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！
The Hunchback
by James Sheridan Knowles
INTRODUCTION
James Sheridan Knowles was born at Cork in 1784； and died at Torquay
in December； 1862； at the age of 78。 His father was a teacher of
elocution； who compiled a dictionary； and who was related to the
Sheridans。 He moved to London when his son was eight years old； and
there became acquainted with William Hazlitt and Charles Lamb。 The
son； after his school education； obtained a commission in the army；
but gave up everything for the stage； and made his first appearance
at the Crow Street Theatre； in Dublin。 He did not become a great
actor； and when he took to writing plays he did not prove himself a
great poet； but his skill in contriving situations through which a
good actor can make his powers tell upon the public； won the heart
of the great actor of his day； and as Macready's own poet he rose to
fame。
Before Macready had discovered him； Sheridan Knowles lived partly by
teaching elocution at Belfast and Glasgow； partly by practice of
elocution as an actor。 In 1815 he produced at the Belfast Theatre
his first play； Caius Gracchus。 His next play； Virginius was
produced at Glasgow with great success。 Macready； who had； at the
age of seventeen； begun his career as an actor at his father's
theatre in Birmingham； had； on Monday； October 5th； 1819； at the age
of twenty…six； taken the Londoners by storm in the character of
Richard III Covent Garden reopened its closed treasury。 It was
promptly followed by a success in Coriolanus； and Macready's place
was made。 He was at once offered fifty pounds a night for appearing
on one evening a week at Brighton。 It was just after that turn in
Macready's fortunes that a friend at Glasgow recommended to him the
part of Virginius in Sheridan Knowles's play lately produced there。
He agreed unwillingly to look at it； and says that in April； 1820；
the parcel containing the MS。 came as he was going out。 He
hesitated； then sat down to read it that he might get a wearisome
job over。 As he read； he says； 〃The freshness and simplicity of the
dialogue fixed my attention； I read on and on； and was soon absorbed
in the interest of the story and the passion of its scenes； till at
its close I found myself in such a state of excitement that for a
time I was undecided what step to take。 Impulse was in the
ascendant； and snatching up my pen I hurriedly wrote； as my agitated
feelings prompted； a letter to the author； to me then a perfect
stranger。〃 Bryan Procter （Barry Cornwall） read the play next day
with Macready； and confirmed him in his admiration of it。
Macready at once got it accepted at the theatre； where nothing was
spent on scenery； but there was a good cast； and the enthusiasm of
Macready as stage manager for the occasion half affronted some of
his seniors。 On the 17th of May； 1820； about a month after it came
into Macready's hands； Virginius was produced at Covent Garden；
where； says the actor in his 〃Reminiscences；〃 〃the curtain fell
amidst the most deafening applause of a highly…excited auditory。〃
Sheridan Knowles's fame； therefore； was made； like that of his
friend Macready； and the friendship between author and actor
continued。 Sheridan Knowles had a kindly simplicity of character；
and the two qualities for which an actor most prizes a dramatist；
skill in providing opportunities for acting that will tell； and
readiness to make any changes that the actor asks for。 The
postscript to his first letter to Macready was； 〃Make any
alterations you like in any part of the play； and I shall be obliged
to you。〃 When he brought to the great actor his play of William
TellCaius Gracchus had been produced in November； 1823there were
passages of writing in it that stopped the course of action； and；
says Macready； 〃Knowles had less of the tenacity of authorship than
most writers；〃 so that there was no difficulty about alterations；
Macready having in a very high degree the tenacity of actorship。
And so； in 1825； Tell became another of Macready's best successes。
Sheridan Knowles continued to write for the stage until 1845； when
he was drawn wholly from the theatre by a religious enthusiasm that
caused him； in 1851； to essay the breaking of a lance with Cardinal
Wiseman on the subject of Transubstantiation。 Sir Robert Peel gave
ease to his latter days by a pension of 200 pounds a year from the
