'L'homme qui travaille, perd un temps précieux.' So was the saying of Arthur.
Arthur was a practical man indeed: he scarcely thought a word of what he said, merely explaining that truth and honesty weren't true to manners or moral. Hypocrisy is quite fashionable after all. And it helps to have a great many friends. Now, fashion and popularity are two great advantages in society which I'm quite sure you'll find are difficult to surpass.
But Arthur was not only practical and idle; his saying would suggest he is french. Actually he isn't in the slightest. Although the Englishman rather fancies the idea of pretending to be a Frenchman - as well as a traveler, a spy and being famous. However, his accent - especially his incapability to pronounce the french letter 'r' - just gives him away. It is true to say very few Englishmen are gifted with the aptitude to speak a foreign language. Properly, it must be said. Nonetheless his ineptitude was never given away among his ignorant surroundings. Ignorant surroundings being rather very apt for the unwise minded.
Ernest, sitting comfortably opposite Arthur, reached out of his jacket front pocket for another cigarette. It was usual for him to smoke unnaturally too much, but it didn't seem to cause any harm to his conscience.
'Precious time certainly cannot be afforded to be lost.' He answered to Arthur's statement, only half thinking what he was saying. It hardly mattered, he was certain it slotted in the conversation rather well. His full concentration was really required upon the task of lighting his cigarette.
'A distant member of my dear family once said that "If a thing's not worth doing well, it's not worth doing at all," he added, getting slightly interested. 'I can't remember who she was though I'm afraid, probably some boring - if not interesting - cousin.'
'Cousins do have a tendency to be either tedious or charming,' answered Arthur. 'One belonging to my family once mentioned: "anger starts here". Nothing whatsoever starts anywhere, especially things concerning anger.
But concerning your formidable quote, isn't the proper saying: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well"?'
'Well I suppose it is,' said Ernest, thin curls of silver smoke curling out of his mouth. 'But only if the proper quote is a proper lie, proper quotes are too often mistaken with truth. It's a terrible mistake.'
'Quite true dear boy. Although we are proper tight, are our thoughts worth a penny?'
These were Arthur's last words before the idle two of them fell asleep upon their respective armchairs, snoring too heavily for their drunkenness to pass unnoticed.
A lot of Oscar Wilde's influence in there, which isn't a bad thing. On the contrary, it's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteQuite an accurate 'description' of society, or more precisely, of the individuals false pretences when in the company of another... if that makes any sense. But even if it does'nt I'm sure you understand what I mean.
The paragraph concerning cousins is interesting. First of all the association of "tedious" and "charming" (which you've taken from Oscar Wilde I think). A treaty composed of only two options when in reality cousins could be countless other things than simply tedious or charming. Actually I find that has a way of portraying commons people's narrow mindedness...
Globally you describe quite well what is required to seem like a good person, and what is necessary to have a lot of friends etc.
The ending was rather good.
As if you were saying that everything that was said previously was in fact wrong. Here again I think you may have taken that from O.W. Which is good, because it's a good ending.