the way of the world(如此世道)-第13节
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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
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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。
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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。
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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。
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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。
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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 k
