少奶奶的扇子 英文版 Lady Windermere's Fan
奥斯卡.王尔德 Oscar Wilde
THIRD ACT
SCENE
Lord Darlington's Rooms. A large sofa is in front of fireplace R.At the back of the stage a curtain is drawn across the window.Doors L. and R. Table R. with writing materials. Table C. withsyphons, glasses, and Tantalus frame. Table L. with cigar andcigarette box. Lamps lit.
LADY WINDERMERE. (Standing by the fireplace.) Why doesn't hecome? This waiting is horrible. He should be here. Why is he nothere, to wake by passionate words some fire within me? I am cold--cold as a loveless thing. Arthur must have read my letter by thistime. If he cared for me, he would have come after me, would havetaken me back by force. But he doesn't care. He's entrammelled bythis woman--fascinated by her--dominated by her. If a woman wantsto hold a man, she has merely to appeal to what is worst in him.We make gods of men and they leave us. Others make brutes of themand they fawn and are faithful. How hideous life is! . . . Oh! itwas mad of me to come here, horribly mad. And yet, which is theworst, I wonder, to be at the mercy of a man who loves one, or thewife of a man who in one's own house dishonours one? What womanknows? What woman in the whole world? But will he love me always,this man to whom I am giving my life? What do I bring him? Lipsthat have lost the note of joy, eyes that are blinded by tears,chill hands and icy heart. I bring him nothing. I must go back--no; I can't go back, my letter has put me in their power--Arthurwould not take me back! That fatal letter! No! Lord Darlingtonleaves England to-morrow. I will go with him--I have no choice.(Sits down for a few moments. Then starts up and puts on hercloak.) No, no! I will go back, let Arthur do with me what hepleases. I can't wait here. It has been madness my coming. Imust go at once. As for Lord Darlington--Oh! here he is! Whatshall I do? What can I say to him? Will he let me go away at all?I have heard that men are brutal, horrible . . . Oh! (Hides herface in her hands.)
(Enter MRS. ERLYNNE L.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lady Windermere! (LADY WINDERMERE starts and looksup. Then recoils in contempt.) Thank Heaven I am in time. Youmust go back to your husband's house immediately.
LADY WINDERMERE. Must?
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Authoritatively.) Yes, you must! There is not asecond to be lost. Lord Darlington may return at any moment.
LADY WINDERMERE. Don't come near me!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! You are on the brink of ruin, you are on thebrink of a hideous precipice. You must leave this place at once,my carriage is waiting at the corner of the street. You must comewith me and drive straight home.
(LADY WINDERMERE throws off her cloak and flings it on the sofa.)
What are you doing?
LADY WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne--if you had not come here, I wouldhave gone back. But now that I see you, I feel that nothing in thewhole world would induce me to live under the same roof as LordWindermere. You fill me with horror. There is something about youthat stirs the wildest--rage within me. And I know why you arehere. My husband sent you to lure me back that I might serve as ablind to whatever relations exist between you and him.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! You don't think that--you can't.
LADY WINDERMERE. Go back to my husband, Mrs. Erlynne. He belongsto you and not to me. I suppose he is afraid of a scandal. Menare such cowards. They outrage every law of the world, and areafraid of the world's tongue. But he had better prepare himself.He shall have a scandal. He shall have the worst scandal there hasbeen in London for years. He shall see his name in every vilepaper, mine on every hideous placard.
MRS. ERLYNNE. No--no -
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes! he shall. Had he come himself, I admit Iwould have gone back to the life of degradation you and he hadprepared for me--I was going back--but to stay himself at home, andto send you as his messenger--oh! it was infamous--infamous.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (C.) Lady Windermere, you wrong me horribly--youwrong your husband horribly. He doesn't know you are here--hethinks you are safe in your own house. He thinks you are asleep inyour own room. He never read the mad letter you wrote to him!
LADY WINDERMERE. (R.) Never read it!
MRS. ERLYNNE. No--he knows nothing about it.
LADY WINDERMERE. How simple you think me! (Going to her.) Youare lying to me!
