she stoops to conquer-第15部分

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RS。　HARDCASTLE　the　letter。）

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　How's　this？（Reads。）　　〃Dear　'Squire；　I'm　now　waiting　for　Miss　Neville；　with　a　post…chaise　and　pair；　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　but　I　find　my　horses　yet　unable　to　perform　the　journey。　　I　expect　you'll　assist　us　with　a　pair　of　fresh　horses；　as　you　promised。　　Dispatch　is　necessary；　as　the　HAG　（ay；　the　hag）；　your　mother；　will　otherwise　suspect　us！　　Yours；　Hastings。〃　　Grant　me　patience。　　I　shall　run　distracted！　　My　rage　chokes　me。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I　hope；　madam；　you'll　suspend　your　resentment　for　a　few　moments；　and　not　impute　to　me　any　impertinence；　or　sinister　design；　that　belongs　to　another。

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　（Curtseying　very　low。）　　Fine　spoken；　madam；　you　are　most　miraculously　polite　and　engaging；　and　quite　the　very　pink　of　courtesy　and　circumspection；　madam。　　（Changing　her　tone。）　　And　you；　you　great　ill…fashioned　oaf；　with　scarce　sense　enough　to　keep　your　mouth　shut：　were　you；　too；　joined　against　me？　　But　I'll　defeat　all　your　plots　in　a　moment。　　As　for　you；　madam；　since　you　have　got　a　pair　of　fresh　horses　ready；　it　would　be　cruel　to　disappoint　them。　　So；　if　you　please；　instead　of　running　away　with　your　spark；　prepare；　this　very　moment；　to　run　off　with　ME。　　Your　old　aunt　Pedigree　will　keep　you　secure；　I'll　warrant　me。　　You　too；　sir；　may　mount　your　horse；　and　guard　us　upon　the　way。　　Here；　Thomas；　Roger；　Diggory！　　I'll　show　you；　that　I　wish　you　better　than　you　do　yourselves。　　＇Exit。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　So　now　I'm　completely　ruined。

TONY。　　Ay；　that's　a　sure　thing。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　What　better　could　be　expected　from　being　connected　with　such　a　stupid　fool；and　after　all　the　nods　and　signs　I　made　him？

TONY。　　By　the　laws；　miss；　it　was　your　own　cleverness；　and　not　my　stupidity；　that　did　your　business。　　You　were　so　nice　and　so　busy　with　your　Shake…bags　and　Goose…greens；　that　I　thought　you　could　never　be　making　believe。


Enter　HASTINGS。


HASTINGS。　　So；　sir；　I　find　by　my　servant；　that　you　have　shown　my　letter；　and　betrayed　us。　　Was　this　well　done；　young　gentleman？

TONY。　　Here's　another。　　Ask　miss　there；　who　betrayed　you。　　Ecod；　it　was　her　doing；　not　mine。


Enter　MARLOW。


MARLOW。　　So　I　have　been　finely　used　here　among　you。　　Rendered　contemptible；　driven　into　ill　manners；　despised；　insulted；　laughed　at。

TONY。　　Here's　another。　　We　shall　have　old　Bedlam　broke　loose　presently。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　And　there；　sir；　is　the　gentleman　to　whom　we　all　owe　every　obligation。

MARLOW。　　What　can　I　say　to　him；　a　mere　boy；　an　idiot；　whose　ignorance　and　age　are　a　protection？

HASTINGS。　　A　poor　contemptible　booby；　that　would　but　disgrace　correction。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Yet　with　cunning　and　malice　enough　to　make　himself　merry　with　all　our　embarrassments。

HASTINGS。　　An　insensible　cub。

MARLOW。　　Replete　with　tricks　and　mischief。

TONY。　　Baw！　damme；　but　I'll　fight　you　both；　one　after　the　otherwith　baskets。

MARLOW。　　As　for　him；　he's　below　resentment。　　But　your　conduct；　Mr。　Hastings；　requires　an　explanation。　　You　knew　of　my　mistakes；　yet　would　not　undeceive　me。

HASTINGS。　　Tortured　as　I　am　with　my　own　disappointments；　is　this　a　time　for　explanations？　　It　is　not　friendly；　Mr。　Marlow。

MARLOW。　　But；　sir

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Mr。　Marlow；　we　never　kept　on　your　mistake　till　it　was　too　late　to　undeceive　you。


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　My　mistress　desires　you'll　get　ready　immediately；　madam。　　The　horses　are　putting　to。　　Your　hat　and　things　are　in　the　next　room。　　We　are　to　go　thirty　miles　before　morning。　　＇Exit　Servant。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Well；　well：　I'll　come　presently。

MARLOW。　　（To　HASTINGS。）　　Was　it　well　done；　sir；　to　assist　in　rendering　me　ridiculous？　　To　hang　me　out　for　the　scorn　of　all　my　acquaintance？　　Depend　upon　it；　sir；　I　shall　expect　an　explanation。

