Datasets:

nschantz21

/

booksum-randomized

like 0

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right\nand left.", "CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):\n Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen.", ". .", "LE BRET (coming back, despairingly):\n Here's a fine coil!", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "scold away!", "LE BRET:\n At least, you will agree\n That to annihilate each chance of Fate\n Exaggerates.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Yes!--I exaggerate!", "LE BRET (triumphantly):\n Ah!", "CYRANO:\n But for principle--example too,--\n I think 'tis well thus to exaggerate.", "LE BRET:\n Oh!", "lay aside that pride of musketeer,\n Fortune and glory wait you!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, and then?.", ". .\n Seek a protector, choose a patron out,\n And like the crawling ivy round a tree\n That licks the bark to gain the trunk's support,\n Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force?", "No, grammercy!", "What!", "I, like all the rest\n Dedicate verse to bankers?--play buffoon\n In cringing hope to see, at last, a smile\n Not disapproving, on a patron's lips?", "Grammercy, no!", "What!", "learn to swallow toads?", "--With frame aweary climbing stairs?--a skin\n Grown grimed and horny,--here, about the knees?", "And, acrobat-like, teach my back to bend?--\n No, grammercy!", "Or,--double-faced and sly--\n Run with the hare, while hunting with the hounds;\n And, oily-tongued, to win the oil of praise,\n Flatter the great man to his very nose?", "No, grammercy!", "Steal soft from lap to lap,\n --A little great man in a circle small,\n Or navigate, with madrigals for sails,\n Blown gently windward by old ladies' sighs?", "No, grammercy!", "Bribe kindly editors\n To spread abroad my verses?", "Grammercy!", "Or try to be elected as the pope\n Of tavern-councils held by imbeciles?", "No, grammercy!", "Toil to gain reputation\n By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?", "No, grammercy!", "Or flatter sorry bunglers?", "Be terrorized by every prating paper?", "Say ceaselessly, 'Oh, had I but the chance\n Of a fair notice in the \"Mercury\"!'", "Grammercy, no!", "Grow pale, fear, calculate?", "Prefer to make a visit to a rhyme?", "Seek introductions, draw petitions up?", "No, grammercy!", "and no!", "and no again!", "But--sing?", "Dream, laugh, go lightly, solitary, free,\n With eyes that look straight forward--fearless voice!", "To cock your beaver just the way you choose,--\n For 'yes' or 'no' show fight, or turn a rhyme!", "--To work without one thought of gain or fame,\n To realize that journey to the moon!", "Never to pen a line that has not sprung\n Straight from the heart within.", "Embracing then\n Modesty, say to oneself, 'Good my friend,\n Be thou content with flowers,--fruit,--nay, leaves,\n But pluck them from no garden but thine own!'", "And then, if glory come by chance your way,\n To pay no tribute unto Caesar, none,\n But keep the merit all your own!", "In short,\n Disdaining tendrils of the parasite,\n To be content, if neither oak nor elm--\n Not to mount high, perchance, but mount alone!", "LE BRET:\n Alone, an if you will!", "But not with hand\n 'Gainst every man!", "How in the devil's name\n Have you conceived this lunatic idea,\n To make foes for yourself at every turn?", "CYRANO:\n By dint of seeing you at every turn\n Make friends,--and fawn upon your frequent friends\n With mouth wide smiling, slit from ear to ear!", "I pass, still unsaluted, joyfully,\n And cry,--What, ho!", "another enemy?", "LE BRET:\n Lunacy!", "CYRANO:\n Well, what if it be my vice,\n My pleasure to displease--to love men hate me!", "Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better\n 'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!", "How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,\n From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!", "--The enervating friendship which enfolds you\n Is like an open-laced Italian collar,\n Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;\n One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!", "The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,\n Bends here, there, everywhere.", "But I, embracing\n Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,\n The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;\n Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,\n Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;\n For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,\n Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!", "LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):\n Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear\n Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!", "CYRANO (vehemently):\n Hush!", "(Christian has just entered, and mingled with the cadets, who do not speak to\nhim; he has seated himself at a table, where Lise serves him.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right\nand left.", "No, grammercy!", "--With frame aweary climbing stairs?--a skin\n Grown grimed and horny,--here, about the knees?", "And, acrobat-like, teach my back to bend?--\n No, grammercy!", "No, grammercy!", "Toil to gain reputation\n By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?", "Dream, laugh, go lightly, solitary, free,\n With eyes that look straight forward--fearless voice!", "How in the devil's name\n Have you conceived this lunatic idea,\n To make foes for yourself at every turn?", "LE BRET:\n Lunacy!", "LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):\n Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear\n Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!" ]

[ "Bribe kindly editors\n To spread abroad my verses?", "No, grammercy!", "Embracing then\n Modesty, say to oneself, 'Good my friend,\n Be thou content with flowers,--fruit,--nay, leaves,\n But pluck them from no garden but thine own!'", "Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better\n 'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!", "Grammercy, no!", "Or,--double-faced and sly--\n Run with the hare, while hunting with the hounds;\n And, oily-tongued, to win the oil of praise,\n Flatter the great man to his very nose?", "--The enervating friendship which enfolds you\n Is like an open-laced Italian collar,\n Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;\n One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!", "scold away!", "Dream, laugh, go lightly, solitary, free,\n With eyes that look straight forward--fearless voice!", "CYRANO:\n Oh!" ]

[ "Or try to be elected as the pope\n Of tavern-councils held by imbeciles?", "No, grammercy!", "Toil to gain reputation\n By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?", "No, grammercy!", "Or flatter sorry bunglers?", "Be terrorized by every prating paper?", "Say ceaselessly, 'Oh, had I but the chance\n Of a fair notice in the \"Mercury\"!'", "Grammercy, no!", "Grow pale, fear, calculate?", "Prefer to make a visit to a rhyme?", "Seek introductions, draw petitions up?" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right\nand left.", "CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):\n Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen.", ". .", "LE BRET (coming back, despairingly):\n Here's a fine coil!", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "scold away!", "LE BRET:\n At least, you will agree\n That to annihilate each chance of Fate\n Exaggerates.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Yes!--I exaggerate!", "LE BRET (triumphantly):\n Ah!", "CYRANO:\n But for principle--example too,--\n I think 'tis well thus to exaggerate.", "LE BRET:\n Lunacy!", "CYRANO:\n Well, what if it be my vice,\n My pleasure to displease--to love men hate me!", "Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better\n 'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!", "How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,\n From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!", "--The enervating friendship which enfolds you\n Is like an open-laced Italian collar,\n Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;\n One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!", "The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,\n Bends here, there, everywhere.", "But I, embracing\n Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,\n The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;\n Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,\n Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;\n For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,\n Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!", "LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):\n Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear\n Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!", "CYRANO (vehemently):\n Hush!", "(Christian has just entered, and mingled with the cadets, who do not speak to\nhim; he has seated himself at a table, where Lise serves him.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.", "A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):\n Cyrano!", "(Cyrano turns round):\n The story!", "CYRANO:\n In its time!", "(He goes up on Le Bret's arm.", "They talk in low voices.)", "THE CADET (rising and coming down):\n The story of the fray!", "'Twill lesson well\n(He stops before the table where Christian is seated):\n This timid young apprentice!", "CHRISTIAN (raising his head):\n 'Prentice!", "Who?", "ANOTHER CADET:\n This sickly Northern greenhorn!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sickly!", "FIRST CADET (mockingly):\n Hark!", "Monsieur de Neuvillette, this in your ear:\n There's somewhat here, one no more dares to name,\n Than to say 'rope' to one whose sire was hanged!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What may that be?", "ANOTHER CADET (in a terrible voice):\n See here!", "(He puts his finger three times, mysteriously, on his nose):\n Do you understand?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "'tis the.", ". .\n\nANOTHER:\n Hush!", "oh, never breathe that word,\n Unless you'd reckon with him yonder!", "(He points to Cyrano, who is talking with Le Bret.)", "ANOTHER (who has meanwhile come up noiselessly to sit on the table--whispering\nbehind him):\n Hark!", "He put two snuffling men to death, in rage,\n For the sole reason they spoke through their nose!", "ANOTHER (in a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under the table, where\nhe had crept):\n And if you would not perish in flower o' youth,\n --Oh, mention not the fatal cartilage!", "ANOTHER (clapping him on the shoulder):\n A word?", "A gesture!", "For the indiscreet\n His handkerchief may prove his winding-sheet!", "(Silence.", "All, with crossed arms, look at Christian.", "He rises and goes over\nto Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is talking to an officer, and feigns to see\nnothing.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Captain!", "CARBON (turning and looking at him from head to foot):\n Sir!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray, what skills it best to do\n To Southerners who swagger?.", ". .", "CARBON:\n Give them proof\n That one may be a Northerner, yet brave!", "(He turns his back on him.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n I thank you.", "FIRST CADET (to Cyrano):\n Now the tale!", "ALL:\n The tale!", "CYRANO (coming toward them):\n The tale?.", ". .\n(All bring their stools up, and group round him, listening eagerly.", "Christian\nis astride a chair):\n Well!", "I went all alone to meet the band.", "The moon was shining, clock-like, full i' th' sky,\n When, suddenly, some careful clockwright passed\n A cloud of cotton-wool across the case\n That held this silver watch.", "And, presto!", "heigh!", "The night was inky black, and all the quays\n Were hidden in the murky dark.", "Gadsooks!", "One could see nothing further.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Than one's nose!", "(Silence.", "All slowly rise, looking in terror at Cyrano, who has stopped--\ndumfounded.", "Pause.)", "CYRANO:\n Who on God's earth is that?", "A CADET (whispering):\n It is a man\n Who joined to-day.", "CYRANO (making a step toward Christian):\n To-day?", "CARBON (in a low voice):\n Yes. . .his name is\n The Baron de Neuvil.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (checking himself):\n Good!", "It is well.", ". .\n(He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian):\n I. . .\n(He controls himself):\n What said I?.", ". .\n(With a burst of rage):\n MORDIOUS!.", ". .\n(Then continues calmly):\n That it was dark.", "(Astonishment.", "The cadets reseat themselves, staring at him):\n On I went, thinking, 'For a knavish cause\n I may provoke some great man, some great prince,\n Who certainly could break'.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n My nose!.", ". .\n\n(Every one starts up.", "Christian balances on his chair.)", "CYRANO (in a choked voice):\n .", ". .'My teeth!", "Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like,\n Was poking.", ". .'\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n My nose!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'My finger,. . .in the crack\n Between the tree and bark!", "He may prove strong\n And rap me.", ". .'\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Over the nose.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (wiping his forehead):\n .", ". .'O' th' knuckles!", "Ay,'\n But I cried, 'Forward, Gascon!", "Duty calls!", "On, Cyrano!'", "And thus I ventured on.", ". .", "When, from the shadow, came.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A crack o' th' nose.", "CYRANO:\n I parry it--find myself.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Nose to nose.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (bounding on to him):\n Heaven and earth!", "(All the Gascons leap up to see, but when he is close to Christian he controls\nhimself and continues):\n . . .With a hundred brawling sots,\n Who stank.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A noseful.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (white, but smiling):\n Onions, brandy-cups!", "I leapt out, head well down.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Nosing the wind!", "CYRANO:\n I charge!--gore two, impale one--run him through,\n One aims at me--Paf!", "and I parry.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Pif!", "CYRANO (bursting out):\n Great God!", "Out!", "all of you!", "(The cadets rush to the doors.)", "FIRST CADET:\n The tiger wakes!", "CYRANO:\n Every man, out!", "Leave me alone with him!", "SECOND CADET:\n We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash\n In a big pasty!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I am turning pale,\n And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!", "CARBON:\n Let us be gone.", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!", "ANOTHER:\n I die of fright to think what will pass here!", "ANOTHER (shutting door right):\n Something too horrible!", "(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase.", "Cyrano and\nChristian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)" ]

[ "A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):\n Cyrano!", "(He goes up on Le Bret's arm.", "Monsieur de Neuvillette, this in your ear:\n There's somewhat here, one no more dares to name,\n Than to say 'rope' to one whose sire was hanged!", "ANOTHER (in a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under the table, where\nhe had crept):\n And if you would not perish in flower o' youth,\n --Oh, mention not the fatal cartilage!", "For the indiscreet\n His handkerchief may prove his winding-sheet!", "Gadsooks!", "Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like,\n Was poking.", "And thus I ventured on.", "all of you!", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!" ]

[ "ANOTHER (in a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under the table, where\nhe had crept):\n And if you would not perish in flower o' youth,\n --Oh, mention not the fatal cartilage!", "The night was inky black, and all the quays\n Were hidden in the murky dark.", ". .\n(All bring their stools up, and group round him, listening eagerly.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (white, but smiling):\n Onions, brandy-cups!", "They talk in low voices.)", "The moon was shining, clock-like, full i' th' sky,\n When, suddenly, some careful clockwright passed\n A cloud of cotton-wool across the case\n That held this silver watch.", "CYRANO:\n Every man, out!", "I leapt out, head well down.", "Who?", "oh, never breathe that word,\n Unless you'd reckon with him yonder!" ]

[ ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Than one's nose!", "(Silence.", "All slowly rise, looking in terror at Cyrano, who has stopped--\ndumfounded.", "Pause.)", "CYRANO:\n Who on God's earth is that?", "A CADET (whispering):\n It is a man\n Who joined to-day.", "CYRANO (making a step toward Christian):\n To-day?", "CARBON (in a low voice):\n Yes. . .his name is\n The Baron de Neuvil.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (checking himself):\n Good!", "It is well.", ". .\n(He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian):\n I. . .\n(He controls himself):\n What said I?." ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.", "A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):\n Cyrano!", "(Cyrano turns round):\n The story!", "CYRANO:\n In its time!", "(He goes up on Le Bret's arm.", "They talk in low voices.)", "THE CADET (rising and coming down):\n The story of the fray!", "'Twill lesson well\n(He stops before the table where Christian is seated):\n This timid young apprentice!", "CHRISTIAN (raising his head):\n 'Prentice!", "Who?", "CYRANO:\n Every man, out!", "Leave me alone with him!", "SECOND CADET:\n We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash\n In a big pasty!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I am turning pale,\n And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!", "CARBON:\n Let us be gone.", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!", "ANOTHER:\n I die of fright to think what will pass here!", "ANOTHER (shutting door right):\n Something too horrible!", "(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase.", "Cyrano and\nChristian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n Embrace me now!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n You are brave.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "but.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, I insist.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray tell me.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come, embrace!", "I am her brother.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Whose brother?", "CYRANO:\n Hers i' faith!", "Roxane's!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing up to him):\n O heavens!", "Her brother. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Cousin--brother!. .", ".the same thing!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And she has told you. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n All!", "CHRISTIAN:\n She loves me?", "say!", "CYRANO:\n Maybe!", "CHRISTIAN (taking his hands):\n How glad I am to meet you, Sir!", "CYRANO:\n That may be called a sudden sentiment!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I ask your pardon.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (looking at him, with his hand on his shoulder):\n True, he's fair, the villain!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Sir!", "If you but knew my admiration!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n But all those noses?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I take them back!", "CYRANO:\n Roxane expects a letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Woe the day!", "CYRANO:\n How?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am lost if I but ope my lips!", "CYRANO:\n Why so?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am a fool--could die for shame!", "CYRANO:\n None is a fool who knows himself a fool.", "And you did not attack me like a fool.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Bah!", "One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault!", "I have a certain military wit,\n But, before women, can but hold my tongue.", "Their eyes!", "True, when I pass, their eyes are kind.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n And, when you stay, their hearts, methinks, are kinder?", "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "for I am one of those men--tongue-tied,\n I know it--who can never tell their love.", "CYRANO:\n And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind,\n More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been\n One of those men who well could speak their love!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, to express one's thoughts with facile grace!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .To be a musketeer, with handsome face!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "I'm sure to prove\n A disappointment to her!", "CYRANO (looking at him):\n Had I but\n Such an interpreter to speak my soul!", "CHRISTIAN (with despair):\n Eloquence!", "Where to find it?", "CYRANO (abruptly):\n That I lend,\n If you lend me your handsome victor-charms;\n Blended, we make a hero of romance!", "CHRISTIAN:\n How so?", "CYRANO:\n Think you you can repeat what things\n I daily teach your tongue?", "CHRISTIAN:\n What do you mean?", "CYRANO:\n Roxane shall never have a disillusion!", "Say, wilt thou that we woo her, double-handed?", "Wilt thou that we two woo her, both together?", "Feel'st thou, passing from my leather doublet,\n Through thy laced doublet, all my soul inspiring?", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Cyrano!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Will you, I say?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I fear!", "CYRANO:\n Since, by yourself, you fear to chill her heart,\n Will you--to kindle all her heart to flame--\n Wed into one my phrases and your lips?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your eyes flash!", "CYRANO:\n Will you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Will it please you so?", "--Give you such pleasure?", "CYRANO (madly):\n It!.", ". .\n(Then calmly, business-like):\n It would amuse me!", "It is an enterprise to tempt a poet.", "Will you complete me, and let me complete you?", "You march victorious,--I go in your shadow;\n Let me be wit for you, be you my beauty!", "CHRISTIAN:\n The letter, that she waits for even now!", "I never can.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (taking out the letter he had written):\n See!", "Here it is--your letter!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Take it!", "Look, it wants but the address.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n Fear nothing.", "Send it.", "It will suit.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But have you. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "We have our pockets full,\n We poets, of love-letters, writ to Chloes,\n Daphnes--creations of our noddle-heads.", "Our lady-loves,--phantasms of our brains,\n --Dream-fancies blown into soap-bubbles!", "Come!", "Take it, and change feigned love-words into true;\n I breathed my sighs and moans haphazard-wise;\n Call all these wandering love-birds home to nest.", "You'll see that I was in these lettered lines,\n --Eloquent all the more, the less sincere!", "--Take it, and make an end!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Were it not well\n To change some words?", "Written haphazard-wise,\n Will it fit Roxane?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twill fit like a glove!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah, credulity of love!", "Roxane\n Will think each word inspired by herself!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My friend!", "(He throws himself into Cyrano's arms.", "They remain thus.)" ]

[ "I am her brother.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Whose brother?", "Her brother. .", "CYRANO:\n Why so?", "Their eyes!", "CYRANO (looking at him):\n Had I but\n Such an interpreter to speak my soul!", "Say, wilt thou that we woo her, double-handed?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your eyes flash!", "Here it is--your letter!", "Send it." ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Will you, I say?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", ".?", "Send it.", "You'll see that I was in these lettered lines,\n --Eloquent all the more, the less sincere!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "Look, it wants but the address.", "Roxane\n Will think each word inspired by herself!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .To be a musketeer, with handsome face!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing up to him):\n O heavens!" ]

[ "for I am one of those men--tongue-tied,\n I know it--who can never tell their love.", "CYRANO:\n And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind,\n More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been\n One of those men who well could speak their love!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, to express one's thoughts with facile grace!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .To be a musketeer, with handsome face!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "I'm sure to prove\n A disappointment to her!", "CYRANO (looking at him):\n Had I but\n Such an interpreter to speak my soul!", "CHRISTIAN (with despair):\n Eloquence!", "Where to find it?", "CYRANO (abruptly):\n That I lend,\n If you lend me your handsome victor-charms;\n Blended, we make a hero of romance!", "CHRISTIAN:\n How so?" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n Embrace me now!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n You are brave.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "but.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, I insist.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray tell me.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come, embrace!", "I am her brother.", "--Take it, and make an end!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Were it not well\n To change some words?", "Written haphazard-wise,\n Will it fit Roxane?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twill fit like a glove!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah, credulity of love!", "Roxane\n Will think each word inspired by herself!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My friend!", "(He throws himself into Cyrano's arms.", "They remain thus.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, the Gascons, the musketeer, Lise.", "A CADET (half opening the door):\n Naught here!. .", ".The silence of the grave!", "I dare not look.", ". .\n(He puts his head in):\n Why?.", ". .\n\nALL THE CADETS (entering, and seeing Cyrano and Christian embracing):\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nA CADET:\n This passes all!", "(Consternation.)", "THE MUSKETEER (mockingly):\n Ho, ho!.", ". .", "CARBON:\n Our demon has become a saint?", "Struck on one nostril--lo!", "he turns the other!", "MUSKETEER:\n Then we may speak about his nose, henceforth!.", ". .\n(Calling to Lise, boastfully):\n --Ah, Lise, see here!", "(Sniffing ostentatiously):\n O heavens!. .", ".what a stink!.", ". .\n(Going up to Cyrano):\n You, sir, without a doubt have sniffed it up!", "--What is the smell I notice here?", "CYRANO (cuffing his head):\n Clove-heads.", "(General delight.", "The cadets have found the old Cyrano again!", "They turn\nsomersaults.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "A CADET (half opening the door):\n Naught here!. .", ". .\n(He puts his head in):\n Why?.", ". .\n\nALL THE CADETS (entering, and seeing Cyrano and Christian embracing):\n Oh!.", "(Consternation.)", "(Sniffing ostentatiously):\n O heavens!. .", ".what a stink!.", ". .\n(Going up to Cyrano):\n You, sir, without a doubt have sniffed it up!", "(General delight.", "They turn\nsomersaults.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, the Gascons, the musketeer, Lise.", ". .\n(Going up to Cyrano):\n You, sir, without a doubt have sniffed it up!", "CARBON:\n Our demon has become a saint?", ".The silence of the grave!", "I dare not look.", "CYRANO (cuffing his head):\n Clove-heads.", ". .\n\nA CADET:\n This passes all!", "They turn\nsomersaults.)", ". .\n\nALL THE CADETS (entering, and seeing Cyrano and Christian embracing):\n Oh!.", ". ." ]

[ "(Consternation.)", "THE MUSKETEER (mockingly):\n Ho, ho!.", ". .", "CARBON:\n Our demon has become a saint?", "Struck on one nostril--lo!", "he turns the other!", "MUSKETEER:\n Then we may speak about his nose, henceforth!.", ". .\n(Calling to Lise, boastfully):\n --Ah, Lise, see here!", "(Sniffing ostentatiously):\n O heavens!. .", ".what a stink!.", ". .\n(Going up to Cyrano):\n You, sir, without a doubt have sniffed it up!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, the Gascons, the musketeer, Lise.", "A CADET (half opening the door):\n Naught here!. .", ".The silence of the grave!", "I dare not look.", ". .\n(He puts his head in):\n Why?.", ". .\n\nALL THE CADETS (entering, and seeing Cyrano and Christian embracing):\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nA CADET:\n This passes all!", "(Consternation.)", "THE MUSKETEER (mockingly):\n Ho, ho!.", ". .", ". .\n(Calling to Lise, boastfully):\n --Ah, Lise, see here!", "(Sniffing ostentatiously):\n O heavens!. .", ".what a stink!.", ". .\n(Going up to Cyrano):\n You, sir, without a doubt have sniffed it up!", "--What is the smell I notice here?", "CYRANO (cuffing his head):\n Clove-heads.", "(General delight.", "The cadets have found the old Cyrano again!", "They turn\nsomersaults.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "Ragueneau, the duenna.", "Then Roxane, Cyrano, and two pages.", "RAGUENEAU:\n --And then, off she went, with a musketeer!", "Deserted and ruined too, I\nwould make an end of all, and so hanged myself.", "My last breath was drawn:--\nthen in comes Monsieur de Bergerac!", "He cuts me down, and begs his cousin to\ntake me for her steward.", "THE DUENNA:\n Well, but how came it about that you were thus ruined?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "Lise loved the warriors, and I loved the poets!", "What cakes there were\nthat Apollo chanced to leave were quickly snapped up by Mars.", "Thus ruin was\nnot long a-coming.", "THE DUENNA (rising, and calling up to the open window):\n Roxane, are you ready?", "They wait for us!", "ROXANE'S VOICE (from the window):\n I will but put me on a cloak!", "THE DUENNA (to Ragueneau, showing him the door opposite):\n They wait us there opposite, at Clomire's house.", "She receives them all\nthere to-day--the precieuses, the poets; they read a discourse on the Tender\nPassion.", "RAGUENEAU:\n The Tender Passion?", "THE DUENNA (in a mincing voice):\n Ay, indeed!", "(Calling up to the window):\n Roxane, an you come not down quickly, we shall miss the discourse on the\nTender Passion!", "ROXANE'S VOICE:\n I come!", "I come!", "(A sound of stringed instruments approaching.)", "CYRANO'S VOICE (behind the scenes, singing):\n La, la, la, la!", "THE DUENNA (surprised):\n They serenade us?", "CYRANO (followed by two pages with arch-lutes):\n I tell you they are demi-semi-quavers, demi-semi-fool!", "FIRST PAGE (ironically):\n You know then, Sir, to distinguish between semi-quavers and demi-semi-\nquavers?", "CYRANO:\n Is not every disciple of Gassendi a musician?", "THE PAGE (playing and singing):\n La, la!", "CYRANO (snatching the lute from him, and going on with the phrase):\n In proof of which, I can continue!", "La, la, la, la!", "ROXANE (appearing on the balcony):\n What?", "'Tis you?", "CYRANO (going on with the air, and singing to it):\n 'Tis I, who come to serenade your lilies, and pay my devoir to your ro-o-\noses!", "ROXANE:\n I am coming down!", "(She leaves the balcony.)", "THE DUENNA (pointing to the pages):\n How come these two virtuosi here?", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis for a wager I won of D'Assoucy.", "We were disputing a nice point in\ngrammar; contradictions raged hotly--''Tis so!'", "'Nay, 'tis so!'", "when suddenly\nhe shows me these two long-shanks, whom he takes about with him as an escort,\nand who are skillful in scratching lute-strings with their skinny claws!", "'I\nwill wager you a day's music,' says he!--And lost it!", "Thus, see you, till\nPhoebus' chariot starts once again, these lute-twangers are at my heels,\nseeing all I do, hearing all I say, and accompanying all with melody.", "'Twas\npleasant at the first, but i' faith, I begin to weary of it already!", "(To the musicians):\n Ho there!", "go serenade Montfleury for me!", "Play a dance to him!", "(The pages go toward the door.", "To the duenna):\n I have come, as is my wont, nightly, to ask Roxane whether.", ". .\n(To the pages, who are going out):\n Play a long time,--and play out of tune!", "(To the duenna):\n . . .Whether her soul's elected is ever the same, ever faultless!", "ROXANE (coming out of the house):\n Ah!", "How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit!", "And--how well I love him!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Christian has so brilliant a wit?", "ROXANE:\n Brighter than even your own, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Be it so, with all my heart!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth\nskilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--\nthat mean all!", "At times his mind seems far away, the Muse says naught--and\nthen, presto!", "he speaks--bewitchingly!", "enchantingly!", "CYRANO (incredulously):\n No, no!", "ROXANE:\n Fie!", "That is ill said!", "But lo!", "men are ever thus!", "Because he is fair to\nsee, you would have it that he must be dull of speech.", "CYRANO:\n He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?", "ROXANE:\n In telling his love?", "why, 'tis not simple telling, 'tis dissertation, 'tis\nanalysis!", "CYRANO:\n How is he with the pen?", "ROXANE:\n Still better!", "Listen,--here:--\n(Reciting):\n 'The more of my poor heart you take\n The larger grows my heart!'", "(Triumphantly to Cyrano):\n How like you those lines?", "CYRANO:\n Pooh!", "ROXANE:\n And thus it goes on.", ". .\n 'And, since some target I must show\n For Cupid's cruel dart,\n Oh, if mine own you deign to keep,\n Then give me your sweet heart!'", "CYRANO:\n Lord!", "first he has too much, then anon not enough!", "How much heart does the\nfellow want?", "ROXANE:\n You would vex a saint!. .", ".But 'tis your jealousy.", "CYRANO (starting):\n What mean you?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, your poet's jealousy!", "Hark now, if this again be not tender-sweet?--\n 'My heart to yours sounds but one cry:\n If kisses fast could flee\n By letter, then with your sweet lips\n My letters read should be!", "If kisses could be writ with ink,\n If kisses fast could flee!'", "CYRANO (smiling approvingly in spite of himself):\n Ha!", "those last lines are,--hm!. .", ".hm!.", ". .\n(Correcting himself--contemptuously):\n --They are paltry enough!", "ROXANE:\n And this.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (enchanted):\n Then you have his letters by heart?", "ROXANE:\n Every one of them!", "CYRANO:\n By all oaths that can be sworn,--'tis flattering!", "ROXANE:\n They are the lines of a master!", "CYRANO (modestly):\n Come, nay. . .a master?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ay, I say it--a master!", "CYRANO:\n Good--be it so.", "THE DUENNA (coming down quickly):\n Here comes Monsieur de Guiche!", "(To Cyrano, pushing him toward the house):\n In with you!", "'twere best he see you not; it might perchance put him on the\nscent.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano):\n Ay, of my own dear secret!", "He loves me, and is powerful, and, if he knew,\nthen all were lost!", "Marry!", "he could well deal a deathblow to my love!", "CYRANO (entering the house):\n Good!", "good!", "(De Guiche appears.)" ]

[ "My last breath was drawn:--\nthen in comes Monsieur de Bergerac!", "Lise loved the warriors, and I loved the poets!", "CYRANO (followed by two pages with arch-lutes):\n I tell you they are demi-semi-quavers, demi-semi-fool!", "ROXANE (appearing on the balcony):\n What?", "when suddenly\nhe shows me these two long-shanks, whom he takes about with him as an escort,\nand who are skillful in scratching lute-strings with their skinny claws!", ". .\n(To the pages, who are going out):\n Play a long time,--and play out of tune!", "methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth\nskilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--\nthat mean all!", "But lo!", "first he has too much, then anon not enough!", "ROXANE:\n Every one of them!" ]

[ "'Nay, 'tis so!'", "ROXANE'S VOICE (from the window):\n I will but put me on a cloak!", "But lo!", "CYRANO:\n Good--be it so.", "ROXANE (coming out of the house):\n Ah!", "(To the musicians):\n Ho there!", "enchantingly!", "CYRANO'S VOICE (behind the scenes, singing):\n La, la, la, la!", "Deserted and ruined too, I\nwould make an end of all, and so hanged myself.", "ROXANE:\n Ay, your poet's jealousy!" ]

[ "(To the duenna):\n . . .Whether her soul's elected is ever the same, ever faultless!", "ROXANE (coming out of the house):\n Ah!", "How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit!", "And--how well I love him!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Christian has so brilliant a wit?", "ROXANE:\n Brighter than even your own, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Be it so, with all my heart!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth\nskilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--\nthat mean all!", "At times his mind seems far away, the Muse says naught--and\nthen, presto!", "he speaks--bewitchingly!" ]

[ "Ragueneau, the duenna.", "Then Roxane, Cyrano, and two pages.", "RAGUENEAU:\n --And then, off she went, with a musketeer!", "Deserted and ruined too, I\nwould make an end of all, and so hanged myself.", "My last breath was drawn:--\nthen in comes Monsieur de Bergerac!", "He cuts me down, and begs his cousin to\ntake me for her steward.", "THE DUENNA:\n Well, but how came it about that you were thus ruined?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "Lise loved the warriors, and I loved the poets!", "What cakes there were\nthat Apollo chanced to leave were quickly snapped up by Mars.", "THE DUENNA (coming down quickly):\n Here comes Monsieur de Guiche!", "(To Cyrano, pushing him toward the house):\n In with you!", "'twere best he see you not; it might perchance put him on the\nscent.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano):\n Ay, of my own dear secret!", "He loves me, and is powerful, and, if he knew,\nthen all were lost!", "Marry!", "he could well deal a deathblow to my love!", "CYRANO (entering the house):\n Good!", "good!", "(De Guiche appears.)" ]

[ "Roxane, De Guiche, the duenna standing a little way off.", "ROXANE (courtesying to De Guiche):\n I was going out.", "DE GUICHE:\n I come to take my leave.", "ROXANE:\n Whither go you?", "DE GUICHE:\n To the war.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, to-night.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "DE GUICHE:\n I am ordered away.", "We are to besiege Arras.", "ROXANE:\n Ah--to besiege?.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ay.", "My going moves you not, meseems.", "ROXANE:\n Nay.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I am grieved to the core of the heart.", "Shall I again behold you?. .", ".When?", "I know not.", "Heard you that I am named commander?.", ". .\n\nROXANE (indifferently):\n Bravo!", "DE GUICHE:\n Of the Guards regiment.", "ROXANE (startled):\n What!", "the Guards?", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, where serves your cousin, the swaggering boaster.", "I will find a way to\nrevenge myself on him at Arras.", "ROXANE (choking):\n What mean you?", "The Guards go to Arras?", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n Bethink you, is it not my own regiment?", "ROXANE (falling seated on the bench--aside):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE:\n What ails you?", "ROXANE (moved deeply):\n Oh--I am in despair!", "The man one loves!--at the war!", "DE GUICHE (surprised and delighted):\n You say such sweet words to me!", "'Tis the first time!--and just when I must\nquit you!", "ROXANE (collected, and fanning herself):\n Thus,--you would fain revenge your grudge against my cousin?", "DE GUICHE:\n My fair lady is on his side?", "ROXANE:\n Nay,--against him!", "DE GUICHE:\n Do you see him often?", "ROXANE:\n But very rarely.", "DE GUICHE:\n He is ever to be met now in company with one of the cadets,. . .one New--\nvillen--viller--\n\nROXANE:\n Of high stature?", "DE GUICHE:\n Fair-haired!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, a red-headed fellow!", "DE GUICHE:\n Handsome!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Tut!", "DE GUICHE:\n But dull-witted.", "ROXANE:\n One would think so, to look at him!", "(Changing her tone):\n How mean you to play your revenge on Cyrano?", "Perchance you think to put him\ni' the thick of the shots?", "Nay, believe me, that were a poor vengeance--he\nwould love such a post better than aught else!", "I know the way to wound his\npride far more keenly!", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?", "Tell.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n If, when the regiment march to Arras, he were left here with his beloved\nboon companions, the Cadets, to sit with crossed arms so long as the war\nlasted!", "There is your method, would you enrage a man of his kind; cheat him\nof his chance of mortal danger, and you punish him right fiercely.", "DE GUICHE (coming nearer):\n O woman!", "woman!", "Who but a woman had e'er devised so subtle a trick?", "ROXANE:\n See you not how he will eat out his heart, while his friends gnaw their\nthick fists for that they are deprived of the battle?", "So are you best\navenged.", "DE GUICHE:\n You love me, then, a little?", "(She smiles):\n I would fain--seeing you thus espouse my cause, Roxane--believe it a proof\nof love!", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis a proof of love!", "DE GUICHE (showing some sealed papers):\n Here are the marching orders; they will be sent instantly to each company--\nexcept--\n(He detaches one):\n --This one!", "'Tis that of the Cadets.", "(He puts it in his pocket):\n This I keep.", "(Laughing):\n Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "Cyrano!", "His love of battle!. .", ".So you can play tricks on\npeople?. .", ".you, of all ladies!", "ROXANE:\n Sometimes!", "DE GUICHE (coming close to her):\n Oh!", "how I love you!--to distraction!", "Listen!", "To-night--true, I ought to\nstart--but--how leave you now that I feel your heart is touched!", "Hard by, in\nthe Rue d'Orleans, is a convent founded by Father Athanasius, the syndic of\nthe Capuchins.", "True that no layman may enter--but--I can settle that with the\ngood Fathers!", "Their habit sleeves are wide enough to hide me in.", "'Tis they\nwho serve Richelieu's private chapel: and from respect to the uncle, fear the\nnephew.", "All will deem me gone.", "I will come to you, masked.", "Give me leave to\nwait till tomorrow, sweet Lady Fanciful!", "ROXANE:\n But, of this be rumored, your glory.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Bah!", "ROXANE:\n But the siege--Arras.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n 'Twill take its chance.", "Grant but permission.", "ROXANE:\n No!", "DE GUICHE:\n Give me leave!", "ROXANE (tenderly):\n It were my duty to forbid you!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "ROXANE:\n You must go!", "(Aside):\n Christian stays here.", "(Aloud):\n I would have you heroic--Antoine!", "DE GUICHE:\n O heavenly word!", "You love, then, him?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n . . .For whom I trembled.", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!", "I go then!", "(He kisses her hand):\n Are you content?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, my friend!", "(He goes out.)", "THE DUENNA (making behind his back a mocking courtesy):\n Yes, my friend!", "ROXANE (to the duenna):\n Not a word of what I have done.", "Cyrano would never pardon me for stealing\nhis fighting from him!", "(She calls toward the house):\n Cousin!" ]

[ "The man one loves!--at the war!", "ROXANE (collected, and fanning herself):\n Thus,--you would fain revenge your grudge against my cousin?", "DE GUICHE:\n But dull-witted.", "Perchance you think to put him\ni' the thick of the shots?", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?", "woman!", "ROXANE:\n See you not how he will eat out his heart, while his friends gnaw their\nthick fists for that they are deprived of the battle?", "I will come to you, masked.", "DE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!" ]

[ "DE GUICHE:\n Give me leave!", "ROXANE:\n One would think so, to look at him!", "ROXANE (courtesying to De Guiche):\n I was going out.", ". .\n\nROXANE (indifferently):\n Bravo!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "(He kisses her hand):\n Are you content?", "DE GUICHE:\n I come to take my leave.", "(Laughing):\n Ha!", "DE GUICHE:\n But dull-witted.", "the Guards?" ]

[ "I know the way to wound his\npride far more keenly!", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?", "Tell.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n If, when the regiment march to Arras, he were left here with his beloved\nboon companions, the Cadets, to sit with crossed arms so long as the war\nlasted!", "There is your method, would you enrage a man of his kind; cheat him\nof his chance of mortal danger, and you punish him right fiercely.", "DE GUICHE (coming nearer):\n O woman!", "woman!", "Who but a woman had e'er devised so subtle a trick?", "ROXANE:\n See you not how he will eat out his heart, while his friends gnaw their\nthick fists for that they are deprived of the battle?", "So are you best\navenged.", "DE GUICHE:\n You love me, then, a little?" ]

[ "Roxane, De Guiche, the duenna standing a little way off.", "ROXANE (courtesying to De Guiche):\n I was going out.", "DE GUICHE:\n I come to take my leave.", "ROXANE:\n Whither go you?", "DE GUICHE:\n To the war.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, to-night.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "DE GUICHE:\n I am ordered away.", "We are to besiege Arras.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n . . .For whom I trembled.", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!", "I go then!", "(He kisses her hand):\n Are you content?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, my friend!", "(He goes out.)", "THE DUENNA (making behind his back a mocking courtesy):\n Yes, my friend!", "ROXANE (to the duenna):\n Not a word of what I have done.", "Cyrano would never pardon me for stealing\nhis fighting from him!", "(She calls toward the house):\n Cousin!" ]

[ "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "THE DUENNA (putting her little finger in her ear):\n Yes!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(They have come to Clomire's door.)", "THE DUENNA:\n Oh, see!", "The knocker is muffled up!", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", "(She lifts it carefully and knocks with precaution.)", "ROXANE (seeing that the door opens):\n Let us enter!", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "CYRANO (quickly, as she is going in):\n Listen!", "(She turns):\n What mean you to question him on, as is your wont, to-night?", "ROXANE:\n Oh--\n\nCYRANO (eagerly):\n Well, say.", "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", "Speak to me of love,\nand speak splendidly!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Very good!", "ROXANE:\n But secret!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "ROXANE:\n Not a word!", "(She enters and shuts the door.)", "CYRANO (when the door is shut, bowing to her):\n A thousand thanks!", "(The door opens again, and Roxane puts her head out.)", "ROXANE:\n Lest he prepare himself!", "CYRANO:\n The devil!--no, no!", "BOTH TOGETHER:\n Secret.", "(The door shuts.)", "CYRANO (calling):\n Christian!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "The knocker is muffled up!", "(She lifts it carefully and knocks with precaution.)", "ROXANE:\n Oh--\n\nCYRANO (eagerly):\n Well, say.", "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", "CYRANO:\n The devil!--no, no!", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Speak to me of love,\nand speak splendidly!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Very good!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "(The door opens again, and Roxane puts her head out.)", "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano." ]

