she stoops to conquer(屈身求爱)-第19章
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
HARDCASTLE。 Kate； come hither； child。 Answer us sincerely
and without reserve： has Mr。 Marlow made you any professions of love
and affection？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 The question is very abrupt； sir。 But since
you require unreserved sincerity； I think he has。
HARDCASTLE。 （To SIR CHARLES。） You see。
SIR CHARLES。 And pray； madam； have you and my son had more
than one interview？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Yes； sir； several。
HARDCASTLE。 （To SIR CHARLES。） You see。
63
… Page 64…
〃SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER〃
SIR CHARLES。 But did be profess any attachment？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 A lasting one。
SIR CHARLES。 Did he talk of love？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Much； sir。
SIR CHARLES。 Amazing！ And all this formally？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Formally。
HARDCASTLE。 Now； my friend； I hope you are satisfied。
SIR CHARLES。 And how did he behave； madam？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 As most profest admirers do： said some civil
things of my face； talked much of his want of merit； and the greatness of
mine； mentioned his heart； gave a short tragedy speech； and ended with
pretended rapture。
SIR CHARLES。 Now I'm perfectly convinced； indeed。 I know his
conversation among women to be modest and submissive： this forward
canting ranting manner by no means describes him； and； I am confident；
he never sat for the picture。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Then； what； sir； if I should convince you to
your face of my sincerity？ If you and my papa； in about half an hour；
will place yourselves behind that screen； you shall hear him declare his
passion to me in person。
SIR CHARLES。 Agreed。 And if I find him what you describe； all
my happiness in him must have an end。 ＇Exit。＇
MISS HARDCASTLE。 And if you don't find him what I describeI
fear my happiness must never have a beginning。 ＇Exeunt。＇
SCENE changes to the back of the Garden。
Enter HASTINGS。
HASTINGS。 What an idiot am I； to wait here for a fellow who
probably takes a delight in mortifying me。 He never intended to be
punctual； and I'll wait no longer。 What do I see？ It is he！ and perhaps
with news of my Constance。
Enter Tony； booted and spattered。
HASTINGS。 My honest 'squire！ I now find you a man of your
word。 This looks like friendship。
TONY。 Ay； I'm your friend； and the best friend you have in the world；
64
… Page 65…
〃SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER〃
if you knew but all。 This riding by night； by the bye； is cursedly tiresome。
It has shook me worse than the basket of a stage…coach。
HASTINGS。 But how？ where did you leave your fellow…travellers？
Are they in safety？ Are they housed？
TONY。 Five and twenty miles in two hours and a half is no such bad
driving。 The poor beasts have smoked for it： rabbit me； but I'd rather ride
forty miles after a fox than ten with such varment。
HASTINGS。 Well； but where have you left the ladies？ I die with
impatience。
TONY。 Left them！ Why where should I leave them but where I
found them？
HASTINGS。 This is a riddle。
TONY。 Riddle me this then。 What's that goes round the house； and
round the house； and never touches the house？
HASTINGS。 I'm still astray。
TONY。 Why； that's it； mon。 I have led them astray。 By jingo；
there's not a pond or a slough within five miles of the place but they can
tell the taste of。
HASTINGS。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ I understand： you took them in a round；
while they supposed themselves going forward； and so you have at last
brought them home again。
TONY。 You shall hear。 I first took them down Feather…bed Lane；
where we stuck fast in the mud。 I then rattled them crack over the stones
of Up…and…down Hill。 I then introduced them to the gibbet on Heavy…tree
Heath； and from that； with a circumbendibus； I fairly lodged them in the
horse…pond at the bottom of the garden。
HASTINGS。 But no accident； I hope？
TONY。 No； no。 Only mother is confoundedly frightened。 She
thinks herself forty miles off。 She's sick of the journey； and the cattle can
scarce crawl。 So if your own horses be ready； you may whip off with
cousin； and I'll be bound that no soul here can budge a foot to follow you。
HASTINGS。 My dear friend； how can I be grateful？
TONY。 Ay； now it's dear friend； noble 'squire。 Just now； it was all
idiot； cub； and run me through the guts。 Damn YOUR way of fighting； I
65
… Page 66…
〃SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER〃
say。 After we take a knock in this part of the country； we kiss and be
friends。 But if you had run me through the guts； then I should be dead；
and you might go kiss the hangman。
HASTINGS。 The rebuke is just。 But I must hasten to relieve Miss
Neville： if you keep the old lady employed； I promise to take care of the
young one。 ＇Exit HASTINGS。＇
TONY。 Never fear me。 Here she comes。 Vanish。 She's got from
the pond； and draggled up to the waist like a mermaid。
Enter MRS。 HARDCASTLE。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Oh； Tony； I'm killed！ Shook！ Battered
to death。 I shall never survive it。 That last jolt； that laid us against the
quickset hedge； has done my business。
TONY。 Alack； mamma； it was all your own fault。 You would be for
running away by night； without knowing one inch of the way。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 I wish we were at home again。 I never met
so many accidents in so short a journey。 Drenched in the mud；
overturned in a ditch； stuck fast in a slough； jolted to a jelly； and at last to
lose our way。 Whereabouts do you think we are； Tony？
TONY。 By my guess we should come upon Crackskull Common；
about forty miles from home。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 O lud！ O lud！ The most notorious spot in
all the country。 We only want a robbery to make a complete night on't。
TONY。 Don't be afraid； mamma； don't be afraid。 Two of the five
that kept here are hanged； and the other three may not find us。 Don't be
afraid。Is that a man that's galloping behind us？ No； it's only a tree。
Don't be afraid。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 The fright will certainly kill me。
TONY。 Do you see anything like a black hat moving behind the
thicket？
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Oh； death！
TONY。 No； it's only a cow。 Don't be afraid； mamma； don't he
afraid。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 As I'm alive； Tony； I see a man coming
towards us。 Ah！ I'm sure on't。 If he perceives us； we are undone。
66
… Page 67…
〃SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER〃
TONY。 （Aside。） Father…in…law；
