少奶奶的扇子 英文版 Lady Windermere's Fan
奥斯卡.王尔德 Oscar Wilde
SECOND ACT Page 1
SCENE
Drawing-room in Lord Windermere's house. Door R.U. opening intoball-room, where band is playing. Door L. through which guests areentering. Door L.U. opens on to illuminated terrace. Palms,flowers, and brilliant lights. Room crowded with guests. LadyWindermere is receiving them.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Up C.) So strange Lord Windermere isn'there. Mr. Hopper is very late, too. You have kept those fivedances for him, Agatha? (Comes down.)
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Sitting on sofa.) Just let me see your card.I'm so glad Lady Windermere has revived cards.--They're a mother'sonly safeguard. You dear simple little thing! (Scratches out twonames.) No nice girl should ever waltz with such particularlyyounger sons! It looks so fast! The last two dances you mightpass on the terrace with Mr. Hopper.
(Enter MR. DUMBY and LADY PLYMDALE from the ball-room.)
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Fanning herself.) The air is so pleasantthere.
PARKER. Mrs. Cowper-Cowper. Lady Stutfield. Sir James Royston.Mr. Guy Berkeley.
(These people enter as announced.)
DUMBY. Good evening, Lady Stutfield. I suppose this will be thelast ball of the season?
LADY STUTFIELD. I suppose so, Mr. Dumby. It's been a delightfulseason, hasn't it?
DUMBY. Quite delightful! Good evening, Duchess. I suppose thiswill be the last ball of the season?
to-night, I think I would have told.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. I suppose so, Mr. Dumby. It has been a verydull season, hasn't it?
DUMBY. Dreadfully dull! Dreadfully dull!
MR. COWPER-COWPER. Good evening, Mr. Dumby. I suppose this willbe the last ball of the season?
DUMBY. Oh, I think not. There'll probably be two more. (Wandersback to LADY PLYMDALE.)
PARKER. Mr. Rufford. Lady Jedburgh and Miss Graham. Mr. Hopper.
(These people enter as announced.)
HOPPER. How do you do, Lady Windermere? How do you do, Duchess?(Bows to LADY AGATHA.)
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Mr. Hopper, how nice of you to come soearly. We all know how you are run after in London.
HOPPER. Capital place, London! They are not nearly so exclusivein London as they are in Sydney.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Ah! we know your value, Mr. Hopper. We wishthere were more like you. It would make life so much easier. Doyou know, Mr. Hopper, dear Agatha and I are so much interested inAustralia. It must be so pretty with all the dear little kangaroosflying about. Agatha has found it on the map. What a curiousshape it is! Just like a large packing case. However, it is avery young country, isn't it?
toask you. me you didn'tknow her? What do.
HOPPER. Wasn't it made at the same time as the others, Duchess?
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. How clever you are, Mr. Hopper. You have acleverness quite of your own. Now I mustn't keep you.
HOPPER. But I should like to dance with Lady Agatha, Duchess.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Well, I hope she has a dance left. Have you adance left, Agatha?
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. The next one?
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
HOPPER. May I have the pleasure? (LADY AGATHA bows.)
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Mind you take great care of my littlechatterbox, Mr. Hopper.
(LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER pass into ball-room.)
(Enter LORD WINDERMERE.)
DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, I want to speak to you.
LADY WINDERMERE. In a moment. (The music drops.)
PARKER. Lord Augustus Lorton.
(Enter LORD AUGUSTUS.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. Good evening, Lady Windermere.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Sir James, will you take me into the ball-room? Augustus has been dining with us to-night. I really havehad quite enough of dear Augustus for the moment.
(SIR JAMES ROYSTON gives the DUCHESS his aim and escorts her intothe ball-room.)
PARKER. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bowden. Lord and Lady Paisley. LordDarlington.
(These people enter as announced.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Coming up to LORD WINDERMERE.) Want to speak toyou particularly, dear boy. I'm worn to a shadow. Know I don'tlook it. None of us men do look what we really are. Demmed goodthing, too. What I want to know is this. Who is she? Where doesshe come from? Why hasn't she got any demmed relations? Demmednuisance, relations! But they make one so demmed respectable.
LORD WINDERMERE. You are talking of Mrs. Erlynne, I suppose? Ionly met her six months ago. Till then, I never knew of herexistence.
LORD AUGUSTUS. You have seen a good deal of her since then.
