the complete plays-第102章
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grave import to say to thee。
MERYLL ＇aside＇ It's coming。
FAIRFAX ＇laughing＇ I'faith； I think I'； not wanted here。
＇Going＇
DAME Nay； Master Leonard； I've naught to say to thy father
that his son may not hear。
FAIRFAX ＇aside＇ True。 I'm one of the family； I had forgotten！
DAME 'Tis about this Elsie Maynard。 A pretty girl； Master
Leonard。
FAIRFAX Aye； fair as a peach blossom what then？
DAME She hath a liking for thee； or I mistake not。
FAIRFAX With all my heart。 She's as dainty a little amid as
you'll find in a midsummer day's march。
DAME Then be warned in time； and give not thy heart to her。
Oh； I know what it is to give my heart to one who will
have none of it！
MERYLL ＇aside＇ Aye； she knows all about that。
＇Aloud＇ And why is my boy to take heed of her？ She's
a good girl； Dame Carruthers。
DAME Good enough； for aught I know。 But she's no girl。
She's a married woman。
MERYLL A married woman！ Tush； old lady she's promised to
Jack Point； the Lieutenant's new jester。
DAME Tush in thy teeth； old man！ As my niece Kate sat by
her bedside to…day； this Elsie slept； and as she slept
she moaned and groaned； and turned this way and that
way and； 〃How shall I marry one I have never seen？〃
quoth she then； 〃An hundred crowns！〃 quoth she
then；〃Is it certain he will die in an hour？〃 quoth
she then； 〃I love him not； and yet I am his wife；〃
quoth she！ Is it not so； Kate？
KATE Aye； aunt； 'tis even so。
FAIRFAX Art thou sure of all this？
KATE Aye； sir； for I wrote it all down on my tablets。
DAME Now； mark my words： it was of this Fairfax she spake；
and he is her husband； or I'll swallow my kirtle！
MERYLL ＇aside＇ Is it true； sir？
FAIRFAX ＇aside to MERYLL＇ True？ Why； the girl was raving！
＇Aloud＇ Why should she marry a man who had but an hour
to live？
DAME Marry？ There be those who would marry but for a
minute； rather than die old maids。
MERYLL ＇aside＇ Aye； I know one of them！
No。 17。 Strange adventure！
（QUARTET）
Kate； Dame； Carruthers； Fairfax and Sergeant Meryll
ALL Strange adventure！ Maiden wedded
To a groom she's never seen
Never； never； never seen！
Groom about to be beheaded；
In an hour on Tower Green！
Tower； Tower； Tower Green！
Groom in dreary dungeon lying；
Groom as good as dead； or dying；
For a pretty maiden sighing
Pretty maid of seventeen！
Seven seven seventeen！
Strange adventure that we're trolling：
Modest maid and gallant groom
Gallant； gallant； gallant groom！
While the funeral bell is tolling；
Tolling； tolling； Bim…a…boom！
Bim…a； Bim…a； Bim…a…boom！
Modest maiden will not tarry；
Though but sixteen year she carry；
She must marry； she must marry；
Though the altar be a tomb
Tower Tower Tower tomb！
Tower tomb！ Tower tomb！
Though the altar be a tomb！
Tower； Tower； Tower tomb！
＇Exeunt DAME CARRUTHERS； MERYLL； and KATE。
FAIRFAX So my mysterious bride is no other than this winsome
Elsie！ By my hand； 'tis no such ill plunge in
Fortune's lucky bag！ I might have fared worse with my
eyes open！ But she comes。 Now to test her principles。
'Tis not every husband who has a chance of wooing his
own wife！
＇Enter ELSIE
FAIRFAX Mistress Elsie！
ELSIE Master Leonard！
FAIRFAX So thou leavest us to…night？
ELSIE Yes。 Master Leonard。 I have been kindly tended； and I
almost fear I am loth to go。
FAIRFAX And this Fairfax。 Wast thou glad when he escaped？
ELSIE Why； truly； Master Leonard； it is a sad thing that a
young and gallant gentleman should die in the very
fullness of his life。
FAIRFAX Then when thou didst faint in my arms； it was for joy
at his safety？
ELSIE It may be so。 I was highly wrought； Master Leonard；
and I am but a girl； and so； when I an highly wrought；
I faint。
FAIRFAX Now； dost thou know； I am consumed with a parlous
jealousy？
ELSIE Thou？ And of whom？
FAIRFAX Why； of this Fairfax； surely！
ELSIE Of Colonel Fairfax？
FAIRFAX Aye。 Shall I be frank with thee？ Elsie I love thee；
ardently； passionately！ ＇ELSIE alarmed and surprised＇
Elsie； I have loved thee these two days which is a
long time and I would fain join my life to thine！
