the old bachelor-第9章
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SIR JO。 No； no； hang't； I was not afraid neitherthough I confess he did in a manner snap me upyet I can't say that it was altogether out of fear； but partly to prevent mischieffor he was a devilish choleric fellow。 And if my choler had been up too； agad； there would have been mischief done； that's flat。 And yet I believe if you had been by； I would as soon have let him a' had a hundred of my teeth。 Adsheart； if he should come just now when I'm angry； I'd tell himMum。
SCENE VIII。
＇To them＇ BELLMOUR； SHARPER。
BELL。 Thou 'rt a lucky rogue； there's your benefactor； you ought to return him thanks now you have received the favour。
SHARP。 Sir Joseph！ Your note was accepted； and the money paid at sight。 I'm come to return my thanks …
SIR JO。 They won't be accepted so readily as the bill； sir。
BELL。 I doubt the knight repents； Tom。 He looks like the knight of the sorrowful face。
SHARP。 This is a double generosity： do me a kindness and refuse my thanks。 But I hope you are not offended that I offered them。
SIR JO。 May be I am； sir； may be I am not； sir； may be I am both； sir； what then？ I hope I may be offended without any offence to you； sir。
SHARP。 Hey day！ Captain； what's the matter？ You can tell。
BLUFF。 Mr。 Sharper； the matter is plain： Sir Joseph has found out your trick； and does not care to be put upon； being a man of honour。
SHARP。 Trick； sir？
SIR JO。 Ay； trick； sir； and won't be put upon； sir； being a man of honour； sir； and so； sir …
SHARP。 Harkee； Sir Joseph； a word with ye。 In consideration of some favours lately received； I would not have you draw yourself into a PREMUNIRE； by trusting to that sign of a man therethat pot…gun charged with wind。
SIR JO。 O Lord； O Lord； Captain； come justify yourselfI'll give him the lie if you'll stand to it。
SHARP。 Nay； then； I'll be beforehand with you； take that； oaf。 ＇Cuffs him。＇
SIR JO。 Captain； will you see this？ Won't you pink his soul？
BLUFF。 Husht； 'tis not so convenient nowI shall find a time。
SHARP。 What do you mutter about a time； rascal？ You were the incendiary。 There's to put you in mind of your time。A memorandum。 ＇Kicks him。＇
BLUFF。 Oh； this is your time； sir； you had best make use on't。
SHARP。 IGad and so I will： there's again for you。 ＇Kicks him。＇
BLUFF。 You are obliging； sir； but this is too public a place to thank you in。 But in your ear； you are to be seen again？
SHARP。 Ay； thou inimitable coward； and to be feltas for example。 ＇Kicks him。＇
BELL。 Ha； ha； ha； prithee come away； 'tis scandalous to kick this puppy unless a man were cold and had no other way to get himself aheat。
SCENE IX。
SIR JOSEPH； BLUFFE。
BLUFF。 Very wellvery finebut 'tis no matter。 Is not this fine； Sir Joseph？
SIR JO。 Indifferent； agad； in my opinion； very indifferent。 I'd rather go plain all my life than wear such finery。
BLUFF。 Death and hell to be affronted thus！ I'll die before I'll suffer it。 ＇Draws＇
SIR JO。 O Lord； his anger was not raised before。 Nay； dear Captain； don't be in passion now he's gone。 Put up； put up； dear Back； 'tis your Sir Joseph begs； come let me kiss thee； so； so； put up； put up。
BLUFF。 By heaven； 'tis not to be put up。
SIR JO。 What； Bully？
BLUFF。 The affront。
SIR JO。 No； aged； no more 'tis； for that's put up all already； thy sword； I mean。
BLUFF。 Well； Sir Joseph； at your entreatyBut were not you； my friend； abused； and cuffed； and kicked？ ＇Putting up his sword。＇
SIR JO。 Ay； ay； so were you too； no matter； 'tis past。
BLUFF。 By the immortal thunder of great guns； 'tis falsehe sucks not vital air who dares affirm it to this face。 ＇Looks big。＇
SIR JO。 To that face I grant you； Captain。 No； no； I grant you not to that face； by the Lord Harry。 If you had put on your fighting face before； you had done his businesshe durst as soon have kissed you； as kicked you to your face。 But a man can no more help what's done behind his back than what's saidCome； we'll think no more of what's past。
BLUFF。 I'll call a council of war within to consider of my revenge to come。
