he didn't see the fateful result until the end.Every step is irreversible, but it is not so important at the time of choice; life is not a fair game, because problems are always hidden behind a mask of insignificance.But now, as far as he is concerned, he has no choice; he feels helpless in the face of fate, as if everything has been arranged in the dark, and he is just a puppet.Life is bleak for him now, and even the children he counts as his biggest pillars offer him little comfort. "Oh, what am I supposed to do?" he lamented, "What am I supposed to do?" He trembled at the thought of Jenny's threat of suicide, and he knew she would do it without hesitation. ; a sudden impulse seized him, and he seemed to have found a solution to all his doubts and misfortunes.At this moment, he gritted his teeth and jumped up. "I will not be so cowardly," he cried frantically, "I have made my bed anyway, and I must lie down."