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！
Julia。 Helen； you know the adage of the tree； …
I've ta'en the bend。 This rural life of mine；
Enjoined me by an unknown father's will；
I've led from infancy。 Debarred from hope
Of change； I ne'er have sighed for change。 The town
To me was like the moon； for any thought
I e'er should visit itnor was I schooled
To think it half so fair！
Helen。 Not half so fair！
The town's the sun； and thou hast dwelt in night
E'er since thy birth； not to have seen the town！
Their women there are queens； and kings their men；
Their houses palaces！
Julia。 And what of that？
Have your town…palaces a hall like this？
Couches so fragrant？ walls so high…adorned？
Casements with such festoons； such prospects； Helen；
As these fair vistas have？ Your kings and queens！
See me a May…day queen； and talk of them！
Helen。 Extremes are ever neighbours。 'Tis a step
From one to the other！ Were thy constancy
A reasonable thinga little less
Of constancya woman's constancy …
I should not wonder wert thou ten years hence
The maid I know thee now； but； as it is；
The odds are ten to one； that this day year
Will see our May…day queen a city one！
Julia。 Never！ I'm wedded to a country life：
O； did you hear what Master Walter says！
Nine times in ten the town's a hollow thing；
Where what things are is nought to what they show；
Where merit's name laughs merit's self to scorn！
Where friendship and esteem that ought to be
The tenants of men's hearts； lodge in their looks
And tongues alone。 Where little virtue； with
A costly keeper； passes for a heap；
A heap for none that has a homely one！
Where fashion makes the lawyour umpire which
You bow to； whether it has brains or not！
Where Folly taketh off his cap and bells；
To clap on Wisdom； which must bear the jest！
Where to pass current you must seem the thing；
The passive thing； that others think； and not
Your simple； honest； independent self！
Helen。 Ay： so says Master Walter。 See I not
What can you find in Master Walter； Julia；
To be so fond of him！
Julia。 He's fond of me！
I've known him since I was a child。 E'en then；
The week I thought a weary； heavy one；
That brought not Master Walter。 I had those
About me then that made a fool of me；
As children oft are fooled； but more I loved
Good Master Walter's lesson than the play
With which they'd surfeit me。 As I grew up；
More frequent Master Walter came； and more
I loved to see him！ I had tutors then；
Men of great skill and learningbut not one
That taught like Master Walter。 What they'd show me；
And I； dull as I was； but doubtful saw； …
A word from Master Walter made as clear
As daylight！ When my schooling days were o'er …
That's now good three years pastthree yearsI vow
I'm twenty； Helen！well； as I was saying；
When I had done with school； and all were gone；
Still Master Walter came！ and still he comes；
Summer or winterfrost or rain！ I've seen
The snow upon a level with the hedge；
Yet there was Master Walter！
Helen。 Who comes here？
A carriage； and a gay onewho alights？
Pshaw！ Only Master Walter！ What see you；
Which thus repairs the arch of the fair brow；
A frown was like to spoil？A gentleman！
One of our town kings！ Mark！How say you now？
Wouldst be a town queen； Julia？ Which of us；
I wonder； comes he for？
Julia。 For neither of us；
He's Master Walter's clerk； most like。
Helen。 Most like！
Mark him as he comes up the avenue；
So looks a clerk！ A clerk has such a gait！
So does a clerk dress； Julia！mind his hose …
They're very like a clerk's！ a diamond loop
And button； note you； for his clerkship's hat； …
O； certainly a clerk！ A velvet cloak；
Jerkin of silk； and doublet of the same； …
For all the world a clerk！ See； Julia； see；
How Master Walter bows； and yields him place；
That he may first go ina very clerk！
I'll learn of thee； love； when I'd know a clerk！
Julia。 I wonder who he is！
Helen。 Wouldst like to know？
Wouldst for a fancy ride to town with him？
I prophesy he comes to take thee thither！
Julia。 He ne'er takes me to town！ No； Helen； no！
To town who will； a country life for me！
Helen。 We'll see！
＇Enter FATHOM。＇
Fath。 You're wanted； madam。
Julia。 ＇Embarrassed。＇ Which of us？
Fath。 You； madam。
Helen。 Julia！ what's the matter？ Nay；
Mount not the rose so soon！ He must not see it
A month hence。 'Tis loves flower； which once she wears；
The maid is all his own。
Julia。 Go to！
Helen。 Be sure
He comes to woo thee！ He will bear thee hence；
He'll make thee change the country for the town。
