George Bernard Shaw

“ Mary yielded with a sigh, and went for her hat.
"I am sure that all this painting and poetry reading is not good for a young girl," said Mrs Beatty, whilst Mary was away. "It is very good of your Adrian to take such trouble to cultivate Mary's mind; but so much study cannot but hurt her brain. She is very self-willed and full of outlandish ideas. She is not under proper control. Poor Charles has no more resolution than a baby. ”

“ Your Aunt Jane has been telling me that you are engaged to him; but that is such an old story now that I never pay any attention to it."
"Has Adrian not told you?"
"My dear, I have already said a dozen times that Adrian never tells me anything. The more important his affairs are, the more openly and purposely he excludes me from them. I hope you have not been so silly as to rely on his visions of fame for your future support." ”

“ Jack immediately attacked Mary's piano with all the vigor of an orchestra; and the clarinet soon after made its entry with a brilliant cadenza. The soldier was a rapid expectant; his tone was fine; and the only varieties of expression he was capable of, the spirited and the pathetic, satisfied even Jack, who, on other points, soon began to worry the soldier by his fastidiousness.
"Stop," he cried, "That is not the effect I want at all. ”

“ If he persists in his infatuation, you will find that he will drag out his life waiting for a success that will never come. And he has no social talents. If he were a genius, like Raphael, his crotchets would not matter. If he were a humbug, like his uncle John he would flourish as all humbugs do in this wicked world. But Adrian is neither: he is only a duffer, poor fellow."
Mary reddened, and said nothing.
"Have you any influence over him?" said Mrs. Herbert, watching her. ”

“ I do not understand metaphysics, Mary. Conceptions and executions are Greek to me. But I know very well that Adrian will never be happy until he is married to some sensible woman. And married he never can be whilst he remains an artist. ”

“ How can he marry with only three hundred a year? He would not accept an allowance from me, even if I could afford to make him one; for since we disagreed about this wretched art, he has withdrawn himself from me in every possible way, and with an ostentation, too, which—natural feeling apart—is in very bad taste. He will never add a penny to his income by painting: of that I am certain; and he has not enterprise enough to marry a woman with money. ”

“ He was grunting and buzzing the bassoon parts, humming when the violoncello had the melody, whistling for the flutes, singing hoarsely for the horns, barking for the trumpets, squealing for the oboes, making indescribable sounds in imitation of clarionets and drums, and marking each sforzando by a toss of his head and a gnash of his teeth. ”

“ That sort of thing is not to be tolerated for one moment."
"I have always tried to put the best construction on his actions, and to defend him from Aunt Jane," said Mary. "I am very sorry now that I did so. The idea of his calling himself an artist!"
"Musicians often arrogate that title to themselves," said Herbert; "and he does not seem overburdened with modesty. I think I hear Mr Sutherland letting himself in at the hall door. ”

“ Besides, it must be like me. All Adrian's artistic friends admire it."
"Yes; and he admires their works in return. It is a well understood bargain. Poor Adrian! He did not know that I was coming back from Scotland; and I gave him a very disagreeable surprise by walking into his studio on Monday afternoon."
"Disagreeable! I am sure he was delighted."
"He did not even pretend to be pleased. His manners are really getting worse and worse. Who is the curious person that opened the shrubbery gate for me?—a sort of Cyclop with a voice of bronze."
"It is only Mr Jack, Charlie's tutor. ”

“ He labored in this fashion until seven o'clock, when, hearing someone whistling in the road, he went out into the shrubbery, and presently came back with a soldier, not perfectly sober, who carried a roll of music paper and a case containing three clarionets.
"Now let us hear what you can make of it," said Jack, seating himself at the piano.
"It's cruel quick, that allagrow part is," said the soldier, trying to make his sheet of music stand properly on Mary's table easel. "Just give us your B fat, will you. Mister." Jack struck the note; and the soldier blew. ”

“ The sound of a pianoforte came to their ears.
"He is playing still," said Mary. "Let us go back for Colonel Beatty. He will know how to deal with the soldier."
"The soldier must have left long ago," said Adrian. "I can hear nothing but the piano. Let us go in. He is within his bargain as far as his own playing goes. He stipulated for that when we engaged him."
They went on. As they neared the house, grotesque noises mingled with the notes of the pianoforte. Mary hesitated, and would have stopped again ; but Adrian, with a stern face, walked quickly ahead. Mary had a key of the shrubbery ”

“ "All very fine, Mary; but my old-fashioned common sense is better than your clever modern nonsense. ”

“ If he were anyone else I should not mind so much."
"There is no occasion to resort to untruth, which is equally odious, no matter to whom it is addressed. It was agreed that his employment should be terminable by a month's notice on either side. Let Mr. Sutherland write him a letter giving that notice. No reason need be mentioned; and the letter can be courteously worded, thanking him for his past services, and simply saying that Charlie is to be placed in other hands."
"But it will be so unpleasant to have him with us for a month under a sentence of dismissal." ”

“ It is not worth any woman's while to gain such a compliment as that. It made Mr Jack laugh for the first and only time in our house."
Mrs Beatty reddened, and seemed about to make an angry reply, when the tutor came in at the shrubbery gate, and held it open for them to pass. Mrs Herbert thanked him. Mrs Beatty, following her, tried to look haughtily at him, but quailed, and made him a slight bow, in response to which he took off his hat.
"Mr Jack," said Mary, stopping: "if papa comes back before I am in, will you please tell him that I am at Colonel Beatty's. " ”

“ However, since Adrian has turned your head, there is nothing for it but to wait until you both come to your senses. That must be your Aunt Jane at the door. She promised to follow me within half an hour."
Mary frowned, and recovered her serenity with an effort as she rose to greet her aunt, Mrs. Beatty, an elderly lady, with features like Mr. Sutherland's but fat and imperious. She exclaimed, "I hope I've not come too soon, Mary. How surprised you must have been to see Mrs Herbert!"
"Yes. Mr Jack let her into the shrubbery ”