LORD WINDERMERE. (Coldly.) Yes, I have seen a good deal of hersince then. I have just seen her.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Egad! the women are very down on her. I have beendining with Arabella this evening! By Jove! you should have heardwhat she said about Mrs. Erlynne. She didn't leave a rag on her.. . (Aside.) Berwick and I told her that didn't matter much, asthe lady in question must have an extremely fine figure. Youshould have seen Arabella's expression! . . . But, look here, dearboy. I don't know what to do about Mrs. Erlynne. Egad! I mightbe married to her; she treats me with such demmed indifference.She's deuced clever, too! She explains everything. Egad! sheexplains you. She has got any amount of explanations for you--andall of them different.
LORD WINDERMERE. No explanations are necessary about my friendshipwith Mrs. Erlynne.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Hem! Well, look here, dear old fellow. Do youthink she will ever get into this demmed thing called Society?Would you introduce her to your wife? No use beating about theconfounded bush. Would you do that?
LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne is coming here to-night.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Your wife has sent her a card?
LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne has received a card.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Then she's all right, dear boy. But why didn't youtell me that before? It would have saved me a heap of worry anddemmed misunderstandings!
(LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER cross and exit on terrace L.U.E.)
PARKER. Mr. Cecil Graham!
(Enter MR. CECIL GRAHAM.)
CECIL GRAHAM. (Bows to LADY WINDERMERE, passes over and shakeshands with LORD WINDERMERE.) Good evening, Arthur. Why don't youask me how I am? I like people to ask me how I am. It shows awide-spread interest in my health. Now, to-night I am not at allwell. Been dining with my people. Wonder why it is one's peopleare always so tedious? My father would talk morality after dinner.I told him he was old enough to know better. But my experience isthat as soon as people are old enough to know better, they don'tknow anything at all. Hallo, Tuppy! Hear you're going to bemarried again; thought you were tired of that game.
LORD AUGUSTUS. You're excessively trivial, my dear boy,excessively trivial!
CECIL GRAHAM. By the way, Tuppy, which is it? Have you been twicemarried and once divorced, or twice divorced and once married? Isay you've been twice divorced and once married. It seems so muchmore probable.
LORD AUGUSTUS. I have a very bad memory. I really don't rememberwhich. (Moves away R.)
LADY PLYMDALE. Lord Windermere, I've something most particular toask you.
LORD WINDERMERE. I am afraid--if you will excuse me--I must joinmy wife.
LADY PLYMDALE. Oh, you mustn't dream of such a thing. It's mostdangerous nowadays for a husband to pay any attention to his wifein public. It always makes people think that he beats her whenthey're alone. The world has grown so suspicious of anything thatlooks like a happy married life. But I'll tell you what it is atsupper. (Moves towards door of ball-room.)
LORD WINDERMERE. (C.) Margaret! I MUST speak to you.
LADY WINDERMERE. Will you hold my fan for me, Lord Darlington?Thanks. (Comes down to him.)
LORD WINDERMERE. (Crossing to her.) Margaret, what you saidbefore dinner was, of course, impossible?
SCENE slightly and smooths.
LADY WINDERMERE. That woman is not coming here to-night!
LORD WINDERMERE. (R.C.) Mrs. Erlynne is coming here, and if youin any way annoy or wound her, you will bring shame and sorrow onus both. Remember that! Ah, Margaret! only trust me! A wifeshould trust her husband!
LADY WINDERMERE. (C.) London is full of women who trust theirhusbands. One can always recognise them. They look so thoroughlyunhappy. I am not going to be one of them. (Moves up.) LordDarlington, will you give me back my fan, please? Thanks. . . . Auseful thing a fan, isn't it? . . . I want a friend to-night, LordDarlington: I didn't know I would want one so soon.
LORD DARLINGTON. Lady Windermere! I knew the time would come someday; but why to-night?
LORD WINDERMERE. I WILL tell her. I must. It would be terribleif there were any scene. Margaret . . .
PARKER. Mrs. Erlynne!
(LORD WINDERMERE starts. MRS. ERLYNNE enters, very beautifullydressed and very dignified. LADY WINDERMERE clutches at her fan,then lets it drop on the door. She bows coldly to MRS. ERLYNNE,who bows to her sweetly in turn, and sails into the room.)
LORD DARLINGTON. You have dropped your fan, Lady Windermere.(Picks it up and hands it to her.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (C.) How do you do, again, Lord Windermere? Howcharming your sweet wife looks! Quite a picture!
LORD WINDERMERE. (In a low voice.) It was terribly rash of you tocome!
