she stoops to conquer-第12节

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　madam；　since　you　have　got　a　pair　of　fresh　horses　ready；　it　would　be　cruel　to　disappoint　them。　　So；　if　you　please；　instead　of　running　away　with　your　spark；　prepare；　this　very　moment；　to　run　off　with　ME。　　Your　old　aunt　Pedigree　will　keep　you　secure；　I'll　warrant　me。　　You　too；　sir；　may　mount　your　horse；　and　guard　us　upon　the　way。　　Here；　Thomas；　Roger；　Diggory！　　I'll　show　you；　that　I　wish　you　better　than　you　do　yourselves。　　＇Exit。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　So　now　I'm　completely　ruined。

TONY。　　Ay；　that's　a　sure　thing。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　What　better　could　be　expected　from　being　connected　with　such　a　stupid　fool；and　after　all　the　nods　and　signs　I　made　him？

TONY。　　By　the　laws；　miss；　it　was　your　own　cleverness；　and　not　my　stupidity；　that　did　your　business。　　You　were　so　nice　and　so　busy　with　your　Shake…bags　and　Goose…greens；　that　I　thought　you　could　never　be　making　believe。


Enter　HASTINGS。


HASTINGS。　　So；　sir；　I　find　by　my　servant；　that　you　have　shown　my　letter；　and　betrayed　us。　　Was　this　well　done；　young　gentleman？

TONY。　　Here's　another。　　Ask　miss　there；　who　betrayed　you。　　Ecod；　it　was　her　doing；　not　mine。


Enter　MARLOW。


MARLOW。　　So　I　have　been　finely　used　here　among　you。　　Rendered　contemptible；　driven　into　ill　manners；　despised；　insulted；　laughed　at。

TONY。　　Here's　another。　　We　shall　have　old　Bedlam　broke　loose　presently。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　And　there；　sir；　is　the　gentleman　to　whom　we　all　owe　every　obligation。

MARLOW。　　What　can　I　say　to　him；　a　mere　boy；　an　idiot；　whose　ignorance　and　age　are　a　protection？

HASTINGS。　　A　poor　contemptible　booby；　that　would　but　disgrace　correction。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Yet　with　cunning　and　malice　enough　to　make　himself　merry　with　all　our　embarrassments。

HASTINGS。　　An　insensible　cub。

MARLOW。　　Replete　with　tricks　and　mischief。

TONY。　　Baw！　damme；　but　I'll　fight　you　both；　one　after　the　otherwith　baskets。

MARLOW。　　As　for　him；　he's　below　resentment。　　But　your　conduct；　Mr。　Hastings；　requires　an　explanation。　　You　knew　of　my　mistakes；　yet　would　not　undeceive　me。

HASTINGS。　　Tortured　as　I　am　with　my　own　disappointments；　is　this　a　time　for　explanations？　　It　is　not　friendly；　Mr。　Marlow。

MARLOW。　　But；　sir

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Mr。　Marlow；　we　never　kept　on　your　mistake　till　it　was　too　late　to　undeceive　you。


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　My　mistress　desires　you'll　get　ready　immediately；　madam。　　The　horses　are　putting　to。　　Your　hat　and　things　are　in　the　next　room。　　We　are　to　go　thirty　miles　before　morning。　　＇Exit　Servant。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Well；　well：　I'll　come　presently。

MARLOW。　　（To　HASTINGS。）　　Was　it　well　done；　sir；　to　assist　in　rendering　me　ridiculous？　　To　hang　me　out　for　the　scorn　of　all　my　acquaintance？　　Depend　upon　it；　sir；　I　shall　expect　an　explanation。

HASTINGS。　　Was　it　well　done；　sir；　if　you're　upon　that　subject；　to　deliver　what　I　entrusted　to　yourself；　to　the　care　of　another　sir？

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Mr。　Hastings！　　Mr。　Marlow！　　Why　will　you　increase　my　distress　by　this　groundless　dispute？　　I　implore；　I　entreat　you


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　Your　cloak；　madam。　　My　mistress　is　impatient。　　＇Exit　Servant。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I　come。　　Pray　be　pacified。　　If　I　leave　you　thus；　I　shall　die　with　apprehension。


