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the hunchback-第17部分

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Blood nothing!  Once in other veins it runs;
It no more yearneth for the parent flood;
Than doth the stream that from the source disparts。
Talk not of love instinctivewhat you call so
Is but the brat of custom!  Your own flesh
By habit cleaves to youwithout;
Hath no adhesion。  'Aside。'  So; you have forgot
You have a father; and are here to meet him!

Julia。  I'll not deny it。

Wal。  You should blush for't。

Julia。  No!
No! no:  hear; Master Walter! what's a father
That you've not been to me?  Nay; turn not from me;
For at the name a holy awe I own;
That now almost inclines my knee to earth!
But thou to me; except a father's name;
Hast all the father been:  the carethe love …
The guidancethe protection of a father。
Canst wonder; then; if like thy child I feel; …
And feeling so; that father's claim forget
Whom ne'er I knew save by the name of one?
Oh; turn to me; and do not chide me! or
If thou wilt chide; chide on! but turn to me!

Wal。  'Struggling with emotion。'  My Julia!
'Embraces her。'

Julia。  Now; dear Master Walter; hear me!
Is there no way to 'scape these nuptials?

Wal。  Julia;
A promise made admits not of release;
Save by consent or forfeiture of those
Who hold itso it should be pondered well
Before we let it go。  Ere man should say
I broke the word I had the power to keep;
I'd lose the life I had the power to part with!
Remember; Julia; thou and I to…day
Must; to thy father; of thy training render
A strict account。  While honour's left to us;
We have somethingnothing; having all but that。
Now for thy last act of obedience; Julia!
Present thyself before thy bridegroom!  'She assents。'  Good!
My Julia's now herself!  Show him thy heart;
And to his honour leave't to set thee free
Or hold thee bound。  Thy father will be by!


SCENE III。The Banqueting' Room。


'Enter MASTER WALTER and MASTER HEARTWELL。'

Heart。  Thanks; Master Walter!  Ne'er was child more bent
To do her father's will; you'll own; than mine:
Yet never one more froward。

Wal。  All runs fair …
Fair may all end!  To…day you'll learn the cause
That took me out of town。  But soft a while; …
Here comes the bridegroom; with his friends; and here
The all…obedient bride。

'Enter on one hand JULIA; and on the other hand LORD ROCHDALE with
LORD TINSEL and friendsafterwards CLIFFORD。'

Roch。  Is she not fair?

Tin。  She'll do。  Your servant; lady!  Master Walter;
We're glad to see you。  Sirs; you're welcome all。
What wait they for?  Are we to wed or not?
We're readywhy don't they present the bride?
I hope they know she is to wed an earl。

Roch。  Should I speak first?

Tin。  Not for your coronet!
I; as your friend; may make the first advance。
We've come here to be married。  Where's the bride?

Wal。  There stands she; lord; if 'tis her will to wed;
His lordship's free to take her。

Tin。  Not a step!
I; as your friend; may lead her to your lordship。
Fair lady; by your leave。

Julia。  No! not to you。

Tin。  I ask your hand to give it to his lordship。

Julia。  Nor to his lordshipsave he will accept
My hand without my heart! but I'll present
My knee to him; and; by his lofty rank;
Implore him now to do a lofty deed
Will lift its stately head above his rank; …
Assert him nobler yet in worth than name; …
And; in the place of an unwilling bride;
Unto a willing debt or make him lord; …
Whose thanks shall be his vassals; night and day
That still shall wait upon him!

Tin。  What means this?

Julia。  What is't behoves a wife to bring her lord?

Wal。  A whole heart; and a true one。

Julia。  I have none!
Not half a heartthe fraction of a heart!
Am I a woman it befits to wed?

Wal。  Why; where's thy heart?

Julia。  Goneout of my keeping!
Lost; past recovery:  right and title to it …
And all given up! and he that's owner on't;
So fit to wear it; were it fifty hearts;
I'd give it to him all!

Wal。  Thou dost not mean
His lordship's secretary?

Julia。  Yes。  Away
Disguises! in that secretary know
The master of the heart; of which the poor;
Unvalued; empty casket; at your feet …
Its jewel goneI now despairing throw!

'Kneels。'

Of his lord's bride he's lord! lord paramount!
To whom her virgin homage first she paid; …
'Gainst whom rebelled in frowardness alone;
Nor knew herself how loyal to him; till
Another claimed her dutythen awoke
To sense of all she owed himall his worth …
And all her undeservings!

Tin。  Lady; we came not here to treat of hearts; …
But marriage; which; so please you; is with us
A simple joining; by the priest; of hands。
A ring's put on; a prayer or two is said;
You're man and wife;and nothing more!  For hearts;
We oftener do without; than with them; lady!

Clif。  So does not wed this lady!

Tin。  Who are you?

Clif。  I'm secretary to the Earl of Rochdale。

Tin。  My lord!

Roch。  I know him not …

Tin。  I know him now …
Your lordship's rival!  Once Sir Thomas Clifford。

Clif。  Yes; and the bridegroom of that lady then;
Then loved herloves her still!

Julia。  Was loved by her …
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。  Ne
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