[ "ROXANE (seeing that the door opens):\n Let us enter!", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "CYRANO (quickly, as she is going in):\n Listen!", "(She turns):\n What mean you to question him on, as is your wont, to-night?", "ROXANE:\n Oh--\n\nCYRANO (eagerly):\n Well, say.", "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", "Speak to me of love,\nand speak splendidly!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Very good!" ]

[ "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "THE DUENNA (putting her little finger in her ear):\n Yes!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(They have come to Clomire's door.)", "THE DUENNA:\n Oh, see!", "The knocker is muffled up!", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "ROXANE:\n Not a word!", "(She enters and shuts the door.)", "CYRANO (when the door is shut, bowing to her):\n A thousand thanks!", "(The door opens again, and Roxane puts her head out.)", "ROXANE:\n Lest he prepare himself!", "CYRANO:\n The devil!--no, no!", "BOTH TOGETHER:\n Secret.", "(The door shuts.)", "CYRANO (calling):\n Christian!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory.", "Come,\n Lose no time; put away those sulky looks,\n Come to your house with me, I'll teach you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n Why?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will wait for Roxane here.", "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "I say.", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!", "Thus to act a part,\n And tremble all the time!--'Twas well enough\n At the beginning!--Now I know she loves!", "I fear no longer!--I will speak myself.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited.", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "The devil!", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):\n --It is she!", "Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Speak for yourself, my friend, and take your chance.", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Why?", "Come quick with me and learn.", "I say.", "I fear no longer!--I will speak myself.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)", "(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):\n --It is she!", "Come quick with me and learn.", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "Cyrano, Christian.", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "I say.", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!", "Thus to act a part,\n And tremble all the time!--'Twas well enough\n At the beginning!--Now I know she loves!", "I fear no longer!--I will speak myself.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited." ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory.", "Come,\n Lose no time; put away those sulky looks,\n Come to your house with me, I'll teach you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n Why?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will wait for Roxane here.", "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited.", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "The devil!", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):\n --It is she!", "Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Speak for yourself, my friend, and take your chance.", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "Christian, Roxane, the duenna.", "ROXANE (coming out of Clomire's house, with a company of friends, whom she\nleaves.", "Bows and good-byes):\n Barthenoide!--Alcandre!--Gremione!--\n\nTHE DUENNA (bitterly disappointed):\n We've missed the speech upon the Tender Passion!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "ROXANE (still bowing):\n Urimedonte--adieu!", "(All bow to Roxane and to each other, and then separate, going up different\nstreets.", "Roxane suddenly seeing Christian):\n You!", "(She goes to him):\n Evening falls.", "Let's sit.", "Speak on.", "I listen.", "CHRISTIAN (sits by her on the bench.", "A silence):\n Oh!", "I love you!", "ROXANE (shutting her eyes):\n Ay, speak to me of love.", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE:\n That's\n The theme!", "But vary it.", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Vary it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love you so!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "without doubt!--and then?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n And then--I should be--oh!--so glad--so glad\n If you would love me!--Roxane, tell me so!", "ROXANE (with a little grimace):\n I hoped for cream,--you give me gruel!", "Say\n How love possesses you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh utterly!", "ROXANE:\n Come, come!. .", ".unknot those tangled sentiments!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your throat I'd kiss it!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE (half-rising):\n Again!", "CHRISTIAN (eagerly, detaining her):\n No, no!", "I love thee not!", "ROXANE (reseating herself):\n 'Tis well!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I adore thee!", "ROXANE (rising, and going further off):\n Oh!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am grown stupid!", "ROXANE (dryly):\n And that displeases me, almost as much\n As 'twould displease me if you grew ill-favored.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Rally your poor eloquence that's flown!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, you love me, that I know.", "Adieu.", "(She goes toward her house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "I'd tell you--\n\nROXANE (opening the door):\n You adore me?", "I've heard it very oft.", "No!--Go away!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I would fain.", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "CYRANO (who has re-entered unseen):\n I' faith!", "It is successful!" ]

[ "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "(All bow to Roxane and to each other, and then separate, going up different\nstreets.", "Speak on.", "I listen.", "ROXANE:\n That's\n The theme!", "Say\n How love possesses you?", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am grown stupid!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, you love me, that I know.", "Adieu." ]

[ "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Vary it!", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "Roxane suddenly seeing Christian):\n You!", "I love thee not!", "I'd tell you--\n\nROXANE (opening the door):\n You adore me?", "(She goes to him):\n Evening falls.", "ROXANE (with a little grimace):\n I hoped for cream,--you give me gruel!" ]

[ "without doubt!--and then?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n And then--I should be--oh!--so glad--so glad\n If you would love me!--Roxane, tell me so!", "ROXANE (with a little grimace):\n I hoped for cream,--you give me gruel!", "Say\n How love possesses you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh utterly!", "ROXANE:\n Come, come!. .", ".unknot those tangled sentiments!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your throat I'd kiss it!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE (half-rising):\n Again!" ]

[ "Christian, Roxane, the duenna.", "ROXANE (coming out of Clomire's house, with a company of friends, whom she\nleaves.", "Bows and good-byes):\n Barthenoide!--Alcandre!--Gremione!--\n\nTHE DUENNA (bitterly disappointed):\n We've missed the speech upon the Tender Passion!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "ROXANE (still bowing):\n Urimedonte--adieu!", "(All bow to Roxane and to each other, and then separate, going up different\nstreets.", "Roxane suddenly seeing Christian):\n You!", "(She goes to him):\n Evening falls.", "Let's sit.", "Speak on.", "Adieu.", "(She goes toward her house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "I'd tell you--\n\nROXANE (opening the door):\n You adore me?", "I've heard it very oft.", "No!--Go away!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I would fain.", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "CYRANO (who has re-entered unseen):\n I' faith!", "It is successful!" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano, two pages.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Come to my aid!", "CYRANO:\n Not I!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I shall die,\n Unless at once I win back her fair favor.", "CYRANO:\n And how can I, at once, i' th' devil's name,\n Lesson you in.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (seizing his arm):\n Oh, she is there!", "(The window of the balcony is now lighted up.)", "CYRANO (moved):\n Her window!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I shall die!", "CYRANO:\n Speak lower!", "CHRISTIAN (in a whisper):\n I shall die!", "CYRANO:\n The night is dark.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Well!", "CYRANO:\n All can be repaired.", "Although you merit not.", "Stand there, poor wretch!", "Fronting the balcony!", "I'll go beneath\n And prompt your words to you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Hold your tongue!", "THE PAGES (reappearing at back--to Cyrano):\n Ho!", "CYRANO:\n Hush!", "(He signs to them to speak softly.)", "FIRST PAGE (in a low voice):\n We've played the serenade you bade\n To Montfleury!", "CYRANO (quickly, in a low voice):\n Go!", "lurk in ambush there,\n One at this street corner, and one at that;\n And if a passer-by should here intrude,\n Play you a tune!", "SECOND PAGE:\n What tune, Sir Gassendist?", "CYRANO:\n Gay, if a woman comes,--for a man, sad!", "(The pages disappear, one at each street corner.", "To Christian):\n Call her!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane!", "CYRANO (picking up stones and throwing them at the window):\n Some pebbles!", "wait awhile!", "ROXANE (half-opening the casement):\n Who calls me?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I!", "ROXANE:\n Who's that?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Christian!", "ROXANE (disdainfully):\n Oh!", "you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I would speak with you.", "CYRANO (under the balcony--to Christian):\n Good.", "Speak soft and low.", "ROXANE:\n No, you speak stupidly!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, pity me!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "you love me no more!", "CHRISTIAN (prompted by Cyrano):\n You say--Great Heaven!", "I love no more?--when--I--love more and more!", "ROXANE (who was about to shut the casement, pausing):\n Hold!", "'tis a trifle better!", "ay, a trifle!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Love grew apace, rocked by the anxious beating.", ". .\n Of this poor heart, which the cruel wanton boy.", ". .", "Took for a cradle!", "ROXANE (coming out on to the balcony):\n That is better!", "But\n An if you deem that Cupid be so cruel\n You should have stifled baby-love in's cradle!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Ah, Madame, I assayed, but all in vain\n This. . .new-born babe is a young. . .Hercules!", "ROXANE:\n Still better!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Thus he strangled in my heart\n The. . .serpents twain, of. . .Pride. . .and Doubt!", "ROXANE (leaning over the balcony):\n Well said!", "--But why so faltering?", "Has mental palsy\n Seized on your faculty imaginative?", "CYRANO (drawing Christian under the balcony, and slipping into his place):\n Give place!", "This waxes critical!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n To-day.", ". .", "Your words are hesitating.", "CYRANO (imitating Christian--in a whisper):\n Night has come.", ". .", "In the dusk they grope their way to find your ear.", "ROXANE:\n But my words find no such impediment.", "CYRANO:\n They find their way at once?", "Small wonder that!", "For 'tis within my heart they find their home;\n Bethink how large my heart, how small your ear!", "And,--from fair heights descending, words fall fast,\n But mine must mount, Madame, and that takes time!", "ROXANE:\n Meseems that your last words have learned to climb.", "CYRANO:\n With practice such gymnastic grows less hard!", "ROXANE:\n In truth, I seem to speak from distant heights!", "CYRANO:\n True, far above; at such a height 'twere death\n If a hard word from you fell on my heart.", "ROXANE (moving):\n I will come down.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (hastily):\n No!", "ROXANE (showing him the bench under the balcony):\n Mount then on the bench!", "CYRANO (starting back alarmed):\n No!", "ROXANE:\n How, you will not?", "CYRANO (more and more moved):\n Stay awhile!", "'Tis sweet,.", ". .", "The rare occasion, when our hearts can speak\n Our selves unseen, unseeing!", "ROXANE:\n Why--unseen?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, it is sweet!", "Half hidden,--half revealed--\n You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,\n And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:\n I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!", "Know you what such a moment holds for me?", "If ever I were eloquent.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You were!", "CYRANO:\n Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung\n Straight from my heart as now it springs.", "ROXANE:\n Why not?", "CYRANO:\n Till now I spoke haphazard.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Your eyes\n Have beams that turn men dizzy!--But to-night\n Methinks I shall find speech for the first time!", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis true, your voice rings with a tone that's new.", "CYRANO (coming nearer, passionately):\n Ay, a new tone!", "In the tender, sheltering dusk\n I dare to be myself for once,--at last!", "(He stops, falters):\n What say I?", "I know not!--Oh, pardon me--\n It thrills me,--'tis so sweet, so novel.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n How?", "So novel?", "CYRANO (off his balance, trying to find the thread of his sentence):\n Ay,--to be at last sincere;\n Till now, my chilled heart, fearing to be mocked.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Mocked, and for what?", "CYRANO:\n For its mad beating!--Ay,\n My heart has clothed itself with witty words,\n To shroud itself from curious eyes:--impelled\n At times to aim at a star, I stay my hand,\n And, fearing ridicule,--cull a wild flower!", "ROXANE:\n A wild flower's sweet.", "CYRANO:\n Ay, but to-night--the star!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "never have you spoken thus before!", "CYRANO:\n If, leaving Cupid's arrows, quivers, torches,\n We turned to seek for sweeter--fresher things!", "Instead of sipping in a pygmy glass\n Dull fashionable waters,--did we try\n How the soul slakes its thirst in fearless draught\n By drinking from the river's flooding brim!", "ROXANE:\n But wit?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n If I have used it to arrest you\n At the first starting,--now, 'twould be an outrage,\n An insult--to the perfumed Night--to Nature--\n To speak fine words that garnish vain love-letters!", "Look up but at her stars!", "The quiet Heaven\n Will ease our hearts of all things artificial;\n I fear lest, 'midst the alchemy we're skilled in\n The truth of sentiment dissolve and vanish,--\n The soul exhausted by these empty pastimes,\n The gain of fine things be the loss of all things!", "ROXANE:\n But wit?", "I say.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n In love 'tis crime,--'tis hateful!", "Turning frank loving into subtle fencing!", "At last the moment comes, inevitable,--\n --Oh, woe for those who never know that moment!", "When feeling love exists in us, ennobling,\n Each well-weighed word is futile and soul-saddening!", "ROXANE:\n Well, if that moment's come for us--suppose it!", "What words would serve you?", "CYRANO:\n All, all, all, whatever\n That came to me, e'en as they came, I'd fling them\n In a wild cluster, not a careful bouquet.", "I love thee!", "I am mad!", "I love, I stifle!", "Thy name is in my heart as in a sheep-bell,\n And as I ever tremble, thinking of thee,\n Ever the bell shakes, ever thy name ringeth!", "All things of thine I mind, for I love all things;\n I know that last year on the twelfth of May-month,\n To walk abroad, one day you changed your hair-plaits!", "I am so used to take your hair for daylight\n That,--like as when the eye stares on the sun's disk,\n One sees long after a red blot on all things--\n So, when I quit thy beams, my dazzled vision\n Sees upon all things a blonde stain imprinted.", "ROXANE (agitated):\n Why, this is love indeed!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, true, the feeling\n Which fills me, terrible and jealous, truly\n Love,--which is ever sad amid its transports!", "Love,--and yet, strangely, not a selfish passion!", "I for your joy would gladly lay mine own down,\n --E'en though you never were to know it,--never!", "--If but at times I might--far off and lonely,--\n Hear some gay echo of the joy I bought you!", "Each glance of thine awakes in me a virtue,--\n A novel, unknown valor.", "Dost begin, sweet,\n To understand?", "So late, dost understand me?", "Feel'st thou my soul, here, through the darkness mounting?", "Too fair the night!", "Too fair, too fair the moment!", "That I should speak thus, and that you should hearken!", "Too fair!", "In moments when my hopes rose proudest,\n I never hoped such guerdon.", "Naught is left me\n But to die now!", "Have words of mine the power\n To make you tremble,--throned there in the branches?", "Ay, like a leaf among the leaves, you tremble!", "You tremble!", "For I feel,--an if you will it,\n Or will it not,--your hand's beloved trembling\n Thrill through the branches, down your sprays of jasmine!", "(He kisses passionately one of the hanging tendrils.)", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "I am trembling, weeping!--I am thine!", "Thou hast conquered all of me!", "CYRANO:\n Then let death come!", "'Tis I, 'tis I myself, who conquered thee!", "One thing, but one, I dare to ask--\n\nCHRISTIAN (under the balcony):\n A kiss!", "ROXANE (drawing back):\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "ROXANE:\n You ask. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n I. . .\n(To Christian, whispering):\n Fool!", "you go too quick!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Since she is moved thus--I will profit by it!", "CYRANO (to Roxane):\n My words sprang thoughtlessly, but now I see--\n Shame on me!--I was too presumptuous.", "ROXANE (a little chilled):\n How quickly you withdraw.", "CYRANO:\n Yes, I withdraw\n Without withdrawing!", "Hurt I modesty?", "If so--the kiss I asked--oh, grant it not.", "CHRISTIAN (to Cyrano, pulling him by his cloak):\n Why?", "CYRANO:\n Silence, Christian!", "Hush!", "ROXANE (leaning over):\n What whisper you?", "CYRANO:\n I chid myself for my too bold advances;\n Said, 'Silence, Christian!'", "(The lutes begin to play):\n Hark!", "Wait awhile,.", ". .\n Steps come!", "(Roxane shuts the window.", "Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a\nmerry, the other a melancholy, tune):\n Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad!", "What?", "Neither man nor woman?--oh!", "a monk!", "(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern.", "He goes from house to house, looking\nat every door.)" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Love grew apace, rocked by the anxious beating.", "--But why so faltering?", "CYRANO:\n True, far above; at such a height 'twere death\n If a hard word from you fell on my heart.", "ROXANE:\n Why--unseen?", "CYRANO:\n Till now I spoke haphazard.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n If I have used it to arrest you\n At the first starting,--now, 'twould be an outrage,\n An insult--to the perfumed Night--to Nature--\n To speak fine words that garnish vain love-letters!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n In love 'tis crime,--'tis hateful!", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "I am trembling, weeping!--I am thine!", "One thing, but one, I dare to ask--\n\nCHRISTIAN (under the balcony):\n A kiss!" ]

[ "a monk!", "In moments when my hopes rose proudest,\n I never hoped such guerdon.", "CYRANO:\n They find their way at once?", "CYRANO (to Roxane):\n My words sprang thoughtlessly, but now I see--\n Shame on me!--I was too presumptuous.", "ROXANE:\n No, you speak stupidly!", "CYRANO (quickly, in a low voice):\n Go!", ". .", "He goes from house to house, looking\nat every door.)", "Hush!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (seizing his arm):\n Oh, she is there!" ]

[ "The rare occasion, when our hearts can speak\n Our selves unseen, unseeing!", "ROXANE:\n Why--unseen?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, it is sweet!", "Half hidden,--half revealed--\n You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,\n And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:\n I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!", "Know you what such a moment holds for me?", "If ever I were eloquent.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You were!", "CYRANO:\n Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung\n Straight from my heart as now it springs.", "ROXANE:\n Why not?", "CYRANO:\n Till now I spoke haphazard.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What?" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano, two pages.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Come to my aid!", "CYRANO:\n Not I!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I shall die,\n Unless at once I win back her fair favor.", "CYRANO:\n And how can I, at once, i' th' devil's name,\n Lesson you in.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (seizing his arm):\n Oh, she is there!", "(The window of the balcony is now lighted up.)", "CYRANO (moved):\n Her window!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I shall die!", "(The lutes begin to play):\n Hark!", "Wait awhile,.", ". .\n Steps come!", "(Roxane shuts the window.", "Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a\nmerry, the other a melancholy, tune):\n Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad!", "What?", "Neither man nor woman?--oh!", "a monk!", "(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern.", "He goes from house to house, looking\nat every door.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.", "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "(He goes back to Christian.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!" ]

[ "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", "plague take him!", "Straight on.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", ". ." ]

[ "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.", "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "(He goes back to Christian.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "win for me that kiss.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Cyrano, Christian.", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)", "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.", "ROXANE (coming out on the balcony):\n Still there?", "We spoke of a. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n A kiss!", "The word is sweet.", "I see not why your lip should shrink from it;\n If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do?", "Oh!", "let it not your bashfulness affright;\n Have you not, all this time, insensibly,\n Left badinage aside, and unalarmed\n Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping?", "Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward--\n From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, when all is said,--what is it?", "An oath that's ratified,--a sealed promise,\n A heart's avowal claiming confirmation,--\n A rose-dot on the 'i' of 'adoration,'--\n A secret that to mouth, not ear, is whispered,--\n Brush of a bee's wing, that makes time eternal,--\n Communion perfumed like the spring's wild flowers,--\n The heart's relieving in the heart's outbreathing,\n When to the lips the soul's flood rises, brimming!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, Madame, is honorable:\n The Queen of France, to a most favored lord\n Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!", "ROXANE:\n What then?", "CYRANO (speaking more warmly):\n Buckingham suffered dumbly,--so have I,--\n Adored his Queen, as loyally as I,--\n Was sad, but faithful,--so am I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n And you\n Are fair as Buckingham!", "CYRANO (aside--suddenly cooled):\n True,--I forgot!", "ROXANE:\n Must I then bid thee mount to cull this flower?", "CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony):\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This brush of bee's wing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "CHRISTIAN (hesitating):\n But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!", "ROXANE:\n This moment infinite!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", "(Christian springs forward, and by means of the bench, the branches, and the\npillars, climbs to the balcony and strides over it.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Roxane!", "(He takes her in his arms, and bends over her lips.)", "CYRANO:\n Aie!", "Strange pain that wrings my heart!", "The kiss, love's feast, so near!", "I, Lazarus,\n Lie at the gate in darkness.", "Yet to me\n Falls still a crumb or two from the rich man's board--\n Ay, 'tis my heart receives thee, Roxane--mine!", "For on the lips you press you kiss as well\n The words I spoke just now!--my words--my words!", "(The lutes play):\n A sad air,--a gay air: the monk!", "(He begins to run as if he came from a long way off, and cries out):\n Hola!", "ROXANE:\n Who is it?", "CYRANO:\n I--I was but passing by.", ". .\n Is Christian there?", "CHRISTIAN (astonished):\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE:\n Good-day, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "ROXANE:\n I'm coming!", "(She disappears into the house.", "At the back re-enter the friar.)", "CHRISTIAN (seeing him):\n Back again!", "(He follows Roxane.)" ]

[ "The word is sweet.", "I see not why your lip should shrink from it;\n If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do?", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, when all is said,--what is it?", "hush!", "ROXANE:\n Must I then bid thee mount to cull this flower?", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", "ROXANE:\n This moment infinite!.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "CHRISTIAN (seeing him):\n Back again!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n I'm coming!", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "I, Lazarus,\n Lie at the gate in darkness.", "ROXANE (coming out on the balcony):\n Still there?", "hush!", "hush!", "The word is sweet.", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, Madame, is honorable:\n The Queen of France, to a most favored lord\n Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!", "(He begins to run as if he came from a long way off, and cries out):\n Hola!" ]

[ "CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony):\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This brush of bee's wing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "CHRISTIAN (hesitating):\n But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!", "ROXANE:\n This moment infinite!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", "(Christian springs forward, and by means of the bench, the branches, and the\npillars, climbs to the balcony and strides over it.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Roxane!", "(He takes her in his arms, and bends over her lips.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.", "ROXANE (coming out on the balcony):\n Still there?", "We spoke of a. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n A kiss!", "The word is sweet.", "I see not why your lip should shrink from it;\n If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do?", "Oh!", "let it not your bashfulness affright;\n Have you not, all this time, insensibly,\n Left badinage aside, and unalarmed\n Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping?", "Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward--\n From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n I--I was but passing by.", ". .\n Is Christian there?", "CHRISTIAN (astonished):\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE:\n Good-day, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "ROXANE:\n I'm coming!", "(She disappears into the house.", "At the back re-enter the friar.)", "CHRISTIAN (seeing him):\n Back again!", "(He follows Roxane.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.", "THE FRIAR:\n 'Tis here,--I'm sure of it--Madame Madeleine Robin.", "CYRANO:\n Why, you said Ro-LIN.", "THE FRIAR:\n No, not I.\n B,I,N,BIN!", "ROXANE (appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a\nlantern, and Christian):\n What is't?", "THE FRIAR:\n A letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "THE FRIAR (to Roxane):\n Oh, it can boot but a holy business!", "'Tis from a worthy lord.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Christian):\n De Guiche!", "CHRISTIAN:\n He dares.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Oh, he will not importune me forever!", "(Unsealing the letter):\n I love you,--therefore--\n(She reads in a low voice by the aid of Ragueneau's lantern):\n 'Lady,\n The drums beat;\n My regiment buckles its harness on\n And starts; but I,--they deem me gone before--\n But I stay.", "I have dared to disobey\n Your mandate.", "I am here in convent walls.", "I come to you to-night.", "By this poor monk--\n A simple fool who knows not what he bears--\n I send this missive to apprise your ear.", "Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet:\n I go not ere I've seen them once again!", "I would be private; send each soul away,\n Receive alone him,--whose great boldness you\n Have deigned, I hope, to pardon, ere he asks,--\n He who is ever your--et cetera.'", "(To the monk):\n Father, this is the matter of the letter:--\n(All come near her, and she reads aloud):\n 'Lady,\n The Cardinal's wish is law; albeit\n It be to you unwelcome.", "For this cause\n I send these lines--to your fair ear addressed--\n By a holy man, discreet, intelligent:\n It is our will that you receive from him,\n In your own house, the marriage\n(She turns the page):\n benediction\n Straightway, this night.", "Unknown to all the world\n Christian becomes your husband.", "Him we send.", "He is abhorrent to your choice.", "Let be.", "Resign yourself, and this obedience\n Will be by Heaven well recompensed.", "Receive,\n Fair lady, all assurance of respect,\n From him who ever was, and still remains,\n Your humble and obliged--et cetera.'", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", "I knew naught was to fear;\n It could be but holy business!", "ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):\n Am I not apt at reading letters?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Hum!", "ROXANE (aloud, with despair):\n But this is horrible!", "THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano):\n 'Tis you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis I!", "THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing\nhis beauty):\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'", "THE FRIAR:\n . . .Oh!", "Most worthy lord!", "(To Roxane):\n Submit you?", "ROXANE (with a martyr's look):\n I submit!", "(While Ragueneau opens the door, and Christian invites the friar to enter, she\nwhispers to Cyrano):\n Oh, keep De Guiche at bay!", "He will be here!", "Let him not enter till.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I understand!", "(To the friar):\n What time need you to tie the marriage-knot?", "THE FRIAR:\n A quarter of an hour.", "CYRANO (pushing them all toward the house):\n Go!", "I stay.", "ROXANE (to Christian):\n Come!.", ". .\n\n(They enter.)", "CYRANO:\n Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?", "(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):\n Come!. .", ".up I go!. .", ".I have my plan!.", ". .\n(The lutes begin to play a very sad air):\n What, ho!", "(The tremolo grows more and more weird):\n It is a man!", "ay!", "'tis a man this time!", "(He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps\nhimself in his cloak, then leans over):\n 'Tis not too high!", "(He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the\ntrees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to\nlet himself fall):\n I'll shake this atmosphere!" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Christian):\n De Guiche!", "I come to you to-night.", "Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet:\n I go not ere I've seen them once again!", "Unknown to all the world\n Christian becomes your husband.", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'", "Most worthy lord!", "(To the friar):\n What time need you to tie the marriage-knot?", "(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):\n Come!. ." ]

[ "Receive,\n Fair lady, all assurance of respect,\n From him who ever was, and still remains,\n Your humble and obliged--et cetera.'", "Most worthy lord!", "CYRANO:\n Why, you said Ro-LIN.", "He is abhorrent to your choice.", "(To Roxane):\n Submit you?", "THE FRIAR:\n A letter.", "THE FRIAR (to Roxane):\n Oh, it can boot but a holy business!", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", "ROXANE (with a martyr's look):\n I submit!", "I stay." ]

[ "Resign yourself, and this obedience\n Will be by Heaven well recompensed.", "Receive,\n Fair lady, all assurance of respect,\n From him who ever was, and still remains,\n Your humble and obliged--et cetera.'", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", "I knew naught was to fear;\n It could be but holy business!", "ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):\n Am I not apt at reading letters?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Hum!", "ROXANE (aloud, with despair):\n But this is horrible!", "THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano):\n 'Tis you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis I!", "THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing\nhis beauty):\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.", "THE FRIAR:\n 'Tis here,--I'm sure of it--Madame Madeleine Robin.", "CYRANO:\n Why, you said Ro-LIN.", "THE FRIAR:\n No, not I.\n B,I,N,BIN!", "ROXANE (appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a\nlantern, and Christian):\n What is't?", "THE FRIAR:\n A letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "THE FRIAR (to Roxane):\n Oh, it can boot but a holy business!", "'Tis from a worthy lord.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Christian):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?", "(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):\n Come!. .", ".up I go!. .", ".I have my plan!.", ". .\n(The lutes begin to play a very sad air):\n What, ho!", "(The tremolo grows more and more weird):\n It is a man!", "ay!", "'tis a man this time!", "(He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps\nhimself in his cloak, then leans over):\n 'Tis not too high!", "(He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the\ntrees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to\nlet himself fall):\n I'll shake this atmosphere!" ]

[ "Cyrano, De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (who enters, masked, feeling his way in the dark):\n What can that cursed Friar be about?", "CYRANO:\n The devil!. .", ".If he knows my voice!", "(Letting go with one hand, he pretends to turn an invisible key.", "Solemnly):\n Cric!", "Crac!", "Assume thou, Cyrano, to serve the turn,\n The accent of thy native Bergerac!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (looking at the house):\n 'Tis there.", "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "(He is about to enter, when Cyrano leaps from the balcony, holding on to the\nbranch, which bends, dropping him between the door and De Guiche; he pretends\nto fall heavily, as from a great height, and lies flat on the ground,\nmotionless, as if stunned.", "De Guiche starts back):\n What's this?", "(When he looks up, the branch has sprung back into its place.", "He sees only\nthe sky, and is lost in amazement):\n Where fell that man from?", "CYRANO (sitting up, and speaking with a Gascon accent):\n From the moon!", "DE GUICHE:\n From?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (in a dreamy voice):\n What's o'clock?", "DE GUICHE:\n He's lost his mind, for sure!", "CYRANO:\n What hour?", "What country this?", "What month?", "What day?", "DE GUICHE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I am stupefied!", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n Like a bomb\n I fell from the moon!", "DE GUICHE (impatiently):\n Come now!", "CYRANO (rising, in a terrible voice):\n I say,--the moon!", "DE GUICHE (recoiling):\n Good, good!", "let it be so!. .", ".He's raving mad!", "CYRANO (walking up to him):\n I say from the moon!", "I mean no metaphor!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Was't a hundred years--a minute, since?", "--I cannot guess what time that fall embraced!--\n That I was in that saffron-colored ball?", "DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders):\n Good!", "let me pass!", "CYRANO (intercepting him):\n Where am I?", "Tell the truth!", "Fear not to tell!", "Oh, spare me not!", "Where?", "where?", "Have I fallen like a shooting star?", "DE GUICHE:\n Morbleu!", "CYRANO:\n The fall was lightning-quick!", "no time to choose\n Where I should fall--I know not where it be!", "Oh, tell me!", "Is it on a moon or earth,\n that my posterior weight has landed me?", "DE GUICHE:\n I tell you, Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (with a screech of terror, which makes De Guiche start back):\n No?", "Can it be?", "I'm on\n A planet where men have black faces?", "DE GUICHE (putting a hand to his face):\n What?", "CYRANO (feigning great alarm):\n Am I in Africa?", "A native you?", "DE GUICHE (who has remembered his mask):\n This mask of mine.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pretending to be reassured):\n In Venice?", "ha!--or Rome?", "DE GUICHE (trying to pass):\n A lady waits. .\n\nCYRANO (quite reassured):\n Oh-ho!", "I am in Paris!", "DE GUICHE (smiling in spite of himself):\n The fool is comical!", "CYRANO:\n You laugh?", "DE GUICHE:\n I laugh,\n But would get by!", "CYRANO (beaming with joy):\n I have shot back to Paris!", "(Quite at ease, laughing, dusting himself, bowing):\n Come--pardon me--by the last water-spout,\n Covered with ether,--accident of travel!", "My eyes still full of star-dust, and my spurs\n Encumbered by the planets' filaments!", "(Picking something off his sleeve):\n Ha!", "on my doublet?--ah, a comet's hair!.", ". .\n\n(He puffs as if to blow it away.)", "DE GUICHE (beside himself):\n Sir!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (just as he is about to pass, holds out his leg as if to show him\nsomething and stops him):\n In my leg--the calf--there is a tooth\n Of the Great Bear, and, passing Neptune close,\n I would avoid his trident's point, and fell,\n Thus sitting, plump, right in the Scales!", "My weight\n Is marked, still registered, up there in heaven!", "(Hurriedly preventing De Guiche from passing, and detaining him by the button\nof his doublet):\n I swear to you that if you squeezed my nose\n It would spout milk!", "DE GUICHE:\n Milk?", "CYRANO:\n From the Milky Way!", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, go to hell!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n I fall, Sir, out of heaven!", "Now, would you credit it, that as I fell\n I saw that Sirius wears a nightcap?", "True!", "(Confidentially):\n The other Bear is still too small to bite.", "(Laughing):\n I went through the Lyre, but I snapped a cord;\n(Grandiloquent):\n I mean to write the whole thing in a book;\n The small gold stars, that, wrapped up in my cloak,\n I carried safe away at no small risks,\n Will serve for asterisks i' the printed page!", "DE GUICHE:\n Come, make an end!", "I want.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Oh-ho!", "You are sly!", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n You would worm all out of me!--the way\n The moon is made, and if men breathe and live\n In its rotund cucurbita?", "DE GUICHE (angrily):\n No, no!", "I want.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ha, ha!--to know how I got up?", "Hark, it was by a method all my own.", "DE GUICHE (wearied):\n He's mad!", "CYRANO(contemptuously):\n No!", "not for me the stupid eagle\n Of Regiomontanus, nor the timid\n Pigeon of Archytas--neither of those!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, 'tis a fool!", "But 'tis a learned fool!", "CYRANO:\n No imitator I of other men!", "(De Guiche has succeeded in getting by, and goes toward Roxane's door.", "Cyrano\nfollows him, ready to stop him by force):\n Six novel methods, all, this brain invented!", "DE GUICHE (turning round):\n Six?", "CYRANO (volubly):\n First, with body naked as your hand,\n Festooned about with crystal flacons, full\n O' th' tears the early morning dew distils;\n My body to the sun's fierce rays exposed\n To let it suck me up, as 't sucks the dew!", "DE GUICHE (surprised, making one step toward Cyrano):\n Ah!", "that makes one!", "CYRANO (stepping back, and enticing him further away):\n And then, the second way,\n To generate wind--for my impetus--\n To rarefy air, in a cedar case,\n By mirrors placed icosahedron-wise.", "DE GUICHE (making another step):\n Two!", "CYRANO (still stepping backward):\n Or--for I have some mechanic skill--\n To make a grasshopper, with springs of steel,\n And launch myself by quick succeeding fires\n Saltpeter-fed to the stars' pastures blue!", "DE GUICHE (unconsciously following him and counting on his fingers):\n Three!", "CYRANO:\n Or (since fumes have property to mount)--\n To charge a globe with fumes, sufficiently\n To carry me aloft!", "DE GUICHE (same play, more and more astonished):\n Well, that makes four!", "CYRANO:\n Or smear myself with marrow from a bull,\n Since, at the lowest point of Zodiac,\n Phoebus well loves to suck that marrow up!", "DE GUICHE (amazed):\n Five!", "CYRANO (who, while speaking, had drawn him to the other side of the square\nnear a bench):\n Sitting on an iron platform--thence\n To throw a magnet in the air.", "This is\n A method well conceived--the magnet flown,\n Infallibly the iron will pursue:\n Then quick!", "relaunch your magnet, and you thus\n Can mount and mount unmeasured distances!", "DE GUICHE:\n Here are six excellent expedients!", "Which of the six chose you?", "CYRANO:\n Why, none!--a seventh!", "DE GUICHE:\n Astonishing!", "What was it?", "CYRANO:\n I'll recount.", "DE GUICHE:\n This wild eccentric becomes interesting!", "CYRANO (making a noise like the waves, with weird gestures):\n Houuh!", "Houuh!", "DE GUICHE:\n Well.", "CYRANO:\n You have guessed?", "DE GUICHE:\n Not I!", "CYRANO:\n The tide!", "I' th' witching hour when the moon woos the wave,\n I laid me, fresh from a sea-bath, on the shore--\n And, failing not to put head foremost--for\n The hair holds the sea-water in its mesh--\n I rose in air, straight!", "straight!", "like angel's flight,\n And mounted, mounted, gently, effortless,.", ". .", "When lo!", "a sudden shock!", "Then.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (overcome by curiosity, sitting down on the bench):\n Then?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "then.", ". .\n(Suddenly returning to his natural voice):\n The quarter's gone--I'll hinder you no more:\n The marriage-vows are made.", "DE GUICHE (springing up):\n What?", "Am I mad?", "That voice?", "(The house-door opens.", "Lackeys appear carrying lighted candelabra.", "Light.", "Cyrano gracefully uncovers):\n That nose--Cyrano?", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Cyrano.", "While we were chatting, they have plighted troth.", "DE GUICHE:\n Who?", "(He turns round.", "Tableau.", "Behind the lackeys appear Roxane and Christian,\nholding each other by the hand.", "The friar follows them, smiling.", "Ragueneau\nalso holds a candlestick.", "The duenna closes the rear, bewildered, having made\na hasty toilet):\n Heavens!" ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Was't a hundred years--a minute, since?", "Oh, spare me not!", "(Quite at ease, laughing, dusting himself, bowing):\n Come--pardon me--by the last water-spout,\n Covered with ether,--accident of travel!", "on my doublet?--ah, a comet's hair!.", "DE GUICHE (beside himself):\n Sir!.", "CYRANO:\n From the Milky Way!", "True!", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n Why, none!--a seventh!", ". .\n(Suddenly returning to his natural voice):\n The quarter's gone--I'll hinder you no more:\n The marriage-vows are made." ]

[ "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "Tell the truth!", "(Confidentially):\n The other Bear is still too small to bite.", "DE GUICHE:\n From?.", "(When he looks up, the branch has sprung back into its place.", "Am I mad?", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (looking at the house):\n 'Tis there.", "CYRANO (walking up to him):\n I say from the moon!", "Is it on a moon or earth,\n that my posterior weight has landed me?", "DE GUICHE (springing up):\n What?" ]

[ "My weight\n Is marked, still registered, up there in heaven!", "(Hurriedly preventing De Guiche from passing, and detaining him by the button\nof his doublet):\n I swear to you that if you squeezed my nose\n It would spout milk!", "DE GUICHE:\n Milk?", "CYRANO:\n From the Milky Way!", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, go to hell!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n I fall, Sir, out of heaven!", "Now, would you credit it, that as I fell\n I saw that Sirius wears a nightcap?", "True!", "(Confidentially):\n The other Bear is still too small to bite.", "(Laughing):\n I went through the Lyre, but I snapped a cord;\n(Grandiloquent):\n I mean to write the whole thing in a book;\n The small gold stars, that, wrapped up in my cloak,\n I carried safe away at no small risks,\n Will serve for asterisks i' the printed page!", "DE GUICHE:\n Come, make an end!" ]

[ "Cyrano, De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (who enters, masked, feeling his way in the dark):\n What can that cursed Friar be about?", "CYRANO:\n The devil!. .", ".If he knows my voice!", "(Letting go with one hand, he pretends to turn an invisible key.", "Solemnly):\n Cric!", "Crac!", "Assume thou, Cyrano, to serve the turn,\n The accent of thy native Bergerac!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (looking at the house):\n 'Tis there.", "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "Cyrano gracefully uncovers):\n That nose--Cyrano?", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Cyrano.", "While we were chatting, they have plighted troth.", "DE GUICHE:\n Who?", "(He turns round.", "Tableau.", "Behind the lackeys appear Roxane and Christian,\nholding each other by the hand.", "The friar follows them, smiling.", "Ragueneau\nalso holds a candlestick.", "The duenna closes the rear, bewildered, having made\na hasty toilet):\n Heavens!" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "DE GUICHE (to Roxane):\n You?", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "(To Cyrano):\n My compliments--Sir Apparatus-maker!", "Your story would arrest at Peter's gate\n Saints eager for their Paradise!", "Note well\n The details.", "'Faith!", "They'd make a stirring book!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n I shall not fail to follow your advice.", "THE FRIAR (showing with satisfaction the two lovers to De Guiche):\n A handsome couple, son, made one by you!", "DE GUICHE (with a freezing look):\n Ay!", "(To Roxane):\n Bid your bridegroom, Madame, fond farewell.", "ROXANE:\n Why so?", "DE GUICHE (to Christian):\n Even now the regiment departs.", "Join it!", "ROXANE:\n It goes to battle?", "DE GUICHE:\n Without doubt.", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh ay!", "they go.", "(Drawing out the paper he had put in his pocket):\n Here is the order.", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "ROXANE (throwing herself in Christian's arms):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE (sneeringly to Cyrano):\n The wedding-night is far, methinks!", "CYRANO (aside):\n He thinks to give me pain of death by this!", "CHRISTIAN (to Roxane):\n Oh!", "once again!", "Your lips!", "CYRANO:\n Come, come, enough!", "CHRISTIAN (still kissing Roxane):\n --'Tis hard to leave her, you know not.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (trying to draw him away):\n I know.", "(Sound of drums beating a march in the distance.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The regiment starts!", "ROXANE (To Cyrano, holding back Christian, whom Cyrano is drawing away):\n Oh!--I trust him you!", "Promise me that no risks shall put his life\n In danger!", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", ". .\n That I cannot!", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", "CYRANO:\n Again, I'll do my best, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!", "CYRANO:\n All that man can do,\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n That he shall be faithful!", "CYRANO:\n Doubtless, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n That he will write oft?", "CYRANO (pausing):\n That, I promise you!", "Curtain." ]

