The Forsyte Saga Volume 2(190)

‘Answer my question, please. Do you say it’s all right?’

‘I – I think it depends.’

‘On what?’

‘On – on circumstances, environment, temperament; all sorts of things.’

‘Would it be all right for you?’

Marjorie Ferrar became very still. ‘I can’t answer that question, my lord.’

‘You mean – you don’t want to I’

‘I mean I don’t know.’

And, with a feeling as if she had withdrawn her foot from a bit of breaking ice, she saw Bullfry’s face re-emerge from his handkerchief.

‘Very well. Go on, Sir James I’

‘Anyway, we may take it, Miss Ferrar, that those of us who say we don’t believe in these irregularities are hypocrites in your view?’

‘Why can’t you be fair?’

He was looking at her now; and she didn’t like him any the better for it.

‘I shall prove myself fair before I’ve done, Miss Ferrar.’

‘You’ve got your work cut out, haven’t you?’

‘Believe me, madam, it will be better for you not to indulge in witticism. According to you, there is no harm in a book like Canthar?’

‘There ought to be none.’

‘You mean if we were all as aesthetically cultured – as you.’ – Sneering beast! – ‘But are we?’

‘No.’

‘Then there is harm. But you wouldn’t mind that harm being done. I don’t propose, my lord, to read from this very unpleasant novel. Owing apparently to its unsavoury reputation, a copy of it now costs nearly seven pounds. And I venture to think that is in itself an answer to the plaintiff’s contention that “art” so called has no effect on life. We have gone to the considerable expense of buying copies, and I shall ask that during the luncheon interval the jury may read some dozen marked passages.’

‘Have you a copy for me, Sir James?’

‘Yes, my lord.’

‘And one for Mr Bullfry?… If there is any laughter, I shall have the Court cleared. Go on.’

‘You know the “Ne Plus Ultra” Play-Producing Society, Miss Ferrar? It exists to produced advanced plays, I believe.’

‘Plays – I don’t know about “advanced”.’

‘Russian plays, and the Restoration dramatists?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you have played in them?’

‘Sometimes.’

‘Do you remember a play called ‘The Plain Dealer’, by Wycherly, given at a matinée on January 7th last – did you play in that the part of Olivia?’

‘Yes.’

‘A nice part?’

‘A very good part.’

‘I said “nice”.”

‘I don’t like the word.’

‘Too suggestive of “prunes and prisms”, Miss Ferrar? Is it the part of a modest woman?’

‘No.’

‘Is it, towards the end, extremely immodest? I allude to the dark scene.’

‘I don’t know about extremely.’

‘Anyway, you felt no hesitation about undertaking and playing the part – a little thing like that doesn’t worry you?’

‘I don’t know why it should. If it did, I shouldn’t act.’

‘You don’t act for money?’

‘No; for pleasure.’

‘Then, of course, you can refuse any part you like?’

‘If I did, I shouldn’t have any offered me.’

‘Don’t quibble, please. You took the part of Olivia not for money but for pleasure. You enjoyed playing it?’

‘Pretty well.’

‘I’m afraid I shall have to ask the jury, my lord, to run their eyes over the dark scene in “The Plain Dealer”.’

‘Are you saying, Sir James, that a woman who plays an immoral part is not moral – that would asperse a great many excellent reputations.’

‘No, my lord; I’m saying that here is a young lady so jealous of her good name in the eyes of the world, that she brings a libel action because someone has said in a private letter that she ‘hasn’t a moral about her’. And at the same time she is reading and approving books like this Canthar, playing parts like that of Olivia in “The Plain Dealer”, and, as I submit, living in a section of Society that really doesn’t know the meaning of the word morals, that looks upon morals, in fact, rather as we look upon measles. It’s my contention, my lord, that the saying in my client’s letter: “She hasn’t a moral about her”, is rather a compliment to the plaintiff than otherwise.’

‘Do you mean that it was intended as a compliment?’

‘No, no, my lord.’