按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
medieval hand。
And ev'ryone will say；
As you walk your flow'ry way；
〃If he's content with a vegetable love which would certainly not
suit me；
Why； what a most particularly pure young man this pure young man
must be！〃
＇At the end of his song； PATIENCE enters； L。 He sees her。＇
BUN。 Ah！ Patience； come hither。 ＇She comes to him timidly。＇ I
am pleased with thee。 The bitter…hearted one； who finds all else
hollow； is pleased with thee。 For you are not hollow。 Are you？
PATIENCE No； thanks； I have dined； but I beg your pardon I
interrupt you。 ＇Turns to go； he stops her。＇
BUN。 Life is made up of interruptions。 The tortured soul；
yearning for solitude； writhes under them。 Oh； but my heart is
a…weary！ Oh； I am a cursed thing！ ＇She attempts to escape。＇
Don't go。
PATIENCE Really； I'm very sorry。
BUN。 Tell me； girl； do you ever yearn？
PATIENCE I earn my living。
BUN。 ＇impatiently＇ No； no！ Do you know what it is to be heart…
hungry？ Do you know what it is to yearn for the Indefinable； and
yet to be brought face to face； dally； with the Multiplication
Table？ Do you know what it is to seek oceans and to find
puddles？ That's my case。 Oh； I am a cursed thing！ ＇She turns
again。＇ Don't go。
PATIENCE If you please； I don't understand you you frighten
me！
BUN。 Don't be frightened it's only poetry。
PATIENCE Well； if that's poetry； I don't like poetry。
BUN。 ＇eagerly＇ Don't you？ ＇aside＇ Can I trust her？ ＇aloud＇
Patience； you don't like poetry well； between you and me； I
don't like poetry。 It's hollow； unsubstantial unsatisfactory。
What's the use of yearning for Elysian Fields when you know you
can't get ‘em； and would only let ‘em out on building leases if
you had ‘em？
PATIENCE Sir； I
BUN。 Patience； I have long loved you。 Let me tell you a secret。
I am not as bilious as I look。 If you like； I will cut my hair。
There is more innocent fun within me than a casual spectator
would imagine。 You have never seen me frolicsome。 Be a good
girl a very good girl and one day you shall。 If you are
fond of touch…and…go jocularity this is the shop for it。
PATIENCE Sir； I will speak plainly。 In the matter of love I am
untaught。 I have never loved but my great…aunt。 But I am quite
certain that； under any circumstances； I couldn't possibly love
you。
BUN。 Oh； you think not？
PATIENCE I'm quite sure of it。 Quite sure。 Quite。
BUN。 Very good。 Life is henceforth a blank。 I don't care what
becomes of me。 I have only to ask that you will not abuse my
confidence； though you despise me； I am extremely popular with
the other young ladies。
PATIENCE I only ask that you will leave me and never renew the
subject。
BUN。 Certainly。 Broken…hearted and desolate； I go。 ＇Goes up…
stage； suddenly turns and recites。＇
〃Oh； to be wafted away；
From this black Aceldama of sorrow；
Where the dust of an earthy to…day
Is the earth of a dusty to…morrow！〃
It is a little thing of my own。 I call it 〃Heart Foam〃。 I
shall not publish it。 Farewell！ Patience； Patience； farewell！
＇Exit BUNTHORNE。＇
PATIENCE What on earth does it all mean？ Why does he love me？
Why does he expect me to love him？ ＇going R。＇ He's not a
relation！ It frightens me！
＇Enter ANGELA； L。＇
ANGELA Why； Patience； what is the matter？
PATIENCE Lady Angela； tell me two things。 Firstly； what on
earth is this love that upsets everybody； and； secondly； how is
it to be distinguished from insanity？
ANGELA Poor blind child！ Oh； forgive her； Eros！ Why； love is
of all passions the most essential！ It is the embodiment of
purity； the abstraction of refinement！ It is the one unselfish
emotion in this whirlpool of grasping greed！
PATIENCE Oh； dear； oh！ ＇beginning to cry＇
ANGELA Why are you crying？
PATIENCE To think that I have lived all these years without
having experienced this ennobling and unselfish passion！ Why；
what a wicked girl I must be！ For it is unselfish； isn't it？
ANGELA Absolutely！ Love that is tainted with selfishness is no
love。 Oh； try； try； try to love！ It really isn't difficult if
you give your whole mind to it。
PATIENCE I'll set about it at once。 I won't go to bed until I'm
head over ears in love with somebody。
ANGELA Noble girl！ But is it possible that you have never loved
anybody？
PATIENCE Yes； one。
ANGELA Ah！ Whom？
PATIENCE My great…aunt
ANGELA Great…aunts don't count。
PATIENCE Then there's nobody。 At least no； nobody。 Not
since I was a baby。 But that doesn't count； I suppose。
ANGELA I don't know。 Tell me about it。
No。 7。 Long years ago； fourteen maybe
（Duet）
Patience and Angela
PATIENCE ＇R。＇ Long years ago fourteen； maybe；
When but a tiny babe of four；
Another baby played with me；
My elder by a year or more；
A little child of beauty rare；
With marv'lous eyes and wondrous hair；
Who； in my child…eyes； seemed to me
All that a little child should be！
＇She goes to ANGELA； L。C。＇
Ah； how we loved； that child and I！
How pure our baby joy！
How true our love and； by the bye；
He was a little boy！
ANGELA Ah； old； old tale of Cupid's touch！
I thought as much I thought as much！
He was a little boy！
PATIENCE Pray don't misconstrue what I say
Remember； pray remember； pray；
He was a little boy！
ANGELA No doubt！ Yet； spite of all your pains；
The interesting fact remains …
He was a little boy！
BOTH Ah； yes； in/No doubt； yet spite of all my/your pains；
The interesting fact remains
He was a little boy！
He was a little boy！
＇Exit ANGELA； L。＇
PATIENCE ＇R。C。＇ It's perfectly dreadful to think of the
appalling state I must be in！ I had no idea that love was a
duty。 No wonder they all look so unhappy！ Upon my word； I
hardly like to associate with myself。 I don't think I'm
respectable。 I'll go at once and fall in love with。。。 ＇As she
turns to go up R。； GROSVENOR enters； R。U。E。 She sees him and
turns back。＇ a stranger！
No。 8。 Prithee； pretty maiden
（Duet）
Patience and Grosvenor
GROSVENOR ＇up…stage； R。 ＇ Prithee； pretty maiden prithee；
tell me true；
（Hey； but I'm doleful； willow willow waly！）
Have you e'er a lover a…dangling after you？
Hey willow waly O！
＇coming down…