amphitryon-第6部分

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a　post　to　everything　I　said；　never　a　kind　word　passed　your　lips。



SOS。　Courage！



CLE。　In　short；　my　flame　bad　to　burn　alone；　its　chaste　ardour　did　not

find　anything　in　you　but　ice；　you　were　the　culprit　in　a　return　that

might　have　been　so　different：　you　even　went　so　far　as　to　refuse　to

take　your　place　in　bed；　which　the　laws　of　wedlock　oblige　you　to　occupy。



SOS。　What？　Did　I　not　go　to　bed？



CLE。　No；　you　coward。



SOS。　Is　it　possible？



CLE。　It　is　but　too　true；　you　rascal。　Of　all　affronts　this　affront　is

the　greatest；　and；　instead　of　your　heart　repairing　its　wrong　this

morning；　you　left　me　with　words　full　of　undisguised　contempt。



SOS。　Vivat　Sosie！



CLE。　Eh；　what？　Has　my　complaint　had　this　effect？　You　laugh　at　your

fine　goings　on？



SOS。　How　pleased　I　am　with　myself！



CLE。　Is　this　the　way　to　express　your　grief　at　such　an　outrage？



SOS。　I　should　never　have　believed　I　could　be　so　prudent。



CLE。　Instead　of　condemning　yourself　for　such　a　perfidious　trick；　you

rejoice　at　it　to　my　face！



SOS。　Good　gracious！　Gently；　gently！　If　I　appear　pleased；　you　must

believe　that　I　have　a　very　strong　private　reason　for　it；　without

thinking　of　it；　I　never　did　better　than　in　using　you　in　such　a　manner　as　I　did。



CLE。　Are　you　laughing　at　me；　you　villain？



SOS。　No；　I　am　speaking　openly　to　you。　I　was　in　a　wretched　state。　I

had　a　certain　load；　which　your　words　have　lifted　from　my　soul。　I　was

very　apprehensive；　and　feared　that　I　had　played　the　fool　with　you。



CLE。　What　is　this　fear？　Come；　let　us　know　what　you　mean。



SOS。　The　doctors　say　that；　when　one　is　drunk；　one　should　abstain

from　one's　wife；　for；　in　that　condition　we　can　only　have　children

who　are　dull；　and　who　cannot　live。　Think；　if　my　heart　had　not　armed

itself　with　coldness；　what　troubles　might　have　followed！



CLE。　I　do　not　care　a　fig　for　doctors；　with　their　insipid　reasonings。

Let　them　rule　those　who　are　sick　without　wishing　to　govern　healthy

people。　They　meddle　with　too　many　affairs　when　they　seek　to　rein　in

our　chaste　desires；　in　addition　to　the　dog　days；　and　their　strict

rules；　they　tell　us　a　hundred　ridiculous　stories　into　the　bargain。



SOS。　Gently。



CLE。　No；　I　maintain　theirs　is　a　worthless　conclusion：　those　reasons

come　from　idiotic　brains。　Neither　wine　nor　time　ought　to　prevent　the

duties　of　conjugal　love　from　being　fulfilled；　doctors　are　donkeys。



SOS。　I　entreat　you；　moderate　your　anger　against　them；　they　are

honest　people；　whatever　the　world　may　say　of　them。



CLE。　Things　are　not　what　you　think　them；　you　can　shut　up；　your

excuse　will　not　go　down；　and；　sooner　or　later；　I　tell　you　plainly；　I

will　avenge　myself　for　the　contempt　you　show　me　every　day。　I

remember　everything　you　said　just　now；　and　I　shall　try　to　make　use

of　the　liberty　you　gave　me；　You　faithless；　cowardly　husband。



SOS。　What？



CLE。　You　told　me　just　now；　you　villain；　that　you　would　heartily

agree　to　my　loving　another。



SOS。　Ah！　In　that　matter　I　was　wrong。　I　retract；　my　honour　is　at

stake。　You　had　better　beware　you　do　not　give　way　to　that　sentiment。



CLE。　Nevertheless　if　some　time　I　can　make　up　my　mind　to　the　thing　。　。　。



SOS。　Just　stop　talking　for　the　present。　Amphitryon　is　coming　back；

and　he　seems　pleased。



