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第3章

the double-dealer-第3章

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you。





SCENE II。





'To them' BRISK。



BRISK。  Boys; boys; lads; where are you?  What; do you give ground?

Mortgage for a bottle; ha?  Careless; this is your trick; you're

always spoiling company by leaving it。



CARE。  And thou art always spoiling company by coming in o't。



BRISK。  Pooh; ha; ha; ha; I know you envy me。  Spite; proud spite;

by the gods! and burning envy。  I'll be judged by Mellefont here;

who gives and takes raillery better than you or I。  Pshaw; man; when

I say you spoil company by leaving it; I mean you leave nobody for

the company to laugh at。  I think there I was with you。  Ha;

Mellefont?



MEL。  O' my word; Brisk; that was a home thrust; you have silenced

him。



BRISK。  Oh; my dear Mellefont; let me perish if thou art not the

soul of conversation; the very essence of wit and spirit of wine。

The deuce take me if there were three good things said; or one

understood; since thy amputation from the body of our society。  He;

I think that's pretty and metaphorical enough; i'gad I could not

have said it out of thy company。  Careless; ha?



CARE。  Hum; ay; what is't?



BRISK。  O MON COEUR!  What is't!  Nay; gad; I'll punish you for want

of apprehension。  The deuce take me if I tell you。



MEL。  No; no; hang him; he has no taste。  But; dear Brisk; excuse

me; I have a little business。



CARE。  Prithee get thee gone; thou seest we are serious。



MEL。  We'll come immediately; if you'll but go in and keep up good

humour and sense in the company。  Prithee do; they'll fall asleep

else。



BRISK。  I'gad; so they will。  Well; I will; I will; gad; you shall

command me from the Zenith to the Nadir。  But the deuce take me if I

say a good thing till you come。  But prithee; dear rogue; make

haste; prithee make haste; I shall burst else。  And yonder your

uncle; my Lord Touchwood; swears he'll disinherit you; and Sir Paul

Plyant threatens to disclaim you for a son…in…law; and my Lord Froth

won't dance at your wedding to…morrow; nor; the deuce take me; I

won't write your Epithalamiumand see what a condition you're like

to be brought to。



MEL。  Well; I'll speak but three words; and follow you。



BRISK。  Enough; enough。  Careless; bring your apprehension along

with you。





SCENE III。





MELLEFONT; CARELESS。



CARE。  Pert coxcomb。



MEL。  Faith; 'tis a good…natured coxcomb; and has very entertaining

follies。  You must be more humane to him; at this juncture it will

do me service。  I'll tell you; I would have mirth continued this day

at any rate; though patience purchase folly; and attention be paid

with noise; there are times when sense may be unseasonable as well

as truth。  Prithee do thou wear none to…day; but allow Brisk to have

wit; that thou may'st seem a fool。



CARE。  Why; how now; why this extravagant proposition?



MEL。  Oh; I would have no room for serious design; for I am jealous

of a plot。  I would have noise and impertinence keep my Lady

Touchwood's head from working:  for hell is not more busy than her

brain; nor contains more devils than that imaginations。



CARE。  I thought your fear of her had been over。  Is not to…morrow

appointed for your marriage with Cynthia; and her father; Sir Paul

Plyant; come to settle the writings this day on purpose?



MEL。  True; but you shall judge whether I have not reason to be

alarmed。  None besides you and Maskwell are acquainted with the

secret of my Aunt Touchwood's violent passion for me。  Since my

first refusal of her addresses she has endeavoured to do me all ill

offices with my uncle; yet has managed 'em with that subtilty; that

to him they have borne the face of kindness; while her malice; like

a dark lanthorn; only shone upon me where it was directed。  Still;

it gave me less perplexity to prevent the success of her displeasure

than to avoid the importunities of her love; and of two evils I

thought myself favoured in her aversion。  But whether urged by her

despair and the short prospect of time she saw to accomplish her

designs; whether the hopes of revenge; or of her love; terminated in

the view of this my marriage with Cynthia; I know not; but this

morning she surprised me in my bed。



CARE。  Was there ever such a fury!  'Tis well nature has not put it

into her sex's power to ravish。  Well; bless us; proceed。  What

followed?



MEL。  What at first amazed mefor I looked to have seen her in all

the transports of a slighted and revengeful womanbut when I

expected thunder from her voice; and lightning in her eyes; I saw

her melted into tears and hushed into a sigh。  It was long before

either of us spoke:  passion had tied her tongue; and amazement

mine。  In short; the consequence was thus; she omitted nothing that

the most violent love could urge; or tender words express; which

when she saw had no effect; but still I pleaded honour and nearness

of blood to my uncle; then came the storm I feared at first; for;

starting from my bed…side like a fury; she flew to my sword; and

with much ado I prevented her doing me or herself a mischief。

Having disarmed her; in a gust of passion she left me; and in a

resolution; confirmed by a thousand curses; not to close her eyes

till they had seen my ruin。



CARE。  Exquisite woman!  But what the devil; does she think thou

hast no more sense than to get an heir upon her body to disinherit

thyself? for as I take it this settlement upon you is; with a

proviso; that your uncle have no children。



MEL。  It is so。  Well; the service you are to do me will be a

pleasure to yourself:  I must get you to engage my Lady Plyant all

this evening; that my pious aunt may not work her to her interest。

And if you chance to secure her to yourself; you may incline her to

mine。  She's handsome; and knows it; is very silly; and thinks she

has sense; and has an old fond husband。



CARE。  I confess; a very fair foundation for a lover to build upon。



MEL。  For my Lord Froth; he and his wife will be sufficiently taken

up with admiring one another and Brisk's gallantry; as they call it。

I'll observe my uncle myself; and Jack Maskwell has promised me to

watch my aunt narrowly; and give me notice upon any suspicion。  As

for Sir Paul; my wise father…in…law that is to be; my dear Cynthia

has such a share in his fatherly fondness; he would scarce make her

a moment uneasy to have her happy hereafter。



CARE。  So you have manned your works; but I wish you may not have

the weakest guard where the enemy is strongest。



MEL。  Maskwell; you mean; prithee why should you suspect him?



CARE。  Faith I cannot help it; you know I never liked him:  I am a

little superstitious in physiognomy。



MEL。  He has obligations of gratitude to bind him to me:  his

dependence upon my uncle is through my means。



CARE。  Upon your aunt; you mean。



MEL。  My aunt!



CARE。  I'm mistaken if there be not a familiarity between them you

do not suspect; notwithstanding her passion for you。



MEL。  Pooh; pooh! nothing in the world but his design to do me

service; and he endeavours to be well in her esteem; that he may be

able to effect it。



CARE。  Well; I shall be glad to be mistaken; but your aunt's

aversion in her revenge cannot be any way so effectually shown as in

bringing forth a child to disinherit you。  She is handsome and

cunning and naturally wanton。  Maskwell is flesh and blood at best;

and opportunities between them are frequent。  His affection to you;

you have confessed; is grounded upon his interest; that you have

transplanted; and should it take root in my lady; I don't see what

you can expect from the fruit。



MEL。  I confess the consequence is visible; were your suspicions

just。  But see; the company is broke up; let's meet 'em。





SCENE IV。





'To them' LORD TOUCHWOOD; LORD FROTH; SIR PAUL PLYANT; and BRISK。



LORD TOUCH。  Out upon't; nephew。  Leave your father…in…law and me to

maintain our ground

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