the complete plays-第74章
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frivolous consort； the wealthy husband will shower innumerable
bonnets on his penniless bride； and the young and lively spouse
will cheer the declining days of her aged partner with comic
songs unceasing！
ALINE What a delightful prospect for him！
ALEXIS But one thing remains to be done； that my happiness
may be complete。 We must drink the philtre ourselves； that I may
be assured of your love for ever and ever。
ALINE Oh； Alexis； do you doubt me？ Is it necessary that
such love as ours should be secured by artificial means？ Oh； no；
no； no！
ALEXIS My dear Aline； time works terrible changes； and I
want to place our love beyond the chance of change。
ALINE Alexis； it is already far beyond that chance。 Have
faith in me； for my love can never； never change！
ALEXIS Then you absolutely refuse？
ALINE I do。 If you cannot trust me； you have no right to
love meno right to be loved by me。
ALEXIS Enough； Aline； I shall know how to interpret this
refusal。
BALLADALEXIS
Thou hast the power thy vaunted love
To sanctify； all doubt above；
Despite the gathering shade：
To make that love of thine so sure
That； come what may； it must endure
Till time itself shall fade。
They love is but a flower
That fades within the hour！
If such thy love； oh； shame！
Call it by other name
It is not love！
Thine is the power and thine alone；
To place me on so proud a throne
That kings might envy me！
A priceless throne of love untold；
More rare than orient pearl and gold。
But no！ Thou wouldst be free！
Such love is like the ray
That dies within the day：
If such thy love； oh； shame！
Call it by other name
It is not love！
Enter Dr。 Daly。
DR。 D。 （musing） It is singularit is very singular。 It
has overthrown all my calculations。 It is distinctly opposed to
the doctrine of averages。 I cannot understand it。
ALINE Dear Dr。 Daly； what has puzzled you？
DR。 D。 My dear； this village has not hitherto been addicted
to marrying and giving in marriage。 Hitherto the youths of this
village have not been enterprising； and the maidens have been
distinctly coy。 Judge then of my surprise when I tell you that
the whole village came to me in a body just now； and implored me
to join them in matrimony with as little delay as possible。 Even
your excellent father has hinted to me that before very long it
is not unlikely that he may also change his condition。
ALINE Oh； Alexisdo you hear that？ Are you not delighted？
ALEXIS Yes； I confess that a union between your mother and
my father would be a happy circumstance indeed。 （Crossing to Dr。
Daly） My dear sirthe news that you bring us is very
gratifying。
DR。 D。 Yesstill； in my eyes； it has its melancholy side。
This universal marrying recalls the happy daysnow； alas； gone
foreverwhen I myself might havebut tush！ I am puling。 I am
too old to marryand yet； within the last half…hour； I have
greatly yearned for companionship。 I never remarked it before；
but the young maidens of this village are very comely。 So
likewise are the middle…aged。 Also the elderly。 All are
comelyand （with a deep sigh） all are engaged！
ALINE Here comes your father。
Enter Sir Marmaduke with Mrs。 Partlet； arm…in…arm
ALINE and ALEXIS （aside）。 Mrs。 Partlet！
SIR M。 Dr。 Daly； give me joy。 Alexis； my dear boy； you
will； I am sure； be pleased to hear that my declining days are
not unlikely to be solaced by the companionship of this good；
virtuous； and amiable woman。
ALEXIS （rather taken aback） My dear father； this is not
altogether what I expected。 I am certainly taken somewhat by
surprise。 Still it can hardly be necessary to assure you that
any wife of yours is a mother of mine。 （Aside to Aline。） It is
not quite what I could have wished。
MRS。 P。 （crossing to Alexis） Oh； sir； I entreat your
forgiveness。 I am aware that socially I am not everything that
could be desired； nor am I blessed with an abundance of worldly
goods； but I can at least confer on your estimable father the
great and priceless dowry of a true； tender； and lovin' 'art！
ALEXIS （coldly） I do not question it。 After all； a
faithful love is the true source of every earthly joy。
SIR M。 I knew that my boy would not blame his poor father
for acting on the impulse of a heart that has never yet misled
him。 Zorah is not perhaps what the world calls beautiful
