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pubOne.info present you this new edition. (AS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED AT THE HAYMARKET, IN 1837.

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Love (disambiguation)

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	06 novembre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819948902
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0000€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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THE LOVE-CHASE.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
(AS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED AT THE HAYMARKET, IN 1837.)
Sir William Fondlove , an old Baronet
Mr. Strickland.
Waller , in love with Lydia
Mr. Elton.
Wildrake , a Sportsman
Mr. Webster.
Trueworth , a Friend of Sir William
Mr Hemmings.
Neville , Friend to Waller
Mr. Worrell.
Humphreys , Friend to Waller
Mr. Hutchings.
Lash
Mr. Ross.
Chargewell , a Landlord
Mr. Edwards.
George , a Waiter
Mr. Bishop.
First Lawyer
Mr. Ray.
Widow Green
Mrs. Glover.
Constance , Daughter to Sir WilliamFondlove
Mrs. Nisbett.
Lydia , lady’s Maid to Widow Green
Miss Vandenhoff.
Alice , Housekeeper to Master Waller
Mrs. Tayleure.
Phœbe , Maid to Constance
Miss Wrighten.
Amelia
Miss Gallot.
First Lady
Mrs. Gallot.
SCENE— LONDON.
ACT I.
SCENE I.—The Lobby of an Inn.
[Enter Chargewell, hurriedly. ]
Charg . What, hoa there! Hoa, sirrahs! Morewine! Are the knaves asleep? Let not our guests cool, or we shallstarve the till! Good waiting, more than viands and wine, doth helpto make the inn! — George! — Richard! — Ralph! — Where are you?
[Enter George. ]
George . Here am I, sir!
Charg . Have you taken in more wine to thatcompany?
George . Yes, sir.
Charg . That’s right. Serve them as quick asthey order! A fair company! I have seen them here before. Take carethey come again. A choice company! That Master Waller, I hear, is afine spirit— leads the town. Pay him much duty. A deep purse, andeasy strings.
George . And there is another, sir; — acapital gentleman, though from the country. A gentleman mostlearned in dogs and horses! He doth talk wondrous edification:— oneMaster Wildrake. I wish you could hear him, sir.
Charg . Well, well! — attend to them. Let themnot cool o’er the liquor, or their calls will grow slack. Keepfeeding the fire while it blazes, and the blaze will continue. Lookto it well!
George . I will, sir.
Charg . And be careful, above all, that youplease Master Waller. He is a guest worth pleasing. He is agentleman. Free order, quick pay!
George . And such, I’ll dare be sworn, is theother. A man of mighty stores of knowledge— most learned in dogsand horses! Never was I so edified by the discourse of mortalman.
[They go out severally. ]
SCENE II.—A Room.
[Master Waller, Master Wildrake, MasterTrueworth, Master Neville, and Master Humphreys, sitting round atable. ]
Wal . Well, Master Wildrake, speak you of thechase!
To hear you one doth feel the bounding steed;
You bring the hounds and game, and all to view—
All scudding to the jovial huntsman’s cheer!
And yet I pity the poor crownéd deer,
And always fancy ’tis by fortune’s spite,
That lordly head of his, he bears so high—
Like Virtue, stately in calamity,
And hunted by the human, worldly hound—
Is made to fly before the pack, that straight
Burst into song at prospect of his death.
You say their cry is harmony; and yet
The chorus scarce is music to my ear,
When I bethink me what it sounds to his;
Nor deem I sweet the note that rings the knell
Of the once merry forester!
Nev . The same things
Please us or pain, according to the thought
We take of them. Some smile at their own death,
Which most do shrink from, as beast of prey
It kills to look upon. But you, who take
Such pity of the deer, whence follows it
You hunt more costly game? — the comely maid,
To wit, that waits on buxom Widow Green?
Hum . The comely maid! Such term not half thesum
Of her rich beauty gives! Were rule to go
By loveliness, I knew not in the court,
Or city, lady might not fitly serve
That lady serving-maid!
True . Come! your defence?
Why show you ruth where there’s least argument,
Deny it where there’s most? You will not plead?
Oh, Master Waller, where we use to hunt
We think the sport no crime!
Hum . I give you joy,
You prosper in your chase.
Wal . Not so! The maid
In simple honesty I must pronounce
A miracle of virtue, well as beauty.
Nev . And well do I believe you, MasterWaller;
Those know I who have ventured gift and promise
But for a minute of her ear— the boon
Of a poor dozen words spoke through a chink—
And come off bootless, save the haughty scorn
That cast their bounties back to them again.
True . That warrants her what Master Wallerspeaks her.
Is she so very fair?
Nev . Yes, Master Trueworth;
And I believe indeed an honest maid:
But Love’s the coin to market with for love,
And that knows Master Waller. On pretence
Of sneaking kindness for gay Widow Green,
He visits her, for sake of her fair maid!
To whom a glance or word avails to hint
His proper errand; and— as glimpses only
Do only serve to whet the wish to see—
Awakens interest to hear the tale
So stintingly that’s told. I know his practice—
Luck to you, Master Waller! If you win,
You merit it, who take the way to win!
