Part 35 (2/2)
”First, I have one question to ask you,” persisted Alf ”You notice that all these ht?--or did any of them? You know, there are two other courses open: to appeal to the law, or to pass the matter over quietly, for fear of scandal Is either of these right? One course ”
By this time, I had made up my mind to huiven the subject soht, as I intend, if I can find time, to write a feords on the varied manifestations of jealousy in the so-called Shakespear Plays You're familiar with the plays, of course?”
”I've read bits of them”
”Possibly you re proofs of his wife's infidelity (we know her to be loyal, but that does n't affect his proofs) harbours not one thought of revenge toward the man who has supplanted him Indeed, as an artistic illustration of Iachimo's immunity fro and sparing him in battle--a concession he would n't have en alone Nothing but the sacrifice of her life will satisfy hi for death hi over the handkerchief supposed to be stained with her life-blood Very well Now Troilus in Troilus and Cressida, is aPosthumus in temperament--brave, resolute, truthful, unsuspicious, and more liberally endoithto do with it,” interrupted Alf ”I was asking your opinion as to which of the four acted rightly?--or did any of the to reh the temperamental conditions of Posthumus and Troilus are apparently so similar--apparently, mind--and their position as betrayed husbands so identical, we find the in directly opposite ways Troilus entertains no thought of revenge upon his faithless wife; he gives his whole attention to the co-respondent Now let us glance at Othello
Here is a e, is much like the Briton and the Trojan in te more liberally endoithht?”
”Well,” I replied; ”I'm afraid my conclusions won't have the rounded completeness we value so much in moral inferences unless I'm allowed to empanel Leontes, in the Winter's Tale, as well as Othello, and thus work from a solid foundation But we'll see I'll put ht pronounce it impossible to lay down any hard-and-fast rule of conduct here, on account of necessary diversity in conditions
He would, perhaps, argue that, though abstract Right is absolute and unchangeable, the alternative Wrong, though never shading down into Right, varies iree of turpitude; so that the action which is intrinsically wrong may be more excusable in one man than in another, or under certain conditions than under others Now, I' to deny that it lies within our province, as rational beings, to classify wrongs, provided we do so from a purely objective stand-point I shall endeavour to deal with that issue by-and-by I merely notice”----
”Stop! stop!” interrupted Alf, rolling his head from side to side
”Answer my question!”
”Well, if you ive my vote in favour of Potiphar the Fourth, the saw-mill man I don't see what better he could have done It was n't the most romantic course, perhaps; but I'm not a romantic person--rather the reverse--and it meets my approval”
”And your deliberate conviction is that he acted rightly--rightly,at; but now you have to take my conclusion as an ipse dixit, rather than as a theoreentleman's after-life is another question, and one which would lead us into a different, and ion of philosophy But I think we'll find it interesting to trace, step by step, froenesis to its culht which led each of your Potiphars, separately, to his independent action We can't erapple with the most minute and subtle shades of psychical distinction, and we shall have to deal largely in postulates; for though”----
”I want to tell you so, Collins,” interrupted Alf, in a tone now free from all trace of the distraction and constraint which made it painful to listen to hiedy on record, but in one man's memory only I trust entirely to your discretion
Did you knoas a marriednum But as he spoke there flashed across ress, with slulorious voice had been silent in death for ten years, and lost to hier Hence, by so, the voluntary exile, the Ishmaelite occupation; the e; and the generally pervading smell of husks This, let resses, who harass ahi fellow could have started in life with a fairer prospect than I had,” continued Alf, in a grave, couilty of one deliberately fiendish and heartless action, and following upon that action, Ibut death can absolve I ned to me as a punishment
I'll tell you the whole story”----
”Wait, Alf,” said I hastily ”Ibefore I go?”
”Nothing, thank you Don't stay long”
”You o to sleep”
I ju the last few minutes, a peculiar cadence in the sound of Alf's bells had told me, just as surely as words could have done, that the bullocks wereaway My horses were not far off; and, to save tion As I did so, I heard his voice, low and monotonous I paused involuntarily----
”O Molly! Molly, !”----
I hurried away, and put the saddle and bridle on Bunyip Body o' ress be called Molly? This must be seen into when I have time
In a couple oftrot which would have been an independence to anyone except ot a back elevation of the bullocks, half-a- theainst the Chinese boundary rider this time
Consequently I felt, like Cassius, fresh of spirit and resolved to meet all perils very constantly
”Out of my way, you Manchurian leper, or I'll run over you!” I shouted gaily, as I swung round the cattle, turning them back