the way of the world-第12部分
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leave of 'em； I care not if I leave 'em a common motto to their
common crest。
All husbands must or pain or shame endure；
The wise too jealous are； fools too secure。
ACT IV。SCENE I。
Scene Continues。
LADY WISHFORT and FOIBLE。
LADY。 Is Sir Rowland coming； say'st thou； Foible？ And are things
in order？
FOIB。 Yes； madam。 I have put wax…lights in the sconces； and placed
the footmen in a row in the hall； in their best liveries； with the
coachman and postillion to fill up the equipage。
LADY。 Have you pulvilled the coachman and postillion； that they may
not stink of the stable when Sir Rowland comes by？
FOIB。 Yes； madam。
LADY。 And are the dancers and the music ready； that he may be
entertained in all points with correspondence to his passion？
FOIB。 All is ready； madam。
LADY。 Andwelland how do I look； Foible？
FOIB。 Most killing well； madam。
LADY。 Well； and how shall I receive him？ In what figure shall I
give his heart the first impression？ There is a great deal in the
first impression。 Shall I sit？ No； I won't sit； I'll walk；ay；
I'll walk from the door upon his entrance； and then turn full upon
him。 No； that will be too sudden。 I'll lie；ay； I'll lie down。
I'll receive him in my little dressing…room； there's a couchyes；
yes； I'll give the first impression on a couch。 I won't lie
neither； but loll and lean upon one elbow； with one foot a little
dangling off； jogging in a thoughtful way。 Yes； and then as soon as
he appears； start； ay； start and be surprised； and rise to meet him
in a pretty disorder。 Yes； oh； nothing is more alluring than a
levee from a couch in some confusion。 It shows the foot to
advantage； and furnishes with blushes and re…composing airs beyond
comparison。 Hark！ There's a coach。
FOIB。 'Tis he； madam。
LADY。 Oh dear； has my nephew made his addresses to Millamant？ I
ordered him。
FOIB。 Sir Wilfull is set in to drinking； madam； in the parlour。
LADY。 Ods my life； I'll send him to her。 Call her down； Foible；
bring her hither。 I'll send him as I go。 When they are together；
then come to me； Foible； that I may not be too long alone with Sir
Rowland。
SCENE II。
MRS。 MILLAMANT； MRS。 FAINALL； FOIBLE。
FOIB。 Madam； I stayed here to tell your ladyship that Mr。 Mirabell
has waited this half hour for an opportunity to talk with you；
though my lady's orders were to leave you and Sir Wilfull together。
Shall I tell Mr。 Mirabell that you are at leisure？
MILLA。 No。 What would the dear man have？ I am thoughtful and
would amuse myself； bid him come another time。
There never yet was woman made；
Nor shall； but to be cursed。 ＇Repeating and walking about。＇
That's hard！
MRS。 FAIN。 You are very fond of Sir John Suckling to…day；
Millamant； and the poets。
MILLA。 He？ Ay； and filthy verses。 So I am。
FOIB。 Sir Wilfull is coming； madam。 Shall I send Mr。 Mirabell
away？
MILLA。 Ay； if you please； Foible； send him away； or send him
hither； just as you will； dear Foible。 I think I'll see him。 Shall
I？ Ay； let the wretch come。
Thyrsis； a youth of the inspired train。 ＇Repeating＇
Dear Fainall； entertain Sir Wilfull：… thou hast philosophy to
undergo a fool； thou art married and hast patience。 I would confer
with my own thoughts。
MRS。 FAIN。 I am obliged to you that you would make me your proxy in
this affair； but I have business of my own。
SCENE III。
＇To them＇ SIR WILFULL。
MRS。 FAIN。 O Sir Wilfull； you are come at the critical instant。
There's your mistress up to the ears in love and contemplation；
pursue your point； now or never。
SIR WIL。 Yes； my aunt will have it so。 I would gladly have been
encouraged with a bottle or two； because I'm somewhat wary at first；
before I am acquainted。 ＇This while MILLAMANT walks about repeating
to herself。＇ But I hope； after a time； I shall break my mindthat
is； upon further acquaintance。So for the present； cousin； I'll
take my leave。 If so be you'll be so kind to make my excuse； I'll
return to my company …
MRS。 FAIN。 Oh； fie； Sir Wilfull！ What； you must not be daunted。
SIR WIL。 Daunted？ No； that's not it； it is not so much for that
for if so be that I set on't I'll do't。 But only for the present；
