amphitryon(安菲特利翁)-第3章
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！
… Page 13…
Amphitryon
SOS。 Tell me； who put this fancy into your head？ What benefit will it
be to you to take my name？ In short； were you a demon； could you hinder
me from being myself； from being Sosie？
MERC。 What is this； you dare 。 。 。
SOS。 Ah！ Gently： there is a truce to blows。
MERC。 What！ Gallows…bird； impostor； scoundrel 。。。
SOS。 As for abuse； give me as much as you please； it makes but a
slight wound and does not bother me。
MERC。 You say you are Sosie？
SOS。 Yes。 Some ridiculous tale 。 。 。
MERC。 So； I shall break our truce； and take back my word。
SOS。 I can't help it。 I cannot annihilate myself for you； and endure so
improbable a tale。 Is it in your power to be what I am？ Can I cease to be
myself？ Did any one ever hear of such a thing？ And can you give the lie to
a hundred clear indications？ Do I dream？ Do I sleep？ Is my mind troubled
by powerful transports？ Do I not feel I am awake？ Am I not in my right
senses？ Has not my master； Amphitryon； commanded me to come here to
Alcmene his wife？ Am I not； in commending his passion to her； to give
her an account of his deeds against our enemies？ Have I not just come
from the harbour？ Do I not hold a lantern in my hand？ Have I not found
you in front of our house？ Did I not speak to you in a perfectly friendly
manner？ Do you not make use of my poltroonery to hinder me from
entering our house？ Have you not vented your rage upon my back？ Have
you not showered blows on me？ Ah！ All this is but too true： would to
Heaven it were less real！ Cease therefore to jeer at a wretch's lot； and leave
me to acquit myself where my duty calls me。
MERC。 Stop； or the shortest step brings down upon your back
clattering evidence of my just anger。 All you have just said is mine； except
the blows。 It is I； whom Amphitryon sent to Alcmene； who has just arrived
from the Persian port； I； who have come to announce the valour of his arm；
which has gained us a glorious victory； and slain the chief of our enemies。
In short； I am undoubtedly Sosie； son of Dave； an honest shepherd； brother
of Arpage； who died in a foreign land； husband of Cleanthis the prude；
whose temper drives me wild； I； who received a thousand cuts from a
13
… Page 14…
Amphitryon
whip at Thebes； without ever saying anything about it； and who was once
publicly branded on the back for being too worthy a man。
SOS。 He is right。 If he were not Sosie； he could not know all he says；
all this is so astounding that even I begin to believe him a little。 In fact；
now I look at him； I see he has my figure； looks； and manners。 I wilt ask
him some question； in order to clear up this mystery。 What did
Amphitryon obtain as his share of all the plunder taken from our enemies？
MERC。 Five fine large diamonds； beautifully set in a cluster； which
their chief wore as a rare piece of handicraft。
SOS。 For whom does he intend so rich a present？
MERC。 For his wife； he intends her to wear it。
SOS。 Where have you put it； until you meet her？
MERC。 In a casket sealed with the arms of my master。
SOS。 He does not tell a single lie at any turn： I begin to doubt myself
in earnest。 He has already cowed me into believing him to be Sosie； and
he might even reason me into thinking him so。 Yet； when I touch myself；
and recollect； it seems to me I am myself。 Where can I find some light that
will clearly make my way plain？ What I have done alone； and what no one
has seen； cannot be known to any one else： that； at least； belongs to me。 I
will astonish him by this question： it will confound him； and we shall see。
When they were at close quarters； what were you doing in our tents；
whither you ran to hide yourself away？
MERC。 Off a ham
SOS。 That is it！
MERC。 Which I unearthed； I soon cut two succulent slices： they suited
me nicely。 I added to them a wine which was usually kept dark； and；
gloated over the sight of it before I tasted it。 So I took heart for our
fighters。
SOS。 This unparalleled proof ends matters well in his favour； and；
unless he were in the bottle； there is nothing to be said。 From the proofs
you show me； I cannot deny that you are Sosie： I admit it。 But； if you are
he； tell me whom you wish me to be； for I must be someone。
MERC。 When I shall no longer be Sosie； you may be he； I consent to
that； but I promise you it shall be the death of you if you take up such a
14
… Page 15…
Amphitryon
fancy while I am he。
SOS。 All this confusion turns me inside out； for reason is against what
I see。 But I must end this by some means； and the shortest way for me is
to go in there。
MERC。 Oh！ You gallows…bird； you want to taste the stick。
