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plays-第22章

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trust me again。

DOROTHY。  I am so much the more your victim:  that is all; and 
shall that change my heart?  The sin must have its wages。  This; 
too; was done long ago:  when you stooped to lie to me。  The
shame is still mine; the fault still yours。

AUSTIN。  Child; child; you kill me:  you will not understand。 
Can you not see? the lad will force me to a duel。

DOROTHY。  And you will kill him?  Shame after shame; threat upon 
threat。  Marry me; or you are dishonoured; marry me; or your 
brother dies:  and this is man's honour!  But my honour and my 
pride are different。  I will encounter all misfortune sooner than
degrade myself by an unfaithful marriage。  How should I kneel 
before the altar; and vow to reverence as my husband you; you who
deceived me as my lover?

AUSTIN。  Dorothy; you misjudge me cruelly; I have deserved it。 
You will not take me for your husband; why should I wonder?  You
are right。  I have indeed filled your life with calamity:  the
wages; ay; the wages; of my sin are heavy upon you。  But I have
one more thing to ask of your pity; and O remember; child; who it
is that asks it:  a man guilty in your sight; void of excuse; but
old; and very proud; and most unused to supplication。  Dorothy
Musgrave; will you forgive George Austin?

DOROTHY。  O; George!

AUSTIN。  It is the old name:  that is all I ask; and more than I 
deserve。  I shall remember; often remember; how and where it was 
bestowed upon me for the last time。  I thank you; Dorothy; from
my heart; a heart; child; that has been too long silent; but is
not too old; I thank God! not yet too old; to learn a lesson and
to accept a reproof。  I will not keep you longer:  I will go … I
am so bankrupt in credit that I dare not ask you to believe in
how much sorrow。  But; Dorothy; my acts will speak for me with
more persuasion。  If it be in my power; you shall suffer no more
through me:  I will avoid your brother; I will leave this place;
I will leave England; to…morrow; you shall be no longer tortured
with the neighbourhood of your ungenerous lover。  Dorothy;
farewell!


SCENE VIII

DOROTHY; TO WHOM; ANTHONY; L。

DOROTHY (ON HER KNEES; AND REACHING WITH HER HANDS。)  George; 
George!  (ENTER ANTHONY。)

ANTHONY。  Ha! what are you crying for?

DOROTHY。  Nothing; dear!  (RISING。)

ANTHONY。  Is Austin going to marry you?

DOROTHY。  I shall never marry。

ANTHONY。  I thought as much。  You should have come to me。

DOROTHY。  I know; dear; I know; but there was nothing to come 
about。

ANTHONY。  It's a lie。  You have disgraced the family。  You went
to John Fenwick:  see what he has made of it!  But I will have
you righted:  it shall be atoned in the man's blood。

DOROTHY。  Anthony!  And if I had refused him?

ANTHONY。  You? refuse George Austin?  You never had the chance。

DOROTHY。  I have refused him。

ANTHONY。  Dorothy; you lie。  You would shield your lover; but
this concerns not you only:  it strikes my honour and my father's
honour。

DOROTHY。  I have refused him … refused him; I tell you … refused 
him。  The blame is mine; are you so mad and wicked that you will 
not see?

ANTHONY。  I see this:  that man must die。

DOROTHY。  He? never!  You forget; you forget whom you defy; you
run upon your death。

ANTHONY。  Ah; my girl; you should have thought of that before。 
It is too late now。

DOROTHY。  Anthony; if I beg you … Anthony; I have tried to be a 
good sister; I brought you up; dear; nursed you when you were
sick; fought for you; hoped for you; loved you … think of it;
think of the dear past; think of our home and the happy winter
nights; the castles in the fire; the long shining future; the
love that was to forgive and suffer always … O you will spare;
you will spare me this。

ANTHONY。  I will tell you what I will do; Dolly:  I will do just 
what you taught me … my duty:  that; and nothing else。

DOROTHY。  O Anthony; you also; you to strike me!  Heavens; shall
I kill them … I … I; that love them; kill them!  Miserable;
sinful girl!  George; George; thank God; you will be far away!  O
go; George; go at once!

