the double-dealer(两面派)-第12节
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＇Cries。＇
CARE。 Why； methinks that might be easily remediedmy lady's a
fine likely woman …
SIR PAUL。 Oh； a fine likely woman as you shall see in a summer's
day。 Indeed she is； Mr。 Careless； in all respects。
CARE。 And I should not have taken you to have been so old …
SIR PAUL。 Alas； that's not it； Mr。 Careless； ah！ that's not it； no； no；
you shoot wide of the mark a mile； indeed you do； that's not it； Mr。
Careless； no； no； that's not it。
CARE。 No？ What can be the matter then？
SIR PAUL。 You'll scarcely believe me when I shall tell youmy lady
is so nice。 It's very strange； but it's true； too trueshe's so very nice； that
I don't believe she would touch a man for the world。 At least not above
once a year； I'm sure I have found it so； and； alas； what's once a year to an
old man； who would do good in his generation？ Indeed it's true； Mr。
Careless； it breaks my heart。 I am her husband； as I may say； though far
unworthy of that honour； yet I am her husband； but alas…a…day； I have no
more familiarity with her personas to that matterthan with my own
motherno indeed。
CARE。 Alas…a…day； this is a lamentable story。 My lady must be told
on't。 She must i'faith； Sir Paul； 'tis an injury to the world。
SIR PAUL。 Ah！ would to heaven you would； Mr。 Careless； you are
mightily in her favour。
CARE。 I warrant you； what！ we must have a son some way or other。
SIR PAUL。 Indeed I should be mightily bound to you if you could
bring it about； Mr。 Careless。
LADY PLYANT。 Here； Sir Paul； it's from your steward。 Here's a
return of 600 pounds； you may take fifty of it for the next half year。
＇Gives him the letter。＇
SCENE IX。
＇To them＇ LORD FROTH； CYNTHIA。
SIR PAUL。 How does my girl？ Come hither to thy father； poor
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THE DOUBLE…DEALERA COMEDY
lamb： thou'rt melancholic。
LORD FROTH。 Heaven； Sir Paul； you amaze me； of all things in the
world。 You are never pleased but when we are all upon the broad grin：
all laugh and no company； ah； then 'tis such a sight to see some teeth。
Sure you're a great admirer of my Lady Whifler； Mr。 Sneer； and Sir
Laurence Loud； and that gang。
SIR PAUL。 I vow and swear she's a very merry woman； but I think
she laughs a little too much。
LORD FROTH。 Merry！ O Lord； what a character that is of a
woman of quality。 You have been at my Lady Whifler's upon her day；
madam？
CYNT。 Yes； my lord。 I must humour this fool。 ＇Aside。＇
LORD FROTH。 Well； and how？ hee！ What is your sense of the
conversation？
CYNT。 Oh； most ridiculous； a perpetual comfort of laughing without
any harmony； for sure； my lord； to laugh out of time； is as disagreeable as
to sing out of time or out of tune。
LORD FROTH。 Hee； hee； hee； right； and then； my Lady Whifler is
so readyshe always comes in three bars too soon。 And then； what do
they laugh at？ For you know laughing without a jest is as impertinent；
hee！ as； as …
CYNT。 As dancing without a fiddle。
LORD FROTH。 Just i'faith； that was at my tongue's end。
CYNT。 But that cannot be properly said of them； for I think they are
all in good nature with the world； and only laugh at one another； and you
must allow they have all jests in their persons； though they have none in
their conversation。
LORD FROTH。 True； as I'm a person of honour。 For heaven's sake
let us sacrifice 'em to mirth a little。 ＇Enter BOY and whispers SIR
PAUL。＇
SIR PAUL。 Gads so。Wife； wife； my Lady Plyant； I have a word。
LADY PLYANT。 I'm busy； Sir Paul； I wonder at your impertinence。
CARE。 Sir Paul； harkee； I'm reasoning the matter you know。
Madam； if your ladyship please； we'll discourse of this in the next room。
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SIR PAUL。 O ho； I wish you good success； I wish you good success。
Boy； tell my lady； when she has done； I would speak with her below。
SCENE X。
CYNTHIA； LORD FROTH； LADY FROTH； BRISK。 LADY
FROTH。 Then you think that episode between Susan； the dairy… maid；
and our coachman is not amiss； you know； I may suppose the dairy in
town； as well as in the country。
BRISK。 Incomparable； let me perish。 But then； being an heroic
poem； had you not better call him a charioteer？ Charioteer sounds great；
besides； your ladyship's coachman having a red face； and you comparing
him to the sunand you know the sun is called Heaven's charioteer。
LADY FROTH。 Oh； infinitely better； I'm extremely beholden to you
for the hint； stay； we'll read over those half a score lines again。 ＇Pulls out a
paper。＇ Let me see here； you know what goes before； the comparison；
you know。 ＇Reads。＇
For as the sun shines ev'ry day； So of our coachman I may say。
BRISK。 I'm afraid that simile won't do in wet weather； because you
say the sun shines every day。
LADY FROTH。 No； for the sun it won't； but it will do for the
coachman； for you know there's most occasion for a coach in wet weather。
BRISK。 Right； right； that saves all。
LADY FROTH。 Then I don't say the sun shines all the day； but that
he peeps now and then； yet he does shine all the day too； you know；
though we don't see him。
BRISK。 Right； but the vulgar will never comprehend that。
LADY FROTH。 Well； you shall hear。 Let me see。 ＇Reads。＇
For as the sun shines ev'ry day； So of our coachman I may say； He
shows his drunken fiery face； Just as the sun does； more or less。
BRISK。 That's right； all's well； all's well。 'More or less。'
LADY FROTH reads：
And when at night his labour's done； Then too； like Heav'n's
charioteer the sun：
Ay； charioteer does better。
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Into the dairy he descends； And there his whipping and his driving
ends； There he's secure from danger of a bilk； His fare is paid him； and he
sets in milk。
For Susan you know； is Thetis； and so …
BRISK。 Incomparable well and proper； egadbut I have one
exception to makedon't you think bilk（I know it's good rhyme）but
don't you think BILK and FARE too like a hackney coachman？
LADY FROTH。 I swear and vow I'm afraid so。 And yet our Jehu
was a hackney coachman； when my lord took him。
BRISK。 Was he？ I'm answered； if Jehu was a hackney coachman。
You may put that in the marginal notes though； to prevent criticism only
mark it with a small asterism； and say； 'Jehu was formerly a hackney
coachman。'
LADY FROTH。 I will。 You'd oblige me extremely to write notes to
the whole poem。
BRISK。 With all my heart and soul； and proud of the vast honour； let
me perish。
LORD FROTH。 Hee； hee； hee； my dear； have you done？ won't you
join with us？ We were laughing at my Lady Whifler and Mr。 Sneer。
LADY FROTH。 Ay； my dear； were you？ Oh； filthy Mr。 Sneer； he's
a nauseous figure； a most fulsamic fop； foh！ He spent two days together
in going about Covent Garden to suit the lining of his coach with his
complexion。
LORD FROTH。 O silly！ yet his aunt is as fond of him as if she had
brought the ape into the world herself。
BRISK。 Who； my Lady Toothless？ Oh； she's a mortifying spectacle；
she's always chewing the cud like an old ewe。
CYNT。 Fie； Mr。 Brisk； eringo's for her cough。
LADY FROTH。 I have seen her take 'em half chewed out of her
mouth； to laugh； and then put 'em in again。 Foh！
LORD FROTH。 Foh！
LADY FROTH。 Then she's always ready to laugh when S
