登陆注册
15474300000010

第10章

[Enter MASTER WALLER, following LYDIA.]

Wal. But thou shalt hear me, gentle Lydia.

Sweet maiden, thou art frightened at thyself!

Thy own perfections 'tis that talk to thee.

Thy beauty rich!--thy richer grace!--thy mind, More rich again than that, though richest each!

Except for these, I had no tongue for thee, Eyes for thee!--ears!--had never followed thee! -Had never loved thee, Lydia! Hear me! - Lydia. Love Should seek its match. No match am I for thee.

Wal. Right! Love should seek its match; and that is, love Or nothing! Station--fortune--find their match In things resembling them. They are not love!

Comes love (that subtle essence, without which Life were but leaden dulness!--weariness!

A plodding trudger on a heavy road!)

Comes it of title-deeds which fools may boast?

Or coffers vilest hands may hold the keys of?

Or that ethereal lamp that lights the eyes To shed the sparkling lustre o'er the face, Gives to the velvet skin its blushing glow, And burns as bright beneath the peasant's roof As roof of palaced prince? Yes, Love should seek Its match--then give my love its match in thine, Its match which in thy gentle breast doth lodge So rich--so earthly, heavenly fair and rich, As monarchs have no thought of on their thrones, Which kingdoms do bear up.

Lydia. Wast thou a monarch, Me wouldst thou make thy queen?

Wal. I would.

Lydia. What! Pass A princess by for me?

Wal. I would.

Lydia. Suppose Thy subjects would prevent thee?

Wal. Then, in spite Of them!

Lydia. Suppose they were too strong for thee?

Wal. Why, then I'd give them up my throne--content With that thou'dst yield me in thy gentle breast.

Lydia. Can subjects do what monarchs do?

Wal. Far more!

Far less!

Lydia. Among those things, where more their power, Is marriage one?

Wal. Yes.

Lydia. And no part of love, You say, is rank or wealth?

Wal. No part of love.

Lydia. Is marriage part of love?

Wal. At times it is, At times is not. Men love and marry--love And marry not.

Lydia. Then have they not the power;

So must they hapless part with those they love.

Wal. Oh, no! not part! How could they love and part?

Lydia. How could they love not part, not free to wed?

Wal. Alone in marriage doth not union lie!

Lydia. Alone where hands are free! O yes--alone!

Love that is love, bestoweth all it can!

It is protection, if 'tis anything, Which nothing in its object leaves exposed Its care can shelter. Love that's free to wed, Not wedding, but profanes the name of love;Which is, on high authority to Earth's, For Heaven did sit approving at its feast, A holy thing! Why make you love to me?

Women whose hearts are free, by nature tender, Their fancies hit by those they are besought by, Do first impressions quickly--deeply take;And, balked in their election, have been known To droop a whole life through! Gain for a maid, A broken heart!--to barter her young love, And find she changed it for a counterfeit!

Wal. If there is truth in man, I love thee! Hear me!

In wedlock, families claim property.

Old notions, which we needs must humour often, Bar us to wed where we are forced to love!

Thou hear'st?

Lydia. I do.

Wal. My family is proud;

Our ancestor, whose arms we bear, did win An earldom by his deeds. 'Tis not enough I please myself! I must please others, who Desert in wealth and station only see.

Thou hear'st?

Lydia. I do.

Wal. I cannot marry thee, And must I lose thee? Do not turn away!

Without the altar I can honour thee!

Can cherish thee, nor swear it to the priest;For more than life I love thee!

Lydia. Say thou hatest me, And I'll believe thee! Wherein differs love From hate, to do the work of hate--destroy?

Thy ancestor won title to his deeds!

Was one of them, to teach an honest maid The deed of sin--first steal her love, and then Her virtue? If thy family is proud, Mine, sir, is worthy! if we are poor, the lack Of riches, sir, is not the lack of shame, That I should act a part, would raise a blush, Nor fear to burn an honest brother's cheek!

Thou wouldest share a throne with me! Thou wouldst rob me of A throne!--reduce me from dominion to Base vassalage!--pull off my crown for me, And give my forehead in its place a brand!

You have insulted me. To shew you, sir, The heart you make so light of, you are beloved -But she that tells you so, tells you beside She ne'er beholds you more!

[Goes out.]

Wal. Stay, Lydia!--No!

'Tis vain! She is in virtue resolute, As she is bland and tender in affection.

She is a miracle, beholding which Wonder doth grow on wonder! What a maid!

No mood but doth become her--yea, adorn her.

She turns unsightly anger into beauty!

Sour scorn grows sweetness, touching her sweet lips!

And indignation, lighting on her brow, Transforms to brightness as the cloud to gold That overhangs the sun! I love her! Ay!

And all the throes of serious passion feel At thought of losing her!--so my light love, Which but her person did at first affect, Her soul has metamorphosed--made a thing Of solid thoughts and wishes--I must have her!

