the way of the world(如此世道)-第19节
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mother does not suspect my being in the confederacy？ I fancy Marwood
has not told her； though she has told my husband。
FOIB。 Yes； madam； but my lady did not see that part。 We stifled the
letter before she read so far。 Has that mischievous devil told Mr。 Fainall of
your ladyship then？
MRS。 FAIN。 Ay； all's out： my affair with Mirabell； everything
discovered。 This is the last day of our living together； that's my comfort。
FOIB。 Indeed； madam； and so 'tis a comfort； if you knew all。 He has
been even with your ladyship； which I could have told you long enough
since； but I love to keep peace and quietness by my good will。 I had rather
bring friends together than set 'em at distance。 But Mrs。 Marwood and he
are nearer related than ever their parents thought for。
MRS。 FAIN。 Say'st thou so； Foible？ Canst thou prove this？
FOIB。 I can take my oath of it； madam； so can Mrs。 Mincing。 We have
had many a fair word from Madam Marwood to conceal something that
passed in our chamber one evening when you were at Hyde Park； and we
were thought to have gone a…walking。 But we went up unawaresthough
we were sworn to secrecy too： Madam Marwood took a book and swore
us upon it： but it was but a book of poems。 So long as it was not a bible
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oath； we may break it with a safe conscience。
MRS。 FAIN。 This discovery is the most opportune thing I could wish。
Now； Mincing？
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SCENE III。
＇To them＇ MINCING。
MINC。 My lady would speak with Mrs。 Foible； mem。 Mr。 Mirabell is
with her； he has set your spouse at liberty； Mrs。 Foible； and would have
you hide yourself in my lady's closet till my old lady's anger is abated。 Oh；
my old lady is in a perilous passion at something Mr。 Fainall has said； he
swears； and my old lady cries。 There's a fearful hurricane； I vow。 He says；
mem； how that he'll have my lady's fortune made over to him； or he'll be
divorced。
MRS。 FAIN。 Does your lady or Mirabell know that？
MINC。 Yes mem； they have sent me to see if Sir Wilfull be sober； and
to bring him to them。 My lady is resolved to have him； I think； rather than
lose such a vast sum as six thousand pound。 Oh； come； Mrs。 Foible； I hear
my old lady。
MRS。 FAIN。 Foible； you must tell Mincing that she must prepare to
vouch when I call her。
FOIB。 Yes； yes； madam。
MINC。 Oh； yes mem； I'll vouch anything for your ladyship's service；
be what it will。
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SCENE IV。
MRS。 FAINALL； LADY WISHFORT； MRS。 MARWOOD。
LADY。 O my dear friend； how can I enumerate the benefits that I have
received from your goodness？ To you I owe the timely discovery of the
false vows of Mirabell； to you I owe the detection of the impostor Sir
Rowland。 And now you are become an intercessor with my son…in…law； to
save the honour of my house and compound for the frailties of my
daughter。 Well； friend； you are enough to reconcile me to the bad world； or
else I would retire to deserts and solitudes； and feed harmless sheep by
groves and purling streams。 Dear Marwood； let us leave the world； and
retire by ourselves and be shepherdesses。
MRS。 MAR。 Let us first dispatch the affair in hand； madam。 We shall
have leisure to think of retirement afterwards。 Here is one who is
concerned in the treaty。
LADY。 O daughter； daughter； is it possible thou shouldst be my child；
bone of my bone； and flesh of my flesh； and as I may say； another me； and
yet transgress the most minute particle of severe virtue？ Is it possible you
should lean aside to iniquity； who have been cast in the direct mould of
virtue？ I have not only been a mould but a pattern for you； and a model for
you； after you were brought into the world。
MRS。 FAIN。 I don't understand your ladyship。
LADY。 Not understand？ Why； have you not been naught？ Have you
not been sophisticated？ Not understand？ Here I am ruined to compound
for your caprices and your cuckoldoms。 I must pawn my plate and my
jewels； and ruin my niece； and all little enough …
MRS。 FAIN。 I am wronged and abused； and so are you。 'Tis a false
accusation； as false as hell； as false as your friend there； ay； or your
friend's friend； my false husband。
MRS。 MAR。 My friend； Mrs。 Fainall？ Your husband my friend； what
do you mean？
MRS。 FAIN。 I know what I mean； madam； and so do you； and so shall
the world at a time convenient。
MRS。 MAR。 I am sorry to see you so passionate； madam。 More
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temper would look more like innocence。 But I have done。 I am sorry my
zeal to serve your ladyship and family should admit of misconstruction； or
make me liable to affronts。 You will pardon me； madam； if I meddle no
more with an affair in which I am not personally concerned。
LADY。 O dear friend； I am so ashamed that you should meet with such
returns。 You ought to ask pardon on your knees； ungrateful creature； she
deserves more from you than all your life can accomplish。 Oh； don't leave
me destitute in this perplexity！ No； stick to me； my good genius。
MRS。 FAIN。 I tell you； madam； you're abused。 Stick to you？ Ay； like a
leech； to suck your best blood； she'll drop off when she's full。 Madam； you
shan't pawn a bodkin； nor part with a brass counter； in composition for me。
I defy 'em all。 Let 'em prove their aspersions： I know my own innocence；
and dare stand a trial。
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SCENE V。
LADY WISHFORT； MRS。 MARWOOD。
LADY。 Why； if she should be innocent； if she should be wronged after
all； ha？ I don't know what to think； and I promise you； her education has
been unexceptionable。 I may say it； for I chiefly made it my own care to
initiate her very infancy in the rudiments of virtue； and to impress upon
her tender years a young odium and aversion to the very sight of men； ay；
friend； she would ha' shrieked if she had but seen a man till she was in her
teens。 As I'm a person； 'tis true。 She was never suffered to play with a male
child； though but in coats。 Nay； her very babies were of the feminine
gender。 Oh； she never looked a man in the face but her own father or the
chaplain； and him we made a shift to put upon her for a woman； by the
help of his long garments； and his sleek face； till she was going in her
fifteen。
MRS。 MAR。 'Twas much she should be deceived so long。
LADY。 I warrant you； or she would never have borne to have been
catechised by him； and have heard his long lectures against singing and
dancing and such debaucheries； and going to filthy plays； and profane
music meetings； where the lewd trebles squeak nothing but bawdy； and the
basses roar blasphemy。 Oh； she would have swooned at the sight or name
of an obscene play…bookand can I think after all this that my daughter
can be naught？ What； a whore？ And thought it excommunication to set her
foot within the door of a playhouse。 O dear friend； I can't believe it。 No； no；
as she says； let him prove it； let him prove it。
MRS。 MAR。 Prove it； madam？ What； and have your name prostituted
in a public court； yours and your daughter's reputation worried at the bar
by a pack of bawling lawyers？ To be ushered in with an OH YES of
scandal； and have your case opened by an old fumbling leacher in a quoif
like a man midwife； to bring your daughter's infamy to light； to be a theme
for legal punsters and quibblers by the statute； and become a jest； against a
rule of court； where there is no precedent for a jest in any record； not even
in Doomsday Book。 To discompose the gravity of the bench； and provoke
naughty interrogatories in more naughty law Latin； while the good judge；
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