amphitryon-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



it　were　less　real！　Cease　therefore　to　jeer　at　a　wretch's　lot；　and

leave　me　to　acquit　myself　where　my　duty　calls　me。



MERC。　Stop；　or　the　shortest　step　brings　down　upon　your　back

clattering　evidence　of　my　just　anger。　All　you　have　just　said　is

mine；　except　the　blows。　It　is　I；　whom　Amphitryon　sent　to　Alcmene；

who　has　just　arrived　from　the　Persian　port；　I；　who　have　come　to

announce　the　valour　of　his　arm；　which　has　gained　us　a　glorious

victory；　and　slain　the　chief　of　our　enemies。　In　short；　I　am

undoubtedly　Sosie；　son　of　Dave；　an　honest　shepherd；　brother　of

Arpage；　who　died　in　a　foreign　land；　husband　of　Cleanthis　the　prude；

whose　temper　drives　me　wild；　I；　who　received　a　thousand　cuts　from　a

whip　at　Thebes；　without　ever　saying　anything　about　it；　and　who　was

once　publicly　branded　on　the　back　for　being　too　worthy　a　man。



SOS。　He　is　right。　If　he　were　not　Sosie；　he　could　not　know　all　he

says；　all　this　is　so　astounding　that　even　I　begin　to　believe　him　a

little。　In　fact；　now　I　look　at　him；　I　see　he　has　my　figure；　looks；

and　manners。　I　wilt　ask　him　some　question；　in　order　to　clear　up　this

mystery。　What　did　Amphitryon　obtain　as　his　share　of　all　the　plunder

taken　from　our　enemies？



MERC。　Five　fine　large　diamonds；　beautifully　set　in　a　cluster；　which

their　chief　wore　as　a　rare　piece　of　handicraft。



SOS。　For　whom　does　he　intend　so　rich　a　present？



MERC。　For　his　wife；　he　intends　her　to　wear　it。



SOS。　Where　have　you　put　it；　until　you　meet　her？



MERC。　In　a　casket　sealed　with　the　arms　of　my　master。



SOS。　He　does　not　tell　a　single　lie　at　any　turn：　I　begin　to　doubt

myself　in　earnest。　He　has　already　cowed　me　into　believing　him　to　be

Sosie；　and　he　might　even　reason　me　into　thinking　him　so。　Yet；　when　I

touch　myself；　and　recollect；　it　seems　to　me　I　am　myself。　Where　can　I

find　some　light　that　will　clearly　make　my　way　plain？　What　I　have

done　alone；　and　what　no　one　has　seen；　cannot　be　known　to　any　one

else：　that；　at　least；　belongs　to　me。　I　will　astonish　him　by　this

question：　it　will　confound　him；　and　we　shall　see。　When　they　were　at

close　quarters；　what　were　you　doing　in　our　tents；　whither　you　ran　to

hide　yourself　away？



MERC。　Off　a　ham



SOS。　That　is　it！



MERC。　Which　I　unearthed；　I　soon　cut　two　succulent　slices：　they

suited　me　nicely。　I　added　to　them　a　wine　which　was　usually　kept

dark；　and；　gloated　over　the　sight　of　it　before　I　tasted　it。　So　I

took　heart　for　our　fighters。



SOS。　This　unparalleled　proof　ends　matters　well　in　his　favour；　and；

unless　he　were　in　the　bottle；　there　is　nothing　to　be　said。　From　the

proofs　you　show　me；　I　cannot　deny　that　you　are　Sosie：　I　admit　it。

But；　if　you　are　he；　tell　me　whom　you　wish　me　to　be；　for　I　must　be　someone。



MERC。　When　I　shall　no　longer　be　Sosie；　you　may　be　he；　I　consent　to

that；　but　I　promise　you　it　shall　be　the　death　of　you　if　you　take　up

such　a　fancy　while　I　am　he。



SOS。　All　this　confusion　turns　me　inside　out；　for　reason　is　against

what　I　see。　　But　I　must　end　this　by　some　means；　and　the　shortest　way

for　me　is　to　go　in　there。



MERC。　Oh！　You　gallows…bird；　you　want　to　taste　the　stick。



SOS。　What　is　the　matter？　Great　Gods！　He　makes　the　blows　ring　again；

my　back　will　ache　for　a　month。　I　will　leave　this　devil　of　a　fellow；

