the way of the world(如此世道)-第15节
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！
must be confessed indeed …
MILLA。 Ah； L'ETOURDI！ I hate the town too。
81
… Page 82…
The Way of the World
SIR WIL。 Dear heart； that's much。 Hah！ that you should hate 'em both！
Hah！ 'tis like you may！ There are some can't relish the town； and others
can't away with the country； 'tis like you may be one of those； cousin。
MILLA。 Ha； ha； ha！ Yes； 'tis like I may。 You have nothing further to
say to me？
SIR WIL。 Not at present； cousin。 'Tis like when I have an opportunity
to be more privateI may break my mind in some measure… …I conjecture
you partly guess。 However； that's as time shall try。 But spare to speak and
spare to speed； as they say。
MILLA。 If it is of no great importance； Sir Wilfull； you will oblige me
to leave me： I have just now a little business。
SIR WIL。 Enough； enough； cousin。 Yes； yes； all a case。 When you're
disposed； when you're disposed。 Now's as well as another time； and
another time as well as now。 All's one for that。 Yes； yes； if your concerns
call you； there's no haste： it will keep cold as they say。 Cousin； your
servant。 I think this door's locked。
MILLA。 You may go this way； sir。
SIR WIL。 Your servant； then with your leave I'll return to my
company。
MILLA。 Ay； ay； ha； ha； ha！
Like Phoebus sung the no less am'rous boy。
82
… Page 83…
The Way of the World
SCENE V。
MRS。 MILLAMANT； MIRABELL。
MIRA。 Like Daphne she； as lovely and as coy。
Do you lock yourself up from me； to make my search more curious？
Or is this pretty artifice contrived； to signify that here the chase must end；
and my pursuit be crowned； for you can fly no further？
MILLA。 Vanity！ NoI'll fly and be followed to the last moment；
though I am upon the very verge of matrimony； I expect you should solicit
me as much as if I were wavering at the grate of a monastery； with one
foot over the threshold。 I'll be solicited to the very last； nay； and
afterwards。
MIRA。 What； after the last？
MILLA。 Oh； I should think I was poor and had nothing to bestow if I
were reduced to an inglorious ease； and freed from the agreeable fatigues
of solicitation。
MIRA。 But do not you know that when favours are conferred upon
instant and tedious solicitation； that they diminish in their value； and that
both the giver loses the grace； and the receiver lessens his pleasure？
MILLA。 It may be in things of common application； but never； sure； in
love。 Oh； I hate a lover that can dare to think he draws a moment's air
independent on the bounty of his mistress。 There is not so impudent a
thing in nature as the saucy look of an assured man confident of success：
the pedantic arrogance of a very husband has not so pragmatical an air。 Ah；
I'll never marry； unless I am first made sure of my will and pleasure。
MIRA。 Would you have 'em both before marriage？ Or will you be
contented with the first now； and stay for the other till after grace？
MILLA。 Ah； don't be impertinent。 My dear liberty； shall I leave thee？
My faithful solitude； my darling contemplation； must I bid you then adieu？
Ay…h； adieu。 My morning thoughts； agreeable wakings； indolent slumbers；
all ye DOUCEURS； ye SOMMEILS DU MATIN； adieu。 I can't do't； 'tis
more than impossiblepositively； Mirabell； I'll lie a…bed in a morning as
long as I please。
MI RA。 Then I'll get up in a morning as early as I please。
83
… Page 84…
The Way of the World
MILLA。 Ah！ Idle creature； get up when you will。 And d'ye hear； I
won't be called names after I'm married； positively I won't be called
names。
MIRA。 Names？
MILLA。 Ay； as wife； spouse； my dear； joy； jewel； love； sweet…heart；
and the rest of that nauseous cant； in which men and their wives are so
fulsomely familiarI shall never bear that。 Good Mirabell； don't let us be
familiar or fond； nor kiss before folks； like my Lady Fadler and Sir Francis；
nor go to Hyde Park together the first Sunday in a new chariot； to provoke
eyes and whispers； and then never be seen there together again； as if we
were proud of one another the first week； and ashamed of one another ever
after。 Let us never visit together； nor go to a play together； but let us be
very strange and well…bred。 Let us be as strange as if we had been married
a great while； and as well…bred as if we were not married at all。
MIRA。 Have you any more conditions to offer？ Hitherto your
demands are pretty reasonable。
MILLA。 Trifles； as liberty to pay and receive visits to and from whom
I please； to write and receive letters； without interrogatories or wry faces
on your part； to wear what I please； and choose conversation with regard
only to my own taste； to have no obligation upon me to converse with wits
that I don't like； because they are your acquaintance； or to be intimate with
fools； because they may be your relations。 Come to dinner when I please；
dine in my dressing… room when I'm out of humour； without giving a
reason。 To have my closet inviolate； to be sole empress of my tea…table；
which you must never presume to approach without first asking leave。 And
lastly； wherever I am； you shall always knock at the door before you come
in。 These articles subscribed； if I continue to endure you a little longer； I
may by degrees dwindle into a wife。
MIRA。 Your bill of fare is something advanced in this latter account。
Well； have I liberty to offer conditions：… that when you are dwindled into a
wife； I may not be beyond measure enlarged into a husband？
MILLA。 You have free leave： propose your utmost； speak and spare
not。
MIRA。 I thank you。 IMPRIMIS； then； I covenant that your
84
… Page 85…
The Way of the World
acquaintance be general； that you admit no sworn confidant or intimate of
your own sex； no she friend to screen her affairs under your countenance；
and tempt you to make trial of a mutual secrecy。 No decoy…duck to
wheedle you a FOP…SCRAMBLING to the play in a mask； then bring you
home in a pretended fright； when you think you shall be found out； and
rail at me for missing the play； and disappointing the frolic which you had
to pick me up and prove my constancy。
MILLA。 Detestable IMPRIMIS！ I go to the play in a mask！
MIRA。 ITEM； I article； that you continue to like your own face as long
as I shall； and while it passes current with me； that you endeavour not to
new coin it。 To which end； together with all vizards for the day； I prohibit
all masks for the night； made of oiled skins and I know not whathog's
bones； hare's gall； pig water； and the marrow of a roasted cat。 In short； I
forbid all commerce with the gentlewomen in what…d'ye…call…it court。
ITEM； I shut my doors against all bawds with baskets； and pennyworths of
muslin； china； fans； atlases； etc。 ITEM； when you shall be breeding …
MILLA。 Ah； name it not！
MIRA。 Which may be presumed； with a blessing on our endeavours …
MILLA。 Odious endeavours！
MIRA。 I denounce against all strait lacing； squeezing for a shape； till
you mould my boy's head like a sugar…loaf； and instead of a man…child；
make me father to a crooked billet。 Lastly； to the dominion of the tea…table
I submit； but with proviso； that you exceed not in your province； but
restrain yourself to native and simple tea…table drinks； as tea； chocolate；
and coffee。 As likewise to genuine and authorised tea…table talk； such as
mending of fashions； spoiling reputations； railing at absent friends； and so
forth。 But that on no account you encroach upon the men's prerogative；
and presume to drink healths； or toast fellows； for prevention of which； I
banish all foreign forces； all auxiliaries to the tea…table； as orange…brandy；
all aniseed； cinnamon； citron； and Barbadoes waters； together with ratafia
and the most noble spirit of clary。 But for cowslip…wine； poppy…water； and
all dormitives； those I allow。 These provisos admitted； in o
