the way of the world(如此世道)-第6节
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The Way of the World
MRS。 MAR。 Your husband？
MRS。 FAIN。 Most transcendently； ay； though I say it； meritoriously。
MRS。 MAR。 Give me your hand upon it。
MRS。 FAIN。 There。
MRS。 MAR。 I join with you； what I have said has been to try you。
MRS。 FAIN。 Is it possible？ Dost thou hate those vipers； men？
MRS。 MAR。 I have done hating 'em； and am now come to despise 'em；
the next thing I have to do is eternally to forget 'em。
MRS。 FAIN。 There spoke the spirit of an Amazon； a Penthesilea。
MRS。 MAR。 And yet I am thinking sometimes to carry my aversion
further。
MRS。 FAIN。 How？
MRS。 MAR。 Faith； by marrying； if I could but find one that loved me
very well； and would be throughly sensible of ill usage； I think I should do
myself the violence of undergoing the ceremony。
MRS。 FAIN。 You would not make him a cuckold？
MRS。 MAR。 No； but I'd make him believe I did； and that's as bad。
MRS。 FAIN。 Why had not you as good do it？
MRS。 MAR。 Oh； if he should ever discover it； he would then know the
worst； and be out of his pain； but I would have him ever to continue upon
the rack of fear and jealousy。
MRS。 FAIN。 Ingenious mischief！ Would thou wert married to
Mirabell。
MRS。 MAR。 Would I were。
MRS。 FAIN。 You change colour。
MRS。 MAR。 Because I hate him。
MRS。 FAIN。 So do I； but I can hear him named。 But what reason have
you to hate him in particular？
MRS。 MAR。 I never loved him； he is； and always was； insufferably
proud。
MRS。 FAIN。 By the reason you give for your aversion； one would
think it dissembled； for you have laid a fault to his charge； of which his
enemies must acquit him。
MRS。 MAR。 Oh； then it seems you are one of his favourable enemies。
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The Way of the World
Methinks you look a little pale； and now you flush again。
MRS。 FAIN。 Do I？ I think I am a little sick o' the sudden。
MRS。 MAR。 What ails you？
MRS。 FAIN。 My husband。 Don't you see him？ He turned short upon
me unawares； and has almost overcome me。
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The Way of the World
SCENE II。
＇To them＇ FAINALL and MIRABELL。
MRS。 MAR。 Ha； ha； ha！ he comes opportunely for you。
MRS。 FAIN。 For you； for he has brought Mirabell with him。
FAIN。 My dear。
MRS。 FAIN。 My soul。
FAIN。 You don't look well to…day； child。
MRS。 FAIN。 D'ye think so？
MIRA。 He is the only man that does； madam。
MRS。 FAIN。 The only man that would tell me so at least； and the only
man from whom I could hear it without mortification。
FAIN。 Oh； my dear； I am satisfied of your tenderness； I know you
cannot resent anything from me； especially what is an effect of my
concern。
MRS。 FAIN。 Mr。 Mirabell； my mother interrupted you in a pleasant
relation last night： I would fain hear it out。
MIRA。 The persons concerned in that affair have yet a tolerable
reputation。 I am afraid Mr。 Fainall will be censorious。
MRS。 FAIN。 He has a humour more prevailing than his curiosity； and
will willingly dispense with the hearing of one scandalous story； to avoid
giving an occasion to make another by being seen to walk with his wife。
This way； Mr。 Mirabell； and I dare promise you will oblige us both。
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The Way of the World
SCENE III。
FAINALL； MRS。 MARWOOD。
FAIN。 Excellent creature！ Well； sure； if I should live to be rid of my
wife； I should be a miserable man。
MRS。 MAR。 Ay？
FAIN。 For having only that one hope； the accomplishment of it of
consequence must put an end to all my hopes； and what a wretch is he who
must survive his hopes！ Nothing remains when that day comes but to sit
down and weep like Alexander when he wanted other worlds to conquer。
MRS。 MAR。 Will you not follow 'em？
FAIN。 Faith； I think not；
