the double-dealer(两面派)-第14部分
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him？
SIR PAUL。 I will； I will； I'll go and look for him on purpose。
SCENE V。
BRISK alone。
BRISK。 So now they are all gone； and I have an opportunity to
practice。 Ah！ My dear Lady Froth； she's a most engaging creature； if
she were not so fond of that damned coxcombly lord of hers； and yet I am
forced to allow him wit too； to keep in with him。 No matter； she's a
woman of parts； and； egad； parts will carry her。 She said she would follow
me into the gallery。 Now to make my approaches。 Hem； hem！ Ah
ma… ＇bows。＇ dam！ Pox on't； why should I disparage my parts by thinking
what to say？ None but dull rogues think； witty men； like rich fellows； are
always ready for all expenses； while your blockheads； like poor needy
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THE DOUBLE…DEALERA COMEDY
scoundrels； are forced to examine their stock； and forecast the charges of
the day。 Here she comes； I'll seem not to see her； and try to win her with a
new airy invention of my own； hem！
SCENE VI。
＇To him＇ LADY FROTH。
BRISK ＇Sings； walking about。＇ 'I'm sick with love；' ha； ha； ha；
'prithee； come cure me。 I'm sick with；' etc。 O ye powers！ O my Lady
Froth； my Lady Froth； my Lady Froth！ Heigho！ Break heart； gods； I
thank you。 ＇Stands musing with his arms across。＇
LADY FROTH。 O heavens； Mr。 Brisk！ What's the matter？
BRISK。 My Lady Froth！ Your ladyship's most humble servant。
The matter； madam？ Nothing； madam； nothing at all； egad。 I was
fallen into the most agreeable amusement in the whole province of
contemplation： that's all（I'll seem to conceal my passion； and that will
look like respect。） ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Bless me； why did you call out upon me so loud？
BRISK。 O Lord； I； madam！ I beseech your ladyshipwhen？
LADY FROTH。 Just now as I came in； bless me； why； don't you
know it？
BRISK。 Not I； let me perish。 But did I？ Strange！ I confess your
ladyship was in my thoughts； and I was in a sort of dream that did in a
manner represent a very pleasing object to my imagination； but… …but did I
indeed？To see how love and murder will out。 But did I really name my
Lady Froth？
LADY FROTH。 Three times aloud； as I love letters。 But did you
talk of love？ O Parnassus！ Who would have thought Mr。 Brisk could
have been in love； ha； ha； ha。 O heavens； I thought you could have no
mistress but the Nine Muses。
BRISK。 No more I have； egad； for I adore 'em all in your ladyship。
Let me perish； I don't know whether to be splenetic； or airy upon't； the
deuce take me if I can tell whether I am glad or sorry that your ladyship
has made the discovery。
LADY FROTH。 O be merry by all means。 Prince Volscius in love！
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Ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 O barbarous； to turn me into ridicule！ Yet； ha； ha； ha。 The
deuce take me； I can't help laughing myself； ha； ha； ha； yet by heavens； I
have a violent passion for your ladyship； seriously。
LADY FROTH。 Seriously？ Ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Seriously； ha； ha； ha。 Gad I have； for all I laugh。
LADY FROTH。 Ha； ha； ha！ What d'ye think I laugh at？ Ha； ha；
ha。
BRISK。 Me； egad； ha； ha。
LADY FROTH。 No； the deuce take me if I don't laugh at myself； for
hang me if I have not a violent passion for Mr。 Brisk； ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Seriously？
LADY FROTH。 Seriously； ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 That's well enough； let me perish； ha； ha； ha。 O miraculous；
what a happy discovery。 Ah my dear charming Lady Froth！
LADY FROTH。 Oh my adored Mr。 Brisk！ ＇Embrace。＇
SCENE VII。
＇To them＇ LORD FROTH。
LORD FROTH。 The company are all ready。 How now？
BRISK。 Zoons！ madam； there's my lord。 ＇Softly to her。＇
LADY FROTH。 Take no notice； but observe me。 Now； cast off；
and meet me at the lower end of the room； and then join hands again； I
could teach my lord this dance purely； but I vow； Mr。 Brisk； I can't tell
