plays-第21章
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FENWICK。 I believe； sir； you are acquainted with my cousin；
Richard Gaunt？
AUSTIN。 The county member？ An old and good friend。 But you
need not go so far afield： I know your good house of Allonby
Shaw since the days of the Black Knight。 We are； in fact； and at
a very royal distance； cousins。
FENWICK。 I desired； sir； from the nature of my business； that
you should recognise me for a gentleman。
AUSTIN。 The preliminary； sir； is somewhat grave。
FENWICK。 My business is both grave and delicate。
AUSTIN。 Menteith； my good fellow。 （EXIT MENTEITH。） Mr。
Fenwick； honour me so far as to be seated。 （THEY SIT。） I await
your pleasure。
FENWICK。 Briefly； sir； I am come； not without hope； to appeal to
your good heart。
AUSTIN。 From Miss Musgrave？
FENWICK。 No； sir； I abused her name； and am here upon my own
authority。 Upon me the consequence。
AUSTIN。 Proceed。
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； Dorothy Musgrave is the oldest and dearest
of my friends； is the lady whom for ten years it has been my hope
to make my wife。 She has shown me reason to discard that hope
for another： that I may call her Mrs。 Austin。
AUSTIN。 In the best interests of the lady （RISING） I question if
you have been well inspired。 You are aware； sir； that from such
interference there is but one issue： to whom shall I address my
friend？
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； I am here to throw myself upon your mercy。
Strange as my errand is； it will seem yet more strange to you
that I came prepared to accept at your hands any extremity of
dishonour and not fight。 The lady whom it is my boast to serve
has honoured me with her commands。 These are my law； and by
these your life is sacred。
AUSTIN。 Then； sir （WITH HIS HAND UPON THE BELL）； his
conversation becomes impossible。 You have me at too gross a
disadvantage； and； as you are a gentleman and respect another； I
would suggest that you retire。
FENWICK。 Sir； you speak of disadvantage； think of mine。 All my
life long； with all the forces of my nature； I have loved this
lady。 I came here to implore her to be my wife； to be my queen；
my saint she had been always！ She was too noble to deceive me。
She told me what you know。 I will not conceal that my first mood
wasof anger： I would have killed you like a dog。 But； Mr。
Austin … bear with me awhile … I； on the threshold of my life；
who have made no figure in the world； nor ever shall now； who had
but one treasure； and have lost it … if I； abandoning revenge；
trampling upon jealousy； can supplicate you to complete my
misfortune … O Mr。 Austin！ you who have lived； you whose
gallantry is beyond the insolence of a suspicion； you who are a
man crowned and acclaimed； who are loved； and loved by such a
woman … you who excel me in every point of advantage； will you
suffer me to surpass you in generosity？
AUSTIN。 You speak from the heart。 （SITS。） What do you want
with me？
FENWICK。 Marry her。
AUSTIN。 Mr。 Fenwick； I am the older man。 I have seen much of
life； much of society； much of love。 When I was young； it was
expected of a gentleman to be ready with his hat to a lady； ready
with his sword to a man； to honour his word and his king； to be
courteous with his equals； generous to his dependants； helpful
and trusty in friendship。 But it was not asked of us to be
quixotic。 If I had married every lady by whom it is my fortune …
not my merit … to have been distinguished； the Wells would scarce
be spacious enough for my establishment。 You see； sir； that
while I respect your emotion； I am myself conducted by
experience。 And besides； Mr。 Fenwick； is not love a warfare？ has
it not rules？ have not our fair antagonists their tactics； their
weapons； their place of arms？ and is there not a touch of …
pardon me the word！ of silliness in one who； having fought； and
having vanquished； sounds a parley； and capitulates to his own
prisoner？ Had the lady chosen； had the fortune of war been
other； 'tis like she had been Mrs。 Austin。 Now I 。 。 。 You know
the world。
