she stoops to conquer(屈身求爱)-第15章
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out。 Oh！
TONY。 What need you go； sir； if I tell you？ Hem。 I'll lay down
my life for the truthhemI'll tell you all； sir。 ＇Detaining him。＇
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HARDCASTLE。 I tell you I will not be detained。 I insist on seeing。
It's in vain to expect I'll believe you。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 （Running forward from behind。） O lud！
he'll murder my poor boy； my darling！ Here； good gentleman； whet your
rage upon me。 Take my money； my life； but spare that young gentleman；
spare my child； if you have any mercy。
HARDCASTLE。 My wife； as I'm a Christian。 From whence can
she come？ or what does she mean？
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 （Kneeling。） Take compassion on us； good
Mr。 Highwayman。 Take our money； our watches； all we have； but spare
our lives。 We will never bring you to justice； indeed we won't； good Mr。
Highwayman。
HARDCASTLE。 I believe the woman's out of her senses。 What；
Dorothy； don't you know ME？
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Mr。 Hardcastle； as I'm alive！ My fears
blinded me。 But who； my dear； could have expected to meet you here； in
this frightful place； so far from home？ What has brought you to follow
us？
HARDCASTLE。 Sure； Dorothy； you have not lost your wits？ So
far from home； when you are within forty yards of your own door！ （To
him。） This is one of your old tricks； you graceless rogue； you。 （To her。）
Don't you know the gate； and the mulberry…tree； and don't you remember
the horse…pond； my dear？
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Yes； I shall remember the horse…pond as
long as I live； I have caught my death in it。 （To TONY。） And it is to
you； you graceless varlet； I owe all this？ I'll teach you to abuse your
mother； I will。
TONY。 Ecod； mother； all the parish says you have spoiled me； and so
you may take the fruits on't。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 I'll spoil you； I will。 ＇Follows him off the
stage。 Exit。＇ HARDCASTLE。 There's morality； however； in his reply。
＇Exit。＇
Enter HASTINGS and MISS NEVILLE。
HASTINGS。 My dear Constance； why will you deliberate thus？ If
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we delay a moment； all is lost for ever。 Pluck up a little resolution； and
we shall soon be out of the reach of her malignity。
MISS NEVILLE。 I find it impossible。 My spirits are so sunk with
the agitations I have suffered； that I am unable to face any new danger。
Two or three years' patience will at last crown us with happiness。
HASTINGS。 Such a tedious delay is worse than inconstancy。 Let
us fly； my charmer。 Let us date our happiness from this very moment。
Perish fortune！ Love and content will increase what we possess beyond a
monarch's revenue。 Let me prevail！
MISS NEVILLE。 No； Mr。 Hastings； no。 Prudence once more
comes to my relief； and I will obey its dictates。 In the moment of passion
fortune may be despised； but it ever produces a lasting repentance。 I'm
resolved to apply to Mr。 Hardcastle's compassion and justice for redress。
HASTINGS。 But though he had the will； he has not the power to
relieve you。
MISS NEVILLE。 But he has influence； and upon that I am resolved
to rely。
HASTINGS。 I have no hopes。 But since you persist； I must
reluctantly obey you。 ＇Exeunt。＇
SCENE changes。
Enter SIR CHARLES and MISS HARDCASTLE。
SIR CHARLES。 What a situation am I in！ If what you say
appears； I shall then find a guilty son。 If what he says be true； I shall then
lose one that； of all others； I most wished for a daughter。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 I am proud of your approbation； and to show
I merit it； if you place yourselves as I directed； you shall hear his explicit
declaration。 But he comes。
SIR CHARLES。 I'll to your father； and keep him to the appointment。
＇Exit SIR CHARLES。＇
Enter MARLOW。
MARLOW。 Though prepared for setting out； I come once more to
take leave； nor did I； till this moment； know the pain I feel in the
separation。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 （In her own natural manner。） I believe
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sufferings cannot be very great； sir； which you can so easily remove。 A
day or two longer； perhaps； might lessen your uneasiness； by showing the
little value of what you now think proper to regret。