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　Your　fan；　muff；　and　gloves；　madam。　　The　horses　are　waiting。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　O；　Mr。　Marlow！　if　you　knew　what　a　scene　of　constraint　and　ill…nature　lies　before　me；　I'm　sure　it　would　convert　your　resentment　into　pity。

MARLOW。　　I'm　so　distracted　with　a　variety　of　passions；　that　I　don't　know　what　I　do。　　Forgive　me；　madam。　　George；　forgive　me。　　You　know　my　hasty　temper；　and　should　not　exasperate　it。

HASTINGS。　　The　torture　of　my　situation　is　my　only　excuse。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Well；　my　dear　Hastings；　if　you　have　that　esteem　for　me　that　I　think；　that　I　am　sure　you　have；　your　constancy　for　three　years　will　but　increase　the　happiness　of　our　future　connexion。　　If

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　（Within。）　　Miss　Neville。　　Constance；　why　Constance；　I　say。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I'm　coming。　　Well；　constancy；　remember；　constancy　is　the　word。　　＇Exit。＇

HASTINGS。　　My　heart！　how　can　I　support　this？　　To　be　so　near　happiness；　and　such　happiness！

MARLOW。　　（To　Tony。）　　You　see　now；　young　gentleman；　the　effects　of　your　folly。　　What　might　be　amusement　to　you；　is　here　disappointment；　and　even　distress。

TONY。　　（From　a　reverie。）　　Ecod；　I　have　hit　it。　　It's　here。　　Your　hands。　　Yours　and　yours；　my　poor　Sulky！My　boots　there；　ho！Meet　me　two　hours　hence　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　and　if　you　don't　find　Tony　Lumpkin　a　more　good…natured　fellow　than　you　thought　for；　I'll　give　you　leave　to　take　my　best　horse；　and　Bet　Bouncer　into　the　bargain。　　Come　along。　　My　boots；　ho！　　＇Exeunt。＇



ACT　THE　FIFTH。


（SCENE　continued。）


Enter　HASTINGS　and　Servant。


HASTINGS。　　You　saw　the　old　lady　and　Miss　Neville　drive　off；　you　say？

SERVANT。　　Yes；　your　honour。　　They　went　off　in　a　post…coach；　and　the　young　'squire　went　on　horseback。　　They're　thirty　miles　off　by　this　time。

HASTINGS。　　Then　all　my　hopes　are　over。

SERVANT。　　Yes；　sir。　　Old　Sir　Charles　has　arrived。　　He　and　the　old　gentleman　of　the　house　have　been　laughing　at　Mr。　Marlow's　mistake　this　half　hour。　　They　are　coming　this　way。

HASTINGS。　　Then　I　must　not　be　seen。　　So　now　to　my　fruitless　appointment　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden。　　This　is　about　the　time。　　＇Exit。＇


Enter　SIR　CHARLES　and　HARDCASTLE。


HARDCASTLE。　　Ha！　ha！　ha！　　The　peremptory　tone　in　which　he　sent　forth　his　sublime　commands！

SIR　CHARLES。　　And　the　reserve　with　which　I　suppose　he　treated　all　your　advances。

HARDCASTLE。　　And　yet　he　might　have　seen　something　in　me　above　a　common　innkeeper；　too。

SIR　CHARLES。　　Yes；　Dick；　but　be　mistook　you　for　an　uncommon　innkeeper；　ha！　ha！　ha！

HARDCASTLE。　　Well；　I'm　in　too　good　spirits　to　think　of　anything　but　joy。　　Yes；　my　dear　friend；　this　union　of　our　families　will　make　our　personal　friendships　hereditary；　and　though　my　daughter's　fortune　is　but　small

SIR　CHARLES。　　Why；　Dick；　will　you　talk　of　fortune　to　ME？　　My　son　is　possessed　of　more　than　a　competence　already；　and　can　want　nothing　but　a　good　and　virtuous　girl　to　share　his　happiness　and　increase　it。　　If　they　like　each　other；　as　you　say　they　do

HARDCASTLE。　　IF；　man！　　I　tell　you　they　DO　like　each　other。　　My　daughter　as　good　as　told　me　so。