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Smiling.) The wisest thing I ever did in my life.And, by the way, you must pay me a good deal of attention thisevening. I am afraid of the women. You must introduce me to someof them. The men I can always manage. How do you do, LordAugustus? You have quite neglected me lately. I have not seen yousince yesterday. I am afraid you're faithless. Every one told meso.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (R.) Now really, Mrs. Erlynne, allow me toexplain.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (R.C.) No, dear Lord Augustus, you can't explainanything. It is your chief charm.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Ah! if you find charms in me, Mrs. Erlynne -
(They converse together. LORD WINDERMERE moves uneasily about theroom watching MRS. ERLYNNE.)
LORD DARLINGTON. (To LADY WINDERMERE.) How pale you are!
LADY WINDERMERE. Cowards are always pale!
LORD DARLINGTON. You look faint. Come out on the terrace.
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. (To PARKER.) Parker, send my cloak out.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Crossing to her.) Lady Windermere, how beautifullyyour terrace is illuminated. Reminds me of Prince Doria's at Rome.
(LADY WINDERMERE bows coldly, and goes off with LORD DARLINGTON.)
Oh, how do you do, Mr. Graham? Isn't that your aunt, LadyJedburgh? I should so much like to know her.
CECIL GRAHAM. (After a moment's hesitation and embarrassment.)Oh, certainly, if you wish it. Aunt Caroline, allow me tointroduce Mrs. Erlynne.
MRS. ERLYNNE. So pleased to meet you, Lady Jedburgh. (Sits besideher on the sofa.) Your nephew and I are great friends. I am somuch interested in his political career. I think he's sure to be awonderful success. He thinks like a Tory, and talks like aRadical, and that's so important nowadays. He's such a brillianttalker, too. But we all know from whom he inherits that. LordAllandale was saying to me only yesterday, in the Park, that Mr.Graham talks almost as well as his aunt.
LADY JEDBURGH. (R.) Most kind of you to say these charming thingsto me! (MRS. ERLYNNE smiles, and continues conversation.)
DUMBY. (To CECIL GRAHAM.) Did you introduce Mrs. Erlynne to LadyJedburgh?
CECIL GRAHAM. Had to, my dear fellow. Couldn't help it! Thatwoman can make one do anything she wants. How, I don't know.
DUMBY. Hope to goodness she won't speak to me! (Saunters towardsLADY PLYMDALE.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (C. To LADY JEDBURGH.) On Thursday? With greatpleasure. (Rises, and speaks to LORD WINDERMERE, laughing.) Whata bore it is to have to be civil to these old dowagers! But theyalways insist on it!
LADY PLYMDALE. (To MR. DUMBY.) Who is that well-dressed womantalking to Windermere?
DUMBY. Haven't got the slightest idea! Looks like an edition deluxe of a wicked French novel, meant specially for the Englishmarket.
MRS. ERLYNNE. So that is poor Dumby with Lady Plymdale? I hearshe is frightfully jealous of him. He doesn't seem anxious tospeak to me to-night. I suppose he is afraid of her. Those straw-coloured women have dreadful tempers. Do you know, I think I'lldance with you first, Windermere. (LORD WINDERMERE bits his lipand frowns.) It will make Lord Augustus so jealous! LordAugustus! (LORD AUGUSTUS comes down.) Lord Windermere insists onmy dancing with him first, and, as it's his own house, I can't wellrefuse. You know I would much sooner dance with you.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (With a low bow.) I wish I could think so, Mrs.Erlynne.
MRS ERLYNNE. You know it far too well. I can fancy a persondancing through life with you and finding it charming.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Placing his hand on his white waistcoat.) Oh,thank you, thank you. You are the most adorable of all ladies!
MRS. ERLYNNE. What a nice speech! So simple and so sincere! Justthe sort of speech I like. Well, you shall hold my bouquet. (Goestowards ball-room on LORD WINDERMERE'S arm.) Ah, Mr. Dumby, howare you? I am so sorry I have been out the last three times youhave called. Come and lunch on Friday.
DUMBY. (With perfect nonchalance.) Delighted!
(LADY PLYMDALE glares with indignation at MR. DUMBY. LORD AUGUSTUSfollows MRS. ERLYNNE and LORD WINDERMERE into the ball-room holdingbouquet)
LADY PLYMDALE. (To MR. DUMBY.) What an absolute brute you are! Inever can believe a word you say! Why did you tell me you didn'tknow her? What do you mean by calling on her three times running?You are not to go to lunch there; of course you understand that?
DUMBY. My dear Laura, I wouldn't dream of going!
LADY PLYMDALE. You haven't told me her name yet! Who is she?
DUMBY. (Coughs slightly and smooths his hair.) She's a Mrs.Erlynne.
LADY PLYMDALE. That woman!
DUMBY. Yes; that is what every one calls her.
