Mr. Shaw

“ Lady Geraldine drew back a step. Then, losing patience, she said sharply, "What answer do you expect me to make to that, Mr. Jack?"
"None," said he with mock gravity. "It is unanswerable. From Capharsalama on eagle wings I fly." And after making her another bow, he left the house chuckling. As he disappeared, Mrs Herbert came downstairs and joined Lady Geraldine.
"Well," she said. "Is Mary to be made happy at our expense?"
"Yes," said Lady Geraldine. "I bearded the monster here, and got what I deserved for my pains. The man is a savage." ”

“ Shaw to join him at once. Mr. Brennan was tall and gaunt-looking, and peremptory alike in his physical and mental processes, and, when he entered his office, as he did on this occasion, in a more than usually energetic fashion, everybody, down to William the office boy, was galvanized into an unwonted activity.
Mr. Shaw, the junior member of the firm, with a dinner on at his club, had already donned his overcoat and was giving some parting instructions to his stenographer as young Garvan entered and delivered the message. ”

“ Mr Shaw, as he was apparently known there, was dressed very different from the occasion when we had met at Totnes. Then he had assumed the appearance of a racing man, but in his guise of country gentleman he was dressed in morning-coat of a rather old-fashioned cut, and pepper-and-salt trousers, an attire which gave him a quiet and somewhat distinguished appearance. ”

“ Shaw, the only answer to his claim to be a great man, that he is not easily pleased. He is an almost solitary exception to the general and essential maxim, that little things please great minds. And from this absence of that most uproarious of all things, humility, comes incidentally the peculiar insistence on the Superman. After belabouring a great many people for a great many years for being unprogressive, Mr. Shaw has discovered, with characteristic sense, that it is very doubtful whether any existing human being with two legs can be progressive at all. ”

“ The occupants of the more expensive places made their way slowly through the crush-room, one step at a time: the men sliding their feet forward at every advance: the women holding warm head wrappings with one hand, and hanging awkwardly on to the arms of gentlemen with the other. Lady Geraldine got a glimpse of Mr Brailsford as she descended; but he hurried away, as if desirous to avoid further conversation. Jack who had amused her by showing some emotion at the pathetic passages in the play, and who had since been silent, walked gloomily beside Mary. ”

“ Shaw has,” said the lieutenant, rising and pacing the room excitedly. “If he got his information on the Isthmus, it is more than likely that it points out not only the motive but also the interest which is planning the outrage. I must send some high official to talk with Mr. Shaw. He is interested in an emerald mine, you say?” he asked.
“Sure he is,” replied George Tolford. “Frank told me all about it not long ago, at the time he showed me an emerald necklace his father gave him.”
“An emerald necklace,” repeated Jimmie. “What you gettin’ at? Boys don’t wear necklaces.” ”

“ The solid and respectable statesman of that type does really leap from position to position; he is really ready to defend anything or nothing; he is really not to be taken seriously. I know perfectly well what Mr. Bernard Shaw will be saying thirty years hence; he will be saying what he has always said. If thirty years hence I meet Mr. Shaw, a reverent being with a silver beard sweeping the earth, and say to him, "One can never, of course, make a verbal attack upon a lady," the patriarch will lift his aged hand and fell me to the earth. ”

“ RICHARD.
(quickly rising) . You want to preach to me. Excuse me: I prefer a walk in the rain. (He makes for his coat.)
ANDERSON.
(stopping him) . Don’t be alarmed, sir; I am no great preacher. You are quite safe. (Richard smiles in spite of himself. His glance softens: he even makes a gesture of excuse. Anderson, seeing that he has tamed him, now addresses him earnestly.) Mr. Dudgeon: you are in danger in this town.
RICHARD.
What danger?
ANDERSON.
Your uncle’s danger. Major Swindon’s gallows.
RICHARD.
It is you who are in danger. ”

“ SIR PATRICK [with a grunt] And what did he say to that?
SCHUTZMACHER. Oh, he began trying to persuade me that he was one of the chosen people—that his artistic faculty shewed it, and that his name was as foreign as my own. He said he didnt really want 50 pounds; that he was only joking; that all he wanted was a couple of sovereigns.
B. B. No, no, Mr Schutzmacher. You invented that last touch. Seriously, now?
SCHUTZMACHER. No. You cant improve on Nature in telling stories about gentlemen like Mr Dubedat.
BLENKINSOP. You certainly do stand by one another, you chosen people, Mr Schutzmacher. ”