Civil List； which he had honourably earned by a career as dramatist；
in which he sought to appeal only to the higher sense of literature；
and to draw enjoyment from the purest source。 Of his plays time two
comedies ｛1｝ here given are all that have kept their place upon the
stage。 As one of the most earnest dramatic writers of the present
century he is entitled to a little corner in our memory。 Worse work
of the past has lasted longer than the plays of Sheridan Knowles are
likely to last through the future。
H。 M。
THE HUNCHBACK。
DRAMATIS PERSONAE。
（AS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED AT COVENT GARDEN IN 1832。）
Julia Miss F。 KEMBLE。
Helen Miss TAYLOR。
Master Walter Mr。 J。 S。 KNOWLES。
Sir Thomas Clifford Mr。 C。 KEMBLE。
Lord Tinsel Mr。 WRENCH。
Master Wilford Mr。 J。 MASON。
Modus Mr。 ABBOTT。
Master Heartwell Mr。 EVANS。
Gaylove Mr。 HENRY。
Fathom Mr。 MEADOWS。
Thomas Mr。 BARNES。
Stephen Mr。 PAYNE。
Williams Mr。 IRWIN。
Simpson Mr。 BRADY。
Waiter Mr。 HEATH。
Holdwell Mr。 BENDER。
｛ Mr。 J。 COOPER。
Servants ｛ Mr。 LOLLETT。
ACT I。
SCENE I。A Tavern。
On one side SIR THOMAS CLIFFORD； at a table； with wine before him；
on the other； MASTER WILFORD； GAYLOVE； HOLDWELL； and SIMPSON；
likewise taking wine。
Wilf。 Your wine； sirs！ your wine！ You do not justice to mine host
of the Three Tuns； nor credit to yourselves； I swear the beverage is
good！ It is as palatable poison as you will purchase within a mile
round Ludgate！ Drink； gentlemen； make free。 You know I am a man of
expectations； and hold my money as light as the purse in which I
carry it。
Gay。 We drink； Master Wilford。 Not a man of us has been chased as
yet。
Wilf。 But you fill not fairly； sirs！ Look at my measure！
Wherefore a large glass； if not for a large draught？ Fill； I pray
you； else let us drink out of thimbles！ This will never do for the
friends of the nearest of kin to the wealthiest peer in Britain。
Gay。 We give you joy； Master Wilford； of the prospect of
advancement which has so unexpectedly opened to you。
Wilf。 Unexpectedly indeed！ But yesterday arrived the news that the
Earl's only son and heir had died； and to…day has the Earl himself
been seized with a mortal illness。 His dissolution is looked for
hourly； and I； his cousin in only the third degree； known to him but
to be unnoticed by hima decayed gentleman's songlad of the title
and revenues of a scrivener's clerkam the undoubted successor to
his estates and coronet。
Gay。 Have you been sent for？
Wilf。 No； but I have certified to his agent； Master Walter； the
Hunchback； my existence； and peculiar propinquity； and momentarily
expect him here。
Gay。 Lives there anyone that may dispute your claimI mean
vexatiously？
Wilf。 Not a man； Master Gaylove。 I am the sole remaining branch of
the family tree。
Gay。 Doubtless you look for much happiness from this change of
fortune？
Wilf。 A world！ Three things have I an especial passion for。 The
finest hound； the finest horse； and the finest wife in the kingdom；
Master Gaylove！
Gay。 The finest wife？
Wilf。 Yes； sir； I marry。 Once the earldom comes into my line； I
shall take measures to perpetuate its remaining there。 I marry；
sir！ I do not say that I shall love。 My heart has changed
mistresses too often to settle down in one servitude now； sir。 But
fill； I pray you； friends。 This； if I mistake not； is the day
whence I shall date my new fortunes； and； for that reason； hither
have I invited you； that； having been so long my boon companions；
you shall be the first to congratulate me。
＇Enter Waiter＇
Waiter。 You are wanted； Master Wilford。
Wilf。 By whom？
Waiter。 One Master Walter。
Wilf。 His lordship's agent！ News； sirs！ Show him in！
＇Waiter goes out＇
My heart's a prophet； sirsThe Earl is dead。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER＇
Well； Master Walter。 How accost you me？
Wal。 As your impatience shows me you would have me。
My Lord； the Earl of Rochdale！
Gay。 Give you joy！
Hold。 All happiness； my lord！
Simp。 Long life and health unto your lordship！
Gay。 Come！
We'll drink to his lordship's health！ 'Tis two o'clock；
We'll e'en carouse till midnight！ Health； my lord！
Hold。 My lord； much joy to you！
Simp。 All good to your lordship！
Wal。 Give something to the dead！
Gay。 Give what？
Wal。 Respect！
He has made the living！ First to him that's gone；
Say 〃Peace！〃and then with decency to revels！
Gay。 What means the knave by revels？
Wal。 Knave？
Gay。