amphitryon-第9部分

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remain　among　the　number　of　the　living。



SOS。　How　I　would　thwack　you　if　I　had　the　courage；　for　your　wretched

puffed　up　pride；　you　double　son　of　a　strumpet！



MERC。　What　do　you　say？



SOS。　Nothing。



MERC。　I　am　sure　you　muttered　something。



SOS。　Ask　anyone；　I　do　not　breathe。



MERC。　Nevertheless　I　am　absolutely　certain　that　something　about　a

son　of　a　strumpet　struck　my　ear。



SOS。　It　must　have　been　a　parrot　roused　by　the　beautiful　weather。



MERC。　Adieu。　If　your　back　itches　for　a　currying；　here　is　where　I　live。



SOS。　O　Heavens！　What　a　cursed　hour　is　the　dinner　hour　to　be　turned

out　of　doors！　Come；　let　us　yield　to　fate　in　our　affliction。　Let　us

today　follow　blind　caprice；　and　join　the　unfortunate　Sosie　to　the

unfortunate　Amphitryon：　it　is　a　suitable　union。　I　see　he　is　coming

in　good　company。



SCENE　VII



AMPHITRYON；　ARGATIPHONTIDAS；　POSICLES；　SOSIE



AMPH。　Stay　here；　gentlemen；　follow　me　a　little　way　off；　and　do　not

all　advance；　I　pray　you；　until　there　is　need　for　it。



POS。　I　quite　understand　this　blow　touches　you　to　the　heart。



AMPH。　Ah！　My　sorrow　is　bitter　through　and　through：　I　suffer　in　my

affection；　as　much　as　in　my　honour。



POS。　If　this　resemblance　is　such　as　is　said；　Alcmene；　without　being

guilty　。　。　。



AMPH。　Ah！　In　this　affair；　a　simple　error　becomes　a　veritable　crime；

and；　though　no　way　consenting；　innocence　perishes　in　it。　Such

errors；　in　whatever　way　we　look　at　them；　affect　us　in　the　most

sensitive　parts；　reason　often；　often　pardons　them；　when　honour　and　love　cannot。



ARGAT。　I　do　not　bother　my　thoughts　about　that；　but　I　hate　your

gentlemen　for　their　disgraceful　delay；　it　is　a　proceeding　which

wounds　me　to　the　quick；　and　one　which　courageous　people　will　never

approve。　When　any　man　has　need　of　us；　we　ought　to　throw　ourselves

headforemost　into　his　concerns。　Argatiphontidas　is　not　one　for

compromising　matters。　It　is　not　seemly　for　men　of　honour　to　listen

to　the　arguments　of　a　friend's　adversary；　one　should　only　listen　to

vengeance　at　such　times。　The　proceeding　does　not　please　me；　in

quarrels　such　as　these　we　ought　always　to　begin　sending　the　sword

through　the　body；　without　any　nonsense。　Yes；　whatever　happens；　you

shall　see　that　Argatiphontidas　goes　straight　to　the　point。　I　entreat

you　not　to　let　the　villain　die　by　any　other　hand　than　mine。



AMPH。　Come　on。



SOS。　I　come；　Monsieur；　to　undergo　at　your　knees　the　just　punishment

of　cursed　audacity。　Strike；　beat；　drub；　overwhelm　me　with　blows；

kill　me　in　your　anger；　you　will　do　well；　I　deserve　it；　I　shall　not

say　a　single　word　against　you。



AMPH。　Get　up。　What　is　the　matter？



SOS。　I　have　been　turned　away　unceremoniously；　thinking　to　eat　and

rejoice　like　them；　I　did　not　think　that；　as　it　turned　out；　I　was

waiting　there　to　thrash　myself。　Yes；　　the　other　I；　valet　to　the

other　you；　has　played　the　very　devil　with　me　once　more。　The　same

cruel　fate　seems　to　pursue　us　both　today；　Monsieur。　In　short；　they

have　un…Sosied　me；　as　they　un…Amphitryon'd　you。



AMPH。　Follow　me。



SOS。　Is　it　not　better　to　see　if　anybody　is　coming？



SCENE　VIII



CLEANTHIS；　NAUCRATES；　POLIDAS；　SOSIE；　AMPHITRYON；



ARGATIPHONTIDAS；　POSICLES



CLE。　O　Heaven！



AMPH。　What　frightens　you　like　this？　Why　are　you　afraid　of　me？



CLE。　Why！　You　are　up　there　and　I　see　you　here！



NAU。　Do　not　hurry；　here　he　comes　to　give；　before　us　all；　the

explanation　we　want。　If　we　may　believe　what　he　has　just　said　about

it；　it　will　banish　away　your　trouble　and　care。



SCENE　IX



MERCURY；　CLEANTHIS；　NAUCRATES；　POLIDAS；　SOSIE；

AMPHITRYON；　ARGATIPHONTIDAS；　POSICLES



MERC。　Yes；　you　shall　all　see　him；　know　beforehand　that　it　is　the

grand　master　of　the　Gods；　whom；　under　the　cherished　features　of　this

resemblance；　Alcmene　has　caused　to　descend　here　from　the　heavens。　As

for　me；　I　am　Mercury。　Not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　I　have　given　him

