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meant that I proposed to get possession of her property if she
had any； or to undertake her support for life if she had not；
that I desired her continual companionship； counsel and
conversation to the end of my days； and would bind myself
under penalties to be always enraptured by them； and； above all；
that I would turn my back on all other women for ever for her
sake。 I did not object to these conditions because they were
exorbitant and inhuman： it was their extraordinary irrelevance
that prostrated me。 I invariably replied with perfect frankness
that I had never dreamt of any of these things； that unless the
lady's character and intellect were equal or superior to my own；
her conversation must degrade and her counsel mislead me； tha t
her constant companionship might； for all I knew； become
intolerably tedious to me； that I could not answer for my
feelings for a week in advance； much less to the end of my life；
that to cut me off from all natural and unconstrained relations
with the rest of my fellow creatures would narrow and warp me if
I submitted to it； and； if not； would bring me under the curse of
clandestinity； that； finally； my proposals to her were wholly
unconnected with any of these matters； and were the outcome of a
perfectly simple impulse of my manhood towards her womanhood。
ANA。 You mean that it was an immoral impulse。
DON JUAN。 Nature； my dear lady； is what you call immoral。 I blush
for it； but I cannot help it。 Nature is a pandar； Time a wrecker；
and Death a murderer。 I have always preferred to stand up to
those facts and build institutions on their recognition。 You
prefer to propitiate the three devils by proclaiming their
chastity； their thrift； and their loving kindness； and to base
your institutions on these flatteries。 Is it any wonder that the
institutions do not work smoothly？
THE STATUE。 What used the ladies to say； Juan？
DON JUAN。 Oh； come！ Confidence for confidence。 First tell me what
you used to say to the ladies。
THE STATUE。 I！ Oh； I swore that I would be faithful to the death；
that I should die if they refused me； that no woman could ever be
to me what she was
ANA。 She？ Who？
THE STATUE。 Whoever it happened to be at the time； my dear。 I had
certain things I always said。 One of them was that even when I
was eighty； one white hair of the woman I loved would make me
tremble more than the thickest gold tress from the most beautiful
young head。 Another was that I could not bear the thought of
anyone else being the mother of my children。
DON JUAN。 ＇revolted＇ You old rascal！
THE STATUE。 ＇Stoutly＇ Not a bit； for I really believed it with
all my soul at the moment。 I had a heart： not like you。 And it
was this sincerity that made me successful。
DON JUAN。 Sincerity！ To be fool enough to believe a ramping；
stamping； thumping lie： that is what you call sincerity！ To be so
greedy for a woman that you deceive yourself in your eagerness to
deceive her： sincerity； you call it！
THE STATUE。 Oh； damn your sophistries！ I was a man in love； not a
lawyer。 And the women loved me for it； bless them！
DON JUAN。 They made you think so。 What will you say when I tell
you that though I played the lawyer so callously； they made me
think so too？ I also had my moments of infatuation in which I
gushed nonsense and believed it。 Sometimes the desire to give
pleasure by saying beautiful things so rose in me on the flood of
emotion that I said them recklessly。 At other times I argued
against myself with a devilish coldness that drew tears。 But I
found it just as hard to escape in the one case as in the others。
When the lady's instinct was set on me； there was nothing for it
but lifelong servitude or flight。
ANA。 You dare boast； before me and my father； that every woman
found you irresistible。
DON JUAN。 Am I boasting？ It seems to me that I cut the most
pitiable of figures。 Besides； I said 〃when the lady's instinct
was set on me。〃 It was not always so； and then； heavens！ what
transports of virtuous indignation！ what overwhelming defiance to
the dastardly seducer！ what scenes of Imogen and Iachimo！
ANA。 I made no scenes。 I simply called my father。
DON JUAN。 And he came； sword in hand； to vindicate outraged honor
and morality by murdering me。
THE STATUE。 Murdering！ What do you mean？ Did I kill you or did
you kill me？
DON JUAN。 Which of us was the better fencer？
THE STATUE。 I was。
DON JUAN。 Of course you were。 And yet you； the hero of those
scandalous adventures you have just been relating to us； you had
the effrontery to pose as the avenger of outraged morality and
condemn me to death！ You would have slain me but for an accident。
THE STATUE。 I was expected to； Juan。 That is how things were
arranged on earth。 I was not a social reformer； and I always did
what it was customary for a gentleman to do。
DON JUAN。 That may account for your attacking me； but not for the
revolting hypocrisy of your subsequent proceedings as a statue。
THE STATUE。 That all came of my going to Heaven。
THE DEVIL。 I still fail to see； Senor Don Juan； that these
episodes in your earthly career and in that of the Senor
Commander in any way discredit my view of life。 Here； I repeat；
you have all that you sought without anything that you shrank
from。
DON JUAN。 On the contrary； here I have everything that
disappointed me without anything that I have not already tried
and found wanting。 I tell you that as long as I can conceive
something better than myself I cannot be easy unless I am
striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it。
That is the law of my life。 That is the working within me of
Life's incessant aspiration to higher organization； wider；
deeper； intenser self…consciousness； and clearer
self…understanding。 It was the supremacy of this purpose that
reduced love for me to the mere pleasure of a moment； art for me
to the mere schooling of my faculties； religion for me to a mere
excuse for laziness； since it had set up a God who looked at the
world and saw that it was good； against the instinct in me that
looked through my eyes at the world and saw that it could be
improved。 I tell you that in the pursuit of my own pleasure； my
own health； my own fortune； I have never known happiness。 It was
not love for Woman that delivered me into her hands： it was
fatigue； exhaustion。 When I was a child； and bruised my head
against a stone； I ran to the nearest woman and cried away my
pain against her apron。 When I grew up； and bruised my soul
against the brutalities and stupidities with which I had to
strive； I did again just what I had done as a child。 I have
enjoyed； too； my rests； my recuperations； my breathing times； my
very prostrations after strife； but rather would I be dragged
through all the circles of the foolish Italian's Inferno than
through the pleasures of Europe。 That is what has made this place
of eternal pleasures so deadly to me。 It is the absence of this
instinct in you that makes you that strange monster called a
Devil。 It is the success with which you have diverted the
attention of men from their real purpose； which in one degree or
another is the same as mine； to yours； that has