HASTINGS。　　Was　it　well　done；　sir；　if　you're　upon　that　subject；　to　deliver　what　I　entrusted　to　yourself；　to　the　care　of　another　sir？

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Mr。　Hastings！　　Mr。　Marlow！　　Why　will　you　increase　my　distress　by　this　groundless　dispute？　　I　implore；　I　entreat　you


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　Your　cloak；　madam。　　My　mistress　is　impatient。　　＇Exit　Servant。＇

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I　come。　　Pray　be　pacified。　　If　I　leave　you　thus；　I　shall　die　with　apprehension。


Enter　Servant。


SERVANT。　　Your　fan；　muff；　and　gloves；　madam。　　The　horses　are　waiting。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　O；　Mr。　Marlow！　if　you　knew　what　a　scene　of　constraint　and　ill…nature　lies　before　me；　I'm　sure　it　would　convert　your　resentment　into　pity。

MARLOW。　　I'm　so　distracted　with　a　variety　of　passions；　that　I　don't　know　what　I　do。　　Forgive　me；　madam。　　George；　forgive　me。　　You　know　my　hasty　temper；　and　should　not　exasperate　it。

HASTINGS。　　The　torture　of　my　situation　is　my　only　excuse。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　Well；　my　dear　Hastings；　if　you　have　that　esteem　for　me　that　I　think；　that　I　am　sure　you　have；　your　constancy　for　three　years　will　but　increase　the　happiness　of　our　future　connexion。　　If

MRS。　HARDCASTLE。　　（Within。）　　Miss　Neville。　　Constance；　why　Constance；　I　say。

MISS　NEVILLE。　　I'm　coming。　　Well；　constancy；　remember；　constancy　is　the　word。　　＇Exit。＇

HASTINGS。　　My　heart！　how　can　I　support　this？　　To　be　so　near　happiness；　and　such　happiness！

MARLOW。　　（To　Tony。）　　You　see　now；　young　gentleman；　the　effects　of　your　folly。　　What　might　be　amusement　to　you；　is　here　disappointment；　and　even　distress。

TONY。　　（From　a　reverie。）　　Ecod；　I　have　hit　it。　　It's　here。　　Your　hands。　　Yours　and　yours；　my　poor　Sulky！My　boots　there；　ho！Meet　me　two　hours　hence　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　and　if　you　don't　find　Tony　Lumpkin　a　more　good…natured　fellow　than　you　thought　for；　I'll　give　you　leave　to　take　my　best　horse；　and　Bet　Bouncer　into　the　bargain。　　Come　along。　　My　boots；　ho！　　＇Exeunt。＇



ACT　THE　FIFTH。


（SCENE　continued。）


Enter　HASTINGS　and　Servant。


HASTINGS。　　You　saw　the　old　lady　and　Miss　Neville　drive　off；　you　say？

SERVANT。　　Yes；　your　honour。　　They　went　off　in　a　post…coach；　and　the　young　'squire　went　on　horseback。　　They're　thirty　miles　off　by　this　time。

HASTINGS。　　Then　all　my　hopes　are　over。

SERVANT。　　Yes；　sir。　　Old　Sir　Charles　has　arrived。　　He　and　the　old　gentleman　of　the　house　have　been　laughing　at　Mr。　Marlow's　mistake　this　half　hour。　　They　are　coming　this　way。

HASTINGS。　　Then　I　must　not　be　seen。　　So　now　to　my　fruitless　appointment　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden。　　This　is　about　the　time。　　＇Exit。＇


Enter　SIR　CHARLES　and　HARDCASTLE。


HARDCASTLE。　　Ha！　ha！　ha！　　The　peremptory　tone　in　which　he　sent　forth　his　sublime　commands！

SIR　CHARLES。　　And　the　reserve　with　which　I　suppose　he　treated　all　your　advances。

HARDCASTLE。　　And　yet　he　might　have　seen　something　in　me　above　a　common　innkeeper；　too。

SIR　CHARLES。　　Yes；　Dick；　but　be　mistook　you　for　an　uncommon　innkeeper；　ha！　ha！　ha！

HARDCASTLE。　　Well；　I'm　in　too　good　spirits　to　think　of　anything　but　joy。　　Yes；　my　dear　friend；　this　union　of　our　families　will　make　our　personal　friendships　hereditary；　and　though　my　daughter's　fortune　is　but　small

SIR　CHARLES。　　Why；　Dick；　will　you　talk　of　fortune　to　ME？　　My　son　is　possessed　of　more　than　a　competence　already；　and　can　want　nothing　but　a　good　and　virtuous　girl　to　share　his　happiness　and　increase　it。　　If　they　like　each　other；　as　you　say　they　do