SOS。 What is the matter？ Great Gods！ He makes the blows ring again；
my back will ache for a month。 I will leave this devil of a fellow； and
return to the harbour。 O just Heavens； what a fine ambassador I have been！
MERC。 At last； I have made him fly； this treatment has paid him out
for many of his deeds。 But here is Jupiter； gallantly escorting his lover
Alcmene。
SCENE III
JUPITER； ALCMENE； CLEANTHIS； MERCURY
JUP。 My dear Alcmene； forbid the torch…bearers to come near。 They
give me delight in enabling me to see you； but they might betray my being
here； and this were best unrevealed。 Restrained by all the heavy cares with
which the glory of our arms held me bound； my heart has stolen from the
duties of my post the moments it has just given to your charms。 This theft；
which I have consecrated to your beauty； might be blamed by the public
voice； and the only witness I want； is she who can thank me for it。
ALC。 I take great interest； Amphitryon； in the glory which your
illustrious exploits have cast upon you； the fame of your victory moves my
heart to its depths。 But when I see that this disastrous honour keeps my
lover away from me； such is my heart's feeling that I cannot forbear to
think ill of it； and to regret the high order which makes you general of the
Thebans。 It is sweet after a victory to see the glory to which one's lover
has been raised； but； from among the perils attached to this glory； a deadly
blow； alas！ may soon fall。 With how many fears is one's heart wounded at
the report of the least skirmish！ In the horror of such a thought； is there
anything that can console for the threatened stroke？ And with whatever
laurels the victor may be crowned； whatever share one may have in that
supreme honour； is it worth what it costs a tender heart； which trembles
every moment for its lover？
15
… Page 16…
Amphitryon
JUP。 I do not see anything in you but what inflames my passion；
everything shows me a deeply enamoured heart； and； I confess； it is a
great delight to find so much love in a beloved object。 But； if I may dare
say so； one scruple in the tender sentiments which you show me causes me
anxiety； and； in order to enjoy you the more； dear Alcmene； my heart
would rather see love only； and not duty； in the favours which I receive
from you； may they arise solely from affection； and have respect to my
person only； let not my condition as your husband be the reason for them。
ALC。 Yet it is in that name that the ardour which burns me holds the
right to show itself： I do not understand this new scruple which troubles
your heart。
JUP。 The love and tenderness which I have for you far exceeds a
husband's； in these sweet moments； you do not realise its delicacy； You do
not understand that a heart deeply in love studiously attaches itself to a
hundred little trifles； and is restless over the manner of being happy。 In me；
fair and charming Alcmene； you see a lover and a husband； but； to speak
frankly； it is the lover that appeals to me； when near you； I feel the
husband restrains him。 This lover； who is supremely jealous of your love；
wishes your heart to abandon itself solely to him： his passion does not
wish anything the husband gives him。 He wishes to obtain the warmth of
your love from the fountain…head； and not to owe anything to the bonds of
wedlock； or to a duty which palls and makes the heart sad； for by these the
sweetness of the most cherished favours is daily poisoned。 This idea； in
short； tosses him to and fro； and he wishes； in order to satisfy his scruples；
that you would differentiate where the occasion offends him； the husband
to be only for your virtue； and the lover to have the whole affection and
tenderness of a heart known to be full of kindness。
ALC。 In truth； Amphitryon； you must be jesting； to talk thus； I should
be afraid anyone who heard you would think you were not sane。
JUP。 There is more reason in this discourse； Alcmene； than you think。
But a longer stay here would render me guilty； and time presses for my
return to port。 Adieu。 The stern call of duty tears me away from you for a
time； but； lovely Alcmene； I beseech you at least to think of the lover
when you see the husband。
16
… Page 17…
Amphitryon
ALC。 I do not separate what the Gods unite： both husband and lover
are very precious to me。
CLE。 O Heaven！ How delightful are the caresses of an ardently
cherished husband！ How far my poor husband is from all this tenderness！
MERC。 I must tell Night she has but to furl all her sails； the Sun may
now arise from his bed and put out the stars。
SCENE IV
CLEANTHIS； MERCURY （Mercury turns to go away）
CLE。 So？ Is it thus you quit me？
MERC。 What would you have？ Do you wish me not to do my duty；
