the hunchback-第9节
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And carry her！ My sampler 'gainst thy Ovid！
Why cousin； are you frightened； that you stand
As you were stricken dumb？ The case is clear；
You are no soldier。 You'll ne'er win a battle。
You care too much for blows！
Mod。 You wrong me there；
At school I was the champion of my form；
And since I went to college …
Helen。 That for college！
Mod。 Nay； hear me！
Helen。 Well？ What； since you went to college？
You know what men are set down for； who boast
Of their own bravery！ Go on； brave cousin：
What； since you went to college？ Was there not
One Quentin Halworth there？ You know there was；
And that he was your master！
Mod。 He my master！
Thrice was he worsted by me。
Helen。 Still was he
Your master。
Mod。 He allowed I had the best！
Allowed it； mark me！ nor to me alone；
But twenty I could name。
Helen。 And mastered you
At last！ Confess it； cousin； 'tis the truth！
A proctor's daughter you did both affect …
Look at me and deny it！ Of the twain
She more affected you；I've caught you now；
Bold cousin！ Mark you？ opportunity
On opportunity she gave you； sir …
Deny it if you can！but though to others；
When you discoursed of her； you were a flame；
To her you were a wick that would not light；
Though held in the very fire！ And so he won her …
Won her； because he wooed her like a man。
For all your cuffings； cuffing you again
With most usurious interest。 Now； sir；
Protest that you are valiant！
Mod。 Cousin Helen！
Helen。 Well； sir？
Mod。 The tale is all a forgery！
Helen。 A forgery！
Mod。 From first to last； ne'er spoke I
To a proctor's daughter while I was at college。
Helen。 'Twas a scrivener's thenor somebody's。
But what concerns it whose？
Enough； you loved her！
And； shame upon you； let another take her！
Mod。 Cousin； I'll tell you； if you'll only hear me；
I loved no woman while I was at college …
Save one； and her I fancied ere I went there。
Helen。 Indeed！ Now I'll retreat； if he's advancing。
Comes he not on！ O what a stock's the man！
Well； cousin？
Mod。 Well！ What more wouldst have me say？
I think I've said enough。
Helen。 And so think I。
I did but jest with you。 You are not angry？
Shake hands！ Why； cousin； do you squeeze me so？
Mod。 ＇Letting her go。＇ I swear I squeezed you not。
Helen。 You did not？
Mod。 No。 I'll die if I did！
Helen。 Why then you did not； cousin；
So let's shake hands again …
＇He takes her hand as before。＇ O go and now
Read Ovid！ Cousin； will you tell me one thing：
Wore lovers ruffs in Master Ovid's time？
Behoved him teach them； then； to put them on； …
And that you have to learn。 Hold up your head！
Why； cousin； how you blush！ Plague on the ruff！
I cannot give't a set。 You're blushing still！
Why do you blush； dear cousin？ So！'twill beat me！
I'll give it up。
Mod。 Nay； prithee； don'ttry on！
Helen。 And if I do； I fear you'll think me bold。
Mod。 For what？
Helen。 To trust my face so near to thine。
Mod。 I know not what you mean。
Helen。 I'm glad you don't！
Cousin； I own right well behaved you are；
Most marvellously well behaved！ They've bred
You well at college。 With another man
My lips would be in danger！ Hang the ruff！
Mod。 Nay； give it up； nor plague thyself； dear cousin。
Helen。 Dear fool！ ＇Throws the ruff on the ground。＇
I swear the ruff is good for just
As little as its master！ There！'Tis spoiled …
You'll have to get another！ Hie for it；
And wear it in the fashion of a wisp；
Ere I adjust it for thee！ Farewell； cousin！
You'd need to study Ovid's Art of Love。
＇HELEN goes out。＇
Mod。 ＇Solus。＇ Went she in anger！ I will follow her； …
No； I will not！ Heigho！ I love my cousin！
O would that she loved me！ Why did she taunt me
With backwardness in love？ What could she mean？
Sees she I love her； and so laughs at me；
Because I lack the front to woo her？ Nay；
I'll woo her then！ Her lips shall be in danger；
When next she trusts them near me！ Looked she at me
To…day as never did she look before！
A bold heart； Master Modus！ 'Tis a saying
A faint one never won fair lady yet！
I'll woo my cousin； come what will on't。 Yes：
＇Begins reading again； throws down the book。＇
Hang Ovid's Art of Love！ I'll woo my cousin！
＇Goes out。＇
SCENE II。The Banqueting…room in the Earl of Rochdale's Mansion。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER and JULIA。＇
Wal。 This is the banqueting…room。 Thou seest as far
It leaves the last behind； as that excels
The former ones。 All is proportion here
And harmony！ Observe！ The massy pillars
