the old bachelor-第11章
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FOND。 Good lack； good lack； she would melt a heart of oakI profess I can hold no longer。 Nay； dear Cockyifeck； you'll break my heartifeck you will。 See； you have made me weepmade poor Nykin weep。 Nay； come kiss； buss poor Nykinand I won't leave theeI'll lose all first。
LAET。 ＇Aside。＇ How！ Heaven forbid！ that will be carrying the jest too far indeed。
FOND。 Won't you kiss Nykin？
LAET。 Go； naughty Nykin； you don't love me。
FOND。 Kiss； kiss； ifeck； I do。
LAET。 No； you don't。 ＇She kisses him。＇
FOND。 What； not love Cocky！
LAET。 No…h。 ＇Sighs。＇
FOND。 I profess I do love thee better than five hundred poundand so thou shalt say； for I'll leave it to stay with thee。
LAET。 No you sha'n't neglect your business for me。 No； indeed； you sha'n't； Nykin。 If you don't go； I'll think you been dealous of me still。
FOND。 He； he； he； wilt thou； poor fool？ Then I will go； I won't be dealous。 Poor Cocky； kiss Nykin； kiss Nykin； ee； ee； ee。 Here will be the good man anon； to talk to Cocky and teach her how a wife ought to behave herself。
LAET。 ＇Aside。＇ I hope to have one that will show me how a husband ought to behave himself。 I shall be glad to learn； to please my jewel。 ＇Kiss。＇
FOND。 That's my good dear。 Come； kiss Nykin once more； and then get you in。 Soget you in； get you in。 Bye； bye。
LAET。 Bye； Nykin。
FOND。 Bye； Cocky。
LAET。 Bye； Nykin。
FOND。 Bye； Cocky； bye； bye。
SCENE V。
VAINLOVE； SHARPER。
SHARP。 How！ Araminta lost！
VAIN。 To confirm what I have said； read this。 ＇Gives a letter。＇
SHARP。 ＇Reads。＇ Hum； hum！ And what then appeared a fault； upon reflection seems only an effect of a too powerful passion。 I'm afraid I give too great a proof of my own at this time。 I am in disorder for what I have written。 But something； I know not what； forced me。 I only beg a favourable censure of this and your ARAMINTA。
SHARP。 Lost！ Pray heaven thou hast not lost thy wits。 Here； here； she's thy own； man； signed and sealed too。 To her； mana delicious melon； pure and consenting ripe； and only waits thy cutting up： she has been breeding love to thee all this while； and just now she's delivered of it。
VAIN。 'Tis an untimely fruit； and she has miscarried of her love。
SHARP。 Never leave this damned ill…natured whimsey； Frank？ Thou hast a sickly； peevish appetite； only chew love and cannot digest it。
VAIN。 Yes； when I feed myself。 But I hate to be crammed。 By heaven； there's not a woman will give a man the pleasure of a chase： my sport is always balked or cut short。 I stumble over the game I would pursue。 'Tis dull and unnatural to have a hare run full in the hounds' mouth； and would distaste the keenest hunter。 I would have overtaken； not have met； my game。
SHARP。 However； I hope you don't mean to forsake it； that will be but a kind of mongrel cur's trick。 Well； are you for the Mall？
VAIN。 No； she will be there this evening。 Yes； I will go too； and she shall see her error in …
SHARP。 In her choice； I…gad。 But thou canst not be so great a brute as to slight her。
VAIN。 I should disappoint her if I did not。 By her management I should think she expects it。
All naturally fly what does pursue： 'Tis fit men should be coy when women woo。
SCENE VI。
A Room in Fondlewife's House。
A SERVANT introducing BELLMOUR； in fanatic habit； with a patch upon one eye and a book in his hand。
SERV。 Here's a chair； sir； if you please to repose yourself。 My mistress is coming； sir。
BELL。 Secure in my disguise I have out…faced suspicion and even dared discovery。 This cloak my sanctity； and trusty Scarron's novels my prayer…book； methinks I am the very picture of Montufar in the Hypocrites。 Oh！ she comes。
SCENE VII。
BELLMOUR； LAETITIA。
So breaks Aurora through the veil of night； Thus fly the clouds； divided by her light； And every eye receives a new…born sight。 ＇Throwing off his cloak； patch； etc。＇
LAET。 Thus strewed with blushes； likeAh！ Heaven defend me！ Who's this？ ＇Discovering him； starts。＇
BELL。 Your lover。