a　drubbing　whose　appearance　I　took。　He　may　now　console　himself；　for

strokes　from　the　wand　of　a　God　confer　honour　on　him　who　has　to　submit　to　them。



SOS。　Upon　my　word；　Monsieur　God；　I　am　your　servant；　I　could　have

done　without　your　attentions。



MERC。　I　now　give　you　leave　to　be　Sosie。　I　am　tired　of　wearing　such

an　ugly　mug；　I　am　going　to　the　heavens；　to　scrape　it　all　off　with

ambrosia。　（He　flies　away　to　the　skies。）



SOS。　May　Heaven　forever　keep　you　from　the　desire　of　wishing　to　come

near　me　again！　Your　fury　against　me　has　been　too　bitter；　never　in　my

life　have　I　seen　a　God　who　was　more　of　a　devil　than　you！



SCENE　X



JUPITER；　CLEANTHIS；　NAUCRATES；　POLIDAS；　SOSIE；

AMPHITRYON；　ARGATIPHONTIDAS；　POSICLES



JUP。　（In　a　cloud；）　Behold；　Amphitryon；　who　has　imposed　on　you；　under

his　own　aspect　you　see　Jupiter。　By　these　signs　you　may　easily　know

him；　they　are　sufficient；　I　think；　to　restore　your　heart　where　it

should　be　to　bring　back　peace　and　happiness　to　your　family。　My　name；

which　the　whole　earth　continually　adores；　thus　stifles　all　scandal

that　might　be　spread　abroad。　A　share　with　Jupiter　has　nothing　that

in　the　least　dishonours；　for　doubtless；　it　can　be　but　glorious　to

find　one's　self　the　rival　of　the　sovereign　of　the　Gods。　I　do　not　see

any　reason　why　your　love　should　murmur；　it　is　I；　God　as　I　am；　who

ought　to　be　jealous　in　this　affair。　Alcmene　is　wholly　yours；

whatever　means　one　may　employ；　it　must　be　gratifying　to　your　passion

to　see　that　there　is　no　other　way　of　pleasing　her　than　to　appear　as

her　husband。　Even　Jupiter；　clothed　in　his　immortal　glory；　could　not

by　himself　undermine　her　fidelity；　what　he　has　received　from　her　was

granted　by　her　ardent　heart　only　to　you。



SOS。　The　Seigneur　Jupiter　knows　how　to　gild　the　pill。



JUP。　Cast　aside；　therefore；　the　black　care　that　stifles　your　heart；

restore　perfect　peace　to　the　ardour　which　consumes　you。　In　your

house　shall　be　born　a　son；　who；　under　the　name　of　Hercules；　shall

cause　the　vast　universe　to　ring　with　his　deeds。　A　glorious　future

crowned　with　a　thousand　blessings　shall　let　every　one　see　I　am　your

support；　I　will　make　your　fate　the　envy　of　the　whole　world。　You　may

boldly　flatter　yourself　with　what　these　promises　confer。　It　is　a

crime　to　doubt　them；　for　the　words　of　Jupiter　are　the　decrees　of

fate。　（He　is　lost　in　the　clouds。）



NAU。　Truly；　I　am　delighted　at　these　evident　marks　。　。　。



SOS。　Gentlemen；　will　you　please　take　my　advice？　Do　not　embark　in

these　sugary　congratulations；　it　is　a　bad　speculation；　phrases　are

embarrassing　on　either　side；　in　such　a　compliment。　The　great　God

Jupiter　has　done　us　much　honour；　and；　unquestionaby；　his　kindness

towards　us　is　unparalleled；　he　promises　us　the　infallible　happiness

of　a　fortune　crowned　with　a　thousand　blessings；　and　in　our　house

shall　be　born　a　brave　son。　Nothing　could　be　better　than　this。　But；

nevertheless；　let　us　cut　short　our　speeches；　and　each　one　retire

quietly　to　his　own　house。　In　such　affairs　as　these；　it　is　always

best　not　to　say　anything。











End