'tis sufficient till further acquaintance； that's allyour servant。
MRS。 FAIN。 Nay； I'll swear you shall never lose so favourable an
opportunity； if I can help it。 I'll leave you together and lock the
door。
SCENE IV。
SIR WILFULL； MILLAMANT。
SIR WIL。 Nay； nay； cousin。 I have forgot my gloves。 What d'ye do？
'Sheart； a has locked the door indeed； I think。Nay； cousin
Fainall； open the door。 Pshaw； what a vixen trick is this？ Nay；
now a has seen me too。Cousin； I made bold to pass through as it
wereI think this door's enchanted。
MILLA。 ＇repeating＇：…
I prithee spare me； gentle boy；
Press me no more for that slight toy。
SIR WIL。 Anan？ Cousin； your servant。
MILLA。 That foolish trifle of a heart …
Sir Wilfull！
SIR WIL。 Yesyour servant。 No offence； I hope； cousin？
MILLA。 ＇repeating＇：…
I swear it will not do its part；
Though thou dost thine； employ'st thy power and art。
Natural； easy Suckling！
SIR WIL。 Anan？ Suckling？ No such suckling neither； cousin； nor
stripling： I thank heaven I'm no minor。
MILLA。 Ah； rustic； ruder than Gothic。
SIR WIL。 Well； well； I shall understand your lingo one of these
days； cousin； in the meanwhile I must answer in plain English。
MILLA。 Have you any business with me； Sir Wilfull？
SIR WIL。 Not at present； cousin。 Yes； I made bold to see； to come
and know if that how you were disposed to fetch a walk this evening；
if so be that I might not be troublesome； I would have sought a walk
with you。
MILLA。 A walk？ What then？
SIR WIL。 Nay； nothing。 Only for the walk's sake； that's all。
MILLA。 I nauseate walking： 'tis a country diversion； I loathe the
country and everything that relates to it。
SIR WIL。 Indeed！ Hah！ Look ye； look ye； you do？ Nay； 'tis like
you may。 Here are choice of pastimes here in town； as plays and the
like； that must be confessed indeed …
MILLA。 Ah； L'ETOURDI！ I hate the town too。
SIR WIL。 Dear heart； that's much。 Hah！ that you should hate 'em
both！ Hah！ 'tis like you may！ There are some can't relish the
town； and others can't away with the country； 'tis like you may be
one of those； cousin。
MILLA。 Ha； ha； ha！ Yes； 'tis like I may。 You have nothing further
to say to me？
SIR WIL。 Not at present； cousin。 'Tis like when I have an
opportunity to be more privateI may break my mind in some measure…
…I conjecture you partly guess。 However； that's as time shall try。
But spare to speak and spare to speed； as they say。
MILLA。 If it is of no great importance； Sir Wilfull； you will
oblige me to leave me： I have just now a little business。
SIR WIL。 Enough； enough； cousin。 Yes； yes； all a case。 When
you're disposed； when you're disposed。 Now's as well as another
time； and another time as well as now。 All's one for that。 Yes；
yes； if your concerns call you； there's no haste： it will keep cold
as they say。 Cousin； your servant。 I think this door's locked。
MILLA。 You may go this way； sir。
SIR WIL。 Your servant； then with your leave I'll return to my
company。
MILLA。 Ay； ay； ha； ha； ha！
Like Phoebus sung the no less am'rous boy。
SCENE V。
MRS。 MILLAMANT； MIRABELL。
MIRA。 Like Daphne she； as lovely and as coy。
Do you lock yourself up from me； to make my search more curious？ Or
is this pretty artifice contrived； to signify that here the chase
must end； and my pursuit be crowned； for you can fly no further？
MILLA。 Vanity！ NoI'll fly and be followed to the last moment；
though I am upon the very verge of matrimony； I expect you should
solicit me as much as if I were wavering at the grate of a
monastery； with one foot over the threshold。 I'll be solicited to
the very last； nay； and afterwards。
MIRA。 What； after the last？
MILLA。 Oh； I should think I was poor and had nothing to bestow if I
were reduced to an inglorious ease； and freed from the agreeable
fatigues of solicitation。
MIRA。 But do not you know that when favours are conferred upon
instant and tedious solicitation； that they diminish in their value；
and that both the giver loses the grace； and the receiver lessens
his pleasure？
MILLA。 It may be in things of common application； but never； sure；
in love。 Oh； I hate a lover that can dare to think he draws a
moment's air independent on the bounty of his mistress。 There is
not so impudent a thing in nature as the saucy l