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Restraining herself.) I am not. I am telling youthe truth.
LADY WINDERMERE. If my husband didn't read my letter, how is itthat you are here? Who told you I had left the house you wereshameless enough to enter? Who told you where I had gone to? Myhusband told you, and sent you to decoy me back. (Crosses L.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (R.C.) Your husband has never seen the letter. I--saw it, I opened it. I--read it.
LADY WINDERMERE. (Turning to her.) You opened a letter of mine tomy husband? You wouldn't dare!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Dare! Oh! to save you from the abyss into which youare falling, there is nothing in the world I would not dare,nothing in the whole world. Here is the letter. Your husband hasnever read it. He never shall read it. (Going to fireplace.) Itshould never have been written. (Tears it and throws it into thefire.)
LADY WINDERMERE. (With infinite contempt in her voice and look.)How do I know that that was my letter after all? You seem to thinkthe commonest device can take me in!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! why do you disbelieve everything I tell you?What object do you think I have in coming here, except to save youfrom utter ruin, to save you from the consequence of a hideousmistake? That letter that is burnt now WAS your letter. I swearit to you!
LADY WINDERMERE. (Slowly.) You took good care to burn it before Ihad examined it. I cannot trust you. You, whose whole life is alie, could you speak the truth about anything? (Sits down.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Hurriedly.) Think as you like about me--say whatyou choose against me, but go back, go back to the husband youlove.
LADY WINDERMERE. (Sullenly.) I do NOT love him!
MRS. ERLYNNE. You do, and you know that he loves you.
LADY WINDERMERE. He does not understand what love is. Heunderstands it as little as you do--but I see what you want. Itwould be a great advantage for you to get me back. Dear Heaven!what a life I would have then! Living at the mercy of a woman whohas neither mercy nor pity in her, a woman whom it is an infamy tomeet, a degradation to know, a vile woman, a woman who comesbetween husband and wife!
MRS. ERLYNNE. (With a gesture of despair.) Lady Windermere, LadyWindermere, don't say such terrible things. You don't know howterrible they are, how terrible and how unjust. Listen, you mustlisten! Only go back to your husband, and I promise you never tocommunicate with him again on any pretext--never to see him--neverto have anything to do with his life or yours. The money that hegave me, he gave me not through love, but through hatred, not inworship, but in contempt. The hold I have over him -
LADY WINDERMERE. (Rising.) Ah! you admit you have a hold!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes, and I will tell you what it is. It is his lovefor you, Lady Windermere.
LADY WINDERMERE. You expect me to believe that?
MRS. ERLYNNE. You must believe it! It is true. It is his lovefor you that has made him submit to--oh! call it what you like,tyranny, threats, anything you choose. But it is his love for you.His desire to spare you--shame, yes, shame and disgrace.
LADY WINDERMERE. What do you mean? You are insolent! What have Ito do with you?
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Humbly.) Nothing. I know it--but I tell you thatyour husband loves you--that you may never meet with such loveagain in your whole life--that such love you will never meet--andthat if you throw it away, the day may come when you will starvefor love and it will not be given to you, beg for love and it willbe denied you--Oh! Arthur loves you!
LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur? And you tell me there is nothing betweenyou?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lady Windermere, before Heaven your husband isguiltless of all offence towards you! And I--I tell you that hadit ever occurred to me that such a monstrous suspicion would haveentered your mind, I would have died rather than have crossed yourlife or his--oh! died, gladly died! (Moves away to sofa R.)