[ "'Faith!", "DE GUICHE (with a freezing look):\n Ay!", "(Drawing out the paper he had put in his pocket):\n Here is the order.", "once again!", "ROXANE (To Cyrano, holding back Christian, whom Cyrano is drawing away):\n Oh!--I trust him you!", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", "CYRANO:\n Again, I'll do my best, but.", "CYRANO (pausing):\n That, I promise you!", "Curtain." ]

[ "they go.", "CYRANO:\n Come, come, enough!", "Join it!", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "CHRISTIAN (to Roxane):\n Oh!", "CYRANO (aside):\n He thinks to give me pain of death by this!", "ROXANE:\n Why so?", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?" ]

[ "DE GUICHE:\n Without doubt.", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh ay!", "they go.", "(Drawing out the paper he had put in his pocket):\n Here is the order.", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "ROXANE (throwing herself in Christian's arms):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE (sneeringly to Cyrano):\n The wedding-night is far, methinks!", "CYRANO (aside):\n He thinks to give me pain of death by this!", "CHRISTIAN (to Roxane):\n Oh!", "once again!" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "DE GUICHE (to Roxane):\n You?", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "(To Cyrano):\n My compliments--Sir Apparatus-maker!", "Your story would arrest at Peter's gate\n Saints eager for their Paradise!", "Note well\n The details.", "'Faith!", "They'd make a stirring book!", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", ". .\n That I cannot!", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", "CYRANO:\n Again, I'll do my best, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!", "CYRANO:\n All that man can do,\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n That he shall be faithful!", "CYRANO:\n Doubtless, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n That he will write oft?", "CYRANO (pausing):\n That, I promise you!", "Curtain." ]

[ "Christian, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, Le Bret, the cadets, then Cyrano.", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis terrible.", "CARBON:\n Not a morsel left.", "LE BRET:\n Mordioux!", "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "You will awake them.", "(To the cadets):\n Hush!", "Sleep on.", "(To Le Bret):\n He who sleeps, dines!", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", ". .\n What starvation!", "(Firing is heard in the distance.)", "CARBON:\n Oh, plague take their firing!", "'Twill wake my sons.", "(To the cadets, who lift up their heads):\n Sleep on!", "(Firing is again heard, nearer this time.)", "A CADET (moving):\n The devil!. .", ".Again.", "CARBON:\n 'Tis nothing!", "'Tis Cyrano coming back!", "(Those who have lifted up their heads prepare to sleep again.)", "A SENTINEL (from without):\n Ventrebieu!", "Who goes there?", "THE VOICE Of CYRANO:\n Bergerac.", "The SENTINEL (who is on the redoubt):\n Ventrebieu!", "Who goes there?", "CYRANO (appearing at the top):\n Bergerac, idiot!", "(He comes down; Le Bret advances anxiously to meet him.)", "LE BRET:\n Heavens!", "CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n Wounded?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "you know it has become their custom to shoot at me every morning and to\nmiss me.", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "To take letters at each day's dawn.", "To risk.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (stopping before Christian):\n I promised he should write often.", "(He looks at him):\n He sleeps.", "How pale he is!", "But how handsome still, despite his sufferings.", "If his poor little lady-love knew that he is dying of hunger.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Get you quick to bed.", "CYRANO:\n Nay, never scold, Le Bret.", "I ran but little risk.", "I have found me a spot\nto pass the Spanish lines, where each night they lie drunk.", "LE BRET:\n You should try to bring us back provision.", "CYRANO:\n A man must carry no weight who would get by there!", "But there will be\nsurprise for us this night.", "The French will eat or die. . .if I mistake not!", "LE BRET:\n Oh!. .", ".tell me!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, not yet.", "I am not certain. . .You will see!", "CARBON:\n It is disgraceful that we should starve while we're besieging!", "LE BRET:\n Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!", "To think that while\nwe are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the\nCardinal Infante of Spain.", "CYRANO:\n It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn.", "LE BRET:\n I am in earnest.", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "indeed!", "LE BRET:\n To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .\n.Thankless one.", "(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):\n Where are you going?", "CYRANO:\n I am going to write another.", "(He enters the tent and disappears.)" ]

[ "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", ". .\n What starvation!", "(Firing is heard in the distance.)", "CARBON:\n Oh, plague take their firing!", "CARBON:\n 'Tis nothing!", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "But how handsome still, despite his sufferings.", "To think that while\nwe are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the\nCardinal Infante of Spain.", "CYRANO:\n It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn." ]

[ "Who goes there?", ". .\n What starvation!", "CYRANO (appearing at the top):\n Bergerac, idiot!", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis terrible.", "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!", "I have found me a spot\nto pass the Spanish lines, where each night they lie drunk.", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "The French will eat or die. . .if I mistake not!" ]

[ "(He comes down; Le Bret advances anxiously to meet him.)", "LE BRET:\n Heavens!", "CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n Wounded?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "you know it has become their custom to shoot at me every morning and to\nmiss me.", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "To take letters at each day's dawn.", "To risk.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (stopping before Christian):\n I promised he should write often.", "(He looks at him):\n He sleeps." ]

[ "Christian, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, Le Bret, the cadets, then Cyrano.", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis terrible.", "CARBON:\n Not a morsel left.", "LE BRET:\n Mordioux!", "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "You will awake them.", "(To the cadets):\n Hush!", "Sleep on.", "(To Le Bret):\n He who sleeps, dines!", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", "LE BRET:\n Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!", "To think that while\nwe are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the\nCardinal Infante of Spain.", "CYRANO:\n It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn.", "LE BRET:\n I am in earnest.", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "indeed!", "LE BRET:\n To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .\n.Thankless one.", "(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):\n Where are you going?", "CYRANO:\n I am going to write another.", "(He enters the tent and disappears.)" ]

[ "Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):\n Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once--nay, twice, to see if her coif\nsuited.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):\n 'Tis not well.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n But I saw Sister Martha take a plum\n Out of the tart.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha):\n That was ill done, my sister.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n A little glance!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n And such a little plum!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He'll say we nuns are vain!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n And greedy!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling):\n Ay, and kind!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Is it not true, pray, Mother Marguerite,\n That he has come, each week, on Saturday\n For ten years, to the convent?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ay!", "and more!", "Ever since--fourteen years ago--the day\n His cousin brought here, 'midst our woolen coifs,\n The worldly mourning of her widow's veil,\n Like a blackbird's wing among the convent doves!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He only has the skill to turn her mind\n From grief--unsoftened yet by Time--unhealed!", "ALL THE SISTERS:\n He is so droll!--It's cheerful when he comes!--\n He teases us!--But we all like him well!--\n --We make him pasties of angelica!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But, he is not a faithful Catholic!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n We will convert him!", "THE SISTERS:\n Yes!", "Yes!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I forbid,\n My daughters, you attempt that subject.", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But. . .God.", ". .", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!", "God knows him well!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But--every Saturday, when he arrives,\n He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ah!", "says he so?", "Well, the last time he came\n Food had not passed his lips for two whole days!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Mother!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n He's poor.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Who told you so, dear Mother?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Monsieur Le Bret.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n None help him?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n He permits not.", "(In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif\nand veil.", "De Guiche, imposing-looking and visibly aged, walks by her side.", "They saunter slowly.", "Mother Marguerite rises):\n 'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine\n Walks in the garden with a visitor.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):\n The Marshal of Grammont?", "SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):\n 'Tis he, I think.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n 'Tis many months now since he came to see her.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!.", ". .", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n The world!", "(They go out.", "De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to\nthe embroidery frame.)" ]

[ "MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling):\n Ay, and kind!", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But. . .God.", "says he so?", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Who told you so, dear Mother?", "SISTER MARTHA:\n None help him?", "(In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif\nand veil.", "De Guiche, imposing-looking and visibly aged, walks by her side.", "SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):\n 'Tis he, I think.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!." ]

[ "says he so?", "and more!", "Well, the last time he came\n Food had not passed his lips for two whole days!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I forbid,\n My daughters, you attempt that subject.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling):\n Ay, and kind!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n He permits not.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):\n Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once--nay, twice, to see if her coif\nsuited.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!" ]

[ "THE SISTERS:\n Yes!", "Yes!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I forbid,\n My daughters, you attempt that subject.", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But. . .God.", ". .", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!", "God knows him well!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But--every Saturday, when he arrives,\n He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ah!", "says he so?" ]

[ "Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):\n Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once--nay, twice, to see if her coif\nsuited.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):\n 'Tis not well.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n But I saw Sister Martha take a plum\n Out of the tart.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha):\n That was ill done, my sister.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n A little glance!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n And such a little plum!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He'll say we nuns are vain!", "They saunter slowly.", "Mother Marguerite rises):\n 'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine\n Walks in the garden with a visitor.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):\n The Marshal of Grammont?", "SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):\n 'Tis he, I think.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n 'Tis many months now since he came to see her.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!.", ". .", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n The world!", "(They go out.", "De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to\nthe embroidery frame.)" ]

[ "The same, all but Cyrano.", "The day is breaking in a rosy light.", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "The report of cannon is heard in the\ndistance, followed immediately by the beating of drums far away to the left.", "Other drums are heard much nearer.", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "Voices of\nofficers in the distance.", "CARBON (sighing):\n The reveille!", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!", "Thou art at an end!. .", ".I know well what will be their\nfirst cry!", "A CADET (sitting up):\n I am so hungry!", "ANOTHER:\n I am dying of hunger.", "TOGETHER:\n Oh!", "CARBON:\n Up with you!", "THIRD CADET:\n --Cannot move a limb.", "FOURTH CADET:\n Nor can I.", "THE FIRST (looking at himself in a bit of armor):\n My tongue is yellow.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "ANOTHER:\n My coronet for a bit of Chester!", "ANOTHER:\n If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a pint of chyle, I shall\nretire to my tent--like Achilles!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "something!", "were it but a crust!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest.", "Come,\nhearten them up.", "SECOND CADET (rushing toward another who is munching something):\n What are you crunching there?", "FIRST CADET:\n Cannon-wads soaked in axle-grease!", "'Tis poor hunting round about Arras!", "A CADET (entering):\n I have been after game.", "ANOTHER (following him):\n And I after fish.", "ALL (rushing to the two newcomers):\n Well!", "what have you brought?--a pheasant?--a carp?--Come, show us quick!", "THE ANGLER:\n A gudgeon!", "THE SPORTSMAN:\n A sparrow!", "ALL TOGETHER (beside themselves):\n 'Tis more than can be borne!", "We will mutiny!", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!", "Come to my help.", "(The daylight has now come.)" ]

[ "The same, all but Cyrano.", "The day is breaking in a rosy light.", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "CARBON (sighing):\n The reveille!", "ANOTHER:\n If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a pint of chyle, I shall\nretire to my tent--like Achilles!", "something!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest.", "(The daylight has now come.)" ]

[ "(The daylight has now come.)", "CARBON:\n Up with you!", "SECOND CADET (rushing toward another who is munching something):\n What are you crunching there?", "THIRD CADET:\n --Cannot move a limb.", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "Come,\nhearten them up.", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest.", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!" ]

[ "FOURTH CADET:\n Nor can I.", "THE FIRST (looking at himself in a bit of armor):\n My tongue is yellow.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "ANOTHER:\n My coronet for a bit of Chester!", "ANOTHER:\n If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a pint of chyle, I shall\nretire to my tent--like Achilles!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "something!", "were it but a crust!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest." ]

[ "The same, all but Cyrano.", "The day is breaking in a rosy light.", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "The report of cannon is heard in the\ndistance, followed immediately by the beating of drums far away to the left.", "Other drums are heard much nearer.", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "Voices of\nofficers in the distance.", "CARBON (sighing):\n The reveille!", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!", "Thou art at an end!. .", "ANOTHER (following him):\n And I after fish.", "ALL (rushing to the two newcomers):\n Well!", "what have you brought?--a pheasant?--a carp?--Come, show us quick!", "THE ANGLER:\n A gudgeon!", "THE SPORTSMAN:\n A sparrow!", "ALL TOGETHER (beside themselves):\n 'Tis more than can be borne!", "We will mutiny!", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!", "Come to my help.", "(The daylight has now come.)" ]

[ "The SAME.", "Cyrano.", "CYRANO (appearing from the tent, very calm, with a pen stuck behind his ear\nand a book in his hand):\n What is wrong?", "(Silence.", "To the first cadet):\n Why drag you your legs so sorrowfully?", "THE CADET:\n I have something in my heels which weighs them down.", "CYRANO:\n And what may that be?", "THE CADET:\n My stomach!", "CYRANO:\n So have I, 'faith!", "THE CADET:\n It must be in your way?", "CYRANO:\n Nay, I am all the taller.", "A THIRD:\n My stomach's hollow.", "CYRANO:\n 'Faith, 'twill make a fine drum to sound the assault.", "ANOTHER:\n I have a ringing in my ears.", "CYRANO:\n No, no, 'tis false; a hungry stomach has no ears.", "ANOTHER:\n Oh, to eat something--something oily!", "CYRANO (pulling off the cadet's helmet and holding it out to him):\n Behold your salad!", "ANOTHER:\n What, in God's name, can we devour?", "CYRANO (throwing him the book which he is carrying):\n The 'Iliad'.", "ANOTHER:\n The first minister in Paris has his four meals a day!", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere courteous an he sent you a few partridges!", "THE SAME:\n And why not?", "with wine, too!", "CYRANO:\n A little Burgundy.", "Richelieu, s'il vous plait!", "THE SAME:\n He could send it by one of his friars.", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "by His Eminence Joseph himself.", "ANOTHER:\n I am as ravenous as an ogre!", "CYRANO:\n Eat your patience, then.", "THE FIRST CADET (shrugging his shoulders):\n Always your pointed word!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, pointed words!", "I would fain die thus, some soft summer eve,\n Making a pointed word for a good cause.", "--To make a soldier's end by soldier's sword,\n Wielded by some brave adversary--die\n On blood-stained turf, not on a fever-bed,\n A point upon my lips, a point within my heart.", "CRIES FROM ALL:\n I'm hungry!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n All your thoughts of meat and drink!", "Bertrand the fifer!--you were shepherd once,--\n Draw from its double leathern case your fife,\n Play to these greedy, guzzling soldiers.", "Play\n Old country airs with plaintive rhythm recurring,\n Where lurk sweet echoes of the dear home-voices,\n Each note of which calls like a little sister,\n Those airs slow, slow ascending, as the smoke-wreaths\n Rise from the hearthstones of our native hamlets,\n Their music strikes the ear like Gascon patois!.", ". .\n(The old man seats himself, and gets his flute ready):\n Your flute was now a warrior in durance;\n But on its stem your fingers are a-dancing\n A bird-like minuet!", "O flute!", "Remember\n That flutes were made of reeds first, not laburnum;\n Make us a music pastoral days recalling--\n The soul-time of your youth, in country pastures!.", ". .\n(The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc):\n Hark to the music, Gascons!.", ". .'Tis no longer\n The piercing fife of camp--but 'neath his fingers\n The flute of the woods!", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", ". .\n Hark!.", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "Hark, Gascons, to the music!", "(The cadets sit with bowed heads; their eyes have a far-off look as if\ndreaming, and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs and\nthe corner of their cloaks.)", "CARBON (to Cyrano in a whisper):\n But you make them weep!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, for homesickness.", "A nobler pain than hunger,--'tis of the soul, not of\nthe body!", "I am well pleased to see their pain change its viscera.", "Heart-ache\nis better than stomach-ache.", "CARBON:\n But you weaken their courage by playing thus on their heart-strings!", "CYRANO (making a sign to a drummer to approach):\n Not I.", "The hero that sleeps in Gascon blood is ever ready to awake in them.", "'Twould suffice.", ". .\n\n(He makes a signal; the drum beats.)", "ALL THE CADETS (stand up and rush to take arms):\n What?", "What is it?", "CYRANO (smiling):\n You see!", "One roll of the drum is enough!", "Good-by dreams, regrets, native\nland, love. . .All that the pipe called forth the drum has chased away!", "A CADET (looking toward the back of the stage):\n Ho!", "here comes Monsieur de Guiche.", "ALL THE CADETS (muttering):\n Ugh!. .", ".Ugh!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (smiling):\n A flattering welcome!", "A CADET:\n We are sick to death of him!", "ANOTHER CADET:\n --With his lace collar over his armor, playing the fine gentleman!", "ANOTHER:\n As if one wore linen over steel!", "THE FIRST:\n It were good for a bandage had he boils on his neck.", "THE SECOND:\n Another plotting courtier!", "ANOTHER CADET:\n His uncle's own nephew!", "CARBON:\n For all that--a Gascon.", "THE FIRST:\n Ay, false Gascon!. .", ".trust him not.", ". .\n Gascons should ever be crack-brained.", ". .\n Naught more dangerous than a rational Gascon.", "LE BRET:\n How pale he is!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "he is hungry, just like us poor devils; but under his cuirass, with its\nfine gilt nails, his stomach-ache glitters brave in the sun.", "CYRANO (hurriedly):\n Let us not seem to suffer either!", "Out with your cards, pipes, and dice.", ". .\n(All begin spreading out the games on the drums, the stools, the ground, and\non their cloaks, and light long pipes):\n And I shall read Descartes.", "(He walks up and down, reading a little book which he has drawn from his\npocket.", "Tableau.", "Enter De Guiche.", "All appear absorbed and happy.", "He is\nvery pale.", "He goes up to Carbon.)" ]

[ "(Silence.", "CYRANO:\n Nay, I am all the taller.", "CYRANO:\n 'Faith, 'twill make a fine drum to sound the assault.", "THE FIRST CADET (shrugging his shoulders):\n Always your pointed word!", ". .\n(The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc):\n Hark to the music, Gascons!.", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", ". .\n Hark!.", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "I am well pleased to see their pain change its viscera.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (smiling):\n A flattering welcome!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Nay, I am all the taller.", "What is it?", ". .\n(All begin spreading out the games on the drums, the stools, the ground, and\non their cloaks, and light long pipes):\n And I shall read Descartes.", "THE CADET:\n My stomach!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n All your thoughts of meat and drink!", "Good-by dreams, regrets, native\nland, love. . .All that the pipe called forth the drum has chased away!", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "ANOTHER:\n As if one wore linen over steel!", "A THIRD:\n My stomach's hollow.", ". .\n\n(He makes a signal; the drum beats.)" ]

[ "Remember\n That flutes were made of reeds first, not laburnum;\n Make us a music pastoral days recalling--\n The soul-time of your youth, in country pastures!.", ". .\n(The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc):\n Hark to the music, Gascons!.", ". .'Tis no longer\n The piercing fife of camp--but 'neath his fingers\n The flute of the woods!", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", ". .\n Hark!.", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "Hark, Gascons, to the music!", "(The cadets sit with bowed heads; their eyes have a far-off look as if\ndreaming, and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs and\nthe corner of their cloaks.)", "CARBON (to Cyrano in a whisper):\n But you make them weep!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, for homesickness.", "A nobler pain than hunger,--'tis of the soul, not of\nthe body!" ]

[ "The SAME.", "Cyrano.", "CYRANO (appearing from the tent, very calm, with a pen stuck behind his ear\nand a book in his hand):\n What is wrong?", "(Silence.", "To the first cadet):\n Why drag you your legs so sorrowfully?", "THE CADET:\n I have something in my heels which weighs them down.", "CYRANO:\n And what may that be?", "THE CADET:\n My stomach!", "CYRANO:\n So have I, 'faith!", "THE CADET:\n It must be in your way?", "he is hungry, just like us poor devils; but under his cuirass, with its\nfine gilt nails, his stomach-ache glitters brave in the sun.", "CYRANO (hurriedly):\n Let us not seem to suffer either!", "Out with your cards, pipes, and dice.", ". .\n(All begin spreading out the games on the drums, the stools, the ground, and\non their cloaks, and light long pipes):\n And I shall read Descartes.", "(He walks up and down, reading a little book which he has drawn from his\npocket.", "Tableau.", "Enter De Guiche.", "All appear absorbed and happy.", "He is\nvery pale.", "He goes up to Carbon.)" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Good-day!", "(They examine each other.", "Aside, with satisfaction):\n He's green.", "CARBON (aside):\n He has nothing left but eyes.", "DE GUICHE (looking at the cadets):\n Here are the rebels!", "Ay, Sirs, on all sides\n I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me;\n That the Cadets, these loutish, mountain-bred,\n Poor country squires, and barons of Perigord,\n Scarce find for me--their Colonel--a disdain\n Sufficient!", "call me plotter, wily courtier!", "It does not please their mightiness to see\n A point-lace collar on my steel cuirass,--\n And they enrage, because a man, in sooth,\n May be no ragged-robin, yet a Gascon!", "(Silence.", "All smoke and play):\n Shall I command your Captain punish you?", "No.", "CARBON:\n I am free, moreover,--will not punish--\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "CARBON:\n I have paid my company--'tis mine.", "I bow but to headquarters.", "DE GUICHE:\n So?--in faith!", "That will suffice.", "(Addressing himself to the cadets):\n I can despise your taunts\n 'Tis well known how I bear me in the war;\n At Bapaume, yesterday, they saw the rage\n With which I beat back the Count of Bucquoi;\n Assembling my own men, I fell on his,\n And charged three separate times!", "CYRANO (without lifting his eyes from his book):\n And your white scarf?", "DE GUICHE (surprised and gratified):\n You know that detail?. .", ".Troth!", "It happened thus:\n While caracoling to recall the troops\n For the third charge, a band of fugitives\n Bore me with them, close by the hostile ranks:\n I was in peril--capture, sudden death!--\n When I thought of the good expedient\n To loosen and let fall the scarf which told\n My military rank; thus I contrived\n --Without attention waked--to leave the foes,\n And suddenly returning, reinforced\n With my own men, to scatter them!", "And now,\n --What say you, Sir?", "(The cadets pretend not to be listening, but the cards and the dice-boxes\nremain suspended in their hands, the smoke of their pipes in their cheeks.", "They wait.)", "CYRANO:\n I say, that Henri Quatre\n Had not, by any dangerous odds, been forced\n To strip himself of his white helmet plume.", "(Silent delight.", "The cards fall, the dice rattle.", "The smoke is puffed.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The ruse succeeded, though!", "(Same suspension of play, etc.)", "CYRANO:\n Oh, may be!", "But\n One does not lightly abdicate the honor\n To serve as target to the enemy\n(Cards, dice, fall again, and the cadets smoke with evident delight):\n Had I been present when your scarf fell low,\n --Our courage, Sir, is of a different sort--\n I would have picked it up and put it on.", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, ay!", "Another Gascon boast!", "CYRANO:\n A boast?", "Lend it to me.", "I pledge myself, to-night,\n --With it across my breast,--to lead th' assault.", "DE GUICHE:\n Another Gascon vaunt!", "You know the scarf\n Lies with the enemy, upon the brink\n Of the stream,. . .the place is riddled now with shot,--\n No one can fetch it hither!", "CYRANO (drawing the scarf from his pocket, and holding it out to him):\n Here it is.", "(Silence.", "The cadets stifle their laughter in their cards and dice-boxes.", "De\nGuiche turns and looks at them; they instantly become grave, and set to play.", "One of them whistles indifferently the air just played by the fifer.)", "DE GUICHE (taking the scarf):\n I thank you.", "It will now enable me\n To make a signal,--that I had forborne\n To make--till now.", "(He goes to the rampart, climbs it, and waves the scarf thrice.)", "ALL:\n What's that?", "THE SENTINEL (from the top of the rampart):\n See you yon man\n Down there, who runs?.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (descending):\n 'Tis a false Spanish spy\n Who is extremely useful to my ends.", "The news he carries to the enemy\n Are those I prompt him with--so, in a word,\n We have an influence on their decisions!", "CYRANO:\n Scoundrel!", "DE GUICHE (carelessly knotting on his scarf):\n 'Tis opportune.", "What were we saying?", "Ah!", "I have news for you.", "Last evening\n --To victual us--the Marshal did attempt\n A final effort:--secretly he went\n To Dourlens, where the King's provisions be.", "But--to return to camp more easily--\n He took with him a goodly force of troops.", "Those who attacked us now would have fine sport!", "Half of the army's absent from the camp!", "CARBON:\n Ay, if the Spaniards knew, 'twere ill for us,\n But they know nothing of it?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh!", "they know.", "They will attack us.", "CARBON:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n For my false spy\n Came to warn me of their attack.", "He said,\n 'I can decide the point for their assault;\n Where would you have it?", "I will tell them 'tis\n The least defended--they'll attempt you there.'", "I answered, 'Good.", "Go out of camp, but watch\n My signal.", "Choose the point from whence it comes.'", "CARBON (to cadets):\n Make ready!", "(All rise; sounds of swords and belts being buckled.)", "DE GUICHE:\n 'Twill be in an hour.", "FIRST CADET:\n Good!.", ". .\n\n(They all sit down again and take up their games.)", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Time must be gained.", "The Marshal will return.", "CARBON:\n How gain it?", "DE GUICHE:\n You will all be good enough\n To let yourselves to be killed.", "CYRANO:\n Vengeance!", "oho!", "DE GUICHE:\n I do not say that, if I loved you well,\n I had chosen you and yours,--but, as things stand,--\n Your courage yielding to no corps the palm--\n I serve my King, and serve my grudge as well.", "CYRANO:\n Permit that I express my gratitude.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I know you love to fight against five score;\n You will not now complain of paltry odds.", "(He goes up with Carbon.)", "CYRANO (to the cadets):\n We shall add to the Gascon coat of arms,\n With its six bars of blue and gold, one more--\n The blood-red bar that was a-missing there!", "(De Guiche speaks in a low voice with Carbon at the back.", "Orders are given.", "Preparations go forward.", "Cyrano goes up to Christian, who stands with crossed\narms.)", "CYRANO (putting his hand on Christian's shoulder):\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN (shaking his head):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n Alas!", "CHRISTIAN:\n At least, I'd send\n My heart's farewell to her in a fair letter!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I had suspicion it would be to-day,\n(He draws a letter out of his doublet):\n And had already writ.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Show!", "CYRANO:\n Will you. .", ".?", "CHRISTIAN (taking the letter):\n Ay!", "(He opens and reads it):\n Hold!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n This little spot!", "CYRANO (taking the letter, with an innocent look):\n A spot?", "CHRISTIAN:\n A tear!", "CYRANO:\n Poets, at last,--by dint of counterfeiting--\n Take counterfeit for true--that is the charm!", "This farewell letter,--it was passing sad,\n I wept myself in writing it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Wept?", "why?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!. .", ".death itself is hardly terrible,.", ". .\n --But, ne'er to see her more!", "That is death's sting!", "--For. . .I shall never.", ". .\n(Christian looks at him):\n We shall.", ". .\n(Quickly):\n I mean, you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (snatching the letter from him):\n Give me that letter!", "(A rumor, far off in the camp.)", "VOICE Of SENTINEL:\n Who goes there?", "Halloo!", "(Shots--voices--carriage-bells.)", "CARBON:\n What is it?", "A SENTINEL (on the rampart):\n 'Tis a carriage!", "(All rush to see.)", "CRIES:\n In the camp?", "It enters!--It comes from the enemy!", "--Fire!--No!--The coachman cries!--What does he say?", "--'On the King's service!'", "(Everyone is on the rampart, staring.", "The bells come nearer.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The King's service?", "How?", "(All descend and draw up in line.)", "CARBON:\n Uncover, all!", "DE GUICHE:\n The King's!", "Draw up in line!", "Let him describe his curve as it befits!", "(The carriage enters at full speed covered with dust and mud.", "The curtains\nare drawn close.", "Two lackeys behind.", "It is pulled up suddenly.)", "CARBON:\n Beat a salute!", "(A roll of drums.", "The cadets uncover.)", "DE GUICHE:\n Lower the carriage-steps!", "(Two cadets rush forward.", "The door opens.)", "ROXANE (jumping down from the carriage):\n Good-day!", "(All are bowing to the ground, but at the sound of a woman's voice every head\nis instantly raised.)" ]

[ "Ay, Sirs, on all sides\n I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me;\n That the Cadets, these loutish, mountain-bred,\n Poor country squires, and barons of Perigord,\n Scarce find for me--their Colonel--a disdain\n Sufficient!", "CARBON:\n I am free, moreover,--will not punish--\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "CARBON:\n I have paid my company--'tis mine.", "CYRANO:\n I say, that Henri Quatre\n Had not, by any dangerous odds, been forced\n To strip himself of his white helmet plume.", "CYRANO (putting his hand on Christian's shoulder):\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN (shaking his head):\n Roxane!", "(He opens and reads it):\n Hold!", "CHRISTIAN:\n A tear!", "(The carriage enters at full speed covered with dust and mud.", "Two lackeys behind." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Scoundrel!", "A SENTINEL (on the rampart):\n 'Tis a carriage!", "(He goes to the rampart, climbs it, and waves the scarf thrice.)", "Halloo!", "DE GUICHE:\n For my false spy\n Came to warn me of their attack.", "Ah!", "Orders are given.", "He said,\n 'I can decide the point for their assault;\n Where would you have it?", ".death itself is hardly terrible,.", "(Silent delight." ]

[ "I answered, 'Good.", "Go out of camp, but watch\n My signal.", "Choose the point from whence it comes.'", "CARBON (to cadets):\n Make ready!", "(All rise; sounds of swords and belts being buckled.)", "DE GUICHE:\n 'Twill be in an hour.", "FIRST CADET:\n Good!.", ". .\n\n(They all sit down again and take up their games.)", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Time must be gained.", "The Marshal will return.", "CARBON:\n How gain it?" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Good-day!", "(They examine each other.", "Aside, with satisfaction):\n He's green.", "CARBON (aside):\n He has nothing left but eyes.", "DE GUICHE (looking at the cadets):\n Here are the rebels!", "Ay, Sirs, on all sides\n I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me;\n That the Cadets, these loutish, mountain-bred,\n Poor country squires, and barons of Perigord,\n Scarce find for me--their Colonel--a disdain\n Sufficient!", "call me plotter, wily courtier!", "It does not please their mightiness to see\n A point-lace collar on my steel cuirass,--\n And they enrage, because a man, in sooth,\n May be no ragged-robin, yet a Gascon!", "Two lackeys behind.", "It is pulled up suddenly.)", "CARBON:\n Beat a salute!", "(A roll of drums.", "The cadets uncover.)", "DE GUICHE:\n Lower the carriage-steps!", "(Two cadets rush forward.", "The door opens.)", "ROXANE (jumping down from the carriage):\n Good-day!", "(All are bowing to the ground, but at the sound of a woman's voice every head\nis instantly raised.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane.", "DE GUICHE:\n On the King's service!", "You?", "ROXANE:\n Ay,--King Love's!", "What other king?", "CYRANO:\n Great God!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing forward):\n Why have you come?", "ROXANE:\n This siege--'tis too long!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But why?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I will tell you all!", "CYRANO (who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground,\nafraid to raise his eyes):\n My God!", "dare I look at her?", "DE GUICHE:\n You cannot remain here!", "ROXANE (merrily):\n But I say yes!", "Who will push a drum hither for me?", "(She seats herself on the drum they roll forward):\n So!", "I thank you.", "(She laughs):\n My carriage was fired at\n(proudly):\n by the patrol!", "Look!", "would you not think 'twas made of a pumpkin, like\nCinderella's chariot in the tale,--and the footmen out of rats?", "(Sending a kiss with her lips to Christian):\n Good-morrow!", "(Examining them all):\n You look not merry, any of you!", "Ah!", "know you that 'tis a long road to get\nto Arras?", "(Seeing Cyrano):\n Cousin, delighted!", "CYRANO (coming up to her):\n But how, in Heaven's name?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n How found I the way to the army?", "It was simple enough, for I had but to\npass on and on, as far as I saw the country laid waste.", "Ah, what horrors were\nthere!", "Had I not seen, then I could never have believed it!", "Well, gentlemen,\nif such be the service of your King, I would fainer serve mine!", "CYRANO:\n But 'tis sheer madness!", "Where in the fiend's name did you get through?", "ROXANE:\n Where?", "Through the Spanish lines.", "FIRST CADET:\n --For subtle craft, give me a woman!", "DE GUICHE:\n But how did you pass through their lines?", "LE BRET:\n Faith!", "that must have been a hard matter!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n None too hard.", "I but drove quietly forward in my carriage, and when some\nhidalgo of haughty mien would have stayed me, lo!", "I showed at the window my\nsweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most\ngallant gentlemen in the world,--I passed on!", "CARBON:\n True, that smile is a passport!", "But you must have been asked frequently to\ngive an account of where you were going, Madame?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.'", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Roxane.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Forgive me that I said, 'my lover!'", "But bethink you, had I said 'my\nhusband,' not one of them had let me pass!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What ails you?", "DE GUICHE:\n You must leave this place!", "ROXANE:\n I?", "CYRANO:\n And that instantly!", "LE BRET:\n No time to lose.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Indeed, you must.", "ROXANE:\n But wherefore must I?", "CHRISTIAN (embarrassed):\n 'Tis that.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (the same):\n --In three quarters of an hour.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (the same):\n --Or for.", ". .", "CARBON (the same):\n It were best.", ". .", "LE BRET (the same):\n You might.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You are going to fight?--I stay here.", "ALL:\n No, no!", "ROXANE:\n He is my husband!", "(She throws herself into Christian's arms):\n They shall kill us both together!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Why do you look at me thus?", "ROXANE:\n I will tell you why!", "DE GUICHE (in despair):\n 'Tis a post of mortal danger!", "ROXANE (turning round):\n Mortal danger!", "CYRANO:\n Proof enough, that he has put us here!", "ROXANE (to De Guiche):\n So, Sir, you would have made a widow of me?", "DE GUICHE:\n Nay, on my oath.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I will not go!", "I am reckless now, and I shall not stir from here!--Besides,\n'tis amusing!", "CYRANO:\n Oh-ho!", "So our precieuse is a heroine!", "ROXANE:\n Monsieur de Bergerac, I am your cousin.", "A CADET:\n We will defend you well!", "ROXANE (more and more excited):\n I have no fear of that, my friends!", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "ROXANE:\n And, by good luck, I have chosen a hat that will suit well with the\nbattlefield!", "(Looking at De Guiche):\n But were it not wisest that the Count retire?", "They may begin the attack.", "DE GUICHE:\n That is not to be brooked!", "I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return.", "You have still time--think better of it!", "ROXANE:\n Never!", "(De Guiche goes out.)" ]

[ "DE GUICHE:\n You cannot remain here!", "Ah!", "know you that 'tis a long road to get\nto Arras?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "ROXANE:\n I?", "CYRANO:\n And that instantly!", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (the same):\n --Or for.", "ROXANE:\n Monsieur de Bergerac, I am your cousin.", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "They may begin the attack." ]

[ "would you not think 'twas made of a pumpkin, like\nCinderella's chariot in the tale,--and the footmen out of rats?", "CYRANO:\n Oh-ho!", "What other king?", "ROXANE (merrily):\n But I say yes!", "CYRANO (who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground,\nafraid to raise his eyes):\n My God!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Roxane.", "(Looking at De Guiche):\n But were it not wisest that the Count retire?", "ALL:\n No, no!", "Through the Spanish lines.", "Where in the fiend's name did you get through?" ]

[ "I but drove quietly forward in my carriage, and when some\nhidalgo of haughty mien would have stayed me, lo!", "I showed at the window my\nsweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most\ngallant gentlemen in the world,--I passed on!", "CARBON:\n True, that smile is a passport!", "But you must have been asked frequently to\ngive an account of where you were going, Madame?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.'", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Roxane.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Forgive me that I said, 'my lover!'", "But bethink you, had I said 'my\nhusband,' not one of them had let me pass!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But." ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane.", "DE GUICHE:\n On the King's service!", "You?", "ROXANE:\n Ay,--King Love's!", "What other king?", "CYRANO:\n Great God!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing forward):\n Why have you come?", "ROXANE:\n This siege--'tis too long!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But why?.", "ROXANE (more and more excited):\n I have no fear of that, my friends!", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "ROXANE:\n And, by good luck, I have chosen a hat that will suit well with the\nbattlefield!", "(Looking at De Guiche):\n But were it not wisest that the Count retire?", "They may begin the attack.", "DE GUICHE:\n That is not to be brooked!", "I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return.", "You have still time--think better of it!", "ROXANE:\n Never!", "(De Guiche goes out.)" ]

[ "The same, all but De Guiche.", "CHRISTIAN (entreatingly):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "FIRST CADET (to the others):\n She stays!", "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano, who still pleads with her):\n No!", "Naught shall make me stir from this spot!", "CARBON (who, like the others, has been buckling, dusting, brushing his hat,\nsettling his plume, and drawing on his cuffs, advances to Roxane, and\nceremoniously):\n It is perchance more seemly, since things are thus, that I present to you\nsome of these gentlemen who are about to have the honor of dying before your\neyes.", "(Roxane bows, and stands leaning on Christian's arm, while Carbon introduces\nthe cadets to her):\n Baron de Peyrescous de Colignac!", "THE CADET (with a low reverence):\n Madame.", ". .", "CARBON (continuing):\n Baron de Casterac de Cahuzac,--Vidame de Malgouyre Estressac Lesbas\nd'Escarabiot, Chevalier d'Antignac-Juzet, Baron Hillot de Blagnac-Salechan de\nCastel Crabioules.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But how many names have you each?", "BARON HILLOT:\n Scores!", "CARBON (to Roxane):\n Pray, upon the hand that holds your kerchief.", "ROXANE (opens her hand, and the handkerchief falls):\n Why?", "(The whole company start forward to pick it up.)", "CARBON (quickly raising it):\n My company had no flag.", "But now, by my faith, they will have the fairest in\nall the camp!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n 'Tis somewhat small.", "CARBON (tying the handkerchief on the staff of his lance):\n But--'tis of lace!", "A CADET (to the rest):\n I could die happy, having seen so sweet a face, if I had something in my\nstomach--were it but a nut!", "CARBON (who has overheard, indignantly):\n Shame on you!", "What, talk of eating when a lovely woman!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But your camp air is keen; I myself am famished.", "Pasties, cold fricassee,\nold wines--there is my bill of fare?", "Pray bring it all here.", "(Consternation.)", "A CADET:\n All that?", "ANOTHER:\n But where on earth find it?", "ROXANE (quietly):\n In my carriage.", "ALL:\n How?", "ROXANE:\n Now serve up--carve!", "Look a little closer at my coachman, gentlemen, and\nyou will recognize a man most welcome.", "All the sauces can be sent to table\nhot, if we will!", "THE CADETS (rushing pellmell to the carriage):\n 'Tis Ragueneau!", "(Acclamations):\n Oh, oh!", "ROXANE (looking after them):\n Poor fellows!", "CYRANO (kissing her hand):\n Kind fairy!", "RAGUENEAU (standing on the box like a quack doctor at a fair):\n Gentlemen!.", ". .\n\n(General delight.)", "THE CADETS:\n Bravo!", "bravo!", "RAGUENEAU:\n . . .The Spaniards, gazing on a lady so dainty fair, overlooked the fare so\ndainty!.", ". .", "(Applause.)", "CYRANO (in a whisper to Christian):\n Hark, Christian!", "RAGUENEAU:\n . . .And, occupied with gallantry, perceived not--\n(His draws a plate from under the seat, and holds it up):\n --The galantine!.", ". .\n\n(Applause.", "The galantine passes from hand to hand.)", "CYRANO (still whispering to Christian):\n Prythee, one word!", "RAGUENEAU:\n And Venus so attracted their eyes that Diana could secretly pass by with--\n(He holds up a shoulder of mutton):\n --her fawn!", "(Enthusiasm.", "Twenty hands are held out to seize the shoulder of mutton.)", "CYRANO (in a low whisper to Christian):\n I must speak to you!", "ROXANE (to the cadets, who come down, their arms laden with food):\n Put it all on the ground!", "(She lays all out on the grass, aided by the two imperturbable lackeys who\nwere behind the carriage.)", "ROXANE (to Christian, just as Cyrano is drawing him apart):\n Come, make yourself of use!", "(Christian comes to help her.", "Cyrano's uneasiness increases.)", "RAGUENEAU:\n Truffled peacock!", "FIRST CADET (radiant, coming down, cutting a big slice of ham):\n By the mass!", "We shall not brave the last hazard without having had a\ngullet-full!--\n(quickly correcting himself on seeing Roxane):\n --Pardon!", "A Balthazar feast!", "RAGUENEAU (throwing down the carriage cushions):\n The cushions are stuffed with ortolans!", "(Hubbub.", "They tear open and turn out the contents of the cushions.", "Bursts of\nlaughter--merriment.)", "THIRD CADET:\n Ah!", "Viedaze!", "RAGUENEAU (throwing down to the cadets bottles of red wine):\n Flasks of rubies!--\n(and white wine):\n --Flasks of topaz!", "ROXANE (throwing a folded tablecloth at Cyrano's head):\n Unfold me that napkin!--Come, come!", "be nimble!", "RAGUENEAU (waving a lantern):\n Each of the carriage-lamps is a little larder!", "CYRANO (in a low voice to Christian, as they arrange the cloth together):\n I must speak with you ere you speak to her.", "RAGUENEAU:\n My whip-handle is an Arles sausage!", "ROXANE (pouring out wine, helping):\n Since we are to die, let the rest of the army shift for itself.", "All for the\nGascons!", "And mark!", "if De Guiche comes, let no one invite him!", "(Going from one to the other):\n There!", "there!", "You have time enough!", "Do not eat too fast!--Drink a little.-\n-Why are you crying?", "FIRST CADET:\n It is all so good!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Tut!--Red or white?--Some bread for Monsieur de Carbon!--a knife!", "Pass your\nplate!--a little of the crust?", "Some more?", "Let me help you!--Some champagne?-\n-A wing?", "CYRANO (who follows her, his arms laden with dishes, helping her to wait on\neverybody):\n How I worship her!", "ROXANE (going up to Christian):\n What will you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Nothing.", "ROXANE:\n Nay, nay, take this biscuit, steeped in muscat; come!. .", ".but two drops!", "CHRISTIAN (trying to detain her):\n Oh!", "tell me why you came?", "ROXANE:\n Wait; my first duty is to these poor fellows.--Hush!", "In a few minutes.", ". .", "LE BRET (who had gone up to pass a loaf on the end of a lance to the sentry on\nthe rampart):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Quick!", "hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game-baskets!", "Hurry!--Let us all\nlook unconscious!", "(To Ragueneau):\n Up on your seat!--Is everything covered up?", "(In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets,\ncloaks, and beavers.", "De Guiche enters hurriedly--stops suddenly, sniffing the\nair.", "Silence.)" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n No!", "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano, who still pleads with her):\n No!", "(Consternation.)", "All the sauces can be sent to table\nhot, if we will!", "THIRD CADET:\n Ah!", "Viedaze!", "ROXANE:\n Nay, nay, take this biscuit, steeped in muscat; come!. .", ".but two drops!", "hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game-baskets!" ]

