the double-dealer(两面派)-第16节
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see me do it with him。 ＇They pretend to practise part of a country dance。＇
LORD FROTH。 Oh； I see there's no harm yet； but I don't like this
familiarity。 ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Shall you and I do our close dance； to show Mr。
Brisk？
LORD FROTH。 No； my dear； do it with him。
LADY FROTH。 I'll do it with him； my lord； when you are out of the
way。
BRISK。 That's good； egad； that's good。 Deuce take me； I can
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hardly hold laughing in his face。 ＇Aside。＇
LORD FROTH。 Any other time； my dear； or we'll dance it below。
LADY FROTH。 With all my heart。
BRISK。 Come； my lord； I'll wait on you。 My charming witty angel！
＇To her。＇
LADY FROTH。 We shall have whispering time enough； you know；
since we are partners。
SCENE VIII。
LADY PLYANT and CARELESS。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； Mr。 Careless； Mr。 Careless； I'm ruined； I'm
undone。
CARE。 What's the matter； madam？
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； the unluckiest accident； I'm afraid I shan't live
to tell it you。
CARE。 Heaven forbid！ What is it？
LADY PLYANT。 I'm in such a fright； the strangest quandary and
premunire！ I'm all over in a universal agitation； I dare swear every
circumstance of me trembles。 O your letter； your letter！ By an
unfortunate mistake I have given Sir Paul your letter instead of his own。
CARE。 That was unlucky。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； yonder he comes reading of it； for heaven's
sake step in here and advise me quickly before he sees。
SCENE IX。
SIR PAUL with the Letter。
SIR PAUL。 O Providence； what a conspiracy have I discovered。
But let me see to make an end on't。 ＇Reads。＇ HumAfter supper in the
wardrobe by the gallery。 If Sir Paul should surprise us； I have a
commission from him to treat with you about the very matter of fact。
Matter of fact！ Very pretty； it seems that I am conducting to my own
cuckoldom。 Why； this is the very traitorous position of taking up arms by
my authority； against my person！ Well； let me see。 Till then I languish
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in expectation of my adored charmer。Dying Ned Careless。 Gads…bud；
would that were matter of fact too。 Die and be damned for a Judas
Maccabeus and Iscariot both。 O friendship！ what art thou but a name？
Henceforward let no man make a friend that would not be a cuckold： for
whomsoever he receives into his bosom will find the way to his bed； and
there return his caresses with interest to his wife。 Have I for this been
pinioned； night after night for three years past？ Have I been swathed in
blankets till I have been even deprived of motion？ Have I approached
the marriage bed with reverence as to a sacred shrine； and denied myself
the enjoyment of lawful domestic pleasures to preserve its purity； and must
I now find it polluted by foreign iniquity？ O my Lady Plyant； you were
chaste as ice； but you are melted now； and false as water。 But Providence
has been constant to me in discovering this conspiracy； still； I am
beholden to Providence。 If it were not for Providence； sure； poor Sir Paul；
thy heart would break。
SCENE X。
＇To him＇ LADY PLYANT。
LADY PLYANT。 So； sir； I see you have read the letter。 Well； now；
Sir Paul； what do you think of your friend Careless？ Has he been
treacherous； or did you give his insolence a licence to make trial of your
wife's suspected virtue？ D'ye see here？ ＇Snatches the letter as in anger。＇
Look； read it。 Gads my life； if I thought it were so； I would this moment
renounce all communication with you。 Ungrateful monster！ He？ is it so？
Ay； I see it； a plot upon my honour； your guilty cheeks confess it。 Oh；
where shall wronged virtue fly for reparation？ I'll be divorced this
instant。
SIR PAUL。 Gads…bud； what shall I say？ This is the strangest
surprise。 Why； I don't know anything at all； nor I don't know whether
there be anything at all in the world； or no。
LADY PLYANT。 I thought I should try you； false man。 I； that
never dissembled in my life； yet to make trial of you； pretended to like that
monster of iniquity； Careless； and found out that contrivance to let you see
this letter； which now I find was of your own inditingI do； heathen； I do。
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See my face no more； I'll be divorced presently。
SIR PAUL。 O strange； what will become of me？ I'm so amazed；
and so overjoyed； so afraid； and so sorry。 But did you give me this letter
on purpose； he？ Did you？
LADY PLYANT。 Did I？ Do you doubt me； Turk； Saracen？ I have
a cousin that's a proctor in the Commons； I'll go to him instantly。
SIR PAUL。 Hold； stay； I beseech your ladyship。 I'm so overjoyed；
stay； I'll confess all。
LADY PLYANT。 What will you confess； Jew？
SIR PAUL。 Why； now； as I hope to be saved； I had no hand in this
letternay； hear me； I beseech your ladyship。 The devil take me now if
he did not go beyond my commission。 If I desired him to do any more
than speak a good word only just for me； gads…bud； only for poor Sir Paul；
I'm an Anabaptist； or a Jew； or what you please to call me。
LADY PLYANT。 Why； is not here matter of fact？
SIR PAUL。 Ay； but by your own virtue and continency that matter of
fact is all his own doing。 I confess I had a great desire to have some
honours conferred upon me； which lie all in your ladyship's breast； and he
being a well…spoken man； I desired him to intercede for me。
LADY PLYANT。 Did you so？ presumption！ Oh； he comes； the
Tarquin comes； I cannot bear his sight。
SCENE XI。
CARELESS； SIR PAUL。
CARE。 Sir Paul； I'm glad I've met with you； 'gad； I have said all I
could； but can't prevail。 Then my friendship to you has carried me a little
farther in this matter。
SIR PAUL。 Indeed； well sir； I'll dissemble with him a little。 ＇Aside。＇
CARE。 Why； faith I have in my time known honest gentlemen
abused by a pretended coyness in their wives； and I had a mind to try my
lady's virtue。 And when I could not prevail for you； gad； I pretended to
be in love myself； but all in vain； she would not hear a word upon that
subject。 Then I writ a letter to her； I don't know what effects that will
have； but I'll be sure to tell you when I do； though by this light I believe
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her virtue is impregnable。
SIR PAUL。 O Providence！ Providence！ What discoveries are
here made？ Why； this is better and more miraculous than the rest。
CARE。 What do you mean？
SIR PAUL。 I can't tell you； I'm so overjoyed； come along with me to
my lady； I can't contain myself； come； my dear friend。
CARE。 So； so； so； this difficulty's over。 ＇Aside。＇
SCENE XII。
MELLEFONT； MASKWELL； from different doors。
MEL。 Maskwell！ I have been looking for you'tis within a quarter
of eight。
MASK。 My lady is just gone into my lord's closet； you had best steal
into her chamber before she comes； and lie concealed there； otherwise she
may lock the door when we are together； and you not easily get in to
surprise us。
MEL。 He？ You say true。
MASK。 You had best make haste； for after she has made
