少奶奶的扇子 英文版 Lady Windermere's Fan
奥斯卡.王尔德 Oscar Wilde
SECOND ACT Page 2
LADY WINDERMERE. Ah, give me time to think. I cannot answer younow. (Passes her hand nervously over her brow.)
LORD DARLINGTON. It must be now or not at all.
LADY WINDERMERE. (Rising from the sofa.) Then, not at all! (Apause.)
LORD DARLINGTON. You break my heart!
LADY WINDERMERE. Mine is already broken. (A pause.)
LORD DARLINGTON. To-morrow I leave England. This is the last timeI shall ever look on you. You will never see me again. For onemoment our lives met--our souls touched. They must never meet ortouch again. Good-bye, Margaret. (Exit.)
LADY WINDERMERE. How alone I am in life! How terribly alone!
(The music stops. Enter the DUCHESS OF BERWICK and LORD PAISLEYlaughing and talking. Other guests come on from ball-room.)
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Margaret, I've just been having such adelightful chat with Mrs. Erlynne. I am so sorry for what I saidto you this afternoon about her. Of course, she must be all rightif YOU invite her. A most attractive woman, and has such sensibleviews on life. Told me she entirely disapproved of people marryingmore than once, so I feel quite safe about poor Augustus. Can'timagine why people speak against her. It's those horrid nieces ofmine--the Saville girls--they're always talking scandal. Still, Ishould go to Homburg, dear, I really should. She is just a littletoo attractive. But where is Agatha? Oh, there she is: (LADYAGATHA and MR. HOPPER enter from terrace L.U.E.) Mr. Hopper, I amvery, very angry with you. You have taken Agatha out on theterrace, and she is so delicate.
HOPPER. Awfully sorry, Duchess. We went out for a moment and thengot chatting together.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (C.) Ah, about dear Australia, I suppose?
arm.)Awful manners young Hopper has!
HOPPER. Yes!
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, darling! (Beckons her over.)
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma!
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Aside.) Did Mr. Hopper definitely -
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. And what answer did you give him, dear child?
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Affectionately.) My dear one! You alwayssay the right thing. Mr. Hopper! James! Agatha has told meeverything. How cleverly you have both kept your secret.
come with me.AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
HOPPER. You don't mind my taking Agatha off to Australia, then,Duchess?
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Indignantly.) To Australia? Oh, don'tmention that dreadful vulgar place.
HOPPER. But she said she'd like to come with me.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. (Severely.) Did you say that, Agatha?
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, you say the most silly thingspossible. I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be amore healthy place to reside in. There are lots of vulgar peoplelive in Grosvenor Square, but at any rate there are no horridkangaroos crawling about. But we'll talk about that to-morrow.James, you can take Agatha down. You'll come to lunch, of course,James. At half-past one, instead of two. The Duke will wish tosay a few words to you, I am sure.
HOPPER. I should like to have a chat with the Duke, Duchess. Hehas not said a single word to me yet.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. I think you'll find he will have a great dealto say to you to-morrow. (Exit LADY AGATHA with MR. HOPPER.) Andnow good-night, Margaret. I'm afraid it's the old, old story,dear. Love--well, not love at first sight, but love at the end ofthe season, which is so much more satisfactory.
LADY WINDERMERE. Good-night, Duchess.
(Exit the DUCHESS OF BERWICK on LORD PAISLEY'S arm.)
LADY PLYMDALE. My dear Margaret, what a handsome woman yourhusband has been dancing with! I should be quite jealous if I wereyou! Is she a great friend of yours?
young Hopper has!AUGUSTUS R.U.
LADY WINDERMERE. No!
LADY PLYMDALE. Really? Good-night, dear. (Looks at MR. DUMBY andexit.)
DUMBY. Awful manners young Hopper has!
CECIL GRAHAM. Ah! Hopper is one of Nature's gentlemen, the worsttype of gentleman I know.
DUMBY. Sensible woman, Lady Windermere. Lots of wives would haveobjected to Mrs. Erlynne coming. But Lady Windermere has thatuncommon thing called common sense.
CECIL GRAHAM. And Windermere knows that nothing looks so likeinnocence as an indiscretion.
DUMBY. Yes; dear Windermere is becoming almost modern. Neverthought he would. (Bows to LADY WINDERMERE and exit.)
LADY JEDBURGH. Good night, Lady Windermere. What a fascinatingwoman Mrs. Erlynne is! She is coming to lunch on Thursday, won'tyou come too? I expect the Bishop and dear Lady Merton.
LADY WINDERMERE. I am afraid I am engaged, Lady Jedburgh.
LADY JEDBURGH. So sorry. Come, dear. (Exeunt LADY JEDBURGH andMISS GRAHAM.)
(Enter MRS. ERLYNNE and LORD WINDERMERE.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Charming ball it has been! Quite reminds me of olddays. (Sits on sofa.) And I see that there are just as many foolsin society as there used to be. So pleased to find that nothinghas altered! Except Margaret. She's grown quite pretty. The lasttime I saw her--twenty years ago, she was a fright in flannel.Positive fright, I assure you. The dear Duchess! and that sweetLady Agatha! Just the type of girl I like! Well, really,Windermere, if I am to be the Duchess's sister-in-law
LORD WINDERMERE. (Sitting L. of her.) But are you--?
(Exit MR. CECIL GRAHAM with rest of guests. LADY WINDERMEREwatches, with a look of scorn and pain, MRS. ERLYNNE and herhusband. They are unconscious of her presence.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, yes! He's to call to-morrow at twelve o'clock!He wanted to propose to-night. In fact he did. He kept onproposing. Poor Augustus, you know how he repeats himself. Such abad habit! But I told him I wouldn't give him an answer till to-morrow. Of course I am going to take him. And I dare say I'llmake him an admirable wife, as wives go. And there is a great dealof good in Lord Augustus. Fortunately it is all on the surface.Just where good qualities should be. Of course you must help me inthis matter.