SIR　CHARLES。　　But　girls　are　apt　to　flatter　themselves；　you　know。

HARDCASTLE。　　I　saw　him　grasp　her　hand　in　the　warmest　manner　myself；　and　here　he　comes　to　put　you　out　of　your　IFS；　I　warrant　him。


Enter　MARLOW。


MARLOW。　　I　come；　sir；　once　more；　to　ask　pardon　for　my　strange　conduct。　　I　can　scarce　reflect　on　my　insolence　without　confusion。

HARDCASTLE。　　Tut；　boy；　a　trifle！　　You　take　it　too　gravely。　　An　hour　or　two's　laughing　with　my　daughter　will　set　all　to　rights　again。　　She'll　never　like　you　the　worse　for　it。

MARLOW。　　Sir；　I　shall　be　always　proud　of　her　approbation。

HARDCASTLE。　　Approbation　is　but　a　cold　word；　Mr。　Marlow；　if　I　am　not　deceived；　you　have　something　more　than　approbation　thereabouts。　　You　take　me？

MARLOW。　　Really；　sir；　I　have　not　that　happiness。

HARDCASTLE。　　Come；　boy；　I'm　an　old　fellow；　and　know　what's　what　as　well　as　you　that　are　younger。　　I　know　what　has　passed　between　you；　but　mum。

MARLOW。　　Sure；　sir；　nothing　has　passed　between　us　but　the　most　profound　respect　on　my　side；　and　the　most　distant　reserve　on　hers。　　You　don't　think；　sir；　that　my　impudence　has　been　passed　upon　all　the　rest　of　the　family。

HARDCASTLE。　　Impudence！　　No；　I　don't　say　thatnot　quite　impudencethough　girls　like　to　be　played　with；　and　rumpled　a　little　too；　sometimes。　　But　she　has　told　no　tales；　I　assure　you。

MARLOW。　　I　never　gave　her　the　slightest　cause。

HARDCASTLE。　　Well；　well；　I　like　modesty　in　its　place　well　enough。　　But　this　is　over…acting；　young　gentleman。　　You　may　be　open。　　Your　father　and　I　will　like　you　all　the　better　for　it。

MARLOW。　　May　I　die；　sir；　if　I　ever

HARDCASTLE。　　I　tell　you；　she　don't　dislike　you；　and　as　I'm　sure　you　like　her

MARLOW。　　Dear　sirI　protest；　sir

HARDCASTLE。　　I　see　no　reason　why　you　should　not　be　joined　as　fast　as　the　parson　can　tie　you。

MARLOW。　　But　hear　me；　sir

HARDCASTLE。　　Your　father　approves　the　match；　I　admire　it；　every　moment's　delay　will　be　doing　mischief。　　So

MARLOW。　　But　why　won't　you　hear　me？　　By　all　that's　just　and　true；　I　never　gave　Miss　Hardcastle　the　slightest　mark　of　my　attachment；　or　even　the　most　distant　hint　to　suspect　me　of　affection。　　We　had　but　one　interview；　and　that　was　formal；　modest；　and　uninteresting。

HARDCASTLE。　　（Aside。）　　This　fellow's　formal　modest　impudence　is　beyond　bearing。

SIR　CHARLES。　　And　you　never　grasped　her　hand；　or　made　any　protestations？

MARLOW。　　As　Heaven　is　my　witness；　I　came　down　in　obedience　to　your　commands。　　I　saw　the　lady　without　emotion；　and　parted　without　reluctance。　　I　hope　you'll　exact　no　farther　proofs　of　my　duty；　nor　prevent　me　from　leaving　a　house　in　which　I　suffer　so　many　mortifications。　　＇Exit。＇

SIR　CHARLES。　　I'm　astonished　at　the　air　of　sincerity　with　which　he　parted。

HARDCASTLE。　　And　I'm　astonished　at　the　deliberate　intrepidity　of　his　assurance。

SIR　CHARLES。　　I　dare　pledge　my　life　and　honour　upon　his　truth。

HARDCASTLE。　　Here　comes　my　daughter；　and　I　would　stake　my　happines