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father took me for。 Would you still consider it right that I
should be Rhoda's guardian？
ANN。 I can't imagine you doing anything disgraceful； Granny。
TANNER。 ＇to Ramsden＇ You haven't done anything of the sort； have
you？
RAMSDEN。 ＇indignantly＇ No sir。
MRS。 WHITEFIELD。 ＇placidly＇ Well； then； why suppose it？
ANN。 You see； Granny； Mamma would not like me to suppose it。
RAMSDEN。 ＇much perplexed＇ You are both so full of natural and
affectionate feeling in these family matters that it is very hard
to put the situation fairly before you。
TANNER。 Besides； my friend； you are not putting the situation
fairly before them。
RAMSDEN。 ＇sulkily＇ Put it yourself； then。
TANNER。 I will。 Ann： Ramsden thinks I am not fit be your
guardian； and I quite agree with him。 He considers that if your
father had read my book； he wouldn't have appointed me。 That book
is the disgraceful action he has been talking about。 He thinks
it's your duty for Rhoda's sake to ask him to act alone and to
make me withdraw。 Say the word and I will。
ANN。 But I haven't read your book； Jack。
TANNER。 ＇diving at the waste…paper basket and fishing the book
out for her＇ Then read it at once and decide。
RAMSDEN。 If I am to be your guardian； I positively forbid you to
read that book； Annie。 ＇He smites the table with his fist and
rises＇。
ANN。 Of course； if you don't wish it。 ＇She puts the book on the
table＇。
TANNER。 If one guardian is to forbid you to read the other
guardian's book； how are we to settle it？ Suppose I order you to
read it！ What about your duty to me？
ANN。 ＇gently＇ I am sure you would never purposely force me into a
painful dilemma； Jack。
RAMSDEN。 ＇irritably＇ Yes； yes； Annie： this is all very well； and；
as I said； quite natural and becoming。 But you must make a choice
one way or the other。 We are as much in a dilemma as you。
ANN。 I feel that I am too young； too inexperienced； to decide。 My
father's wishes are sacred to me。
MRS WHITEFIELD。 If you two men won't carry them out I must say it
is rather hard that you should put the responsibility on Ann。 It
seems to me that people are always putting things on other people
in this world。
RAMSDEN。 I am sorry you take it that way。
ANN。 ＇touchingly＇ Do you refuse to accept me as your ward；
Granny？
RAMSDEN。 No： I never said that。 I greatly object to act with Mr
Tanner： that's all。
MRS。 WHITEFIELD。 Why？ What's the matter with poor Jack？
TANNER。 My views are too advanced for him。
RAMSDEN。 ＇indignantly＇ They are not。 I deny it。
ANN。 Of course not。 What nonsense！ Nobody is more advanced than
Granny。 I am sure it is Jack himself who has made all the
difficulty。 Come； Jack！ Be kind to me in my sorrow。 You don't
refuse to accept me as your ward； do you？
TANNER。 ＇gloomily＇ No。 I let myself in for it； so I suppose I
must face it。 ＇He turns away to the bookcase； and stands there；
moodily studying the titles of the volumes＇。
ANN。 ＇rising and expanding with subdued but gushing delight＇ Then
we are all agreed； and my dear father's will is to be carried
out。 You don't know what a joy that is to me and to my mother！
＇She goes to Ramsden and presses both his hands； saying＇ And I
shall have my dear Granny to help and advise me。 ＇She casts a
glance at Tanner over her shoulder＇。 And Jack the Giant Killer。
＇She goes past her mother to Octavius＇。 And Jack's inseparable
friend Ricky…ticky…tavy ＇he blushes and looks inexpressibly
foolish＇。
MRS WHITEFIELD。 ＇rising and shaking her widow's weeds straight＇
Now that you are Ann's guardian； Mr Ramsden； I wish you would
speak to her about her habit of giving people nicknames。 They
can't be expected to like it。 ＇She moves towards the door＇。
ANN。 How can you say such a thing； Mamma！ ＇Glowing with
affectionate remorse＇ Oh； I wonder can you be right！ Have I been
inconsiderate？ ＇She turns to Octavius； who is sitting astride
his chair with his elbows on the back of it。 Putting her hand on
his forehead the turns his face up suddenly＇。 Do you want to be
treated like a grown up man？ Must I call you Mr Robinson in
future？
OCTAVIUS。 ＇earnestly＇ Oh please call me Ricky…tickytavy； 〃Mr
Robinson〃 would hurt me cruelly。 She laughs and pats his cheek
with her finger； then comes back to Ramsden＇。 You know I'm
beginning to think that Granny is rather a piece of impertinence。
But I never dreamt of its hurting you。
RAMSDEN。 ＇breezily； as he pats her affectionately on the back＇ My
dear Annie； nonsense。 I insist on Granny。 I won't answer to any
other name than Annie's Granny。
ANN。 ＇gratefully＇ You all spoil me； except Jack。
TANNER。 ＇over his shoulder； from the bookcase＇ I think you ought
to call me Mr Tanner。
ANN。 ＇gently＇ No you don't； Jack。 That's like the things you say
on purpose to shock people： those who know you pay no attention
to them。 But； if you like； I'll call you after your famous
ancestor Don Juan。
RAMSDEN。 Don Juan！
ANN。 ＇innocently＇ Oh； is there any harm in it？ I didn't know。
Then I certainly won't call you that。 May I call you Jack until
I can think of something else？
TANKER。 Oh； for Heaven's sake don't try to invent anything worse。
I capitulate。 I consent to Jack。 I embrace Jack。 Here endeth my
first and last attempt to assert my authority。
ANN。 You see； Mamma； they all really like to have pet names。
MRS WHITEFIELD。 Well； I think you might at least drop them until
we are out of mourning。
ANN。 ＇reproachfully； stricken to the soul＇ Oh； how could you
remind me； mother？ ＇She hastily leaves the room to conceal her
emotion＇。
MRS WHITEFIELD。 Of course。 My fault as usual！ ＇She follows Ann＇。
TANNER。 ＇coming from the bockcase＇ Ramsden： we're beaten
smashednonentitized； like her mother。
RAMSDEN。 Stuff； Sir。 ＇He follows Mrs Whitefield out of the room＇。
TANNER。 ＇left alone with Octavius； stares whimsically at him＇
Tavy： do you want to count for something in the world？
OCTAVIUS。 I want to count for something as a poet： I want to
write a great play。
TANNER。 With Ann as the heroine？
OCTAVIUS。 Yes： I confess it。
TANNER。 Take care； Tavy。 The play with Ann as the heroine is all
right； but if you're not very careful； by Heaven she'll marry
you。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇sighing＇ No such luck； Jack！
TANNER。 Why； man； your head is in the lioness's mouth： you are
half swallowed alreadyin three bitesBite One； Ricky； Bite
Two； Ticky； Bite Three； Tavy； and down you go。
OCTAVIUS。 She is the same to everybody； Jack： you know her ways。
TANNER。 Yes： she breaks everybody's back with the stroke of her
paw； but the question is； which of us will she eat？ My own
opinion is that she means to eat you。
OCTAVIUS。 ＇rising； pettishly＇ It's horrible to talk like that
about her when she is upstairs crying for her father。 But I do so
want her to eat me that I can bear your brutalities because they
give me hope。
TANNER。 Tavy； that's the devilish side of a woman's fascination：
she makes you will your own destruction。
OCTAVIUS。 But it's not destruction： it's fulfilment。
TANNER。 Yes； of HER purpose； and that purpose is neither her
happiness nor yours； but Nature's。 Vitality in a woman is a blind
fury of creation。 She sacrifices herself t