she stoops to conquer-第14节

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berry…tree；　and　don't　you　remember　the　horse…pond；　my　dear？

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　Yes；　I　shall　remember　the　horse…pond　as　long　as　I　live；　I　have　caught　my　death　in　it。　　（To　TONY。）　　And　it　is　to　you；　you　graceless　varlet；　I　owe　all　this？　　I'll　teach　you　to　abuse　your　mother；　I　will。

TONY。　　Ecod；　mother；　all　the　parish　says　you　have　spoiled　me；　and　so　you　may　take　the　fruits　on't。

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　I'll　spoil　you；　I　will。　　＇Follows　him　off　the　stage。　　Exit。＇

HARDCASTLE。　　There's　morality；　however；　in　his　reply。　　＇Exit。＇


Enter　HASTINGS　and　MISS　NEVILLE。


HASTINGS。　　My　dear　Constance；　why　will　you　deliberate　thus？　　If　we　delay　a　moment；　all　is　lost　for　ever。　　Pluck　up　a　little　resolution；　and　we　shall　soon　be　out　of　the　reach　of　her　malignity。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I　find　it　impossible。　　My　spirits　are　so　sunk　with　the　agitations　I　have　suffered；　that　I　am　unable　to　face　any　new　danger。　　Two　or　three　years'　patience　will　at　last　crown　us　with　happiness。

HASTINGS。　　Such　a　tedious　delay　is　worse　than　inconstancy。　　Let　us　fly；　my　charmer。　　Let　us　date　our　happiness　from　this　very　moment。　　Perish　fortune！　　Love　and　content　will　increase　what　we　possess　beyond　a　monarch's　revenue。　　Let　me　prevail！

MISS　NEVILLE。　　No；　Mr。　Hastings；　no。　　Prudence　once　more　comes　to　my　relief；　and　I　will　obey　its　dictates。　　In　the　moment　of　passion　fortune　may　be　despised；　but　it　ever　produces　a　lasting　repentance。　　I'm　resolved　to　apply　to　Mr。　Hardcastle's　compassion　and　justice　for　redress。

HASTINGS。　　But　though　he　had　the　will；　he　has　not　the　power　to　relieve　you。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　But　he　has　influence；　and　upon　that　I　am　resolved　to　rely。

HASTINGS。　　I　have　no　hopes。　　But　since　you　persist；　I　must　reluctantly　obey　you。　　＇Exeunt。＇


SCENE　changes。


Enter　SIR　CHARLES　and　MISS　HARDCASTLE。


SIR　CHARLES。　　What　a　situation　am　I　in！　　If　what　you　say　appears；　I　shall　then　find　a　guilty　son。　　If　what　he　says　be　true；　I　shall　then　lose　one　that；　of　all　others；　I　most　wished　for　a　daughter。

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　I　am　proud　of　your　approbation；　and　to　show　I　merit　it；　if　you　place　yourselves　as　I　directed；　you　shall　hear　his　explicit　declaration。　　But　he　comes。

SIR　CHARLES。　　I'll　to　your　father；　and　keep　him　to　the　appointment。　　＇Exit　SIR　CHARLES。＇


Enter　MARLOW。


MARLOW。　　Though　prepared　for　setting　out；　I　come　once　more　to　take　leave；　nor　did　I；　till　this　moment；　know　the　pain　I　feel　in　the　separation。

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　（In　her　own　natural　manner。）　　I　believe　sufferings　cannot　be　very　great；　sir；　which　you　can　so　easily　remove。　　A　day　or　two　longer；　perhaps；　might　lessen　your　uneasiness；　by　showing　the　little　value　of　what　you　now　think　proper　to　regret。

MARLOW。　　（Aside。）　　This　girl　every　moment　improves　upon　me。　　（To　her。）　　It　must　not　be；　madam。　　I　have　already　trifled　too　long　with　my　heart。　　My　very　pride　begins　to　submit　to　my　passion。　　The　disparity　of　education　and　fortune；　the　anger　of　a　parent；　and　the　contempt　of　my　equals；　begin　to　lose　their　weight；　and　nothing　can　restore　me　to　myself　but　this　painful　effort　of　resolution。