LADY PLYMDALE. How very interesting! How intensely interesting!I really must have a good stare at her. (Goes to door of ball-roomand looks in.) I have heard the most shocking things about her.They say she is ruining poor Windermere. And Lady Windermere, whogoes in for being so proper, invites her! How extremely amusing!It takes a thoroughly good woman to do a thoroughly stupid thing.You are to lunch there on Friday!
DUMBY. Why?
LADY PLYMDALE. Because I want you to take my husband with you. Hehas been so attentive lately, that he has become a perfectnuisance. Now, this woman is just the thing for him. He'll danceattendance upon her as long as she lets him, and won't bother me.I assure you, women of that kind are most useful. They form thebasis of other people's marriages.
DUMBY. What a mystery you are!
LADY PLYMDALE. (Looking at him.) I wish YOU were!
DUMBY. I am--to myself. I am the only person in the world Ishould like to know thoroughly; but I don't see any chance of itjust at present.
(They pass into the ball-room, and LADY WINDERMERE and LORDDARLINGTON enter from the terrace.)
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. Her coming here is monstrous, unbearable.I know now what you meant to-day at tea-time. Why didn't you tellme right out? You should have!
LORD DARLINGTON. I couldn't! A man can't tell these things aboutanother man! But if I had known he was going to make you ask herhere to-night, I think I would have told you. That insult, at anyrate, you would have been spared.
LADY WINDERMERE. I did not ask her. He insisted on her coming--against my entreaties--against my commands. Oh! the house istainted for me! I feel that every woman here sneers at me as shedances by with my husband. What have I done to deserve this? Igave him all my life. He took it--used it--spoiled it! I amdegraded in my own eyes; and I lack courage--I am a coward! (Sitsdown on sofa.)
LORD DARLINGTON. If I know you at all, I know that you can't livewith a man who treats you like this! What sort of life would youhave with him? You would feel that he was lying to you everymoment of the day. You would feel that the look in his eyes wasfalse, his voice false, his touch false, his passion false. Hewould come to you when he was weary of others; you would have tocomfort him. He would come to you when he was devoted to others;you would have to charm him. You would have to be to him the maskof his real life, the cloak to hide his secret.
LADY WINDERMERE. You are right--you are terribly right. But wheream I to turn? You said you would be my friend, Lord Darlington.--Tell me, what am I to do? Be my friend now.
LORD DARLINGTON. Between men and women there is no friendshippossible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but nofriendship. I love you -
LADY WINDERMERE. No, no! (Rises.)
LORD DARLINGTON. Yes, I love you! You are more to me thananything in the whole world. What does your husband give you?Nothing. Whatever is in him he gives to this wretched woman, whomhe has thrust into your society, into your home, to shame youbefore every one. I offer you my life -
LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington!
LORD DARLINGTON. My life--my whole life. Take it, and do with itwhat you will. . . . I love you--love you as I have never loved anyliving thing. From the moment I met you I loved you, loved youblindly, adoringly, madly! You did not know it then--you know itnow! Leave this house to-night. I won't tell you that the worldmatters nothing, or the world's voice, or the voice of society.They matter a great deal. They matter far too much. But there aremoments when one has to choose between living one's own life,fully, entirely, completely--or dragging out some false, shallow,degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. Youhave that moment now. Choose! Oh, my love, choose.
LADY WINDERMERE. (Moving slowly away from him, and looking at himwith startled eyes.) I have not the courage.
LORD DARLINGTON. (Following her.) Yes; you have the courage.There may be six months of pain, of disgrace even, but when you nolonger bear his name, when you bear mine, all will be well.Margaret, my love, my wife that shall be some day--yes, my wife!You know it! What are you now? This woman has the place thatbelongs by right to you. Oh! go--go out of this house, with headerect, with a smile upon your lips, with courage in your eyes. AllLondon will know why you did it; and who will blame you? No one.If they do, what matter? Wrong? What is wrong? It's wrong for aman to abandon his wife for a shameless woman. It is wrong for awife to remain with a man who so dishonours her. You said once youwould make no compromise with things. Make none now. Be brave!Be yourself!
LADY WINDERMERE. I am afraid of being myself. Let me think! Letme wait! My husband may return to me. (Sits down on sofa.)
LORD DARLINGTON. And you would take him back! You are not what Ithought you were. You are just the same as every other woman. Youwould stand anything rather than face the censure of a world, whosepraise you would despise. In a week you will be driving with thiswoman in the Park. She will be your constant guest--your dearestfriend. You would endure anything rather than break with one blowthis monstrous tie. You are right. You have no courage; none!