[ ". .", "CYRANO (kissing her hand):\n Kind fairy!", "ROXANE (to Christian, just as Cyrano is drawing him apart):\n Come, make yourself of use!", "(Christian comes to help her.", "CYRANO (in a low whisper to Christian):\n I must speak to you!", "CHRISTIAN (entreatingly):\n Roxane!", "You have time enough!", "In a few minutes.", "CYRANO (in a whisper to Christian):\n Hark, Christian!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Truffled peacock!" ]

[ ". .\n\n(Applause.", "The galantine passes from hand to hand.)", "CYRANO (still whispering to Christian):\n Prythee, one word!", "RAGUENEAU:\n And Venus so attracted their eyes that Diana could secretly pass by with--\n(He holds up a shoulder of mutton):\n --her fawn!", "(Enthusiasm.", "Twenty hands are held out to seize the shoulder of mutton.)", "CYRANO (in a low whisper to Christian):\n I must speak to you!", "ROXANE (to the cadets, who come down, their arms laden with food):\n Put it all on the ground!", "(She lays all out on the grass, aided by the two imperturbable lackeys who\nwere behind the carriage.)", "ROXANE (to Christian, just as Cyrano is drawing him apart):\n Come, make yourself of use!", "(Christian comes to help her." ]

[ "The same, all but De Guiche.", "CHRISTIAN (entreatingly):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "FIRST CADET (to the others):\n She stays!", "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano, who still pleads with her):\n No!", "Naught shall make me stir from this spot!", "CARBON (who, like the others, has been buckling, dusting, brushing his hat,\nsettling his plume, and drawing on his cuffs, advances to Roxane, and\nceremoniously):\n It is perchance more seemly, since things are thus, that I present to you\nsome of these gentlemen who are about to have the honor of dying before your\neyes.", "(Roxane bows, and stands leaning on Christian's arm, while Carbon introduces\nthe cadets to her):\n Baron de Peyrescous de Colignac!", "THE CADET (with a low reverence):\n Madame.", "In a few minutes.", ". .", "LE BRET (who had gone up to pass a loaf on the end of a lance to the sentry on\nthe rampart):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Quick!", "hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game-baskets!", "Hurry!--Let us all\nlook unconscious!", "(To Ragueneau):\n Up on your seat!--Is everything covered up?", "(In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets,\ncloaks, and beavers.", "De Guiche enters hurriedly--stops suddenly, sniffing the\nair.", "Silence.)" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE:\n It smells good here.", "A CADET (humming):\n Lo!", "Lo-lo!", "DE GUICHE (looking at him):\n What is the matter?--You are very red.", "THE CADET:\n The matter?--Nothing!--'Tis my blood--boiling at the thought of the coming\nbattle!", "ANOTHER:\n Poum, poum--poum.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (turning round):\n What's that?", "THE CADET (slightly drunk):\n Nothing!.", ". .'Tis a song!--a little.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n You are merry, my friend!", "THE CADET:\n The approach of danger is intoxicating!", "DE GUICHE (calling Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, to give him an order):\n Captain!", "I. . .\n(He stops short on seeing him):\n Plague take me!", "but you look bravely, too!", "CARBON (crimson in the face, hiding a bottle behind his back, with an evasive\nmovement):\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I have one cannon left, and have had it carried there--\n(he points behind the scenes):\n --in that corner. . .Your men can use it in case of need.", "A CADET (reeling slightly):\n Charming attention!", "ANOTHER (with a gracious smile):\n Kind solicitude!", "DE GUICHE:\n How?", "they are all gone crazy?", "(Drily):\n As you are not used to cannon, beware of the recoil.", "FIRST CADET:\n Pooh!", "DE GUICHE (furious, going up to him):\n But.", ". .", "THE CADET:\n Gascon cannons never recoil!", "DE GUICHE (taking him by the arm and shaking him):\n You are tipsy!--but what with?", "THE CADET (grandiloquently):\n --With the smell of powder!", "DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders and pushing him away, then going quickly to\nRoxane):\n Briefly, Madame, what decision do you deign to take?", "ROXANE:\n I stay here.", "DE GUICHE:\n You must fly!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "I will stay.", "DE GUICHE:\n Since things are thus, give me a musket, one of you!", "CARBON:\n Wherefore?", "DE GUICHE:\n Because I too--mean to remain.", "CYRANO:\n At last!", "This is true valor, Sir!", "FIRST CADET:\n Then you are Gascon after all, spite of your lace collar?", "ROXANE:\n What is all this?", "DE GUICHE:\n I leave no woman in peril.", "SECOND CADET (to the first):\n Hark you!", "Think you not we might give him something to eat?", "(All the viands reappear as if by magic.)", "DE GUICHE (whose eyes sparkle):\n Victuals!", "THE THIRD CADET:\n Yes, you'll see them coming from under every coat!", "DE GUICHE (controlling himself, haughtily):\n Do you think I will eat your leavings?", "CYRANO (saluting him):\n You make progress.", "DE GUICHE (proudly, with a light touch of accent on the word 'breaking'):\n I will fight without br-r-eaking my fast!", "FIRST CADET (with wild delight):\n Br-r-r-eaking!", "He has got the accent!", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n I?", "THE CADET:\n 'Tis a Gascon!", "(All begin to dance.)", "CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (who had disappeared behind the rampart, reappearing\non the ridge):\n I have drawn my pikemen up in line.", "They are a resolute troop.", "(He points to a row of pikes, the tops of which are seen over the ridge.)", "DE GUICHE (bowing to Roxane):\n Will you accept my hand, and accompany me while I review them?", "(She takes it, and they go up toward the rampart.", "All uncover and follow\nthem.)", "CHRISTIAN (going to Cyrano, eagerly):\n Tell me quickly!", "(As Roxane appears on the ridge, the tops of the lances disappear, lowered for\nthe salute, and a shout is raised.", "She bows.)", "THE PIKEMEN (outside):\n Vivat!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What is this secret?", "CYRANO:\n If Roxane should.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Should?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Speak of the letters?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Yes, I know!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Do not spoil all by seeming surprised.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n At what?", "CYRANO:\n I must explain to you!. .", ".Oh!", "'tis no great matter--I but thought of it to-\nday on seeing her.", "You have.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Tell quickly!", "CYRANO:\n You have. . .written to her oftener than you think.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n How so?", "CYRANO:\n Thus, 'faith!", "I had taken it in hand to express your flame for you!. .", ".At\ntimes I wrote without saying, 'I am writing!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis simple enough!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But how did you contrive, since we have been cut off, thus. . .to?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .Oh!", "before dawn. . .I was able to get through.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (folding his arms):\n That was simple, too?", "And how oft, pray you, have I written?. .", ".Twice in\nthe week?. .", ".Three times?. .", ".Four?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!", "Every day?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, every day,--twice.", "CHRISTIAN (violently):\n And that became so mad a joy for you, that you braved death.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing Roxane returning):\n Hush!", "Not before her!", "(He goes hurriedly into his tent.)" ]

[ "A CADET (humming):\n Lo!", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I have one cannon left, and have had it carried there--\n(he points behind the scenes):\n --in that corner. . .Your men can use it in case of need.", "DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders and pushing him away, then going quickly to\nRoxane):\n Briefly, Madame, what decision do you deign to take?", "DE GUICHE:\n You must fly!", "(All begin to dance.)", "She bows.)", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Should?.", "CYRANO:\n You have. . .written to her oftener than you think.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!" ]

[ "THE CADET (slightly drunk):\n Nothing!.", "I had taken it in hand to express your flame for you!. .", "ANOTHER (with a gracious smile):\n Kind solicitude!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n How so?", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n At what?", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n I?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah!.", "He has got the accent!", ".Twice in\nthe week?. ." ]

[ "DE GUICHE (whose eyes sparkle):\n Victuals!", "THE THIRD CADET:\n Yes, you'll see them coming from under every coat!", "DE GUICHE (controlling himself, haughtily):\n Do you think I will eat your leavings?", "CYRANO (saluting him):\n You make progress.", "DE GUICHE (proudly, with a light touch of accent on the word 'breaking'):\n I will fight without br-r-eaking my fast!", "FIRST CADET (with wild delight):\n Br-r-r-eaking!", "He has got the accent!", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n I?", "THE CADET:\n 'Tis a Gascon!", "(All begin to dance.)", "CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (who had disappeared behind the rampart, reappearing\non the ridge):\n I have drawn my pikemen up in line." ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE:\n It smells good here.", "A CADET (humming):\n Lo!", "Lo-lo!", "DE GUICHE (looking at him):\n What is the matter?--You are very red.", "THE CADET:\n The matter?--Nothing!--'Tis my blood--boiling at the thought of the coming\nbattle!", "ANOTHER:\n Poum, poum--poum.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (turning round):\n What's that?", "THE CADET (slightly drunk):\n Nothing!.", ".Three times?. .", ".Four?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!", "Every day?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, every day,--twice.", "CHRISTIAN (violently):\n And that became so mad a joy for you, that you braved death.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing Roxane returning):\n Hush!", "Not before her!", "(He goes hurriedly into his tent.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Christian.", "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", "ROXANE (running up to Christian):\n Ah, Christian, at last!.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (taking her hands):\n Now tell me why--\n Why, by these fearful paths so perilous--\n Across these ranks of ribald soldiery,\n You have come?", "ROXANE:\n Love, your letters brought me here!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What say you?", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis your fault if I ran risks!", "Your letters turned my head!", "Ah!", "all this month,\n How many!--and the last one ever bettered\n The one that went before!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!--for a few\n Inconsequent love-letters!", "ROXANE:\n Hold your peace!", "Ah!", "you cannot conceive it!", "Ever since\n That night, when, in a voice all new to me,\n Under my window you revealed your soul--\n Ah!", "ever since I have adored you!", "Now\n Your letters all this whole month long!--meseemed\n As if I heard that voice so tender, true,\n Sheltering, close!", "Thy fault, I say!", "It drew me,\n The voice o' th' night!", "Oh!", "wise Penelope\n Would ne'er have stayed to broider on her hearthstone,\n If her Ulysses could have writ such letters!", "But would have cast away her silken bobbins,\n And fled to join him, mad for love as Helen!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I read, read again--grew faint for love;\n I was thine utterly.", "Each separate page\n Was like a fluttering flower-petal, loosed\n From your own soul, and wafted thus to mine.", "Imprinted in each burning word was love\n Sincere, all-powerful.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A love sincere!", "Can that be felt, Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, that it can!", "CHRISTIAN:\n You come. .", ".?", "ROXANE:\n O, Christian, my true lord, I come--\n (Were I to throw myself, here, at your knees,\n You would raise me--but 'tis my soul I lay\n At your feet--you can raise it nevermore!)", "--I come to crave your pardon.", "(Ay, 'tis time\n To sue for pardon, now that death may come!)", "For the insult done to you when, frivolous,\n At first I loved you only for your face!", "CHRISTIAN (horror-stricken):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n And later, love--less frivolous--\n Like a bird that spreads its wings, but can not fly--\n Arrested by your beauty, by your soul\n Drawn close--I loved for both at once!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And now?", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself,\n And now, I love you only for your soul!", "CHRISTIAN (stepping backward):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Be happy.", "To be loved for beauty--\n A poor disguise that time so soon wears threadbare--\n Must be to noble souls--to souls aspiring--\n A torture.", "Your dear thoughts have now effaced\n That beauty that so won me at the outset.", "Now I see clearer--and I no more see it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You are doubtful of such victory?", "CHRISTIAN (pained):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n I see you cannot yet believe it.", "Such love. .", ".?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I do not ask such love as that!", "I would be loved more simply; for.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n For that\n Which they have all in turns loved in thee?--\n Shame!", "Oh!", "be loved henceforth in a better way!", "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "the first love was best!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "how you err!", "'Tis now that I love best--love well!", "'Tis that\n Which is thy true self, see!--that I adore!", "Were your brilliance dimmed.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Hush!", "ROXANE:\n I should love still!", "Ay, if your beauty should to-day depart.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Say not so!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, I say it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ugly?", "How?", "ROXANE:\n Ugly!", "I swear I'd love you still!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My God!", "ROXANE:\n Are you content at last?", "CHRISTIAN (in a choked voice):\n Ay!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What is wrong?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets):\n Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,--\n My love deprives them of the sight of you:\n Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!", "ROXANE (deeply affected):\n Dear Christian!.", ". .\n\n(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)" ]

[ "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Your letters turned my head!", "you cannot conceive it!", "wise Penelope\n Would ne'er have stayed to broider on her hearthstone,\n If her Ulysses could have writ such letters!", ".?", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n For that\n Which they have all in turns loved in thee?--\n Shame!", "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "Were your brilliance dimmed.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Say not so!", "ROXANE:\n Are you content at last?" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "CHRISTIAN:\n You come. .", "--I come to crave your pardon.", ".?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n For that\n Which they have all in turns loved in thee?--\n Shame!", "Now\n Your letters all this whole month long!--meseemed\n As if I heard that voice so tender, true,\n Sheltering, close!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, I say it!", "how you err!" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN (horror-stricken):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n And later, love--less frivolous--\n Like a bird that spreads its wings, but can not fly--\n Arrested by your beauty, by your soul\n Drawn close--I loved for both at once!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And now?", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself,\n And now, I love you only for your soul!", "CHRISTIAN (stepping backward):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Be happy.", "To be loved for beauty--\n A poor disguise that time so soon wears threadbare--\n Must be to noble souls--to souls aspiring--\n A torture.", "Your dear thoughts have now effaced\n That beauty that so won me at the outset.", "Now I see clearer--and I no more see it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!." ]

[ "Roxane, Christian.", "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", "ROXANE (running up to Christian):\n Ah, Christian, at last!.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (taking her hands):\n Now tell me why--\n Why, by these fearful paths so perilous--\n Across these ranks of ribald soldiery,\n You have come?", "ROXANE:\n Love, your letters brought me here!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What say you?", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis your fault if I ran risks!", "Your letters turned my head!", "Ah!", "I swear I'd love you still!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My God!", "ROXANE:\n Are you content at last?", "CHRISTIAN (in a choked voice):\n Ay!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What is wrong?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets):\n Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,--\n My love deprives them of the sight of you:\n Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!", "ROXANE (deeply affected):\n Dear Christian!.", ". .\n\n(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano.", "At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.", "CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed):\n What?", "Why so pale?", "CHRISTIAN:\n She does not love me!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis you she loves!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n --For she loves me only for my soul!", "CYRANO:\n Truly?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Yes!", "Thus--you see, that soul is you,.", ". .", "Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!", "CYRANO:\n I?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, I know it!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, 'tis true!", "CHRISTIAN:\n You love\n To madness!", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "and worse!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Then tell her so!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And why not?", "CYRANO:\n Look at my face!--be answered!", "CHRISTIAN:\n She'd love me--were I ugly.", "CYRANO:\n Said she so?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "in those words!", "CYRANO:\n I'm glad she told you that!", "But pooh!--believe it not!", "I am well pleased\n She thought to tell you.", "Take it not for truth.", "Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!", "CHRISTIAN:\n That I intend discovering!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "I beg!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "she shall choose between us!--Tell her all!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "I will not have it!", "Spare me this!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Because my face is haply fair, shall I\n Destroy your happiness?", "'Twere too unjust!", "CYRANO:\n And I,--because by Nature's freak I have\n The gift to say--all that perchance you feel.", "Shall I be fatal to your happiness?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Tell all!", "CYRANO:\n It is ill done to tempt me thus!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Too long I've borne about within myself\n A rival to myself--I'll make an end!", "CYRANO:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Our union, without witness--secret--\n Clandestine--can be easily dissolved\n If we survive.", "CYRANO:\n My God!--he still persists!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will be loved myself--or not at all!", "--I'll go see what they do--there, at the end\n Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose\n One of us two!", "CYRANO:\n It will be you.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray God!", "(He calls):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "ROXANE (coming up quickly):\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Cyrano has things\n Important for your ear.", ". .\n\n(She hastens to Cyrano.", "Christian goes out.)" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano.", "Thus--you see, that soul is you,.", "CYRANO:\n Look at my face!--be answered!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "Spare me this!", "'Twere too unjust!", "CYRANO:\n It is ill done to tempt me thus!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Our union, without witness--secret--\n Clandestine--can be easily dissolved\n If we survive.", "no!", "Christian goes out.)" ]

[ "Spare me this!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n --For she loves me only for my soul!", "CYRANO:\n Said she so?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, I know it!", "I am well pleased\n She thought to tell you.", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Then tell her so!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray God!", "At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets." ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "in those words!", "CYRANO:\n I'm glad she told you that!", "But pooh!--believe it not!", "I am well pleased\n She thought to tell you.", "Take it not for truth.", "Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!", "CHRISTIAN:\n That I intend discovering!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "I beg!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano.", "At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.", "CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed):\n What?", "Why so pale?", "CHRISTIAN:\n She does not love me!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis you she loves!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n --For she loves me only for my soul!", "--I'll go see what they do--there, at the end\n Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose\n One of us two!", "CYRANO:\n It will be you.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray God!", "(He calls):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "ROXANE (coming up quickly):\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Cyrano has things\n Important for your ear.", ". .\n\n(She hastens to Cyrano.", "Christian goes out.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano.", "Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau,\nDe Guiche, etc.", "ROXANE:\n Important, how?", "CYRANO (in despair.", "to Roxane):\n He's gone!", "'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees\n Importance in a trifle!", "ROXANE (warmly):\n Did he doubt\n Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!", "CYRANO (taking her hand):\n But are you sure you told him all the truth?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, I would love him were he.", ". .\n\n(She hesitates.)", "CYRANO:\n Does that word\n Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?", "ROXANE:\n I. . .\n\nCYRANO (smiling sadly):\n 'Twill not hurt me!", "Say it!", "If he were\n Ugly!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, ugly!", "(Musket report outside):\n Hark!", "I hear a shot!", "CYRANO (ardently):\n Hideous!", "ROXANE:\n Hideous!", "yes!", "CYRANO:\n Disfigured.", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "CYRANO:\n Grotesque?", "ROXANE:\n He could not be grotesque to me!", "CYRANO:\n You'd love the same?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n The same--nay, even more!", "CYRANO (losing command over himself--aside):\n My God!", "it's true, perchance, love waits me there!", "(To Roxane):\n I. . .Roxane. . .listen.", ". .", "LE BRET (entering hurriedly--to Cyrano):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (turning round):\n What?", "LE BRET:\n Hush!", "(He whispers something to him.)", "CYRANO (letting go Roxane's hand and exclaiming):\n Ah, God!", "ROXANE:\n What is it?", "CYRANO (to himself--stunned):\n All is over now.", "(Renewed reports.)", "ROXANE:\n What is the matter?", "Hark!", "another shot!", "(She goes up to look outside.)", "CYRANO:\n It is too late, now I can never tell!", "ROXANE (trying to rush out):\n What has chanced?", "CYRANO (rushing to stop her):\n Nothing!", "(Some cadets enter, trying to hide something they are carrying, and close\nround it to prevent Roxane approaching.)", "ROXANE:\n And those men?", "(Cyrano draws her away):\n What were you just about to say before. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n What was I saying?", "Nothing now, I swear!", "(Solemnly):\n I swear that Christian's soul, his nature, were.", ". .\n(Hastily correcting himself):\n Nay, that they are, the noblest, greatest.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Were?", "(With a loud scream):\n Oh!", "(She rushes up, pushing every one aside.)", "CYRANO:\n All is over now!", "ROXANE (seeing Christian lying on the ground, wrapped in his cloak):\n O Christian!", "LE BRET (to Cyrano):\n Struck by first shot of the enemy!", "(Roxane flings herself down by Christian.", "Fresh reports of cannon--clash of\narms--clamor--beating of drums.)", "CARBON (with sword in the air):\n O come!", "Your muskets.", "(Followed by the cadets, he passes to the other side of the ramparts.)", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "THE VOICE OF CARBON (from the other side):\n Ho!", "make haste!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CARBON:\n FORM LINE!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CARBON:\n HANDLE YOUR MATCH!", "(Ragueneau rushes up, bringing water in a helmet.)", "CHRISTIAN (in a dying voice):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO (quickly, whispering into Christian's ear, while Roxane distractedly\ntears a piece of linen from his breast, which she dips into the water, trying\nto stanch the bleeding):\n I told her all.", "She loves you still.", "(Christian closes his eyes.)", "ROXANE:\n How, my sweet love?", "CARBON:\n DRAW RAMRODS!", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n He is not dead?", "CARBON:\n OPEN YOUR CHARGES WITH YOUR TEETH!", "ROXANE:\n His cheek\n Grows cold against my own!", "CARBON:\n READY!", "PRESENT!", "ROXANE (seeing a letter in Christian's doublet):\n A letter!.", ". .\n 'Tis for me!", "(She opens it.)", "CYRANO (aside):\n My letter!", "CARBON:\n FIRE!", "(Musket reports--shouts--noise of battle.)", "CYRANO (trying to disengage his hand, which Roxane on her knees is holding):\n But, Roxane, hark, they fight!", "ROXANE (detaining him):\n Stay yet awhile.", "For he is dead.", "You knew him, you alone.", "(Weeping quietly):\n Ah, was not his a beauteous soul, a soul\n Wondrous!", "CYRANO (standing up--bareheaded):\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE:\n An inspired poet?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE:\n And a mind sublime?", "CYRANO:\n Oh, yes!", "ROXANE:\n A heart too deep for common minds to plumb,\n A spirit subtle, charming?", "CYRANO (firmly):\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE (flinging herself on the dead body):\n Dead, my love!", "CYRANO (aside--drawing his sword):\n Ay, and let me die to-day,\n Since, all unconscious, she mourns me--in him!", "(Sounds of trumpets in the distance.)", "DE GUICHE (appearing on the ramparts--bareheaded--with a wound on his\nforehead--in a voice of thunder):\n It is the signal!", "Trumpet flourishes!", "The French bring the provisions into camp!", "Hold but the place awhile!", "ROXANE:\n See, there is blood\n Upon the letter--tears!", "A VOICE (outside--shouting):\n Surrender!", "VOICE OF CADETS:\n No!", "RAGUENEAU (standing on the top of his carriage, watches the battle over the\nedge of the ramparts):\n The danger's ever greater!", "CYRANO (to De Guiche--pointing to Roxane):\n I will charge!", "Take her away!", "ROXANE (kissing the letter--in a half-extinguished voice):\n O God!", "his tears!", "his blood!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (jumping down from the carriage and rushing toward her):\n She's swooned away!", "DE GUICHE (on the rampart--to the cadets--with fury):\n Stand fast!", "A VOICE (outside):\n Lay down your arms!", "THE CADETS:\n No!", "CYRANO (to De Guiche):\n Now that you have proved your valor, Sir,\n(Pointing to Roxane):\n Fly, and save her!", "DE GUICHE (rushing to Roxane, and carrying her away in his arms):\n So be it!", "Gain but time,\n The victory's ours!", "CYRANO:\n Good.", "(Calling out to Roxane, whom De Guiche, aided by Ragueneau, is bearing away in\na fainting condition):\n Farewell, Roxane!", "(Tumult.", "Shouts.", "Cadets reappear, wounded, falling on the scene.", "Cyrano,\nrushing to the battle, is stopped by Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is streaming\nwith blood.)", "CARBON:\n We are breaking!", "I am wounded--wounded twice!", "CYRANO (shouting to the Gascons):\n GASCONS!", "HO, GASCONS!", "NEVER TURN YOUR BACKS!", "(To Carbon, whom he is supporting):\n Have no fear!", "I have two deaths to avenge:\n My friend who's slain;--and my dead happiness!", "(They come down, Cyrano brandishing the lance to which is attached Roxane's\nhandkerchief):\n Float there!", "laced kerchief broidered with her name!", "(He sticks it in the ground and shouts to the cadets):\n FALL ON THEM, GASCONS!", "CRUSH THEM!", "(To the fifer):\n Fifer, play!", "(The fife plays.", "The wounded try to rise.", "Some cadets, falling one over the\nother down the slope, group themselves round Cyrano and the little flag.", "The\ncarriage is crowded with men inside and outside, and, bristling with\narquebuses, is turned into a fortress.)", "A CADET (appearing on the crest, beaten backward, but still fighting, cries):\n They're climbing the redoubt!", "(and falls dead.)", "CYRANO:\n Let us salute them!", "(The rampart is covered instantly by a formidable row of enemies.", "The\nstandards of the Imperialists are raised):\n Fire!", "(General discharge.)", "A CRY IN THE ENEMY'S RANKS:\n Fire!", "(A deadly answering volley.", "The cadets fall on all sides.)", "A SPANISH OFFICER (uncovering):\n Who are these men who rush on death?", "CYRANO (reciting, erect, amid a storm of bullets):\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!", "Brawling, swaggering boastfully,\n(He rushes forward, followed by a few survivors):\n The bold Cadets.", ". .\n\n(His voice is drowned in the battle.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "CYRANO (taking her hand):\n But are you sure you told him all the truth?", "CYRANO:\n Does that word\n Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?", "ROXANE:\n He could not be grotesque to me!", "(To Roxane):\n I. . .Roxane. . .listen.", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", ". .\n 'Tis for me!", "Hold but the place awhile!", "VOICE OF CADETS:\n No!", "Gain but time,\n The victory's ours!", "(He sticks it in the ground and shouts to the cadets):\n FALL ON THEM, GASCONS!" ]

[ "CYRANO (trying to disengage his hand, which Roxane on her knees is holding):\n But, Roxane, hark, they fight!", "The wounded try to rise.", "DE GUICHE (rushing to Roxane, and carrying her away in his arms):\n So be it!", "CYRANO (ardently):\n Hideous!", "ROXANE:\n What is the matter?", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Were?", "CYRANO (losing command over himself--aside):\n My God!", "(He sticks it in the ground and shouts to the cadets):\n FALL ON THEM, GASCONS!", "CARBON:\n We are breaking!", "CYRANO:\n Disfigured." ]

[ "(Christian closes his eyes.)", "ROXANE:\n How, my sweet love?", "CARBON:\n DRAW RAMRODS!", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n He is not dead?", "CARBON:\n OPEN YOUR CHARGES WITH YOUR TEETH!", "ROXANE:\n His cheek\n Grows cold against my own!", "CARBON:\n READY!", "PRESENT!", "ROXANE (seeing a letter in Christian's doublet):\n A letter!.", ". .\n 'Tis for me!", "(She opens it.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano.", "Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau,\nDe Guiche, etc.", "ROXANE:\n Important, how?", "CYRANO (in despair.", "to Roxane):\n He's gone!", "'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees\n Importance in a trifle!", "ROXANE (warmly):\n Did he doubt\n Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!", "CYRANO (taking her hand):\n But are you sure you told him all the truth?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, I would love him were he.", ". .\n\n(She hesitates.)", "The\nstandards of the Imperialists are raised):\n Fire!", "(General discharge.)", "A CRY IN THE ENEMY'S RANKS:\n Fire!", "(A deadly answering volley.", "The cadets fall on all sides.)", "A SPANISH OFFICER (uncovering):\n Who are these men who rush on death?", "CYRANO (reciting, erect, amid a storm of bullets):\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!", "Brawling, swaggering boastfully,\n(He rushes forward, followed by a few survivors):\n The bold Cadets.", ". .\n\n(His voice is drowned in the battle.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "Roxane; the Duke de Grammont, formerly Count de Guiche.", "Then Le Bret and\nRagueneau.", "THE DUKE:\n And you stay here still--ever vainly fair,\n Ever in weeds?", "ROXANE:\n Ever.", "THE DUKE:\n Still faithful?", "ROXANE:\n Still.", "THE DUKE (after a pause):\n Am I forgiven?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, since I am here.", "(Another pause.)", "THE DUKE:\n His was a soul, you say?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ah!--when you knew him!", "THE DUKE:\n Ah, may be!. .", ".I, perchance, too little knew him!", ". . .And his last letter, ever next your heart?", "ROXANE:\n Hung from this chain, a gentle scapulary.", "THE DUKE:\n And, dead, you love him still?", "ROXANE:\n At times,--meseems\n He is but partly dead--our hearts still speak,\n As if his love, still living, wrapped me round!", "THE DUKE (after another pause):\n Cyrano comes to see you?", "ROXANE:\n Often, ay.", "Dear, kind old friend!", "We call him my 'Gazette.'", "He never fails to come: beneath this tree\n They place his chair, if it be fine:--I wait,\n I broider;--the clock strikes;--at the last stroke\n I hear,--for now I never turn to look--\n Too sure to hear his cane tap down the steps;\n He seats himself:--with gentle raillery\n He mocks my tapestry that's never done;\n He tells me all the gossip of the week.", ". .\n(Le Bret appears on the steps):\n Why, here's Le Bret!", "(Le Bret descends):\n How goes it with our friend?", "LE BRET:\n Ill!--very ill.", "THE DUKE:\n How?", "ROXANE (to the Duke):\n He exaggerates!", "LE BRET:\n All that I prophesied: desertion, want!.", ". .\n His letters now make him fresh enemies!--\n Attacking the sham nobles, sham devout,\n Sham brave,--the thieving authors,--all the world!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "but his sword still holds them all in check;\n None get the better of him.", "THE DUKE (shaking his head):\n Time will show!", "LE BRET:\n Ah, but I fear for him--not man's attack,--\n Solitude--hunger--cold December days,\n That wolf-like steal into his chamber drear:--\n Lo!", "the assassins that I fear for him!", "Each day he tightens by one hole his belt:\n That poor nose--tinted like old ivory:\n He has retained one shabby suit of serge.", "THE DUKE:\n Ay, there is one who has no prize of Fortune!--\n Yet is not to be pitied!", "LE BRET (with a bitter smile):\n My Lord Marshal!.", ". .", "THE DUKE:\n Pity him not!", "He has lived out his vows,\n Free in his thoughts, as in his actions free!", "LE BRET (in the same tone):\n My Lord!.", ". .", "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", "I have all, and he has naught;.", ". .", "Yet I were proud to take his hand!", "(Bowing to Roxane):\n Adieu!", "ROXANE:\n I go with you.", "(The Duke bows to Le Bret, and goes with Roxane toward the steps.)", "THE DUKE (pausing, while she goes up):\n Ay, true,--I envy him.", "Look you, when life is brimful of success\n --Though the past hold no action foul--one feels\n A thousand self-disgusts, of which the sum\n Is not remorse, but a dim, vague unrest;\n And, as one mounts the steps of worldly fame,\n The Duke's furred mantles trail within their folds\n A sound of dead illusions, vain regrets,\n A rustle--scarce a whisper--like as when,\n Mounting the terrace steps, by your mourning robe\n Sweeps in its train the dying autumn leaves.", "ROXANE (ironically):\n You are pensive?", "THE DUKE:\n True!", "I am!", "(As he is going out, suddenly):\n Monsieur Le Bret!", "(To Roxane):\n A word, with your permission?", "(He goes to Le Bret, and in a low voice):\n True, that none\n Dare to attack your friend;--but many hate him;\n Yesterday, at the Queen's card-play, 'twas said\n 'That Cyrano may die--by accident!'", "Let him stay in--be prudent!", "LE BRET (raising his arms to heaven):\n Prudent!", "He!.", ". .", "He's coming here.", "I'll warn him--but!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (who has stayed on the steps, to a sister who comes toward her):\n What is it?", "THE SISTER:\n Ragueneau would see you, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n Let him come.", "(To the Duke and Le Bret):\n He comes to tell his troubles.", "Having been\n An author (save the mark!)", "--poor fellow--now\n By turns he's singer.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Bathing-man.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Then actor.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Beadle.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Wig-maker.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Teacher of the lute.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What will he be to-day, by chance?", "RAGUENEAU (entering hurriedly):\n Ah!", "Madame!", "(He sees Le Bret):\n Ah!", "you here, Sir!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n Tell all your miseries\n To him; I will return anon.", "RAGUENEAU:\n But, Madame.", ". .\n\n(Roxane goes out with the Duke.", "Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret.)" ]

[ "THE DUKE:\n And you stay here still--ever vainly fair,\n Ever in weeds?", "THE DUKE:\n Still faithful?", ". . .And his last letter, ever next your heart?", "(Le Bret descends):\n How goes it with our friend?", "THE DUKE:\n How?", ". .", "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", ". .", "RAGUENEAU (entering hurriedly):\n Ah!", "Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret.)" ]

[ "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", "(Le Bret descends):\n How goes it with our friend?", ". .", "He's coming here.", "THE DUKE:\n Ah, may be!. .", "THE DUKE:\n True!", "ROXANE:\n At times,--meseems\n He is but partly dead--our hearts still speak,\n As if his love, still living, wrapped me round!", "(To Roxane):\n A word, with your permission?", "LE BRET:\n Ah, but I fear for him--not man's attack,--\n Solitude--hunger--cold December days,\n That wolf-like steal into his chamber drear:--\n Lo!", "ROXANE (to the Duke):\n He exaggerates!" ]

[ "THE DUKE:\n Pity him not!", "He has lived out his vows,\n Free in his thoughts, as in his actions free!", "LE BRET (in the same tone):\n My Lord!.", ". .", "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", "I have all, and he has naught;.", ". .", "Yet I were proud to take his hand!", "(Bowing to Roxane):\n Adieu!", "ROXANE:\n I go with you.", "(The Duke bows to Le Bret, and goes with Roxane toward the steps.)" ]

[ "Roxane; the Duke de Grammont, formerly Count de Guiche.", "Then Le Bret and\nRagueneau.", "THE DUKE:\n And you stay here still--ever vainly fair,\n Ever in weeds?", "ROXANE:\n Ever.", "THE DUKE:\n Still faithful?", "ROXANE:\n Still.", "THE DUKE (after a pause):\n Am I forgiven?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, since I am here.", "(Another pause.)", "THE DUKE:\n His was a soul, you say?.", "LE BRET:\n Teacher of the lute.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What will he be to-day, by chance?", "RAGUENEAU (entering hurriedly):\n Ah!", "Madame!", "(He sees Le Bret):\n Ah!", "you here, Sir!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n Tell all your miseries\n To him; I will return anon.", "RAGUENEAU:\n But, Madame.", ". .\n\n(Roxane goes out with the Duke.", "Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret.)" ]

[ "Le Bret, Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", "I hurried to him.", "Saw him turn\n The corner. . .suddenly, from out a window\n Where he was passing--was it chance?. .", ".may be!", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", "LE BRET:\n Cowards!", "O Cyrano!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I ran--I saw.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis hideous!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Saw our poet, Sir--our friend--\n Struck to the ground--a large wound in his head!", "LE BRET:\n He's dead?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", ". .\n Ah!", "his room!", "What a thing to see!--that garret!", "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No, his consciousness has flown.", "LE BRET:\n Saw you a doctor?", "RAGUENEAU:\n One was kind--he came.", "LE BRET:\n My poor Cyrano!--We must not tell this\n To Roxane suddenly.--What said this leech?--\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Said,--what, I know not--fever, meningitis!--\n Ah!", "could you see him--all his head bound up!--\n But let us haste!--There's no one by his bed!--\n And if he try to rise, Sir, he might die!", "LE BRET (dragging him toward the right):\n Come!", "Through the chapel!", "'Tis the quickest way!", "ROXANE (appearing on the steps, and seeing Le Bret go away by the colonnade\nleading to the chapel door):\n Monsieur le Bret!", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "(She descends the steps.)" ]

[ "Le Bret, Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", ".may be!", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", ". .", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", ". .\n Ah!", "his room!", "LE BRET (dragging him toward the right):\n Come!" ]

[ "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "LE BRET:\n Cowards!", ". .\n Ah!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I ran--I saw.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I hurried to him.", ". .", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", "LE BRET:\n My poor Cyrano!--We must not tell this\n To Roxane suddenly.--What said this leech?--\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Said,--what, I know not--fever, meningitis!--\n Ah!" ]

[ ". .", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis hideous!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Saw our poet, Sir--our friend--\n Struck to the ground--a large wound in his head!", "LE BRET:\n He's dead?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", ". .\n Ah!", "his room!", "What a thing to see!--that garret!", "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No, his consciousness has flown.", "LE BRET:\n Saw you a doctor?" ]

[ "Le Bret, Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", "I hurried to him.", "Saw him turn\n The corner. . .suddenly, from out a window\n Where he was passing--was it chance?. .", ".may be!", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", "LE BRET:\n Cowards!", "O Cyrano!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I ran--I saw.", "RAGUENEAU:\n One was kind--he came.", "LE BRET:\n My poor Cyrano!--We must not tell this\n To Roxane suddenly.--What said this leech?--\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Said,--what, I know not--fever, meningitis!--\n Ah!", "could you see him--all his head bound up!--\n But let us haste!--There's no one by his bed!--\n And if he try to rise, Sir, he might die!", "LE BRET (dragging him toward the right):\n Come!", "Through the chapel!", "'Tis the quickest way!", "ROXANE (appearing on the steps, and seeing Le Bret go away by the colonnade\nleading to the chapel door):\n Monsieur le Bret!", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "(She descends the steps.)" ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "Two sisters, for a moment.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "what a beauty in September's close!", "My sorrow's eased.", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm.", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "(She seats herself.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". .", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "(A pause):\n Yes, she must be preaching!", "Surely he must come soon!--Ah, a dead leaf!--\n(She brushes off the leaf from her work):\n Nothing, besides, could--scissors?--In my bag!", "--Could hinder him.", ". .\n\nA SISTER (coming to the steps):\n Monsieur de Bergerac." ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "what a beauty in September's close!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "(She seats herself.", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "--Could hinder him.", ". .\n\nA SISTER (coming to the steps):\n Monsieur de Bergerac." ]