SCENE　IV



JUPITER；　CLEANTHIS；　SOSIE



JUP。　I　shall　take　this　opportunity　of　appearing　to　Alcmene　to　banish

the　sorrow　in　which　she　wishes　to　indulge；　and；　under　the　pretence

that　brings　me　here；　I　will　gratify　my　passion　with　the　delight　of　a

reconciliation　with　her。　Alcmene　is　upstairs；　is　she　not？



CLE。　Yes；　she　is　thoroughly　upset　and　wishes　to　be　left　alone：　she

has　forbidden　me　to　follow　her。



JUP。　Whatever　prohibition　she　may　have　given　you　does　not　concern　me。



CLE。　So　far　as　I　can　see；　his　grief　has　beaten　a　quick　retreat。



SCENE　V



CLEANTHIS；　SOSIE



SOS。　What　do　you　say；　Cleanthis；　to　these　cheerful　looks；　after　his

terrible　rage？



CLE。　That　we　should　all　do　well　to　send　all　men　to　the　devil；　the

best　of　them　is　not　worth　much。



SOS。　You　say　that　because　you　are　in　a　passion；　but　you　are　too　fond

of　men；　upon　my　word；　you　would　all　look　as　black　as　thunder　if　the

devil　were　to　take　them　all　away。



CLE。　Really　。　。　。



SOS。　Here　they　come。　Hush。



SCENE　VI



JUPITER；　ALCMENE；　CLEANTHIS；　SOSIE



JUP。　Do　you　want　to　drive　me　to　despair？　Alas！　Stay；　lovely　Alcmene。



ALC。　No；　I　cannot　remain　longer　with　the　author　of　my　grief。



JUP。　I　beseech　you



ALC。　Leave　me。



JUP。　What　。　。　。？



ALC。　Leave　me；　I　tell　you。



JUP。　Her　tears　touch　me　to　the　heart；　her　sorrow　troubles　me。　Allow　me　to



ALC。　No；　do　not　follow　me；



JUP。　Where　are　you　going？



ALC。　Where　you　are　not。



JUP。　That　would　be　a　vain　attempt　to　make。　I　am　linked　to　your

beauty　by　too　close　a　bond　to　suffer　a　moment's　separation　from　you。

I　shall　follow　you　everywhere；　Alcmene。



ALC。　And　I　shall　flee　from　you　everywhere。



JUP。　I　am　very　terrible；　then！



ALC。　Yes；　more　than　I　can　say。　Indeed；　I　look　upon　you　as　a

frightful　monster；　a　cruel；　furious　monster；　whose　approach　is　to　be

feared；　as　a　monster　to　be　avoided　everywhere。　My　heart　suffers

incredible　grief　at　the　sight　of　you；　it　is　a　torture　that

overpowers　me；　I　do　not　know　anything　under　Heaven　so　frightful；

horrible　and　odious；　that　I　could　not　better　endure　than　you。



JUP。　Alas！　Do　these　words　really　come　from　your　mouth？



ALC。　I　have　many　more　in　my　heart；　I　only　regret　I　cannot　find　words

to　express　all　I　feel。



JUP。　Ah！　What　has　my　heart　done　to　you；　Alcmene；　that　I　should　be

looked　upon　as　such　a　monster？



ALC。　Oh！　Just　Heaven！　He　can　ask　that？　Is　it　not　enough　to　drive　me　mad？



JUP。　Yet；　in　a　milder　spirit　。　。　。



ALC。　No；　I　do　not　wish　either　to　see　or　to　hear　anything　of　you。



JUP。　Have　you　really　the　heart　to　treat　me　thus？　Is　this　the　tender

love　which　I　heard　yesterday　was　to　last　so　long？



ALC。　No；　no；　it　is　not；　your　base　insults　have　ordained　it

otherwise。　That　passionate　and　tender　love　does　not　exist　any

longer；　you　have　cruelly　killed　it　in　my　heart　by　a　hundred　keen

wounds。　In　its　place　stands　an　inflexible　wrath；　a　lively

resentment；　an　invincible　indignation；　the　despair　of　a　heart　justly

incensed；　which　resolves　to　hate　you　for　this　grievous　injury；　as

much　as　it　was　willing　to　love　you；　that　is　to　say　to　hate　as　much　as　possible。



JUP。　Alas！　Your　love　must　have　had　but　little　strength；　if　it　can　be

killed　by　so　slight　a　matter！　Can　a　jest　divorce　us？　Is　there　any

need　to　be　so　roused　at　a　trifle？



