the hunchback-第11节
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Is he gone？
O docile lover！ Do his mistress' wish
That went against his own！ Do it so soon
Ere well 'twas uttered！ No good…bye to her！
No word！ no look！ 'Twas best that he so went！
Alas； the strait of her； who owns that best；
Which last she'd wish were done？ What's left me now？
To weep！ To weep！
＇Leans her head upon her arm； which rests upon the desk；her other
arm hanging listlessly at her side。 CLIFFORD comes down the stage；
looks a moment at her； approaches her； and kneeling； takes her
hand。＇
Clif。 My Julia！
Julia。 Here again！
Up！ up！ By all thy hopes of Heaven； go hence！
To stay's perdition to me！ Look you； Clifford！
Were there a grave where thou art kneeling now；
I'd walk into 't； and be inearthed alive；
Ere taint should touch my name！ Should some one come
And see thee kneeling thus！ Let go my hand！
Remember； Clifford； I'm a promised bride …
And take thy arm away！ It has no right
To clasp my waist！ Judge you so poorly of me；
As think I'll suffer this？ My honour； sir！
＇She breaks from him； quitting her seat。＇
I'm glad you've forced me to respect myself …
You'll find that I can do so！
Clif。 I was bold …
Forgetful of your station and my own；
There was a time I held your hand unchid！
There was a time I might have clasped your waist …
I had forgot that time was past and gone！
I pray you； pardon me！
Julia。 ＇Softened。＇ I do so； Clifford。
Clif。 I shall no more offend。
Julia。 Make sure of that。
No longer is it fit thou keep'st thy post
In's lordship's household。 Give it up！ A day …
An hour remain not in it！
Clif。 Wherefore？
Julia。 Live
In the same house with me； and I another's？
Put miles； put leagues between us！ The same land
Should not contain us。 Oceans should divide us …
With barriers of constant tempestssuch
As mariners durst not tempt！ O Clifford！
Rash was the act so light that gave me up；
That stung a woman's pride； and drove her mad …
Till in her frenzy she destroyed her peace！
Oh； it was rashly done！ Had you reproved …
Expostulated；had you reasoned with me …
Tried to find out what was indeed my heart； …
I would have shown ityou'd have seen it。 All
Had been as naught can ever be again！
Clif。 Lovest thou me； Julia？
Julia。 Dost thou ask me； Clifford？
Clif。 These nuptials may be shunned！ …
Julia。 With honour？
Clif。 Yes！
Julia。 Then take me！Stophear me； and take me then！
Let not thy passion be my counsellor！
Deal with me； Clifford； as my brother。 Be
The jealous guardian of my spotless name！
Scan thou my cause as 'twere thy sister's。 Let
Thy scrutiny o'erlook no point of it； …
Nor turn it over once； but many a time：…
That flaw； speckyea；the shade of one；a soil
So slight； not one out of a thousand eyes
Could find it out； may not escape thee； then
Say if these nuptials can be shunned with honour！
Clif。 They can。
Julia。 Then take me； Clifford！ ＇They embrace。＇
Wal。 ＇Entering。＇ Ha！ What's this？
Ha！ treason！ What！ my baronet that was；
My secretary now？ Your servant； sir！
Is't thus you do the pleasure of your lord； …
That for your service feeds you； clothes you； pays you！
Or takest thou but the name of his dependent？
What's here？a letter。 Fifty crowns to one
A forgery！ I'm wrong。 It is his hand。
This proves thee double traitor！
Clif。 Traitor！
Julia。 Nay；
Control thy wrath； good Master Walter！ Do …
And I'll persuade him to go hence …
＇MASTER WALTER retires up the stage。＇ I see
For me thou bearest this； and thank thee； Clifford！
As thou hast truly shown thy heart to me；
So truly I to thee have opened mine！
Time flies！ To…morrow！ If thy love can find
A way； such as thou saidst； for my enlargement
By any means thou canst； apprise me of it；
And； soon as shown； I'll take it。
Wal。 Is he gone？
Julia。 He is this moment。 If thou covetest me；
Win me； and wear me！ May I trust thee？ Oh！
If that's thy soul； that's looking through thine eyes；
Thou lovest me； and I may！I sicken； lest
I never see thee more
Clif。 As life is mine；
The ring that on thy wedding…finger goes
No hand but mine shall place there！
Wal。 Lingers he？
Julia。 For my sake； now away！ And yet a word。
By all thy hopes most dear； be true to me！
Go now！yet stay！ Clifford； while you are here；
I'm like a bark distressed and compassless；
That by a beacon steers； when you're away；
That bark alone and tossing miles at sea！
Now go！ Farewell！ My compassbeaconland！
When shall my eyes be blessed with thee again！