“ MRS TARLETON. I dont believe a word of it. If the poor lad was there in the Turkish bath, who has a better right to say what was going on here than he has? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Patsy; and so ought you too, Mr Percival, for encouraging her. [Hypatia retreats to the pavilion, and exchanges grimaces with Johnny, shamelessly enjoying Percival's sudden reverse. They know their mother] . ”

“ ANDERSON (going to her and patting her encouragingly on the shoulder) . All right, pet, all right. He won't eat you, whoever he is. (She tries to smile, and nearly makes herself cry. He goes to the door and opens it. Richard is there, without overcoat or cloak.) You might have raised the latch and come in, Mr. Dudgeon. Nobody stands on much ceremony with us. (Hospitably.) Come in. (Richard comes in carelessly and stands at the table, looking round the room with a slight pucker of his nose at the mezzotinted divine on the wall. Judith keeps her eyes on the tea caddy.) ”

“ LORD SUMMERHAYS. Youve done your best, Mr Percival. But the correct thing depends for its success on everybody playing the game very strictly. As a single-handed game, it's impossible.
BENTLEY. [suddenly breaking out lamentably] Joey: have you taken Hypatia away from me?
LORD SUMMERHAYS. [severely] Bentley! Bentley! Control yourself, sir.
TARLETON. Come, Mr Percival! the shutters are up on the gentlemanly business. Try the truth.
PERCIVAL. I am in a wretched position. If I tell the truth nobody will believe me.
TARLETON. Oh yes they will. The truth makes everybody believe it. ”

“ Shaw of the Manor House, Lee, a daughter of Lord Erskine, and Mrs. Skinner of Shirley Park, the wife of an Indian nabob. Their houses were always open to him, and he says in a letter to his mother: 'I have two homes in England where I am loved like a child. I had a letter from Mrs. Shaw, who thought I looked low-spirited at the opera the other night. "Young men have but two causes of unhappiness," she writes, "love and money. If it is money, Mr. Shaw wishes me to say you shall have as much as you want; if it is love, tell us the lady, and perhaps we can help you." ”

“ So I said, 'I will give Adrian a surprise.' And so I have."
"You came in at an interesting moment," said Mary, who had now partly regained some of her self-possession, and all her boldness. "Mr Herbert and I have had a serious quarrel; and we are just making it up. English fashion."
"Oh, it is not an English fashion. People quarrel like that everywhere. And you are now greater friends than ever. Is it not so?"
"I hope so," said Mary.
"I knew it," said Aurélie, with a wave of her fingers. "The human nature is the same things throughout the world. Ah yes. ”

“ Mr. Shaw was there, and to my bold greeting, "Good morning, Mr. Shaw," made a sulky-sounding acknowledgment. I went on—"I was here the other day, and you told me you had no confidence in me; but I've plenty of confidence in myself, and so I've come again." This seemed to amuse him, and he asked, "Well, what is it?" I then showed him the sample article, and told him the price was thirty-six shillings the gross. He looked at it attentively, and said, "H'm! Costs you about eighteen." I was in a bantering humour, and I replied, "No, I don't think it costs me more than twelve ”

“ ANDERSON (pressing her hand against his cheek) . You will not mind two old people like us, Mr. Dudgeon. (Going.) I shall not say good evening: you will be here when I come back. (He goes out.)
They watch him pass the window, and then look at each other dumbly, quite disconcerted. Richard, noting the quiver of her lips, is the first to pull himself together. RICHARD. Mrs. Anderson: I am perfectly aware of the nature of your sentiments towards me. I shall not intrude on you. Good evening. (Again he starts for the fireplace to get his coat.)
JUDITH (getting between him and the coat) . No, no. ”

“ Elinor and Marian looked at one another in perplexity. Then Mr. Lind entered.
“Gently, pray,” said he. “You can be heard all through the house. Marian: what is the matter?”
She did not answer; but Douglas succeeded, after a few efforts, in speaking intelligibly. “Your daughter,” he said, “with the assistance of her friend Mrs. Leith Fairfax, and a sufficient degree of direct assurance on her own part, has achieved the triumph of bringing me to her feet a second time, after I had unfortunately wounded her vanity by breaking her chains for two years.” ”