LADY WINDERMERE. You talk as if you had a heart. Women like youhave no hearts. Heart is not in you. You are bought and sold.(Sits L.C.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Starts, with a gesture of pain. Then restrainsherself, and comes over to where LADY WINDERMERE is sitting. Asshe speaks, she stretches out her hands towards her, but does notdare to touch her.) Believe what you choose about me. I am notworth a moment's sorrow. But don't spoil your beautiful young lifeon my account! You don't know what may be in store for you, unlessyou leave this house at once. You don't know what it is to fallinto the pit, to be despised, mocked, abandoned, sneered at--to bean outcast! to find the door shut against one, to have to creep inby hideous byways, afraid every moment lest the mask should bestripped from one's face, and all the while to hear the laughter,the horrible laughter of the world, a thing more tragic than allthe tears the world has ever shed. You don't know what it is. Onepays for one's sin, and then one pays again, and all one's life onepays. You must never know that.--As for me, if suffering be anexpiation, then at this moment I have expiated all my faults,whatever they have been; for to-night you have made a heart in onewho had it not, made it and broken it.--But let that pass. I mayhave wrecked my own life, but I will not let you wreck yours. You--why, you are a mere girl, you would be lost. You haven't got thekind of brains that enables a woman to get back. You have neitherthe wit nor the courage. You couldn't stand dishonour! No! Goback, Lady Windermere, to the husband who loves you, whom you love.You have a child, Lady Windermere. Go back to that child who evennow, in pain or in joy, may be calling to you. (LADY WINDERMERErises.) God gave you that child. He will require from you thatyou make his life fine, that you watch over him. What answer willyou make to God if his life is ruined through you? Back to yourhouse, Lady Windermere--your husband loves you! He has neverswerved for a moment from the love he bears you. But even if hehad a thousand loves, you must stay with your child. If he washarsh to you, you must stay with your child. If he ill-treatedyou, you must stay with your child. If he abandoned you, yourplace is with your child.
(LADY WINDERMERE bursts into tears and buries her face in herhands.)
(Rushing to her.) Lady Windermere!
LADY WINDERMERE. (Holding out her hands to her, helplessly, as achild might do.) Take me home. Take me home.
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Is about to embrace her. Then restrains herself.There is a look of wonderful joy in her face.) Come! Where isyour cloak? (Getting it from sofa.) Here. Put it on. Come atonce!
(They go to the door.)
LADY WINDERMERE. Stop! Don't you hear voices?
MRS. ERLYNNE. No, no! There was no one!
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, there is! Listen! Oh! that is my husband'svoice! He is coming in! Save me! Oh, it's some plot! You havesent for him.
(Voices outside.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. Silence! I'm here to save you, if I can. But Ifear it is too late! There! (Points to the curtain across thewindow.) The first chance you have, slip out, if you ever get achance!
LADY WINDERMERE. But you?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! never mind me. I'll face them.
(LADY WINDERMERE hides herself behind the curtain.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Outside.) Nonsense, dear Windermere, you must notleave me!
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lord Augustus! Then it is I who am lost!(Hesitates for a moment, then looks round and sees door R., andexits through it.)
(Enter LORD DARLINGTON, MR. DUMBY, LORD WINDERMERE, LORD AUGUSTUSLORTON, and MR. CECIL GRAHAM.
DUMBY. What a nuisance their turning us out of the club at thishour! It's only two o'clock. (Sinks into a chair.) The livelypart of the evening is only just beginning. (Yawns and closes hiseyes.)
LORD WINDERMERE. It is very good of you, Lord Darlington, allowingAugustus to force our company on you, but I'm afraid I can't staylong.
LORD DARLINGTON. Really! I am so sorry! You'll take a cigar,won't you?
LORD WINDERMERE. Thanks! (Sits down.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. (To LORD WINDERMERE.) My dear boy, you must notdream of going. I have a great deal to talk to you about, ofdemmed importance, too. (Sits down with him at L. table.)
CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! We all know what that is! Tuppy can't talkabout anything but Mrs. Erlynne.
LORD WINDERMERE. Well, that is no business of yours, is it, Cecil?
CECIL GRAHAM. None! That is why it interests me. My own businessalways bores me to death. I prefer other people's.
LORD DARLINGTON. Have something to drink, you fellows. Cecil,you'll have a whisky and soda?
CECIL GRAHAM. Thanks. (Goes to table with LORD DARLINGTON.) Mrs.Erlynne looked very handsome to-night, didn't she?
LORD DARLINGTON. I am not one of her admirers.