and　return　to　the　harbour。　O　just　Heavens；　what　a　fine　ambassador　I　have　been！



MERC。　At　last；　I　have　made　him　fly；　this　treatment　has　paid　him　out

for　many　of　his　deeds。　But　here　is　Jupiter；　gallantly　escorting　his

lover　Alcmene。



SCENE　III



JUPITER；　ALCMENE；　CLEANTHIS；　MERCURY



JUP。　My　dear　Alcmene；　forbid　the　torch…bearers　to　come　near。　They

give　me　delight　in　enabling　me　to　see　you；　but　they　might　betray　my

being　here；　and　this　were　best　unrevealed。　Restrained　by　all　the

heavy　cares　with　which　the　glory　of　our　arms　held　me　bound；　my　heart

has　stolen　from　the　duties　of　my　post　the　moments　it　has　just　given

to　your　charms。　This　theft；　which　I　have　consecrated　to　your　beauty；

might　be　blamed　by　the　public　voice；　and　the　only　witness　I　want；　is

she　who　can　thank　me　for　it。



ALC。　I　take　great　interest；　Amphitryon；　in　the　glory　which　your

illustrious　exploits　have　cast　upon　you；　the　fame　of　your　victory

moves　my　heart　to　its　depths。　But　when　I　see　that　this　disastrous

honour　keeps　my　lover　away　from　me；　such　is　my　heart's　feeling　that

I　cannot　forbear　to　think　ill　of　it；　and　to　regret　the　high　order

which　makes　you　general　of　the　Thebans。　It　is　sweet　after　a　victory

to　see　the　glory　to　which　one's　lover　has　been　raised；　but；　from

among　the　perils　attached　to　this　glory；　a　deadly　blow；　alas！　may

soon　fall。　With　how　many　fears　is　one's　heart　wounded　at　the　report

of　the　least　skirmish！　In　the　horror　of　such　a　thought；　is　there

anything　that　can　console　for　the　threatened　stroke？　And　with

whatever　laurels　the　victor　may　be　crowned；　whatever　share　one　may

have　in　that　supreme　honour；　is　it　worth　what　it　costs　a　tender

heart；　which　trembles　every　moment　for　its　lover？



JUP。　I　do　not　see　anything　in　you　but　what　inflames　my　passion；

everything　shows　me　a　deeply　enamoured　heart；　and；　I　confess；　it　is

a　great　delight　to　find　so　much　love　in　a　beloved　object。　But；　if　I

may　dare　say　so；　one　scruple　in　the　tender　sentiments　which　you　show

me　causes　me　anxiety；　and；　in　order　to　enjoy　you　the　more；　dear

Alcmene；　my　heart　would　rather　see　love　only；　and　not　duty；　in　the

favours　which　I　receive　from　you；　may　they　arise　solely　from

affection；　and　have　respect　to　my　person　only；　let　not　my　condition

as　your　husband　be　the　reason　for　them。



ALC。　Yet　it　is　in　that　name　that　the　ardour　which　burns　me　holds　the

right　to　show　itself：　I　do　not　understand　this　new　scruple　which

troubles　your　heart。



JUP。　The　love　and　tenderness　which　I　have　for　you　far　exceeds　a

husband's；　in　these　sweet　moments；　you　do　not　realise　its　delicacy；

You　do　not　understand　that　a　heart　deeply　in　love　studiously

attaches　itself　to　a　hundred　little　trifles；　and　is　restless　over

the　manner　of　being　happy。　In　me；　fair　and　charming　Alcmene；　you　see

a　lover　and　a　husband；　but；　to　speak　frankly；　it　is　the　lover　that

appeals　to　me；　when　near　you；　I　feel　the　husband　restrains　him。　This

lover；　who　is　supremely　jealous　of　your　love；　wishes　your　heart　to

abandon　itself　solely　to　him：　his　passion　does　not　wish　anything　the

husband　gives　him。　He　wishes　to　obtain　the　warmth　of　your　love　from

the　fountain…head；　and　not　to　owe　anything　to　the　bonds　of　wedlock；

or　to　a　duty　which　palls　and　makes　the　heart　sad；　for　by　these　the

sweetness　of　the　most　cherished　favours　is　daily　poisoned。　This

