the complete plays-第75节
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And on the day
He said that say；
In agony he died！
CHORUS。 And thus； with sinning cloyed；
Has died each Murgatroyd；
And so shall fall；
Both one and all；
Each coming Murgatroyd！
（Exeunt Chorus of Bridesmaids。）
（Enter Rose Maybud from cottage； with small basket on her arm。）
HAN。 Whither away； dear Rose？ On some errand of charity；
as is thy wont？
ROSE。 A few gifts； dear aunt； for deserving villagers。 Lo；
here is some peppermint rock for old gaffer Gadderby； a set of
false teeth for pretty little Ruth Rowbottom； and a pound of
snuff for the poor orphan girl on the hill。
HAN。 Ah； Rose； pity that so much goodness should not help
to make some gallant youth happy for life！ Rose； why dost thou
harden that little heart of thine？ Is there none hereaway whom
thou couldst love？
ROSE。 And if there were such an one； verily it would ill
become me to tell him so。
HAN。 Nay； dear one； where true love is； there is little
need of prim formality。
ROSE。 Hush； dear aunt； for thy words pain me sorely。 Hung
in a plated dish…cover to the knocker of the workhouse door； with
naught that I could call mine own； save a change of baby…linen
and a book of etiquette； little wonder if I have always regarded
that work as a voice from a parent's tomb。 This hallowed volume
（producing a book of etiquette）； composed； if I may believe the
title…page； by no less an authority than the wife of a Lord
Mayor； has been； through life； my guide and monitor。 By its
solemn precepts I have learnt to test the moral worth of all who
approach me。 The man who bites his bread； or eats peas with a
knife； I look upon as a lost creature； and he who has not
acquired the proper way of entering and leaving a room is the
object of my pitying horror。 There are those in this village who
bite their nails； dear aunt； and nearly all are wont to use their
pocket combs in public places。 In truth I could pursue this
painful theme much further； but behold； I have said enough。
HAN。 But is there not one among them who is faultless； in
thine eyes？ For exampleyoung Robin。 He combines the manners
of a Marquis with the morals of a Methodist。 Couldst thou not
love him？
ROSE。 And even if I could； how should I confess it unto
him？ For lo； he is shy； and sayeth naught！
BALLADROSE。
If somebody there chanced to be
Who loved me in a manner true；
My heart would point him out to me；
And I would point him out to you。
（Referring But here it says of those who point
to book。） Their manners must be out of joint
You may not point
You must not point
It's manners out of joint； to point！
Ah！ Had I the love of such as he；
Some quiet spot he'd take me to；
Then he could whisper it to me；
And I could whisper it to you。
（Referring But whispering； I've somewhere met；
to book。） Is contrary to etiquette：
Where can it be （Searching book。）
Now let me see（Finding reference。）
Yes； yes！
It's contrary to etiquette！
（Showing it to Dame Hannah。）
If any well…bred youth I knew；
Polite and gentle； neat and trim；
Then I would hint as much to you；
And you could hint as much to him。
（Referring But here it says； in plainest print；
to book。） 〃It's most unladylike to hint〃
You may not hint；
You must not hint
It says you mustn't hint； in print！
Ah！ And if I loved him through and through
（True love and not a passing whim）；
Then I could speak of it to you；
And you could speak of it to him。
（Referring But here I find it doesn't do
to book。） To speak until you're spoken to。
Where can it be？ （Searching book。）
Now let me see（Finding reference。）
Yes； yes！
〃Don't speak until you're spoken to！〃
（Exit Dame Hannah。）
ROSE。 Poor aunt！ Little did the good soul think； when she
breathed the hallowed name of Robin； that he would do even as
well as another。 But he resembleth all the youths in this
village； in that he is unduly bashful in my presence； and lo； it
is hard to bring him to the point。 But soft； he is here！
（Rose is about to go when Robin enters and calls her。）
ROBIN。 Mistress Rose！
ROSE。 （Surprised。） Master Robin！
ROB。 I wished to say thatit is fine。
ROSE。 It is passing fine。
ROB。 But we do want rain。
ROSE。 Aye； sorely！ Is that all？
ROB。 （Sighing。） That is all。
ROSE。 Good day； Master Robin！
ROB。 Good day； Mistress Rose！ （Both goingboth stop。）
ROSE。 I crave pardon； I
ROB。 I beg pardon； I
ROSE。 You were about to say？
ROB。 I would fain consult you
ROSE。 Truly？
ROB。 It is about a friend。
ROSE。 In truth I have a friend myself。
ROB。 Indeed？ I mean； of course
ROSE。 And I would fain consult you
ROB。 （Anxiously。） About him？
ROSE。 （Prudishly。） About her。
ROB。 （Relieved。） Let us consult one another。
DUET…ROBIN and ROSE
ROB。 I know a youth who loves a little maid
（Hey； but his face is a sight for to see！）
Silent is he； for he's modest and afraid
（Hey； but he's timid as a youth can be！）
ROSE。 I know a maid who loves a gallant youth；
（Hey； but she sickens as the days go by！）
She cannot tell him all the sad； sad truth
（Hey； but I think that little maid will die！）
ROB。 Poor little man！
ROSE。 Poor little maid！
ROB。 Poor little man！
ROSE。 Poor little maid！
BOTH。 Now tell me pray； and tell me true；
What in the world should the （young manmaiden） do？
ROB。 He cannot eat and he cannot sleep
（Hey； but his face is a sight for to see！）
Daily he goes for to wailfor to weep
（Hey； but he's wretched as a youth can be！）
ROSE。 She's very thin and she's very pale
（Hey； but she sickens as the days go by！）
Daily she goes for to weepfor to wail
（Hey； but I think that little maid will die！）
ROB。 Poor little maid！
ROSE。 Poor little man！
ROB。 Poor little maid！
ROSE。 Poor little man！
BOTH。 Now tell me pray； and tell me true；
What in the world should the （young manmaiden） do？
ROSE。 If I were the youth I should offer her my name
（Hey； but her face is a sight for to see！）
ROB。 If were the maid I should fan his honest flame
（Hey； but he's bashful as a youth can be！）
ROSE。 If I were the youth I should speak to her to…day
（Hey； but she sickens as the days go by！）
ROB。 If I were the maid I should meet the lad half way
（For I really do believe that timid youth will
die！）
ROSE。 Poor little man！
ROB。 Poor little maid！
ROSE。 Poor little man！
ROB。 Poor little maid！
BOTH。 I thank you； （misssir）； for your counsel true；
I'll tell that （youthmaid） what （heshe） ought to
do！
（Exit ROSE。）
ROB。 Poor child！ I sometimes think that if she wasn't
quite so particular I might venturebut no； noeven then I
should be unworthy of her！
（He sit desponding。 Enter Old Adam。）
ADAM。 My kind master is sad！ Dear Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd
ROB。 Hush！ As you love me； breathe not that hated name。
Twenty years ago； in horror at the prospect of inheriting that
hideous title； and with it the ban that compels all who succeed
to the baronetcy to commit at least one deadly crime per day； for
life； I fled my home； and concealed myself in this innocent
village under the name of Robin Oakapple。 My younger brother；
Despard； believing me to be dead； succeeded to the title and its
attendant curse。 For twenty years I have been dead and buried。
Don't dig me up now。
ADAM。 Dear master； it shall be as you wish； f