CECIL GRAHAM. I usen't to be, but I am now. Why! she actuallymade me introduce her to poor dear Aunt Caroline. I believe she isgoing to lunch there.
LORD DARLINGTON. (In Purple.) No?
CECIL GRAHAM. She is, really.
LORD DARLINGTON. Excuse me, you fellows. I'm going away to-morrow. And I have to write a few letters. (Goes to writing tableand sits down.)
DUMBY. Clever woman, Mrs. Erlynne.
CECIL GRAHAM. Hallo, Dumby! I thought you were asleep.
DUMBY. I am, I usually am!
LORD AUGUSTUS. A very clever woman. Knows perfectly well what ademmed fool I am--knows it as well as I do myself.
(CECIL GRAHAM comes towards him laughing.)
Ah, you may laugh, my boy, but it is a great thing to come across awoman who thoroughly understands one.
DUMBY. It is an awfully dangerous thing. They always end bymarrying one.
CECIL GRAHAM. But I thought, Tuppy, you were never going to seeher again! Yes! you told me so yesterday evening at the club. Yousaid you'd heard -
(Whispering to him.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. Oh, she's explained that.
CECIL GRAHAM. And the Wiesbaden affair?
LORD AUGUSTUS. She's explained that too.
DUMBY. And her income, Tuppy? Has she explained that?
LORD AUGUSTUS. (In a very serious voice.) She's going to explainthat to-morrow.
(CECIL GRAHAM goes back to C. table.)
DUMBY. Awfully commercial, women nowadays. Our grandmothers threwtheir caps over the mills, of course, but, by Jove, theirgranddaughters only throw their caps over mills that can raise thewind for them.
LORD AUGUSTUS. You want to make her out a wicked woman. She isnot!
CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! Wicked women bother one. Good women bore one.That is the only difference between them.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Puffing a cigar.) Mrs. Erlynne has a futurebefore her.
DUMBY. Mrs. Erlynne has a past before her.
LORD AUGUSTUS. I prefer women with a past. They're always sodemmed amusing to talk to.
CECIL GRAHAM. Well, you'll have lots of topics of conversationwith HER, Tuppy. (Rising and going to him.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. You're getting annoying, dear-boy; you're gettingdemmed annoying.
CECIL GRAHAM. (Puts his hands on his shoulders.) Now, Tuppy,you've lost your figure and you've lost your character. Don't loseyour temper; you have only got one.
LORD AUGUSTUS. My dear boy, if I wasn't the most good-natured manin London -
CECIL GRAHAM. We'd treat you with more respect, wouldn't we,Tuppy? (Strolls away.)
DUMBY. The youth of the present day are quite monstrous. Theyhave absolutely no respect for dyed hair. (LORD AUGUSTUS looksround angrily.)
CECIL GRAHAM. Mrs. Erlynne has a very great respect for dearTuppy.
DUMBY. Then Mrs. Erlynne sets an admirable example to the rest ofher sex. It is perfectly brutal the way most women nowadays behaveto men who are not their husbands.
LORD WINDERMERE. Dumby, you are ridiculous, and Cecil, you letyour tongue run away with you. You must leave Mrs. Erlynne alone.You don't really know anything about her, and you're always talkingscandal against her.
CECIL GRAHAM. (Coming towards him L.C.) My dear Arthur, I nevertalk scandal. _I_ only talk gossip.
LORD WINDERMERE. What is the difference between scandal andgossip?
CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! gossip is charming! History is merely gossip.But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. Now, I nevermoralise. A man who moralises is usually a hypocrite, and a womanwho moralises is invariably plain. There is nothing in the wholeworld so unbecoming to a woman as a Nonconformist conscience. Andmost women know it, I'm glad to say.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Just my sentiments, dear boy, just my sentiments.
you must! There is not.
CECIL GRAHAM. Sorry to hear it, Tuppy; whenever people agree withme, I always feel I must be wrong.