SCENE X。
HEARTWELL； SILVIA。 Silvia's apartment。
SONG。
As Amoret and Thyrsis lay Melting the hours in gentle play； Joining faces； mingling kisses； And exchanging harmless blisses： He trembling cried； with eager haste； O let me feed as well as taste； I die； if I'm not wholly blest。 ＇After the song a dance of antics。＇
SILV。 Indeed it is very fine。 I could look upon 'em all day。
HEART。 Well has this prevailed for me； and will you look upon me？
SILV。 If you could sing and dance so； I should love to look upon you too。
HEART。 Why； 'twas I sung and danced； I gave music to the voice； and life to their measures。 Look you here； Silvia； ＇pulling out a purse and chinking it＇ here are songs and dances； poetry and music… …hark！ how sweetly one guinea rhymes to anotherand how they dance to the music of their own chink。 This buys all t'otherand this thou shalt have； this； and all that I am worth； for the purchase of thy love。 Say； is it mine then； ha？ Speak； SyrenOons； why do I look on her！ Yet I must。 Speak； dear angel； devil； saint； witch； do not rack me with suspense。
SILV。 Nay； don't stare at me so。 You make me blushI cannot look。
HEART。 O manhood； where art thou？ What am I come to？ A woman's toy； at these years！ Death； a bearded baby for a girl to dandle。 O dotage； dotage！ That ever that noble passion； lust； should ebb to this degree。 No reflux of vigorous blood： but milky love supplies the empty channels； and prompts me to the softness of a childa mere infant and would suck。 Can you love me； Silvia？ Speak。
SILV。 I dare not speak until I believe you； and indeed I'm afraid to believe you yet。
HEART。 Death； how her innocence torments and pleases me！ Lying； child； is indeed the art of love； and men are generally masters in it： but I'm so newly entered； you cannot distrust me of any skill in the treacherous mystery。 Now； by my soul； I cannot lie； though it were to serve a friend or gain a mistress。
SILV。 Must you lie； then； if you say you love me？
HEART。 No； no； dear ignorance； thou beauteous changelingI tell thee I do love thee； and tell it for a truth； a naked truth； which I'm ashamed to discover。
SILV。 But love； they say； is a tender thing； that will smooth frowns； and make calm an angry face； will soften a rugged temper； and make ill…humoured people good。 You look ready to fright one； and talk as if your passion were not love； but anger。
HEART。 'Tis both； for I am angry with myself when I am pleased with you。 And a pox upon me for loving thee so wellyet I must on。 'Tis a bearded arrow； and will more easily be thrust forward than drawn back。
SILV。 Indeed； if I were well assured you loved； but how can I be well assured？
HEART。 Take the symptomsand ask all the tyrants of thy sex if their fools are not known by this party…coloured livery。 I am melancholic when thou art absent； look like an ass when thou art present； wake for thee when I should sleep； and even dream of thee when I am awake； sigh much； drink little； eat less； court solitude； am grown very entertaining to myself； and （as I am informed） very troublesome to everybody else。 If this be not love； it is madness； and then it is pardonable。 Nay； yet a more certain sign than all this； I give thee my money。
SILV。 Ay； but that is no sign； for they say； gentlemen will give money to any naughty woman to come to bed to them。 O Gemini； I hope you don't mean sofor I won't be a whore。
HEART。 The more is the pity。 ＇Aside。＇
SILV。 Nay； if you would marry me； you should not come to bed to meyou have such a beard； and would so prickle one。 But do you intend to marry me？
HEART。 That a fool should ask such a malicious question！ Death； I shall be drawn in before I know where I am。 However； I find I am pretty sure of her consent； if I am put to it。 ＇Aside。＇ Marry you？ No； no； I'll love you。
SILV。 Nay； but if you love me； you must marry me。 What； don't I know my father loved my mother and was married to her？
HEART。 Ay； ay； in old days people married where they loved； but that fashion is changed； child。
