Behn The Rover

Full Text and Introduction (NHB Drama Classics)
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-1-78001-388-6
Verlag: Nick Hern Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 0, 128 Seiten

Reihe: NHB Classic Plays

A Drama Classic: The World's Great Plays at a Great Little Price A classic Restoration comedy by one of the earliest and most celebrated female playwrights. Arriving in Naples at carnival time, a group of exiled cavaliers determine to enjoy themselves. They are repeatedly tempted and tricked by various prostitutes and their pimps, until their leader, the Rover, is finally forced to give up his wild behaviour when he falls in love with a single-minded, wealthy virgin. Aphra Behn's The Rover was first performed at the Dorset Garden Theatre, London, in March 1677. This edition in the Nick Hern Books Drama Classics series is edited and introduced by Simon Trussler.

Aphra Behn (1640-89) was the first English woman to be a professional playwright. She wrote at least seventeen plays, mostly comedies.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Behn, Aphra

Leseproben

Act I, Scene i

A chamber. Enter FLORINDA and HELLENA.

FLORINDA. What an impertinent thing is a young girl bred in a nunnery! How full of questions! Prithee no more, Hellena; I have told thee more than thou understand’st already.

HELLENA. The more’s my grief; I would fain know as much as you, which makes me so inquisitive; nor is’t enough I know you’re a lover, unless you tell me too, who ’tis you sigh for.

FLORINDA. When you’re a lover, I’ll think you fit for a secret of that nature.

HELLENA. ’Tis true, I never was a lover yet – but I begin to have a shrewd guess, what ’tis to be so, and fancy it very pretty to sigh, and sing, and blush and wish, and dream and wish, and long and wish to see the man; and when I do, look pale and tremble, just as you did when my brother brought home the fine English Colonel to see you – what do you call him, Don Belvile?

FLORINDA. Fie, Hellena.

HELLENA. That blush betrays you – I am sure ’tis so – or is it Don Antonio the viceroy’s son? – or perhaps the rich old Don Vincentio, whom my father designs you for a husband? – Why do you blush again?

FLORINDA. With indignation; and how near soever my father thinks I am to marrying that hated object, I shall let him see I understand better what’s due to my beauty, birth, and fortune, and more to my soul, than to obey those unjust commands.

HELLENA. Now hang me if I don’t love thee for that dear disobedience. I love mischief strangely, as most of our sex do, who are come to love nothing else – but tell me, dear Florinda, don’t you love that fine Anglese? For I vow, next to loving him myself, ’twill please me most that you do so, for he is so gay and so handsome.

FLORINDA. Hellena, a maid designed for a nun ought not to be so curious in a discourse of love.

HELLENA. And dost thou think that ever I’ll be a nun? Or at least till I’m so old, I’m fit for nothing else. Faith, no, sister; and that which makes me long to know whether you love Belvile, is because I hope he has some mad companion or other, that will spoil my devotion. Nay, I’m resolved to provide myself this carnival, if there be e’er a handsome proper fellow of my humour above ground, though I ask first.

FLORINDA. Prithee be not so wild.

HELLENA. Now you have provided yourself of a man, you take no care for poor me. Prithee tell me, what dost thou see about me that is unfit for love? Have I not a world of youth? A humour gay? A beauty passable? A vigour desirable? Well shaped? Clean limbed? Sweet breathed? And sense enough to know how all these ought to be employed to the best advantage? Yes, I do and will. Therefore lay aside your hopes of my fortune, by my being a devotee, and tell me how you came acquainted with this Belvile; for I perceive you knew him before he came to Naples.

FLORINDA. Yes, I knew him at the siege of Pamplona: he was then a colonel of French horse, who when the town was ransacked, nobly treated my brother and myself, preserving us from all insolences; and I must own (besides great obligations) I have I know not what, that pleads kindly for him about my heart, and will suffer no other to enter. – But see, my brother.

Enter DON PEDRO, STEPHANO, with a masquing habit, and CALLIS.

PEDRO. Good morrow, sister. Pray, when saw you your lover Don Vincentio?

FLORINDA. I know not, sir. – Callis, when was he here? For I consider it so little, I know not when it was.

PEDRO. I have a command from my father here to tell you, you ought not to despise him, a man of so vast a fortune, and such a passion for you. – Stephano, my things.

Puts on his masquing habit.

FLORINDA. A passion for me! ’Tis more than e’er I saw, or he had a desire should be known. I hate Vincentio, sir, and I would not have a man so dear to me as my brother follow the ill customs of our country, and make a slave of his sister. – And sir, my father’s will, I’m sure, you may divert.

PEDRO. I know not how dear I am to you, but I wish only to be ranked in your esteem, equal with the English Colonel Belvile. – Why do you frown and blush? Is there any guilt belongs to the name of that cavalier?

