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the way of the world-第11部分

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I might expect this when you left off 'Honoured brother;' and



'Hoping you are in good health;' and so forth; to begin with a 'Rat



me; knight; I'm so sick of a last night's debauch。'  Ods heart; and



then tell a familiar tale of a cock and a bull; and a whore and a



bottle; and so conclude。  You could write news before you were out



of your time; when you lived with honest Pumple…Nose; the attorney



of Furnival's Inn。  You could intreat to be remembered then to your



friends round the Wrekin。  We could have Gazettes then; and Dawks's



Letter; and the Weekly Bill; till of late days。







PET。  'Slife; Witwoud; were you ever an attorney's clerk?  Of the



family of the Furnivals?  Ha; ha; ha!







WIT。  Ay; ay; but that was but for a while。  Not long; not long;



pshaw; I was not in my own power then。  An orphan; and this fellow



was my guardian; ay; ay; I was glad to consent to that man to come



to London。  He had the disposal of me then。  If I had not agreed to



that; I might have been bound prentice to a feltmaker in Shrewsbury:



this fellow would have bound me to a maker of felts。







SIR WIL。  'Sheart; and better than to be bound to a maker of fops;



where; I suppose; you have served your time; and now you may set up



for yourself。







MRS。 MAR。  You intend to travel; sir; as I'm informed?







SIR WIL。  Belike I may; madam。  I may chance to sail upon the salt



seas; if my mind hold。







PET。  And the wind serve。







SIR WIL。  Serve or not serve; I shan't ask license of you; sir; nor



the weathercock your companion。  I direct my discourse to the lady;



sir。  'Tis like my aunt may have told you; madam?  Yes; I have



settled my concerns; I may say now; and am minded to see foreign



parts。  If an how that the peace holds; whereby; that is; taxes



abate。







MRS。 MAR。  I thought you had designed for France at all adventures。







SIR WIL。  I can't tell that; 'tis like I may; and 'tis like I may



not。  I am somewhat dainty in making a resolution; because when I



make it I keep it。  I don't stand shill I; shall I; then; if I



say't; I'll do't。  But I have thoughts to tarry a small matter in



town; to learn somewhat of your lingo first; before I cross the



seas。  I'd gladly have a spice of your French as they say; whereby



to hold discourse in foreign countries。







MRS。 MAR。  Here's an academy in town for that use。







SIR WIL。  There is?  'Tis like there may。







MRS。 MAR。  No doubt you will return very much improved。







WIT。  Yes; refined like a Dutch skipper from a whale…fishing。











SCENE XVI。











'To them' LADY WISHFORT and FAINALL。







LADY。  Nephew; you are welcome。







SIR WIL。  Aunt; your servant。







FAIN。  Sir Wilfull; your most faithful servant。







SIR WIL。  Cousin Fainall; give me your hand。







LADY。  Cousin Witwoud; your servant; Mr。 Petulant; your servant。



Nephew; you are welcome again。  Will you drink anything after your



journey; nephew; before you eat?  Dinner's almost ready。







SIR WIL。  I'm very well; I thank you; aunt。  However; I thank you



for your courteous offer。  'Sheart; I was afraid you would have been



in the fashion too; and have remembered to have forgot your



relations。  Here's your cousin Tony; belike; I mayn't call him



brother for fear of offence。







LADY。  Oh; he's a rallier; nephew。  My cousin's a wit:  and your



great wits always rally their best friends to choose。  When you have



been abroad; nephew; you'll understand raillery better。  'FAINALL



and MRS。 MARWOOD talk apart。'







SIR WIL。  Why; then; let him hold his tongue in the meantime; and



rail when that day comes。











SCENE XVII。











'To them' MINCING。







MINC。  Mem; I come to acquaint your laship that dinner is impatient。







SIR WIL。  Impatient?  Why; then; belike it won't stay till I pull



off my boots。  Sweetheart; can you help me to a pair of slippers?



My man's with his horses; I warrant。







LADY。  Fie; fie; nephew; you would not pull off your boots here?  Go



down into the hall:… dinner shall stay for you。  My nephew's a



little unbred:  you'll pardon him; madam。  Gentlemen; will you walk?



Marwood?