LORD WINDERMERE. I am not called on to encourage Lord Augustus, Isuppose?
LORD PAISLEY'S!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, no! I do the encouraging. But you will make mea handsome settlement, Windermere, won't you?
LORD WINDERMERE. (Frowning.) Is that what you want to talk to meabout to-night?
MRS ERLYNNE. Yes.
LORD WINDERMERE. (With a gesture of impatience.) I will not talkof it here.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Laughing.) Then we will talk of it on the terrace.Even business should have a picturesque background. Should it not,Windermere? With a proper background women can do anything.
LORD WINDERMERE. Won't to-morrow do as well?
and Exit.)be. So pleased .
MRS. ERLYNNE. No; you see, to-morrow I am going to accept him.And I think it would be a good thing if I was able to tell him thatI had--well, what shall I say?--2000 pounds a year left to me by athird cousin--or a second husband--or some distant relative of thatkind. It would be an additional attraction, wouldn't it? You havea delightful opportunity now of paying me a compliment, Windermere.But you are not very clever at paying compliments. I am afraidMargaret doesn't encourage you in that excellent habit. It's agreat mistake on her part. When men give up saying what ischarming, they give up thinking what is charming. But seriously,what do you say to 2000 pounds? 2500 pounds, I think. In modernlife margin is everything. Windermere, don't you think the worldan intensely amusing place? I do!
(Exit on terrace with LORD WINDERMERE. Music strikes up in ball-room.)
LADY WINDERMERE. To stay in this house any longer is impossible.To-night a man who loves me offered me his whole life. I refusedit. It was foolish of me. I will offer him mine now. I will givehim mine. I will go to him! (Puts on cloak and goes to the door,then turns back. Sits down at table and writes a letter, puts itinto an envelope, and leaves it on table.) Arthur has neverunderstood me. When he reads this, he will. He may do as hechooses now with his life. I have done with mine as I think best,as I think right. It is he who has broken the bond of marriage--not I. I only break its bondage.
(Exit.)
(PARKER enters L. and crosses towards the ball-room R. Enter MRS.ERLYNNE.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Is Lady Windermere in the ball-room?
PARKER. Her ladyship has just gone out.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Gone out? She's not on the terrace?
PARKER. No, madam. Her ladyship has just gone out of the house.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Starts, and looks at the servant with a puzzledexpression in her face.) Out of the house?
PARKER. Yes, madam--her ladyship told me she had left a letter forhis lordship on the table.
MRS. ERLYNNE. A letter for Lord Windermere?
PARKER. Yes, madam.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Thank you.
(Exit PARKER. The music in the ball-room stops.) Gone out of herhouse! A letter addressed to her husband! (Goes over to bureauand looks at letter. Takes it up and lays it down again with ashudder of fear.) No, no! It would be impossible! Life doesn'trepeat its tragedies like that! Oh, why does this horrible fancycome across me? Why do I remember now the one moment of my life Imost wish to forget? Does life repeat its tragedies? (Tearsletter open and reads it, then sinks down into a chair with agesture of anguish.) Oh, how terrible! The same words that twentyyears ago I wrote to her father! and how bitterly I have beenpunished for it! No; my punishment, my real punishment is to-night, is now! (Still seated R.)
(Enter LORD WINDERMERE L.U.E.)
LORD WINDERMERE. Have you said good-night to my wife? (Comes C.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Crushing letter in her hand.) Yes.
LORD WINDERMERE. Where is she?
MRS. ERLYNNE. She is very tired. She has gone to bed. She saidshe had a headache.
LORD WINDERMERE. I must go to her. You'll excuse me?
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Rising hurriedly.) Oh, no! It's nothing serious.She's only very tired, that is all. Besides, there are peoplestill in the supper-room. She wants you to make her apologies tothem. She said she didn't wish to be disturbed. (Drops letter.)She asked me to tell you!
LORD WINDERMERE. (Picks up letter.) You have dropped something.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh yes, thank you, that is mine. (Puts out her handto take it.)
LORD WINDERMERE. (Still looking at letter.) But it's my wife'shandwriting, isn't it?
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Takes the letter quickly.) Yes, it's--an address.Will you ask them to call my carriage, please?
LORD WINDERMERE. Certainly.
BERWICK. (C.) Ah, about.
(Goes L. and Exit.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Thanks! What can I do? What can I do? I feel apassion awakening within me that I never felt before. What can itmean? The daughter must not be like the mother--that would beterrible. How can I save her? How can I save my child? A momentmay ruin a life. Who knows that better than I? Windermere must begot out of the house; that is absolutely necessary. (Goes L.) Buthow shall I do it? It must be done somehow. Ah!
(Enter LORD AUGUSTUS R.U.E. carrying bouquet.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lord Augustus, listen to me. You are to take LordWindermere down to your club at once, and keep him there as long aspossible. You understand?
LORD AUGUSTUS. But you said you wished me to keep early hours!
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Nervously.) Do what I tell you. Do what I tellyou.
LORD AUGUSTUS. And my reward?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Your reward? Your reward? Oh! ask me that to-morrow. But don't let Windermere out of your sight to-night. Ifyou do I will never forgive you. I will never speak to you again.I'll have nothing to do with you. Remember you are to keepWindermere at your club, and don't let him come back to-night.
(Exit L.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. Well, really, I might be her husband already.Positively I might. (Follows her in a bewildered manner.)
looking at letter.) But it's my.
ACT DROP.