[ "My sorrow's eased.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "--Could hinder him.", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Surely he must come soon!--Ah, a dead leaf!--\n(She brushes off the leaf from her work):\n Nothing, besides, could--scissors?--In my bag!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "(She seats herself.", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm." ]

[ "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "(She seats herself.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". ." ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "Two sisters, for a moment.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "what a beauty in September's close!", "My sorrow's eased.", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm.", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". .", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "(A pause):\n Yes, she must be preaching!", "Surely he must come soon!--Ah, a dead leaf!--\n(She brushes off the leaf from her work):\n Nothing, besides, could--scissors?--In my bag!", "--Could hinder him.", ". .\n\nA SISTER (coming to the steps):\n Monsieur de Bergerac." ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano and, for a moment, Sister Martha.", "ROXANE (without turning round):\n What was I saying?.", ". .\n(She embroiders.", "Cyrano, very pale, his hat pulled down over his eyes,\nappears.", "The sister who had announced him retires.", "He descends the steps\nslowly, with a visible difficulty in holding himself upright, bearing heavily\non his cane.", "Roxane still works at her tapestry):\n Time has dimmed the tints.", ". .\n How harmonize them now?", "(To Cyrano, with playful reproach):\n For the first time\n Late!--For the first time, all these fourteen years!", "CYRANO (who has succeeded in reaching the chair, and has seated himself--in a\nlively voice, which is in great contrast with his pale face):\n Ay!", "It is villainous!", "I raged--was stayed.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n By?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n By a bold, unwelcome visitor.", "ROXANE (absently, working):\n Some creditor?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, cousin,--the last creditor\n Who has a debt to claim from me.", "ROXANE:\n And you\n Have paid it?", "CYRANO:\n No, not yet!", "I put it off;\n --Said, 'Cry you mercy; this is Saturday,\n When I have get a standing rendezvous\n That naught defers.", "Call in an hour's time!'", "ROXANE (carelessly):\n Oh, well, a creditor can always wait!", "I shall not let you go ere twilight falls.", "CYRANO:\n Haply, perforce, I quit you ere it falls!", "(He shuts his eyes, and is silent for a moment.", "Sister Martha crosses the\npark from the chapel to the flight of steps.", "Roxane, seeing her, signs to her\nto approach.)", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n How now?", "You have not teased the Sister?", "CYRANO (hastily opening his eyes):\n True!", "(In a comically loud voice):\n Sister!", "come here!", "(The sister glides up to him):\n Ha!", "ha!", "What?", "Those bright eyes\n Bent ever on the ground?", "SISTER MARTHA (who makes a movement of astonishment on seeing his face):\n Oh!", "CYRANO (in a whisper, pointing to Roxane):\n Hush!", "'tis naught!--\n(Loudly, in a blustering voice):\n I broke fast yesterday!", "SISTER MARTHA (aside):\n I know, I know!", "That's how he is so pale!", "Come presently\n To the refectory, I'll make you drink\n A famous bowl of soup. . .You'll come?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n There, see!", "You are more reasonable to-day!", "ROXANE (who hears them whispering):\n The Sister would convert you?", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Nay, not I!", "CYRANO:\n Hold!", "but it's true!", "You preach to me no more,\n You, once so glib with holy words!", "I am\n Astonished!.", ". .\n(With burlesque fury):\n Stay, I will surprise you too!", "Hark!", "I permit you.", ". .\n(He pretends to be seeking for something to tease her with, and to have found\nit):\n . . .It is something new!--\n To--pray for me, to-night, at chapel-time!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "oh!", "CYRANO (laughing):\n Good Sister Martha is struck dumb!", "SISTER MARTHA (gently):\n I did not wait your leave to pray for you.", "(She goes out.)", "CYRANO (turning to Roxane, who is still bending over her work):\n That tapestry!", "Beshrew me if my eyes\n Will ever see it finished!", "ROXANE:\n I was sure\n To hear that well-known jest!", "(A light breeze causes the leaves to fall.)", "CYRANO:\n The autumn leaves!", "ROXANE (lifting her head, and looking down the distant alley):\n Soft golden brown, like a Venetian's hair.", "--See how they fall!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, see how brave they fall,\n In their last journey downward from the bough,\n To rot within the clay; yet, lovely still,\n Hiding the horror of the last decay,\n With all the wayward grace of careless flight!", "ROXANE:\n What, melancholy--you?", "CYRANO (collecting himself):\n Nay, nay, Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Then let the dead leaves fall the way they will.", ". .\n And chat.", "What, have you nothing new to tell,\n My Court Gazette?", "CYRANO:\n Listen.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "CYRANO (growing whiter and whiter):\n Saturday\n The nineteenth: having eaten to excess\n Of pear-conserve, the King felt feverish;\n The lancet quelled this treasonable revolt,\n And the august pulse beats at normal pace.", "At the Queen's ball on Sunday thirty score\n Of best white waxen tapers were consumed.", "Our troops, they say, have chased the Austrians.", "Four sorcerers were hanged.", "The little dog\n Of Madame d'Athis took a dose.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I bid\n You hold your tongue, Monsieur de Bergerac!", "CYRANO:\n Monday--not much--Claire changed protector.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO (whose face changes more and more):\n Tuesday, the Court repaired to Fontainebleau.", "Wednesday, the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque.", ". .\n No!", "Thursday--Mancini, Queen of France!", "(almost!)", "Friday, the Monglat to Count Fiesque said--'Yes!'", "And Saturday the twenty-sixth.", ". .\n\n(He closes his eyes.", "His head falls forward.", "Silence.)", "ROXANE (surprised at his voice ceasing, turns round, looks at him, and rising,\nterrified):\n He swoons!", "(She runs toward him crying):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (opening his eyes, in an unconcerned voice):\n What is this?", "(He sees Roxane bending over him, and, hastily pressing his hat on his head,\nand shrinking back in his chair):\n Nay, on my word\n 'Tis nothing!", "Let me be!", "ROXANE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n That old wound\n Of Arras, sometimes,--as you know.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Dear friend!", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis nothing, 'twill pass soon;\n(He smiles with an effort):\n See!--it has passed!", "ROXANE:\n Each of us has his wound; ay, I have mine,--\n Never healed up--not healed yet, my old wound!", "(She puts her hand on her breast):\n 'Tis here, beneath this letter brown with age,\n All stained with tear-drops, and still stained with blood.", "(Twilight begins to fall.)", "CYRANO:\n His letter!", "Ah!", "you promised me one day\n That I should read it.", "ROXANE:\n What would you?--His letter?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, I would fain,--to-day.", ". .\n\nROXANE (giving the bag hung at her neck):\n See!", "here it is!", "CYRANO (taking it):\n Have I your leave to open?", "ROXANE:\n Open--read!", "(She comes back to her tapestry frame, folds it up, sorts her wools.)", "CYRANO (reading):\n 'Roxane, adieu!", "I soon must die!", "This very night, beloved; and I\n Feel my soul heavy with love untold.", "I die!", "No more, as in days of old,\n My loving, longing eyes will feast\n On your least gesture--ay, the least!", "I mind me the way you touch your cheek\n With your finger, softly, as you speak!", "Ah me!", "I know that gesture well!", "My heart cries out!--I cry \"Farewell\"!'", "ROXANE:\n But how you read that letter!", "One would think.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (continuing to read):\n 'My life, my love, my jewel, my sweet,\n My heart has been yours in every beat!'", "(The shades of evening fall imperceptibly.)", "ROXANE:\n You read in such a voice--so strange--and yet--\n It is not the first time I hear that voice!", "(She comes nearer very softly, without his perceiving it, passes behind his\nchair, and, noiselessly leaning over him, looks at the letter.", "The darkness\ndeepens.)", "CYRANO:\n 'Here, dying, and there, in the land on high,\n I am he who loved, who loves you,--I. . .'\n\nROXANE (putting her hand on his shoulder):\n How can you read?", "It is too dark to see!", "(He starts, turns, sees her close to him.", "Suddenly alarmed, he holds his head\ndown.", "Then in the dusk, which has now completely enfolded them, she says,\nvery slowly, with clasped hands):\n And, fourteen years long, he has played this part\n Of the kind old friend who comes to laugh and chat.", "CYRANO:\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n 'Twas you!", "CYRANO:\n No, never; Roxane, no!", "ROXANE:\n I should have guessed, each time he said my name!", "CYRANO:\n No, it was not I!", "ROXANE:\n It was you!", "CYRANO:\n I swear!", "ROXANE:\n I see through all the generous counterfeit--\n The letters--you!", "CYRANO:\n No.", "ROXANE:\n The sweet, mad love-words!", "You!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "ROXANE:\n The voice that thrilled the night--you, you!", "CYRANO:\n I swear you err.", "ROXANE:\n The soul--it was your soul!", "CYRANO:\n I loved you not.", "ROXANE:\n You loved me not?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twas he!", "ROXANE:\n You loved me!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "ROXANE:\n See!", "how you falter now!", "CYRANO:\n No, my sweet love, I never loved you!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "Things dead, long dead, see!", "how they rise again!", "--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,\n When, on this letter, which he never wrote,\n The tears were your tears?", "CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):\n The bloodstains were his.", "ROXANE:\n Why, then, that noble silence,--kept so long--\n Broken to-day for the first time--why?", "CYRANO:\n Why?.", ". .\n\n(Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running.)" ]

[ "ROXANE (absently, working):\n Some creditor?", "What?", "CYRANO (in a whisper, pointing to Roxane):\n Hush!", "but it's true!", "SISTER MARTHA (gently):\n I did not wait your leave to pray for you.", "ROXANE:\n What, melancholy--you?", "Wednesday, the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque.", "His head falls forward.", "CYRANO:\n I loved you not.", "ROXANE:\n See!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", "ha!", "(In a comically loud voice):\n Sister!", "Roxane, seeing her, signs to her\nto approach.)", "ROXANE:\n I was sure\n To hear that well-known jest!", "ROXANE:\n The soul--it was your soul!", "Ah me!", "CYRANO (turning to Roxane, who is still bending over her work):\n That tapestry!", "I shall not let you go ere twilight falls.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Dear friend!" ]

[ "The little dog\n Of Madame d'Athis took a dose.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I bid\n You hold your tongue, Monsieur de Bergerac!", "CYRANO:\n Monday--not much--Claire changed protector.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO (whose face changes more and more):\n Tuesday, the Court repaired to Fontainebleau.", "Wednesday, the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque.", ". .\n No!", "Thursday--Mancini, Queen of France!", "(almost!)", "Friday, the Monglat to Count Fiesque said--'Yes!'", "And Saturday the twenty-sixth." ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano and, for a moment, Sister Martha.", "ROXANE (without turning round):\n What was I saying?.", ". .\n(She embroiders.", "Cyrano, very pale, his hat pulled down over his eyes,\nappears.", "The sister who had announced him retires.", "He descends the steps\nslowly, with a visible difficulty in holding himself upright, bearing heavily\non his cane.", "Roxane still works at her tapestry):\n Time has dimmed the tints.", ". .\n How harmonize them now?", "(To Cyrano, with playful reproach):\n For the first time\n Late!--For the first time, all these fourteen years!", "CYRANO (who has succeeded in reaching the chair, and has seated himself--in a\nlively voice, which is in great contrast with his pale face):\n Ay!", "how you falter now!", "CYRANO:\n No, my sweet love, I never loved you!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "Things dead, long dead, see!", "how they rise again!", "--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,\n When, on this letter, which he never wrote,\n The tears were your tears?", "CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):\n The bloodstains were his.", "ROXANE:\n Why, then, that noble silence,--kept so long--\n Broken to-day for the first time--why?", "CYRANO:\n Why?.", ". .\n\n(Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Le Bret and Ragueneau.", "LE BRET:\n What madness!", "Here?", "I knew it well!", "CYRANO (smiling and sitting up):\n What now?", "LE BRET:\n He has brought his death by coming, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n God!", "Ah, then!", "that faintness of a moment since. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Why, true!", "It interrupted the 'Gazette:'\n . . .Saturday, twenty-sixth, at dinner-time,\n Assassination of De Bergerac.", "(He takes off his hat; they see his head bandaged.)", "ROXANE:\n What says he?", "Cyrano!--His head all bound!", "Ah, what has chanced?", "How?--Who?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'To be struck down,\n Pierced by sword i' the heart, from a hero's hand!'", "That I had dreamed.", "O mockery of Fate!", "--Killed, I!", "of all men--in an ambuscade!", "Struck from behind, and by a lackey's hand!", "'Tis very well.", "I am foiled, foiled in all,\n Even in my death.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Ah, Monsieur!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (holding out his hand to him):\n Ragueneau,\n Weep not so bitterly!. .", ".What do you now,\n Old comrade?", "RAGUENEAU (amid his tears):\n Trim the lights for Moliere's stage.", "CYRANO:\n Moliere!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Yes; but I shall leave to-morrow.", "I cannot bear it!--Yesterday, they played\n 'Scapin'--I saw he'd thieved a scene from you!", "LE BRET:\n What!", "a whole scene?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh, yes, indeed, Monsieur,\n The famous one, 'Que Diable allait-il faire?'", "LE BRET:\n Moliere has stolen that?", "CYRANO:\n Tut!", "He did well!.", ". .\n(to Ragueneau):\n How went the scene?", "It told--I think it told?", "RAGUENEAU (sobbing):\n Ah!", "how they laughed!", "CYRANO:\n Look you, it was my life\n To be the prompter every one forgets!", "(To Roxane):\n That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke\n --Under your balcony, you remember?", "Well!", "There was the allegory of my whole life:\n I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,\n While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!", "Just!", "very just!", "Here on the threshold drear\n Of death, I pay my tribute with the rest,\n To Moliere's genius,--Christian's fair face!", "(The chapel-bell chimes.", "The nuns are seen passing down the alley at the\nback, to say their office):\n Let them go pray, go pray, when the bell rings!", "ROXANE (rising and calling):\n Sister!", "Sister!", "CYRANO (holding her fast):\n Call no one.", "Leave me not;\n When you come back, I should be gone for aye.", "(The nuns have all entered the chapel.", "The organ sounds):\n I was somewhat fain for music--hark!", "'tis come.", "ROXANE:\n Live, for I love you!", "CYRANO:\n No, In fairy tales\n When to the ill-starred Prince the lady says\n 'I love you!'", "all his ugliness fades fast--\n But I remain the same, up to the last!", "ROXANE:\n I have marred your life--I, I!", "CYRANO:\n You blessed my life!", "Never on me had rested woman's love.", "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "But I have had your friendship--grace to you\n A woman's charm has passed across my path.", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "CYRANO (smiling):\n I see.", "ROXANE:\n I loved but once, yet twice I lose my love!", "CYRANO:\n Hark you, Le Bret!", "I soon shall reach the moon.", "To-night, alone, with no projectile's aid!.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n What are you saying?", "CYRANO:\n I tell you, it is there,\n There, that they send me for my Paradise,\n There I shall find at last the souls I love,\n In exile,--Galileo--Socrates!", "LE BRET (rebelliously):\n No, no!", "It is too clumsy, too unjust!", "So great a heart!", "So great a poet!", "Die\n Like this?", "what, die. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Hark to Le Bret, who scolds!", "LE BRET (weeping):\n Dear friend.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (starting up, his eyes wild):\n What ho!", "Cadets of Gascony!", "The elemental mass--ah yes!", "The hic.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n His science still--he raves!", "CYRANO:\n Copernicus\n Said.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO:\n Mais que diable allait-il faire,\n Mais que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere?.", ". .\n Philosopher, metaphysician,\n Rhymer, brawler, and musician,\n Famed for his lunar expedition,\n And the unnumbered duels he fought,--\n And lover also,--by interposition!--\n Here lies Hercule Savinien\n De Cyrano de Bergerac,\n Who was everything, yet was naught.", "I cry you pardon, but I may not stay;\n See, the moon-ray that comes to call me hence!", "(He has fallen back in his chair; the sobs of Roxane recall him to reality; he\nlooks long at her, and, touching her veil):\n I would not bid you mourn less faithfully\n That good, brave Christian: I would only ask\n That when my body shall be cold in clay\n You wear those sable mourning weeds for two,\n And mourn awhile for me, in mourning him.", "ROXANE:\n I swear it you!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (shivering violently, then suddenly rising):\n Not there!", "what, seated?--no!", "(They spring toward him):\n Let no one hold me up--\n(He props himself against the tree):\n Only the tree!", "(Silence):\n It comes.", "E'en now my feet have turned to stone,\n My hands are gloved with lead!", "(He stands erect):\n But since Death comes,\n I meet him still afoot,\n(He draws his sword):\n And sword in hand!", "LE BRET:\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE (half fainting):\n Cyrano!", "(All shrink back in terror.)", "CYRANO:\n Why, I well believe\n He dares to mock my nose?", "Ho!", "insolent!", "(He raises his sword):\n What say you?", "It is useless?", "Ay, I know\n But who fights ever hoping for success?", "I fought for lost cause, and for fruitless quest!", "You there, who are you!--You are thousands!", "Ah!", "I know you now, old enemies of mine!", "Falsehood!", "(He strikes in air with his sword):\n Have at you!", "Ha!", "and Compromise!", "Prejudice, Treachery!.", ". .\n(He strikes):\n Surrender, I?", "Parley?", "No, never!", "You too, Folly,--you?", "I know that you will lay me low at last;\n Let be!", "Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!", "(He makes passes in the air, and stops, breathless):\n You strip from me the laurel and the rose!", "Take all!", "Despite you there is yet one thing\n I hold against you all, and when, to-night,\n I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,\n Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,\n One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,\n I bear away despite you.", "(He springs forward, his sword raised; it falls from his hand; he staggers,\nfalls back into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)", "ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):\n 'Tis?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):\n MY PANACHE.", "Curtain." ]

[ "--Killed, I!", "CYRANO:\n Look you, it was my life\n To be the prompter every one forgets!", "(To Roxane):\n That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke\n --Under your balcony, you remember?", "(The chapel-bell chimes.", "The nuns are seen passing down the alley at the\nback, to say their office):\n Let them go pray, go pray, when the bell rings!", "Sister!", "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "It is too clumsy, too unjust!", "The hic." ]

[ "It told--I think it told?", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Oh!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (holding out his hand to him):\n Ragueneau,\n Weep not so bitterly!. .", "Ay, I know\n But who fights ever hoping for success?", "Ah, then!", "Die\n Like this?", "Despite you there is yet one thing\n I hold against you all, and when, to-night,\n I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,\n Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,\n One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,\n I bear away despite you.", "(He springs forward, his sword raised; it falls from his hand; he staggers,\nfalls back into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)", "I cannot bear it!--Yesterday, they played\n 'Scapin'--I saw he'd thieved a scene from you!", "(He takes off his hat; they see his head bandaged.)" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n I have marred your life--I, I!", "CYRANO:\n You blessed my life!", "Never on me had rested woman's love.", "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "But I have had your friendship--grace to you\n A woman's charm has passed across my path.", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "CYRANO (smiling):\n I see.", "ROXANE:\n I loved but once, yet twice I lose my love!", "CYRANO:\n Hark you, Le Bret!", "I soon shall reach the moon.", "To-night, alone, with no projectile's aid!." ]

[ "The same.", "Le Bret and Ragueneau.", "LE BRET:\n What madness!", "Here?", "I knew it well!", "CYRANO (smiling and sitting up):\n What now?", "LE BRET:\n He has brought his death by coming, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n God!", "Ah, then!", "that faintness of a moment since. .", "You too, Folly,--you?", "I know that you will lay me low at last;\n Let be!", "Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!", "(He makes passes in the air, and stops, breathless):\n You strip from me the laurel and the rose!", "Take all!", "Despite you there is yet one thing\n I hold against you all, and when, to-night,\n I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,\n Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,\n One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,\n I bear away despite you.", "(He springs forward, his sword raised; it falls from his hand; he staggers,\nfalls back into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)", "ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):\n 'Tis?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):\n MY PANACHE.", "Curtain." ]

[ "The public, arriving by degrees.", "Troopers, burghers, lackeys, pages, a\npickpocket, the doorkeeper, etc., followed by the marquises.", "Cuigy,\nBrissaille, the buffet-girl, the violinists, etc.", "(A confusion of loud voices is heard outside the door.", "A trooper enters\nhastily.)", "THE DOORKEEPER (following him):\n Hollo!", "You there!", "Your money!", "THE TROOPER:\n I enter gratis.", "THE DOORKEEPER:\n Why?", "THE TROOPER:\n Why?", "I am of the King's Household Cavalry, 'faith!", "THE DOORKEEPER (to another trooper who enters):\n And you?", "SECOND TROOPER:\n I pay nothing.", "THE DOORKEEPER:\n How so?", "SECOND TROOPER:\n I am a musketeer.", "FIRST TROOPER (to the second):\n The play will not begin till two.", "The pit is empty.", "Come, a bout with the\nfoils to pass the time.", "(They fence with the foils they have brought.)", "A LACKEY (entering):\n Pst. . .Flanquin. .", ".!", "ANOTHER (already there):\n Champagne?.", ". .", "THE FIRST (showing him cards and dice which he takes from his doublet):\n See, here be cards and dice.", "(He seats himself on the floor):\n Let's play.", "THE SECOND (doing the same):\n Good; I am with you, villain!", "FIRST LACKEY (taking from his pocket a candle-end, which he lights, and sticks\non the floor):\n I made free to provide myself with light at my master's expense!", "A GUARDSMAN (to a shop-girl who advances):\n 'Twas prettily done to come before the lights were lit!", "(He takes her round the waist.)", "ONE OF THE FENCERS (receiving a thrust):\n A hit!", "ONE OF THE CARD-PLAYERS:\n Clubs!", "THE GUARDSMAN (following the girl):\n A kiss!", "THE SHOP-GIRL (struggling to free herself):\n They're looking!", "THE GUARDSMAN (drawing her to a dark corner):\n No fear!", "No one can see!", "A MAN (sitting on the ground with others, who have brought their provisions):\n By coming early, one can eat in comfort.", "A BURGHER (conducting his son):\n Let us sit here, son.", "A CARD-PLAYER:\n Triple ace!", "A MAN (taking a bottle from under his cloak,\nand also seating himself on the floor):\n A tippler may well quaff his Burgundy\n(he drinks):\n in the Burgundy Hotel!", "THE BURGHER (to his son):\n 'Faith!", "A man might think he had fallen in a bad house here!", "(He points with his cane to the drunkard):\n What with topers!", "(One of the fencers in breaking off, jostles him):\n brawlers!", "(He stumbles into the midst of the card-players):\n gamblers!", "THE GUARDSMAN (behind him, still teasing the shop-girl):\n Come, one kiss!", "THE BURGHER (hurriedly pulling his son away):\n By all the holies!", "And this, my boy, is the theater where they played\nRotrou erewhile.", "THE YOUNG MAN:\n Ay, and Corneille!", "A TROOP OF PAGES (hand-in-hand, enter dancing the farandole, and singing):\n Tra' a la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lere.", ". .", "THE DOORKEEPER (sternly, to the pages):\n You pages there, none of your tricks!.", ". .\n\nFIRST PAGE (with an air of wounded dignity):\n Oh, sir!--such a suspicion!.", ". .\n(Briskly, to the second page, the moment the doorkeeper's back is turned):\n Have you string?", "THE SECOND:\n Ay, and a fish-hook with it.", "FIRST PAGE:\n We can angle for wigs, then, up there i' th' gallery.", "A PICKPOCKET (gathering about him some evil-looking youths):\n Hark ye, young cut-purses, lend an ear, while I give you your first lesson\nin thieving.", "SECOND PAGE (calling up to others in the top galleries):\n You there!", "Have you peashooters?", "THIRD PAGE (from above):\n Ay, have we, and peas withal!", "(He blows, and peppers them with peas.)", "THE YOUNG MAN (to his father):\n What piece do they give us?", "THE BURGHER:\n 'Clorise.'", "THE YOUNG MAN:\n Who may the author be?", "THE BURGHER:\n Master Balthazar Baro.", "It is a play!.", ". .\n\n(He goes arm-in-arm with his son.)", "THE PICKPOCKET (to his pupils):\n Have a care, above all, of the lace knee-ruffles--cut them off!", "A SPECTATOR (to another, showing him a corner in the gallery):\n I was up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'", "THE PICKPOCKET (making with his fingers the gesture of filching):\n Thus for watches--\n\nTHE BURGHER (coming down again with his son):\n Ah!", "You shall presently see some renowned actors.", ". .", "THE PICKPOCKET (making the gestures of one who pulls something stealthily,\nwith little jerks):\n Thus for handkerchiefs--\n\nTHE BURGHER:\n Montfleury.", ". .", "SOME ONE (shouting from the upper gallery):\n Light up, below there!", "THE BURGHER:\n . . .Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!", "A PAGE (in the pit):\n Here comes the buffet-girl!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL (taking her place behind the buffet):\n Oranges, milk, raspberry-water, cedar bitters!", "(A hubbub outside the door is heard.)", "A FALSETTO VOICE:\n Make place, brutes!", "A LACKEY (astonished):\n The Marquises!--in the pit?.", ". .\n\nANOTHER LACKEY:\n Oh!", "only for a minute or two!", "(Enter a band of young marquises.)", "A MARQUIS (seeing that the hall is half empty):\n What now!", "So we make our entrance like a pack of woolen-drapers!", "Peaceably, without disturbing the folk, or treading on their toes!--Oh, fie!", "Fie!", "(Recognizing some other gentlemen who have entered a little before him):\n Cuigy!", "Brissaille!", "(Greetings and embraces.)", "CUIGY:\n True to our word!. .", ".Troth, we are here before the candles are lit.", "THE MARQUIS:\n Ay, indeed!", "Enough!", "I am of an ill humor.", "ANOTHER:\n Nay, nay, Marquis!", "see, for your consolation, they are coming to light up!", "ALL THE AUDIENCE (welcoming the entrance of the lighter):\n Ah!.", ". .\n\n(They form in groups round the lusters as they are lit.", "Some people have\ntaken their seats in the galleries.", "Ligniere, a distinguished-looking roue,\nwith disordered shirt-front arm-in-arm with christian de Neuvillette.", "Christian, who is dressed elegantly, but rather behind the fashion, seems\npreoccupied, and keeps looking at the boxes.)" ]

[ "The public, arriving by degrees.", "Come, a bout with the\nfoils to pass the time.", "(He seats himself on the floor):\n Let's play.", "ONE OF THE CARD-PLAYERS:\n Clubs!", "(He points with his cane to the drunkard):\n What with topers!", "It is a play!.", ". .\n\nANOTHER LACKEY:\n Oh!", "A MARQUIS (seeing that the hall is half empty):\n What now!", "(Recognizing some other gentlemen who have entered a little before him):\n Cuigy!", "Ligniere, a distinguished-looking roue,\nwith disordered shirt-front arm-in-arm with christian de Neuvillette." ]

[ "ANOTHER (already there):\n Champagne?.", "THE BURGHER:\n . . .Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!", "SECOND TROOPER:\n I pay nothing.", "Christian, who is dressed elegantly, but rather behind the fashion, seems\npreoccupied, and keeps looking at the boxes.)", "(He points with his cane to the drunkard):\n What with topers!", "THE DOORKEEPER:\n Why?", "The public, arriving by degrees.", "ONE OF THE FENCERS (receiving a thrust):\n A hit!", "THE TROOPER:\n Why?", "You shall presently see some renowned actors." ]

[ "THE BURGHER (hurriedly pulling his son away):\n By all the holies!", "And this, my boy, is the theater where they played\nRotrou erewhile.", "THE YOUNG MAN:\n Ay, and Corneille!", "A TROOP OF PAGES (hand-in-hand, enter dancing the farandole, and singing):\n Tra' a la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lere.", ". .", "THE DOORKEEPER (sternly, to the pages):\n You pages there, none of your tricks!.", ". .\n\nFIRST PAGE (with an air of wounded dignity):\n Oh, sir!--such a suspicion!.", ". .\n(Briskly, to the second page, the moment the doorkeeper's back is turned):\n Have you string?", "THE SECOND:\n Ay, and a fish-hook with it.", "FIRST PAGE:\n We can angle for wigs, then, up there i' th' gallery.", "A PICKPOCKET (gathering about him some evil-looking youths):\n Hark ye, young cut-purses, lend an ear, while I give you your first lesson\nin thieving." ]

[ "The public, arriving by degrees.", "Troopers, burghers, lackeys, pages, a\npickpocket, the doorkeeper, etc., followed by the marquises.", "Cuigy,\nBrissaille, the buffet-girl, the violinists, etc.", "(A confusion of loud voices is heard outside the door.", "A trooper enters\nhastily.)", "THE DOORKEEPER (following him):\n Hollo!", "You there!", "Your money!", "THE TROOPER:\n I enter gratis.", "THE DOORKEEPER:\n Why?", "THE MARQUIS:\n Ay, indeed!", "Enough!", "I am of an ill humor.", "ANOTHER:\n Nay, nay, Marquis!", "see, for your consolation, they are coming to light up!", "ALL THE AUDIENCE (welcoming the entrance of the lighter):\n Ah!.", ". .\n\n(They form in groups round the lusters as they are lit.", "Some people have\ntaken their seats in the galleries.", "Ligniere, a distinguished-looking roue,\nwith disordered shirt-front arm-in-arm with christian de Neuvillette.", "Christian, who is dressed elegantly, but rather behind the fashion, seems\npreoccupied, and keeps looking at the boxes.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Christian, Ligniere, then Ragueneau and Le Bret.", "CUIGY:\n Ligniere!", "BRISSAILLE (laughing):\n Not drunk as yet?", "LIGNIERE (aside to Christian):\n I may introduce you?", "(Christian nods in assent):\n Baron de Neuvillette.", "(Bows.)", "THE AUDIENCE (applauding as the first luster is lighted and drawn up):\n Ah!", "CUIGY (to Brissaille, looking at Christian):\n 'Tis a pretty fellow!", "FIRST MARQUIS (who has overheard):\n Pooh!", "LIGNIERE (introducing them to Christian):\n My lords De Cuigy.", "De Brissaille.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (bowing):\n Delighted!.", ". .\n\nFIRST MARQUIS (to second):\n He is not ill to look at, but certes, he is not costumed in the latest mode.", "LIGNIERE (to Cuigy):\n This gentleman comes from Touraine.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Yes, I have scarce been twenty days in Paris; tomorrow I join the Guards, in\nthe Cadets.", "FIRST MARQUIS (watching the people who are coming into the boxes):\n There is the wife of the Chief-Justice.", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Oranges, milk.", ". .", "THE VIOLINISTS (tuning up):\n La--la--\n\nCUIGY (to Christian, pointing to the hall, which is filling fast):\n 'Tis crowded.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Yes, indeed.", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n All the great world!", "(They recognize and name the different elegantly dressed ladies who enter the\nboxes, bowing low to them.", "The ladies send smiles in answer.)", "SECOND MARQUIS:\n Madame de Guemenee.", "CUIGY:\n Madame de Bois-Dauphin.", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Adored by us all!", "BRISSAILLE:\n Madame de Chavigny.", ". .\n\nSECOND MARQUIS:\n Who sports with our poor hearts!.", ". .\n\nLIGNIERE:\n Ha!", "so Monsieur de Corneille has come back from Rouen!", "THE YOUNG MAN (to his father):\n Is the Academy here?", "THE BURGHER:\n Oh, ay, I see several of them.", "There is Boudu, Boissat,\nand Cureau de la Chambre, Porcheres, Colomby, Bourzeys,\nBourdon, Arbaud. . .all names that will live!", "'Tis fine!", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Attention!", "Here come our precieuses; Barthenoide, Urimedonte, Cassandace,\nFelixerie.", ". .\n\nSECOND MARQUIS:\n Ah!", "How exquisite their fancy names are!", "Do you know them all, Marquis?", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Ay, Marquis, I do, every one!", "LIGNIERE (drawing Christian aside):\n Friend, I but came here to give you pleasure.", "The lady comes not.", "I will\nbetake me again to my pet vice.", "CHRISTIAN (persuasively):\n No, no!", "You, who are ballad-maker to Court and City alike, can tell me\nbetter than any who the lady is for whom I die of love.", "Stay yet awhile.", "THE FIRST VIOLIN (striking his bow on the desk):\n Gentlemen violinists!", "(He raises his bow.)", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Macaroons, lemon-drink.", ". .\n\n(The violins begin to play.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah!", "I fear me she is coquettish, and over nice and fastidious!", "I, who am so poor of wit, how dare I speak to her--how address her?", "This language that they speak to-day--ay, and write--confounds me;\nI am but an honest soldier, and timid withal.", "She has ever her place,\nthere, on the right--the empty box, see you!", "LIGNIERE (making as if to go):\n I must go.", "CHRISTIAN (detaining him):\n Nay, stay.", "LIGNIERE:\n I cannot.", "D'Assoucy waits me at the tavern, and here one dies of thirst.", "THE BUFFET-GIRL (passing before him with a tray):\n Orange drink?", "LIGNIERE:\n Ugh!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Milk?", "LIGNIERE:\n Pah!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Rivesalte?", "LIGNIERE:\n Stay.", "(To Christian):\n I will remain awhile.--Let me taste this rivesalte.", "(He sits by the buffet; the girl pours some out for him.)", "CRIES (from all the audience, at the entrance of a plump little man, joyously\nexcited):\n Ah!", "Ragueneau!", "LIGNIERE (to Christian):\n 'Tis the famous tavern-keeper Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU (dressed in the Sunday clothes of a pastry-cook, going up quickly to\nLigniere):\n Sir, have you seen Monsieur de Cyrano?", "LIGNIERE (introducing him to Christian):\n The pastry-cook of the actors and the poets!", "RAGUENEAU (overcome):\n You do me too great honor.", ". .\n\nLIGNIERE:\n Nay, hold your peace, Maecenas that you are!", "RAGUENEAU:\n True, these gentlemen employ me.", ". .\n\nLIGNIERE:\n On credit!", "He is himself a poet of a pretty talent.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n So they tell me.", "LIGNIERE:\n --Mad after poetry!", "RAGUENEAU:\n 'Tis true that, for a little ode.", ". .\n\nLIGNIERE:\n You give a tart.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Oh!--a tartlet!", "LIGNIERE:\n Brave fellow!", "He would fain fain excuse himself!", "--And for a triolet, now, did you not give in exchange.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Some little rolls!", "LIGNIERE (severely):\n They were milk-rolls!", "And as for the theater, which you love?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "to distraction!", "LIGNIERE:\n How pay you your tickets, ha?--with cakes.", "Your place, to-night, come tell me in my ear, what did it cost you?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Four custards, and fifteen cream-puffs.", "(He looks around on all sides):\n Monsieur de Cyrano is not here?", "'Tis strange.", "LIGNIERE:\n Why so?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Montfleury plays!", "LIGNIERE:\n Ay, 'tis true that that old wine-barrel is to take Phedon's part to-night;\nbut what matter is that to Cyrano?", "RAGUENEAU:\n How?", "Know you not?", "He has got a hot hate for Montfleury, and so!--has\nforbid him strictly to show his face on the stage for one whole month.", "LIGNIERE (drinking his fourth glass):\n Well?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Montfleury will play!", "CUIGY:\n He can not hinder that.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "oh!", "that I have come to see!", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Who is this Cyrano?", "CUIGY:\n A fellow well skilled in all tricks of fence.", "SECOND MARQUIS:\n Is he of noble birth?", "CUIGY:\n Ay, noble enough.", "He is a cadet in the Guards.", "(Pointing to a gentleman who is going up and down the hall as if searching for\nsome one):\n But 'tis his friend Le Bret, yonder, who can best tell you.", "(He calls him):\n Le Bret!", "(Le Bret comes towards them):\n Seek you for De Bergerac?", "LE BRET:\n Ay, I am uneasy.", ". .\n\nCUIGY:\n Is it not true that he is the strangest of men?", "LE BRET (tenderly):\n True, that he is the choicest of earthly beings!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Poet!", "CUIGY:\n Soldier!", "BRISSAILLE:\n Philosopher!", "LE BRET:\n Musician!", "LIGNIERE:\n And of how fantastic a presence!", "RAGENEAU:\n Marry, 'twould puzzle even our grim painter Philippe de Champaigne to\nportray him!", "Methinks, whimsical, wild, comical as he is, only Jacques\nCallot, now dead and gone, had succeeded better, and had made of him the\nmaddest fighter of all his visored crew--with his triple-plumed beaver and\nsix-pointed doublet--the sword-point sticking up 'neath his mantle like an\ninsolent cocktail!", "He's prouder than all the fierce Artabans of whom Gascony\nhas ever been and will ever be the prolific Alma Mater!", "Above his Toby ruff\nhe carries a nose!--ah, good my lords, what a nose is his!", "When one sees it\none is fain to cry aloud, 'Nay!", "'tis too much!", "He plays a joke on us!'", "Then\none laughs, says 'He will anon take it off.'", "But no!--Monsieur de Bergerac\nalways keeps it on.", "LE BRET (throwing back his head):\n He keeps it on--and cleaves in two any man who dares remark on it!", "RAGUENEAU (proudly):\n His sword--'tis one half of the Fates' shears!", "FIRST MARQUIS (shrugging his shoulders):\n He will not come!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I say he will!", "and I wager a fowl--a la Ragueneau.", "THE MARQUIS (laughing):\n Good!", "(Murmurs of admiration in hall.", "Roxane has just appeared in her box.", "She\nseats herself in front, the duenna at the back.", "Christian, who is paying the\nbuffet-girl, does not see her entrance.)", "SECOND MARQUIS (with little cries of joy):\n Ah, gentlemen!", "she is fearfully--terribly--ravishing!", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n When one looks at her one thinks of a peach smiling at a strawberry!", "SECOND MARQUIS:\n And what freshness!", "A man approaching her too near might chance to get a\nbad chill at the heart!", "CHRISTIAN (raising his head, sees Roxane, and catches Ligniere by the arm):\n 'Tis she!", "LIGNIERE:\n Ah!", "is it she?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay, tell me quick--I am afraid.", "LIGNIERE (tasting his rivesalte in sips):\n Magdaleine Robin--Roxane, so called!", "A subtle wit--a precieuse.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Woe is me!", "LIGNIERE:\n Free.", "An orphan.", "The cousin of Cyrano, of whom we were now speaking.", "(At this moment an elegant nobleman, with blue ribbon across his breast,\nenters the box, and talks with Roxane, standing.)", "CHRISTIAN (starting):\n Who is yonder man?", "LIGNIERE (who is becoming tipsy, winking at him):\n Ha!", "ha!", "Count de Guiche.", "Enamored of her.", "But wedded to the niece of\nArmand de Richelieu.", "Would fain marry Roxane to a certain sorry fellow, one\nMonsieur de Valvert, a viscount--and--accommodating!", "She will none of that\nbargain; but De Guiche is powerful, and can persecute the daughter of a plain\nuntitled gentleman.", "More by token, I myself have exposed this cunning plan of\nhis to the world, in a song which. . .Ho!", "he must rage at me!", "The end hit\nhome. . .Listen!", "(He gets up staggering, and raises his glass, ready to sing.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n No.", "Good-night.", "LIGNIERE:\n Where go you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n To Monsieur de Valvert!", "LIGNIERE:\n Have a care!", "It is he who will kill you\n(showing him Roxane by a look):\n Stay where you are--she is looking at you.", "CHRISTIAN:\n It is true!", "(He stands looking at her.", "The group of pickpockets seeing him thus, head in\nair and open-mouthed, draw near to him.)", "LIGNIERE:\n 'Tis I who am going.", "I am athirst!", "And they expect me--in the taverns!", "(He goes out, reeling.)", "LE BRET (who has been all round the hall, coming back to Ragueneau reassured):\n No sign of Cyrano.", "RAGUENEAU (incredulously):\n All the same.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n A hope is left to me--that he has not seen the playbill!", "THE AUDIENCE:\n Begin, begin!" ]