Julia。 I'm constancy。 Name he the town to me；
I'll tell what I think on't！
Helen。 Then you guess
He comes a wooing？
Julia。 I guess nought。
Helen。 You do！
At your grave words； your lips； more honest； smile；
And show them to be traitors。 Hie to him。
Julia。 Hie thee to soberness。
＇Goes out。＇
Helen。 Ay； will I； when；
Thy bridemaid； I shall hie to church with thee。
Well； Fathom； who is come？
Fath。 I know not。
Helen。 What！ Didst thou not hear his name？
Fath。 I did。
Helen。 What is't？
Fath。 I noted not。
Helen。 What hast thou ears for； then？
Fath。 What good were it for me to mind his name？
I do but what I must do。 To do that
Is labour quite enough！
Wal。 ＇Without。＇ What； Fathom！
Fath。 Here。
Wal。 ＇Entering。＇ Here； sirrah！ Wherefore didst not come to me？
Fath。 You did not bid me come。
Wal。 I called thee。
Fath。 Yes。
And I said 〃Here；〃 and waited then to know
Your worship's will with me。
Wal。 We go to town。
Thy mistress； thou； and all the house。
Fath。 Well； sir？
Wal。 Mak'st thou not ready then to go to town？
Hence； knave； despatch！
＇FATHOM goes out。＇
Helen。 Go we to town？
Wal。 We do；
'Tis now her father's will she sees the town。
Helen。 I'm glad on't。 Goes she to her father？
Wal。 No：
At the desire of thine she for a term shares roof with thee。
Helen。 I'm very glad on't。
Wal。 What！
You like her； then？ I thought you would。 'Tis time
She sees the town。
Helen。 It has been time for that
These six years。
Wal。 By thy wisdom's count。 No doubt
You've told her what a precious place it is。
Helen。 I have。
Wal。 I even guessed as much。 For that
I told thee of her； brought thee here to see her；
And prayed thee to sojourn a space with her；
That its fair space； from thy too fair report；
Might strike a novice lessso less deceive her。
I did not put thee under check。
Helen。 'Twas right； …
Else had I broken loose； and run the wilder！
So knows she not her father yet： that's strange。
I prithee how does mine？
Wal。 Wellvery well。
News for thee。
Helen。 What？
Wal。 Thy cousin is in town。
Helen。 My cousin Modus？
Wal。 Much do I suspect
That cousin's nearer to thy heart than blood。
Helen。 Pshaw！ Wed me to a musty library！
Love him who nothing loves but Greek and Latin！
But； Master Walter； you forget the main
Surpassing point of all！ Who's come with you？
Wal。 Ay； that's the question！
Helen。 Is he soldier or
Civilian？ lord or gentleman？ He's rich；
If that's his chariot！ Where is his estate？
What brings it in？ Six thousand pounds a year？
Twelve thousand； may be！ Is he bachelor；
Or husband？ Bachelor I'm sure he is
Comes he not hither wooing； Master Walter？
Nay； prithee； answer me！
Wal。 Who says thy sex
Are curious？ That they're patient； I'll be sworn；
And reasonablevery reasonable …
To look for twenty answers in a breath！
Come； thou shalt be enlightenedbut propound
Thy questions one by one！ Thou'rt far too apt
A scholar！ My ability to teach
Will ne'er keep pace； I fear； with thine to learn。
＇They go out。＇
SCENE III。An Apartment in the House。
＇Enter JULIA； followed by CLIFFORD。＇
Julia。 No more！ I pray you； sir； no more！
Clif。 I love you！
Julia。 You mock me； sir！
Clif。 Then is there no such thing
On earth as reverence； honour filial； the fear
Of kings； the awe of supreme heaven itself；
Are only shows and sounds that stand for nothing。
I love you！
Julia。 You have known me scarce a minute！
Clif。 Say but a moment； still I say I love you！
Love's not a flower that grows on the dull earth；
Springs by the calendar； must wait for the sun …
For rain；matures by parts；must take its time
To stem； to leaf； to bud； to blow。 It owns
A richer soil； and boasts a quicker seed！
You look for it； and see it not； and lo！
E'en while you look； the peerless flower is up。
Consummate in the birth！
Julia。 Is't fear I feel？
Why else should beat my heart？ It can't be fear！
Something I needs must say。 You're from the town；
How comes it； sir； you seek a country wife？
Methinks 'twill tax his wit to answer that。
Clif。 In joining contrasts lieth love's delight。
Complexion； stature； nature； mateth it；
Not with their kinds； but with their opposites。
Hence hands of snow in palms of russet lie；
The form of Hercules affects the sylph's；
And breasts； that case the lion's fear…proof heart；
Find their meet lodge in arms where tremors dwell！
Haply for this； on Afric's swarthy neck；
Hath Europe's priceless pearl been seen to hang；
That makes the orient poor！ So with degrees；
Rank passes by the circlet…graced brow；
Up