The Alchemist, Ben Jonson [best short novels TXT] 📗

xml:lang="es">Entiendo que la señora es tan hermosa, que codicio tan
verla, como la bien aventuranza de mi vida. Face

Mi vida! ’Slid, Subtle, he puts me in mind of the widow.
What dost thou say to draw her to it, ha!
And tell her ’tis her fortune? All our venture
Now lies upon’t. It is but one man more,
Which of us chance to have her: and beside,
There is no maidenhead to be feared or lost.
What dost thou think on’t, Subtle?

Subtle

Who? I? Why⁠—

Face

The credit of our house too is engaged.

Subtle

You made me an offer for my share erewhile.
What wilt thou give me, i’faith?

Face

O, by that light
I’ll not buy now: You know your doom to me.
E’en take your lot, obey your chance, sir; win her,
And wear her out, for me.

Subtle

’Slight, I’ll not work her then.

Face

It is the common cause; therefore bethink you.
Dol else must know it, as you said.

Subtle

I care not.

Pertinax Surly

Señores, porque se tarda tanto?

Subtle

Faith, I am not fit, I am old.

Face

That’s now no reason, sir.

Pertinax Surly

Puede ser de hazer burla de mi amor?

Face

You hear the Don too? By this air, I call,
And loose the hinges: Dol!

Subtle

A plague of hell⁠—

Face

Will you then do?

Subtle

You are a terrible rogue!
I’ll think of this: will you, sir, call the widow?

Face

Yes, and I’ll take her too with all her faults,
Now I do think on’t better.

Subtle

With all my heart, sir;
Am I discharged o’ the lot?

Face

As you please.

Subtle

Hands.

They take hands. Face

Remember now, that upon any change,
You never claim her.

Subtle

Much good joy, and health to you, sir,
Marry a whore! Fate, let me wed a witch first.

Pertinax Surly

Por estas honradas barbas⁠—

Subtle

He swears by his beard.
Dispatch, and call the brother too.

Exit Face. Pertinax Surly

Tengo duda, señores,
que no me hagan alguna traycion.

Subtle

How, issue on? Yes, praesto, sennor. Please you
Enthratha the chambrata, worthy Don:
Where if you please the fates, in your bathada,
You shall be soaked, and stroked, and tubbed and rubbed,
And scrubbed, and fubbed, dear Don, before you go.
You shall in faith, my scurvy baboon Don,
Be curried, clawed, and flawed, and tawed, indeed.
I will the heartlier go about it now,
And make the widow a punk so much the sooner,
To be revenged on this impetuous Face:
The quickly doing of it is the grace.

Exeunt Subtle and Surly. Scene II

Another room in the same.

Enter Face, Kastril, and Dame Pliant. Face

Come, lady: I knew the Doctor would not leave,
Till he had found the very nick of her fortune.

Kastril

To be a countess, say you, a Spanish countess, sir?

Dame Pliant

Why, is that better than an English countess?

Face

Better! ’Slight, make you that a question, lady?

Kastril

Nay, she is a fool, Captain, you must pardon her.

Face

Ask from your courtier, to your inns-of-court-man,
To your mere milliner; they will tell you all,
Your Spanish jennet is the best horse; your Spanish
Stoop is the best garb; your Spanish beard
Is the best cut; your Spanish ruffs are the best
Wear; your Spanish pavan the best dance;
Your Spanish titillation in a glove
The best perfume: and for your Spanish pike,
And Spanish blade, let your poor Captain speak⁠—
Here comes the Doctor.

Enter Subtle, with a paper. Subtle

My most honoured lady,
For so I am now to style you, having found
By this my scheme, you are to undergo
An honourable fortune, very shortly.
What will you say now, if some⁠—

Face

I have told her all, sir,
And her right worshipful brother here, that she shall be
A countess; do not delay them, sir; a Spanish countess.

Subtle

Still, my scarce-worshipful Captain, you can keep
No secret! Well, since he has told you, madam,
Do you forgive him, and I do.

Kastril

She shall do that, sir;
I’ll look to it, ’tis my charge.

Subtle

Well then: nought rests
But that she fit her love now to her fortune.

Dame Pliant

Truly I shall never brook a Spaniard.

Subtle

No!

Dame Pliant

Never since eighty-eight could I abide them,
And that was some three year afore I was born, in truth.

Subtle

Come, you must love him, or be miserable,
Choose which you will.

Face

By this good rush, persuade her,
She will cry strawberries else within this twelvemonth.

Subtle

Nay, shads and mackerel, which is worse.

Face

Indeed, sir!

Kastril

Od’s lid, you shall love him, or I’ll kick you.

Dame Pliant

Why,
I’ll do as you will have me, brother.

Kastril

Do,
Or by this hand I’ll maul you.

Face

Nay, good sir,
Be not so fierce.

Subtle

No, my enraged child;
She will be ruled. What, when she comes to taste
The pleasures of a countess! To be courted⁠—

Face

And kissed, and ruffled!

Subtle

Ay, behind the hangings.

Face

And then come forth in pomp!

Subtle

And know her state!

Face

Of keeping all the idolaters of the chamber
Barer to her, than at their prayers!

Subtle

Is served
Upon the knee!

Face

And has her pages, ushers,
Footmen, and coaches⁠—

Subtle

Her six mares⁠—

Face

Nay, eight!

Subtle

To hurry her through London, to the Exchange,
Bedlam, the china-houses⁠—

Face

Yes, and have
The citizens gape at her, and praise her tires,
And my lord’s goose-turd bands, that ride with her!

Kastril

Most brave! By this hand, you are not my sister,
If you refuse.

Dame Pliant

I will not refuse, brother.

Enter Surly. Pertinax Surly

Que es esto, señores, que no venga?
Esta tardanza me mata!

Face

It is the Count come:
The Doctor knew he would be here, by his art.

Subtle

En gallanta madama, Don! Gallantissima!

Pertinax Surly

Por todos los dioses, la mas acabada
hermosura, que he visto en mi vida!

Face

Is’t not a gallant language that they speak?

Kastril

An admirable language! Is’t not French?

Face

No, Spanish, sir.

Kastril

It goes like law-French,
And that, they say, is the courtliest language.

Face

List, sir.

Pertinax Surly

El sol ha perdido su lumbre, con el
Esplandor que trae esta dama! Válgame Dios!

Face

He admires your sister.

Kastril

Must not