MARLOW。 （Aside。） This girl every moment improves upon me。
（To her。） It must not be； madam。 I have already trifled too long with
my heart。 My very pride begins to submit to my passion。 The disparity
of education and fortune； the anger of a parent； and the contempt of my
equals； begin to lose their weight； and nothing can restore me to myself
but this painful effort of resolution。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Then go； sir： I'll urge nothing more to
detain you。 Though my family be as good as hers you came down to
visit； and my education； I hope； not inferior； what are these advantages
without equal affluence？ I must remain contented with the slight
approbation of imputed merit； I must have only the mockery of your
addresses； while all your serious aims are fixed on fortune。
Enter HARDCASTLE and SIR CHARLES from behind。
SIR CHARLES。 Here； behind this screen。
HARDCASTLE。 Ay； ay； make no noise。 I'll engage my Kate
covers him with confusion at last。
MARLOW。 By heavens； madam！ fortune was ever my smallest
consideration。 Your beauty at first caught my eye； for who could see that
without emotion？ But every moment that I converse with you steals in
some new grace； heightens the picture； and gives it stronger expression。
What at first seemed rustic plainness； now appears refined simplicity。
What seemed forward assurance； now strikes me as the result of
courageous innocence and conscious virtue。
SIR CHARLES。 What can it mean？ He amazes me！
HARDCASTLE。 I told you how it would be。 Hush！
MARLOW。 I am now determined to stay； madam； and I have too
good an opinion of my father's discernment； when he sees you； to doubt
his approbation。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 No； Mr。 Marlow； I will not； cannot detain
you。 Do you think I could suffer a connexion in which there is the
smallest room for repentance？ Do you think I would take the mean
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advantage of a transient passion； to load you with confusion？ Do you
think I could ever relish that happiness which was acquired by lessening
yours？
MARLOW。 By all that's good； I can have no happiness but what's in
your power to grant me！ Nor shall I ever feel repentance but in not
having seen your merits before。 I will stay even contrary to your wishes；
and though you should persist to shun me； I will make my respectful
assiduities atone for the levity of my past conduct。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Sir； I must entreat you'll desist。 As our
acquaintance began； so let it end； in indifference。 I might have given an
hour or two to levity； but seriously； Mr。 Marlow； do you think I could ever
submit to a connexion where I must appear mercenary； and you imprudent？
Do you think I could ever catch at the confident addresses of a secure
admirer？
MARLOW。 （Kneeling。） Does this look like security？ Does this
look like confidence？ No； madam； every moment that shows me your
merit； only serves to increase my diffidence and confusion。 Here let me
continue
SIR CHARLES。 I can hold it no longer。 Charles； Charles； how hast
thou deceived me！ Is this your indifference； your uninteresting
conversation？
HARDCASTLE。 Your cold contempt； your formal interview！
What have you to say now？
MARLOW。 That I'm all amazement！ What can it mean？
HARDCASTLE。 It means that you can say and unsay things at
pleasure： that you can address a lady in private； and deny it in public： that
you have one story for us； and another for my daughter。
MARLOW。 Daughter！This lady your daughter？
HARDCASTLE。 Yes； sir； my only daughter； my Kate； whose else
should she be？
MARLOW。 Oh； the devil！
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Yes； sir； that very identical tall squinting
lady you were pleased to take me for （courtseying）； she that you addressed
as the mild； modest； sentimental man of gravity； and the bold； forward；
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agreeable Rattle of the Ladies' Club。 Ha！ ha！ ha！
MARLOW。 Zounds！ there's no bearing this； it's worse than death！
MISS HARDCASTLE。 In which of your characters； sir； will you
give us leave to address you？ As the faltering gentleman； with looks on
the ground； that speaks just to be heard； and hates hypocrisy； or the loud
confident creature； that keeps it up with Mrs。 Mantrap； and old Miss Biddy
Buckskin； till three in the morning？ Ha！ ha！ ha！
MARLOW。 O； curse on my noisy head。 I never attempted to be
impudent yet； that I was