MRS。 MAR。 Pray let us； I have a reason。
FAIN。 You are not jealous？
MRS。 MAR。 Of whom？
FAIN。 Of Mirabell。
MRS。 MAR。 If I am； is it inconsistent with my love to you that I am
tender of your honour？
FAIN。 You would intimate then； as if there were a fellow…feeling
between my wife and him？
MRS。 MAR。 I think she does not hate him to that degree she would be
thought。
FAIN。 But he； I fear； is too insensible。
MRS。 MAR。 It may be you are deceived。
FAIN。 It may be so。 I do not now begin to apprehend it。
MRS。 MAR。 What？
FAIN。 That I have been deceived； madam； and you are false。
MRS。 MAR。 That I am false？ What mean you？
FAIN。 To let you know I see through all your little arts。Come； you
both love him； and both have equally dissembled your aversion。 Your
mutual jealousies of one another have made you clash till you have both
struck fire。 I have seen the warm confession red'ning on your cheeks； and
sparkling from your eyes。
MRS。 MAR。 You do me wrong。
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FAIN。 I do not。 'Twas for my ease to oversee and wilfully neglect the
gross advances made him by my wife； that by permitting her to be
engaged； I might continue unsuspected in my pleasures； and take you
oftener to my arms in full security。 But could you think； because the
nodding husband would not wake； that e'er the watchful lover slept？
MRS。 MAR。 And wherewithal can you reproach me？
FAIN。 With infidelity； with loving another； with love of Mirabell。
MRS。 MAR。 'Tis false。 I challenge you to show an instance that can
confirm your groundless accusation。 I hate him。
FAIN。 And wherefore do you hate him？ He is insensible； and your
resentment follows his neglect。 An instance？ The injuries you have done
him are a proof： your interposing in his love。 What cause had you to make
discoveries of his pretended passion？ To undeceive the credulous aunt； and
be the officious obstacle of his match with Millamant？
MRS。 MAR。 My obligations to my lady urged me： I had professed a
friendship to her； and could not see her easy nature so abused by that
dissembler。
FAIN。 What； was it conscience then？ Professed a friendship！ Oh； the
pious friendships of the female sex！
MRS。 MAR。 More tender； more sincere； and more enduring； than all
the vain and empty vows of men； whether professing love to us or mutual
faith to one another。
FAIN。 Ha； ha； ha！ you are my wife's friend too。
MRS。 MAR。 Shame and ingratitude！ Do you reproach me？ You； you
upbraid me？ Have I been false to her； through strict fidelity to you； and
sacrificed my friendship to keep my love inviolate？ And have you the
baseness to charge me with the guilt； unmindful of the merit？ To you it
should be meritorious that I have been vicious。 And do you reflect that
guilt upon me which should lie buried in your bosom？
FAIN。 You misinterpret my reproof。 I meant but to remind you of the
slight account you once could make of strictest ties when set in
competition with your love to me。
MRS。 MAR。 'Tis false； you urged it with deliberate malice。 'Twas
spoke in scorn； and I never will forgive it。
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FAIN。 Your guilt； not your resentment； begets your rage。 If yet you
loved； you could forgive a jealousy： but you are stung to find you are
discovered。
MRS。 MAR。 It shall be all discovered。 You too shall be discovered； be
sure you shall。 I can but be exposed。 If I do it myself I shall prevent your
baseness。
FAIN。 Why； what will you do？
MRS。 MAR。 Disclose it to your wife； own what has past between us。
FAIN。 Frenzy！
MRS。 MAR。 By all my wrongs I'll do't。 I'll publish to the world the
injuries you have done me； both in my fame and fortune： with both I
trusted you； you bankrupt in honour； as indigent of wealth。
FAIN。 Your fame I have preserved。 Your fortune has
