she stoops to conquer-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


requisite　share　of　assurance。

MARLOW。　　The　Englishman's　malady。　　But　tell　me；　George；　where　could　I　have　learned　that　assurance　you　talk　of？　　My　life　has　been　chiefly　spent　in　a　college　or　an　inn；　in　seclusion　from　that　lovely　part　of　the　creation　that　chiefly　teach　men　confidence。　　I　don't　know　that　I　was　ever　familiarly　acquainted　with　a　single　modest　womanexcept　my　motherBut　among　females　of　another　class；　you　know

HASTINGS。　　Ay；　among　them　you　are　impudent　enough　of　all　conscience。

MARLOW。　　They　are　of　US；　you　know。

HASTINGS。　　But　in　the　company　of　women　of　reputation　I　never　saw　such　an　idiot；　such　a　trembler；　you　look　for　all　the　world　as　if　you　wanted　an　opportunity　of　stealing　out　of　the　room。

MARLOW。　　Why；　man；　that's　because　I　do　want　to　steal　out　of　the　room。　　Faith；　I　have　often　formed　a　resolution　to　break　the　ice；　and　rattle　away　at　any　rate。　　But　I　don't　know　how；　a　single　glance　from　a　pair　of　fine　eyes　has　totally　overset　my　resolution。　　An　impudent　fellow　may　counterfeit　modesty；　but　I'll　be　hanged　if　a　modest　man　can　ever　counterfeit　impudence。

HASTINGS。　　If　you　could　but　say　half　the　fine　things　to　them　that　I　have　heard　you　lavish　upon　the　bar…maid　of　an　inn；　or　even　a　college　bed…maker

MARLOW。　　Why；　George；　I　can't　say　fine　things　to　them；　they　freeze；　they　petrify　me。　　They　may　talk　of　a　comet；　or　a　burning　mountain；　or　some　such　bagatelle；　but；　to　me；　a　modest　woman；　drest　out　in　all　her　finery；　is　the　most　tremendous　object　of　the　whole　creation。

HASTINGS。　　Ha！　ha！　ha！　　At　this　rate；　man；　how　can　you　ever　expect　to　marry？

MARLOW。　　Never；　unless；　as　among　kings　and　princes；　my　bride　were　to　be　courted　by　proxy。　　If；　indeed；　like　an　Eastern　bridegroom；　one　were　to　be　introduced　to　a　wife　he　never　saw　before；　it　might　be　endured。　　But　to　go　through　all　the　terrors　of　a　formal　courtship；　together　with　the　episode　of　aunts；　grandmothers；　and　cousins；　and　at　last　to　blurt　out　the　broad　staring　question　of；　Madam；　will　you　marry　me？　　No；　no；　that's　a　strain　much　above　me；　I　assure　you。

HASTINGS。　　I　pity　you。　　But　how　do　you　intend　behaving　to　the　lady　you　are　come　down　to　visit　at　the　request　of　your　father？

MARLOW。　　As　I　behave　to　all　other　ladies。　　Bow　very　low；　answer　yes　or　no　to　all　her　demandsBut　for　the　rest；　I　don't　think　I　shall　venture　to　look　in　her　face　till　I　see　my　father's　again。

HASTINGS。　　I'm　surprised　that　one　who　is　so　warm　a　friend　can　be　so　cool　a　lover。

MARLOW。　　To　be　explicit；　my　dear　Hastings；　my　chief　inducement　down　was　to　be　instrumental　in　forwarding　your　happiness；　not　my　own。　　Miss　Neville　loves　you；　the　family　don't　know　you；　as　my　friend　you　are　sure　of　a　reception；　and　let　honour　do　the　rest。

HASTINGS。　　My　dear　Marlow！　　But　I'll　suppress　the　emotion。　　Were　I　a　wretch；　meanly　seeking　to　carry　off　a　fortune；　you　should　be　the　last　man　in　the　world　I　would　apply　to　for　assistance。　　But　Miss　Neville's　person　is　all　I　ask；　and　that　is　mine；　both　from　her　deceased　father's　consent；　and　her　own　inclination。

MARLOW。　　Happy　man！　　You　have　talents　and　art　to　captivate　any　woman。　　I'm　doom'd　to　adore　the　sex；　and　yet　to　converse　with　the　only　part　of　it　I　despise。　　This　stammer　in　my　address；　and　this　awkward　prepossessing　visage　of　mine；　can　never　permit　me　to　soar　above　the　reach　of　a　milliner's　'prentice；　or　one　of　the　duchesses　of　Drury…lane。　　Pshaw！　this　fellow　here　to　interrupt　us。


Enter　HARDCASTLE。


HARDCASTLE。　　Gentlemen；　once　more　you　are　heartily　welcome。　　Which　is　Mr。　Marlow？　　Sir；　you　are　heartily　welcome。　　It's　not　my　way；　you　see；　to　receive　my　friends　with　my　back　to　the　fire。　　I　like　give　them　a　hearty　reception　in　the　old　style　at　my　gate。　　I　like　to　see　their　horses　and　trunks　taken　care　of。

