the hunchback-第6节
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I perilled all my own; and now; all's lost!
'CLIFFORD and MODUS go out。'
Julia。 Helen!
Helen。 What ails you; sweet?
Julia。 I cannot breathequick; loose my girdle; oh!
'Faints。'
'MASTER WALTER and MASTER HEARTWELL come forward。'
Wal。 Good Master Heartwell; help to take her in;
Whilst I make after him! and look to her!
Unlucky chance that took me out of town!
'They go out severally。'
SCENE III。The Street。
'Enter CLIFFORD and STEPHEN; meeting。'
Ste。 Letters; Sir Thomas。
Clif。 Take them home again;
I shall not read them now。
Ste。 Your pardon; sir;
But here is one directed strangely。
Clif。 How?
Ste。 〃To Master Clifford; gentleman; now styled
Sir Thomas Clifford; baronet。〃
Clif。 Indeed!
Whence comes that letter?
Ste。 From abroad。
Clif。 Which is it?
Ste。 So please you; this; Sir Thomas。
Clif。 Give it me。
Ste。 That letter brings not news to wish him joy upon。 If he was
disturbed before; which I guessed by his looks he was; he is not
more at ease now。 His hand to his head! A most unwelcome letter!
If it brings him news of disaster; fortune does not give him his
deserts; for never waited servant upon a kinder master。
Clif。 Stephen!
Ste。 Sir Thomas!
Clif。 From my door remove
The plate that bears my name。
Ste。 The plate; Sir Thomas!
Clif。 The platecollect my servants and instruct them
To make out each their claims; unto the end
Of their respective terms; and give them in
To my steward。 Him and them apprise; good fellow;
That I keep house no more。 As you go home;
Call at my coachmaker's and bid him stop
The carriage I bespoke。 The one I have
Send with my horses to the mart whereat
Such things are sold by auction。 They're for sale;
Pack up my wardrobe; have my trunks conveyed
To the inn in the next street; and when that's done;
Go round my tradesmen and collect their bills;
And bring them to me at the inn。
Ste。 The inn!
Clif。 Yes; I go home no more。 Why; what's the matter?
What has fallen out to make your eyes fill up?
You'll get another place。 I'll certify
You're honest and industrious; and all
That a servant ought to be。
Ste。 I see; Sir Thomas;
Some great misfortune has befallen you?
Clif。 No!
I have health; I have strength; my reason; Stephen; and
A heart that's clear in truth; with trust in God。
No great disaster can befall the man
Who's still possessed of these! Good fellow; leave me。
What you would learn; and have a right to know;
I would not tell you now。 Good Stephen; hence!
Mischance has fallen on mebut what of that?
Mischance has fallen on many a better man。
I prithee leave me。 I grow sadder while
I see the eye with which you view my grief。
'Sdeath; they will out! I would have been a man;
Had you been less a kind and gentle one。
Now; as you love me; leave me。
Ste。 Never master
So well deserved the love of him that served him。
'STEPHEN goes out。'
Clif。 Misfortune liketh company; it seldom
Visits its friends alone。 Ha! Master Walter;
And ruffled too。 I'm in no mood for him。
'Enter MASTER WALTER。'
Wal。 So; SirSir Thomas Clifford! what with speed
And cholerI do gasp for want of breath。
Clif。 Well; Master Walter?
Wal。 You're a rash young man; sir;
Strong…headed and wrong…headed; and I fear; sir;
Not over delicate in that fine sense
Which men of honour pride themselves upon!
Clif。 Well; Master Walter?
Wal。 A young woman's heart; sir;
Is not a stone to carve a posy on!
Which knows not what is writ on't; which you may buy;
Exchange; or sell; sir; keep or give away; sir:
It is a richeryet a poorer thing;
Priceless to him that owns and prizes it;
Worthless; when owned; not prized; which makes the man
That covets it; obtains it; and discards it …
A fool; if not a villain; sir。
Clif。 Well; sir?
Wal。 You never loved my ward; sir!
Clif。 The bright Heavens
Bear witness that I did!
Wal。 The bright Heavens; sir;
Bear not false witness。 That you loved her not
Is clearfor had you loved her; you'd have plucked
Your heart from out your breast; ere cast her from your heart!
Old as I am; I know what passion is。
It is the summer's heat; sir; which in vain
We look for frost in。 Ice; like you; sir; knows
But little of such heat! We are wronged; sir; wronged!
You wear a sword; and so do I。
Clif。 Well; sir!
Wal。 You know the use; sir; of a sword?
Clif。 I do。
To whip a knave; sir; or an honest man!