[ "LIGNIERE (aside to Christian):\n I may introduce you?", ". .", "'Tis fine!", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Attention!", "She has ever her place,\nthere, on the right--the empty box, see you!", "LIGNIERE:\n Ugh!", "LIGNIERE (drinking his fourth glass):\n Well?", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n Who is this Cyrano?", "Methinks, whimsical, wild, comical as he is, only Jacques\nCallot, now dead and gone, had succeeded better, and had made of him the\nmaddest fighter of all his visored crew--with his triple-plumed beaver and\nsix-pointed doublet--the sword-point sticking up 'neath his mantle like an\ninsolent cocktail!", "ha!" ]

[ "LIGNIERE:\n Ay, 'tis true that that old wine-barrel is to take Phedon's part to-night;\nbut what matter is that to Cyrano?", "LIGNIERE:\n Where go you?", "More by token, I myself have exposed this cunning plan of\nhis to the world, in a song which. . .Ho!", "LIGNIERE (making as if to go):\n I must go.", "LIGNIERE:\n 'Tis I who am going.", "Above his Toby ruff\nhe carries a nose!--ah, good my lords, what a nose is his!", "ha!", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Oh!--a tartlet!", ". .\n\nLIGNIERE:\n You give a tart.", "(At this moment an elegant nobleman, with blue ribbon across his breast,\nenters the box, and talks with Roxane, standing.)" ]

[ "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "to distraction!", "LIGNIERE:\n How pay you your tickets, ha?--with cakes.", "Your place, to-night, come tell me in my ear, what did it cost you?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Four custards, and fifteen cream-puffs.", "(He looks around on all sides):\n Monsieur de Cyrano is not here?", "'Tis strange.", "LIGNIERE:\n Why so?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Montfleury plays!", "LIGNIERE:\n Ay, 'tis true that that old wine-barrel is to take Phedon's part to-night;\nbut what matter is that to Cyrano?", "RAGUENEAU:\n How?" ]

[ "The same.", "Christian, Ligniere, then Ragueneau and Le Bret.", "CUIGY:\n Ligniere!", "BRISSAILLE (laughing):\n Not drunk as yet?", "LIGNIERE (aside to Christian):\n I may introduce you?", "(Christian nods in assent):\n Baron de Neuvillette.", "(Bows.)", "THE AUDIENCE (applauding as the first luster is lighted and drawn up):\n Ah!", "CUIGY (to Brissaille, looking at Christian):\n 'Tis a pretty fellow!", "FIRST MARQUIS (who has overheard):\n Pooh!", "The group of pickpockets seeing him thus, head in\nair and open-mouthed, draw near to him.)", "LIGNIERE:\n 'Tis I who am going.", "I am athirst!", "And they expect me--in the taverns!", "(He goes out, reeling.)", "LE BRET (who has been all round the hall, coming back to Ragueneau reassured):\n No sign of Cyrano.", "RAGUENEAU (incredulously):\n All the same.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n A hope is left to me--that he has not seen the playbill!", "THE AUDIENCE:\n Begin, begin!" ]

[ "The same, all but Ligniere.", "De Guiche, Valvert, then Montfleury.", "A marquis (watching De Guiche, who comes down from Roxane's box, and crosses\nthe pit surrounded by obsequious noblemen, among them the Viscount de\nValvert):\n He pays a fine court, your De Guiche!", "ANOTHER:\n Faugh!. .", ".Another Gascon!", "THE FIRST:\n Ay, but the cold, supple Gascon--that is the stuff success is made of!", "Believe me, we had best make our bow to him.", "(They go toward De Guiche.)", "SECOND MARQUIS:\n What fine ribbons!", "How call you the color, Count de Guiche?", "'Kiss me, my\ndarling,' or 'Timid Fawn?'", "DE GUICHE:\n 'Tis the color called 'Sick Spaniard.'", "FIRST MARQUIS:\n 'Faith!", "The color speaks truth, for, thanks to your valor, things will soon\ngo ill for Spain in Flanders.", "DE GUICHE:\n I go on the stage!", "Will you come?", "(He goes toward the stage, followed by the marquises and gentlemen.", "Turning,\nhe calls):\n Come you Valvert!", "CHRISTIAN (who is watching and listening, starts on hearing this name):\n The Viscount!", "Ah!", "I will throw full in his face my.", ". .\n(He puts his hand in his pocket, and finds there the hand of a pickpocket who\nis about to rob him.", "He turns round):\n Hey?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n Oh!", "CHRISTIAN (holding him tightly):\n I was looking for a glove.", "THE PICKPOCKET (smiling piteously):\n And you find a hand.", "(Changing his tone, quickly and in a whisper):\n Let me but go, and I will deliver you a secret.", "CHRISTIAN (still holding him):\n What is it?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n Ligniere. . .he who has just left you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (same play):\n Well?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n His life is in peril.", "A song writ by him has given offense in high places--\nand a hundred men--I am of them--are posted to-night.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A hundred men!", "By whom posted?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n I may not say--a secret.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (shrugging his shoulders):\n Oh!", "THE PICKPOCKET (with great dignity):\n . . .Of the profession.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Where are they posted?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n At the Porte de Nesle.", "On his way homeward.", "Warn him.", "CHRISTIAN (letting go of his wrists):\n But where can I find him?", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n Run round to all the taverns--The Golden Wine Press, the Pine Cone, The Belt\nthat Bursts, The Two Torches, The Three Funnels, and at each leave a word that\nshall put him on his guard.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Good--I fly!", "Ah, the scoundrels!", "A hundred men 'gainst one!", "(Looking lovingly at Roxane):\n Ah, to leave her!.", ". .\n(looking with rage at Valvert):\n and him!. .", ".But save Ligniere I must!", "(He hurries out.", "De Guiche, the viscount, the marquises, have all disappeared\nbehind the curtain to take their places on the benches placed on the stage.", "The pit is quite full; the galleries and boxes are also crowded.)", "THE AUDIENCE:\n Begin!", "A BURGHER (whose wig is drawn up on the end of a string by a page in the upper\ngallery):\n My wig!", "CRIES OF DELIGHT:\n He is bald!", "Bravo, pages--ha!", "ha!", "ha!.", ". .", "THE BURGHER (furious, shaking his fist):\n Young villain!", "LAUGHTER AND CRIES (beginning very loud, and dying gradually away):\n Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "(Total silence.)", "LE BRET (astonished):\n What means this sudden silence?.", ". .\n(A spectator says something to him in a low voice):\n Is't true?", "THE SPECTATOR:\n I have just heard it on good authority.", "MURMURS (spreading through the hall):\n Hush!", "Is it he?", "No!", "Ay, I say!", "In the box with the bars in front!", "The\nCardinal!", "The Cardinal!", "The Cardinal!", "A PAGE:\n The devil!", "We shall have to behave ourselves.", ". .\n\n(A knock is heard upon the stage.", "Every one is motionless.", "A pause.)", "THE VOICE OF A MARQUIS (in the silence, behind the curtain):\n Snuff that candle!", "ANOTHER MARQUIS (putting his head through the opening in the curtain):\n A chair!", "(A chair is passed from hand to hand, over the heads of the spectators.", "The\nmarquis takes it and disappears, after blowing some kisses to the boxes.)", "A SPECTATOR:\n Silence!", "(Three knocks are heard on the stage.", "The curtain opens in the centre\nTableau.", "The marquises in insolent attitudes seated on each side of the\nstage.", "The scene represents a pastoral landscape.", "Four little lusters light\nthe stage; the violins play softly.)", "LE BRET (in a low voice to Ragueneau):\n Montfleury comes on the scene?", "RAGUENEAU (also in a low voice):\n Ay, 'tis he who begins.", "LE BRET:\n Cyrano is not here.", "RAGUENEAU:\n I have lost my wager.", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis all the better!", "(An air on the drone-pipes is heard, and Montfleury enters, enormously stout,\nin an Arcadian shepherd's dress, a hat wreathed with roses drooping over one\near, blowing into a ribboned drone pipe.)", "THE PIT (applauding):\n Bravo, Montfleury!", "Montfleury!", "MONTFLEURY (after bowing low, begins the part of Phedon):\n 'Heureux qui loin des cours, dans un lieu solitaire,\n Se prescrit a soi-meme un exil volontaire,\n Et qui, lorsque Zephire a souffle sur les bois.", ". .'\n\nA VOICE (from the middle of the pit):\n Villain!", "Did I not forbid you to show your face here for month?", "(General stupor.", "Every one turns round.", "Murmurs.)", "DIFFERENT VOICES:\n Hey?--What?--What is't?.", ". .\n\n(The people stand up in the boxes to look.)", "CUIGY:\n 'Tis he!", "LE BRET (terrified):\n Cyrano!", "THE VOICE:\n King of clowns!", "Leave the stage this instant!", "ALL THE AUDIENCE (indignantly):\n Oh!", "MONTFLEURY:\n But.", ". .", "THE VOICE:\n Do you dare defy me?", "DIFFERENT VOICES (from the pit and the boxes):\n Peace!", "Enough!--Play on, Montfleury--fear nothing!", "MONTFLEURY (in a trembling voice):\n 'Heureux qui loin des cours, dans un lieu sol--'\n\nTHE VOICE (more fiercely):\n Well!", "Chief of all the blackguards, must I come and give you a taste of my\ncane?", "(A hand holding a cane starts up over the heads of the spectators.)", "MONTFLEURY (in a voice that trembles more and more):\n 'Heureux qui.", ". .'\n\n(The cane is shaken.)", "THE VOICE:\n Off the stage!", "THE PIT:\n Oh!", "MONTFLEURY (choking):\n 'Heureux qui loin des cours.", ". .'\n\nCYRANO (appearing suddenly in the pit, standing on a chair, his arms crossed,\nhis beaver cocked fiercely, his mustache bristling, his nose terrible to see):\n Ah!", "I shall be angry in a minute!.", ". .", "(Sensation.)" ]

[ "ANOTHER:\n Faugh!. .", "(They go toward De Guiche.)", "(Changing his tone, quickly and in a whisper):\n Let me but go, and I will deliver you a secret.", "THE PICKPOCKET:\n His life is in peril.", ". .", "ha!", "LE BRET (astonished):\n What means this sudden silence?.", "The Cardinal!", ". .'\n\n(The cane is shaken.)", ". .'\n\nCYRANO (appearing suddenly in the pit, standing on a chair, his arms crossed,\nhis beaver cocked fiercely, his mustache bristling, his nose terrible to see):\n Ah!" ]

[ ". .\n(looking with rage at Valvert):\n and him!. .", "Is it he?", "Ah!", "CUIGY:\n 'Tis he!", "CHRISTIAN (holding him tightly):\n I was looking for a glove.", "The\nmarquis takes it and disappears, after blowing some kisses to the boxes.)", "Enough!--Play on, Montfleury--fear nothing!", "Ah, the scoundrels!", "A PAGE:\n The devil!", "(Sensation.)" ]

[ "LAUGHTER AND CRIES (beginning very loud, and dying gradually away):\n Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "(Total silence.)", "LE BRET (astonished):\n What means this sudden silence?.", ". .\n(A spectator says something to him in a low voice):\n Is't true?", "THE SPECTATOR:\n I have just heard it on good authority.", "MURMURS (spreading through the hall):\n Hush!" ]

[ "The same, all but Ligniere.", "De Guiche, Valvert, then Montfleury.", "A marquis (watching De Guiche, who comes down from Roxane's box, and crosses\nthe pit surrounded by obsequious noblemen, among them the Viscount de\nValvert):\n He pays a fine court, your De Guiche!", "ANOTHER:\n Faugh!. .", ".Another Gascon!", "THE FIRST:\n Ay, but the cold, supple Gascon--that is the stuff success is made of!", "Believe me, we had best make our bow to him.", "(They go toward De Guiche.)", "SECOND MARQUIS:\n What fine ribbons!", "How call you the color, Count de Guiche?", "(A hand holding a cane starts up over the heads of the spectators.)", "MONTFLEURY (in a voice that trembles more and more):\n 'Heureux qui.", ". .'\n\n(The cane is shaken.)", "THE VOICE:\n Off the stage!", "THE PIT:\n Oh!", "MONTFLEURY (choking):\n 'Heureux qui loin des cours.", ". .'\n\nCYRANO (appearing suddenly in the pit, standing on a chair, his arms crossed,\nhis beaver cocked fiercely, his mustache bristling, his nose terrible to see):\n Ah!", "I shall be angry in a minute!.", ". .", "(Sensation.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Cyrano, then Bellerose, Jodelet.", "MONTFLEURY (to the marquises):\n Come to my help, my lords!", "A MARQUIS (carelessly):\n Go on!", "Go on!", "CYRANO:\n Fat man, take warning!", "If you go on, I\n Shall feel myself constrained to cuff your face!", "THE MARQUIS:\n Have done!", "CYRANO:\n And if these lords hold not their tongue\n Shall feel constrained to make them taste my cane!", "ALL THE MARQUISES (rising):\n Enough!. .", ".Montfleury.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n If he goes not quick\n I will cut off his ears and slit him up!", "A VOICE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Out he goes!", "ANOTHER VOICE:\n Yet.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Is he not gone yet?", "(He makes the gesture of turning up his cuffs):\n Good!", "I shall mount the stage now, buffet-wise,\n To carve this fine Italian sausage--thus!", "MONTFLEURY (trying to be dignified):\n You outrage Thalia in insulting me!", "CYRANO (very politely):\n If that Muse, Sir, who knows you not at all,\n Could claim acquaintance with you--oh, believe\n (Seeing how urn-like, fat, and slow you are)\n That she would make you taste her buskin's sole!", "THE PIT:\n Montfleury!", "Montfleury!", "Come--Baro's play!", "CYRANO (to those who are calling out):\n I pray you have a care!", "If you go on\n My scabbard soon will render up its blade!", "(The circle round him widens.)", "THE CROWD (drawing back):\n Take care!", "CYRANO (to Montfleury):\n Leave the stage!", "THE CROWD (coming near and grumbling):\n Oh!--\n\nCYRANO:\n Did some one speak?", "(They draw back again.)", "A VOICE (singing at the back):\n Monsieur de Cyrano\n Displays his tyrannies:\n A fig for tyrants!", "What, ho!", "Come!", "Play us 'La Clorise!'", "ALL THE PIT (singing):\n 'La Clorise!'", "'La Clorise!'.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Let me but hear once more that foolish rhyme,\n I slaughter every man of you.", "A BURGHER:\n Oh!", "Samson?", "CYRANO:\n Yes Samson!", "Will you lend your jawbone, Sir?", "A LADY (in the boxes):\n Outrageous!", "A LORD:\n Scandalous!", "A BURGHER:\n 'Tis most annoying!", "A PAGE:\n Fair good sport!", "THE PIT:\n Kss!--Montfleury. .", ".Cyrano!", "CYRANO:\n Silence!", "THE PIT (wildly excited):\n Ho-o-o-o-h!", "Quack!", "Cock-a-doodle-doo!", "CYRANO:\n I order--\n\nA PAGE:\n Miow!", "CYRANO:\n I order silence, all!", "And challenge the whole pit collectively!--\n I write your names!--Approach, young heroes, here!", "Each in his turn!", "I cry the numbers out!--\n Now which of you will come to ope the lists?", "You, Sir?", "No!", "You?", "No!", "The first duellist\n Shall be dispatched by me with honors due!", "Let all who long for death hold up their hands!", "(A silence):\n Modest?", "You fear to see my naked blade?", "Not one name?--Not one hand?--Good, I proceed!", "(Turning toward the stage, where Montfleury waits in an agony):\n The theater's too full, congested,--I\n Would clear it out. . .If not.", ". .\n(Puts his hand on his sword):\n The knife must act!", "MONTFLEURY:\n I. . .\n\nCYRANO (leaves his chair, and settles himself in the middle of the circle\nwhich has formed):\n I will clap my hands thrice, thus--full moon!", "At the third clap, eclipse\nyourself!", "THE PIT (amused):\n Ah!", "CYRANO (clapping his hands):\n One!", "MONTFLEURY:\n I. . .\n\nA VOICE (in the boxes):\n Stay!", "THE PIT:\n He stays. . .he goes. . .he stays.", ". .\n\nMONTFLEURY:\n I think. . .Gentlemen,.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Two!", "MONTFLEURY:\n I think 'twere wisest.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Three!", "(Montfleury disappears as through a trap.", "Tempest of laughs, whistling cries,\netc.)", "THE WHOLE HOUSE:\n Coward. . .come back!", "CYRANO (delighted, sits back in his chair, arms crossed):\n Come back an if you dare!", "A BURGHER:\n Call for the orator!", "(Bellerose comes forward and bows.)", "THE BOXES:\n Ah!", "here's Bellerose!", "BELLEROSE (elegantly):\n My noble lords.", ". .", "THE PIT:\n No!", "no!", "Jodelet!", "JODELET (advancing, speaking through his nose):\n Calves!", "THE PIT:\n Ah!", "bravo!", "good!", "go on!", "JODELET:\n No bravos, Sirs!", "The fat tragedian whom you all love\n Felt.", ". .", "THE PIT:\n Coward!", "JODELET:\n . . .was obliged to go.", "THE PIT:\n Come back!", "SOME:\n No!", "OTHERS:\n Yes!", "A YOUNG MAN (to Cyrano):\n But pray, Sir, for what reason, say,\n Hate you Montfleury?", "CYRANO (graciously, still seated):\n Youthful gander, know\n I have two reasons--either will suffice.", "Primo.", "An actor villainous!", "who mouths,\n And heaves up like a bucket from a well\n The verses that should, bird-like, fly!", "Secundo--\n That is my secret.", ". .", "THE OLD BURGHER (behind him):\n Shameful!", "You deprive us\n Of the 'Clorise!'", "I must insist.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (turning his chair toward the burgher, respectfully):\n Old mule!", "The verses of old Baro are not worth\n A doit!", "I'm glad to interrupt.", ". .", "THE PRECIEUSES (in the boxes):\n Our Baro!--\n My dear!", "How dares he venture!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (turning his chair toward the boxes gallantly):\n Fairest ones,\n Radiate, bloom, hold to our lips the cup\n Of dreams intoxicating, Hebe-like!", "Or, when death strikes, charm death with your sweet smiles;\n Inspire our verse, but--criticise it not!", "BELLEROSE:\n We must give back the entrance fees!", "CYRANO (turning his chair toward the stage):\n Bellerose,\n You make the first intelligent remark!", "Would I rend Thespis' sacred mantle?", "Nay!", "(He rises and throws a bag on the stage):\n Catch then the purse I throw, and hold your peace!", "THE HOUSE (dazzled):\n Ah!", "Oh!", "JODELET (catching the purse dexterously and weighing it):\n At this price, you've authority\n To come each night, and stop 'Clorise,' Sir!", "THE PIT:\n Ho!. .", ".Ho!", "Ho!.", ". .\n\nJODELET:\n E'en if you chase us in a pack!.", ". .\n\nBELLEROSE:\n Clear out the hall!.", ". .\n\nJODELET:\n Get you all gone at once!", "(The people begin to go out, while Cyrano looks on with satisfaction.", "But the\ncrowd soon stop on hearing the following scene, and remain where they are.", "The women, who, with their mantles on, are already standing up in the boxes,\nstop to listen, and finally reseat themselves.)", "LE BRET (to Cyrano):\n 'Tis mad!.", ". .\n\nA BORE (coming up to Cyrano):\n The actor Montfleury!", "'Tis shameful!", "Why, he's protected by the Duke of Candal!", "Have you a patron?", "CYRANO:\n No!", "THE BORE:\n No patron?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n None!", "THE BORE:\n What!", "no great lord to shield you with his name?", "CYRANO (irritated):\n No, I have told you twice!", "Must I repeat?", "No!", "no protector.", ". .\n(His hand on his sword):\n A protectress. . .here!", "THE BORE:\n But you must leave the town?", "CYRANO:\n Well, that depends!", "THE BORE:\n The Duke has a long arm!", "CYRANO:\n But not so long\n As mine, when it is lengthened out.", ". .\n(Shows his sword):\n As thus!", "THE BORE:\n You think not to contend?", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis my idea!", "THE BORE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Show your heels!", "now!", "THE BORE:\n But I. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n Or tell me why you stare so at my nose!", "THE BORE (staggered):\n I. . .\n\nCYRANO (walking straight up to him):\n Well, what is there strange?", "THE BORE (drawing back):\n Your Grace mistakes!", "CYRANO:\n How now?", "Is't soft and dangling, like a trunk?.", ". .", "THE BORE (same play):\n I never.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Is it crook'd, like an owl's beak?", "THE BORE:\n I. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n Do you see a wart upon the tip?", "THE BORE:\n Nay.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Or a fly, that takes the air there?", "What\n Is there to stare at?", "THE BORE:\n Oh.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n What do you see?", "THE BORE:\n But I was careful not to look--knew better.", "CYRANO:\n And why not look at it, an if you please?", "THE BORE:\n I was.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Oh!", "it disgusts you!", "THE BORE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n Its hue\n Unwholesome seems to you?", "THE BORE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n Or its shape?", "THE BORE:\n No, on the contrary!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Why then that air\n Disparaging?--perchance you think it large?", "THE BORE (stammering):\n No, small, quite small--minute!", "CYRANO:\n Minute!", "What now?", "Accuse me of a thing ridiculous!", "Small--my nose?", "THE BORE:\n Heaven help me!", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis enormous!", "Old Flathead, empty-headed meddler, know\n That I am proud possessing such appendice.", "'Tis well known, a big nose is indicative\n Of a soul affable, and kind, and courteous,\n Liberal, brave, just like myself, and such\n As you can never dare to dream yourself,\n Rascal contemptible!", "For that witless face\n That my hand soon will come to cuff--is all\n As empty.", ". .\n\n(He cuffs him.)", "THE BORE:\n Aie!", "CYRANO:\n --of pride, of aspiration,\n Of feeling, poetry--of godlike spark\n Of all that appertains to my big nose,\n(He turns him by the shoulders, suiting the action to the word):\n As. . .what my boot will shortly come and kick!", "THE BORE (running away):\n Help!", "Call the Guard!", "CYRANO:\n Take notice, boobies all,\n Who find my visage's center ornament\n A thing to jest at--that it is my wont--\n An if the jester's noble--ere we part\n To let him taste my steel, and not my boot!", "DE GUICHE (who, with the marquises, has come down from the stage):\n But he becomes a nuisance!", "THE VISCOUNT DE VALVERT (shrugging his shoulders):\n Swaggerer!", "DE GUICHE:\n Will no one put him down?.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT:\n No one?", "But wait!", "I'll treat him to. . .one of my quips!. .", ".See here!.", ". .\n(He goes up to Cyrano, who is watching him, and with a conceited air):\n Sir, your nose is. . .hmm. . .it is. . .very big!", "CYRANO (gravely):\n Very!", "THE VISCOUNT (laughing):\n Ha!", "CYRANO (imperturbably):\n Is that all?.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT:\n What do you mean?", "CYRANO:\n Ah no!", "young blade!", "That was a trifle short!", "You might have said at least a hundred things\n By varying the tone. . .like this, suppose,.", ". .", "Aggressive: 'Sir, if I had such a nose\n I'd amputate it!'", "Friendly: 'When you sup\n It must annoy you, dipping in your cup;\n You need a drinking-bowl of special shape!'", "Descriptive: ''Tis a rock!. .", ".a peak!. .", ".a cape!", "--A cape, forsooth!", "'Tis a peninsular!'", "Curious: 'How serves that oblong capsular?", "For scissor-sheath?", "Or pot to hold your ink?'", "Gracious: 'You love the little birds, I think?", "I see you've managed with a fond research\n To find their tiny claws a roomy perch!'", "Truculent: 'When you smoke your pipe. . .suppose\n That the tobacco-smoke spouts from your nose--\n Do not the neighbors, as the fumes rise higher,\n Cry terror-struck: \"The chimney is afire\"?'", "Considerate: 'Take care,. . .your head bowed low\n By such a weight. . .lest head o'er heels you go!'", "Tender: 'Pray get a small umbrella made,\n Lest its bright color in the sun should fade!'", "Pedantic: 'That beast Aristophanes\n Names Hippocamelelephantoles\n Must have possessed just such a solid lump\n Of flesh and bone, beneath his forehead's bump!'", "Cavalier: 'The last fashion, friend, that hook?", "To hang your hat on?", "'Tis a useful crook!'", "Emphatic: 'No wind, O majestic nose,\n Can give THEE cold!--save when the mistral blows!'", "Dramatic: 'When it bleeds, what a Red Sea!'", "Admiring: 'Sign for a perfumery!'", "Lyric: 'Is this a conch?. .", ".a Triton you?'", "Simple: 'When is the monument on view?'", "Rustic: 'That thing a nose?", "Marry-come-up!", "'Tis a dwarf pumpkin, or a prize turnip!'", "Military: 'Point against cavalry!'", "Practical: 'Put it in a lottery!", "Assuredly 'twould be the biggest prize!'", "Or. . .parodying Pyramus' sighs.", ". .\n 'Behold the nose that mars the harmony\n Of its master's phiz!", "blushing its treachery!'", "--Such, my dear sir, is what you might have said,\n Had you of wit or letters the least jot:\n But, O most lamentable man!--of wit\n You never had an atom, and of letters\n You have three letters only!--they spell Ass!", "And--had you had the necessary wit,\n To serve me all the pleasantries I quote\n Before this noble audience. . .e'en so,\n You would not have been let to utter one--\n Nay, not the half or quarter of such jest!", "I take them from myself all in good part,\n But not from any other man that breathes!", "DE GUICHE (trying to draw away the dismayed viscount):\n Come away, Viscount!", "THE VISCOUNT (choking with rage):\n Hear his arrogance!", "A country lout who. . .who. . .has got no gloves!", "Who goes out without sleeve-knots, ribbons, lace!", "CYRANO:\n True; all my elegances are within.", "I do not prank myself out, puppy-like;\n My toilet is more thorough, if less gay;\n I would not sally forth--a half-washed-out\n Affront upon my cheek--a conscience\n Yellow-eyed, bilious, from its sodden sleep,\n A ruffled honor,. . .scruples grimed and dull!", "I show no bravery of shining gems.", "Truth, Independence, are my fluttering plumes.", "'Tis not my form I lace to make me slim,\n But brace my soul with efforts as with stays,\n Covered with exploits, not with ribbon-knots,\n My spirit bristling high like your mustaches,\n I, traversing the crowds and chattering groups\n Make Truth ring bravely out like clash of spurs!", "THE VISCOUNT:\n But, Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I wear no gloves?", "And what of that?", "I had one,. . .remnant of an old worn pair,\n And, knowing not what else to do with it,\n I threw it in the face of. . .some young fool.", "THE VISCOUNT:\n Base scoundrel!", "Rascally flat-footed lout!", "CYRANO (taking off his hat, and bowing as if the viscount had introduced\nhimself):\n Ah?. .", ".and I, Cyrano Savinien\n Hercule de Bergerac\n\n(Laughter.)", "THE VISCOUNT (angrily):\n Buffoon!", "CYRANO (calling out as if he had been seized with the cramp):\n Aie!", "Aie!", "THE VISCOUNT (who was going away, turns back):\n What on earth is the fellow saying now?", "CYRANO (with grimaces of pain):\n It must be moved--it's getting stiff, I vow,\n --This comes of leaving it in idleness!", "Aie!.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT:\n What ails you?", "CYRANO:\n The cramp!", "cramp in my sword!", "THE VISCOUNT (drawing his sword):\n Good!", "CYRANO:\n You shall feel a charming little stroke!", "THE VISCOUNT (contemptuously):\n Poet!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, poet, Sir!", "In proof of which,\n While we fence, presto!", "all extempore\n I will compose a ballade.", "THE VISCOUNT:\n A ballade?", "CYRANO:\n Belike you know not what a ballade is.", "THE VISCOUNT:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (reciting, as if repeating a lesson):\n Know then that the ballade should contain\n Three eight-versed couplets.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT (stamping):\n Oh!", "CYRANO (still reciting):\n And an envoi\n Of four lines.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT:\n You.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I'll make one while we fight;\n And touch you at the final line.", "THE VISCOUNT:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n No?", "(declaiming):\n The duel in Hotel of Burgundy--fought\n By De Bergerac and a good-for-naught!", "THE VISCOUNT:\n What may that be, an if you please?", "CYRANO:\n The title.", "THE HOUSE (in great excitement):\n Give room!--Good sport!--Make place!--Fair play!--No noise!", "(Tableau.", "A circle of curious spectators in the pit; the marquises and\nofficers mingled with the common people; the pages climbing on each other's\nshoulders to see better.", "All the women standing up in the boxes.", "To the\nright, De Guiche and his retinue.", "Left, Le Bret, Ragueneau, Cyrano, etc.)", "CYRANO (shutting his eyes for a second):\n Wait while I choose my rhymes. . .I have them now!", "(He suits the action to each word):\n I gayly doff my beaver low,\n And, freeing hand and heel,\n My heavy mantle off I throw,\n And I draw my polished steel;\n Graceful as Phoebus, round I wheel,\n Alert as Scaramouch,\n A word in your ear, Sir Spark, I steal--\n At the envoi's end, I touch!", "(They engage):\n Better for you had you lain low;\n Where skewer my cock?", "In the heel?--\n In the heart, your ribbon blue below?--\n In the hip, and make you kneel?", "Ho for the music of clashing steel!", "--What now?--A hit?", "Not much!", "'Twill be in the paunch the stroke I steal,\n When, at the envoi, I touch.", "Oh, for a rhyme, a rhyme in o?--\n You wriggle, starch-white, my eel?", "A rhyme!", "a rhyme!", "The white feather you SHOW!", "Tac!", "I parry the point of your steel;\n --The point you hoped to make me feel;\n I open the line, now clutch\n Your spit, Sir Scullion--slow your zeal!", "At the envoi's end, I touch.", "(He declaims solemnly):\n Envoi.", "Prince, pray Heaven for your soul's weal!", "I move a pace--lo, such!", "and such!", "Cut over--feint!", "(Thrusting):\n What ho!", "You reel?", "(The viscount staggers.", "Cyrano salutes):\n At the envoi's end, I touch!", "(Acclamations.", "Applause in the boxes.", "Flowers and handkerchiefs are thrown\ndown.", "The officers surround Cyrano, congratulating him.", "Ragueneau dances for\njoy.", "Le Bret is happy, but anxious.", "The viscount's friends hold him up and\nbear him away.)", "THE CROWD (with one long shout):\n Ah!", "A TROOPER:\n 'Tis superb!", "A WOMAN:\n A pretty stroke!", "RAGUENEAU:\n A marvel!", "A MARQUIS:\n A novelty!", "LE BRET:\n O madman!", "THE CROWD (presses round Cyrano.", "Chorus of):\n Compliments!", "Bravo!", "Let me congratulate!. .", ".Quite unsurpassed!.", ". .\n\nA WOMAN'S VOICE:\n There is a hero for you!.", ". .\n\nA MUSKETEER (advancing to Cyrano with outstretched hand):\n Sir, permit;\n Naught could be finer--I'm a judge I think;\n I stamped, i' faith!--to show my admiration!", "(He goes away.)", "CYRANO (to Cuigy):\n Who is that gentleman?", "CUIGY:\n Why--D'Artagnan!", "LE BRET (to Cyrano, taking his arm):\n A word with you!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Wait; let the rabble go!.", ". .\n(To Bellerose):\n May I stay?", "BELLEROSE (respectfully):\n Without doubt!", "(Cries are heard outside.)", "JODELET (who has looked out):\n They hoot Montfleury!", "BELLEROSE (solemnly):\n Sic transit!.", ". .\n(To the porters):\n Sweep--close all, but leave the lights.", "We sup, but later on we must return,\n For a rehearsal of to-morrow's farce.", "(Jodelet and Bellerose go out, bowing low to Cyrano.)", "THE PORTER (to Cyrano):\n You do not dine, Sir?", "CYRANO:\n No.", "(The porter goes out.)", "LE BRET:\n Because?", "CYRANO (proudly):\n Because.", ". .\n(Changing his tone as the porter goes away):\n I have no money!.", ". .", "LE BRET (with the action of throwing a bag):\n How!", "The bag of crowns?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Paternal bounty, in a day, thou'rt sped!", "LE BRET:\n How live the next month?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I have nothing left.", "LE BRET:\n Folly!", "CYRANO:\n But what a graceful action!", "Think!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL (coughing, behind her counter):\n Hum!", "(Cyrano and Le Bret turn.", "She comes timidly forward):\n Sir, my heart mislikes to know you fast.", "(Showing the buffet):\n See, all you need.", "Serve yourself!", "CYRANO (taking off his hat):\n Gentle child,\n Although my Gascon pride would else forbid\n To take the least bestowal from your hands,\n My fear of wounding you outweighs that pride,\n And bids accept.", ". .\n(He goes to the buffet):\n A trifle!. .", ".These few grapes.", "(She offers him the whole bunch.", "He takes a few):\n Nay, but this bunch!.", ". .\n(She tries to give him wine, but he stops her):\n A glass of water fair!.", ". .\n And half a macaroon!", "(He gives back the other half.)", "LE BRET:\n What foolery!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Take something else!", "CYRANO:\n I take your hand to kiss.", "(He kisses her hand as though she were a princess.)", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Thank you, kind Sir!", "(She courtesies):\n Good-night.", "(She goes out.)" ]

[ "If you go on, I\n Shall feel myself constrained to cuff your face!", "THE VISCOUNT (laughing):\n Ha!", ".a cape!", "Marry-come-up!", "THE VISCOUNT:\n What ails you?", "CYRANO:\n The cramp!", "I parry the point of your steel;\n --The point you hoped to make me feel;\n I open the line, now clutch\n Your spit, Sir Scullion--slow your zeal!", "We sup, but later on we must return,\n For a rehearsal of to-morrow's farce.", "CYRANO:\n No.", "The bag of crowns?." ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I'll make one while we fight;\n And touch you at the final line.", "THE CROWD (coming near and grumbling):\n Oh!--\n\nCYRANO:\n Did some one speak?", "THE PIT (wildly excited):\n Ho-o-o-o-h!", "CYRANO:\n Fat man, take warning!", "LE BRET:\n Because?", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Thank you, kind Sir!", "(Acclamations.", "The white feather you SHOW!", "Why, he's protected by the Duke of Candal!", ". .\n\nJODELET:\n E'en if you chase us in a pack!." ]

[ ". .\n\n(He cuffs him.)", "THE BORE:\n Aie!", "CYRANO:\n --of pride, of aspiration,\n Of feeling, poetry--of godlike spark\n Of all that appertains to my big nose,\n(He turns him by the shoulders, suiting the action to the word):\n As. . .what my boot will shortly come and kick!", "THE BORE (running away):\n Help!", "Call the Guard!", "CYRANO:\n Take notice, boobies all,\n Who find my visage's center ornament\n A thing to jest at--that it is my wont--\n An if the jester's noble--ere we part\n To let him taste my steel, and not my boot!", "DE GUICHE (who, with the marquises, has come down from the stage):\n But he becomes a nuisance!", "THE VISCOUNT DE VALVERT (shrugging his shoulders):\n Swaggerer!", "DE GUICHE:\n Will no one put him down?.", ". .", "THE VISCOUNT:\n No one?" ]

[ "The same.", "Cyrano, then Bellerose, Jodelet.", "MONTFLEURY (to the marquises):\n Come to my help, my lords!", "A MARQUIS (carelessly):\n Go on!", "Go on!", "CYRANO:\n Fat man, take warning!", "If you go on, I\n Shall feel myself constrained to cuff your face!", "THE MARQUIS:\n Have done!", "CYRANO:\n And if these lords hold not their tongue\n Shall feel constrained to make them taste my cane!", "ALL THE MARQUISES (rising):\n Enough!. .", ". .\n(She tries to give him wine, but he stops her):\n A glass of water fair!.", ". .\n And half a macaroon!", "(He gives back the other half.)", "LE BRET:\n What foolery!", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Take something else!", "CYRANO:\n I take your hand to kiss.", "(He kisses her hand as though she were a princess.)", "THE BUFFET-GIRL:\n Thank you, kind Sir!", "(She courtesies):\n Good-night.", "(She goes out.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret.", "CYRANO (to Le Bret):\n Now talk--I listen.", "(He stands at the buffet, and placing before him first the macaroon):\n Dinner!.", ". .\n(then the grapes):\n Dessert!.", ". .\n(then the glass of water):\n Wine!.", ". .\n(he seats himself):\n So!", "And now to table!", "Ah!", "I was hungry, friend, nay, ravenous!", "(eating):\n You said--?", "LE BRET:\n These fops, would-be belligerent,\n Will, if you heed them only, turn your head!.", ". .", "Ask people of good sense if you would know\n The effect of your fine insolence--\n\nCYRANO (finishing his macaroon):\n Enormous!", "LE BRET:\n The Cardinal.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (radiant):\n The Cardinal--was there?", "LE BRET:\n Must have thought it.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Original, i' faith!", "LE BRET:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n He's an author.", "'Twill not fail to please him\n That I should mar a brother-author's play.", "LE BRET:\n You make too many enemies by far!", "CYRANO (eating his grapes):\n How many think you I have made to-night?", "LE BRET:\n Forty, no less, not counting ladies.", "CYRANO:\n Count!", "LE BRET:\n Montfleury first, the bourgeois, then De Guiche,\n The Viscount, Baro, the Academy.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Enough!", "I am o'erjoyed!", "LE BRET:\n But these strange ways,\n Where will they lead you, at the end?", "Explain\n Your system--come!", "CYRANO:\n I in a labyrinth\n Was lost--too many different paths to choose;\n I took.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Which?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "by far the simplest path.", ". .\n Decided to be admirable in all!", "LE BRET (shrugging his shoulders):\n So be it!", "But the motive of your hate\n To Montfleury--come, tell me!", "CYRANO (rising):\n This Silenus,\n Big-bellied, coarse, still deems himself a peril--\n A danger to the love of lovely ladies,\n And, while he sputters out his actor's part,\n Makes sheep's eyes at their boxes--goggling frog!", "I hate him since the evening he presumed\n To raise his eyes to hers. . .Meseemed I saw\n A slug crawl slavering o'er a flower's petals!", "LE BRET (stupefied):\n How now?", "What?", "Can it be. .", ".?", "CYRANO (laughing bitterly):\n That I should love?.", ". .\n(Changing his tone, gravely):\n I love.", "LE BRET:\n And may I know?. .", ".You never said.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come now, bethink you!. .", ".The fond hope to be\n Beloved, e'en by some poor graceless lady,\n Is, by this nose of mine for aye bereft me;\n --This lengthy nose which, go where'er I will,\n Pokes yet a quarter-mile ahead of me;\n But I may love--and who?", "'Tis Fate's decree\n I love the fairest--how were't otherwise?", "LE BRET:\n The fairest?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, the fairest of the world,\n Most brilliant--most refined--most golden-haired!", "LE BRET:\n Who is this lady?", "CYRANO:\n She's a danger mortal,\n All unsuspicious--full of charms unconscious,\n Like a sweet perfumed rose--a snare of nature,\n Within whose petals Cupid lurks in ambush!", "He who has seen her smile has known perfection,\n --Instilling into trifles grace's essence,\n Divinity in every careless gesture;\n Not Venus' self can mount her conch blown sea-ward,\n As she can step into her chaise a porteurs,\n Nor Dian fleet across the woods spring-flowered,\n Light as my Lady o'er the stones of Paris!.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Sapristi!", "all is clear!", "CYRANO:\n As spiderwebs!", "LE BRET:\n Your cousin, Madeleine Robin?", "CYRANO:\n Roxane!", "LE BRET:\n Well, but so much the better!", "Tell her so!", "She saw your triumph here this very night!", "CYRANO:\n Look well at me--then tell me, with what hope\n This vile protuberance can inspire my heart!", "I do not lull me with illusions--yet\n At times I'm weak: in evening hours dim\n I enter some fair pleasance, perfumed sweet;\n With my poor ugly devil of a nose\n I scent spring's essence--in the silver rays\n I see some knight--a lady on his arm,\n And think 'To saunter thus 'neath the moonshine,\n I were fain to have my lady, too, beside!'", "Thought soars to ecstasy. . .O sudden fall!", "--The shadow of my profile on the wall!", "LE BRET (tenderly):\n My friend!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n My friend, at times 'tis hard, 'tis bitter,\n To feel my loneliness--my own ill-favor.", ". .", "LE BRET (taking his hand):\n You weep?", "CYRANO:\n No, never!", "Think, how vilely suited\n Adown this nose a tear its passage tracing!", "I never will, while of myself I'm master,\n let the divinity of tears--their beauty\n Be wedded to such common ugly grossness.", "Nothing more solemn than a tear--sublimer;\n And I would not by weeping turn to laughter\n The grave emotion that a tear engenders!", "LE BRET:\n Never be sad!", "What's love?--a chance of Fortune!", "CYRANO (shaking his head):\n Look I a Caesar to woo Cleopatra?", "A Tito to aspire to Berenice?", "LE BRET:\n Your courage and your wit!--The little maid\n Who offered you refreshment even now,\n Her eyes did not abhor you--you saw well!", "CYRANO (impressed):\n True!", "LE BRET:\n Well, how then?. .", ".I saw Roxane herself\n Was death-pale as she watched the duel.", "CYRANO:\n Pale?", "LE BRET:\n Her heart, her fancy, are already caught!", "Put it to th' touch!", "CYRANO:\n That she may mock my face?", "That is the one thing on this earth I fear!", "THE PORTER (introducing some one to Cyrano):\n Sir, some one asks for you.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing the duenna):\n God!", "her duenna!" ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Enough!", "I am o'erjoyed!", "CYRANO (rising):\n This Silenus,\n Big-bellied, coarse, still deems himself a peril--\n A danger to the love of lovely ladies,\n And, while he sputters out his actor's part,\n Makes sheep's eyes at their boxes--goggling frog!", "LE BRET (stupefied):\n How now?", "CYRANO (laughing bitterly):\n That I should love?.", ".The fond hope to be\n Beloved, e'en by some poor graceless lady,\n Is, by this nose of mine for aye bereft me;\n --This lengthy nose which, go where'er I will,\n Pokes yet a quarter-mile ahead of me;\n But I may love--and who?", "LE BRET:\n Well, but so much the better!", "--The shadow of my profile on the wall!", "CYRANO (impressed):\n True!", ".I saw Roxane herself\n Was death-pale as she watched the duel." ]

