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158 pages

English

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Although George Bernard Shaw is today best remembered for his work as a playwright, he also penned numerous novels over the course of his creative career. Cashel Byron's Profession explores class issues in a story that follows the blooming love affair between a prizefighter and his upper-class inamorata.

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 juin 2011
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781775453505
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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CASHEL BYRON'S PROFESSION
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GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

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Cashel Byron's Profession First published in 1886 ISBN 978-1-775453-50-5 © 2011 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Prologue Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV Chapter XV Chapter XVI
Prologue
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I
Moncrief House, Panley Common. Scholastic establishment for the sonsof gentlemen, etc.
Panley Common, viewed from the back windows of Moncrief House, is atract of grass, furze and rushes, stretching away to the westernhorizon.
One wet spring afternoon the sky was full of broken clouds, and thecommon was swept by their shadows, between which patches of greenand yellow gorse were bright in the broken sunlight. The hills tothe northward were obscured by a heavy shower, traces of which weredrying off the slates of the school, a square white building,formerly a gentleman's country-house. In front of it was a well-keptlawn with a few clipped holly-trees. At the rear, a quarter of anacre of land was enclosed for the use of the boys. Strollers on thecommon could hear, at certain hours, a hubbub of voices and racingfootsteps from within the boundary wall. Sometimes, when thestrollers were boys themselves, they climbed to the coping, and sawon the other side a piece of common trampled bare and brown, with afew square yards of concrete, so worn into hollows as to be unfitfor its original use as a ball-alley. Also a long shed, a pump, adoor defaced by innumerable incised inscriptions, the back of thehouse in much worse repair than the front, and about fifty boys intailless jackets and broad, turned-down collars. When the fifty boysperceived a stranger on the wall they rushed to the spot with a wildhalloo, overwhelmed him with insult and defiance, and dislodged himby a volley of clods, stones, lumps of bread, and such otherprojectiles as were at hand.
On this rainy spring afternoon a brougham stood at the door ofMoncrief House. The coachman, enveloped in a white india-rubbercoat, was bestirring himself a little after the recent shower.Within-doors, in the drawing-room, Dr. Moncrief was conversing witha stately lady aged about thirty-five, elegantly dressed, ofattractive manner, and only falling short of absolute beauty in hercomplexion, which was deficient in freshness.
"No progress whatever, I am sorry to say," the doctor was remarking.
"That is very disappointing," said the lady, contracting her brows.
"It is natural that you should feel disappointed," replied thedoctor. "I would myself earnestly advise you to try the effect ofplacing him at some other—" The doctor stopped. The lady's face hadlit up with a wonderful smile, and she had raised her hand with abewitching gesture of protest.
"Oh, no, Dr. Moncrief," she said. "I am not disappointed with YOU;but I am all the more angry with Cashel, because I know that if hemakes no progress with you it must be his own fault. As to takinghim away, that is out of the question. I should not have a moment'speace if he were out of your care. I will speak to him veryseriously about his conduct before I leave to-day. You will give himanother trial, will you not?"
"Certainly. With the greatest pleasure," exclaimed the doctor,confusing himself by an inept attempt at gallantry. "He shall stayas long as you please. But"—here the doctor became graveagain—"you cannot too strongly urge upon him the importance of hardwork at the present time, which may be said to be the turning-pointof his career as a student. He is now nearly seventeen; and he hasso little inclination for study that I doubt whether he could passthe examination necessary to entering one of the universities. Youprobably wish him to take a degree before he chooses a profession."
"Yes, of course," said the lady, vaguely, evidently assenting to thedoctor's remark rather than expressing a conviction of her own."What profession would you advise for him? You know so much betterthan I."
"Hum!" said Dr. Moncrief, puzzled. "That would doubtless depend tosome extent on his own taste—"
"Not at all," said the lady, interrupting him with vivacity. "Whatdoes he know about the world, poor boy? His own taste is sure to besomething ridiculous. Very likely he would want to go on the stage,like me."