DR。 D。 Still she is comelydistinctly comely。 （Sighs）
ALINE Zorah is very good； and very clean； and honest； and
quite； quite sober in her habits： and that is worth far more than
beauty； dear Sir Marmaduke。
DR。 D。 Yes； beauty will fade and perish； but personal
cleanliness is practically undying； for it can be renewed
whenever it discovers symptoms of decay。 My dear Sir Marmaduke；
I heartily congratulate you。 （Sighs）
QUINTETTE
ALEXIS； ALINE； SIR MARMADUKE； ZORAH； and DR。 DALY
ALEXIS。 I rejoice that it's decided；
Happy now will be his life；
For my father is provided
With a true and tender wife。
She will tend him； nurse him； mend him；
Air his linen； dry his tears；
Bless the thoughtful fate that send him
Such a wife to soothe his years！
ALINE。 No young giddy thoughtless maiden；
Full of graces； airs； and jeers
But a sober widow； laden
With the weight of fifty years！
SIR M。 No high…born exacting beauty
Blazing like a jewelled sun
But a wife who'll do her duty；
As that duty should be done！
MRS。 P。 I'm no saucy minx and giddy
Hussies such as them abound
But a clean and tidy widdy
Well be…known for miles around！
DR。D。 All the village now have mated；
All are happy as can be
I to live alone am fated：
No one's left to marry me！
ENSEMBLE。 She will tend him etc。
（Exeunt Sir Marmaduke； Mrs。 Partlet； and Aline； with Alexis。 Dr。
Daly
looks after them sentimentally； then exits with a sigh。）
Enter Mr。 Wells
RECITATIVEMR。 WELLS
Oh； I have wrought much evil with my spells！
And ill I can't undo！
This is too bad of you； J。 W。 Wells
What wrong have they done you？
And seeanother love…lorn lady comes
Alas； poor stricken dame！
A gentle pensiveness her life benumbs
And mine； alone； the blame！
Lady Sangazure enters。 She is very melancholy
LADY S。 Alas； ah me！ and well…a…day！
I sigh for love； and well I may；
For I am very old and grey。
But stay！
（Sees Mr。 Wells； and becomes fascinated by him。）
RECITATIVE
LADY S。 What is this fairy form I see before me？
MR。 W。 Oh horrible！She's going to adore me！
This last catastrophe is overpowering！
LADY S。 Why do you glare at one with visage lowering？
For pity's sake recoil not thus from me！
MR。 W。 My lady leave methis may never be！
DUETLADY SANGAZURE and MR。 WELLS
MR。 W。 Hate me！ I drop my H'shave through life！
LADY S。 Love me！ I'll drop them too！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ I always eat peas with a knife！
LADY S。 Love me！ I'll eat like you！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ I spend the day at Rosherville！
LADY S。 Love me！ that joy I'll share！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ I often roll down One Tree Hill！
LADY S。 Love me！ I'll join you there！
LADY S。 Love me！ My prejudices I will drop！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ that's not enough！
LADY S。 Love me！ I'll come and help you in the shop！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ the life is rough！
LADY S。 Love me！ my grammar I will all forswear！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ abjure my lot！
LADY S。 Love me！ I'll stick sunflowers in my hair！
MR。 W。 Hate me！ they'll suit you not！
RECITATIVEMR。 WELLS
At what I am going to say be not enraged
I may not love youfor I am engaged！
LADY S。 （horrified） Engaged！
MR。 W。 Engaged！
To a maiden fair；
With bright brown hair；
And a sweet and simple smile；
Who waits for me
By the sounding sea；
On a South Pacific isle。
MR。 W。 （aside） A lie！ No maiden waits me there！
LADY S。 （mournfully） She has bright brown hair；
MR。 W。 （aside） A lie！ No maiden smiles on me！
LADY S。 （mournfully） By the sounding sea！
ENSEMBLE
LADY SANGAZURE MR。 W。
Oh agony； rage； despair！ Oh； agony； rage；
despair！
The maiden has bright brown hair； Oh； where will this
endoh； where？
And mine is as white as snow！ I should like very much
to know！
False man； it will be your fault； It will certainly be my
fault；
If I go to my family vault； If she goes to her family
vault；
And bury my life…long woe！ To bury her life…long
woe！
BOTH。 The family vaultthe family vault。
It will certainly be （your/my） fault。
If （I go/she goes） to （my/her） family vault；
To bury （my/her） life…long woe！
（Exit Lady Sangazure； in great anguish； accompanied by Mr。 Wells。）
Enter Aline； Recitative
Alexis！ Doubt me not； my loved one！ See；
Thine uttered will is sovereign law to me！
All fearall thought of ill I