[Enter WIDOW GREEN, unnoticed SIR WALLER, who continues abstracted.]

W. Green. What! Master Waller, and contemplative Presumptive proof of love! Of me he thinks!

Revolves the point "to be or not to be!"

"To be!" by all the triumphs of my sex!

There was a sigh! My life upon't, that sigh, If construed, would translate "Dear Widow Green!"Wal. Enchanting woman!

W. Green. That is I!--most deep Abstraction, sure concomitant of love.

Now, could I see his busy fancy's painting, How should I blush to gaze upon myself.

Wal. The matchless form of woman! The choice calling Of the aspiring artist, whose ambition Robs Nature to outdo her--the perfections Of her rare various workmanship combines To aggrandise his art at Nature's cost, And make a paragon!

W. Green. Gods! how he draws me!

Soon as he sees me, at my feet he falls! - Good Master Waller!

Wal. Ha! The Widow Green!

W. Green. He is confounded! So am I. O dear!

How catching is emotion. He can't speak!

O beautiful confusion! Amiable Excess of modesty with passion struggling!

Now comes he to declare himself, but wants The courage. I must help him.--Master Waller!

同类推荐
  • 梵摩渝经

    梵摩渝经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 东岳大生宝忏

    东岳大生宝忏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 花栽二首

    花栽二首

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 学射录

    学射录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 杨忠愍集

    杨忠愍集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 造化仙宗系统

    造化仙宗系统

    五个在地球上生活的少年在修仙世界创立无敌宗门的故事。萧云天问:二弟有人又来挑衅了。肿么办?萧云天说:三弟快用你的我的世界系统附魔武器吧!萧云天叫:四弟,为什么你的系统可以炼丹炼器制符还可以布阵啊!萧云天叫到:五弟快点用你的资源系统把废丹废符练器失败品转化成宝丹宝符宝器吧!
  • 网游之我是好人之一剑光寒十四州

    网游之我是好人之一剑光寒十四州

    胡说:“女人可以不够靓,裙子一定要短!”黄叔:“小说可以不够黄,名字一定要长!”---------------一剑光寒十四州,不一样的屌丝一样的愁!要车要房要妹子,富贵还需剑中求!
  • 逐鹿元末

    逐鹿元末

    烽火连天,群雄并起,反元起义如火如荼!风起云涌,诡计阳谋,汉统之争厮杀正猛!重生元末,杀鞑子,灭棒子,定要与朱元璋一争天下!
  • 仙民

    仙民

    一个穿越者,难道我就是那个拥有无限光环的猪角了?那我的作弊器呢?算了,没有作弊器,你要惹我,我照样打的你满地找牙。
  • 炼尸寻人秘术:走尸档案

    炼尸寻人秘术:走尸档案

    你知道每年有多少人失踪吗?你知道这些失踪者最后大部分都生不见人,死不见尸吗?你希望找到他们的下落吗?我认识这样一群人,并且无意间加入其中,他们懂得古老相传的炼尸寻人秘术,一个生辰八字、一件失踪者的物品,利用易占起卜,奇门遁甲,鬼神之术,让失踪的活人和死人无所遁形!一天,一个求助者敲开了这群人的大门,他说,自己的父亲死在了一个危险的地方,希望我们帮忙寻找死去父亲的尸身,事成后,赏金——三百万!这个活儿,接还是不接?《走尸档案》帮你寻找一切失踪的活人与死人!
  • 美女健身房

    美女健身房

    拥有九阴绝脉的张宇本来以为自己活不了多长时间了,却在一个超级健身房发现他的九阴绝脉却成了吸收别人力量、体能和速度以及强度的绝世利器,不光是他的命不断延长,就连他的身体也在不断壮大。不仅如此,这个超级健身房里面的美女更是一个比一个好看,一个比一个有地位,有钱,而且她们全都是健身美女哦,想想都让人垂涎欲滴啊!
  • 亨利四世上篇

    亨利四世上篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 魂之玄

    魂之玄

    灵魂从何处来,又要向何处去。道德沦陷,谁来挽救。功德因果,是何缘由。星空迷幻,奥妙何在。拨开层层迷般的世界,探寻本源何在。一个转世道童来到了未来的现代世界,在仙与魔、异星人和月心人的宇宙之中有着怎么的成长故事。
  • 碧瞳之灵

    碧瞳之灵

    一个普通高中生,得到一副强大的法器和器灵碧瞳之灵,他却认为是高科技,碧瞳之灵将他带入了一个不一样的世界,原来这个世界真的有修炼者,为了自己的尊严,乔夕刻苦修炼,希望将来自己可以不惧天下人!
  • 圣神大帝

    圣神大帝

    上古年间,天坠神剑,坠落的瞬间,抹去了一个上古文明,直接导致上以百亿人丧命于剑下,举世巨震,短时间内聚集无数上古生灵,目的在于此剑,得此剑者,传言能统治整个上古。