the old bachelor-第12章
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one of 'em。 Good dear； pin this； and I'll tell youvery wellso； thank you； my dearbut as I was telling youpish； this is the untowardest lockso； as I was telling youhow d'ye like me now？ Hideous； ha？ Frightful still？ Or how？
ARAM。 No； no； you're very well as can be。
BELIN。 And sobut where did I leave off； my dear？ I was telling you …
ARAM。 You were about to tell me something； child； but you left off before you began。
BELIN。 Oh； a most comical sight： a country squire； with the equipage of a wife and two daughters； came to Mrs。 Snipwel's shop while I was therebut oh Gad！ two such unlicked cubs！
ARAM。 I warrant； plump； cherry…cheeked country girls。
BELIN。 Ay； o' my conscience； fat as barn…door fowl： but so bedecked； you would have taken 'em for Friesland hens； with their feathers growing the wrong way。 O such outlandish creatures！ Such Tramontanae； and foreigners to the fashion； or anything in practice！ I had not patience to behold。 I undertook the modelling of one of their fronts； the more modern structure …
ARAM。 Bless me； cousin； why would you affront anybody so？ They might be gentlewomen of a very good family …
BELIN。 Of a very ancient one； I dare swear； by their dress。 Affront！ pshaw； how you're mistaken！ The poor creature； I warrant； was as full of curtsies； as if I had been her godmother。 The truth on't is； I did endeavour to make her look like a Christianand she was sensible of it； for she thanked me； and gave me two apples； piping hot； out of her under…petticoat pocket。 Ha； ha； ha： and t'other did so stare and gape； I fancied her like the front of her father's hall； her eyes were the two jut…windows； and her mouth the great door； most hospitably kept open for the entertainment of travelling flies。
ARAM。 So then； you have been diverted。 What did they buy？
BELIN。 Why； the father bought a powder…horn； and an almanac； and a comb…case； the mother； a great fruz…towr； and a fat amber necklace； the daughters only tore two pairs of kid…leather gloves； with trying 'em on。 O Gad； here comes the fool that dined at my Lady Freelove's t'other day。
SCENE IX。
＇To them＇ SIR JOSEPH and BLUFFE。
ARAM。 May be he may not know us again。
BELIN。 We'll put on our masks to secure his ignorance。 ＇They put on their masks。＇
SIR JO。 Nay； Gad； I'll pick up； I'm resolved to make a night on't。 I'll go to Alderman Fondlewife by and by； and get fifty pieces more from him。 Adslidikins； bully； we'll wallow in wine and women。 Why； this same Madeira wine has made me as light as a grasshopper。 Hist； hist； bully； dost thou see those tearers？ ＇Sings。＇ Look you what here islook you what here istolllollderatollloll agad； t'other glass of Madeira； and I durst have attacked 'em in my own proper person； without your help。
BLUFF。 Come on then； knight。 But do you know what to say to them？
SIR JO。 Say： pooh； pox； I've enough to saynever fear itthat is； if I can but think on't： truth is； I have but a treacherous memory。
BELIN。 O frightful！ cousin； what shall we do？ These things come towards us。
ARAM。 No matter。 I see Vainlove coming this wayand； to confess my failing； I am willing to give him an opportunity of making his peace with meand to rid me of these coxcombs； when I seem opprest with 'em； will be a fair one。
BLUFF。 Ladies； by these hilts you are well met。
ARAM。 We are afraid not。
BLUFF。 What says my pretty little knapsack carrier。 ＇To BELINDA。＇
BELIN。 O monstrous filthy fellow！ good slovenly Captain Huffe； Bluffe （what is your hideous name？） be gone： you stink of brandy and tobacco； most soldier…like。 Foh。 ＇Spits。＇
SIR JO。 Now am I slap…dash down in the mouth； and have not one word to say！ ＇Aside。＇
ARAM。 I hope my fool has not confidence enough to be troublesome。 ＇Aside。＇
SIR JO。 Hem！ Pray； madam； which way is the wind？
ARAM。 A pithy question。 Have you sent your wits for a venture； sir； that you enquire？
SIR JO。 Nay； now I'm in； I can prattle like a magpie。 ＇Aside。＇
SCENE X。
＇To them＇ SHARPER and VAINLOVE at some distance。
