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！
toilet…table； R。； with chair； a cheval glass so arranged as to
correspond with glass on table。 Breakfast…table； L。； front。
Door； L。 The Beau is discovered at table； in dressing…grown；
trifling with correspondence。 MENTEITH is frothing chocolate。
SCENE I
AUSTIN； MENTEITH
MENTEITH。 At the barber's； Mr。 George； I had the pleasure of
meeting two of the Dook's gentlemen。
AUSTIN。 Well； and was his Royal Highness satisfied with his
quarters？
MENTEITH。 Quite so； Mr。 George。 Delighted； I believe。
AUSTIN。 I am rejoiced to hear it。 I wish I could say I was as
pleased with my journey； Menteith。 This is the first time I ever
came to the Wells in another person's carriage； Duke or not； it
shall be the last； Menteith。
MENTEITH。 Ah； Mr。 George； no wonder。 And how many times have we
made that journey back and forth？
AUSTIN。 Enough to make us older than we look。
MENTEITH。 To be sure； Mr。 George； you do wear well。
AUSTIN。 WE wear well； Menteith。
MENTEITH。 I hear； Mr。 George； that Miss Musgrave is of the
company。
AUSTIN。 Is she so？ Well； well！ well； well！
MENTEITH。 I've not seen the young lady myself； Mr。 George； but
the barber tells me she's looking poorly。
AUSTIN。 Poorly？
MENTEITH。 Yes； Mr。 George； poorly was his word。
AUSTIN。 Well； Menteith； I am truly sorry。 She is not the first。
MENTEITH。 Yes； Mr。 George。 （A BELL。 MENTEITH GOES OUT； AND RE…
ENTERS WITH CARD。）
AUSTIN （WITH CARD）。 Whom have we here？ Anthony Musgrave？
MENTEITH。 A fine young man； Mr。 George； and with a look of the
young lady； but not so gentlemanly。
AUSTIN。 You have an eye； you have an eye。 Let him in。
SCENE II
AUSTIN； MENTEITH； ANTHONY
AUSTIN。 I am charmed to have this opportunity； Mr。 Musgrave。
You belong to my old corps； I think？ And how does my good
friend； Sir Frederick？ I had his line； but like all my old
comrades； he thinks last about himself； and gives me not of his
news。
ANTHONY。 I protest； sir； this is a very proud moment。 Your name
is still remembered in the regiment。 （AUSTIN BOWS。） The Colonel
… he keeps his health； sir； considering his age （AUSTIN BOWS
AGAIN； AND LOOKS AT MENTEITH） … tells us young men you were a
devil of a fellow in your time。
AUSTIN。 I believe I was … in my time。 Menteith； give Mr。
Musgrave a dish of chocolate。 So； sir； we see you at the Wells。
ANTHONY。 I have but just alighted。 I had but one thought； sir：
to pay my respects to Mr。 Austin。 I have not yet kissed my aunt
and sister。
AUSTIN。 In my time … to which you refer … the ladies had come
first。
ANTHONY。 The women？ I take you； sir。 But then you see； a man's
relatives don't count。 And besides； Mr。 Austin； between men of
the world； I am fairly running away from the sex： I am
positively in flight。 Little Hortense of the Opera； you know；
she sent her love to you。 She's mad about me； I think。 You
never saw a creature so fond。
AUSTIN。 Well； well； child！ you are better here。 In my time … to
which you have referred … I knew the lady。 Does she wear well？
ANTHONY。 I beg your pardon； sir！
AUSTIN。 No offence； child； no offence。 She was a very lively
creature。 But you neglect your chocolate I see？
ANTHONY。 We don't patronise it； Mr。 Austin； we haven't for some
years： the service has quite changed since your time。 You'd be
surprised。
AUSTIN。 Doubtless。 I am。
ANTHONY。 I assure you； sir； I and Jack Bosbury of the
Fifty…Second …
AUSTIN。 The Hampshire Bosburys？ …
ANTHONY。 I do not know exactly； sir。 I believe he is related。
AUSTIN。 Or perhaps … I remember a Mr。 Bosbury； a cutter of
coats。 I have the vanity to believe I formed his business。
ANTHONY。 I … I hope not； sir。 But as I was saying； I and this
Jack Bosbury； and the Brummagem Bantam … a very pretty light…
weight； sir … drank seven bottles of Burgundy to the three of us
inside the eighty minutes。 Jack； sir； was a little cut； but me
and the Bantam went out and finished the evening on hot gin。
Life； sir； life！ Tom Cribb was with us。 He spoke of you； too；
Tom did： said you'd given him a wrinkle for his second fight
with the black man。 No； sir； I assure you； you're not forgotten。
AUSTIN （BOWS）。 I am pleased to learn it。 In my time； I had an
esteem for Mr。 Cribb。
ANTHONY。 O come； sir！ but your time cannot be said to be over。
AUSTIN。 Menteith； you hear？
MENTEITH。 Yes； Mr。 George。
ANTHONY。 The Colonel told me that you liked to shake an elbow。
Your big main； sir； with Lord Wensleydale； is often talked about。
I hope I may have the occasion to sit down with you。 I shall