LORD AUGUSTUS. My dear boy, when I was your age -
CECIL GRAHAM. But you never were, Tuppy, and you never will be.(Goes up C.) I say, Darlington, let us have some cards. You'llplay, Arthur, won't you?
LORD WINDERMERE. No, thanks, Cecil.
DUMBY. (With a sigh.) Good heavens! how marriage ruins a man!It's as demoralising as cigarettes, and far more expensive.
CECIL GRAHAM. You'll play, of course, Tuppy?
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Pouring himself out a brandy and soda at table.)Can't, dear boy. Promised Mrs. Erlynne never to play or drinkagain.
CECIL GRAHAM. Now, my dear Tuppy, don't be led astray into thepaths of virtue. Reformed, you would be perfectly tedious. Thatis the worst of women. They always want one to be good. And if weare good, when they meet us, they don't love us at all. They liketo find us quite irretrievably bad, and to leave us quiteunattractively good.
LORD DARLINGTON. (Rising from R. table, where he has been writingletters.) They always do find us bad!
DUMBY. I don't think we are bad. I think we are all good, exceptTuppy.
LORD DARLINGTON. No, we are all in the gutter, but some of us arelooking at the stars. (Sits down at C. table.)
DUMBY. We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at thestars? Upon my word, you are very romantic to-night, Darlington.
CECIL GRAHAM. Too romantic! You must be in love. Who is thegirl?
LORD DARLINGTON. The woman I love is not free, or thinks sheisn't. (Glances instinctively at LORD WINDERMERE while he speaks.)
CECIL GRAHAM. A married woman, then! Well, there's nothing in theworld like the devotion of a married woman. It's a thing nomarried man knows anything about.
LORD DARLINGTON. Oh! she doesn't love me. She is a good woman.She is the only good woman I have ever met in my life.
CECIL GRAHAM. The only good woman you have ever met in your life?
LORD DARLINGTON. Yes!
CECIL GRAHAM. (Lighting a cigarette.) Well, you are a luckyfellow! Why, I have met hundreds of good women. I never seem tomeet any but good women. The world is perfectly packed with goodwomen. To know them is a middle-class education.
LORD DARLINGTON. This woman has purity and innocence. She haseverything we men have lost.
CECIL GRAHAM. My dear fellow, what on earth should we men do goingabout with purity and innocence? A carefully thought-outbuttonhole is much more effective.
DUMBY. She doesn't really love you then?
LORD DARLINGTON. No, she does not!
DUMBY. I congratulate you, my dear fellow. In this world thereare only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and theother is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last is areal tragedy! But I am interested to hear she does not love you.How long could you love a woman who didn't love you, Cecil?
CECIL GRAHAM. A woman who didn't love me? Oh, all my life!
DUMBY. So could I. But it's so difficult to meet one.
LORD DARLINGTON. How can you be so conceited, DUMBY?
DUMBY. I didn't say it as a matter of conceit. I said it as amatter of regret. I have been wildly, madly adored. I am sorry Ihave. It has been an immense nuisance. I should like to beallowed a little time to myself now and then.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Looking round.) Time to educate yourself, Isuppose.
DUMBY. No, time to forget all I have learned. That is much moreimportant, dear Tuppy. (LORD AUGUSTUS moves uneasily in hischair.)
LORD DARLINGTON. What cynics you fellows are!
CECIL GRAHAM. What is a cynic? (Sitting on the back of the sofa.)
LORD DARLINGTON. A man who knows the price of everything and thevalue of nothing.
CECIL GRAHAM. And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is a manwho sees an absurd value in everything, and doesn't know the marketprice of any single thing.
DROP. ruins a man!It's as demoralising.
LORD DARLINGTON. You always amuse me, Cecil. You talk as if youwere a man of experience.
CECIL GRAHAM. I am. (Moves up to front off fireplace.)
LORD DARLINGTON. You are far too young!
CECIL GRAHAM. That is a great error. Experience is a question ofinstinct about life. I have got it. Tuppy hasn't. Experience isthe name Tuppy gives to his mistakes. That is all. (LORD AUGUSTUSlooks round indignantly.)