how to come so near any other man。 Oh here's my lord； now you shall
see me do it with him。 ＇They pretend to practise part of a country dance。＇
LORD FROTH。 Oh； I see there's no harm yet； but I don't like this
familiarity。 ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Shall you and I do our close dance； to show Mr。
Brisk？
LORD FROTH。 No； my dear； do it with him。
LADY FROTH。 I'll do it with him； my lord； when you are out of the
way。
BRISK。 That's good； egad； that's good。 Deuce take me； I can
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hardly hold laughing in his face。 ＇Aside。＇
LORD FROTH。 Any other time； my dear； or we'll dance it below。
LADY FROTH。 With all my heart。
BRISK。 Come； my lord； I'll wait on you。 My charming witty angel！
＇To her。＇
LADY FROTH。 We shall have whispering time enough； you know；
since we are partners。
SCENE VIII。
LADY PLYANT and CARELESS。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； Mr。 Careless； Mr。 Careless； I'm ruined； I'm
undone。
CARE。 What's the matter； madam？
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； the unluckiest accident； I'm afraid I shan't live
to tell it you。
CARE。 Heaven forbid！ What is it？
LADY PLYANT。 I'm in such a fright； the strangest quandary and
premunire！ I'm all over in a universal agitation； I dare swear every
circumstance of me trembles。 O your letter； your letter！ By an
unfortunate mistake I have given Sir Paul your letter instead of his own。
CARE。 That was unlucky。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； yonder he comes reading of it； for heaven's
sake step in here and advise me quickly before he sees。
SCENE IX。
SIR PAUL with the Letter。
SIR PAUL。 O Providence； what a conspiracy have I discovered。
But let me see to make an end on't。 ＇Reads。＇ HumAfter supper in the
wardrobe by the gallery。 If Sir Paul should surprise us； I have a
commission from him to treat with you about the very matter of fact。
Matter of fact！ Very pretty； it seems that I am conducting to my own
cuckoldom。 Why； this is the very traitorous position of taking up arms by
my authority； against my person！ Well； let me see。 Till then I languish
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in expectation of my adored charmer。Dying Ned Careless。 Gads…bud；
would that were matter of fact too。 Die and be damned for a Judas
Maccabeus and Iscariot both。 O friendship！ what art thou but a name？
Henceforward let no man make a friend that would not be a cuckold： for
whomsoever he receives into his bosom will find the way to his bed； and
there return his caresses with interest to his wife。 Have I for this been
pinioned； night after night for three years past？ Have I been swathed in
blankets till I have been even deprived of motion？ Have I approached
the marriage bed with reverence as to a sacred shrine； and denied myself
the enjoyment of lawful domestic pleasures to preserve its purity； and must
I now find it polluted by foreign iniquity？ O my Lady Plyant； you were
chaste as ice； but you are melted now； and false as water。 But Providence
has been constant to me in discovering this conspiracy； still； I am
beholden to Providence。 If it were not for Providence； sure； poor Sir Paul；
thy heart would break。
SCENE X。
＇To him＇ LADY PLYANT。
LADY PLYANT。 So； sir； I see you have read the letter。 Well； now；
Sir Paul； what do you think of your friend Careless？ Has he been
treacherous； or did you give his insolence a licence to make trial of your
wife's suspected virtue？ D'ye see here？ ＇Snatches the letter as in anger。＇
Look； read it。 Gads my life； if I thought it were so； I would this moment
renounce all communication with you。 Ungrateful monster！ He？ is it so？
Ay； I see it； a plot upon my honour； your guilty cheeks confess it。 Oh；
where shall wronged virtue fly for reparation？ I'll be divorced this
instant。
SIR PAUL。 Gads…bud； what shall I say？ This is the strangest
surprise。 Why； I don't know anything at all； nor I don't know whether
there b
