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the old bachelor-第13章

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; you know I have。But thou hast been a faithless Delilah; and the PhilistinesHeh!  Art thou not vile and unclean; heh?  Speak。  'Weeping。'

LAET。  No…h。  'Sighing。'

FOND。  Oh that I could believe thee!

LAET。  Oh; my heart will break。  'Seeming to faint。'

FOND。  Heh; how!  No; stay; stay; I will believe thee; I will。 Pray bend her forward; sir。

LAET。  Oh! oh!  Where is my dear?

FOND。  Here; here; I do believe thee。  I won't believe my own eyes。

BELL。  For my part; I am so charmed with the love of your turtle to you; that I'll go and solicit matrimony with all my might and main。

FOND。  Well; well; sir; as long as I believe it; 'tis well enough。 No thanks to you; sir; for her virtue。But; I'll show you the way out of my house; if you please。  Come; my dear。  Nay; I will believe thee; I do; i'feck。

BELL。  See the great blessing of an easy faith; opinion cannot err。

No husband; by his wife; can be deceived; She still is virtuous; if she's so believed。



ACT V。SCENE I。



SCENE:  The Street。

BELLMOUR in fanatic habit; SETTER; HEARTWELL; LUCY。

BELL。  Setter!  Well encountered。

SET。  Joy of your return; sir。  Have you made a good voyage? or have you brought your own lading back?

BELL。  No; I have brought nothing but ballast backmade a delicious voyage; Setter; and might have rode at anchor in the port till this time; but the enemy surprised usI would unrig。

SET。  I attend you; sir。

BELL。  Ha!  Is it not that Heartwell at Sylvia's door?  Be gone quickly; I'll follow youI would not be known。  Pox take 'em; they stand just in my way。


SCENE II。


BELLMOUR; HEARTWELL; LUCY。

HEART。  I'm impatient till it be done。

LUCY。  That may be; without troubling yourself to go again for your brother's chaplain。  Don't you see that stalking form of godliness?

HEART。  O ay; he's a fanatic。

LUCY。  An executioner qualified to do your business。  He has been lawfully ordained。

HEART。  I'll pay him well; if you'll break the matter to him。

LUCY。  I warrant you。Do you go and prepare your bride。


SCENE III。


BELLMOUR; LUCY。

BELL。  Humph; sits the wind there?  What a lucky rogue am I!  Oh; what sport will be here; if I can persuade this wench to secrecy!

LUCY。  Sir:  reverend sir。

BELL。  Madam。  'Discovers himself。'

LUCY。  Now; goodness have mercy upon me!  Mr。 Bellmour! is it you?

BELL。  Even I。  What dost think?

LUCY。  Think!  That I should not believe my eyes; and that you are not what you seem to be。

BELL。  True。  But to convince thee who I am; thou knowest my old token。  'Kisses her。'

LUCY。  Nay; Mr。 Bellmour:  O Lard!  I believe you are a parson in good earnest; you kiss so devoutly。

BELL。  Well; your business with me; Lucy?

LUCY。  I had none; but through mistake。

BELL。  Which mistake you must go through with; Lucy。  Come; I know the intrigue between Heartwell and your mistress; and you mistook me for Tribulation Spintext; to marry 'emHa? are not matters in this posture?  Confess:  come; I'll be faithful; I will; i'faith。 What! diffide in me; Lucy?

LUCY。  Alas…a…day!  You and Mr。 Vainlove; between you; have ruined my poor mistress:  you have made a gap in her reputation; and can you blame her if she make it up with a husband?

BELL。  Well; is it as I say?

LUCY。  Well; it is then:  but you'll be secret?

BELL。  Phuh; secret; ay。  And to be out of thy debt; I'll trust thee with another secret。  Your mistress must not marry Heartwell; Lucy。

LUCY。  How!  O Lord!

BELL。  Nay; don't be in passion; Lucy:… I'll provide a fitter husband for her。  Come; here's earnest of my good intentions for thee too; let this mollify。  'Gives her money。'  Look you; Heartwell is my friend; and though he be blind; I must not see him fall into the snare; and unwittingly marry a whore。

LUCY。  Whore!  I'd have you to know my mistress scorns …

BELL。  Nay; nay:  look you; Lucy; there are whores of as good quality。  But to the purpose; if you will give me leave to acquaint you with it。  Do you carry on the mistake of me:  I'll marry 'em。 Nay; don't pause; if you do; I'll spoil all。  I have some private reasons for what I do; which I'll tell you within。  In the meantime; I promiseand rely upon meto help your mistress to a husband:  nay; and thee too; Lucy。  Here's my hand; I will; with a fresh assurance。  'Gives her more money。'

LUCY。  Ah; the devil is not so cunning。  You know my easy nature。 Well; for once I'll venture to serve you; but if you do deceive me; the curse of all kind; tender…hearted women light upon you!