ELSIE Master Leonard！ Thou art jesting！
FAIRFAX Jesting？ May I shrivel into raisins if I jest！ I love
thee with a love that is a fever with a love that is
a frenzy with a love that eateth up my heart！ What
sayest thou？ Thou wilt not let my heart be eaten up？
ELSIE ＇aside＇ Oh； mercy！ What am I to say？
FAIRFAX Dost thou love me； or hast thou been insensible these
two days？
ELSIE I love all brave men。
FAIRFAX Nay； there is love in excess。 I thank heaven there are
many brave men in England； but if thou lovest them
all； I withdraw my thanks。
ELSIE I love the bravest best。 But； sir； I may not listen
I am not free I I am a wife！
FAIRFAX Thou a wife？ Whose？ His name？ His hours are
numberednay； his grave is dug and his epitaph set up！
Come； his name？
ELSIE Oh； sir！ keep my secret it is the only barrier that
Fate could set up between us。 My husband is none other
than Colonel Fairfax！
FAIRFAX The greatest villain unhung！ The most ill…favoured；
ill…mannered； ill…natured； ill…omened； ill…tempered
dog in Christendom！
ELSIE It is very like。 He is naught to me for I never saw
him。 I was blindfolded； and he was to have died within
the hour； and he did not die and I am wedded to him；
and my heart is broken！
FAIRFAX He was to have died； and he did not die？ The
scoundrel！ The perjured； traitorous villain！ Thou
shouldst have insisted on his dying first； to make
sure。 'Tis the only way with these Fairfaxes。
ELSIE I now wish I had！
FAIRFAX ＇aside＇ Bloodthirsty little maiden！
＇Aloud＇ A fig for this Fairfax！ Be mine he will never
know he dares not show himself； and if he dare； what
art thou to him？ Fly with me； Elsie we will be
married tomorrow； and thou shalt be the happiest wife
in England！
ELSIE Master Leonard！ I am amazed！ Is it thus that brave
soldiers speak to poor girls？ Oh！ for shame； for
shame！ I am wed not the less because I love not my
husband。 I am a wife； sir； and I have a duty； and oh；
sir！ thy words terrify me they are not honest they
are wicked words； and unworthy thy great and brave
heart！ Oh；shame upon thee！ shame upon thee！
FAIRFAX Nay； Elsie； I did but jest。 I spake but to try thee
＇Shot heard
＇Enter SERGEANT MERYLL hastily
No。 18。 Hark！ What was that； sir？
（SCENE）
Elsie； Phoebe； Dame Carruthers； Fairfax。 Wilfred； Point；
Lieutenant； Sergeant
MERYLL Hark！ What was that； sir？
FAIRFAX Why； an arquebus
Fired from the wharf； unless I much mistake。
MERYLL Strange and at such an hour！ What can it mean！
＇Enter CHORUS excitedly
CHORUS Now what can that have been
A shot so late at night；
Enough to cause a fright！
What can the portent mean？
Are foemen in the land？
Is London to be wrecked？
What are we to expect？
What danger is at hand？
Let us understand
What danger is at hand！
＇LIEUTENANT enters； also POINT and WILFRED
LIEUT。 Who fired that shot？ At once the truth declare？
WILFRED My lord； 'twas I to rashly judge forebear！
POINT My lord； 'twas he to rashly judge forebear！
WILFRED Like a ghost his vigil keeping
POINT Or a spectre all…appalling
WILFRED I beheld a figure creeping
POINT I should rather call it crawling
WILFRED He was creeping
POINT He was crawling
WILFRED He was creeping； creeping
POINT Crawling！
WILFRED He was creeping
POINT He was crawling
WILFRED He was creeping； creeping
POINT Crawling！
WILFRED Not a moment's hesitation
I myself upon him flung；
With a hurried exclamation
To his draperies I hung；
Then we closed with one another
In a rough…and…tumble smother；
Col'nel Fairfax and no other
Was the man to whom I clung！
ALL Col'nel Fairfax and no other；
Was the man to whom he clung！
WILFRED After mighty tug and tussle
POINT It resembled more a struggle
WILFRED He； by dint of stronger muscle
POINT Or by some infernal juggle
WILFRED From my clutches quickly sliding
POINT I should rather call it slipping
WILFRED With a view； no doubt； of hiding
POINT Or escaping to the shipping
WILFRED With a gasp； and with a quiver
POINT I'd describe it as a shiver
WILFRED Down he dived into the river；
And； alas； I cannot swim。
ALL It's enough to make one shiver；
With a gasp； and with a quiver；
Down he dive