MRS。 MAR。  I'll follow you; madam;before Sir Wilfull is ready。











SCENE XVIII。











MRS。 MARWOOD; FAINALL。







FAIN。  Why; then; Foible's a bawd; an errant; rank match…making



bawd。  And I; it seems; am a husband; a rank husband; and my wife a



very errant; rank wife;all in the way of the world。  'Sdeath; to



be a cuckold by anticipation; a cuckold in embryo!  Sure I was born



with budding antlers like a young satyr; or a citizen's child;



'sdeath; to be out…witted; to be out…jilted; out…matrimonied。  If I



had kept my speed like a stag; 'twere somewhat; but to crawl after;



with my horns like a snail; and be outstripped by my wife'tis



scurvy wedlock。







MRS。 MAR。  Then shake it off:  you have often wished for an



opportunity to part; and now you have it。  But first prevent their



plot:… the half of Millamant's fortune is too considerable to be



parted with to a foe; to Mirabell。







FAIN。  Damn him; that had been minehad you not made that fond



discovery。  That had been forfeited; had they been married。  My wife



had added lustre to my horns by that increase of fortune:  I could



have worn 'em tipt with gold; though my forehead had been furnished



like a deputy…lieutenant's hall。







MRS。 MAR。  They may prove a cap of maintenance to you still; if you



can away with your wife。  And she's no worse than when you had her:…



I dare swear she had given up her game before she was married。







FAIN。  Hum!  That may be …







MRS。 MAR。  You married her to keep you; and if you can contrive to



have her keep you better than you expected; why should you not keep



her longer than you intended?







FAIN。  The means; the means?







MRS。 MAR。  Discover to my lady your wife's conduct; threaten to part



with her。  My lady loves her; and will come to any composition to



save her reputation。  Take the opportunity of breaking it just upon



the discovery of this imposture。  My lady will be enraged beyond



bounds; and sacrifice niece; and fortune and all at that



conjuncture。  And let me alone to keep her warm:  if she should flag



in her part; I will not fail to prompt her。







FAIN。  Faith; this has an appearance。







MRS。 MAR。  I'm sorry I hinted to my lady to endeavour a match



between Millamant and Sir Wilfull; that may be an obstacle。







FAIN。  Oh; for that matter; leave me to manage him; I'll disable him



for that; he will drink like a Dane。  After dinner I'll set his hand



in。







MRS。 MAR。  Well; how do you stand affected towards your lady?







FAIN。  Why; faith; I'm thinking of it。  Let me see。  I am married



already; so that's over。  My wife has played the jade with me; well;



that's over too。  I never loved her; or if I had; why that would



have been over too by this time。  Jealous of her I cannot be; for I



am certain; so there's an end of jealousy。  Weary of her I am and



shall be。  No; there's no end of that; no; no; that were too much to



hope。  Thus far concerning my repose。  Now for my reputation:  as to



my own; I married not for it; so that's out of the question。  And as



to my part in my wife'swhy; she had parted with hers before; so;



bringing none to me; she can take none from me:  'tis against all



rule of play that I should lose to one who has not wherewithal to



stake。







MRS。 MAR。  Besides you forget; marriage is honourable。







FAIN。  Hum!  Faith; and that's well thought on:  marriage is



honourable; as you say; and if so; wherefore should cuckoldom be a



discredit; being derived from so honourable a root?







MRS。 MAR。  Nay; I know not; if the root be honourable; why not the



branches?







FAIN。  So; so; why this point's clear。  Well; how do we proceed?







MRS。 MAR。  I will contrive a letter which shall be delivered to my



lady at the time when that rascal who is to act Sir Rowland is with



her。  It shall come as from an unknown handfor the less I appear



to know of the truth the better I can play the incendiary。  Besides;



I would not have Foible provoked if I could help it; because; you



know; she knows some passages。  Nay; I expect all will come out。



But let the mine be sprung first; and then I care not if I am



discovered。







FAIN。  If the worst come to the worst; I'll turn my wife to grass。



I have already a deed of settlement of the best part of her estate;



which I wheedled out of her; and that you shall partake at least。







MRS。 MAR。  I hope you are convinced that I hate Mirabell now?



You'll be no more jealous?







FAIN。  Jealous?  No; by this kiss。  Let husbands be jealous; but let



the lover still believe:  or if he doubt; let it be only to endear



his pleasure; and prepare the joy that follows; when he proves his



mistress true。  But let husbands' doubts convert to endless



jealousy; or if they have belief; let it corrupt to superstition and



blind credulity。  I am single and will herd no more with 'em。  True;



I wear the badge; but I'll disown the order。  And since I take my



leave of 'em; I care not if I leave 'em a common motto to their



common crest。











All husbands must or
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