BELL。  That's as much as to say; the pox take me。  Well; lead on。


SCENE IV。


VAINLOVE; SHARPER; and SETTER。

SHARP。  Just now; say you; gone in with Lucy?

SET。  I saw him; sir; and stood at the corner where you found me; and overheard all they said:  Mr。 Bellmour is to marry 'em。

SHARP。  Ha; ha; it will be a pleasant cheat。  I'll plague Heartwell when I see him。  Prithee; Frank; let's tease him; make him fret till he foam at the mouth; and disgorge his matrimonial oath with interest。  Come; thou'rt musty …

SET。  'To SHARPER。'  Sir; a word with you。  'Whispers him。'

VAIN。  Sharper swears she has forsworn the letterI'm sure he tells me truth;but I'm not sure she told him truth:  yet she was unaffectedly concerned; he says; and often blushed with anger and surprise:  and so I remember in the park。  She had reason; if I wrong her。  I begin to doubt。

SHARP。  Say'st thou so?

SET。  This afternoon; sir; about an hour before my master received the letter。

SHARP。  In my conscience; like enough。

SET。  Ay; I know her; sir; at least; I'm sure I can fish it out of her:  she's the very sluice to her lady's secrets:  'tis but setting her mill agoing; and I can drain her of 'em all。

SHARP。  Here; Frank; your bloodhound has made out the fault:  this letter; that so sticks in thy maw; is counterfeit; only a trick of Sylvia in revenge; contrived by Lucy。

VAIN。  Ha!  It has a colour; but how do you know it; sirrah?

SET。  I do suspect as much; because why; sir; she was pumping me about how your worship's affairs stood towards Madam Araminta; as; when you had seen her last? when you were to see her next? and; where you were to be found at that time? and such like。

VAIN。  And where did you tell her?

SET。  In the Piazza。

VAIN。  There I received the letterit must be soand why did you not find me out; to tell me this before; sot?

SET。  Sir; I was pimping for Mr。 Bellmour。

SHARP。  You were well employed:  I think there is no objection to the excuse。

VAIN。  Pox of my saucy credulityif I have lost her; I deserve it。 But if confession and repentance be of force; I'll win her; or weary her into a forgiveness。

SHARP。  Methinks I long to see Bellmour come forth。


SCENE V。


SHARPER; BELLMOUR; SETTER。

SET。  Talk of the devil:  see where he comes。

SHARP。  Hugging himself in his prosperous mischiefno real fanatic can look better pleased after a successful sermon of sedition。

BELL。  Sharper!  Fortify thy spleen:  such a jest!  Speak when thou art ready。

SHARP。  Now; were I ill…natured would I utterly disappoint thy mirth:  hear thee tell thy mighty jest with as much gravity as a bishop hears venereal causes in the spiritual court。  Not so much as wrinkle my face with one smile; but let thee look simply; and laugh by thyself。

BELL。  Pshaw; no; I have a better opinion of thy wit。  Gad; I defy thee。

SHARP。  Were it not loss of time you should make the experiment。 But honest Setter; here; overheard you with Lucy; and has told me all。

BELL。  Nay; then; I thank thee for not putting me out of countenance。  But; to tell you something you don't know。  I got an opportunity after I had married 'em; of discovering the cheat to Sylvia。  She took it at first; as another woman would the like disappointment; but my promise to make her amends quickly with another husband somewhat pacified her。

SHARP。  But how the devil do you think to acquit yourself of your promise?  Will you marry her yourself?

BELL。  I have no such intentions at present。  Prithee; wilt thou think a little for me?  I am sure the ingenious Mr。 Setter will assist。

SET。  O Lord; sir!

BELL。  I'll leave him with you; and go shift my habit。


SCENE VI。


SHARPER; SETTER; SIR JOSEPH; and BLUFFE。

SHARP。  Heh!  Sure fortune has sent this fool hither on purpose。 Setter; stand close; seem not to observe 'em; and; hark ye。 'Whispers。'

BLUFF。  Fear him not。  I am prepared for him now; and he shall find he might have safer roused a sleeping lion。

SIR JO。  Hush; hush! don't you see him?

BLUFF。  Show him to me。  Where is he?

SIR JO。  Nay; don't speak so loud。  I don't jest as I did a little while ago。  Look yonder!  Agad; if he should hear the lion roar; he'd cudgel him into an ass; and his primitive braying。  Don't you remember the story in AEsop's Fables; bully?  Agad; there are good morals to be picked out of AEsop's Fables; let me tell you that; and Reynard the Fox too。

BLUFF。  Damn your morals。

SIR JO。  Prithee; don't speak so loud。

BLUFF。  Damn your morals; I must revenge the affront done to my honour。  'In a low voice。'

SIR JO。  Ay; do; do; captain; if you think fitting。  You may dispose of your own
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