the way of the world(如此世道)-第9节
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instructed her as well as I could。 If she can take your directions as readily
as my instructions； sir； your affairs are in a prosperous way。
MIRA。 Give you joy； Mrs。 Foible。
FOIB。 Olas； sir； I'm so ashamed。I'm afraid my lady has been in a
thousand inquietudes for me。 But I protest； sir； I made as much haste as I
could。
WAIT。 That she did indeed； sir。 It was my fault that she did not make
more。
MIRA。 That I believe。
FOIB。 But I told my lady as you instructed me； sir； that I had a
prospect of seeing Sir Rowland； your uncle； and that I would put her
ladyship's picture in my pocket to show him； which I'll be sure to say has
made him so enamoured of her beauty； that he burns with impatience to lie
at her ladyship's feet and worship the original。
MIRA。 Excellent Foible！ Matrimony has made you eloquent in love。
WAIT。 I think she has profited； sir。 I think so。
FOIB。 You have seen Madam Millamant； sir？
MIRA。 Yes。
FOIB。 I told her； sir； because I did not know that you might find an
opportunity； she had so much company last night。
MIRA。 Your diligence will merit more。 In the meantime＇gives
money＇
FOIB。 O dear sir； your humble servant。
WAIT。 Spouse …
MIRA。 Stand off； sir； not a penny。 Go on and prosper； Foible。 The
lease shall be made good and the farm stocked； if we succeed。
FOIB。 I don't question your generosity； sir； and you need not doubt of
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The Way of the World
success。 If you have no more commands； sir； I'll be gone； I'm sure my lady
is at her toilet； and can't dress till I come。 Oh dear； I'm sure that ＇looking
out＇ was Mrs。 Marwood that went by in a mask； if she has seen me with
you I m sure she'll tell my lady。 I'll make haste home and prevent her。 Your
servant； Sir。B'w'y； Waitwell。
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The Way of the World
SCENE IX。
MIRABELL； WAITWELL。
WAIT。 Sir Rowland； if you please。 The jade's so pert upon her
preferment she forgets herself。
MIRA。 Come； sir； will you endeavour to forget yourselfand
transform into Sir Rowland？
WAIT。 Why； sir； it will be impossible I should remember myself。
Married； knighted； and attended all in one day！ 'Tis enough to make any
man forget himself。 The difficulty will be how to recover my acquaintance
and familiarity with my former self； and fall from my transformation to a
reformation into Waitwell。 Nay； I shan't be quite the same Waitwell
neitherfor now I remember me； I'm married； and can't be my own man
again。
Ay； there's my grief； that's the sad change of life： To lose my title； and
yet keep my wife。
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The Way of the World
ACT III。
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The Way of the World
SCENE I。
A room in Lady Wishfort's house。
LADY WISHFORT at her toilet； PEG waiting。
LADY。 Merciful！ No news of Foible yet？
PEG。 No； madam。
LADY。 I have no more patience。 If I have not fretted myself till I am
pale again； there's no veracity in me。 Fetch me the redthe red； do you
hear； sweetheart？ An errant ash colour； as I'm a person。 Look you how this
wench stirs！ Why dost thou not fetch me a little red？ Didst thou not hear
me； Mopus？
PEG。 The red ratafia； does your ladyship mean； or the cherry brandy？
LADY。 Ratafia； fool？ No； fool。 Not the ratafia； foolgrant me
patience！I mean the Spanish paper； idiot； complexion； darling。 Paint；
paint； paint； dost thou understand that； changeling； dangling thy hands like
bobbins before thee？ Why dost thou not stir； puppet？ Thou wooden thing
upon wires！
PEG。 Lord； madam； your ladyship is so impatient。I cannot come at
the paint； madam： Mrs。 Foible has locked it up； and carried the key with
her。
LADY。 A pox take you both。Fetch me the cherry brandy then。
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The Way of the World
SCENE II。
LADY WISHFORT。
I'm as pale and as faint； I look like Mrs。 Qualmsick； the curate's wife；
that's always breeding。 Wench； come； come； wench； what art thou doing？
Sipping？ Tasting？ Save thee； dost thou not know the bottle？
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SCENE III。
LADY WISHFORT； PEG with a bottle and china cup。
PEG。 Madam； I was looking for a cup。
LADY。 A cup； save thee； and what a cup hast thou brought！ Dost thou
take me for a fairy； to drink out of an acorn？ Why didst thou not bring thy
thimble？ Hast thou ne'er a brass thimble clinking in thy pocket with a bit
of nutmeg？ I warrant thee。 Come； fill； fill。 So； again。 See who that is。 ＇One
knocks。＇ Set down the bottle first。 Here； here； under the table：… what；
wouldst thou go with the bottle in thy hand like a tapster？ As I'm a person；
this wench has lived in an inn upon the road； before she came to me； like
Maritornes the Asturian in Don Quixote。 No Foible yet？
PEG。 No； madam； Mrs。 Marwood。
LADY。 Oh； Marwood： let her come in。 Come in； good Marwood。
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The Way of the World
SCENE IV。
＇To them＇ MRS MARWOOD。
MRS。 MAR。 I'm surprised to find your ladyship in DESHABILLE at
this time of day。
LADY。 Foible's a lost thing； has been abroad since morning； and never
heard of since。
MRS。 MAR。 I saw her but now； as I came masked through the park； in
conference with Mirabell。
LADY。 With Mirabell？ You call my blood into my face with
mentioning that traitor。 She durst not have the confidence。 I sent her to
negotiate an affair； in which if I'm detected I'm undone。 If that wheedling
villain has wrought upon Foible to detect me； I'm ruined。 O my dear friend；
I'm a wretch of wretches if I'm detected。
MRS。 MAR。 O madam； you cannot suspect Mrs。 Foible's integrity。
LADY。 Oh； he carries poison in his tongue that would corrupt integrity
itself。 If she has given him an opportunity； she has as good as put her
integrity into his hands。 Ah； dear Marwood； what's integrity to an
opportunity？ Hark！ I hear her。 Dear friend； retire into my closet； that I may
examine her with more freedom you'll pardon me； dear friend； I can
make bold with youthere are books over the chimneyQuarles and Pryn；
and the SHORT VIEW OF THE STAGE； with Bunyan's works to entertain
you。Go； you thing； and send her in。 ＇To PEG。＇
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SCENE V。
LADY WISHFORT； FOIBLE。
LADY。 O Foible； where hast thou been？ What hast thou been doing？
FOIB。 Madam； I have seen the party。
LADY。 But what hast thou done？
FOIB。 Nay； 'tis your ladyship has done； and are to do； I have only
promised。 But a man so enamouredso transported！ Well； if worshipping
of pictures be a sinpoor Sir Rowland； I say。
LADY。 The miniature has been counted like。 But hast thou not
betrayed me； Foible？ Hast thou not detected me to that faithless Mirabell？
What hast thou to do with him in the park？ Answer me； has he got nothing
out of thee？
FOIB。 So； the devil has been beforehand with me； what shall I say？… …
Alas； madam； could I help it； if I met that confident thing？ Was I in fault？
If you had heard how he used me； and all upon your ladyship's account；
I'm sure you would not suspect my fidelity。 Nay； if that had been the worst
I could have borne： but he had a fling at your ladyship too； and then I
could not hold； but； i'faith I gave him his own。
LADY。 Me？ What did the filthy fellow say？
FOIB。 O madam； 'tis a shame to say what he said； with his taunts and
his fleers； tossing up his nose。 Humh； says he； w