ANTHONY。  He goes the coward!  Ay; is this more of your 
contrivance?  Madam; you make me blush。  But to…day at least I
know where I can find him。  This afternoon; on the Pantiles; he
must dance attendance on the Duke of York。  Already he must be
there;  and there he is at my mercy。 DOROTHY。  Thank God; you are
deceived:  he will not fight。  He  promised me that; thank God I
have his promise for that。

ANTHONY。  Promise!  Do you see this? (PRODUCING NECKLACE) the
thing he bribed your maid with?  I shall dash it in his teeth
before the Duke and before all Tunbridge。  Promise; you poor
fool? what promise holds against a blow?  Get to your knees and
pray for him; for; by the God above; if he has any blood in his
body; one of us shall die before to…night。  (HE GOES OUT。)

DOROTHY。  Anthony; Anthony! 。 。 。 O my God; George will kill him。

MUSIC:  'CHE FARO;' AS THE DROP FALLS。

DROP。


MUSICAL INDUCTION:  'Gavotte;' 'IPHIGENIE EN AULIDE。' GLUCK


ACT IV。

The Stage represents the Pantiles:  the alleys fronting the 
spectators in parallel lines。  At the back; a stand of musicians;
from which the 'Gavotte' is repeated on muted strings。  The music
continues nearly through Scene I。  Visitors walking to and fro 
beneath the lines。  A seat in front; L。

SCENE I

MISS FOSTER; BARBARA; MENTEITH; VISITORS

MISS FOSTER (ENTERING; ESCORTED BY MENTEITH; AND FOLLOWED BY 
BARBARA)。  And so; Menteith; here you are once more。  And vastly 
pleased I am to see you; my good fellow; not only for your own 
sake; but because you harbinger the Beau。  (SITS; L。; MENTEITH 
STANDING OVER HER。)

MENTEITH。  Honoured madam; I have had the pleasure to serve Mr。 
George for more than thirty years。  This is a privilege … a very 
great privilege。  I have beheld him in the first societies;
moving among the first rank of personages; and none; madam; none
outshone him。

BARBARA。  I assure you; madam; when Mr。 Menteith took me to the 
play; he talked so much of Mr。 Austin that I couldn't hear a word
of Mr。 Kean。

MISS FOSTER。  Well; well; and very right。  That was the old
school of service; Barbara; which you would do well to imitate。 
This is a child; Menteith; that I am trying to form。

MENTEITH。  Quite so; madam。

MISS FOSTER。  And are we soon to see our princely guest;
Menteith?

MENTEITH。  His Royal Highness; madam?  I believe I may say quite 
so。  Mr。 George will receive our gallant prince upon the Pantiles

(LOOKING AT HIS WATCH) in; I should say; a matter of twelve
minutes from now。  Such; madam; is Mr。 George's order of the day。

BARBARA。  I beg your pardon; madam; I am sure; but are we really
to see one of His Majesty's own brothers?  That will be pure!  O 
madam; this is better than Carlisle。

MISS FOSTER。  The wood…note wild:  a loyal Cumbrian; Menteith。

MENTEITH。  Eh?  Quite so; madam。

MISS FOSTER。  When she has seen as much of the Royal Family as
you; my good fellow; she will find it vastly less entertaining。

MENTEITH。  Yes; madam; indeed; In these distinguished circles;
life is but a slavery。  None of the best set would relish
Tunbridge without Mr。 George; Tunbridge and Mr。 George (if you'll
excuse my plainness; madam) are in a manner of speaking
identified; and indeed it was the Dook's desire alone that
brought us here。

BARBARA。  What? the Duke?  O dear! was it for that?

MENTEITH。  Though; to be sure; madam; Mr。 George would always be 
charmed to find himself (BOWING) among so many admired members of
his own set。

MISS FOSTER。  Upon my word; Menteith; Mr。 Austin is as fortunate
in his servant as his reputation。

MENTEITH。  Quite so; madam。  But let me observe that the 
opportunities I have had of acquiring a knowledge of Mr。 George's
character have been positively unrivalled。  Nobody knows Mr。
George like his old attendant。  The goodness of that gentleman …
but; madam; you will soon be equally fortunate; if; as I
understand; it is to be a match。

MISS FOSTER。  I hope; Menteith; you are not taking leave of your 
senses。  Is it possible you mean my niece?

MENTEITH。  Madam; I have the honour to congratulate you。  I put a
second curl in Mr。 George's hair on purpose。


SCENE II

TO THESE; AUSTIN。  MENTEITH FALLS BACK; AND AUSTIN TAKES HIS
PLACE IN FRONT OF MISS FOSTER; HIS ATTITUDE A COUNTERPART OF
MENTEITH'S。

AUSTIN。  Madam; I hasten to present my homage。

MISS FOSTER。  A truce to compliments!  Menteith; your charming 
fellow there; has set me positively crazy。  Dear George Austin;
is it true? can it be true?

AUSTIN。  Madam; if he has been praising your niece he has been
well inspired。  If he was speaking; as I spoke an hour ago
myself; I wish; Miss Foster; that he had held his tongue。  I have
indeed offered myself to Miss Dorothy; and she; with the most
excellent reason; has refused me。

MISS FOSTER。  Is it possible? why; my dear George Austin 。 。 。 。 
then I suppose it is John Fenwick after all!

AUSTIN。  Not one of us is worthy。

MISS FOSTER。  This is the most amazing circumstance。  You take my
breath away。  My niece refuse George Austin? why; I give you
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