Wal . Good Master Neville!
True . I should laugh to see
The poacher snared! — the maid, for mistresssought,
Turn out a wife.
Nev . How say you, Master Waller?
Things quite as strange have fallen!
Wed. Impossible!
True . Impossible! Most possible ofthings—
If thou’rt in love! Where merit lies itself,
What matters it to want the name, which weighed,
Is not the worth of so much breath as it takes
To utter it! If, but from Nature’s hand,
She is all you could expect of gentle blood,
Face, form, mien, speech; with these, what tobelong
To lady more behoves— thoughts delicate,
Affections generous, and modesty—
Perfectionating, brightening crown of all! —
If she hath these— true titles to thy heart—
What does she lack that’s title to thy hand?
The name of lady, which is none of these,
But may belong without? Thou mightst do worse
Than marry her. Thou wouldst, undoing her,
Yea, by my mother’s name, a shameful act
Most shamefully performed!
Wal . [Starting up and drawing.] Sir!
Nev . [And the others, interposing.] Gentlemen!
True . All’s right! Sit down! — I will notdraw again.
A word with you: If— as a man— thou sayest,
Upon thy honour, I have spoken wrong,
I’ll ask thy pardon! — though I never hold
Communion with thee more!
Wal . [After a pause, putting up hissword. ]
My sword is sheathed?
Wilt let me take thy hand?
True . ’Tis thine, good sir,
And faster than before— A fault confessed
Is a new virtue added to a man!
Yet let me own some blame was mine. A truth
May be too harshly told— but ’tis a theme
I am tender on— I had a sister, sir,
You understand me! — ’Twas my happiness
To own her once— I would forget her now! —
I have forgotten! — I know not if she lives! —
Things of such strain as we were speaking of,
Spite of myself, remind me of her! — So! —
Nev . Sit down! Let’s have more wine.
Wild . Not so, good sirs.
Partaking of your hospitality,
I have overlooked good friends I came to visit,
And who have late become sojourners here—
Old country friends and neighbours, and withwhom
I e’en take up my quarters. Master Trueworth,
Bear witness for me.
True . It is even so.
Sir William Fondlove and his charming daughter.
Wild . Ay, neighbour Constance. Charming, doeshe say?
Yes, neighbour Constance is a charming girl
To those that do not know her. If she plies me
As hard as was her custom in the country,
I should not wonder though, this very day,
I seek the home I quitted for a month! [Aside. ]
Good even, gentlemen.
Hum . Nay, if you go,
We all break up, and sally forth together.
Wal . Be it so— Your hand again, good MasterTrueworth!
I am sorry I did pain you.
True . It is thine, sir.
[They go out. ]
SCENE III.—Sir William Fondlove’s House.—ARoom.
[Enter Sir William Fondlove. ]
Sir Wil . At sixty-two, to be inleading-strings,
Is an old child— and with a daughter, too!
Her mother held me ne’er in check so strait
As she. I must not go but where she likes,
Nor see but whom she likes, do anything
But what she likes! — A slut bare twenty-one!
Nor minces she commands! A brigadier
More coolly doth not give his orders out
Than she! Her waiting-maid is aide-de-camp;
My steward adjutant; my lacqueys serjeants;
That bring me her high pleasure how I march
And counter-march— when I’m on duty— when
I’m off— when suits it not to tell it me
Herself— “Sir William, thus my mistress says! ”
As saying it were enough— no will of mine
Consulted! I will marry. Must I serve,
Better a wife, my mistress, than a daughter!
And yet the vixen says, if I do marry,
I’ll find she’ll rule my wife, as well as me!
[Enter Trueworth. ]
Ah, Master Trueworth! Welcome, Master Trueworth!
True . Thanks, sir; I am glad to see you lookso well!
Sir Wil . Ah, Master Trueworth, when one turnsthe hill,
’Tis rapid going down! We climb by steps;
By strides we reach the bottom. Look at me,
And guess my age.
True . Turned fifty.
Sir Wil . Ten years more!
How marvellously well I wear! I think
You would not flatter me! — But scan me close,
And pryingly, as one who seeks a thing
He means to find— What signs of age dost see?
True . None!
Sir Wil . None about the corners of theeyes?
Lines that diverge like to the spider’s joists,
Whereon he builds his airy fortalice?
They call them crow’s feet— has the ugly bird
Been perching there? — Eh? — Well?
True . There’s something like,
But not what one must see, unless he’s blind
Like steeple on a hill!
Sir Wil . [After a pause. ] Your eyes are good!
I am certainly a wonder for my age;
I walk as well as ever! Do I stoop?
True . A plummet from your head would findyour heel.
Sir Wil . It is my make— my make, good MasterTrueworth;
I do not study it. Do you observe
The hollow in my back? That’s natural.
As now I stand, so stood I when a child,
A rosy, chubby boy! — I am youthful to
A miracle! My arm is firm as ’twas
At twenty. Feel it!
True . [Feeling Sir William’s arm.] It is deal!