BELIN。 Dear Araminta； I'm tired。
ARAM。 'Tis but pulling off our masks； and obliging Vainlove to know us。 I'll be rid of my fool by fair means。Well； Sir Joseph； you shall see my face； but； be gone immediately。 I see one that will be jealous； to find me in discourse with you。 Be discreet。 No reply； but away。 ＇Unmasks。＇
SIR JO。 The great fortune； that dined at my Lady Freelove's！ Sir Joseph； thou art a made man。 Agad； I'm in love up to the ears。 But I'll be discreet； and hushed。 ＇Aside。＇
BLUFF。 Nay； by the world； I'll see your face。
BELIN。 You shall。 ＇Unmasks。＇
SHARP。 Ladies； your humble servant。 We were afraid you would not have given us leave to know you。
ARAM。 We thought to have been private。 But we find fools have the same advantage over a face in a mask that a coward has while the sword is in the scabbard； so were forced to draw in our own defence。
BLUFF。 My blood rises at that fellow： I can't stay where he is； and I must not draw in the park。 ＇To SIR JOSEPH。＇
SIR JO。 I wish I durst stay to let her know my lodging。
SCENE XI。
ARAMINTA； BELINDA； VAINLOVE； SHARPER。
SHARP。 There is in true beauty； as in courage； somewhat which narrow souls cannot dare to admire。 And see； the owls are fled； as at the break of day。
BELIN。 Very courtly。 I believe Mr。 Vainlove has not rubbed his eyes since break of day neither； he looks as if he durst not approach。 Nay； come； cousin； be friends with him。 I swear he looks so very simplyha； ha； ha。 Well； a lover in the state of separation from his mistress is like a body without a soul。 Mr。 Vainlove； shall I be bound for your good behaviour for the future？
VAIN。 Now must I pretend ignorance equal to hers； of what she knows as well as I。 ＇Aside。＇ Men are apt to offend （'tis true） where they find most goodness to forgive。 But； madam； I hope I shall prove of a temper not to abuse mercy by committing new offences。
ARAM。 So cold！ ＇Aside。＇
BELIN。 I have broke the ice for you； Mr。 Vainlove； and so I leave you。 Come； Mr。 Sharper； you and I will take a turn； and laugh at the vulgarboth the great vulgar and the small。 O Gad！ I have a great passion for Cowley。 Don't you admire him？
SHARP。 Oh； madam！ he was our English Horace。
BELIN。 Ah so fine！ so extremely fine！ So everything in the world that I likeO Lord； walk this wayI see a couple； I'll give you their history。
SCENE XII。
ARAMINTA； VAINLOVE。
VAIN。 I find； madam； the formality of the law must be observed； though the penalty of it be dispensed with； and an offender must plead to his arraignment； though he has his pardon in his pocket。
ARAM。 I'm amazed！ This insolence exceeds t'other； whoever has encouraged you to this assurance； presuming upon the easiness of my temper； has much deceived you； and so you shall find。
VAIN。 Hey day！ Which way now？ Here's fine doubling。 ＇Aside。＇
ARAM。 Base man！ Was it not enough to affront me with your saucy passion？
VAIN。 You have given that passion a much kinder epithet than saucy； in another place。
ARAM。 Another place！ Some villainous design to blast my honour。 But though thou hadst all the treachery and malice of thy sex； thou canst not lay a blemish on my fame。 No； I have not erred in one favourable thought of mankind。 How time might have deceived me in you； I know not； my opinion was but young； and your early baseness has prevented its growing to a wrong belief。 Unworthy and ungrateful！ be gone； and never see me more。
VAIN。 Did I dream？ or do I dream？ Shall I believe my eyes； or ears？ The vision is here still。 Your passion； madam； will admit of no farther reasoning； but here's a silent witness of your acquaintance。 ＇Takes our the letter； and offers it： she snatches it； and throws it away。＇
ARAM。 There's poison in everything you touch。 Blisters will follow …
VAIN。 That tongue； which denies what the hands have done。
ARAM。 Still mystically senseless and impudent； I find I must leave the place。
VAIN。 No； madam； I'm gone。 She knows her name's to it； which she will be unwilling to expose to the censure of the first finder。
ARAM。 Woma