[ "LE BRET (taking his hand):\n You weep?", "her duenna!", "CYRANO:\n That she may mock my face?", "I am o'erjoyed!", "LE BRET:\n Never be sad!", "LE BRET:\n But these strange ways,\n Where will they lead you, at the end?", "LE BRET:\n Your cousin, Madeleine Robin?", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n My friend, at times 'tis hard, 'tis bitter,\n To feel my loneliness--my own ill-favor.", "CYRANO (impressed):\n True!", "I do not lull me with illusions--yet\n At times I'm weak: in evening hours dim\n I enter some fair pleasance, perfumed sweet;\n With my poor ugly devil of a nose\n I scent spring's essence--in the silver rays\n I see some knight--a lady on his arm,\n And think 'To saunter thus 'neath the moonshine,\n I were fain to have my lady, too, beside!'" ]

[ "Can it be. .", ".?", "CYRANO (laughing bitterly):\n That I should love?.", ". .\n(Changing his tone, gravely):\n I love.", "LE BRET:\n And may I know?. .", ".You never said.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come now, bethink you!. .", ".The fond hope to be\n Beloved, e'en by some poor graceless lady,\n Is, by this nose of mine for aye bereft me;\n --This lengthy nose which, go where'er I will,\n Pokes yet a quarter-mile ahead of me;\n But I may love--and who?", "'Tis Fate's decree\n I love the fairest--how were't otherwise?", "LE BRET:\n The fairest?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, the fairest of the world,\n Most brilliant--most refined--most golden-haired!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret.", "CYRANO (to Le Bret):\n Now talk--I listen.", "(He stands at the buffet, and placing before him first the macaroon):\n Dinner!.", ". .\n(then the grapes):\n Dessert!.", ". .\n(then the glass of water):\n Wine!.", ". .\n(he seats himself):\n So!", "And now to table!", "Ah!", "I was hungry, friend, nay, ravenous!", "(eating):\n You said--?", "LE BRET:\n Well, how then?. .", ".I saw Roxane herself\n Was death-pale as she watched the duel.", "CYRANO:\n Pale?", "LE BRET:\n Her heart, her fancy, are already caught!", "Put it to th' touch!", "CYRANO:\n That she may mock my face?", "That is the one thing on this earth I fear!", "THE PORTER (introducing some one to Cyrano):\n Sir, some one asks for you.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing the duenna):\n God!", "her duenna!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the duenna.", "THE DUENNA (with a low bow):\n I was bid ask you where a certain lady\n Could see her valiant cousin--but in secret.", "CYRANO (overwhelmed):\n See me?", "THE DUENNA (courtesying):\n Ay, Sir!", "She has somewhat to tell.", "CYRANO:\n Somewhat?.", ". .", "THE DUENNA (still courtesying):\n Ay, private matters!", "CYRANO (staggering):\n Ah, my God!", "THE DUENNA:\n To-morrow, at the early blush of dawn,\n We go to hear mass at St. Roch.", "CYRANO (leaning against Le Bret):\n My God!", "THE DUENNA:\n After--what place for a few minutes' speech?", "CYRANO (confused):\n Where?", "Ah!. .", ".but. . .Ah, my God!.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Say!", "CYRANO:\n I reflect!.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Where?", "CYRANO:\n At--the pastry-house of Ragueneau.", "THE DUENNA:\n Where lodges he?", "CYRANO:\n The Rue--God!--St.", "Honore!", "THE DUENNA (going):\n Good.", "Be you there.", "At seven.", "CYRANO:\n Without fail.", "(The duenna goes out.)" ]

[ ". .", "THE DUENNA (still courtesying):\n Ay, private matters!", "THE DUENNA:\n To-morrow, at the early blush of dawn,\n We go to hear mass at St. Roch.", "THE DUENNA:\n After--what place for a few minutes' speech?", ".but. . .Ah, my God!.", "THE DUENNA:\n Say!", "THE DUENNA:\n Where lodges he?", "Honore!", "At seven.", "CYRANO:\n Without fail." ]

[ "Be you there.", "Honore!", "CYRANO (overwhelmed):\n See me?", "CYRANO:\n Somewhat?.", "(The duenna goes out.)", ". .", "CYRANO (staggering):\n Ah, my God!", "THE DUENNA:\n Where?", "She has somewhat to tell.", "Cyrano, Le Bret, the duenna." ]

[ "THE DUENNA:\n To-morrow, at the early blush of dawn,\n We go to hear mass at St. Roch.", "CYRANO (leaning against Le Bret):\n My God!", "THE DUENNA:\n After--what place for a few minutes' speech?", "CYRANO (confused):\n Where?", "Ah!. .", ".but. . .Ah, my God!.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Say!", "CYRANO:\n I reflect!.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Where?" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the duenna.", "THE DUENNA (with a low bow):\n I was bid ask you where a certain lady\n Could see her valiant cousin--but in secret.", "CYRANO (overwhelmed):\n See me?", "THE DUENNA (courtesying):\n Ay, Sir!", "She has somewhat to tell.", "CYRANO:\n Somewhat?.", ". .", "THE DUENNA (still courtesying):\n Ay, private matters!", "CYRANO (staggering):\n Ah, my God!", "THE DUENNA:\n To-morrow, at the early blush of dawn,\n We go to hear mass at St. Roch.", "THE DUENNA:\n Where?", "CYRANO:\n At--the pastry-house of Ragueneau.", "THE DUENNA:\n Where lodges he?", "CYRANO:\n The Rue--God!--St.", "Honore!", "THE DUENNA (going):\n Good.", "Be you there.", "At seven.", "CYRANO:\n Without fail.", "(The duenna goes out.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret.", "Then actors, actresses, Cuigy, Brissaille, Ligniere, the\nporter, the violinists.", "CYRANO (falling into Le Bret's arms):\n A rendezvous. . .from her!.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n You're sad no more!", "CYRANO:\n Ah!", "Let the world go burn!", "She knows I live!", "LE BRET:\n Now you'll be calm, I hope?", "CYRANO (beside himself for joy):\n Calm?", "I now calm?", "I'll be frenetic, frantic,--raving mad!", "Oh, for an army to attack!--a host!", "I've ten hearts in my breast; a score of arms;\n No dwarfs to cleave in twain!.", ". .\n(Wildly):\n No!", "Giants now!", "(For a few moments the shadows of the actors have been moving on the stage,\nwhispers are heard--the rehearsal is beginning.", "The violinists are in their\nplaces.)", "A VOICE FROM THE STAGE:\n Hollo there!", "Silence!", "We rehearse!", "CYRANO (laughing):\n We go!", "(He moves away.", "By the big door enter Cuigy, Brissaille, and some officers,\nholding up Ligniere, who is drunk.)", "CUIGY:\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO:\n Well, what now?", "CUIGY:\n A lusty thrush\n They're bringing you!", "CYRANO (recognizing him):\n Ligniere!. .", ".What has chanced?", "CUIGY:\n He seeks you!", "BRISSAILLE:\n He dare not go home!", "CYRANO:\n Why not?", "LIGNIERE (in a husky voice, showing him a crumpled letter):\n This letter warns me. . .that a hundred men.", ". .", "Revenge that threatens me. . .that song, you know--\n At the Porte de Nesle.", "To get to my own house\n I must pass there. . .I dare not!. .", ".Give me leave\n To sleep to-night beneath your roof!", "Allow.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n A hundred men?", "You'll sleep in your own bed!", "LIGNIERE (frightened):\n But--\n\nCYRANO (in a terrible voice, showing him the lighted lantern held by the\nporter, who is listening curiously):\n Take the lantern.", "(Ligniere seizes it):\n Let us start!", "I swear\n That I will make your bed to-night myself!", "(To the officers):\n Follow; some stay behind, as witnesses!", "CUIGY:\n A hundred!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Less, to-night--would be too few!", "(The actors and actresses, in their costumes, have come down from the stage,\nand are listening.)", "LE BRET:\n But why embroil yourself?", "CYRANO:\n Le Bret who scolds!", "LE BRET:\n That worthless drunkard!--\n\nCYRANO (slapping Ligniere on the shoulder):\n Wherefore?", "For this cause;--\n This wine-barrel, this cask of Burgundy,\n Did, on a day, an action full of grace;\n As he was leaving church, he saw his love\n Take holy water--he, who is affeared\n At water's taste, ran quickly to the stoup,\n And drank it all, to the last drop!.", ". .\n\nAN ACTRESS:\n Indeed, that was a graceful thing!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, was it not?", "THE ACTRESS (to the others):\n But why a hundred men 'gainst one poor rhymer?", "CYRANO:\n March!", "(To the officers):\n Gentlemen, when you shall see me charge,\n Bear me no succor, none, whate'er the odds!", "ANOTHER ACTRESS (jumping from the stage):\n Oh!", "I shall come and see!", "CYRANO:\n Come, then!", "ANOTHER (jumping down--to an old actor):\n And you?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come all--the Doctor, Isabel, Leander,\n Come, for you shall add, in a motley swarm,\n The farce Italian to this Spanish drama!", "ALL THE WOMEN (dancing for joy):\n Bravo!--a mantle, quick!--my hood!", "JODELET:\n Come on!", "CYRANO:\n Play us a march, gentlemen of the band!", "(The violinists join the procession, which is forming.", "They take the\nfootlights, and divide them for torches):\n Brave officers!", "next, women in costume,\n And, twenty paces on--\n(He takes his place):\n I all alone,\n Beneath the plume that Glory lends, herself,\n To deck my beaver--proud as Scipio!.", ". .\n --You hear me?--I forbid you succor me!--\n One, two three!", "Porter, open wide the doors!", "(The porter opens the doors; a view of old Paris in the moonlight is seen):\n Ah!. .", ".Paris wrapped in night!", "half nebulous:\n The moonlight streams o'er the blue-shadowed roofs;\n A lovely frame for this wild battle-scene;\n Beneath the vapor's floating scarves, the Seine\n Trembles, mysterious, like a magic mirror,\n And, shortly, you shall see what you shall see!", "ALL:\n To the Porte de Nesle!", "CYRANO (standing on the threshold):\n Ay, to the Porte de Nesle!", "(Turning to the actress):\n Did you not ask, young lady, for what cause\n Against this rhymer fivescore men were sent?", "(He draws his sword; then, calmly):\n 'Twas that they knew him for a friend of mine!", "(He goes out.", "Ligniere staggers first after him, then the actresses on the\nofficers' arms--the actors.", "The procession starts to the sound of the violins\nand in the faint light of the candles.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Ah!", "LE BRET:\n Now you'll be calm, I hope?", "CYRANO (beside himself for joy):\n Calm?", "I now calm?", "CYRANO:\n Well, what now?", "CUIGY:\n A lusty thrush\n They're bringing you!", ". .\n\nAN ACTRESS:\n Indeed, that was a graceful thing!", "(The violinists join the procession, which is forming.", "(Turning to the actress):\n Did you not ask, young lady, for what cause\n Against this rhymer fivescore men were sent?", "Curtain." ]

[ ". .\n\nAN ACTRESS:\n Indeed, that was a graceful thing!", "half nebulous:\n The moonlight streams o'er the blue-shadowed roofs;\n A lovely frame for this wild battle-scene;\n Beneath the vapor's floating scarves, the Seine\n Trembles, mysterious, like a magic mirror,\n And, shortly, you shall see what you shall see!", "CYRANO (recognizing him):\n Ligniere!. .", "To get to my own house\n I must pass there. . .I dare not!. .", "For this cause;--\n This wine-barrel, this cask of Burgundy,\n Did, on a day, an action full of grace;\n As he was leaving church, he saw his love\n Take holy water--he, who is affeared\n At water's taste, ran quickly to the stoup,\n And drank it all, to the last drop!.", "LE BRET:\n But why embroil yourself?", "(He goes out.", "I now calm?", "THE ACTRESS (to the others):\n But why a hundred men 'gainst one poor rhymer?", "Cyrano, Le Bret." ]

[ "To get to my own house\n I must pass there. . .I dare not!. .", ".Give me leave\n To sleep to-night beneath your roof!", "Allow.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n A hundred men?", "You'll sleep in your own bed!", "LIGNIERE (frightened):\n But--\n\nCYRANO (in a terrible voice, showing him the lighted lantern held by the\nporter, who is listening curiously):\n Take the lantern.", "(Ligniere seizes it):\n Let us start!", "I swear\n That I will make your bed to-night myself!", "(To the officers):\n Follow; some stay behind, as witnesses!", "CUIGY:\n A hundred!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Less, to-night--would be too few!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret.", "Then actors, actresses, Cuigy, Brissaille, Ligniere, the\nporter, the violinists.", "CYRANO (falling into Le Bret's arms):\n A rendezvous. . .from her!.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n You're sad no more!", "CYRANO:\n Ah!", "Let the world go burn!", "She knows I live!", "LE BRET:\n Now you'll be calm, I hope?", "CYRANO (beside himself for joy):\n Calm?", ".Paris wrapped in night!", "half nebulous:\n The moonlight streams o'er the blue-shadowed roofs;\n A lovely frame for this wild battle-scene;\n Beneath the vapor's floating scarves, the Seine\n Trembles, mysterious, like a magic mirror,\n And, shortly, you shall see what you shall see!", "ALL:\n To the Porte de Nesle!", "CYRANO (standing on the threshold):\n Ay, to the Porte de Nesle!", "(Turning to the actress):\n Did you not ask, young lady, for what cause\n Against this rhymer fivescore men were sent?", "(He draws his sword; then, calmly):\n 'Twas that they knew him for a friend of mine!", "(He goes out.", "Ligniere staggers first after him, then the actresses on the\nofficers' arms--the actors.", "The procession starts to the sound of the violins\nand in the faint light of the candles.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "Ragueneau, pastry-cooks, then Lise.", "Ragueneau is writing, with an inspired\nair, at a small table, and counting on his fingers.", "FIRST PASTRY-COOK (bringing in an elaborate fancy dish):\n Fruits in nougat!", "SECOND PASTRY-COOK (bringing another dish):\n Custard!", "THIRD PASTRY-COOK (bringing a roast, decorated with feathers):\n Peacock!", "FOURTH PASTRY-COOK (bringing a batch of cakes on a slab):\n Rissoles!", "FIFTH PASTRY-COOK (bringing a sort of pie-dish):\n Beef jelly!", "RAGUENEAU (ceasing to write, and raising his head):\n Aurora's silver rays begin to glint e'en now on the copper pans, and thou, O\nRagueneau!", "must perforce stifle in thy breast the God of Song!", "Anon shall\ncome the hour of the lute!--now 'tis the hour of the oven!", "(He rises.", "To a cook):\n You, make that sauce longer, 'tis too short!", "THE COOK:\n How much too short?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Three feet.", "(He passes on farther.)", "THE COOK:\n What means he?", "FIRST PASTRY-COOK (showing a dish to Ragueneau):\n The tart!", "SECOND PASTRY-COOK:\n The pie!", "RAGUENEAU (before the fire):\n My muse, retire, lest thy bright eyes be reddened by the fagot's blaze!", "(To a cook, showing him some loaves):\n You have put the cleft o' th' loaves in the wrong place; know you not that\nthe coesura should be between the hemistiches?", "(To another, showing him an unfinished pasty):\n To this palace of paste you must add the roof.", ". .\n(To a young apprentice, who, seated on the ground, is spitting the fowls):\n And you, as you put on your lengthy spit the modest fowl and the superb\nturkey, my son, alternate them, as the old Malherbe loved well to alternate\nhis long lines of verse with the short ones; thus shall your roasts, in\nstrophes, turn before the flame!", "ANOTHER APPRENTICE (also coming up with a tray covered by a napkin):\n Master, I bethought me erewhile of your tastes, and made this, which will\nplease you, I hope.", "(He uncovers the tray, and shows a large lyre made of pastry.)", "RAGUENEAU (enchanted):\n A lyre!", "THE APPRENTICE:\n 'Tis of brioche pastry.", "RAGUENEAU (touched):\n With conserved fruits.", "THE APPRENTICE:\n The strings, see, are of sugar.", "RAGUENEAU (giving him a coin):\n Go, drink my health!", "(Seeing Lise enter):\n Hush!", "My wife.", "Bustle, pass on, and hide that money!", "(To Lise, showing her the lyre, with a conscious look):\n Is it not beautiful?", "LISE:\n 'Tis passing silly!", "(She puts a pile of papers on the counter.)", "RAGUENEAU:\n Bags?", "Good.", "I thank you.", "(He looks at them):\n Heavens!", "my cherished leaves!", "The poems of my friends!", "Torn, dismembered,\nto make bags for holding biscuits and cakes!. .", ".Ah, 'tis the old tale again.\n. .Orpheus and the Bacchantes!", "LISE (dryly):\n And am I not free to turn at last to some use the sole thing that your\nwretched scribblers of halting lines leave behind them by way of payment?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Groveling ant!. .", ".Insult not the divine grasshoppers, the sweet singers!", "LISE:\n Before you were the sworn comrade of all that crew, my friend, you did not\ncall your wife ant and Bacchante!", "RAGUENEAU:\n To turn fair verse to such a use!", "LISE:\n 'Faith, 'tis all it's good for.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Pray then, madam, to what use would you degrade prose?" ]

[ "Ragueneau is writing, with an inspired\nair, at a small table, and counting on his fingers.", "SECOND PASTRY-COOK (bringing another dish):\n Custard!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Three feet.", "(To another, showing him an unfinished pasty):\n To this palace of paste you must add the roof.", "THE APPRENTICE:\n 'Tis of brioche pastry.", "RAGUENEAU (touched):\n With conserved fruits.", "My wife.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Groveling ant!. .", ".Insult not the divine grasshoppers, the sweet singers!", "LISE:\n Before you were the sworn comrade of all that crew, my friend, you did not\ncall your wife ant and Bacchante!" ]

[ "THIRD PASTRY-COOK (bringing a roast, decorated with feathers):\n Peacock!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Pray then, madam, to what use would you degrade prose?", "(He uncovers the tray, and shows a large lyre made of pastry.)", "(He passes on farther.)", ". .\n(To a young apprentice, who, seated on the ground, is spitting the fowls):\n And you, as you put on your lengthy spit the modest fowl and the superb\nturkey, my son, alternate them, as the old Malherbe loved well to alternate\nhis long lines of verse with the short ones; thus shall your roasts, in\nstrophes, turn before the flame!", "FIRST PASTRY-COOK (showing a dish to Ragueneau):\n The tart!", "RAGUENEAU (touched):\n With conserved fruits.", "RAGUENEAU:\n To turn fair verse to such a use!", "LISE:\n 'Tis passing silly!", "I thank you." ]

[ "(To another, showing him an unfinished pasty):\n To this palace of paste you must add the roof.", ". .\n(To a young apprentice, who, seated on the ground, is spitting the fowls):\n And you, as you put on your lengthy spit the modest fowl and the superb\nturkey, my son, alternate them, as the old Malherbe loved well to alternate\nhis long lines of verse with the short ones; thus shall your roasts, in\nstrophes, turn before the flame!", "ANOTHER APPRENTICE (also coming up with a tray covered by a napkin):\n Master, I bethought me erewhile of your tastes, and made this, which will\nplease you, I hope.", "(He uncovers the tray, and shows a large lyre made of pastry.)", "RAGUENEAU (enchanted):\n A lyre!", "THE APPRENTICE:\n 'Tis of brioche pastry.", "RAGUENEAU (touched):\n With conserved fruits.", "THE APPRENTICE:\n The strings, see, are of sugar.", "RAGUENEAU (giving him a coin):\n Go, drink my health!", "(Seeing Lise enter):\n Hush!", "My wife." ]

[ "Ragueneau, pastry-cooks, then Lise.", "Ragueneau is writing, with an inspired\nair, at a small table, and counting on his fingers.", "FIRST PASTRY-COOK (bringing in an elaborate fancy dish):\n Fruits in nougat!", "SECOND PASTRY-COOK (bringing another dish):\n Custard!", "THIRD PASTRY-COOK (bringing a roast, decorated with feathers):\n Peacock!", "FOURTH PASTRY-COOK (bringing a batch of cakes on a slab):\n Rissoles!", "FIFTH PASTRY-COOK (bringing a sort of pie-dish):\n Beef jelly!", "RAGUENEAU (ceasing to write, and raising his head):\n Aurora's silver rays begin to glint e'en now on the copper pans, and thou, O\nRagueneau!", "must perforce stifle in thy breast the God of Song!", "Anon shall\ncome the hour of the lute!--now 'tis the hour of the oven!", "The poems of my friends!", "Torn, dismembered,\nto make bags for holding biscuits and cakes!. .", ".Ah, 'tis the old tale again.\n. .Orpheus and the Bacchantes!", "LISE (dryly):\n And am I not free to turn at last to some use the sole thing that your\nwretched scribblers of halting lines leave behind them by way of payment?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Groveling ant!. .", ".Insult not the divine grasshoppers, the sweet singers!", "LISE:\n Before you were the sworn comrade of all that crew, my friend, you did not\ncall your wife ant and Bacchante!", "RAGUENEAU:\n To turn fair verse to such a use!", "LISE:\n 'Faith, 'tis all it's good for.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Pray then, madam, to what use would you degrade prose?" ]

[ "The same.", "Two children, who have just trotted into the shop.", "RAGUENEAU:\n What would you, little ones?", "FIRST CHILD:\n Three pies.", "RAGUENEAU (serving them):\n See, hot and well browned.", "SECOND CHILD:\n If it please you, Sir, will you wrap them up for us?", "RAGUENEAU (aside, distressed):\n Alas!", "one of my bags!", "(To the children):\n What?", "Must I wrap them up?", "(He takes a bag, and just as he is about to put in the pies, he reads):\n 'Ulysses thus, on leaving fair Penelope.", ". .'\n Not that one!", "(He puts it aside, and takes another, and as he is about to put in the pies,\nhe reads):\n 'The gold-locked Phoebus.", ". .'\n Nay, nor that one!.", ". .\n\n(Same play.)", "LISE (impatiently):\n What are you dallying for?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Here!", "here!", "here\n(He chooses a third, resignedly):\n The sonnet to Phillis!. .", ".but 'tis hard to part with it!", "LISE:\n By good luck he has made up his mind at last!", "(Shrugging her shoulders):\n Nicodemus!", "(She mounts on a chair, and begins to range plates on a dresser.)", "RAGUENEAU (taking advantage of the moment she turns her back, calls back the\nchildren, who are already at the door):\n Hist!", "children!. .", ".render me back the sonnet to Phillis, and you shall have\nsix pies instead of three.", "(The children give him back the bag, seize the cakes quickly, and go out.)", "RAGUENEAU (smoothing out the paper, begins to declaim):\n 'Phillis!.", ". .' On that sweet name a smear of butter!", "'Phillis!.", ". .'\n\n(Cyrano enters hurriedly.)" ]

[ "FIRST CHILD:\n Three pies.", "one of my bags!", ". .'\n Not that one!", "(He puts it aside, and takes another, and as he is about to put in the pies,\nhe reads):\n 'The gold-locked Phoebus.", "(Shrugging her shoulders):\n Nicodemus!", "RAGUENEAU (taking advantage of the moment she turns her back, calls back the\nchildren, who are already at the door):\n Hist!", ".render me back the sonnet to Phillis, and you shall have\nsix pies instead of three.", "(The children give him back the bag, seize the cakes quickly, and go out.)", "'Phillis!.", ". .'\n\n(Cyrano enters hurriedly.)" ]

[ "(She mounts on a chair, and begins to range plates on a dresser.)", ".render me back the sonnet to Phillis, and you shall have\nsix pies instead of three.", "children!. .", "(He puts it aside, and takes another, and as he is about to put in the pies,\nhe reads):\n 'The gold-locked Phoebus.", ".but 'tis hard to part with it!", ". .'\n\n(Cyrano enters hurriedly.)", "FIRST CHILD:\n Three pies.", "RAGUENEAU (serving them):\n See, hot and well browned.", "Must I wrap them up?", "(To the children):\n What?" ]

[ "(He takes a bag, and just as he is about to put in the pies, he reads):\n 'Ulysses thus, on leaving fair Penelope.", ". .'\n Not that one!", "(He puts it aside, and takes another, and as he is about to put in the pies,\nhe reads):\n 'The gold-locked Phoebus.", ". .'\n Nay, nor that one!.", ". .\n\n(Same play.)", "LISE (impatiently):\n What are you dallying for?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Here!", "here!", "here\n(He chooses a third, resignedly):\n The sonnet to Phillis!. .", ".but 'tis hard to part with it!", "LISE:\n By good luck he has made up his mind at last!" ]

[ "The same.", "Two children, who have just trotted into the shop.", "RAGUENEAU:\n What would you, little ones?", "FIRST CHILD:\n Three pies.", "RAGUENEAU (serving them):\n See, hot and well browned.", "SECOND CHILD:\n If it please you, Sir, will you wrap them up for us?", "RAGUENEAU (aside, distressed):\n Alas!", "one of my bags!", "(To the children):\n What?", "Must I wrap them up?", "(Shrugging her shoulders):\n Nicodemus!", "(She mounts on a chair, and begins to range plates on a dresser.)", "RAGUENEAU (taking advantage of the moment she turns her back, calls back the\nchildren, who are already at the door):\n Hist!", "children!. .", ".render me back the sonnet to Phillis, and you shall have\nsix pies instead of three.", "(The children give him back the bag, seize the cakes quickly, and go out.)", "RAGUENEAU (smoothing out the paper, begins to declaim):\n 'Phillis!.", ". .' On that sweet name a smear of butter!", "'Phillis!.", ". .'\n\n(Cyrano enters hurriedly.)" ]

[ "Ragueneau, Lise, Cyrano, then the musketeer.", "CYRANO:\n What's o'clock?", "RAGUENEAU (bowing low):\n Six o'clock.", "CYRANO (with emotion):\n In one hour's time!", "(He paces up and down the shop.)", "RAGUENEAU (following him):\n Bravo!", "I saw.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Well, what saw you, then?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Your combat!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Which?", "RAGUENEAU:\n That in the Burgundy Hotel, 'faith!", "CYRANO (contemptuously):\n Ah!. .", ".the duel!", "RAGUENEAU (admiringly):\n Ay!", "the duel in verse!.", ". .\n\nLISE:\n He can talk of naught else!", "CYRANO:\n Well!", "Good!", "let be!", "RAGUENEAU (making passes with a spit that he catches up):\n 'At the envoi's end, I touch!. .", ".At the envoi's end, I touch!'.", ". .'Tis\nfine, fine!", "(With increasing enthusiasm):\n 'At the envoi's end--'\n\nCYRANO:\n What hour is it now, Ragueneau?", "RAGUENEAU (stopping short in the act of thrusting to look at the clock):\n Five minutes after six!.", ". .'I touch!'", "(He straightens himself):\n . . .Oh!", "to write a ballade!", "LISE (to Cyrano, who, as he passes by the counter, has absently shaken hands\nwith her):\n What's wrong with your hand?", "CYRANO:\n Naught; a slight cut.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Have you been in some danger?", "CYRANO:\n None in the world.", "LISE (shaking her finger at him):\n Methinks you speak not the truth in saying that!", "CYRANO:\n Did you see my nose quiver when I spoke?", "'Faith, it must have been a\nmonstrous lie that should move it!", "(Changing his tone):\n I wait some one here.", "Leave us alone, and disturb us for naught an it were\nnot for crack of doom!", "RAGUENEAU:\n But 'tis impossible; my poets are coming.", ". .\n\nLISE (ironically):\n Oh, ay, for their first meal o' the day!", "CYRANO:\n Prythee, take them aside when I shall make you sign to do so. . .What's\no'clock?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Ten minutes after six.", "CYRANO (nervously seating himself at Ragueneau's table, and drawing some paper\ntoward him):\n A pen!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (giving him the one from behind his ear):\n Here--a swan's quill.", "A MUSKETEER (with fierce mustache, enters, and in a stentorian voice):\n Good-day!", "(Lise goes up to him quickly.)", "CYRANO (turning round):\n Who's that?", "RAGUENEAU:\n 'Tis a friend of my wife--a terrible warrior--at least so says he himself.", "CYRANO (taking up the pen, and motioning Ragueneau away):\n Hush!", "(To himself):\n I will write, fold it, give it her, and fly!", "(Throws down the pen):\n Coward!. .", ".But strike me dead if I dare to speak to her,. . .ay, even one\nsingle word!", "(To Ragueneau):\n What time is it?", "RAGUENEAU:\n A quarter after six!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (striking his breast):\n Ay--a single word of all those here!", "here!", "But writing, 'tis easier done.", ".\n.\n(He takes up the pen):\n Go to, I will write it, that love-letter!", "Oh!", "I have writ it and rewrit it\nin my own mind so oft that it lies there ready for pen and ink; and if I lay\nbut my soul by my letter-sheet, 'tis naught to do but to copy from it.", "(He writes.", "Through the glass of the door the silhouettes of their figures\nmove uncertainly and hesitatingly.)" ]

[ "let be!", "(With increasing enthusiasm):\n 'At the envoi's end--'\n\nCYRANO:\n What hour is it now, Ragueneau?", "CYRANO:\n Naught; a slight cut.", "CYRANO:\n None in the world.", "Leave us alone, and disturb us for naught an it were\nnot for crack of doom!", "CYRANO (nervously seating himself at Ragueneau's table, and drawing some paper\ntoward him):\n A pen!.", "(Lise goes up to him quickly.)", "(Throws down the pen):\n Coward!. .", ".But strike me dead if I dare to speak to her,. . .ay, even one\nsingle word!", "here!" ]

[ "the duel in verse!.", "CYRANO:\n None in the world.", ".the duel!", "CYRANO (contemptuously):\n Ah!. .", "CYRANO (with emotion):\n In one hour's time!", "(He paces up and down the shop.)", "(Lise goes up to him quickly.)", "CYRANO:\n Prythee, take them aside when I shall make you sign to do so. . .What's\no'clock?", "CYRANO (turning round):\n Who's that?", "CYRANO:\n Well!" ]

[ "(He straightens himself):\n . . .Oh!", "to write a ballade!", "LISE (to Cyrano, who, as he passes by the counter, has absently shaken hands\nwith her):\n What's wrong with your hand?", "CYRANO:\n Naught; a slight cut.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Have you been in some danger?", "CYRANO:\n None in the world.", "LISE (shaking her finger at him):\n Methinks you speak not the truth in saying that!", "CYRANO:\n Did you see my nose quiver when I spoke?", "'Faith, it must have been a\nmonstrous lie that should move it!", "(Changing his tone):\n I wait some one here.", "Leave us alone, and disturb us for naught an it were\nnot for crack of doom!" ]

[ "Ragueneau, Lise, Cyrano, then the musketeer.", "CYRANO:\n What's o'clock?", "RAGUENEAU (bowing low):\n Six o'clock.", "CYRANO (with emotion):\n In one hour's time!", "(He paces up and down the shop.)", "RAGUENEAU (following him):\n Bravo!", "I saw.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Well, what saw you, then?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Your combat!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Which?", "(To Ragueneau):\n What time is it?", "RAGUENEAU:\n A quarter after six!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (striking his breast):\n Ay--a single word of all those here!", "here!", "But writing, 'tis easier done.", ".\n.\n(He takes up the pen):\n Go to, I will write it, that love-letter!", "Oh!", "I have writ it and rewrit it\nin my own mind so oft that it lies there ready for pen and ink; and if I lay\nbut my soul by my letter-sheet, 'tis naught to do but to copy from it.", "(He writes.", "Through the glass of the door the silhouettes of their figures\nmove uncertainly and hesitatingly.)" ]

[ "Ragueneau, Lise, the musketeer.", "Cyrano at the little table writing.", "The\npoets, dressed in black, their stockings ungartered, and covered with mud.", "LISE (entering, to Ragueneau):\n Here they come, your mud-bespattered friends!", "FIRST POET (entering, to Ragueneau):\n Brother in art!.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET (to Ragueneau, shaking his hands):\n Dear brother!", "THIRD POET:\n High soaring eagle among pastry-cooks!", "(He sniffs):\n Marry!", "it smells good here in your eyrie!", "FOURTH POET:\n 'Tis at Phoebus' own rays that thy roasts turn!", "FIFTH POET:\n Apollo among master-cooks--\n\nRAGUENEAU (whom they surround and embrace):\n Ah!", "how quick a man feels at his ease with them!.", ". .\n\nFIRST POET:\n We were stayed by the mob; they are crowded all round the Porte de Nesle!.", ".\n.\n\nSECOND POET:\n Eight bleeding brigand carcasses strew the pavements there--all slit open\nwith sword-gashes!", "CYRANO (raising his head a minute):\n Eight?. .", ".hold, methought seven.", "(He goes on writing.)", "RAGUENEAU (to Cyrano):\n Know you who might be the hero of the fray?", "CYRANO (carelessly):\n Not I.\n\nLISE (to the musketeer):\n And you?", "Know you?", "THE MUSKETEER (twirling his mustache):\n Maybe!", "CYRANO (writing a little way off:--he is heard murmuring a word from time to\ntime):\n 'I love thee!'", "FIRST POET:\n 'Twas one man, say they all, ay, swear to it, one man who, single-handed,\nput the whole band to the rout!", "SECOND POET:\n 'Twas a strange sight!--pikes and cudgels strewed thick upon the ground.", "CYRANO (writing):\n .", ". .'Thine eyes'.", ". .\n\nTHIRD POET:\n And they were picking up hats all the way to the Quai d'Orfevres!", "FIRST POET:\n Sapristi!", "but he must have been a ferocious.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (same play):\n .", ". .'Thy lips'.", ". .\n\nFIRST POET:\n 'Twas a parlous fearsome giant that was the author of such exploits!", "CYRANO (same play):\n .", ". .'And when I see thee come, I faint for fear.'", "SECOND POET (filching a cake):\n What hast rhymed of late, Ragueneau?", "CYRANO (same play):\n .", ". .'Who worships thee'.", ". .\n(He stops, just as he is about to sign, and gets up, slipping the letter into\nhis doublet):\n No need I sign, since I give it her myself.", "RAGUENEAU (to second poet):\n I have put a recipe into verse.", "THIRD POET (seating himself by a plate of cream-puffs):\n Go to!", "Let us hear these verses!", "FOURTH POET (looking at a cake which he has taken):\n Its cap is all a' one side!", "(He makes one bite of the top.)", "FIRST POET:\n See how this gingerbread woos the famished rhymer with its almond eyes, and\nits eyebrows of angelica!", "(He takes it.)", "SECOND POET:\n We listen.", "THIRD POET (squeezing a cream-puff gently):\n How it laughs!", "Till its very cream runs over!", "SECOND POET (biting a bit off the great lyre of pastry):\n This is the first time in my life that ever I drew any means of nourishing\nme from the lyre!", "RAGUENEAU (who has put himself ready for reciting, cleared his throat, settled\nhis cap, struck an attitude):\n A recipe in verse!.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET (to first, nudging him):\n You are breakfasting?", "FIRST POET (to second):\n And you dining, methinks.", "RAGUENEAU:\n How almond tartlets are made.", "Beat your eggs up, light and quick;\n Froth them thick;\n Mingle with them while you beat\n Juice of lemon, essence fine;\n Then combine\n The burst milk of almonds sweet.", "Circle with a custard paste\n The slim waist\n Of your tartlet-molds; the top\n With a skillful finger print,\n Nick and dint,\n Round their edge, then, drop by drop,\n In its little dainty bed\n Your cream shed:\n In the oven place each mold:\n Reappearing, softly browned,\n The renowned\n Almond tartlets you behold!", "THE POETS (with mouths crammed full):\n Exquisite!", "Delicious!", "A POET (choking):\n Homph!", "(They go up, eating.)", "CYRANO (who has been watching, goes toward Ragueneau):\n Lulled by your voice, did you see how they were stuffing themselves?", "RAGUENEAU (in a low voice, smiling):\n Oh, ay!", "I see well enough, but I never will seem to look, fearing to\ndistress them; thus I gain a double pleasure when I recite to them my poems;\nfor I leave those poor fellows who have not breakfasted free to eat, even\nwhile I gratify my own dearest foible, see you?", "CYRANO (clapping him on the shoulder):\n Friend, I like you right well!.", ". .\n(Ragueneau goes after his friends.", "Cyrano follows him with his eyes, then,\nrather sharply):\n Ho there!", "Lise!", "(Lise, who is talking tenderly to the musketeer, starts, and comes down toward\nCyrano):\n So this fine captain is laying siege to you?", "LISE (offended):\n One haughty glance of my eye can conquer any man that should dare venture\naught 'gainst my virtue.", "CYRANO:\n Pooh!", "Conquering eyes, methinks, are oft conquered eyes.", "LISE (choking with anger):\n But--\n\nCYRANO (incisively):\n I like Ragueneau well, and so--mark me, Dame Lise--I permit not that he be\nrendered a laughing-stock by any.", ". .\n\nLISE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (who has raised his voice so as to be heard by the gallant):\n A word to the wise.", ". .\n\n(He bows to the musketeer, and goes to the doorway to watch, after looking at\nthe clock.)", "LISE (to the musketeer, who has merely bowed in answer to Cyrano's bow):\n How now?", "Is this your courage?. .", ".Why turn you not a jest on his nose?", "THE MUSKETEER:\n On his nose?. .", ".ay, ay. . .his nose.", "(He goes quickly farther away; Lise follows him.)", "CYRANO (from the doorway, signing to Ragueneau to draw the poets away):\n Hist!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (showing them the door on the right):\n We shall be more private there.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (impatiently):\n Hist!", "Hist!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (drawing them farther):\n To read poetry, 'tis better here.", ". .\n\nFIRST POET (despairingly, with his mouth full):\n What!", "leave the cakes?.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET:\n Never!", "Let's take them with us!", "(They all follow Ragueneau in procession, after sweeping all the cakes off the\ntrays.)" ]