A wise man or a foolatone for wrong;
Or double the amount on't! Master Walter;
Touching your ward; if wrong is done; I think
On my side lies the grievance。 I would not say so
Did I not think so。 As for lovelook; sir;
That hand's a widower's; to its first mate sworn
To clasp no second one。 As for amends; sir;
You're free to get them from a man in whom
You've been forestalled by fortune; for the spite
Which she has vented on him; if you still
Esteem him worth your anger。 Please you read
That letter。 Now; sir; judge if life is dear
To one so much a loser。
Wal。 What; all gone!
Thy cousin living they reported dead!
Clif。 Title and land; sir; unto which add love!
All gone; save life and honour; which; ere I'll lose;
I'll let the other go。
Wal。 We're public here;
And may be interrupted。 Let us seek
Some spot of privacy。 Your letter; sir。
'Gives it back。'
Though fortune slights you; I'll not slight you; not
Your title or the lack of it I heed。
Whether upon the score of love or hate;
With you and you alone I settle; sir。
We've gone too far。 'Twere folly now to part
Without a reckoning。
Clif。 Just as you please。
Wal。 You've done
A noble lady wrong。
Clif。 That lady; sir;
Has done me wrong。
Wal。 Go to; thou art a boy
Fit to be trusted with a plaything; not
A woman's heart。 Thou knowest not what it is!
And that I'll prove to thee; soon as we find
Convenient place。 Come on; sir! you shall get
A lesson that shall serve you for the rest
Of your life。 I'll make you own her; sir; a piece
Of Nature's handiwork; as costly; free
From bias; flaw; and fair; as ever yet
Her cunning hand turned out。 Come on; sir! come!
'They go out。'
ACT III。
SCENE I。A Drawing…room。
'ENTER LORD TINSEL and the EARL OF ROCHDALE。'
Tin。 Refuse a lord! A saucy lady this。
I scarce can credit it。
Roch。 She'll change her mind。
My agent; Master Walter; is her guardian。
Tin。 How can you keep that Hunchback in his office?
He mocks you。
Roch。 He is useful。 Never heed him。
My offer now do I present through him。
He has the title…deeds of my estates;
She'll listen to their wooing。 I must have her。
Not that I love her; but that all allow
She's fairest of the fair。
Tin。 Distinguished well!
'Twere most unseemly for a lord to love! …
Leave that to commoners! 'Tis vulgarshe's
Betrothed; you tell me; to Sir Thomas Clifford?
Roch。 Yes。
Tin。 That a commoner should thwart a lord!
Yet not a commoner。 A baronet
Is fish and flesh。 Nine parts plebeian; and
Patrician in the tenth。 Sir Thomas Clifford!
A man; they say; of brains! I abhor brains
As I do tools: they're things mechanical。
So far are we above our forefathers
They to their brains did owe their titles; as
Do lawyers; doctors。 We to nothing owe them;
Which makes us far the nobler。
Roch。 Is it so?
Tin。 Believe me。 You shall profit by my training;
You grow a lord apace。 I saw you meet
A bevy of your former friends; who fain
Had shaken hands with you。 You gave them fingers!
You're now another man。 Your house is changed …
Your table changedyour retinueyour horse …
Where once you rode a hack; you now back blood; …
Befits it; then; you also change your friends!
'Enter WILLIAMS。'
Will。 A gentleman would see your lordship。
Tin。 Sir!
What's that?
Will。 A gentleman would see his lordship。
Tin。 How know you; sir; his lordship is at home?
Is he at home because he goes not out?
He's not at home; though there you see him; sir;
Unless he certify that he's at home!
Bring up the name of the gentleman; and then
Your lord will know if he's at home or not。
'WILLIAMS goes out。'
Your man was porter to some merchant's door;
Who never taught him better breeding
Than to speak the vulgar truth! Well; sir?
'WILLIAMS having re…entered。'
Will。 His name;
So please your lordship; Markham。
Tin。 Do you know
The thing?
Roch。 Right well! I'faith a hearty fellow;
Son to a worthy tradesman; who would do
Great things with little means; so entered him
In the Temple。 A good fellow; on my life。
Nought smacking of his stock!
Tin。 You've said enough!
His lordship's not at home。
'WILLIAMS goes out。'
We do not go
By hearts; but orders! Had he family …
Bloodthough it only were a drophis heart
Would pass for something; lacking such desert;
Were it ten times the heart it is; 'tis nought!
'Enter WILLIAMS。'
Will。 One Master Jones hath asked to see you lordship。
Tin。 And what was your reply to Master Jones?
Will。 I knew not if his lordship was at home。
Tin。 You'll do。 Who's Master Jones?
Roch。 A curate's son。
Tin。 A curate's! Better be a yeoman's son!
Was it the rector's son; he might be known;
Beca