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　Then　go；　sir：　　I'll　urge　nothing　more　to　detain　you。　　Though　my　family　be　as　good　as　hers　you　came　down　to　visit；　and　my　education；　I　hope；　not　inferior；　what　are　these　advantages　without　equal　affluence？　　I　must　remain　contented　with　the　slight　approbation　of　imputed　merit；　I　must　have　only　the　mockery　of　your　addresses；　while　all　your　serious　aims　are　fixed　on　fortune。


Enter　HARDCASTLE　and　SIR　CHARLES　from　behind。


SIR　CHARLES。　　Here；　behind　this　screen。

HARDCASTLE。　　Ay；　ay；　make　no　noise。　　I'll　engage　my　Kate　covers　him　with　confusion　at　last。

MARLOW。　　By　heavens；　madam！　fortune　was　ever　my　smallest　consideration。　　Your　beauty　at　first　caught　my　eye；　for　who　could　see　that　without　emotion？　　But　every　moment　that　I　converse　with　you　steals　in　some　new　grace；　heightens　the　picture；　and　gives　it　stronger　expression。　　What　at　first　seemed　rustic　plainness；　now　appears　refined　simplicity。　　What　seemed　forward　assurance；　now　strikes　me　as　the　result　of　courageous　innocence　and　conscious　virtue。

SIR　CHARLES。　　What　can　it　mean？　　He　amazes　me！

HARDCASTLE。　　I　told　you　how　it　would　be。　　Hush！

MARLOW。　　I　am　now　determined　to　stay；　madam；　and　I　have　too　good　an　opinion　of　my　father's　discernment；　when　he　sees　you；　to　doubt　his　approbation。

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　No；　Mr。　Marlow；　I　will　not；　cannot　detain　you。　　Do　you　think　I　could　suffer　a　connexion　in　which　there　is　the　smallest　room　for　repentance？　　Do　you　think　I　would　take　the　mean　advantage　of　a　transient　passion；　to　load　you　with　confusion？　　Do　you　think　I　could　ever　relish　that　happiness　which　was　acquired　by　lessening　yours？

MARLOW。　　By　all　that's　good；　I　can　have　no　happiness　but　what's　in　your　power　to　grant　me！　　Nor　shall　I　ever　feel　repentance　but　in　not　having　seen　your　merits　before。　　I　will　stay　even　contrary　to　your　wishes；　and　though　you　should　persist　to　shun　me；　I　will　make　my　respectful　assiduities　atone　for　the　levity　of　my　past　conduct。

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　Sir；　I　must　entreat　you'll　desist。　　As　our　acquaintance　began；　so　let　it　end；　in　indifference。　　I　might　have　given　an　hour　or　two　to　levity；　but　seriously；　Mr。　Marlow；　do　you　think　I　could　ever　submit　to　a　connexion　where　I　must　appear　mercenary；　and　you　imprudent？　　Do　you　think　I　could　ever　catch　at　the　confident　addresses　of　a　secure　admirer？

MARLOW。　　（Kneeling。）　　Does　this　look　like　security？　　Does　this　look　like　confidence？　　No；　madam；　every　moment　that　shows　me　your　merit；　only　serves　to　increase　my　diffidence　and　confusion。　　Here　let　me　continue

SIR　CHARLES。　　I　can　hold　it　no　longer。　　Charles；　Charles；　how　hast　thou　deceived　me！　　Is　this　your　indifference；　your　uninteresting　conversation？

HARDCASTLE。　　Your　cold　contempt；　your　formal　interview！　　What　have　you　to　say　now？

MARLOW。　　That　I'm　all　amazement！　　What　can　it　mean？

HARDCASTLE。　　It　means　that　you　can　say　and　unsay　things　at　pleasure：　that　you　can　address　a　lady　in　private；　and　deny　it　in　public：　that　you　have　one　story　for　us；　and　another　for　my　daughter。

