the old bachelor-第7章
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son； for his ease； sometimes confesses secrets his heart knows nothing of。
VAIN。 I should rather think favours； so gained； to be due rewards to indefatigable devotion。 For as love is a deity； he must be served by prayer。
BELIN。 O Gad； would you would all pray to love； then； and let us alone。
VAIN。 You are the temples of love； and 'tis through you； our devotion must be conveyed。
ARAM。 Rather poor silly idols of your own making； which upon the least displeasure you forsake and set up new。 Every man now changes his mistress and his religion as his humour varies； or his interest。
VAIN。 O madam …
ARAM。 Nay； come； I find we are growing serious； and then we are in great danger of being dull。 If my music…master be not gone； I'll entertain you with a new song； which comes pretty near my own opinion of love and your sex。 Who's there？ Is Mr。 Gavot gone？ ＇Calls。＇
FOOT。 Only to the next door； madam。 I'll call him。
SCENE VIII。
ARAMINTA； BELINDA； VAINLOVE； and BELLMOUR。
BELL。 Why； you won't hear me with patience。
ARAM。 What's the matter； cousin？
BELL。 Nothing； madam； only …
BELIN。 Prithee hold thy tongue。 Lard； he has so pestered me with flames and stuff； I think I sha'n't endure the sight of a fire this twelvemonth。
BELL。 Yet all can't melt that cruel frozen heart。
BELIN。 O Gad； I hate your hideous fancyyou said that once beforeif you must talk impertinently； for Heaven's sake let it be with variety； don't come always； like the devil； wrapt in flames。 I'll not hear a sentence more； that begins with an 'I burn'or an 'I beseech you； madam。'
BELL。 But tell me how you would be adored。 I am very tractable。
BELIN。 Then know； I would be adored in silence。
BELL。 Humph； I thought so； that you might have all the talk to yourself。 You had better let me speak； for if my thoughts fly to any pitch； I shall make villainous signs。
BELIN。 What will you get by that； to make such signs as I won't understand？
BELL。 Ay； but if I'm tongue…tied； I must have all my actions free toquicken your apprehensionand I…gad let me tell you； my most prevailing argument is expressed in dumb show。
SCENE IX。
＇To them＇ MUSIC…MASTER。
ARAM。 Oh； I am glad we shall have a song to divert the discourse。 Pray oblige us with the last new song。
SONG。
I。
Thus to a ripe； consenting maid； Poor； old； repenting Delia said； Would you long preserve your lover？ Would you still his goddess reign？ Never let him all discover； Never let him much obtain。
II。
Men will admire； adore and die； While wishing at your feet they lie： But admitting their embraces； Wakes 'em from the golden dream； Nothing's new besides our faces； Every woman is the same。
ARAM。 So； how de'e like the song； gentlemen？
BELL。 Oh； very well performed； but I don't much admire the words。
ARAM。 I expected it； there's too much truth in 'em。 If Mr。 Gavot will walk with us in the garden； we'll have it once again； you may like it better at second hearing。 You'll bring my cousin。
BELL。 Faith； madam； I dare not speak to her； but I'll make signs。 ＇Addresses Belinda in dumb show。＇
BELIN。 Oh； foh； your dumb rhetoric is more ridiculous than your talking impertinence； as an ape is a much more troublesome animal than a parrot。
ARAM。 Ay； cousin； and 'tis a sign the creatures mimic nature well； for there are few men but do more silly things than they say。
BELL。 Well； I find my apishness has paid the ransom for my speech； and set it at libertythough； I confess； I could be well enough pleased to drive on a love…bargain in that silent manner'twould save a man a world of lying and swearing at the year's end。 Besides； I have had a little experience； that brings to mind …
When wit and reason both have failed to move； Kind looks and actions （from success） do prove； Ev'n silence may be eloquent in love。
ACT III。SCENE I。
SCENE： The Street。
SILVIA and LUCY。
SILV。 Will he not come； then？
LUCY。 Yes； yes； come； I warrant him； if you will go in and be ready to receive him。
SILV。 Why did you not tell me？ Whom mean you？
