贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the double-dealer >

第12章

the double-dealer-第12章

小说: the double-dealer 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




to laugh; and then put 'em in again。  Foh!



LORD FROTH。  Foh!



LADY FROTH。  Then she's always ready to laugh when Sneer offers to

speak; and sits in expectation of his no jest; with her gums bare;

and her mouth open …



BRISK。  Like an oyster at low ebb; egad。  Ha; ha; ha!



CYNT。  'Aside'  Well; I find there are no fools so inconsiderable in

themselves but they can render other people contemptible by exposing

their infirmities。



LADY FROTH。  Then that t'other great strapping ladyI can't hit of

her name; the old fat fool that paints so exorbitantly。



BRISK。  I know whom you meanbut deuce take me; I can't hit of her

name neither。  Paints; d'ye say?  Why; she lays it on with a trowel。

Then she has a great beard that bristles through it; and makes her

look as if she were plastered with lime and hair; let me perish。



LADY FROTH。  Oh; you made a song upon her; Mr。 Brisk。



BRISK。  He! egad; so I did。  My lord can sing it。



CYNT。  O good; my lord; let's hear it。



BRISK。  'Tis not a song neither; it's a sort of an epigram; or

rather an epigrammatic sonnet; I don't know what to call it; but

it's satire。  Sing it; my lord。



LORD FROTH sings。





Ancient Phyllis has young graces;

'Tis a strange thing; but a true one;

Shall I tell you how?

She herself makes her own faces;

And each morning wears a new one;

Where's the wonder now?





BRISK。  Short; but there's salt in't; my way of writing; egad。





SCENE XI。





'To them' FOOTMAN。



LADY FROTH。  How now?



FOOT。  Your ladyship's chair is come。



LADY FROTH。  Is nurse and the child in it?



FOOT。  Yes; madam。



LADY FROTH。  O the dear creature!  Let's go see it。



LORD FROTH。  I swear; my dear; you'll spoil that child; with sending

it to and again so often; this is the seventh time the chair has

gone for her to…day。



LADY FROTH。  O law!  I swear it's but the sixthand I haven't seen

her these two hours。  The poor creatureI swear; my lord; you don't

love poor little Sapho。  Come; my dear Cynthia; Mr。 Brisk; we'll go

see Sapho; though my lord won't。



CYNT。  I'll wait upon your ladyship。



BRISK。  Pray; madam; how old is Lady Sapho?



LADY FROTH。  Three…quarters; but I swear she has a world of wit; and

can sing a tune already。  My lord; won't you go?  Won't you?  What!

not to see Saph?  Pray; my lord; come see little Saph。  I knew you

could not stay。





SCENE XII。





CYNTHIA alone。



CYNT。  'Tis not so hard to counterfeit joy in the depth of

affliction; as to dissemble mirth in company of fools。  Why should I

call 'em fools?  The world thinks better of 'em; for these have

quality and education; wit and fine conversation; are received and

admired by the world。  If not; they like and admire themselves。  And

why is not that true wisdom? for 'tis happiness:  and for ought I

know; we have misapplied the name all this while; and mistaken the

thing:  since





If happiness in self…content is placed;

The wise are wretched; and fools only bless'd。







ACT IV。SCENE I。







MELLEFONT and CYNTHIA。



CYNT。  I heard him loud as I came by the closet…door; and my lady

with him; but she seemed to moderate his passion。



MEL。  Ay; hell thank her; as gentle breezes moderate a fire; but I

shall counter…work her spells; and ride the witch in her own bridle。



CYNT。  It's impossible; she'll cast beyond you still。  I'll lay my

life it will never be a match。



MEL。  What?



CYNT。  Between you and me。



MEL。  Why so?



CYNT。  My mind gives me it won't; because we are both willing。  We

each of us strive to reach the goal; and hinder one another in the

race。  I swear it never does well when the parties are so agreed;

for when people walk hand in hand there's neither overtaking nor

meeting。  We hunt in couples; where we both pursue the same game but

forget one another; and 'tis because we are so near that we don't

think of coming together。



MEL。  Hum; 'gad I believe there's something in it。  Marriage is the

game that we hunt; and while we think that we only have it in view;

I don't see but we have it in our power。



CYNT。  Within reach; for example; give me your hand。  You have

looked through the wrong end of the perspective all this while; for

nothing has been between us but our fears。



MEL。  I don't know why we should not steal out of the house this

very moment and marry one another; without consideration or the fear

of repentance。  Pox o' fortune; portion; settlements; and jointures。



CYNT。  Ay; ay; what have we to do with 'em?  You know we marry for

love。



MEL。  Love; love; downright; very villainous love。



CYNT。  And he that can't live upon love deserves to die in a ditch。

Here then; I give you my promise; in spite of duty; any temptation

of wealth; your inconstancy; or my own inclination to change …



MEL。  To run most wilfully and unreasonably away with me this moment

and be married。



CYNT。  Hold。  Never to marry anybody else。



MEL。  That's but a kind of negative consent。  Why; you won't baulk

the frolic?



CYNT。  If you had not been so assured of your own conduct I would

not。  But 'tis but reasonable that since I consent to like a man

without the vile consideration of money; he should give me a very

evident demonstration of his wit:  therefore let me see you

undermine my Lady Touchwood; as you boasted; and force her to give

her consent; and then …



MEL。  I'll do't。



CYNT。  And I'll do't。



MEL。  This very next ensuing hour of eight o'clock is the last

minute of her reign; unless the devil assist her IN PROPRIA PERSONA。



CYNT。  Well; if the devil should assist her; and your plot miscarry





MEL。  Ay; what am I to trust to then?



CYNT。  Why; if you give me very clear demonstration that it was the

devil; I'll allow for irresistible odds。  But if I find it to be

only chance; or destiny; or unlucky stars; or anything but the very

devil; I'm inexorable:  only still I'll keep my word; and live a

maid for your sake。



MEL。  And you won't die one; for your own; so still there's hope。



CYNT。  Here's my mother…in…law; and your friend Careless; I would

not have 'em see us together yet。





SCENE II。





CARELESS and LADY PLYANT。



LADY PLYANT。  I swear; Mr。 Careless; you are very alluring; and say

so many fine things; and nothing is so moving to me as a fine thing。

Well; I must do you this justice; and declare in the face of the

world; never anybody gained so far upon me as yourself。  With

blushes I must own it; you have shaken; as I may say; the very

foundation of my honour。  Well; sure; if I escape your

importunities; I shall value myself as long as I live; I swear。



CARE。  And despise me。  'Sighing。'



LADY PLYANT。  The last of any man in the world; by my purity; now

you make me swear。  O gratitude forbid; that I should ever be

wanting in a respectful acknowledgment of an entire resignation of

all my best wishes for the person and parts of so accomplished a

person; whose merit challenges much more; I'm sure; than my

illiterate praises can description。



CARE。  'In a whining tone。'  Ah heavens; madam; you ruin me with

kindness。  Your charming tongue pursues the victory of your eyes;

while at your feet your poor adorer dies。



LADY PLYANT。  Ah!  Very fine。



CARE。  'Still whining。'  Ah; why are you so fair; so bewitching

fair?  O let me grow to the ground here; and feast upon that hand; O

let me press it to my heart; my trembling heart:  the nimble

movement shall instruct your pulse; and teach it to alarm desire。

(Zoons; I'm almost at the end of my cant; if she does not yield

quickly。)  'Aside。'



LADY PLYANT。  O that's so passionate and fine; I cannot hear。  I am

not safe if I stay; and must leave you。



CARE。  And must you leave me!  Rather let me languish out a wretched

life; and breath my soul beneath y

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的