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the hunchback-第6节

小说: the hunchback 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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