DUMBY. Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.
CECIL GRAHAM. (Standing with his back to the fireplace.) Oneshouldn't commit any. (Sees LADY WINDERMERE'S fan on sofa.)
DUMBY. Life would be very dull without them.
CECIL GRAHAM. Of course you are quite faithful to this woman youare in love with, Darlington, to this good woman?
LORD DARLINGTON. Cecil, if on really loves a woman, all otherwomen in the world become absolutely meaningless to one. Lovechanges one--_I_ am changed.
CECIL GRAHAM. Dear me! How very interesting! Tuppy, I want totalk to you. (LORD AUGUSTUS takes no notice.)
DUMBY. It's no use talking to Tuppy. You might just as well talkto a brick wall.
CECIL GRAHAM. But I like talking to a brick wall--it's the onlything in the world that never contradicts me! Tuppy!
LORD AUGUSTUS. Well, what is it? What is it? (Rising and goingover to CECIL GRAHAM.)
CECIL GRAHAM. Come over here. I want you particularly. (Aside.)Darlington has been moralising and talking about the purity oflove, and that sort of thing, and he has got some woman in hisrooms all the time.
LORD AUGUSTUS. No, really! really!
CECIL GRAHAM. (In a low voice.) Yes, here is her fan. (Points tothe fan.)
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Chuckling.) By Jove! By Jove!
LORD WINDERMERE. (Up by door.) I am really off now, LordDarlington. I am sorry you are leaving England so soon. Pray callon us when you come back! My wife and I will be charmed to seeyou!
LORD DARLINGTON. (Up sage with LORD WINDERMERE.) I am afraid Ishall be away for many years. Good-night!
CECIL GRAHAM. Arthur!
LORD WINDERMERE. What?
CECIL GRAHAM. I want to speak to you for a moment. No, do come!
LORD WINDERMERE. (Putting on his coat.) I can't--I'm off!
CECIL GRAHAM. It is something very particular. It will interestyou enormously.
LORD WINDERMERE. (Smiling.) It is some of your nonsense, Cecil.
CECIL GRAHAM. It isn't! It isn't really.
LORD AUGUSTUS. (Going to him.) My dear fellow, you mustn't goyet. I have a lot to talk to you about. And Cecil has somethingto show you.
LORD WINDERMERE. (Walking over.) Well, what is it?
CECIL GRAHAM. Darlington has got a woman here in his rooms. Hereis her fan. Amusing, isn't it? (A pause.)
LORD WINDERMERE. Good God! (Seizes the fan--DUMBY rises.)
CECIL GRAHAM. What is the matter?
LORD WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington!
LORD DARLINGTON. (Turning round.) Yes!
LORD WINDERMERE. What is my wife's fan doing here in your rooms?Hands off, Cecil. Don't touch me.
LORD DARLINGTON. Your wife's fan?
LORD WINDERMERE. Yes, here it is!
LORD DARLINGTON. (Walking towards him.) I don't know!
LORD WINDERMERE. You must know. I demand an explanation. Don'thold me, you fool. (To CECIL GRAHAM.)
LORD WINDERMERE. Speak, sir! Why is my wife's fan here? Answerme! By God! I'll search your rooms, and if my wife's here, I'll--(Moves.)
LORD DARLINGTON. You shall not search my rooms. You have no rightto do so. I forbid you!
LORD WINDERMERE. You scoundrel! I'll not leave your room till Ihave searched every corner of it! What moves behind that curtain?(Rushes towards the curtain C.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. (Enters behind R.) Lord Windermere!
LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne!
(Every one starts and turns round. LADY WINDERMERE slips out frombehind the curtain and glides from the room L.)
MRS. ERLYNNE. I am afraid I took your wife's fan in mistake for myown, when I was leaving your house to-night. I am so sorry.(Takes fan from him. LORD WINDERMERE looks at her in contempt.LORD DARLINGTON in mingled astonishment and anger. LORD AUGUSTUSturns away. The other men smile at each other.)
ACT DROP.