count it an honour； I assure you。
AUSTIN。 But would your aunt； my very good friend； approve？
ANTHONY。 Why； sir； you do not suppose I am in leading…strings？
AUSTIN。 You forget； child： a family must hang together。 When I
was young … in my time … I was alone； and what I did concerned
myself。 But a youth who has … as I think you have … a family of
ladies to protect； must watch his honour； child； and preserve his
fortune。 You have no commands from Sir Frederick？
ANTHONY。 None； sir； none。
AUSTIN。 Shall I find you this noon upon the Pantiles？ 。 。 。 I
shall be charmed。 Commend me to your aunt and your fair sister。
Menteith？
MENTEITH。 Yes； Mr。 George。 （SHOWS ANTHONY OUT。）
SCENE III
AUSTIN； MENTEITH； RETURNING
AUSTIN。 Was I ever like that； Menteith？
MENTEITH。 No； Mr。 George； you was always a gentleman。
AUSTIN。 Youth； my good fellow； youth。
MENTEITH。 Quite so； Mr。 George。
AUSTIN。 Well； Menteith； we cannot make no mend。 We cannot play
the jockey with Time。 Age is the test： of wine； Menteith； and
men。
MENTEITH。 Me and you and the old Hermitage； Mr。 George； he…he！
AUSTIN。 And the best of these； the Hermitage。 But come： we
lose our day。 Help me off with this。 （MENTEITH TAKES OFF
AUSTIN'S DRESSING…GOWN； AUSTIN PASSES R。 TO DRESSING…TABLE； AND
TAKES UP FIRST CRAVAT。）
AUSTIN。 Will the hair do； Menteith？
MENTEITH。 Never saw it lay better； Mr。 George。 （AUSTIN PROCEEDS
TO WIND FIRST CRAVAT。 A BELL： EXIT MENTEITH。 AUSTIN DROPS
FIRST CRAVAT IN BASKET AND TAKES SECOND。）
AUSTIN （WINDING AND SINGING） …
'I'd crowns resign To call her mine； Sweet Lass of Richmond
Hill！'
（SECOND CRAVAT A FAILURE。 RE…ENTER MENTEITH WITH CARD。）
Fenwick？ of Allonby Shaw？ A good family； Menteith； but I don't
know the gentleman。 （LAYS DOWN CARD； AND TAKES UP THIRD CRAVAT。）
Send him away with every consideration。
MENTEITH。 To be sure； Mr。 George。 （HE GOES OUT。 THIRD CRAVAT A
SUCCESS。 RE…ENTER MENTEITH。） He says； Mr。 George； that he has
an errand from Miss Musgrave。
AUSTIN （WITH WAISTCOAT）。 Show him in； Menteith； at once。
（SINGING AND FITTING WAISTCOAT AT GLASS） …
'I'd crowns resign To call her mine； Sweet Lass of Richmond
Hill！'
SCENE IV
AUSTIN； R。 TO HIM MENTEITH AND FENWICK
MENTEITH （ANNOUNCING）。 Mr。 Fenwick； Mr。 George。
AUSTIN。 At the name of Miss Musgrave； my doors fly always open。
FENWICK。 I believe； sir； you are acquainted with my cousin；
Richard Gaunt？
AUSTIN。 The county member？ An old and good friend。 But you
need not go so far afield： I know your good house of Allonby
Shaw since the days of the Black Knight。 We are； in fact； and at
a very royal distance； cousins。
FENWICK。 I desired； sir； from the nature of my business； that
you should recognise me for a gentleman。
AUSTIN。 The preliminary； sir； is somewhat grave。
FENWICK。 My business is both grave and delicate。
AUSTIN。 Menteith； my good fellow。 （EXIT MENTEITH。） Mr。
Fenwick； honour me so far as to be seated。 （THEY SIT。） I await
your pleasure。
FENWICK。 Briefly； sir； I am come； not without hope； to appeal to
your good heart。
AUSTIN。 From Miss Musgrave？
FENWICK。 No； sir； I abused her name； and am here upon my own
authority。 Upon me the consequence。
AUSTIN。 Proceed。
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； Dorothy Musgrave is the oldest and dearest
of my friends； is the lady whom for ten years it has been my hope
to make my wife。 She has shown me reason to discard that hope
for another： that I may call her Mrs。 Austin。
AUSTIN。 In the best interests of the lady （RISING） I question if
you have been well inspired。 You are aware； sir； that from such
interference there is but one issue： to whom shall I address my
friend？
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； I am here to throw myself upon your mercy。
Strange as my errand is； it will seem yet more strange to you
that I came prepared to accept at your hands any extremity of
dishonour and not fight。 The lady whom it is my boast to serve
has honoured me with her commands。 These are my law； and by
these your life is sacred。
AUSTIN。 Then； sir （WITH HIS HAND UPON THE BELL）； his
conversation becomes impossible。 You have me at too gross a
disadvantage； and； as you are a gentleman and respect another； I
would suggest that you retire。
FENWICK。 Sir； you speak of disadvantage； think of mine。 All my
life long； with all the forces of my nature； I have loved this
lady。 I came here to implore her to be my wife； to be my queen；
my saint she had been always！ She was too noble