قراءة كتاب Seductio Ad Absurdum The Principles & Practices of Seduction, A Beginner's Handbook
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Seductio Ad Absurdum The Principles & Practices of Seduction, A Beginner's Handbook
href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@43757@[email protected]#ex17" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">LIFE IS SHORT
18. I’D HAVE SAID YOU WERE FROM NEW YORK
19. SHE LOVED ME FOR THE DANGERS
1. I THINK YOU HAVE A GREAT CAPACITY FOR LIVING
TYPE:
Well-to-do man with slightly artistic tendencies; the sort that believes first in money, then in full enjoyment of it. His philosophy is practical but not too limited to material considerations; in other words, he talks well on almost any subject.
SUBJECT:
Slightly younger, but of the same breed. The families of the two protagonists have probably been friendly for two generations.
APPARATUS:
A restaurant: one of the more leisurely ones where the dishes do not rattle but an orchestra makes conversation just as difficult.
REMARKS:
The keynote of the approach is a tacit appreciation of intelligence on the part of the subject. This sympathetic attitude is very important. Think it all over carefully, put a flower in your buttonhole and go ahead.
I THINK YOU HAVE A GREAT CAPACITY FOR LIVING
You have reached the coffee and are putting up a brave fight against the orchestra before going out into the privacy of the street.
She: And we didn’t get home, after all, until two o’clock. I was so angry: it spoiled the evening.
You: Angry! I don’t think that you could ever be angry.
She: Oh, yes, you don’t know me at all. I have a dreadful temper.
You: Well, it doesn’t somehow fit in with my idea of you, you see. No, I must disagree with you. You haven’t a temper. It’s impossible for you to have a really earthly emotion.
She (somewhat irritated): Why, how can you say such a thing?
You: You’re a strangely aloof child, you know.
She (after a pleased little silence): That’s not nice of you.
You: Why not? It’s so nice of you, you know.
She: Oh, do you really think so? I’m sure I don’t try to be. No.... (with a charming smile)—you’re quite wrong. It’s the rest of them that are different. I’m really very normal.
You: Normal? Oh, my dear! And yet, after all, it’s not very funny. Perhaps it’s a tragedy.
She: What is?
You: Your attitude toward life.
She: Why, I have no attitude!
You: There you are; that’s just it. Someone of us mortals tries to tell you how we—how flesh-and-blood beings react to you, and you simply open those clear eyes of yours, and—well, how can I go on talking in the face of such bland ignorance?
She: Ignorance! Why I don’t....
You: Oh, surely you know how ignorant you are? You must remain ignorant with deliberation. It’s part of your charm, of course, but ... oh, how charming you could be, in another way!
She: Really.... (suddenly her voice warms and she leans a little over the table, talking eagerly) No, you’re perfectly right. I mean from your viewpoint, of course. One thing that you forget, though, is that I don’t feel the way that you and the rest of them do. I can’t really understand it myself, and yet ... oh, all that sort of thing; emotion and all that; seems so ... so messy.
You: Messy? My dear child, what sort of people can you have known?
She: Perfectly normal people, I assure you. No, it’s my own fault. It’s me, and I can’t help it. Emotion to me has always seemed—no thank you, just demi-tasse—seemed common. Not aristocratic. That’s rather a snide thing to say, isn’t it? I don’t mean to sound that way.
You: I know you don’t. (The music plays without competition for a moment). But how sad!
She: Sad? Oh no. I get along quite well. I’m really very happy, except once in a while. I’m as happy, that is, as you can possibly be for all your—your normality.
You: But what a strange way for an intelligent person like yourself to think! Have you no curiosity?
She: Oh, certainly. To an extent. But when curiosity conflicts with one’s disgusts....
You: Disgusts? Now you are certainly wrong. It gives you away.
She: Yes, that was a silly thing to say.
You: Don’t you think that you allow your mind to rule you too much? It’s really dangerous. I mean it. Surely your intelligence tells you that a well-rounded personality....
She: But I told you; I don’t want to experiment!
You: I can’t believe that you are in a position to judge. You don’t really know what you want; you don’t know what to want. I don’t believe you for a minute when you say you are happy. Lovely, yes; but lovely in a melancholy way. How can you know about yourself, you wise child? Tell me, are you always so serene?
She: You’re getting much too serious. Let’s dance.
You: I don’t want to dance with you just now. I think you’re trying to run away from me as you have always run away from questions. Do you know, you’re a most deceptive person. When I met you, I said to myself, “She is sensitive,” but I never thought of you as being beautiful. I’m being frank, do you mind? But I see now that you are. I see that you are rarely beautiful, but that you do not wish to be. Isn’t that true?
She: Why no, of course not. I don’t understand it all.
You: It’s just this, and I don’t care whether or not I offend you. In fact, I hope I do. Someone ought to offend you now and then. You’re committing a crime, not only against us but against yourself. If I had my way—and I’m not being selfish, either—
She (blazing): As though any of you weren’t selfish!
You: What?
She: I’m so tired of it all. Don’t you think I hear something like this every day of my life? All of you working for yourselves, arguing for yourselves, talking eternally about the same thing. I can’t stand any more of it. I’m sick of it.
You (gravely): I beg your pardon, but you’re not being quite polite, are you? You’re a bit unjust.
She: Perhaps I’m rather excited. Sorry.
You: Perhaps not. This is the result of a long silence, isn’t it? You have never spoken like this before?
She: Yes, that’s it.