Litchfield enquirer., 1879-06-05

D.-May T.?
 Mrs. M.-If you have energy for so lively topic.
 D.-MayI speak plainly, as an old friend?
 Mrs. M.-As a menth-old friend. Speak plainly by all means. Eve passion for plain speaking.
 D.-It is an uncommonly disagreeable sub- ject.
 Mrs. M.-Thank you. You were going to talk about me.
 D.-I don't mean that; of course not. It does hot matter whether 1 talk about you or not. But there are other people here who talk about you.
 Mrs. M.-Talk about me What do they say?
 D.-They say things I don't like; sol thought that l.
 NJ. M.-Thank you, Lord Dawlish; but I can take very good care of myself D.-Very well. Mrs. M.-Why should care what this An glo- Florentine society say of me? It doesn't hurt me; don't care what they say of me; an entirely indifferent am Oh, do not
 stand there like stick, tell me what these people say about me.
 D.-I-I- It is so awkward for me to tell
 you. You know Flitterly? Mrs. M.-Fhtteriy A sparrow! D.-Oh, he is a sparrow! What is to be
 done to the sparrow? Mrs. M.-Nothing. He is beneath punish
 ment-beneath contempt. A little chattering, intrusive, cruel-I suppose it would not do for
 me to horsewhip Flitterly. D.-It would be better for me to do that. l
 thought of pulling his nose; it is little one i; | but might do 1t with time. l think 1 should
 enjoy it. Mrs M.-It's too badi It's too bad that a
 woman of my age should not be safe from l these wretches-from the tongues of these ma | licous chatterers. The towards to attack woman! D.-I was afraid that you would feel it. Mrs MI don't feel it. Why should /? Why should feel it? But, good gracious is
 the man going to stand there all day and never | tell me what this-what that-that-pha what l he says of me? D.-I don't like to tell you. Mrs. M.--Do you take me for fool, Lord Dawlish. D.-No; for a woman. Mrs. M-What does he say? Diff you will know, you must He says he says that you and are going to be mar | ried
 Mrs. M-Married! You and I! We'll, at l least he might have invented something less preposterous. D.-Preposterous Mrs. M.-You and I! D.-I don't see anything presposterous in it. Why should not you and I be married | By George, have made an offer! Mrs. M.-Are you mad? You say D.-Oh, don't want to hurry you. Don't speak in hurry. Think it over; think it l over. Take time. Mrs. M.-But do you mean
 D.-Oh, please don'thurry Think it over. | Any time will do. Mrs. M.-Will it? D.-I an not clever, nor interesting; but if l you don't mind me, will dc anything can. | You shall have any sort of society you like l fast or slow; literary or swell, or anything. l Of course there would be plenty of money | and jewels, and cooks, and all that. You can have gowns, and check books, and pin-money, | and
 | Mrs. M-And find my own washing and | beer. Lord Dawlish, are you offering me a 1 situation? D.-Ies-no-I mean that l. Mrs. MA thousand thanks. The wages most tempting; but l have no thought of 1 leaving my present place. D.-l fear that I have been offensive. I
 beg your pardon. had better go. Good
 morning. Mrs. Melton.
 Mrs. M-Good-by, Lady Dawlish. (So he goes out str0ightooGy her mood chGng- 1 6, and she aois1tes hina 60ck GgGia.) Mrs. M (sol0)-He will never come back. I | can't let him go forever. 1 can't afford to
 lose friend who makes me laugh so much. | Flitterly may say what he likes-a goose! a 1 sparrow a grasshopper shall call him I back. (So she cozzs to him down tue stair;; then from tue aoiadoao and as she coszs from the
 soinclooo, he comes t7a Gt tue door, ao0tches her | aao1ile, then speOks.) D.-Did you call me, Mrs. Meiton? Mrs. Ms the man deaf? 1 have been | screaming like a peacock and all for your | sake-all because didn't want you to go away | angry. D.-I thought it was you who were angry Mrs M.-No, it was you. D.-Very we'll.
 Mrs. M.-You must drop the 2rsposterous
 subject forever; and we will be good friends, | as we were before. Sit down and be friendly, as we were before-as we were before. Mrs M.-Y0u are sure you can bear the | disappointment?
 D.-Oh, yes. We will be friends, as we
 were. That is much better. Mrs. M.-Lord Dawlish, you are simply de- licious! D.-Am I? thank you. And may come
 and sit here sometimes? Mrs. Mn spite of Flitterly. D.-Flitterly, be- Mrs: M.-Yes by all means. (7Hera he maeditutes, and Gfter due deli6ero-
 ton spealss.) D-I should like to ask you something, Mrs.
 Melton something personal.
 Mrs M-Ask what you like, and will an-
 swer if 1 choose.
 D-May I ask as friend-only as friend,
 you know-if you are quite determined never
 to marry again? know that it is no business
 of mine; but can't help being curious about you. I don't think am curious about any,
 thing else. But you are such an extraordinary woman. Mrs M-Extraordinary because I have re- fused to be Lady Dawlsh. It is strange, very o, don't be alarmed; have refused But it
 is strange. l am woman, and 1 refused rank and wealth. Wealth means gowns and cooks from Paris, brougham and victoria, a step- per, tiger, and pug; rank means
 walking out before other women and the en- " of all my sex. 1 am woman, and refuse
 luxuries. You were mad when you offered | them D-I don't think that could be mad. Mrs Mot another word upon the subject D-But won't you satisfy my curiosity!
 Mrs MI never knew you so persistent. D-I never was before. Mrs M-Such ardent curiosity, such desper-
 ate perseverance, deserve to be rewarded.
 have nothing to do for the moment, and there
 is one luxury which no woman can forego-
 the luxury of talking about herself. You
 needn't listen if the effort is too great; I ad-
 dress the chair, or the universe You will
 hardly believe it of me but I cherish senti-
 ment. There! Years and years ago-how
 many, am woman enough not to specify-I lived with an aunt in Paris; you hate cousins,
 l am not in love with aunts; however she was my only relation; there was no choice, | and there lived with her in Paris, and was | finished; there was nothing to finish, for I knew nothing. We'll, it was there, in Paris
 1 was quite a child-it was there that one day
 that met boy scarcely older than myself 1 am in love with him still. Quite idylic, l isn't it? D-Very likely. In Paris Paris Mrs M-There never was any one in the world like him-so brave, so good, SO boyish ;
 he rejoiced in life, certain of pleasure and pur-