VIVIE
Yes I have. Last May I spent six weeks in London with Honoria Fraser.
Mamma thought we were doing a round of sightseeing together; but I was
really at Honoria's chambers in Chancery Lane8 every day, working away at
actuarial calculations for her, and helping her as well as a greenhorn could.
In the evenings we smoked and talked, and never dreamt of going out except
for exercise. And I never enjoyed myself more in my life. I cleared all my
expenses, and got initiated into the business without a fee into the bargain.
PRAED
But bless my heart and soul, Miss Warren, do you call that discovering
art?
VIVIE
Wait a bit. That wasnt the beginning. I went up to town on an invitation
from some artistic people in Fitzjohn's Avenue:9 one of the girls was a Newn
ham chum. They took me to the National Gallery'? PRAED [Approving.] Ah!! [He sits down, much relieved.] VTVIE
[Continuing.] ?to the Opera? PRAED [Still more pleased.] Good! VTVIE ?and to a concert where the band played all the evening: Beethoven and
Wagner and so on. I wouldnt go through that experience again for anything
8. I.e., office in the legal quarter of London. collections of western European paintings in the 9. A road in Hampstead (northwest London). world. 1. In Trafalgar Square; it contains one of the finest
.
175 0 / BERNARD SHAW
you could offer me. I held out for civility's sake until the third day; and then
I said, plump out,2 that I couldnt stand any more of it, and went off to
Chancery Lane. No w you know the sort of perfectly splendid modern
young lady I am. How do you think I shall get on with my mother? PRAED [Startled.] Well, I hope?er? vrviE It's not so much what you hope as what you believe, that I want to
know.
PRAED
Well, frankly, I am afraid your mother will be a little disappointed.
Not from any shortcoming on your part, you know: I dont mean that. But
you are so different from her ideal.
VIVIE
Her what?!
PRAED
Her ideal. vrviE Do you mean her ideal of ME?
PRAED Yes. VIVIE What on earth is it like? PRAED
Well, you must have observed, Miss Warren, that people who are
dissatisfied with their own bringing-up generally think that the world would
be all right if everybody were to be brought up quite differently. Now your
mother's life has been?er?I suppose you know?
VIVIE
Dont suppose anything, Mr Praed. I hardly know my mother. Since I
was a child I have lived in England, at school or college, or with people paid
to take charge of me. I have been boarded out all my life. My mother has
lived in Brussels or Vienna and never let me go to her. I only see her when
she visits England for a few days. I dont complain: it's been very pleasant;
for people have been very good to me; and there has always been plenty of
money to make things smooth. But dont imagine I know anything about my
mother. I know far less than you do.