May well look proud to bear the gilded dome。
You mark those full…length portraits？ They're the heads；
The stately heads； of his ancestral line。
Here o'er the feast they haply still preside！
Mark those medallions！ Stand they forth or not
In bold and fair relief？ Is not this brave？
Julia。 ＇Abstractedly。＇ It is。
Wal。 It should be so。 To cheer the blood
That flows in noble veins is made the feast
That gladdens here！ You see this drapery？
'Tis richest velvet！ Fringe and tassels； gold！
Is not this costly？
Julia。 Yes。
Wal。 And chaste； the while？
Both chaste and costly？
Julia。 Yes。
Wal。 Come hither！ There's a mirror for you。 See！
One sheet from floor to ceiling！ Look into it；
Salute its mistress！ Dost not know her？
Julia。 ＇Sighing deeply。＇ Yes。
Wal。 And sighest thou to know her？ Wait until
To…morrow； when the banquet shall be spread
In the fair hall； the guestsalready bid；
Around it； here； her lord； and there； herself；
Presiding o'er the cheer that hails him bridegroom；
And her the happy bride！ Dost hear me？
Julia。 ＇Sighing still more deeply。＇ Yes。
Wal。 These are the day…rooms only； we have seen。
For public and domestic uses kept。
I'll show you now the lodging…rooms。
＇Goes； then turns and observes JULIA standing perfectly abstracted。＇
You're tired。
Let it be till after dinner； then。 Yet one
I'd like thee much to seethe bridal chamber。
＇JULIA starts； crosses her hands upon her breast； and looks
upwards。＇
I see you're tired： yet it is worth the viewing；
If only for the tapestry which shows
The needle like the pencil glows with life；
＇Brings down chairsthey sit。＇
The story's of a page who loved the dame
He serveda princess！Love's a heedless thing！
That never takes account of obstacles；
Makes plains of mountains； rivulets of seas；
That part it from its wish。 So proved the page；
Who from a state so lowly； looked so high； …
But love's a greater lackwit still than this。
Say it aspiresthat's gain！ Love stoopsthat's loss！
You know what comes。 The princess loved the page。
Shall I go on； or here leave off？
Julia。 Go on。
Wal。 Each side of the chamber shows a different stage
Of this fond page； and fonder lady's love。 ｛2｝
Firstno； it is not that。
Julia。 Oh； recollect！
Wal。 And yet it is。
Julia。 No doubt it is。 What is 't？
Wal。 He holds to her a salver； with a cup；
His cheeks more mantling with his passion than
The cup with the ruby wine。 She heeds him not；
For too great heed of him：… but seems to hold
Debate betwixt her passion and her pride …
That's like to lose the day。 You read it in
Her vacant eye； knit brow； and parted lips；
Which speak a heart too busy all within
To note what's done without。 Like you the tale？
Julia。 I list to every word。
Wal。 The next side paints
The page upon his knee。 He has told his tale；
And found that when he lost his heart； he played
No losing game： but won a richer one！
There may you read in him； how love would seem
Most humble when most bold；you question which
Appears to kiss her handhis breath； or lips！
In her you read how wholly lost is she
Who trusts her heart to love。 Shall I give o'er？
Julia。 Nay； tell it to the end。 Is't melancholy？
Wal。 To answer that； would mar the story。
Julia。 Right。
Wal。 The third side now we come to。
Julia。 What shows that？
Wal。 The page and princess still。 But stands her sire
Between them。 Stern he grasps his daughter's arm；
Whose eyes like fountains play； while through her tears
Her passion shines； as through the fountain drops
The sun！ His minions crowd around the page！
They drag him to a dungeon。
Julia。 Hapless youth！
Wal。 Hapless indeed； that's twice a captive！ heart
And body both in bonds。 But that's the chain；
Which balance cannot weigh； rule measure； touch
Define the texture of； or eye detect；
That's forged by the subtle craft of love！
No need to tell you that he wears it。 Such
The cunning of the hand that plied the loom；
You've but to mark the straining of his eye；
To feel the coil yourself！
Julia。 I feel't without！
You've finished with the third side； now the fourth！
Wal。 It brings us to a dungeon； then。
Julia。 The page；
The thrall of love； more than the dungeon's thrall；
Is there？
Wal。 He is。 He lies in fetters。
Julia。 Hard！
Hard as the steel； the hands that put them on。
Wal。 Some one unrivets them！
Julia。 The princess？ 'Tis！
Wal。 It is another page。
Julia。 It is herself！
Wal。 Her skin is fair； and his is berry…brown。
His locks are raven black； and hers are gold。
Julia。 Love's cunning of disguises！ spite of locks；
S