LUCY。 Whom you should mean； Heartwell。
SILV。 Senseless creature； I meant my Vainlove。
LUCY。 You may as soon hope to recover your own maiden…head as his love。 Therefore； e'en set your heart at rest； and in the name of opportunity mind your own business。 Strike Heartwell home before the bait's worn off the hook。 Age will come。 He nibbled fairly yesterday； and no doubt will be eager enough to…day to swallow the temptation。
SILV。 Well； since there's no remedyyet tell mefor I would know； though to the anguish of my soul； how did he refuse？ Tell me； how did he receive my letterin anger or in scorn？
LUCY。 Neither； but what was ten times worse； with damned senseless indifference。 By this light I could have spit in his face。 Receive it！ Why； he received it as I would one of your lovers that should come empty…handed； as a court lord does his mercer's bill or a begging dedicationhe received it as if 't had been a letter from his wife。
SILV。 What！ did he not read it？
LUCY。 Hummed it over； gave you his respects； and said he would take time to peruse itbut then he was in haste。
SILV。 Respects； and peruse it！ He's gone； and Araminta has bewitched him from me。 Oh； how the name of rival fires my blood。 I could curse 'em both； eternal jealousy attend her love； and disappointment meet his。 Oh that I could revenge the torment he has caused； methinks I feel the woman strong within me； and vengeance kindles in the room of love。
LUCY。 I have that in my head may make mischief。
SILV。 How； dear Lucy？
LUCY。 You know Araminta's dissembled coyness has won； and keeps him hers …
SILV。 Could we persuade him that she loves another …
LUCY。 No； you're out； could we persuade him that she dotes on him； himself。 Contrive a kind letter as from her； 'twould disgust his nicety； and take away his stomach。
SILV。 Impossible； 'twill never take。
LUCY。 Trouble not your head。 Let me aloneI will inform myself of what passed between 'em to…day； and about it straight。 Hold； I'm mistaken； or that's Heartwell； who stands talking at the corner'tis hego get you in； madam； receive him pleasantly； dress up your face in innocence and smiles； and dissemble the very want of dissimulation。 You know what will take him。
SILV。 'Tis as hard to counterfeit love as it is to conceal it： but I'll do my weak endeavour； though I fear I have not art。
LUCY。 Hang art； madam； and trust to nature for dissembling。
Man was by nature woman's cully made： We never are but by ourselves betrayed。
SCENE II。
HEARTWELL； VAINLOVE and BELLMOUR following。
BELL。 Hist； hist； is not that Heartwell going to Silvia？
VAIN。 He's talking to himself； I think； prithee let's try if we can hear him。
HEART。 Why； whither in the devil's name am I agoing now？ Humlet me thinkis not this Silvia's house； the cave of that enchantress； and which consequently I ought to shun as I would infection？ To enter here is to put on the envenomed shirt； to run into the embraces of a fever； and in some raving fit； be led to plunge myself into that more consuming fire； a woman's arms。 Ha！ well recollected； I will recover my reason； and be gone。
BELL。 Now Venus forbid！
VAIN。 Hush …
HEART。 Well； why do you not move？ Feet； do your officenot one inch； no； fore Gad I'm caught。 There stands my north； and thither my needle points。 Now could I curse myself； yet cannot repent。 O thou delicious； damned； dear； destructive woman！ S'death； how the young fellows will hoot me！ I shall be the jest of the town： nay； in two days I expect to be chronicled in ditty； and sung in woful ballad； to the tune of the Superannuated Maiden's Comfort； or the Bachelor's Fall； and upon the third； I shall be hanged in effigy； pasted up for the exemplary ornament of necessary houses and cobblers' stalls。 Death； I can't think on'tI'll run into the danger to lose the apprehension。
SCENE III。
BELLMOUR； VAINLOVE。
BELL。 A very certain remedy； probatum est。 Ha； ha； ha； poor George； thou art i' th' right； thou hast sold thyself to laughter； the ill…natured town will find the jest just where thou
