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！
Though then she knew it not！is loved by her；
As now she knows； and all the world may know！
Tin。 We can't be laughed at。 We are here to wed；
And shall fulfil our contract。
Julia。 Clifford！
Clif。 Julia！
You will not give your hand？
＇A pause。 JULIA seems utterly lost。＇
Wal。 You have forgot
Again。 You have a father！
Julia。 Bring him now； …
To see thy Julia justify thy training；
And lay her life down to redeem her word！
Wal。 And so redeems her all！ Is it your will；
My lord； these nuptials should go on？
Roch。 It is。
Wal。 Then is it mine they stop！
Tin。 I told your lordship
You should not keep a Hunchback for your agent。
Wal。 Thought like my father； my good lord； who said
He would not have a Hunchback for his son …
So do I pardon you the savage slight。
My lord； that I am not as straight as you；
Was blemish neither of my thought nor will；
My head nor heart。 It was no act of mine。 …
Yet did it curdle Nature's kindly milk
E'en where 'tis richestin a parent's breast …
To cast me out to heartless fosterage；
Nor heartless always； as it provedand give
My portion to another！ the same blood …
But I'll be sworn； in vein； my lord； and soul …
Although his trunk did swerve no more than yours …
Not half so straight as I。
Tin。 Upon my life
You've got a modest agent； Rochdale！ Now
He'll prove himself descendedmark my words …
From some small gentleman
Wal。 And so you thought；
Where Nature played the churl； it would be fit
That fortune played it too。 You would have had
My lord absolve me of my agency！
Fair lord； the flaw did cost me fifty times …
A hundred times my agency：… but all's
Recovered。 Look； my lord； a testament
To make a pension of his lordship's rent…roll！
It is my father's； and was left by him；
In case his heir should die without a son；
Then to be opened。 Heaven did send a son
To bless the heir。 Heaven took its gift away；
He diedhis father died。 And Master Walter …
The unsightly agent of his lordship there …
The Hunchback whom your lordship would have stripped
Of his agencyis now the Earl of Rochdale！
Tin。 We've made a small mistake here。 Never mind；
'Tis nothing in a lord。
Julia。 The Earl of Rochdale！
Wal。 And what of that？ Thou know'st not half my greatness！
A prouder title； Julia； have I yet；
Sooner than part with which I'd give that up；
And be again plain Master Walter。 What！
Dost thou not apprehend me？ Yes； thou dost！
Command thyself； don't gasp。 My pupildaughter！
Come to thy father's heart！
＇JULIA rushes into his arms。＇
＇Enter FATHOM。＇
Fath。 Thievery！ Elopementescapearrest！
Wal。 What's the matter？
Fath。 Mistress Helen is running away with Master ModusMaster
Modus is running away with Mistress Helenbut we have caught them；
secured them； and here they come； to receive the reward of their
merits。
＇Enter HELEN and MODUS； followed by Servants。＇
Helen。 I'll ne'er wed man； if not my cousin Modus。
Mod。 Nor woman I； save cousin Helen's she。
Wal。 ＇To MASTER HEARTWELL。＇ A daughter； have you； and a nephew；
too；
Without their match in duty！ Let them marry。
For you； sir； who to…day have lost an earldom；
Yet would have shared that earldom with my child …
My only onecontent yourself with prospect
Of the succession； it must fall to you；
And fit yourself to grace it。 Ape not those
Who rank by pride。 The man of simplest bearing
Is yet a lord； when he's a lord indeed！
Tin。 The paradox is obsolete。 Ne'er heed！
Learn from his book； and practise out of mine！
Wal。 Sir Thomas Clifford； take my daughter's hand！
If now you know the master of her heart！
Give it； my Julia！ You suspect； I see；
And rightly； there has been some masking here。
Content thee； daughter； thou shalt know anon；
How jealousy of my mis…shapen back
Made me mistrustful of a child's affections …
Who doubted e'en a wife'sso that I dropped
The title of thy father； lest thy duty
Should pay the debt thy love could solve alone。
All this and more； that to thy friends and thee
Pertains； at fitting time thou shalt be told。
But now thy nuptials waitthe happy close
Of thy hard trialwholesome； though severe！
The world won't cheat thee nowthy heart is proved； …
Thou know'st thy peace by finding out its bane；
And ne'er will act from reckless impulse more！
Footnotes：
｛1｝ The other play； The Love…Chase； is released in a separated
eText with Project Gutenberg and not included here。DP。
｛2｝ In representation； the passages following this are curtailed
and the scene runs as follows：…
Master Walter continues …
The first side shows their passion in the dawn …
In the next side 'tis shining open day …
In the third there's cloudingI but touch on these
To make a long tale brief； and bring thee to
The last side。
Julia。 What shows that？
Wal。 The fate of love
That will not be advised。The scene's a dungeon；
Its tenant is the pagehe lies in fetters。
Julia。 Hard！
Hard as the steel； the hands that put them on！ &c。
End