MARLOW。　　Daughter！This　lady　your　daughter？

HARDCASTLE。　　Yes；　sir；　my　only　daughter；　my　Kate；　whose　else　should　she　be？

MARLOW。　　Oh；　the　devil！

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　Yes；　sir；　that　very　identical　tall　squinting　lady　you　were　pleased　to　take　me　for　（courtseying）；　she　that　you　addressed　as　the　mild；　modest；　sentimental　man　of　gravity；　and　the　bold；　forward；　agreeable　Rattle　of　the　Ladies'　Club。　　Ha！　ha！　ha！

MARLOW。　　Zounds！　there's　no　bearing　this；　it's　worse　than　death！

MISS　HARDCASTLE。　　In　which　of　your　characters；　sir；　will　you　give　us　leave　to　address　you？　　As　the　faltering　gentleman；　with　looks　on　the　ground；　that　speaks　just　to　be　heard；　and　hates　hypocrisy；　or　the　loud　confident　creature；　that　keeps　it　up　with　Mrs。　Mantrap；　and　old　Miss　Biddy　Buckskin；　till　three　in　the　morning？　　Ha！　ha！　ha！

MARLOW。　　O；　curse　on　my　noisy　head。　　I　never　attempted　to　be　impudent　yet；　that　I　was　not　taken　down。　　I　must　be　gone。

HARDCASTLE。　　By　the　hand　of　my　body；　but　you　shall　not。　　I　see　it　was　all　a　mistake；　and　I　am　rejoiced　to　find　it。　　You　shall　not；　sir；　I　tell　you。　　I　know　she'll　forgive　you。　　Won't　you　forgive　him；　Kate？　　We'll　all　forgive　you。　　Take　courage；　man。　　（They　retire；　she　tormenting　him；　to　the　back　scene。）


Enter　MRS。　HARDCASTLE　and　Tony。


MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　So；　so；　they're　gone　off。　　Let　them　go；　I　care　not。

HARDCASTLE。　　Who　gone？

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　My　dutiful　niece　and　her　gentleman；　Mr。　Hastings；　from　town。　　He　who　came　down　with　our　modest　visitor　here。

SIR　CHARLES。　　Who；　my　honest　George　Hastings？　　As　worthy　a　fellow　as　lives；　and　the　girl　could　not　have　made　a　more　prudent　choice。

HARDCASTLE。　　Then；　by　the　hand　of　my　body；　I'm　proud　of　the　connexion。

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　Well；　if　he　has　taken　away　the　lady；　he　has　not　taken　her　fortune；　that　remains　in　this　family　to　console　us　for　her　loss。

HARDCASTLE。　　Sure；　Dorothy；　you　would　not　be　so　mercenary？

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　Ay；　that's　my　affair；　not　yours。

HARDCASTLE。　　But　you　know　if　your　son；　when　of　age；　refuses　to　marry　his　cousin；　her　whole　fortune　is　then　at　her　own　disposal。

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　Ay；　but　he's　not　of　age；　and　she　has　not　thought　proper　to　wait　for　his　refusal。


Enter　HASTINGS　and　MISS　NEVILLE。


MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　（Aside。）　　What；　returned　so　soon！　　I　begin　not　to　like　it。

HASTINGS。　　（To　HARDCASTLE。）　　For　my　late　attempt　to　fly　off　with　your　niece　let　my　present　confusion　be　my　punishment。　　We　are　now　come　back；　to　appeal　from　your　justice　to　your　humanity。　　By　her　father's　consent；　I　first　paid　her　my　addresses；　and　our　passions　were　first　founded　in　duty。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Since　his　death；　I　have　been　obliged　to　stoop　to　dissimulation　to　avoid　oppression。　　In　an　hour　of　levity；　I　was　ready　to　give　up　my　fortune　to　secure　my　choice。　　But　I　am　now　recovered　from　the　delusion；　and　hope　from　your　tenderness　what　is　denied　me　from　a　nearer　connexion。

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　Pshaw；　pshaw！　this　is　all　but　the　whining　end　of　a　modern　novel。

HARDCASTLE。　　Be　it　what　it　will；　I'm　glad　they're　come　back　to　reclaim　their　due。　　Come　hither；　Tony；　boy。　　Do　you　refuse　this　lady's　hand　whom　I