"Oh! Then you would not encourage any tendency of that sort?"
"Most decidedly not. I hope he has no such idea."
"Not that I am aware of. He shows so little ambition to excel in anyparticular branch that I should say his choice of a profession maybe best determined by his parents. I am, of course, ignorant whetherhis relatives possess influence likely to be of use to him. That isoften the chief point to be considered, particularly in cases likeyour son's, where no special aptitude manifests itself."
"I am the only relative he ever had, poor fellow," said the lady,with a pensive smile. Then, seeing an expression of astonishment onthe doctor's face, she added, quickly, "They are all dead."
"Dear me!"
"However," she continued, "I have no doubt I can make plenty ofinterest for him. But it is difficult to get anything nowadayswithout passing competitive examinations. He really must work. If heis lazy he ought to be punished."
The doctor looked perplexed. "The fact is," he said, "your son canhardly be dealt with as a child any longer. He is still quite a boyin his habits and ideas; but physically he is rapidly springing upinto a young man. That reminds me of another point on which I willask you to speak earnestly to him. I must tell you that he hasattained some distinction among his school-fellows here as anathlete. Within due bounds I do not discourage bodily exercises:they are a recognized part of our system. But I am sorry to say thatCashel has not escaped that tendency to violence which sometimesresults from the possession of unusual strength and dexterity. Heactually fought with one of the village youths in the main street ofPanley some months ago. The matter did not come to my earsimmediately; and, when it did, I allowed it to pass unnoticed, as hehad interfered, it seems, to protect one of the smaller boys.Unfortunately he was guilty of a much more serious fault a littlelater. He and a companion of his had obtained leave from me to walkto Panley Abbey together. I afterwards found that their real objectwas to witness a prize-fight that took place—illegally, ofcourse—on the common. Apart from the deception practised, I thinkthe taste they betrayed a dangerous one; and I felt bound to punishthem by a severe imposition, and restriction to the grounds for sixweeks. I do not hold, however, that everything has been done inthese cases when a boy has been punished. I set a high value on amother's influence for softening the natural roughness of boys."
"I don't think he minds what I say to him in the least," said thelady, with a sympathetic air, as if she pitied the doctor in amatter that chiefly concerned him. "I will speak to him about it, ofcourse. Fighting is an unbearable habit. His father's people werealways fighting; and they never did any good in the world."
"If you will be so kind. There are just the three points: thenecessity for greater—much greater—application to his studies; aword to him on the subject of rough habits; and to sound him as tohis choice of a career. I agree with you in not attaching muchimportance to his ideas on that subject as yet. Still, even a boyishfancy may be turned to account in rousing the energies of a lad."
"Quite so," assented the lady. "I will certainly give him alecture."
The doctor looked at her mistrustfully, thinking perhaps that sheherself would be the better for a lecture on her duties as a mother.But he did not dare to tell her so; indeed, having a prejudice tothe effect that actresses were deficient in natural feeling, hedoubted the use of daring. He also feared that the subject of herson was beginning to bore her; and, though a doctor of divinity, hewas as reluctant as other men to be found wanting in address by apretty woman. So he rang the bell, and bade the servant send MasterCashel Byron. Presently a door was heard to open below, and a buzzof distant voices became audible. The doctor fidgeted and tried tothink of something to say, but his invention failed him: he sat insilence while the inarticulate buzz rose into a shouting of"By-ron!" "Cash!" the latter cry imitated from the summons usuallyaddressed to cashiers in haberdashers' shops. Finally there was apiercing yell of "Mam-ma-a-a-a-ah!" apparently in explanation of thedemand for Byron's attendance in the drawing-room. The doctorreddened. Mrs. Byron smiled. Then the door below closed, shuttingout the tumult, and footsteps were heard on the stairs.
"Come in," cried the doctor, encouragingly.
Master Cashel Byron entered blushing; made his way awkwardly to hismother, and kissed the critical expression which was on her upturnedface as she examined his appearance. Being only seventeen, he hadnot yet acquired a taste for kissing. He inexpertly gave Mrs. Byronquite a shock by the collision of their teeth. Conscious of thefailure, he drew himself upright, and tried to hide his hands, whichwere exceedingly dirty, in the scanty folds of his jacket. He was awell-grown youth, with neck and shoulders already strongly formed,and short auburn hair curling in little rings close to his scalp. Hehad blue eyes, an