Clif。 Farewell！ ＇Goes out。＇
Julia。 Art gone？ All's chanceall's careall's darkness。
＇Is led off by MASTER WALTER。＇
ACT V。
SCENE I。An Apartment in the Earl of Rochdale's。
＇Enter HELEN and FATHOM。＇
Fath。 The long and short of it is thisif she marries this lord；
she'll break her heart！ I wish you could see her； madam。 Poor
lady！
Helen。 How looks she； prithee？
Fath。 Marry； for all the world like a dripping…wet cambric
handkerchief！ She has no colour nor strength in her； and does
nothing but weeppoor lady！
Helen。 Tell me again what said she to thee？
Fath。 She offered me all she was mistress of to take the letter to
Master Clifford。 She drew her purse from her pocketthe ring from
her fingershe took her very earrings out of her earsbut I was
forbidden； and refused。 And now I'm sorry for it！ Poor lady！
Helen。 Thou shouldst be sorry。 Thou hast a hard heart； Fathom。
Fath。 I； madam！ My heart is as soft as a woman's。 You should have
seen me when I came out of her chamberpoor lady！
Helen。 Did you cry？
Fath。 No； but I was as near it as possible。 I a hard heart！ I
would do anything to serve her； poor sweet lady！
Helen。 Will you take her letter； asks she you again？
Fath。 NoI am forbid。
Helen。 Will you help Master Clifford to an interview with her？
Fath。 NoMaster Walter would find it out。
Helen。 Will you contrive to get me into her chamber？
Fath。 Noyou would be sure to bring me into mischief。
Helen。 Go to！ You would do nothing to serve her。 You a soft
heart！ You have no heart at all！ You feel not for her！
Fath。 But I tell you I doand good right I have to feel for her。
I have been in love myself。
Helen。 With your dinner！
Fath。 I would it had been！ My pain would soon have been over； and
at little cost。 A fortune I squandered upon her！trinkets
trimmingstreatingswhat swallowed up the revenue of a whole year！
Wasn't I in love？ Six months I courted her； and a dozen crowns all
but one did I disburse for her in that time！ Wasn't I in love？ An
hostlera tapsterand a constable； courted her at the same time；
and I offered to cudgel the whole three of them for her！ Wasn't I
in love？
Helen。 You are a valiant man； Fathom。
Fath。 Am not I？ Walks not the earth the man I am afraid of。
Helen。 Fear you not Master Walter？
Fath。 No。
Helen。 You do！
Fath。 I don't！
Helen。 I'll prove it to you。 You see him breaking your young
mistress's heart； and have not the manhood to stand by her。
Fath。 What could I do for her？
Helen。 Let her out of prison。 It were the act of a man。
Fath。 That man am I！
Helen。 Well said； brave Fathom！
Fath。 But my place！
Helen。 I'll provide thee with a better one。
Fath。 'Tis a capital place！ So little to do； and so much to get
for't。 Six pounds in the year； two suits of livery； shoes and
stockings； and a famous larder。 He'd be a bold man that would put
such a place in jeopardy。 My place； madam； my place！
Helen。 I tell thee I'll provide thee with a better place。 Thou
shalt have less to do； and more to get。 Now； Fathom； hast thou
courage to stand by thy mistress？
Fath。 I have！
Helen。 That's right。
Fath。 I'll let my lady out。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER unperceived。＇
Helen。 That's right。 When； Fathom？
Fath。 To…night。
Helen。 She is to be married to…night。
Fath。 This evening； then。 Master Walter is now in the library； the
key is on the outside； and I'll lock him in。
Helen。 Excellent！ You'll do it？
Fath。 Rely upon it。 How he'll stare when he finds himself a
prisoner； and my young lady at liberty！
Helen。 Most excellent！ You'll be sure to do it？
Fath。 Depend upon me！ When Fathom undertakes a thing； he defies
fire and water …
Wal。 ＇Coming forward。＇ Fathom！
Fath。 Sir！
Wal。 Assemble straight the servants。
Fath。 Yes； sir！
Wal。 Mind；
And have them in the hall when I come down。
Fath。 Yes； sir！
Wal。 And see you do not stir a step；
But where I order you。
Fath。 Not an inch； sir！
Wal。 See that you don'taway！ So； my fair mistress；
＇FATHOM goes out。＇
What's this you have been plotting？ An escape
For mistress Julia？
Helen。 I avow it。
Wal。 Do you？
Helen。 Yes； and moreover to your face I tell you；
Most hardly do you use her！
Wal。 Verily！
Helen。 I wonder where's her spirit！ Had she mine
She would not take 't so easily。 Do you mean
To force this marriage on her？
Wal。 With your leave。
Helen。 You laugh。
Wal。 Without it； then。 I don't laugh now。
Helen。 If I were she； I'd find a way to escape。
Wal。 What would you do？
Helen。 I'd leap out of the window！
Wal。 Y