FLORINDA. I’ll not deny I value Belvile: when I was exposed to such dangers as the licensed lust of common soldiers threatened, when rage and conquest flew through the city – then Belvile, this criminal for my sake, threw himself into all dangers to save my honour; and will you not allow him my esteem?

PEDRO. Yes, pay him what you will in honour – but you must consider Don Vincentio’s fortune, and the jointure he’ll make you.

FLORINDA. Let him consider my youth, beauty and fortune; which ought not to be thrown away on his age and jointure.

PEDRO. ’Tis true, he’s not so young and fine a gentleman as that Belvile – but what jewels will that cavalier present you with? Those of his eyes and heart?

HELLENA. And are not those better than any Don Vincentio has brought from the Indies?

PEDRO. Why how now! Has your nunnery-breeding taught you to understand the value of hearts and eyes?

HELLENA. Better than to believe Vincentio’s deserve value from any woman. He may perhaps increase her bags, but not her family.

PEDRO. This is fine – go up to your devotion, you are not designed for the conversation of lovers.

HELLENA (aside). Nor saints, yet awhile, I hope. [To PEDRO.] – Is’t not enough you make a nun of me, but you must cast my sister away too, exposing her to a worse confinement than a religious life?

PEDRO. The girl’s mad. Is it a confinement to be carried into the country, to an ancient villa belonging to the family of the Vincentios these five hundred years, and have no other prospect than that pleasing one of seeing all her own that meets her eyes – a fine air, large fields and gardens, where she may walk and gather flowers?

HELLENA. When? By moon-light? For I am sure she dares not encounter with the heat of the sun; that were a task only for Don Vincentio and his Indian breeding, who loves it in the dog-days. – And if these be her daily divertissements, what are those of the night? To lie in a wide moth-eaten bed-chamber with furniture in fashion in the reign of King Sancho the First; the bed, that which his forefathers lived and died in.

PEDRO. Very well.

HELLENA. This apartment (new furbished and fitted out for the young wife) he (out of freedom) makes his dressing room; and being a frugal and a jealous coxcomb, instead of a valet to uncase his feeble carcass, he desires you to do that office – signs of favour, I’ll assure you, and such as you must not hope for, unless your woman be out of the way.

PEDRO. Have you done yet?

HELLENA. That honour being past, the giant stretches himself, yawns and sighs a belch or two, loud as a musket, throws himself into bed, and expects you in his foul sheets, and e’er you can get yourself undressed, calls you with a snore or two. – And are not these fine blessings to a young lady?

PEDRO. Have you done yet?

HELLENA. And this man you must kiss, nay, you must kiss none but him too – and nuzzle through his beard to find his lips – and this you must submit to for threescore years, and all for a jointure.

PEDRO. For all your character of Don Vincentio, she is as like to marry him as she was before.

HELLENA. Marry Don Vincentio! Hang me, such a wedlock would be worse than adultery with another man. I had rather see her in the Hostel de Dieu, to waste her youth there in vows and be a handmaid to lazars and cripples, than to lose it in such a marriage.

PEDRO. You have considered, sister, that Belvile has no fortune to bring to you, banished his country, despised at home, and pitied abroad?

HELLENA. What then? The Viceroy’s son is better than that old Sir Fisty. Don Vincentio! Don Indian! He thinks he’s trading to Gambo still, and would barter himself (that bell and bauble) for your youth and fortune.

PEDRO. Callis, take her hence, and lock her up all this carnival, and at Lent she shall begin her everlasting penance in a monastery.

HELLENA. I care not. I had rather be a nun, than be obliged to marry as you would have me, if I were designed for’t.

PEDRO. Do not fear the blessing of that choice – you shall be a nun.

HELLENA (aside). Shall I so? You may chance to be mistaken in my way of devotion – a nun! Yes, I am like to make a fine nun! I have an excellent humour for a grate. No, I’ll have a saint of my own to pray to shortly, if I like any that dares venture on me.

PEDRO. Callis, make it your business to watch this wild cat. As for you, Florinda, I’ve only tried you all this while, and urged my father’s will; but mine is, that you would love Antonio, he is brave and young, and all that can complete the happiness of a gallant maid. – This absence of my father will give us opportunity to free you from Vincentio, by marrying here, which you must do tomorrow.

FLORINDA. Tomorrow!

PEDRO. Tomorrow, or ’twill be too late – ’tis not my friendship to Antonio which makes me urge this, but love to thee and hatred to Vincentio – therefore resolve upon tomorrow.

FLORINDA. Sir, I shall strive to do, as shall become your sister.

PEDRO. I’ll both believe and trust you – adieu.

Exeunt PEDRO and STEPHANO.

HELLENA. As becomes his sister! That is to be as resolved your way, as he is his.

HELLENA goes to CALLIS.

FLORINDA. I ne’er till now perceived my ruin near,
I’ve no defence against Antonio’s love,
For he has...