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！
trust me again。
DOROTHY。 I am so much the more your victim： that is all； and
shall that change my heart？ The sin must have its wages。 This；
too； was done long ago： when you stooped to lie to me。 The
shame is still mine； the fault still yours。
AUSTIN。 Child； child； you kill me： you will not understand。
Can you not see？ the lad will force me to a duel。
DOROTHY。 And you will kill him？ Shame after shame； threat upon
threat。 Marry me； or you are dishonoured； marry me； or your
brother dies： and this is man's honour！ But my honour and my
pride are different。 I will encounter all misfortune sooner than
degrade myself by an unfaithful marriage。 How should I kneel
before the altar； and vow to reverence as my husband you； you who
deceived me as my lover？
AUSTIN。 Dorothy； you misjudge me cruelly； I have deserved it。
You will not take me for your husband； why should I wonder？ You
are right。 I have indeed filled your life with calamity： the
wages； ay； the wages； of my sin are heavy upon you。 But I have
one more thing to ask of your pity； and O remember； child； who it
is that asks it： a man guilty in your sight； void of excuse； but
old； and very proud； and most unused to supplication。 Dorothy
Musgrave； will you forgive George Austin？
DOROTHY。 O； George！
AUSTIN。 It is the old name： that is all I ask； and more than I
deserve。 I shall remember； often remember； how and where it was
bestowed upon me for the last time。 I thank you； Dorothy； from
my heart； a heart； child； that has been too long silent； but is
not too old； I thank God！ not yet too old； to learn a lesson and
to accept a reproof。 I will not keep you longer： I will go … I
am so bankrupt in credit that I dare not ask you to believe in
how much sorrow。 But； Dorothy； my acts will speak for me with
more persuasion。 If it be in my power； you shall suffer no more
through me： I will avoid your brother； I will leave this place；
I will leave England； to…morrow； you shall be no longer tortured
with the neighbourhood of your ungenerous lover。 Dorothy；
farewell！
SCENE VIII
DOROTHY； TO WHOM； ANTHONY； L。
DOROTHY （ON HER KNEES； AND REACHING WITH HER HANDS。） George；
George！ （ENTER ANTHONY。）
ANTHONY。 Ha！ what are you crying for？
DOROTHY。 Nothing； dear！ （RISING。）
ANTHONY。 Is Austin going to marry you？
DOROTHY。 I shall never marry。
ANTHONY。 I thought as much。 You should have come to me。
DOROTHY。 I know； dear； I know； but there was nothing to come
about。
ANTHONY。 It's a lie。 You have disgraced the family。 You went
to John Fenwick： see what he has made of it！ But I will have
you righted： it shall be atoned in the man's blood。
DOROTHY。 Anthony！ And if I had refused him？
ANTHONY。 You？ refuse George Austin？ You never had the chance。
DOROTHY。 I have refused him。
ANTHONY。 Dorothy； you lie。 You would shield your lover； but
this concerns not you only： it strikes my honour and my father's
honour。
DOROTHY。 I have refused him … refused him； I tell you … refused
him。 The blame is mine； are you so mad and wicked that you will
not see？
ANTHONY。 I see this： that man must die。
DOROTHY。 He？ never！ You forget； you forget whom you defy； you
run upon your death。
ANTHONY。 Ah； my girl； you should have thought of that before。
It is too late now。
DOROTHY。 Anthony； if I beg you … Anthony； I have tried to be a
good sister； I brought you up； dear； nursed you when you were
sick； fought for you； hoped for you； loved you … think of it；
think of the dear past； think of our home and the happy winter
nights； the castles in the fire； the long shining future； the
love that was to forgive and suffer always … O you will spare；
you will spare me this。
ANTHONY。 I will tell you what I will do； Dolly： I will do just
what you taught me … my duty： that； and nothing else。
DOROTHY。 O Anthony； you also； you to strike me！ Heavens； shall
I kill them … I … I； that love them； kill them！ Miserable；
sinful girl！ George； George； thank God； you will be far away！ O
go； George； go at once！
ANTHONY。 He goes the coward！ Ay； is this more of your
contrivance？ Madam； you make me blush。 But to…day at least I
know where I can find him。 This afternoon； on the Pantiles； he
must dance attendance on the Duke of York。 Already he must be
there； and there he is at my mercy。 DOROTHY。 Thank God； you are
deceived： he will not fight。 He promised me that； thank God I
have his promise for that。
ANTHONY。 Promise！ Do you see this？ （PRODUCING NECKLACE） the
thing he bribed your maid with？ I shall dash it in his teeth
before the Duke and before all Tunbridge。 Promise； you poor
fool？ what promise holds against a blow？ Get to your knees and
pray for him； for； by the God above； if he has any blood in his
body； one of us shall die before to…night。 （HE GOES OUT。）
DOROTHY。 Anthony； Anthony！ 。 。 。 O my God； George will kill him。
MUSIC： 'CHE FARO；' AS THE DROP FALLS。
DROP。
MUSICAL INDUCTION： 'Gavotte；' 'IPHIGENIE EN AULIDE。' GLUCK
ACT IV。
The Stage represents the Pantiles： the alleys fronting the
spectators in parallel lines。 At the back； a stand of musicians；
from which the 'Gavotte' is repeated on muted strings。 The music
continues nearly through Scene I。 Visitors walking to and fro
beneath the lines。 A seat in front； L。
SCENE I
MISS FOSTER； BARBARA； MENTEITH； VISITORS
MISS FOSTER （ENTERING； ESCORTED BY MENTEITH； AND FOLLOWED BY
BARBARA）。 And so； Menteith； here you are once more。 And vastly
pleased I am to see you； my good fellow； not only for your own
sake； but because you harbinger the Beau。 （SITS； L。； MENTEITH
STANDING OVER HER。）
MENTEITH。 Honoured madam； I have had the pleasure to serve Mr。
George for more than thirty years。 This is a privilege … a very
great privilege。 I have beheld him in the first societies；
moving among the first rank of personages； and none； madam； none
outshone him。
BARBARA。 I assure you； madam； when Mr。 Menteith took me to the
play； he talked so much of Mr。 Austin that I couldn't hear a word
of Mr。 Kean。
MISS FOSTER。 Well； well； and very right。 That was the old
school of service； Barbara； which you would do well to imitate。
This is a child； Menteith； that I am trying to form。
MENTEITH。 Quite so； madam。
MISS FOSTER。 And are we soon to see our princely guest；
Menteith？
MENTEITH。 His Royal Highness； madam？ I believe I may say quite
so。 Mr。 George will receive our gallant prince upon the Pantiles
（LOOKING AT HIS WATCH） in； I should say； a matter of twelve
minutes from now。 Such； madam； is Mr。 George's order of the day。
BARBARA。 I beg your pardon； madam； I am sure； but are we really
to see one of His Majesty's own brothers？ That will be pure！ O
madam； this is better than Carlisle。
MISS FOSTER。 The wood…note wild： a loyal Cumbrian； Menteith。
MENTEITH。 Eh？ Quite so； madam。
MISS FOSTER。 When she has seen as much of the Royal Family as
you； my good fellow； she will find it vastly less entertaining。
MENTEITH。 Yes； madam； indeed； In these distinguished circles；
life is but a slavery。 None of t