the hunchback-第13章
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heart！ You have no heart at all！ You feel not for her！
Fath。 But I tell you I doand good right I have to feel for her。
I have been in love myself。
Helen。 With your dinner！
Fath。 I would it had been！ My pain would soon have been over； and
at little cost。 A fortune I squandered upon her！trinkets
trimmingstreatingswhat swallowed up the revenue of a whole year！
Wasn't I in love？ Six months I courted her； and a dozen crowns all
but one did I disburse for her in that time！ Wasn't I in love？ An
hostlera tapsterand a constable； courted her at the same time；
and I offered to cudgel the whole three of them for her！ Wasn't I
in love？
Helen。 You are a valiant man； Fathom。
Fath。 Am not I？ Walks not the earth the man I am afraid of。
Helen。 Fear you not Master Walter？
Fath。 No。
Helen。 You do！
Fath。 I don't！
Helen。 I'll prove it to you。 You see him breaking your young
mistress's heart； and have not the manhood to stand by her。
Fath。 What could I do for her？
Helen。 Let her out of prison。 It were the act of a man。
Fath。 That man am I！
Helen。 Well said； brave Fathom！
Fath。 But my place！
Helen。 I'll provide thee with a better one。
Fath。 'Tis a capital place！ So little to do； and so much to get
for't。 Six pounds in the year； two suits of livery； shoes and
stockings； and a famous larder。 He'd be a bold man that would put
such a place in jeopardy。 My place； madam； my place！
Helen。 I tell thee I'll provide thee with a better place。 Thou
shalt have less to do； and more to get。 Now； Fathom； hast thou
courage to stand by thy mistress？
Fath。 I have！
Helen。 That's right。
Fath。 I'll let my lady out。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER unperceived。＇
Helen。 That's right。 When； Fathom？
Fath。 To…night。
Helen。 She is to be married to…night。
Fath。 This evening； then。 Master Walter is now in the library； the
key is on the outside； and I'll lock him in。
Helen。 Excellent！ You'll do it？
Fath。 Rely upon it。 How he'll stare when he finds himself a
prisoner； and my young lady at liberty！
Helen。 Most excellent！ You'll be sure to do it？
Fath。 Depend upon me！ When Fathom undertakes a thing； he defies
fire and water …
Wal。 ＇Coming forward。＇ Fathom！
Fath。 Sir！
Wal。 Assemble straight the servants。
Fath。 Yes； sir！
Wal。 Mind；
And have them in the hall when I come down。
Fath。 Yes； sir！
Wal。 And see you do not stir a step；
But where I order you。
Fath。 Not an inch； sir！
Wal。 See that you don'taway！ So； my fair mistress；
＇FATHOM goes out。＇
What's this you have been plotting？ An escape
For mistress Julia？
Helen。 I avow it。
Wal。 Do you？
Helen。 Yes； and moreover to your face I tell you；
Most hardly do you use her！
Wal。 Verily！
Helen。 I wonder where's her spirit！ Had she mine
She would not take 't so easily。 Do you mean
To force this marriage on her？
Wal。 With your leave。
Helen。 You laugh。
Wal。 Without it； then。 I don't laugh now。
Helen。 If I were she； I'd find a way to escape。
Wal。 What would you do？
Helen。 I'd leap out of the window！
Wal。 Your window should be barred。
Helen。 I'd cheat you still！ …
I'd hang myself ere I'd be forced to marry！
Wal。 Well said！ You shall be married； then； tonight。
Helen。 Married to…night！
Wal。 As sure as I have said it。
Helen。 Two words to that。 Pray who's to be my bridegroom？
Wal。 A daughter's husband is her father's choice。
Helen。 My father's daughter ne'er shall wed such husband！
Wal。 Indeed！
Helen。 I'll pick a husband for myself。
Wal。 Indeed！
Helen。 Indeed； sir； and indeed again！
Wal。 Go dress you for the marriage ceremony。
Helen。 But； Master Walter； what is it you mean？
＇Enter MODUS。＇
Wal。 Here comes your cousin；he shall be your bridesman！
The thought's a sudden one；that will excuse
Defect in your appointments。 A plain dress； …
So 'tis of white；will do。
Helen。 I'll dress in black。
I'll quit the castle。
Wal。 That you shall not do。
Its doors are guarded by my lord's domestics；
