the way of the world(如此世道)-第18节
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that already。 That's somebody whose throat must be cut。
LADY。 Nay； Sir Rowland； since you give me a proof of your passion
by your jealousy； I promise you I'll make a return by a frank
communication。 You shall see itwe'll open it together。 Look you here。
＇Reads。＇ MADAM； THOUGH UNKNOWN TO YOU （look you there； 'tis
from nobody that I know。） I HAVE THAT HONOUR FOR YOUR
CHARACTER； THAT I THINK MYSELF OBLIGED TO LET YOU
KNOW YOU ARE ABUSED。 HE WHO PRETENDS TO BE SIR
ROWLAND IS A CHEAT AND A RASCAL。 O heavens！ what's this？
FOIB。 Unfortunate； all's ruined。
WAIT。 How； how； let me see； let me see。 ＇Reading。＇ A RASCAL； AND
DISGUISED AND SUBORNED FOR THAT IMPOSTUREO villainy！
O villainy！ BY THE CONTRIVANCE OF …
LADY。 I shall faint； I shall die。 Oh！
FOIB。 Say 'tis your nephew's hand。 Quickly； his plot； swear； swear it！
＇To him。＇
WAIT。 Here's a villain！ Madam； don't you perceive it？ Don't you see
it？
LADY。 Too well； too well。 I have seen too much。
WAIT。 I told you at first I knew the hand。 A woman's hand？ The rascal
writes a sort of a large hand： your Roman hand。I saw there was a throat
to be cut presently。 If he were my son； as he is my nephew； I'd pistol him。
FOIB。 O treachery！ But are you sure； Sir Rowland； it is his writing？
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WAIT。 Sure？ Am I here？ Do I live？ Do I love this pearl of India？ I
have twenty letters in my pocket from him in the same character。
LADY。 How？
FOIB。 Oh； what luck it is； Sir Rowland； that you were present at this
juncture！ This was the business that brought Mr。 Mirabell disguised to
Madam Millamant this afternoon。 I thought something was contriving；
when he stole by me and would have hid his face。
LADY。 How； how？ I heard the villain was in the house indeed； and
now I remember； my niece went away abruptly when Sir Wilfull was to
have made his addresses。
FOIB。 Then； then； madam； Mr。 Mirabell waited for her in her chamber；
but I would not tell your ladyship to discompose you when you were to
receive Sir Rowland。
WAIT。 Enough； his date is short。
FOIB。 No； good Sir Rowland； don't incur the law。
WAIT。 Law？ I care not for law。 I can but die； and 'tis in a good cause。
My lady shall be satisfied of my truth and innocence； though it cost me my
life。
LADY。 No； dear Sir Rowland； don't fight： if you should be killed I
must never show my face； or hanged；oh； consider my reputation； Sir
Rowland。 No； you shan't fight： I'll go in and examine my niece； I'll make
her confess。 I conjure you； Sir Rowland； by all your love not to fight。
WAIT。 I am charmed； madam； I obey。 But some proof you must let me
give you： I'll go for a black box； which contains the writings of my whole
estate； and deliver that into your hands。
LADY。 Ay； dear Sir Rowland； that will be some comfort； bring the
black box。
WAIT。 And may I presume to bring a contract to be signed this night？
May I hope so far？
LADY。 Bring what you will； but come alive； pray come alive。 Oh； this
is a happy discovery。
WAIT。 Dead or alive I'll comeand married we will be in spite of
treachery； ay； and get an heir that shall defeat the last remaining glimpse
of hope in my abandoned nephew。 Come； my buxom widow：
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E'er long you shall substantial proof receive That I'm an arrant knight
…
FOIB。 Or arrant knave。
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The Way of the World
ACT V。
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SCENE I。
Scene continues。
LADY WISHFORT and FOIBLE。
LADY。 Out of my house； out of my house； thou viper； thou serpent
that I have fostered； thou bosom traitress that I raised from nothing！
Begone； begone； begone； go； go； that I took from washing of old gauze
and weaving of dead hair； with a bleak blue nose； over a chafing…dish of
starved embers； and dining behind a traver's rag； in a shop no bigger than a
bird…cage。 Go； go； starve again； do； do！
FOIB。 Dear madam； I'll beg pardon on my knees。
LADY。 Away； out； out； go set up for yourself again； do； drive a trade；
do； with your threepennyworth of small ware； flaunting upon a packthread；
under a brandy…seller's bulk； or against a dead wall by a balladmonger。 Go；
hang out an old frisoneer…gorget； with a yard of yellow colberteen again；
do； an old gnawed mask； two rows of pins； and a child's fiddle； a glass
necklace with the beads broken； and a quilted night…cap with one ear。 Go；
go； drive a trade。 These were your commodities； you treacherous trull； this
was the merchandise you dealt in； when I took you into my house； placed
you next myself； and made you governant of my whole family。 You have
forgot this； have you； now you have feathered your nest？
FOIB。 No； no； dear madam。 Do but hear me； have but a moment's
patienceI'll confess all。 Mr。 Mirabell seduced me； I am not the first that
he has wheedled with his dissembling tongue。 Your ladyship's own
wisdom has been deluded by him； then how should I； a poor ignorant；
defend myself？ O madam； if you knew but what he promised me； and how
he assured me your ladyship should come to no damage； or else the wealth
of the Indies should not have bribed me to conspire against so good； so
sweet； so kind a lady as you have been to me。
LADY。 No damage？ What； to betray me； to marry me to a cast
serving…man； to make me a receptacle； an hospital for a decayed pimp？ No
damage？ O thou frontless impudence； more than a big… bellied actress！
FOIB。 Pray do but hear me； madam； he could not marry your ladyship；
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madam。 No indeed； his marriage was to have been void in law； for he was
married to me first； to secure your ladyship。 He could not have bedded
your ladyship； for if he had consummated with your ladyship； he must
have run the risk of the law； and been put upon his clergy。 Yes indeed； I
enquired of the law in that case before I would meddle or make。
LADY。 What？ Then I have been your property； have I？ I have been
convenient to you； it seems； while you were catering for Mirabell； I have
been broker for you？ What； have you made a passive bawd of me？ This
exceeds all precedent。 I am brought to fine uses； to become a botcher of
second…hand marriages between Abigails and Andrews！ I'll couple you。
Yes； I'll baste you together； you and your Philander。 I'll Duke's Place you；
as I'm a person。 Your turtle is in custody already。 You shall coo in the same
cage； if there be constable or warrant in the parish。
FOIB。 Oh； that ever I was born！ Oh； that I was ever married！ A bride？
Ay； I shall be a Bridewell bride。 Oh！
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SCENE II。
MRS。 FAINALL； FOIBLE。
MRS。 FAIN。 Poor Foible； what's the matter？
FOIB。 O madam； my lady's gone for a constable； I shall be had to a
justice； and put to Bridewell to beat hemp。 Poor Waitwell's gone to prison
already。
MRS。 FAIN。 Have a good heart； Foible： Mirabell's gone to give
security for him。 This is all Marwood's and my husband's doing。
FOIB。 Yes； yes； I know it； madam： she was in my lady's closet； and
overheard all that you said to me before dinner。 She sent the letter to my
lady； and that missing effect； Mr。 Fainall laid this plot to arrest Waitwell；
when he pretended to go for the papers； and in the meantime Mrs。
Marwood declared all to my lady。
MRS。 FAIN。 Was there no mention made of me in the letter？ My
mother does not suspect my being in the confederacy？ I fancy Marwood
has not told her； though she has told my h
