Man's World by Charlotte Haldane

Author:Charlotte Haldane [Haldane, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Brave New World; JDS Haldane; eugenics; feminism; SF; scifi;
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 2024-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

9

Catalysis

One word, which he seemed to worship, often entered into his conversation: ‘Intelligence.’ And he pronounced it with such force of feeling that a little bubble of froth could be seen on his lips.

—Jacques de Lacretelle, Silbermann

I

When Christopher, all penitent, begged Nicolette’s forgiveness for his temporary desertion, she remembered her prediction with silent joy. ‘In the end you will come back to me and I to you,’ she had said at their parting, and already it was so. Within a week or two of its ending she could look on the Raymond episode as a joke. St. John was absent from Nucleus at this time, and as she had merely had to soothe Antonia’s disappointment and listen to a short disapproving homily from Adrian, she could only see its comical aspect. Nevertheless, having taken pleasure in Raymond’s caresses at least, she felt now confirmed in her reaction against the physical preliminaries to motherhood. Christopher could give all the love she needed, and her inward discomfort at certain recollections (innocent kisses though they had been) appeared to her as a sign that she did not choose to penetrate the dark avenue of sex.

‘The point is,’ said Christopher, ‘what do you want to do now?’

It was midday and they were sitting on some sandhills, taking a sun-bath. A pine forest behind them poured out scent; there was a silver shimmer over everything. Christopher was sweating slightly; small beads were on his forehead and upper lip. Nicolette lay on her stomach and with sensual delight felt the warmth travel down her spine.

‘Just bask,’ she murmured. ‘Oh, Christopher, I’m so lazy. I haven’t the slightest ambition to do anything at all. I don’t care about anything just now but sleeping and eating and watching other people do things. You, for instance, and Weil. I’ve been spending hours with him, watching him make those adorable models of his. His sight is not very sharp any more, and I’ve been helping him with the more delicate parts. What a baby I am, playing with my little toys!’

‘Not at all. That’s art.’

‘All right. I’m too hot to argue. Anyhow, I should like to go on helping Weil; he needs an assistant. Now he wants to make models illustrating the development of various arts and sciences. It means a lot of research, copying, donkey-work for which he has not enough time.’

‘Well, do. We will get him to apply to the council for you if you think he wants you.’

‘I am sure he will.’

‘So much, then, for your laziness.’

‘Yes, it isn’t done, is it? Councils here and councils there, and a job for every one. I suppose it’s inevitable, though.’

‘Apparently. Only such reactionaries as you and I would like to see the old times back, when everybody was not classed according to capacity by practical psychologists. And when one could comfortably take a job beneath one’s intelligence if one were merely lazy.’

‘I don’t think I would, really. But I do wish provision were made for oddities like you and me.

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