the way of the world(如此世道)-第10节
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his fleers； tossing up his nose。 Humh； says he； what； you are a…hatching
some plot； says he； you are so early abroad； or catering； says he； ferreting
for some disbanded officer； I warrant。 Half pay is but thin subsistence；
says he。 Well； what pension does your lady propose？ Let me see； says he；
what； she must come down pretty deep now； she's superannuated； says he；
and …
LADY。 Ods my life； I'll have himI'll have him murdered。 I'll have
him poisoned。 Where does he eat？ I'll marry a drawer to have him
poisoned in his wine。 I'll send for Robin from Locket's immediately。
FOIB。 Poison him？ Poisoning's too good for him。 Starve him； madam；
starve him； marry Sir Rowland； and get him disinherited。 Oh； you would
bless yourself to hear what he said。
LADY。 A villain； superannuated？
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FOIB。 Humh； says he； I hear you are laying designs against me too；
says he； and Mrs。 Millamant is to marry my uncle （he does not suspect a
word of your ladyship）； but； says he； I'll fit you for that； I warrant you；
says he； I'll hamper you for that； says he； you and your old frippery too；
says he； I'll handle you …
LADY。 Audacious villain！ Handle me？ Would he durst？ Frippery？ Old
frippery？ Was there ever such a foul…mouthed fellow？ I'll be married to…
morrow； I'll be contracted to…night。
FOIB。 The sooner the better； madam。
LADY。 Will Sir Rowland be here； say'st thou？ When； Foible？
FOIB。 Incontinently； madam。 No new sheriff's wife expects the return
of her husband after knighthood with that impatience in which Sir
Rowland burns for the dear hour of kissing your ladyship's hand after
dinner。
LADY。 Frippery？ Superannuated frippery？ I'll frippery the villain； I'll
reduce him to frippery and rags； a tatterdemalion！I hope to see him hung
with tatters； like a Long Lane pent…house； or a gibbet thief。 A slander…
mouthed railer！ I warrant the spendthrift prodigal's in debt as much as the
million lottery； or the whole court upon a birthday。 I'll spoil his credit with
his tailor。 Yes； he shall have my niece with her fortune； he shall。
FOIB。 He？ I hope to see him lodge in Ludgate first； and angle into
Blackfriars for brass farthings with an old mitten。
LADY。 Ay； dear Foible； thank thee for that； dear Foible。 He has put me
out of all patience。 I shall never recompose my features to receive Sir
Rowland with any economy of face。 This wretch has fretted me that I am
absolutely decayed。 Look； Foible。
FOIB。 Your ladyship has frowned a little too rashly； indeed； madam。
There are some cracks discernible in the white vernish。
LADY。 Let me see the glass。 Cracks； say'st thou？ Why； I am arrantly
flayed： I look like an old peeled wall。 Thou must repair me； Foible； before
Sir Rowland comes； or I shall never keep up to my picture。
FOIB。 I warrant you； madam： a little art once made your picture like
you； and now a little of the same art must make you like your picture。 Your
picture must sit for you； madam。
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LADY。 But art thou sure Sir Rowland will not fail to come？ Or will a
not fail when he does come？ Will he be importunate； Foible； and push？
For if he should not be importunate I shall never break decorums。 I shall
die with confusion if I am forced to advanceoh no； I can never advance； I
shall swoon if he should expect advances。 No； I hope Sir Rowland is better
bred than to put a lady to the necessity of breaking her forms。 I won't be
too coy neitherI won't give him despair。 But a little disdain is not amiss；
a little scorn is alluring。
FOIB。 A little scorn becomes your ladyship。
LADY。 Yes； but tenderness becomes me besta sort of a dyingness。
You see that picture has a sort of aha； Foible？ A swimmingness in the
eyes。 Yes； I'll look so。 My niece affects it； but she wants features。 Is Sir
Rowland handsome？ Let my toilet be removedI'll dress above。 I'll
receive Sir Rowland here。 Is he handsome？ Don't answer me。 I won't
know； I'll be surprised。 I'll be taken by surprise。
FOIB。 By storm； madam。 Sir Rowland's a brisk man。
LADY。 Is he？ Oh； then； he'll importune； if he's a brisk man。 I shall
save decorums if Sir Rowland importunes。 I have a mortal terror at the
apprehension of offending against decorums。 Oh； I'm glad he's a brisk man。
Let my things be removed； good Foible。
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The Way of the World
SCENE VI。
MRS。 FAINALL； FOIBLE。
MRS。 FAIN。 O Foible； I have been in a fright； lest I should come too
late。 That devil； Marwood； saw you in the park with Mirabell； and I'm
afraid will discover it to my lady。
FOIB。 Discover what； madam？
MRS。 FAIN。 Nay； nay； put not on that strange face。 I am privy to the
whole design； and know that Waitwell； to whom thou wert this morning
married； is to personate Mirabell's uncle； and； as such winning my lady； to
involve her in those difficulties from which Mirabell only must release her；
by his making his conditions to have my cousin and her fortune left to her
own disposal。
FOIB。 O dear madam； I beg your pardon。 It was not my confidence in
your ladyship that was deficient； but I thought the former good
correspondence between your ladyship and Mr。 Mirabell might have
hindered his communicating this secret。
MRS。 FAIN。 Dear Foible； forget that。
FOIB。 O dear madam； Mr。 Mirabell is such a sweet winning gentleman。
But your ladyship is the pattern of generosity。 Sweet lady； to be so good！
Mr。 Mirabell cannot choose but be grateful。 I find your ladyship has his
heart still。 Now； madam； I can safely tell your ladyship our success： Mrs。
Marwood had told my lady； but I warrant I managed myself。 I turned it all
for the better。 I told my lady that Mr。 Mirabell railed at her。 I laid horrid
things to his charge； I'll vow； and my lady is so incensed that she'll be
contracted to Sir Rowland to…night； she says； I warrant I worked her up
that he may have her for asking for； as they say of a Welsh maidenhead。
MRS。 FAIN。 O rare Foible！
FOIB。 Madam； I beg your ladyship to acquaint Mr。 Mirabell of his
success。 I would be seen as little as possible to speak to him besides； I
believe Madam Marwood watches me。 She has a month's mind； but I
know Mr。 Mirabell can't abide her。 ＇Calls。＇ John； remove my lady's toilet。
Madam； your servant。 My lady is so impatient； I fear she'll come for me； if
I stay。
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MRS。 FAIN。 I'll go with you up the back stairs； lest I should meet her。
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SCENE VII。
MRS。 MARWOOD alone。
MRS。 MAR。 Indeed； Mrs。 Engine； is it thus with you？ Are you become
a go…between of this importance？ Yes； I shall watch you。 Why this wench
is the PASSE…PARTOUT； a very master…key to everybody's strong box。
My friend Fainall； have you carried it so swimmingly？ I thought there was
something in it； but it seems it's over with you。 Your loathing is not from a
want of appetite then； but from a surfeit。 Else you could never be so cool
to fall from a principal to be an assistant； to procure for him！ A pattern of
generosity； that I confess。 Well； Mr。 Fainall； you have met with your
match。O man； man！ Woman； woman！ The devil's an ass： if I were a
painter； I would draw him like an idiot； a driveller with a bib and bells。
Man should have his head and horns； and woman the rest of him。 Poor；
simple fiend！ 'Madam Marwood has a month's mind； but he can't abide
her。' 'Twere better for him you had not been his confessor in that affair；
without you could have kept his counsel closer。 I shall not prove another
pattern of generosity； he has not obliged me to that with those exce