FENWICK。 I know； sir； that the world contains much cowardice。
To find Mr。 Austin afraid to do the right； this surprises me。
AUSTIN。 Afraid； child？
FENWICK。 Yes； sir； afraid。 You know her； you know if she be
worthy； and you answer me with … the world： the world which has
been at your feet： the world which Mr。 Austin knows so well how
to value and is so able to rule。
AUSTIN。 I have lived long enough； Mr。 Fenwick； to recognise that
the world is a great power。 It can make； but it can break。
FENWICK。 Sir； suffer me： you spoke but now of friendship； and
spoke warmly。 Have you forgotten Colonel Villiers？
AUSTIN。 Mr。 Fenwick； Mr。 Fenwick； you forget what I have
suffered。
FENWICK。 O sir； I know you loved him。 And yet； for a random
word you quarrelled； friendship was weighed in vain against the
world's code of honour； you fought； and your friend fell。 I have
heard from others how he lay long in agony； and how you watched
and nursed him； and it was in your embrace he died。 In God's
name have you forgotten that？ Was not this sacrifice enough？ or
must the world； once again； step between Mr。 Austin and his
generous heart？
AUSTIN。 Good God； sir； I believe you are in the right； I
believe； upon my soul I believe； there is something in what you
say。
FENWICK。 Something； Mr。 Austin？ O credit me； the whole
difference betwixt good and evil。
AUSTIN。 Nay； nay； but there you go too far。 There are many
kinds of good： honour is a diamond cut in a thousand facets； and
with the true fire in each。 Thus； and with all our differences；
Mr。 Fenwick； you and I can still respect； we can still admire
each other。
FENWICK。 Bear with me still； sir； if I ask you what is the end
of life but to excel in generosity？ To pity the weak； to comfort
the afflicted； to right where we have wronged； to be brave in
reparation … these noble elements you have； for of what besides
is the fabric of your dealing with Colonel Villiers？ That is
man's chivalry to man。 Yet to a suffering woman … a woman
feeble； betrayed； unconsoled … you deny your clemency； you refuse
your aid； you proffer injustice for atonement。 Nay； you are so
disloyal to yourself that you can choose to be ungenerous and
unkind。 Where； sir； is the honour？ What facet of the diamond is
that？
AUSTIN。 You forget； sir； you forget。 But go on。
FENWICK。 O sir； not I … not I but yourself forgets： George
Austin forgets George Austin。 A woman loved by him； betrayed by
him； abandoned by him … that woman suffers； and a point of honour
keeps him from his place at her feet。 She has played and lost；
and the world is with him if he deign to exact the stakes。 Is
that the Mr。 Austin whom Miss Musgrave honoured with her trust？
Then； sir； how miserably was she deceived！
AUSTIN。 Child … child …
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； still bear with me； still follow me。 O
sir； will you not picture that dear lady's life？ Her years how
few； her error thus irreparable； what henceforth can be her
portion but remorse； the consciousness of self…abasement； the
shame of knowing that her trust was ill…bestowed？ To think of
it： this was a queen among women； and this … this is George
Austin's work！ Sir； let me touch your heart： let me prevail
with you to feel that 'tis impossible。
AUSTIN。 I am a gentleman。 What do you ask of me？
FENWICK。 To be the man she loved： to be clement where the world
would have you triumph； to be of equal generosity with the
vanquished； to be worthy of her sacrifice and of yourself。
AUSTIN。 Mr。 Fenwick； your reproof is harsh …
FENWICK （INTERRUPTING HIM）。 O sir； be； just be just！ …
AUSTIN。 But it is merited； and I thank you for its utterance。
You tell me that the true victory comes when the fight is won：
that our foe is never so noble nor so dangerous as when she is
fallen； that the crowning triumph is that we celebrate over our
conquering selves。 Sir； you are right。 Kindness； ay kindness
after all。 And with age； to become clement。 Yes； ambition
first； then； the rounded vanity … victory still novel； and last；
as you say； the royal mood of the mature man； to abdicate for
others 。