Its avenuesits grounds。 What you must do；
Do with a good grace！ In an hour； or less；
Your father will be here。 Make up your mind
To take with thankfulness the man he gives you。
Now； ＇Aside＇ if they find not out how beat their hearts；
I have no skill； not I； in feeling pulses。
＇Goes out。＇
Helen。 Why； cousin Modus！ What！ will you stand by
And see me forced to marry？ Cousin Modus！
Have you not got a tongue？ Have you not eyes？
Do you not see I'm veryvery ill；
And not a chair in all the corridor？
Mod。 I'll find one in the study。
Helen。 Hang the study！
Mod。 My room's at hand。 I'll fetch one thence。
Helen。 You shan't
I'd faint ere you came back！
Mod。 What shall I do？
Helen。 Why don't you offer to support me？ Well？
Give me your armbe quick！ ＇MODUS offers his arm。＇
Is that the way
To help a lady when she's like to faint？
I'll drop unless you catch me！ ＇MODUS supports her。＇
That will do。
I'm better now＇MODUS offers to leave her＇ don't leave me！ Is one
well
Because one's better？ Hold my hand。 Keep so。
I'll soon recover so you move not。 Loves he …
＇Aside。＇
Which I'll be sworn he does； he'll own it now。
Well； cousin Modus？
Mod。 Well； sweet cousin！
Helen。 Well？
You heard what Master Walter said？
Mod。 I did。
Helen。 And would you have me marry？ Can't you speak？
Say yes or no。
Mod。 No； cousin！
Helen。 Bravely said！
And why； my gallant cousin？
Mod。 Why？
Helen。 Ay； why？ …
Women； you know； are fond of reasonswhy
Would you not have me marry？ How you blush！
Is it because you do not know the reason？
You mind me of a story of a cousin
Who once her cousin such a question asked。
He had not been to college； thoughfor books；
Had passed his time in reading ladies' eyes。
Which he could construe marvellously well；
Though writ in language all symbolical。
Thus stood they once together； on a day …
As we stand nowdiscoursed as we discourse； …
But with this difference；fifty gentle words
He spoke to her； for one she spoke to him！ …
What a dear cousin！ Well； as I did say；
As now I questioned thee； she questioned him。
And what was his reply？ To think of it
Sets my heart beating'twas so kind a one！
So like a cousin's answera dear cousin！
A gentle； honest； gallant； loving cousin！
What did he say？A man might find it out；
Though never read he Ovid's Art of Love …
What did he say？ He'd marry her himself！
How stupid are you； cousin！ Let me go！
Mod。 You are not well yet？
Helen。 Yes。
Mod。 I'm sure you're not。
Helen。 I'm sure I am。
Mod。 Nay； let me hold you； cousin！ I like it。
Helen。 Do you？ I would wager you
You could not tell me why you like it。 Well？
You see how true I know you！ How you stare！
What see you in my face to wonder at？
Mod。 A pair of eyes！
Helen。 At last he'll find his tongue＇Aside。＇
And saw you ne'er a pair of eyes before？
Mod。 Not such a pair。
Helen。 And why？
Mod。 They are so bright！
You have a Grecian nose。
Helen。 Indeed。
Mod。 Indeed！
Helen。 What kind of mouth have I？
Mod。 A handsome one。 I never saw so sweet a pair of lips！
I ne'er saw lips at all till now； dear cousin！
Helen。 Cousin； I'm well；you need not hold me now。
Do you not hear？ I tell you I am well！
I need your arm no longertake 't away！
So tight it locks me； 'tis with pain I breathe！
Let me go； cousin！ Wherefore do you hold
Your face so close to mine？ What do you mean？
Mod。 You've questioned me； and now I'll question you。
Helen。 What would you learn？
Mod。 The use of lips。
Helen。 To speak。
Mod。 Naught else？
Helen。 How bold my modest cousin grows！
Why； other use know you？
Mod。 I do！
Helen。 Indeed！
You're wondrous wise？ And pray what is it？
Mod。 This！ ＇Attempts to kiss her。＇
Helen。 Soft！ my hand thanks you； cousinfor my lips
I keep them for a husband！Nay； stand off！
I'll not be held in manacles again！
Why do you follow me？
Mod。 I love you； cousin！
Helen。 O cousin； say you so！ That's passing strange！
Falls out most crosslyis a dire mishap …
A thing to sigh for； weep for； la