LAET。 Vainlove's friend！ I know his face； and he has betrayed me to him。 ＇Aside。＇
BELL。 You are surprised。 Did you not expect a lover； madam？ Those eyes shone kindly on my first appearance； though now they are o'ercast。
LAET。 I may well be surprised at your person and impudence： they are both new to me。 You are not what your first appearance promised： the piety of your habit was welcome； but not the hypocrisy。
BELL。 Rather the hypocrisy was welcome； but not the hypocrite。
LAET。 Who are you； sir？ You have mistaken the house sure。
BELL。 I have directions in my pocket which agree with everything but your unkindness。 ＇Pulls out the letter。＇
LAET。 My letter！ Base Vainlove！ Then 'tis too late to dissemble。 ＇Aside。＇ 'Tis plain； then； you have mistaken the person。 ＇Going。＇
BELL。 If we part so I'm mistaken。 Hold； hold； madam！ I confess I have run into an error。 I beg your pardon a thousand times。 What an eternal blockhead am I！ Can you forgive me the disorder I have put you into？ But it is a mistake which anybody might have made。
LAET。 What can this mean？ 'Tis impossible he should be mistaken after all this。 A handsome fellow if he had not surprised me。 Methinks； now I look on him again； I would not have him mistaken。 ＇Aside。＇ We are all liable to mistakes； sir。 If you own it to be so； there needs no farther apology。
BELL。 Nay； faith； madam； 'tis a pleasant one； and worth your hearing。 Expecting a friend last night； at his lodgings； till 'twas late； my intimacy with him gave me the freedom of his bed。 He not coming home all night； a letter was delivered to me by a servant in the morning。 Upon the perusal I found the contents so charming that I could think of nothing all day but putting 'em in practice； until just now； the first time I ever looked upon the superscription； I am the most surprised in the world to find it directed to Mr。 Vainlove。 Gad； madam； I ask you a million of pardons； and will make you any satisfaction。
LAET。 I am discovered。 And either Vainlove is not guilty； or he has handsomely excused him。 ＇Aside。＇
BELL。 You appear concerned； madam。
LAET。 I hope you are a gentleman；and since you are privy to a weak woman's failing； won't turn it to the prejudice of her reputation。 You look as if you had more honour …
BELL。 And more love； or my face is a false witness and deserves to be pilloried。 No； by heaven； I swear …
LAET。 Nay； don't swear if you'd have me believe you； but promise …
BELL。 Well； I promise。 A promise is so cold： give me leave to swear； by those eyes； those killing eyes； by those healing lips。 Oh！ press the soft charm close to mine； and seal 'em up for ever。
LAET。 Upon that condition。 ＇He kisses her。＇
BELL。 Eternity was in that moment。 One more； upon any condition！
LAET。 Nay； nowI never saw anything so agreeably impudent。 ＇Aside。＇ Won't you censure me for this； now？but 'tis to buy your silence。 ＇Kiss。＇ Oh； but what am I doing！
BELL。 Doing！ No tongue can express itnot thy own； nor anything； but thy lips。 I am faint with the excess of bliss。 Oh； for love… sake； lead me anywhither； where I may lie down quickly； for I'm afraid I shall have a fit。
LAET。 Bless me！ What fit？
BELL。 Oh； a convulsionI feel the symptoms。
LAET。 Does it hold you long？ I'm afraid to carry you into my chamber。
BELL。 Oh； no： let me lie down upon the bed； the fit will be soon over。
SCENE VIII。
SCENE： St。 James's Park。
ARAMINTA and BELINDA meeting。
BELIN。 Lard； my dear； I am glad I have met you； I have been at the Exchange since； and am so tired …
ARAM。 Why； what's the matter？
BELIN。 Oh the most inhuman； barbarous hackney…coach！ I am jolted to a jelly。 Am I not horribly touzed？ ＇Pulls out a pocket…glass。＇
ARAM。 Your head's a little out of order。
BELIN。 A little！ O frightful！ What a furious phiz I have！ O most rueful！ Ha； ha； ha。 O Gad； I hope nobody will come this way； till I have put myself a little in repair。 Ah！ my dear； I have seen such unhewn creatures since。 Ha； ha； ha。 I can't for my soul help thinking that I look just like one