ALC。　Ah！　It　is　just　that　which　offends　me：　that　which　my　anger

cannot　pardon。　I　should　have　felt　less　wounded　by　the　justifiable

transports　of　a　fit　of　jealousy。　Jealousy　makes　impressions　the

force　of　which　oftentimes　carries　us　beyond　our　control；　at　such

times　the　most　discreet　mind；　no　doubt；　finds　it　difficult　enough　to

answer　for　its　deeds。　The　violence　of　a　heart　which　may　have　been

deluded　has；　in　its　very　delusion；　a　peace…offering　for　an　aggrieved

soul；　and　the　love　that　gave　birth　to　its　fears；　furnishes；　in　spite

of　all　its　violence；　at　least　some　reasons　to　urge　as　excuse。

Outbursts　such　as　these　ever　have　love　as　an　excuse　against　anger：

for　love　gave　birth　to　them；　and　we　can　easily　pardon　what　we　cannot　control。



But　to　fly　into　uncontrollable　fury；　in　gaiety　of　heart；　and　so

causelessly　and　keenly　to　wound　the　tenderness　and　honour　of　a　heart

that　dearly　loves　you；　ah！　It　is　too　cruel　a　blow：　my　grief　can

never　forget　it。



JUP。　Yes；　you　are　right；　Alcmene；　I　admit　it。　This　action　is

unquestionably　an　odious　crime；　I　do　not　pretend　to　justify　it

longer：　yet　allow　my　heart　to　defend　itself　in　your　eyes；　and　let　it

reveal　to　you　who　is　to　blame　for　this　insulting　fury。　To　tell　you

frankly；　it　is　the　husband　Alcmene；　who　has　done　this　wrong；　it　is

the　husband　whom　you　must　blame。　The　lover　has　no　share　in　this

churlish　anger：　his　heart　is　not　capable　of　offending　you。　He　has

too　much　respect　and　affection　for　you　ever　to　think　of　it；　had　he

been　guilty　of　the　crime　of　doing　aught　that　could　wound　you；　he

would　pierce　himself　with　a　hundred　stabs　before　your　eyes。　But　the

husband　has　cast　aside　that　humble　submission　which　should　always　be

yours；　by　his　harsh　deeds；　the　husband　has　made　himself　known；　he

thought　the　rights　of　marriage　allowed　him　everything。　Yes；　it　is　he

no　doubt　who　is　guilty　towards　you；　he　only　has　ill…treated　your

lovely　person。　Hate；　detest　the　husband；　I　consent　to　it；　I　yield

him　to　your　mercy；　but；　Alcmene；　spare　the　lover　from　the　anger

which　such　an　offence　gives　you；　do　not　let　him　suffer；

differentiate　between　him　and　the　guilty　one；　and；　finally；　in　order

to　be　just；　do　not　punish　him　for　what　he　has　not　done。



ALC。　Oh！　All　these　subtleties　are　but　frivolous　excuses；　such

language　only　annoys　incensed　minds。　In　vain　do　you　use　these

ridiculous　prevarications。　I　do　not　make　any　distinction　in　him　who

offends　me；　everything　in　him　becomes　the　object　of　my　anger；　the

lover　and　the　husband　are　alike　confounded　in　its　just　violence。

Both　occupy　my　thoughts；　both　are　painted　in　the　same　colours　by　my

wounded　heart。　Both　are　guilty；　both　have　offended　me；　and　both　are

odious　to　me。



JUP。　Well！　Then；　since　you　wish　it；　I　must　charge　myself　with　the

offence。　Yes；　you　are　right；　when　you　sacrifice　me　as　a　guilty

victim　to　your　resentment。　Anger　towards　me　sways　you；　it　is　but　too

just；　and　all　the　terrible　wrath　you　show　causes　me　to　suffer　only

lawful　torments。　It　is　right　you　should　shun　my　presence；　and　in

your　anger　threaten　to　flee　from　me　everywhere。　I　must　be　a

detestable　object　to　you；　you　are　right　in　thinking　ill　of　me。　My

crime　in　being　offensive　in　your　charming　eyes　surpasses　every

horror；　it　is　a　crime　that　offends　men　and　Gods；　in　short；　as

punishment　for　my　insolence