“ HAWKING. Because, sir, the courts will sustain the claim of a man—and that man the eldest son—against any woman, if they can. I warned you, Mrs. Dudgeon, when you got me to draw that other will, that it was not a wise will, and that though you might make him sign it, he would never be easy until he revoked it. But you wouldn't take advice; and now Mr. Richard is cock of the walk. (He takes his hat from the floor; rises; and begins pocketing his papers and spectacles.)
This is the signal for the breaking-up of the party. Anderson takes his hat from the rack and joins Uncle William at the fire. ”

“ I did not know that Miss Cairns was in town."
"We have decided that the condition of Mr. Jack's wardrobe is no longer tolerable. He is away at Birmingham today; and we are going to make a descent on his lodgings with a store of buttons and darning cotton, and a bottle of benzine. We shall make his garments respectable, and he will be none the wiser. Now, Adrian, do not look serious. You are worse than an old woman on questions of propriety."
"It is a matter of taste," said Herbert, shrugging his shoulders. "Is your expedition too important to be postponed for half an hour? ”

“ I know what youre going to say: Ive said it often to others. I cant afford to take care of myself; and theres an end of it. If a fortnight’s holiday would save my life, I’d have to die. I shall get on as others have to get on. We cant all go to St Moritz or to Egypt, you know, Sir Ralph. Dont talk about it.
Embarrassed silence.
SIR PATRICK [grunts and looks hard at Ridgeon] !
SCHUTZMACHER [looking at his watch and rising] I must go. It’s been a very pleasant evening, Colly. You might let me have my portrait if you dont mind. I’ll send Mr Dubedat that couple of sovereigns for it. ”

“ Did I burn them or did your missus here?
MRS. PEARCE I am the housekeeper, if you please. I have sent for some clothes for your girl. When they come you can take her away. You can wait in the kitchen. This way, please.
[Doolittle, much troubled, accompanies her to the door; then hesitates; finally turns confidentially to Higgins.] DOOLITTLE Listen here, Governor. You and me is men of the world, ain't we?
HIGGINS Oh! Men of the world, are we? You'd better go, Mrs Pearce.
MRS PEARCE I think so, indeed, sir. [She goes, with dignity.]
PICKERING The floor is yours, Mr. Doolittle. ”

“ Ah, what a pity it is that you have no mother, Mary! It is a greater loss to you than you think."
"It is time to go to meet papa," said Mary, rising. "I hope Uncle Richard will be at the station."
"Why? What do you want with your Uncle Richard?"
"Only to tell him that we are on good terms again, and that he may regard Mr Jack as his future bandmaster." She hurried away as she spoke; and Mrs Beatty' s protest was wasted on the old-fashioned sideboard. ”

“ Miss Wilson looked at the weather, at Josephs, who was conversing with Jane, and finally at Smilash, who knuckled his forehead without waiting to be addressed.
"Have you a boy whom you can send to Lyvern to get us a conveyance—a carriage? I will give him a shilling for his trouble."
"A shilling!" said Smilash joyfully. "Your ladyship is a noble lady. Two four-wheeled cabs. There's eight on you."
"There is only one cab in Lyvern," said Miss Wilson. "Take this card to Mr. Marsh, the jotmaster, and tell him the predicament we are in. He will send vehicles." ”

“ William Shaw touched the bell."Some dinner for Mr. Twisden—at once—and the brougham round—in time for the eight-o'clock train."
The distincness of his instructions was especially mentioned afterwards, when the clearness of his brain at the time was called in question. He was told that the doctor had arrived.
"I suppose I must see him. It ain't any use, but I suppose I'd better see him. A few days more—or less; it's hardly worth while———"
"Oh yes, it is," returned the lawyer, as he held out his hand. "While there is life, there is hope. I've been very bad, nearly gone, myself more than once. ”

“ Even on the lies of Marcus there is a blessing; but on Mr Mangan's money there is none.
MANGAN. I don't understand a word of that.
ELLIE. Neither do I. But I know it means something.
MANGAN. Don't say there was any difficulty about the blessing. I was ready to get a bishop to marry us.
MRS HUSHABYE. Isn't he a fool, pettikins?
HECTOR [fiercely] . Do not scorn the man. We are all fools.
Mazzini, in pyjamas and a richly colored silk dressing gown, comes from the house, on Lady Utterword's side. MRS HUSHABYE. Oh! here comes the only man who ever resisted me. What's the matter, Mr Dunn? ”