idea；　in　short；　tosses　him　to　and　fro；　and　he　wishes；　in　order　to

satisfy　his　scruples；　that　you　would　differentiate　where　the

occasion　offends　him；　the　husband　to　be　only　for　your　virtue；　and

the　lover　to　have　the　whole　affection　and　tenderness　of　a　heart

known　to　be　full　of　kindness。



ALC。　In　truth；　Amphitryon；　you　must　be　jesting；　to　talk　thus；　I

should　be　afraid　anyone　who　heard　you　would　think　you　were　not　sane。



JUP。　There　is　more　reason　in　this　discourse；　Alcmene；　than　you

think。　But　a　longer　stay　here　would　render　me　guilty；　and　time

presses　for　my　return　to　port。　Adieu。　The　stern　call　of　duty　tears

me　away　from　you　for　a　time；　but；　lovely　Alcmene；　I　beseech　you　at

least　to　think　of　the　lover　when　you　see　the　husband。



ALC。　I　do　not　separate　what　the　Gods　unite：　both　husband　and　lover

are　very　precious　to　me。



CLE。　O　Heaven！　How　delightful　are　the　caresses　of　an　ardently

cherished　husband！　How　far　my　poor　husband　is　from　all　this　tenderness！



MERC。　I　must　tell　Night　she　has　but　to　furl　all　her　sails；　the　Sun

may　now　arise　from　his　bed　and　put　out　the　stars。



SCENE　IV



CLEANTHIS；　MERCURY　（Mercury　turns　to　go　away）



CLE。　So？　Is　it　thus　you　quit　me？



MERC。　What　would　you　have？　Do　you　wish　me　not　to　do　my　duty；　and

follow　in　Amphitryon's　footsteps？



CLE。　To　separate　from　me　so　rudely　as　this；　you　villain！



MERC。　It　is　a　fine　subject　to　make　a　fuss　about！　We　have　still

plenty　of　time　to　live　together！



CLE。　But　to　go　in　such　a　churlish　manner；　without　saying　a　single

kind　word　to　cheer　me！



MERC。　Where　the　deuce　shall　I　dig　up　silly　compliments？　Fifteen

years　of　married　life　exhaust　nonsense；　we　said　all　we　had　to　say　to

each　other　a　long　time　ago。



CLE。　Look　at　Amphitryon；　you　rascal；　see　how　his　ardour　burns　for

Alcmene；　and　then　blush　for　the　little　passion　that　you　show　your　wife。



MERC。　But；　gracious　me！　Cleanthis；　they　are　still　lovers。　There

comes　a　certain　age　when　all　this　passes　away；　what　suits　them　well

in　these　early　days　would　look　ridiculous　in　us；　old　married　people。

It　would　be　it　fine　sight　to　see　us　embracing　each　other；　and　saying

sweet　nothings！



CLE。　Oh！　You　perfidious　wretch；　must　I　give　up　hope　that　a　heart　sighs　for　me？



MERC。　No；　I　should　be　sorry　to　say　that；　but　I　have　too　long　a　beard

to　dare　to　sigh；　I　should　make　you　die　of　laughter。



CLE。　You　brute；　do　you　deserve　the　good　fortune　of　having　a　virtuous

woman　for　your　wife？



MERC。　Good　Heavens！　You　are　but　too　virtuous；　this　fine　virtue　is

not　worth　anything　to　me。　Do　not　be　quite　so　honest　a　woman；　and

don't　bother　me　so　much。



CLE。　What？　Do　you　blame　me　for　being　too　honest？



MERC。　A　woman's　gentleness　is　what　charms　me　most：　your　virtue　makes

a　clatter　that　never　ceases　to　deafen　me。



CLE。　You　care　for　hearts　full　of　false　tenderness；　for　those　women

with　the　laudable　and　fine　talent　of　knowing　how　to　smother　their

husbands　with　caresses　in　order　to　make　them　oblivious　of　the

existence　of　lovers。



MERC。　Well！　Shall　I　tell　you　what　I　think？　An　imaginary　evil

concerns　fools　only；　my　device　should　be：　'Less　honour　and　more　peace。'



CLE。　Would　you；　without　any　repugnance；　suffer　me　openly　to　love　a　gallant？



MERC。　Yes；　if　I　were　no　longer　worried　by　your　tongue；　and　if　it

changed　your　temper　and