The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]

Автор: Gutenberg
Год: 1910
Язык: английский
Жанр: Культурология

Электронная книга - «The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]». Краткое содержание книги:

Антология содержит:
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 01 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 02 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 03 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 04 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 05 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 06 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 07 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 08 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 09 — Lives and Letters от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 10 — Lives and Letters от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 11 — Ancient and Mediæval History от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 12 — Modern History от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 13 — Religion and Philosophy от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 14 — Philosophy and Economics от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 15 — Science от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 17 — Poetry and Drama от Неизвестный
The world's greatest books от Mee, Arthur, 1875-1943, joint editor & Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir, 1871-1949, joint editor & McClure, S. S. (Samuel Sidney), 1857-1949, joint editor
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 19 — Travel and Adventure от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 20 — Miscellaneous Literature and Index от Неизвестный

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The land left by thy father? [Enter servant with a box.

Is not here

The deed that does confirm it mine?

Marralclass="underline" Now, now.

Wellborn: I do acknowledge none; I ne'er passed o'er

Any such land; I grant, for a year or two,

You had it in trust; which if you do discharge,

Surrendering the possession, you shall ease

Yourself and me of chargeable suits in law.

Lady Allworth: In my opinion, he advises well.

Overreach: Good, good; conspire with your new husband, lady.

(To Wellborn) Yet, to shut up thy mouth, and make thee give

Thyself the lie, the loud lie! I draw out

The precious evidence. (Opens the box.) Ha!

Lady Allworth: A fair skin of parchment.

Wellborn: Indented, I confess, and labels too;

But neither wax nor words. How? Thunderstruck!

Is this your precious evidence, my wise uncle?

Overreach: What prodigy is this? What subtle devil

Hath razed out the inscription—the wax

Turned into dust? Do you deal with witches, rascal?

This juggling shall not save you.

Wellborn: TO save thee would beggar the stock of mercy.

Overreach: Marrall!

Marralclass="underline" Sir.

Overreach (flattering him): Though the witnesses are dead,

Help with an oath or two; and for thy master

I know thou wilt swear anything to dash

This cunning sleight; the deed being drawn, too,

By thee, my careful Marrall, and delivered

When thou wert present, will make good my title.

Wilt thou not swear this?

Marralclass="underline" I have a conscience not seared up like yours;

I know no deeds.

Overreach: Wilt thou betray me?

Marralclass="underline" Yes, and uncase you, too. The lump of flesh,

The idiot, the patch, the slave, the booby,

The property fit only to be beaten,

Can now anatomise you, and lay open

All your black plots.

Overreach: But that I will live, rogue, to torture thee,

And make thee wish and kneel in vain to die,

These swords, that keep thee from me, should fix here.

I play the fool and make my anger but ridiculous.

There will be a time, and place, there will be, cowards!

When you shall feel what I dare do.

After these storms, at length a calm appears.

[Enter Parson Willdo.

Welcome, most welcome; is the deed done?

Willdo: Yes, I assure you.

Overreach: Vanish all sad thoughts!

My doubts and fears are in the titles drowned

Of my right honourable, right honourable daughter.

A lane there for my lord!

[Loud music. Enter Allworth, Margaret, and Lovell.

Margaret: Sir, first your pardon, then your blessing, with

Your full allowance of the choice I have made.

(Kneeling) This is my husband.

Overreach: How?

Allworth: So I assure you.

Overreach: Devil! Are they married?

Willdo: They are married, sir; but why this rage to me?

Is not this your letter, sir? And these the words,

"Marry her to this gentleman"?

Overreach: I never will believe it, 'death! I will not;

That I should be gulled, baffled, fooled, defeated

By children, all my hopes and labours crossed.

Wellborn: You are so, my grave uncle, it appears.

Overreach: Village nurses revenge their wrongs with curses,

I'll waste no words, but thus I take the life

Which, wretch, I gave to thee.

[Offers to kill Margaret.

Lovelclass="underline" Hold, for your own sake!

Overreach: Lord! thus I spit at thee,

And at thy counsel; and again desire thee

As thou'rt a soldier, let us quit the house

And change six words in private.

Lovelclass="underline" I am ready.

Lady Allworth: Stay, sir; would you contest with one distraited?

Overreach: Are you pale?

Borrow his help; though Hercules call it odds,

I'll stand against both, as I am, hemmed in thus.

Alone, I can do nothing, but I have servants

And friends to succour me; and if I make not

This house a heap of ashes, or leave one throat uncut,

Hell add to my afflictions!

[Exit.

Marralclass="underline" Is't not brave sport?

Allworth (to Margaret): Nay, weep not, dearest,

though't express your pity.

Marralclass="underline" Was it not a rare trick,

An't please your worship, to make the deed nothing?

I can do twenty neater, if you please

To purchase and grow rich. They are mysteries

Not to be spoke in public; certain minerals

Incorporated in the ink and wax.

Wellborn: You are a rascal. He that dares be false

To a master, though unjust, will ne'er be true

To any other. Look not for reward

Or favour from me. Instantly begone.

Marralclass="underline" At this haven false servants still arrive.

[Exit. Re-enter Overreach. [Exit. Re-enter Overreach.

Willdo: Some little time I have spent, under your favours,

In physical studies, and, if my judgment err not,

He's mad beyond recovery.

Overreach: Were they a squadron of pikes, when I am mounted

Upon my injuries, shall I fear to charge them?

[Flourishing his sword sheathed.

I'll fall to execution—ha! I am feeble:

Some undone widow sits upon mine arm,

And takes away the use of 't! And my sword,

Glued to my scabbard with wronged orphans' tears,

Will not be drawn. Are these the hangmen?

But I'll be forced to hell like to myself;

Though you were legions of accursed spirits,

Thus would I fly among you.

[Rushes forward.

Wellborn: There's no help;

Disarm him first, then bind him.

Margaret: Oh, my dear father!

[They force Overreach off.

Allworth: You must be patient, mistress.

Lovelclass="underline" Pray take comfort.

I will endeavour you shall be his guardians

In his distraction: and for your land, Master Wellborn,

Be it good or ill in law, I'll be an umpire

Between you and this the undoubted heir

Of Sir Giles Overreach; for me, here's the anchor

That I must fix on.

[Takes Lady Allworth's hand.

OOTNOTES:

[Z] Of all Shakespeare's immediate successors one of the most powerful, as well as the most prolific, was Philip Massinger. The son of a retainer in the household of the Earl of Pembroke, he was born during the second half of 1583, and entered St. Alban's Hall, Oxford, in 1602, but left without a degree four years later. Coming to London, he appears to have mixed freely with writers for the stage, and soon made a reputation as playwright. The full extent of his literary activities is not known, inasmuch as a great deal of his work has been lost. He also collaborated with other authors, particularly with Fletcher (see Vol. XVI, p. 133) in whose grave he was buried on March 18, 1639. It is certain, however, that he wrote single-handed fifteen plays, of which the best known is the masterly and satirical comedy, "A New Way to Pay Old Debts." Printed in 1633, but probably written between 1625 and 1626, the piece retained its popularity longer than any other of Massinger's plays. The construction is ingenious, the dialogue witty, but the dramatis personæ, with the exception of Sir Giles Overreach, are feeble and without vitality.

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