the way of the world(如此世道)-第22节
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penitent to appear； madam。
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The Way of the World
SCENE XII。
＇To them＇ WAITWELL with a box of writings。
LADY。 O Sir Rowland！ Well； rascal？
WAIT。 What your ladyship pleases。 I have brought the black box at
last； madam。
MIRA。 Give it me。 Madam； you remember your promise。
LADY。 Ay； dear sir。
MIRA。 Where are the gentlemen？
WAIT。 At hand； sir； rubbing their eyes；just risen from sleep。
FAIN。 'Sdeath； what's this to me？ I'll not wait your private concerns。
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SCENE XIII。
＇To them＇ PETULANT； WITWOUD。
PET。 How now？ What's the matter？ Whose hand's out？
WIT。 Hey day！ What； are you all got together； like players at the end
of the last act？
MIRA。 You may remember； gentlemen； I once requested your hands as
witnesses to a certain parchment。
WIT。 Ay； I do； my hand I rememberPetulant set his mark。
MIRA。 You wrong him； his name is fairly written； as shall appear。 You
do not remember； gentlemen； anything of what that parchment contained？
＇Undoing the box。＇
WIT。 No。
PET。 Not I。 I writ； I read nothing。
MIRA。 Very well； now you shall know。 Madam； your promise。
LADY。 Ay； ay； sir； upon my honour。
MIRA。 Mr。 Fainall； it is now time that you should know that your lady；
while she was at her own disposal； and before you had by your
insinuations wheedled her out of a pretended settlement of the greatest
part of her fortune …
FAIN。 Sir！ Pretended？
MIRA。 Yes； sir。 I say that this lady； while a widow； having； it seems；
received some cautions respecting your inconstancy and tyranny of temper；
which from her own partial opinion and fondness of you she could never
have suspectedshe did； I say； by the wholesome advice of friends and of
sages learned in the laws of this land； deliver this same as her act and deed
to me in trust； and to the uses within mentioned。 You may read if you
please ＇holding out the parchment＇； though perhaps what is written on the
back may serve your occasions。
FAIN。 Very likely； sir。 What's here？ Damnation！ ＇Reads＇ A DEED OF
CONVEYANCE OF THE WHOLE ESTATE REAL OF ARABELLA
LANGUISH； WIDOW； IN TRUST TO EDWARD MIRABELL。
Confusion！
MIRA。 Even so； sir： 'tis the way of the world； sir； of the widows of the
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world。 I suppose this deed may bear an elder date than what you have
obtained from your lady。
FAIN。 Perfidious fiend！ Then thus I'll be revenged。 ＇Offers to run at
MRS。 FAINALL。＇
SIR WIL。 Hold； sir； now you may make your bear…garden flourish
somewhere else； sir。
FAIN。 Mirabell； you shall hear of this； sir； be sure you shall。 Let me
pass； oaf。
MRS。 FAIN。 Madam； you seem to stifle your resentment。 You had
better give it vent。
MRS。 MAR。 Yes； it shall have vent； and to your confusion； or I'll
perish in the attempt。
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SCENE the Last。
LADY WISHFORT； MRS。 MILLAMANT； MIRABELL； MRS。
FAINALL； SIR WILFULL； PETULANT； WITWOUD； FOIBLE；
MINCING； WAITWELL。
LADY。 O daughter； daughter； 'tis plain thou hast inherited thy mother's
prudence。
MRS。 FAIN。 Thank Mr。 Mirabell； a cautious friend； to whose advice
all is owing。
LADY。 Well； Mr。 Mirabell； you have kept your promise； and I must
perform mine。 First； I pardon for your sake Sir Rowland there and Foible。
The next thing is to break the matter to my nephew； and how to do that …
MIRA。 For that； madam； give yourself no trouble； let me have your
consent。 Sir Wilfull is my friend： he has had compassion upon lovers； and
generously engaged a volunteer in this action； for our service； and now
designs to prosecute his travels。
SIR WIL。 'Sheart； aunt； I have no mind to marry。 My cousin's a fine
lady； and the gentleman loves her and she loves him； and they deserve one
another； my resolution is to see foreign parts。 I have set on't； and when I'm
set on't I must do't。 And if these two gentlemen would travel too； I think
they may be spared。
PET。 For my part； I say little。 I think things are best off or on。
WIT。 I'gad； I understand nothing of the matter： I'm in a maze yet； like a
dog in a dancing school。
LADY。 Well； sir； take her； and with her all the joy I can give you。
MILLA。 Why does not the man take me？ Would you have me give
myself to you over again？
MIRA。 Ay； and over and over again。 ＇Kisses her hand。＇ I would have
you as often as possibly I can。 Well； heav'n grant I love you not too well；
that's all my fear。
SIR WIL。 'Sheart； you'll have time enough to toy after you're married；
or； if you will toy now； let us have a dance in the meantime； that we who
are not lovers may have some other employment besides looking on。
MIRA。 With all my heart； dear Sir Wilfull。 What shall we do for
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music？
FOIB。 Oh； sir； some that were provided for Sir Rowland's
entertainment are yet within call。 ＇A dance。＇
LADY。 As I am a person； I can hold out no longer： I have wasted my
spirits so to…day already that I am ready to sink under the fatigue； and I
cannot but have some fears upon me yet； that my son Fainall will pursue
some desperate course。
MIRA。 Madam； disquiet not yourself on that account： to my
knowledge his circumstances are such he must of force comply。 For my
part I will contribute all that in me lies to a reunion。 In the meantime；
madam ＇to MRS。 FAINALL＇； let me before these witnesses restore to you
this deed of trust： it may be a means； well managed； to make you live
easily together。
From hence let those be warned； who mean to wed； Lest mutual
falsehood stain the bridal…bed： For each deceiver to his cost may find That
marriage frauds too oft are paid in kind。
＇Exeunt Omnes。＇
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EPILOGUESpoken by Mrs。 Bracegirdle。
After our Epilogue this crowd dismisses； I'm thinking how this play'll
be pulled to pieces。 But pray consider； e'er you doom its fall； How hard a
thing 'twould be to please you all。 There are some critics so with spleen
diseased； They scarcely come inclining to be pleased： And sure he must
have more than mortal skill Who pleases anyone against his will。 Then； all
bad poets we are sure are foes； And how their number's swelled the town
well knows In shoals； I've marked 'em judging in the pit； Though they're
on no pretence for judgment fit； But that they have been damned for want
of wit。 Since when； they； by their own offences taught； Set up for spies on
plays； and finding fault。 Others there are whose malice we'd prevent： Such；
who watch plays； with scurrilous intent To mark out who by characters are
meant： And though no perfect likeness they can trace； Yet each pretends to
know the copied face。 These； with false glosses； feed their own ill…nature；
And turn to libel what was meant a satire。 May such malicious fops this
fortune find； To think themselves alone the fools designed： If any are so
arrogantly vain； To think they singly can support a scene； And furnish fool
enough to entertain。 For well the learned and the judicious know； That
satire scorns to stoop so meanly low； As any one abstracted fop to show。
For； as when painters form a matchless face； They from each fair one
catch some diff'rent grace； And shining features in one portrait blend； To
which no single beauty must pretend： So poets oft do in one piece expose
Whole BELLES ASSEMBLEES of coquettes and beaux。
