the way of the world(如此世道)-第5节
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FAIN。 This continence is all dissembled； this is in order to have
something to brag of the next time he makes court to Millamant； and
swear he has abandoned the whole sex for her sake。
MIRA。 Have you not left off your impudent pretensions there yet？ I
shall cut your throat； sometime or other； Petulant； about that business。
PET。 Ay； ay； let that pass。 There are other throats to be cut。
MIRA。 Meaning mine； sir？
PET。 Not II mean nobodyI know nothing。 But there are uncles and
nephews in the worldand they may be rivals。 What then？ All's one for
that。
MIRA。 How？ Harkee； Petulant； come hither。 Explain； or I shall call
your interpreter。
PET。 Explain？ I know nothing。 Why； you have an uncle； have you not；
lately come to town； and lodges by my Lady Wishfort's？
MIRA。 True。
PET。 Why； that's enough。 You and he are not friends； and if he should
marry and have a child； yon may be disinherited； ha！
MIRA。 Where hast thou stumbled upon all this truth？
PET。 All's one for that； why； then； say I know something。
MIRA。 Come； thou art an honest fellow； Petulant； and shalt make love
to my mistress； thou shalt； faith。 What hast thou heard of my uncle？
PET。 I？ Nothing； I。 If throats are to be cut； let swords clash。 Snug's the
word； I shrug and am silent。
MIRA。 Oh； raillery； raillery！ Come； I know thou art in the women's
secrets。 What； you're a cabalist； I know you stayed at Millamant's last
night after I went。 Was there any mention made of my uncle or me？ Tell
me； if thou hadst but good nature equal to thy wit； Petulant； Tony Witwoud；
who is now thy competitor in fame； would show as dim by thee as a dead
whiting's eye by a pearl of orient； he would no more be seen by thee than
Mercury is by the sun： come； I'm sure thou wo't tell me。
PET。 If I do； will you grant me common sense； then； for the future？
MIRA。 Faith； I'll do what I can for thee； and I'll pray that heav'n may
grant it thee in the meantime。
PET。 Well； harkee。
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The Way of the World
FAIN。 Petulant and you both will find Mirabell as warm a rival as a
lover。
WIT。 Pshaw； pshaw； that she laughs at Petulant is plain。 And for my
part； but that it is almost a fashion to admire her； I should harkeeto tell
you a secret； but let it go no further between friends； I shall never break
my heart for her。
FAIN。 How？
WIT。 She's handsome； but she's a sort of an uncertain woman。
FAIN。 I thought you had died for her。
WIT。 Umhno …
FAIN。 She has wit。 WIT。 'Tis what she will hardly allow anybody else。
Now； demme； I should hate that； if she were as handsome as Cleopatra。
Mirabell is not so sure of her as he thinks for。
FAIN。 Why do you think so？
WIT。 We stayed pretty late there last night； and heard something of an
uncle to Mirabell； who is lately come to town； and is between him and the
best part of his estate。 Mirabell and he are at some distance； as my Lady
Wishfort has been told； and you know she hates Mirabell worse than a
quaker hates a parrot； or than a fishmonger hates a hard frost。 Whether this
uncle has seen Mrs。 Millamant or not； I cannot say； but there were items of
such a treaty being in embryo； and if it should come to life； poor Mirabell
would be in some sort unfortunately fobbed； i'faith。
FAIN。 'Tis impossible Millamant should hearken to it。
WIT。 Faith； my dear； I can't tell； she's a woman and a kind of a
humorist。
MIRA。 And this is the sum of what you could collect last night？
PET。 The quintessence。 Maybe Witwoud knows more； he stayed
longer。 Besides； they never mind him； they say anything before him。
MIRA。 I thought you had been the greatest favourite。
PET。 Ay； tete…e…tete； but not in public； because I make remarks。
MIRA。 You do？
PET。 Ay； ay； pox； I'm malicious； man。 Now he's soft； you know； they
are not in awe of him。 The fellow's well bred； he's what you call awhat
d'ye…call…'ema fine gentleman； but he's silly withal。
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MIRA。 I thank you； I know as much as my curiosity requires。 Fainall；
are you for the Mall？
FAIN。 Ay； I'll take a turn before dinner。
WIT。 Ay； we'll all walk in the park； the ladies talked of being there。
MIRA。 I thought you were obliged to watch for your brother Sir
Wilfull's arrival。
WIT。 No； no； he comes to his aunt's； my Lady Wishfort； pox on him； I
shall be troubled with him too； what shall I do with the fool？
PET。 Beg him for his estate； that I may beg you afterwards； and so
have but one trouble with you both。
WIT。 O rare Petulant； thou art as quick as fire in a frosty morning； thou
shalt to the Mall with us； and we'll be very severe。
PET。 Enough； I'm in a humour to be severe。
MIRA。 Are you？ Pray then walk by yourselves。 Let not us be
accessory to your putting the ladies out of countenance with your
senseless ribaldry； which you roar out aloud as often as they pass by you；
and when you have made a handsome woman blush； then you think you
have been severe。
PET。 What； what？ Then let 'em either show their innocence by not
understanding what they hear； or else show their discretion by not hearing
what they would not be thought to understand。
MIRA。 But hast not thou then sense enough to know that thou ought'st
to be most ashamed thyself when thou hast put another out of
countenance？
PET。 Not I； by this hand： I always take blushing either for a sign of
guilt or ill…breeding。
MIRA。 I confess you ought to think so。 You are in the right； that you
may plead the error of your judgment in defence of your practice。
Where modesty's ill manners； 'tis but fit That impudence and malice
pass for wit。
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The Way of the World
ACT II。
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The Way of the World
SCENE I。
St。 James's Park。
MRS。 FAINALL and MRS。 MARWOOD。
MRS。 FAIN。 Ay； ay； dear Marwood； if we will be happy； we must find
the means in ourselves； and among ourselves。 Men are ever in extremes；
either doting or averse。 While they are lovers； if they have fire and sense；
their jealousies are insupportable： and when they cease to love （we ought
to think at least） they loathe； they look upon us with horror and distaste；
they meet us like the ghosts of what we were； and as from such； fly from
us。
MRS。 MAR。 True； 'tis an unhappy circumstance of life that love
should ever die before us； and that the man so often should outlive the
lover。 But say what you will； 'tis better to be left than never to have been
loved。 To pass our youth in dull indifference； to refuse the sweets of life
because they once must leave us； is as preposterous as to wish to have
been born old； because we one day must be old。 For my part； my youth
may wear and waste； but it shall never rust in my possession。
MRS。 FAIN。 Then it seems you dissemble an aversion to mankind
only in compliance to my mother's humour。
MRS。 MAR。 Certainly。 To be free； I have no taste of those insipid dry
discourses with which our sex of force must entertain themselves apart
from men。 We may affect endearments to each other； profess eternal
friendships； and seem to dote like lovers； but 'tis not in our natures long to
persevere。 Love will resume his empire in our breasts； and every heart； or
soon or late； receive and readmit him as its lawful tyrant。
MRS。 FAIN。 Bless me； how have I been deceived！ Why； you profess a
libertine。
MRS。 MAR。 You see my friendship by my freedom。 Come； be as
sincere； acknowledge that your sentiments agree with mine。
MRS。 FAIN。 Never。
MRS。 MAR。 You hate mankind？
MRS。 FAIN。 Heartily； inveterately。
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The Way of the World
MRS。 MAR。 Your husband？
MRS。 FAIN。 Most transcen