MARLOW。　　（Aside。）　　He　has　got　our　names　from　the　servants　already。　　（To　him。）　　We　approve　your　caution　and　hospitality；　sir。　　（To　HASTINGS。）　　I　have　been　thinking；　George；　of　changing　our　travelling　dresses　in　the　morning。　　I　am　grown　confoundedly　ashamed　of　mine。

HARDCASTLE。　　I　beg；　Mr。　Marlow；　you'll　use　no　ceremony　in　this　house。

HASTINGS。　　I　fancy；　Charles；　you're　right：　the　first　blow　is　half　the　battle。　　I　intend　opening　the　campaign　with　the　white　and　gold。

HARDCASTLE。　　Mr。　MarlowMr。　Hastingsgentlemenpray　be　under　no　constraint　in　this　house。　　This　is　Liberty…hall；　gentlemen。　　You　may　do　just　as　you　please　here。

MARLOW。　　Yet；　George；　if　we　open　the　campaign　too　fiercely　at　first；　we　may　want　ammunition　before　it　is　over。　　I　think　to　reserve　the　embroidery　to　secure　a　retreat。

HARDCASTLE。　　Your　talking　of　a　retreat；　Mr。　Marlow；　puts　me　in　mind　of　the　Duke　of　Marlborough；　when　we　went　to　besiege　Denain。　　He　first　summoned　the　garrison

MARLOW。　　Don't　you　think　the　ventre　d'or　waistcoat　will　do　with　the　plain　brown？

HARDCASTLE。　　He　first　summoned　the　garrison；　which　might　consist　of　about　five　thousand　men

HASTINGS。　　I　think　not：　brown　and　yellow　mix　but　very　poorly。

HARDCASTLE。　　I　say；　gentlemen；　as　I　was　telling　you；　be　summoned　the　garrison；　which　might　consist　of　about　five　thousand　men

MARLOW。　　The　girls　like　finery。

HARDCASTLE。　　Which　might　consist　of　about　five　thousand　men；　well　appointed　with　stores；　ammunition；　and　other　implements　of　war。　　Now；　says　the　Duke　of　Marlborough　to　George　Brooks；　that　stood　next　to　himyou　must　have　heard　of　George　BrooksI'll　pawn　my　dukedom；　says　he；　but　I　take　that　garrison　without　spilling　a　drop　of　blood。　　So

MARLOW。　　What；　my　good　friend；　if　you　gave　us　a　glass　of　punch　in　the　mean　time；　it　would　help　us　to　carry　on　the　siege　with　vigour。

HARDCASTLE。　　Punch；　sir！　　（Aside。）　　This　is　the　most　unaccountable　kind　of　modesty　I　ever　met　with。

MARLOW。　　Yes；　sir；　punch。　　A　glass　of　warm　punch；　after　our　journey；　will　be　comfortable。　　This　is　Liberty…hall；　you　know。

HARDCASTLE。　　Here's　a　cup；　sir。

MARLOW。　　（Aside。）　　So　this　fellow；　in　his　Liberty…hall；　will　only　let　us　have　just　what　he　pleases。

HARDCASTLE。　　（Taking　the　cup。）　　I　hope　you'll　find　it　to　your　mind。　　I　have　prepared　it　with　my　own　hands；　and　I　believe　you'll　own　the　ingredients　are　tolerable。　　Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　pledge　me；　sir？　　Here；　Mr。　Marlow；　here　is　to　our　better　acquaintance。　　＇Drinks。＇

MARLOW。　　（Aside。）　　A　very　impudent　fellow　this！　but　he's　a　character；　and　I'll　humour　him　a　little。　　Sir；　my　service　to　you。　　＇Drinks。＇

HASTINGS。　　（Aside。）　　I　see　this　fellow　wants　to　give　us　his　company；　and　forgets　that　he's　an　innkeeper；　before　he　has　learned　to　be　a　gentleman。

MARLOW。　　From　the　excellence　of　your　cup；　my　old　friend；　I　suppose　you　have　a　good　deal　of　business　in　this　part　of　the　country。　　Warm　work；　now　and　then；　at　elections；　I　suppose。

HARDCASTLE。　　No；　sir；　I　have　long　given　that　work　over。　　Since　our　betters　have　hit　upon　the　expedient　of　electing　each　other；　there　is　no　business　〃for　us　that　sell　ale。〃

HASTINGS。　　So；　then；　you　have　no　turn　for　politics；　I　find。

HARDCASTLE。　　Not　in　the　least。　　There　was　a　time；　indeed；　I　fretted　myself　about　the　mistakes　of　government；　like　other　people；　but　finding　myself　every　day　grow　more　angry；　and　the　government　growing　no　better；　I　left　it　to　mend　itself。　　Since　that；　I　no　more　trouble　my　head　about　Hyder