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！
I own I die for love of neighbour Constance！
And thou to give her up for me！ Kind friend！
What won't I do for thee？Don't pine to death；
I'll find thee fifty ways to cure thy passion；
And make thee heart…whole； if thou'rt so resolved。
Thou shalt be master of my sporting stud；
And go a hunting。 If that likes thee not；
Take up thy quarters at my shooting…lodge；
There is a cellar to 'tmake free with it。
I'll thank thee if thou emptiest it。 The song
Gives out that wine feeds loveIt drowns it； man！
If thou wilt neither hunt nor shoot； try games；
Play at loggats； bowls； fives； dominoes； draughts； cribbage；
Backgammonspecial recipes for love！
And you believe； for all the hate she shows；
That neighbour Constance loves me？
True。 'Tis my thought。
Wild。 How shall I find it out？
True。 Affect to love
Another。 Say your passion thrives； the day
Is fixed； and pray her undertake the part
Of bridemaid to your bride。 'Twill bring her out。
Wild。 You think she'll own her passion？
True。 If she loves。
Wild。 I thank thee！ I will try it！ Master Trueworth；
What shall I say to thee； to give her up；
And love her so？
True。 Say nothing。
Wild。 Noble friend！
Kind friend！ Instruct another man the way
To win thy mistress！ Thou'lt not break my heart？
Take my advice； thou shalt not be in love
A month！ Frequent the playhouse！walk the Park！
I'll think of fifty ladies that I know；
Yet can't remember nowenchanting ones！
And then there's Lancashire！and I have friends
In Berkshire and in Wiltshire； that have swarms
Of daughters！ Then my shooting…lodge and stud！
I'll cure thee in a fortnight of thy love！
And now to neighbour Constanceyet almost
I fear accosting hera hundred times
Have I essayed to break my mind to her；
But still she stops my mouth with restless scorn！
Howe'er； thy scheme I'll try； and may it thrive！
For I am sick for love of neighbour Constance。
Farewell； dear Master Trueworth！ Take my counsel …
Conquer thy passion！ Do so！ Be a man！
＇Goes out。＇
True。 Feat easy done that does not tax ourselves！
＇Enter Phoebe。＇
Phoebe。 A letter； sir。
＇Goes out。＇
True。 Good sooth； a roaming one；
And yet slow traveller。 This should have reached me
In Lombardy。The hand！ Give way； weak seal；
Thy feeble let too strong for my impatience！
Ha！ Wronged！Let me contain myself！Compelled
To fly the roof that gave her birth！My sister！
No partner in her flight but her pure honour！
I am again a brother。 Pillow； board；
I know not till I find her。
＇Enter WALLER。＇
Wal。 Master Trueworth！
True。 Ha！ Master Waller！ Welcome； Master Waller。
Wal。 Good Master Trueworth； thank you。 Finding you
From home； I e'en made bold to follow you；
For I esteem you as a man； and fain
Would benefit by your kind offices。
But let me tell you first； to your reproof；
I am indebted more than e'er I was
To praise of any other！ I am come； sir；
To give you evidence I am not one
Who owns advice is right； and acts not on't。
True。 Pray you explain。
Wal。 Will you the bearer be
Of this to one has cause to thank you； too；
Though I the larger debtor？Read it； sir。
True。 ＇Reading the letter。＇ 〃At morn to…morrow I will make you
mine；
Will you accept from me the name of wife …
The name of husband give me in exchange？〃
Wal。 How say you； sir？
True。 'Tis boldlynobly done！
Wal。 If she consentswhich affectation 'twere
To say I doubtbid her prepare for church；
And you shall act the father； sir； to her
You did the brother by。
True。 Right willingly；
Though matter of high moment I defer；
Mind； heart； and soul； are all enlisted in！
Wal。 May I implore you； haste！ A time is set！ …
How light an act of duty makes the heart！
＇They go out together。＇
SCENE III。Another Chamber in Sir William's house。
＇CONSTANCE discovered。＇
Con。 I'll pine to death for no man！ Wise it were；
Indeed； to die for neighbour WildrakeNo！ …
I know the duty of a woman； better …
What fits a maid of spirit！ I am out
Of patience with myself； to cast a thought
Away upon him。 Hang him！ Lovers cost
Nought but the pains of luring。 I'll get fifty；
And break the heart of every one of them！
I will！ I'll be the champion of my sex；
And take revenge on shallow； fickle man；
Who gives his heart to fools； and slights the worth
Of proper women！ I suppose she's handsome！
My face 'gainst hers； at hazard of mine eyes！
A maid of mind！ I'll talk her to a stand；
Or tie my tongue for life！ A maid of soul！
An artful； managing； dissembling one！
Or she had never caught。 Him！he's no man
To fall in love himself； or long ago
I warrant he had fall'n in love with me！
I hate the foolI do！ Ha； here he comes。
What brings him hither？ Let me dry my eyes；
He must not see I have been crying。 Hang him；
I have much to do； indeed； to cry for him！
＇Enter WILDRAKE＇
Wild。 Your servant； neighbour Constance。
Con。 Servant； sir！
Now what； I wonder； comes the fool to say；
Makes him look so important？
Wild。 Neighbour Constance；
I am a happy man。
Con。 What makes you so？
Wild。 A thriving suit。
Con。 In Chancery？
Wild。 Oh； no！
In love。
Con。 Oh； true！ You are in love！ Go on！
Wild。 Well； as I said； my suit's a thriving one。
Con。 You mean you are beloved again！I don't
Believe it。
Wild。 I can give you proof。
Con。 What proof？
Love letters？ She's a shameless maid
To write them！ Can she spell？ Ay； I suppose
With prompting of a dictionary！
Wild。 Nay
Without one。
Con。 I will lay you ten to one
She cannot spell！ How know you she can spell？
You cannot spell yourself！ You write command
With a single M…C…O…M…A…N…D：
Yours to Co…mand。
Wild。 I did not say she wrote
Love letters to me。
Con。 Then she suffers you to press
Her hand； perhaps？
Wild。 She does。
Con。 Does she press yours？
Wild。 She does。It goes on swimmingly！ ＇Aside。＇
Con。 She does！
She is no modest woman！ I'll be bound；
Your arm the madam suffers round her waist？
Wild。 She does！
Con。 She does！ Outrageous forwardness！
Does she let you kiss her？
Wild。 Yes。
Con。 She should be …
Wild。 What？
Con。 What you got thrice your share of when at school；
And yet not half your due！ A brazen face！
More could not grant a maid about to wed。
Wild。 She is so。
Con。 What？
Wild。 How swimmingly it goes！ ＇Aside。＇
Con。 ＇With suppressed impatience。＇ Are you about to marry；
neighbour Wildrake？
Are you about to marry？
Wild。 Excellent。 ＇Aside。＇
Con。 ＇Breaking out。＇ Why don't you answer me？
Wild。 I am。
Con。 You are …
I tell you what； sirYou're a fool！
Wild。 For what？
Con。 You are not fit to marry。 Do not know
Enough of the world； sir！ Have no more experience；
Thought； judgment； than a schoolboy！ Have no mind
Of your own！your wife will make a fool of you；
Will jilt you； break your heart！ I wish she may
I do！ You have no more business with a wife；
Than I have！ Do you mean to say； indeed；
You are about to marry？
Wild。 Yes； indeed。
Con。 And when？
Wild。 I'll say to…morrow！ ＇Aside。＇
Con。 When； I say？
Wild。 To…morrow。
Con。 Thank you： much beholden to you！
You've told me