[ "Cyrano at the little table writing.", "(He goes on writing.)", "CYRANO (writing a little way off:--he is heard murmuring a word from time to\ntime):\n 'I love thee!'", ". .'Thy lips'.", ". .\n\nFIRST POET:\n 'Twas a parlous fearsome giant that was the author of such exploits!", "SECOND POET (filching a cake):\n What hast rhymed of late, Ragueneau?", "(He takes it.)", "RAGUENEAU:\n How almond tartlets are made.", "Hist!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (drawing them farther):\n To read poetry, 'tis better here." ]

[ "SECOND POET (filching a cake):\n What hast rhymed of late, Ragueneau?", ". .'And when I see thee come, I faint for fear.'", ". .\n\nTHIRD POET:\n And they were picking up hats all the way to the Quai d'Orfevres!", ". .'Who worships thee'.", "RAGUENEAU:\n How almond tartlets are made.", "FIFTH POET:\n Apollo among master-cooks--\n\nRAGUENEAU (whom they surround and embrace):\n Ah!", "THE POETS (with mouths crammed full):\n Exquisite!", "(He goes quickly farther away; Lise follows him.)", "RAGUENEAU (to Cyrano):\n Know you who might be the hero of the fray?", ". .\n(He stops, just as he is about to sign, and gets up, slipping the letter into\nhis doublet):\n No need I sign, since I give it her myself." ]

[ "Let us hear these verses!", "FOURTH POET (looking at a cake which he has taken):\n Its cap is all a' one side!", "(He makes one bite of the top.)", "FIRST POET:\n See how this gingerbread woos the famished rhymer with its almond eyes, and\nits eyebrows of angelica!", "(He takes it.)", "SECOND POET:\n We listen.", "THIRD POET (squeezing a cream-puff gently):\n How it laughs!", "Till its very cream runs over!", "SECOND POET (biting a bit off the great lyre of pastry):\n This is the first time in my life that ever I drew any means of nourishing\nme from the lyre!", "RAGUENEAU (who has put himself ready for reciting, cleared his throat, settled\nhis cap, struck an attitude):\n A recipe in verse!.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET (to first, nudging him):\n You are breakfasting?" ]

[ "Ragueneau, Lise, the musketeer.", "Cyrano at the little table writing.", "The\npoets, dressed in black, their stockings ungartered, and covered with mud.", "LISE (entering, to Ragueneau):\n Here they come, your mud-bespattered friends!", "FIRST POET (entering, to Ragueneau):\n Brother in art!.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET (to Ragueneau, shaking his hands):\n Dear brother!", "THIRD POET:\n High soaring eagle among pastry-cooks!", "(He sniffs):\n Marry!", "it smells good here in your eyrie!", "FOURTH POET:\n 'Tis at Phoebus' own rays that thy roasts turn!", "CYRANO (from the doorway, signing to Ragueneau to draw the poets away):\n Hist!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (showing them the door on the right):\n We shall be more private there.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (impatiently):\n Hist!", "Hist!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (drawing them farther):\n To read poetry, 'tis better here.", ". .\n\nFIRST POET (despairingly, with his mouth full):\n What!", "leave the cakes?.", ". .\n\nSECOND POET:\n Never!", "Let's take them with us!", "(They all follow Ragueneau in procession, after sweeping all the cakes off the\ntrays.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Roxane, the duenna.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!", "if I see but the faint glimmer of hope, then I draw out my letter!", "(Roxane, masked, followed by the duenna, appears at the glass pane of the\ndoor.", "He opens quickly):\n Enter!.", ". .\n(Walking up to the duenna):\n Two words with you, Duenna.", "THE DUENNA:\n Four, Sir, an it like you.", "CYRANO:\n Are you fond of sweet things?", "THE DUENNA:\n Ay, I could eat myself sick on them!", "CYRANO (catching up some of the paper bags from the counter):\n Good.", "See you these two sonnets of Monsieur Beuserade.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Hey?", "CYRANO:\n . . .Which I fill for you with cream cakes!", "THE DUENNA (changing her expression):\n Ha.", "CYRANO:\n What say you to the cake they call a little puff?", "THE DUENNA:\n If made with cream, Sir, I love them passing well.", "CYRANO:\n Here I plunge six for your eating into the bosom of a poem by Saint Amant!", "And in these verses of Chapelain I glide a lighter morsel.", "Stay, love you hot\ncakes?", "THE DUENNA:\n Ay, to the core of my heart!", "CYRANO (filling her arms with the bags):\n Pleasure me then; go eat them all in the street.", "THE DUENNA:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pushing her out):\n And come not back till the very last crumb be eaten!", "(He shuts the door, comes down toward Roxane, and, uncovering, stands at a\nrespectful distance from her.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Roxane, the duenna.", "He opens quickly):\n Enter!.", ". .\n(Walking up to the duenna):\n Two words with you, Duenna.", "CYRANO:\n Are you fond of sweet things?", "THE DUENNA:\n Hey?", "CYRANO:\n . . .Which I fill for you with cream cakes!", "THE DUENNA (changing her expression):\n Ha.", "And in these verses of Chapelain I glide a lighter morsel.", "CYRANO (filling her arms with the bags):\n Pleasure me then; go eat them all in the street.", "THE DUENNA:\n But." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n . . .Which I fill for you with cream cakes!", "THE DUENNA:\n Hey?", "CYRANO:\n What say you to the cake they call a little puff?", "THE DUENNA:\n But.", "Cyrano, Roxane, the duenna.", "See you these two sonnets of Monsieur Beuserade.", "THE DUENNA:\n If made with cream, Sir, I love them passing well.", "He opens quickly):\n Enter!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pushing her out):\n And come not back till the very last crumb be eaten!", "CYRANO (catching up some of the paper bags from the counter):\n Good." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Are you fond of sweet things?", "THE DUENNA:\n Ay, I could eat myself sick on them!", "CYRANO (catching up some of the paper bags from the counter):\n Good.", "See you these two sonnets of Monsieur Beuserade.", ". .", "THE DUENNA:\n Hey?", "CYRANO:\n . . .Which I fill for you with cream cakes!", "THE DUENNA (changing her expression):\n Ha.", "CYRANO:\n What say you to the cake they call a little puff?", "THE DUENNA:\n If made with cream, Sir, I love them passing well.", "CYRANO:\n Here I plunge six for your eating into the bosom of a poem by Saint Amant!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Roxane, the duenna.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!", "if I see but the faint glimmer of hope, then I draw out my letter!", "(Roxane, masked, followed by the duenna, appears at the glass pane of the\ndoor.", "He opens quickly):\n Enter!.", ". .\n(Walking up to the duenna):\n Two words with you, Duenna.", "THE DUENNA:\n Four, Sir, an it like you.", "CYRANO:\n Are you fond of sweet things?", "THE DUENNA:\n Ay, I could eat myself sick on them!", "CYRANO (catching up some of the paper bags from the counter):\n Good.", "CYRANO:\n What say you to the cake they call a little puff?", "THE DUENNA:\n If made with cream, Sir, I love them passing well.", "CYRANO:\n Here I plunge six for your eating into the bosom of a poem by Saint Amant!", "And in these verses of Chapelain I glide a lighter morsel.", "Stay, love you hot\ncakes?", "THE DUENNA:\n Ay, to the core of my heart!", "CYRANO (filling her arms with the bags):\n Pleasure me then; go eat them all in the street.", "THE DUENNA:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pushing her out):\n And come not back till the very last crumb be eaten!", "(He shuts the door, comes down toward Roxane, and, uncovering, stands at a\nrespectful distance from her.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Roxane.", "CYRANO:\n Blessed be the moment when you condescend--\n Remembering that humbly I exist--\n To come to meet me, and to say. . .to tell?.", ". .\n\nROXANE (who has unmasked):\n To thank you first of all.", "That dandy count,\n Whom you checkmated in brave sword-play\n Last night,. . .he is the man whom a great lord,\n Desirous of my favor.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ha, De Guiche?", "ROXANE (casting down her eyes):\n Sought to impose on me. . .for husband.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay!", "Husband!--dupe-husband!. .", ".Husband a la mode!", "(Bowing):\n Then I fought, happy chance!", "sweet lady, not\n For my ill favor--but your favors fair!", "ROXANE:\n Confession next!. .", ".But, ere I make my shrift,\n You must be once again that brother-friend\n With whom I used to play by the lake-side!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, you would come each spring to Bergerac!", "ROXANE:\n Mind you the reeds you cut to make your swords?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n While you wove corn-straw plaits for your dolls' hair!", "ROXANE:\n Those were the days of games!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n And blackberries!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In those days you did everything I bid!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Roxane, in her short frock, was Madeleine.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Was I fair then?", "CYRANO:\n You were not ill to see!", "ROXANE:\n Ofttimes, with hands all bloody from a fall,\n You'd run to me!", "Then--aping mother-ways--\n I, in a voice would-be severe, would chide,--\n(She takes his hand):\n 'What is this scratch, again, that I see here?'", "(She starts, surprised):\n Oh!", "'Tis too much!", "What's this?", "(Cyrano tries to draw away his hand):\n No, let me see!", "At your age, fie!", "Where did you get that scratch?", "CYRANO:\n I got it--playing at the Porte de Nesle.", "ROXANE (seating herself by the table, and dipping her handkerchief in a glass\nof water):\n Give here!", "CYRANO (sitting by her):\n So soft!", "so gay maternal-sweet!", "ROXANE:\n And tell me, while I wipe away the blood,\n How many 'gainst you?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "A hundred--near.", "ROXANE:\n Come, tell me!", "CYRANO:\n No, let be.", "But you, come tell\n The thing, just now, you dared not.", ". .\n\nROXANE (keeping his hand):\n Now, I dare!", "The scent of those old days emboldens me!", "Yes, now I dare.", "Listen.", "I am in love.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But with one who knows not.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Not yet.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But who, if he knows not, soon shall learn.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n A poor youth who all this time has loved\n Timidly, from afar, and dares not speak.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Leave your hand; why, it is fever-hot!--\n But I have seen love trembling on his lips.", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (bandaging his hand with her handkerchief):\n And to think of it!", "that he by chance--\n Yes, cousin, he is of your regiment!", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (laughing):\n --Is cadet in your own company!", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n On his brow he bears the genius-stamp;\n He is proud, noble, young, intrepid, fair.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (rising suddenly, very pale):\n Fair!", "ROXANE:\n Why, what ails you?", "CYRANO:\n Nothing; 'tis.", ". .\n(He shows his hand, smiling):\n This scratch!", "ROXANE:\n I love him; all is said.", "But you must know\n I have only seen him at the Comedy.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n How?", "You have never spoken?", "ROXANE:\n Eyes can speak.", "CYRANO:\n How know you then that he. .", ".?", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "people talk\n 'Neath the limes in the Place Royale.", ". .", "Gossip's chat\n Has let me know.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n He is cadet?", "ROXANE:\n In the Guards.", "CYRANO:\n His name?", "ROXANE:\n Baron Christian de Neuvillette.", "CYRANO:\n How now?. .", ".He is not of the Guards!", "ROXANE:\n To-day\n He is not join your ranks, under Captain\n Carbon de Castel-Jaloux.", "CYRANO:\n Ah, how quick,\n How quick the heart has flown!. .", ".But, my poor child.", ". .", "THE DUENNA (opening the door):\n The cakes are eaten, Monsieur Bergerac!", "CYRANO:\n Then read the verses printed on the bags!", "(She goes out):\n . . .My poor child, you who love but flowing words,\n Bright wit,--what if he be a lout unskilled?", "ROXANE:\n No, his bright locks, like D'Urfe's heroes.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah!", "A well-curled pate, and witless tongue, perchance!", "ROXANE:\n Ah no!", "I guess--I feel--his words are fair!", "CYRANO:\n All words are fair that lurk 'neath fair mustache!", "--Suppose he were a fool!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (stamping her foot):\n Then bury me!", "CYRANO (after a pause):\n Was it to tell me this you brought me here?", "I fail to see what use this serves, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n Nay, but I felt a terror, here, in the heart,\n On learning yesterday you were Gascons\n All of your company.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n And we provoke\n All beardless sprigs that favor dares admit\n 'Midst us pure Gascons--(pure!", "Heaven save the mark!", "They told you that as well?", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "Think how I\n Trembled for him!", "CYRANO (between his teeth):\n Not causelessly!", "ROXANE:\n But when\n Last night I saw you,--brave, invincible,--\n Punish that dandy, fearless hold your own\n Against those brutes, I thought--I thought, if he\n Whom all fear, all--if he would only.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Good.", "I will befriend your little Baron.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "You'll promise me you will do this for me?", "I've always held you as a tender friend.", "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay.", "ROXANE:\n Then you will be his friend?", "CYRANO:\n I swear!", "ROXANE:\n And he shall fight no duels, promise!", "CYRANO:\n None.", "ROXANE:\n You are kind, cousin!", "Now I must be gone.", "(She puts on her mask and veil quickly; then, absently):\n You have not told me of your last night's fray.", "Ah, but it must have been a hero-fight!.", ". .\n --Bid him to write.", "(She sends him a kiss with her fingers):\n How good you are!", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "Ay!", "ROXANE:\n A hundred men against you?", "Now, farewell.--\n We are great friends?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", "ROXANE:\n Oh, bid him write!", "You'll tell me all one day--A hundred men!--\n Ah, brave!. .", ".How brave!", "CYRANO (bowing to her):\n I have fought better since.", "(She goes out.", "Cyrano stands motionless, with eyes on the ground.", "A silence.", "The door (right) opens.", "Ragueneau looks in.)" ]

[ "That dandy count,\n Whom you checkmated in brave sword-play\n Last night,. . .he is the man whom a great lord,\n Desirous of my favor.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ha, De Guiche?", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay!", "so gay maternal-sweet!", "ROXANE:\n And tell me, while I wipe away the blood,\n How many 'gainst you?", "CYRANO:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n He is cadet?", "ROXANE:\n You are kind, cousin!", "Ay!", "CYRANO (bowing to her):\n I have fought better since." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n And we provoke\n All beardless sprigs that favor dares admit\n 'Midst us pure Gascons--(pure!", ".How brave!", "CYRANO:\n No, let be.", "Ah, but it must have been a hero-fight!.", "so gay maternal-sweet!", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Leave your hand; why, it is fever-hot!--\n But I have seen love trembling on his lips.", "ROXANE:\n Ofttimes, with hands all bloody from a fall,\n You'd run to me!", "ROXANE:\n No, his bright locks, like D'Urfe's heroes.", "ROXANE:\n Then you will be his friend?" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Nothing; 'tis.", ". .\n(He shows his hand, smiling):\n This scratch!", "ROXANE:\n I love him; all is said.", "But you must know\n I have only seen him at the Comedy.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n How?", "You have never spoken?", "ROXANE:\n Eyes can speak.", "CYRANO:\n How know you then that he. .", ".?", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "people talk\n 'Neath the limes in the Place Royale." ]

[ "Cyrano, Roxane.", "CYRANO:\n Blessed be the moment when you condescend--\n Remembering that humbly I exist--\n To come to meet me, and to say. . .to tell?.", ". .\n\nROXANE (who has unmasked):\n To thank you first of all.", "That dandy count,\n Whom you checkmated in brave sword-play\n Last night,. . .he is the man whom a great lord,\n Desirous of my favor.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ha, De Guiche?", "ROXANE (casting down her eyes):\n Sought to impose on me. . .for husband.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay!", "Husband!--dupe-husband!. .", ".Husband a la mode!", "(Bowing):\n Then I fought, happy chance!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", "ROXANE:\n Oh, bid him write!", "You'll tell me all one day--A hundred men!--\n Ah, brave!. .", ".How brave!", "CYRANO (bowing to her):\n I have fought better since.", "(She goes out.", "Cyrano stands motionless, with eyes on the ground.", "A silence.", "The door (right) opens.", "Ragueneau looks in.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Ragueneau, poets, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, a crowd, then\nDe Guiche.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Can we come in?", "CYRANO (without stirring):\n Yes.", ". .\n\n(Ragueneau signs to his friends, and they come in.", "At the same time, by door\nat back, enters Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, in Captain's uniform.", "He makes\ngestures of surprise on seeing Cyrano.)", "CARBON:\n Here he is!", "CYRANO (raising his head):\n Captain!.", ". .", "CARBON (delightedly):\n Our hero!", "We heard all!", "Thirty or more\n Of my cadets are there!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (shrinking back):\n But.", ". .", "CARBON (trying to draw him away):\n Come with me!", "They will not rest until they see you!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CARBON:\n They're drinking opposite, at The Bear's Head.", "CYRANO:\n I. . .", "CARBON (going to the door and calling across the street in a voice of\nthunder):\n He won't come!", "The hero's in the sulks!", "A VOICE (outside):\n Ah!", "Sandious!", "(Tumult outside.", "Noise of boots and swords is heard approaching.)", "CARBON (rubbing his hands):\n They are running 'cross the street!", "CADETS (entering):\n Mille dious!", "Capdedious!", "Pocapdedious!", "RAGUENEAU (drawing back startled):\n Gentlemen, are you all from Gascony?", "THE CADETS:\n All!", "A CADET (to Cyrano):\n Bravo!", "CYRANO:\n Baron!", "ANOTHER (shaking his hands):\n Vivat!", "CYRANO:\n Baron!", "THIRD CADET:\n Come!", "I must embrace you!", "CYRANO:\n Baron!", "SEVERAL GASCONS:\n We'll embrace\n Him, all in turn!", "CYRANO (not knowing whom to reply to):\n Baron!. .", ".Baron!. .", ".I beg.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Are you all Barons, Sirs?", "THE CADETS:\n Ay, every one!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Is it true?.", ". .\n\nFIRST CADET:\n Ay--why, you could build a tower\n With nothing but our coronets, my friend!", "LE BRET (entering, and running up to Cyrano):\n They're looking for you!", "Here's a crazy mob\n Led by the men who followed you last night.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (alarmed):\n What!", "Have you told them where to find me?", "LE BRET (rubbing his hands):\n Yes!", "A BURGHER (entering, followed by a group of men):\n Sir, all the Marais is a-coming here!", "(Outside the street has filled with people.", "Chaises a porteurs and carriages\nhave drawn up.)", "LE BRET (in a low voice, smiling, to Cyrano):\n And Roxane?", "CYRANO (quickly):\n Hush!", "THE CROWD (calling outside):\n Cyrano!.", ". .\n\n(A crowd rush into the shop, pushing one another.", "Acclamations.)", "RAGUENEAU (standing on a table):\n Lo!", "my shop\n Invaded!", "They break all!", "Magnificent!", "PEOPLE (crowding round Cyrano):\n My friend!. .", ".my friend.", ". .\n\nCyrano:\n Meseems that yesterday\n I had not all these friends!", "LE BRET (delighted):\n Success!", "A YOUNG MARQUIS (hurrying up with his hands held out):\n My friend,\n Didst thou but know.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Thou!. .", ".Marry!. .", ".thou!. .", ".Pray when\n Did we herd swine together, you and I!", "ANOTHER:\n I would present you, Sir, to some fair dames\n Who in my carriage yonder.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (coldly):\n Ah!", "and who\n Will first present you, Sir, to me?", "LE BRET (astonished):\n What's wrong?", "CYRANO:\n Hush!", "A MAN OF LETTERS (with writing-board):\n A few details?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No.", "LE BRET (nudging his elbow):\n 'Tis Theophrast,\n Renaudet,. . .of the 'Court Gazette'!", "CYRANO:\n Who cares?", "LE BRET:\n This paper--but it is of great importance!.", ". .", "They say it will be an immense success!", "A POET (advancing):\n Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n What, another!", "THE POET:\n . . .Pray permit I make\n A pentacrostic on your name.", ". .", "SOME ONE (also advancing):\n Pray, Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Enough!", "Enough!", "(A movement in the crowd.", "De Guiche appears, escorted by officers.", "Cuigy,\nBrissaille, the officers who went with Cyrano the night before.", "Cuigy comes\nrapidly up to Cyrano.)", "CUIGY (to Cyrano):\n Here is Monsieur de Guiche?", "(A murmur--every one makes way):\n He comes from the Marshal of Gassion!", "DE GUICHE (bowing to Cyrano):\n . . .Who would express his admiration, Sir,\n For your new exploit noised so loud abroad.", "THE CROWD:\n Bravo!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n The Marshal is a judge of valor.", "DE GUICHE:\n He could not have believed the thing, unless\n These gentlemen had sworn they witnessed it.", "CUIGY:\n With our own eyes!", "LE BRET (aside to Cyrano, who has an absent air):\n But. . .you.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n But. . .You suffer?", "CYRANO (starting):\n Before this rabble?--I?.", ". .\n(He draws himself up, twirls his mustache, and throws back his shoulders):\n Wait!. .", ".You shall see!", "DE GUICHE (to whom Cuigy has spoken in a low voice):\n In feats of arms, already your career\n Abounded.--You serve with those crazy pates\n Of Gascons?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, with the Cadets.", "A CADET (in a terrible voice):\n With us!", "DE GUICHE (looking at the cadets, ranged behind Cyrano):\n Ah!. .", ".All these gentlemen of haughty mien,\n Are they the famous?.", ". .", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, Captain!", "CARBON:\n Since all my company's assembled here,\n Pray favor me,--present them to my lord!", "CYRANO (making two steps toward De Guiche):\n My Lord de Guiche, permit that I present--\n(pointing to the cadets):\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!", "Brawling and swaggering boastfully,\n The bold Cadets of Gascony!", "Spouting of Armory, Heraldry,\n Their veins a-brimming with blood so blue,\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux:\n\n Eagle-eye, and spindle-shanks,\n Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!", "Slash-the-rabble and scatter-their-ranks;\n Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,\n With a flaming feather that gayly pranks,\n Hiding the holes in their hats, forsooth!", "Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,\n Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!", "'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk'\n Are their gentlest sobriquets;\n With Fame and Glory their soul is drunk!", "'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk,'\n In brawl and skirmish they show their spunk,\n Give rendezvous in broil and fray;\n 'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk'\n Are their gentlest sobriquets!", "What, ho!", "Cadets of Gascony!", "All jealous lovers are sport for you!", "O Woman!", "dear divinity!", "What, ho!", "Cadets of Gascony!", "Whom scowling husbands quake to see.", "Blow, 'taratara,' and cry 'Cuckoo.'", "What, ho!", "Cadets of Gascony!", "Husbands and lovers are game for you!", "DE GUICHE (seated with haughty carelessness in an armchair brought quickly by\nRagueneau):\n A poet!", "'Tis the fashion of the hour!", "--Will you be mine?", "CYRANO:\n No, Sir,--no man's!", "DE GUICHE:\n Last night\n Your fancy pleased my uncle Richelieu.", "I'll gladly say a word to him for you.", "LE BRET (overjoyed):\n Great Heavens!", "DE GUICHE:\n I imagine you have rhymed\n Five acts, or so?", "LE BRET (in Cyrano's ear):\n Your play!--your 'Agrippine!'", "You'll see it staged at last!", "DE GUICHE:\n Take them to him.", "CYRANO (beginning to be tempted and attracted):\n In sooth,--I would.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n He is a critic skilled:\n He may correct a line or two, at most.", "CYRANO (whose face stiffens at once):\n Impossible!", "My blood congeals to think\n That other hand should change a comma's dot.", "DE GUICHE:\n But when a verse approves itself to him\n He pays it dear, good friend.", "CYRANO:\n He pays less dear\n Than I myself; when a verse pleases me\n I pay myself, and sing it to myself!", "DE GUICHE:\n You are proud.", "CYRANO:\n Really?", "You have noticed that?", "A CADET (entering, with a string of old battered plumed beaver hats, full of\nholes, slung on his sword):\n See, Cyrano,--this morning, on the quay\n What strange bright-feathered game we caught!", "The hats\n O' the fugitives.", ". .", "CARBON:\n 'Spolia opima!'", "ALL (laughing):\n Ah!", "ah!", "ah!", "CUIGY:\n He who laid that ambush, 'faith!", "Must curse and swear!", "BRISSAILLE:\n Who was it?", "DE GUICHE:\n I myself.", "(The laughter stops):\n I charged them--work too dirty for my sword,\n To punish and chastise a rhymster sot.", "(Constrained silence.)", "The CADET (in a low voice, to Cyrano, showing him the beavers):\n What do with them?", "They're full of grease!--a stew?", "CYRANO (taking the sword and, with a salute, dropping the hats at De Guiche's\nfeet):\n Sir, pray be good enough to render them\n Back to your friends.", "DE GUICHE (rising, sharply):\n My chair there--quick!--I go!", "(To Cyrano passionately):\n As to you, sirrah!.", ". .\n\nVOICE (in the street):\n Porters for my lord De Guiche!", "DE GUICHE (who has controlled himself--smiling):\n Have you read 'Don Quixote'?", "CYRANO:\n I have!", "And doff my hat at th' mad knight-errant's name.", "DE GUICHE:\n I counsel you to study.", ". .\n\nA PORTER (appearing at back):\n My lord's chair!", "DE GUICHE:\n . . .The windmill chapter!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Chapter the Thirteenth.", "DE GUICHE:\n For when one tilts 'gainst windmills--it may chance.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Tilt I 'gainst those who change with every breeze?", "DE GUICHE:\n . . .That windmill sails may sweep you with their arm\n Down--in the mire!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Or upward--to the stars!", "(De Guiche goes out, and mounts into his chair.", "The other lords go away\nwhispering together.", "Le Bret goes to the door with them.", "The crowd\ndisperses.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Ragueneau, poets, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, a crowd, then\nDe Guiche.", "CARBON:\n They're drinking opposite, at The Bear's Head.", "The hero's in the sulks!", "Here's a crazy mob\n Led by the men who followed you last night.", "my shop\n Invaded!", "A POET (advancing):\n Sir.", "You'll see it staged at last!", "CYRANO:\n Really?", "ah!", ". .\n\nA PORTER (appearing at back):\n My lord's chair!" ]

[ "Cuigy,\nBrissaille, the officers who went with Cyrano the night before.", "'Tis the fashion of the hour!", "The other lords go away\nwhispering together.", "Cadets of Gascony!", "'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk'\n Are their gentlest sobriquets;\n With Fame and Glory their soul is drunk!", "(Tumult outside.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (alarmed):\n What!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "DE GUICHE:\n Last night\n Your fancy pleased my uncle Richelieu.", ".I beg." ]

[ "Enough!", "(A movement in the crowd.", "De Guiche appears, escorted by officers.", "Cuigy,\nBrissaille, the officers who went with Cyrano the night before.", "Cuigy comes\nrapidly up to Cyrano.)", "CUIGY (to Cyrano):\n Here is Monsieur de Guiche?", "(A murmur--every one makes way):\n He comes from the Marshal of Gassion!", "DE GUICHE (bowing to Cyrano):\n . . .Who would express his admiration, Sir,\n For your new exploit noised so loud abroad.", "THE CROWD:\n Bravo!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n The Marshal is a judge of valor.", "DE GUICHE:\n He could not have believed the thing, unless\n These gentlemen had sworn they witnessed it." ]

[ "Cyrano, Ragueneau, poets, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, a crowd, then\nDe Guiche.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Can we come in?", "CYRANO (without stirring):\n Yes.", ". .\n\n(Ragueneau signs to his friends, and they come in.", "At the same time, by door\nat back, enters Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, in Captain's uniform.", "He makes\ngestures of surprise on seeing Cyrano.)", "CARBON:\n Here he is!", "CYRANO (raising his head):\n Captain!.", ". .", "CARBON (delightedly):\n Our hero!", "DE GUICHE:\n . . .The windmill chapter!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Chapter the Thirteenth.", "DE GUICHE:\n For when one tilts 'gainst windmills--it may chance.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Tilt I 'gainst those who change with every breeze?", "DE GUICHE:\n . . .That windmill sails may sweep you with their arm\n Down--in the mire!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Or upward--to the stars!", "(De Guiche goes out, and mounts into his chair.", "The other lords go away\nwhispering together.", "Le Bret goes to the door with them.", "The crowd\ndisperses.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right\nand left.", "CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):\n Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen.", ". .", "LE BRET (coming back, despairingly):\n Here's a fine coil!", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "scold away!", "LE BRET:\n At least, you will agree\n That to annihilate each chance of Fate\n Exaggerates.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Yes!--I exaggerate!", "LE BRET (triumphantly):\n Ah!", "CYRANO:\n But for principle--example too,--\n I think 'tis well thus to exaggerate.", "LE BRET:\n Oh!", "lay aside that pride of musketeer,\n Fortune and glory wait you!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, and then?.", ". .\n Seek a protector, choose a patron out,\n And like the crawling ivy round a tree\n That licks the bark to gain the trunk's support,\n Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force?", "No, grammercy!", "What!", "I, like all the rest\n Dedicate verse to bankers?--play buffoon\n In cringing hope to see, at last, a smile\n Not disapproving, on a patron's lips?", "Grammercy, no!", "What!", "learn to swallow toads?", "--With frame aweary climbing stairs?--a skin\n Grown grimed and horny,--here, about the knees?", "And, acrobat-like, teach my back to bend?--\n No, grammercy!", "Or,--double-faced and sly--\n Run with the hare, while hunting with the hounds;\n And, oily-tongued, to win the oil of praise,\n Flatter the great man to his very nose?", "No, grammercy!", "Steal soft from lap to lap,\n --A little great man in a circle small,\n Or navigate, with madrigals for sails,\n Blown gently windward by old ladies' sighs?", "No, grammercy!", "Bribe kindly editors\n To spread abroad my verses?", "Grammercy!", "Or try to be elected as the pope\n Of tavern-councils held by imbeciles?", "No, grammercy!", "Toil to gain reputation\n By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?", "No, grammercy!", "Or flatter sorry bunglers?", "Be terrorized by every prating paper?", "Say ceaselessly, 'Oh, had I but the chance\n Of a fair notice in the \"Mercury\"!'", "Grammercy, no!", "Grow pale, fear, calculate?", "Prefer to make a visit to a rhyme?", "Seek introductions, draw petitions up?", "No, grammercy!", "and no!", "and no again!", "But--sing?", "Dream, laugh, go lightly, solitary, free,\n With eyes that look straight forward--fearless voice!", "To cock your beaver just the way you choose,--\n For 'yes' or 'no' show fight, or turn a rhyme!", "--To work without one thought of gain or fame,\n To realize that journey to the moon!", "Never to pen a line that has not sprung\n Straight from the heart within.", "Embracing then\n Modesty, say to oneself, 'Good my friend,\n Be thou content with flowers,--fruit,--nay, leaves,\n But pluck them from no garden but thine own!'", "And then, if glory come by chance your way,\n To pay no tribute unto Caesar, none,\n But keep the merit all your own!", "In short,\n Disdaining tendrils of the parasite,\n To be content, if neither oak nor elm--\n Not to mount high, perchance, but mount alone!", "LE BRET:\n Alone, an if you will!", "But not with hand\n 'Gainst every man!", "How in the devil's name\n Have you conceived this lunatic idea,\n To make foes for yourself at every turn?", "CYRANO:\n By dint of seeing you at every turn\n Make friends,--and fawn upon your frequent friends\n With mouth wide smiling, slit from ear to ear!", "I pass, still unsaluted, joyfully,\n And cry,--What, ho!", "another enemy?", "LE BRET:\n Lunacy!", "CYRANO:\n Well, what if it be my vice,\n My pleasure to displease--to love men hate me!", "Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better\n 'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!", "How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,\n From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!", "--The enervating friendship which enfolds you\n Is like an open-laced Italian collar,\n Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;\n One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!", "The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,\n Bends here, there, everywhere.", "But I, embracing\n Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,\n The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;\n Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,\n Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;\n For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,\n Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!", "LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):\n Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear\n Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!", "CYRANO (vehemently):\n Hush!", "(Christian has just entered, and mingled with the cadets, who do not speak to\nhim; he has seated himself at a table, where Lise serves him.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):\n Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen.", "Or,--double-faced and sly--\n Run with the hare, while hunting with the hounds;\n And, oily-tongued, to win the oil of praise,\n Flatter the great man to his very nose?", "Bribe kindly editors\n To spread abroad my verses?", "No, grammercy!", "Be terrorized by every prating paper?", "Grammercy, no!", "Grow pale, fear, calculate?", "How in the devil's name\n Have you conceived this lunatic idea,\n To make foes for yourself at every turn?", "CYRANO:\n By dint of seeing you at every turn\n Make friends,--and fawn upon your frequent friends\n With mouth wide smiling, slit from ear to ear!", "I pass, still unsaluted, joyfully,\n And cry,--What, ho!" ]

[ "No, grammercy!", "Grammercy, no!", "learn to swallow toads?", ". .\n Seek a protector, choose a patron out,\n And like the crawling ivy round a tree\n That licks the bark to gain the trunk's support,\n Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force?", "Never to pen a line that has not sprung\n Straight from the heart within.", "And then, if glory come by chance your way,\n To pay no tribute unto Caesar, none,\n But keep the merit all your own!", "LE BRET:\n Oh!", "No, grammercy!", "Grammercy!", "No, grammercy!" ]

[ "Or try to be elected as the pope\n Of tavern-councils held by imbeciles?", "No, grammercy!", "Toil to gain reputation\n By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?", "No, grammercy!", "Or flatter sorry bunglers?", "Be terrorized by every prating paper?", "Say ceaselessly, 'Oh, had I but the chance\n Of a fair notice in the \"Mercury\"!'", "Grammercy, no!", "Grow pale, fear, calculate?", "Prefer to make a visit to a rhyme?", "Seek introductions, draw petitions up?" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right\nand left.", "CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):\n Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen.", ". .", "LE BRET (coming back, despairingly):\n Here's a fine coil!", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "scold away!", "LE BRET:\n At least, you will agree\n That to annihilate each chance of Fate\n Exaggerates.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Yes!--I exaggerate!", "LE BRET (triumphantly):\n Ah!", "CYRANO:\n But for principle--example too,--\n I think 'tis well thus to exaggerate.", "LE BRET:\n Lunacy!", "CYRANO:\n Well, what if it be my vice,\n My pleasure to displease--to love men hate me!", "Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better\n 'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!", "How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,\n From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!", "--The enervating friendship which enfolds you\n Is like an open-laced Italian collar,\n Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;\n One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!", "The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,\n Bends here, there, everywhere.", "But I, embracing\n Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,\n The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;\n Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,\n Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;\n For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,\n Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!", "LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):\n Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear\n Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!", "CYRANO (vehemently):\n Hush!", "(Christian has just entered, and mingled with the cadets, who do not speak to\nhim; he has seated himself at a table, where Lise serves him.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.", "A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):\n Cyrano!", "(Cyrano turns round):\n The story!", "CYRANO:\n In its time!", "(He goes up on Le Bret's arm.", "They talk in low voices.)", "THE CADET (rising and coming down):\n The story of the fray!", "'Twill lesson well\n(He stops before the table where Christian is seated):\n This timid young apprentice!", "CHRISTIAN (raising his head):\n 'Prentice!", "Who?", "ANOTHER CADET:\n This sickly Northern greenhorn!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sickly!", "FIRST CADET (mockingly):\n Hark!", "Monsieur de Neuvillette, this in your ear:\n There's somewhat here, one no more dares to name,\n Than to say 'rope' to one whose sire was hanged!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What may that be?", "ANOTHER CADET (in a terrible voice):\n See here!", "(He puts his finger three times, mysteriously, on his nose):\n Do you understand?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "'tis the.", ". .\n\nANOTHER:\n Hush!", "oh, never breathe that word,\n Unless you'd reckon with him yonder!", "(He points to Cyrano, who is talking with Le Bret.)", "ANOTHER (who has meanwhile come up noiselessly to sit on the table--whispering\nbehind him):\n Hark!", "He put two snuffling men to death, in rage,\n For the sole reason they spoke through their nose!", "ANOTHER (in a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under the table, where\nhe had crept):\n And if you would not perish in flower o' youth,\n --Oh, mention not the fatal cartilage!", "ANOTHER (clapping him on the shoulder):\n A word?", "A gesture!", "For the indiscreet\n His handkerchief may prove his winding-sheet!", "(Silence.", "All, with crossed arms, look at Christian.", "He rises and goes over\nto Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is talking to an officer, and feigns to see\nnothing.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Captain!", "CARBON (turning and looking at him from head to foot):\n Sir!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray, what skills it best to do\n To Southerners who swagger?.", ". .", "CARBON:\n Give them proof\n That one may be a Northerner, yet brave!", "(He turns his back on him.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n I thank you.", "FIRST CADET (to Cyrano):\n Now the tale!", "ALL:\n The tale!", "CYRANO (coming toward them):\n The tale?.", ". .\n(All bring their stools up, and group round him, listening eagerly.", "Christian\nis astride a chair):\n Well!", "I went all alone to meet the band.", "The moon was shining, clock-like, full i' th' sky,\n When, suddenly, some careful clockwright passed\n A cloud of cotton-wool across the case\n That held this silver watch.", "And, presto!", "heigh!", "The night was inky black, and all the quays\n Were hidden in the murky dark.", "Gadsooks!", "One could see nothing further.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Than one's nose!", "(Silence.", "All slowly rise, looking in terror at Cyrano, who has stopped--\ndumfounded.", "Pause.)", "CYRANO:\n Who on God's earth is that?", "A CADET (whispering):\n It is a man\n Who joined to-day.", "CYRANO (making a step toward Christian):\n To-day?", "CARBON (in a low voice):\n Yes. . .his name is\n The Baron de Neuvil.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (checking himself):\n Good!", "It is well.", ". .\n(He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian):\n I. . .\n(He controls himself):\n What said I?.", ". .\n(With a burst of rage):\n MORDIOUS!.", ". .\n(Then continues calmly):\n That it was dark.", "(Astonishment.", "The cadets reseat themselves, staring at him):\n On I went, thinking, 'For a knavish cause\n I may provoke some great man, some great prince,\n Who certainly could break'.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n My nose!.", ". .\n\n(Every one starts up.", "Christian balances on his chair.)", "CYRANO (in a choked voice):\n .", ". .'My teeth!", "Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like,\n Was poking.", ". .'\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n My nose!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'My finger,. . .in the crack\n Between the tree and bark!", "He may prove strong\n And rap me.", ". .'\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Over the nose.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (wiping his forehead):\n .", ". .'O' th' knuckles!", "Ay,'\n But I cried, 'Forward, Gascon!", "Duty calls!", "On, Cyrano!'", "And thus I ventured on.", ". .", "When, from the shadow, came.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A crack o' th' nose.", "CYRANO:\n I parry it--find myself.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Nose to nose.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (bounding on to him):\n Heaven and earth!", "(All the Gascons leap up to see, but when he is close to Christian he controls\nhimself and continues):\n . . .With a hundred brawling sots,\n Who stank.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A noseful.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (white, but smiling):\n Onions, brandy-cups!", "I leapt out, head well down.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Nosing the wind!", "CYRANO:\n I charge!--gore two, impale one--run him through,\n One aims at me--Paf!", "and I parry.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Pif!", "CYRANO (bursting out):\n Great God!", "Out!", "all of you!", "(The cadets rush to the doors.)", "FIRST CADET:\n The tiger wakes!", "CYRANO:\n Every man, out!", "Leave me alone with him!", "SECOND CADET:\n We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash\n In a big pasty!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I am turning pale,\n And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!", "CARBON:\n Let us be gone.", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!", "ANOTHER:\n I die of fright to think what will pass here!", "ANOTHER (shutting door right):\n Something too horrible!", "(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase.", "Cyrano and\nChristian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Sickly!", "CARBON:\n Give them proof\n That one may be a Northerner, yet brave!", "And, presto!", "Gadsooks!", "Christian balances on his chair.)", "Ay,'\n But I cried, 'Forward, Gascon!", "And thus I ventured on.", "CYRANO:\n I parry it--find myself.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (bounding on to him):\n Heaven and earth!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Pif!" ]

[ "I went all alone to meet the band.", "He rises and goes over\nto Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is talking to an officer, and feigns to see\nnothing.)", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Nose to nose.", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!", "heigh!", "When, from the shadow, came.", "CYRANO:\n I charge!--gore two, impale one--run him through,\n One aims at me--Paf!", "(He points to Cyrano, who is talking with Le Bret.)", "Gadsooks!", "FIRST CADET:\n The tiger wakes!" ]

[ ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Than one's nose!", "(Silence.", "All slowly rise, looking in terror at Cyrano, who has stopped--\ndumfounded.", "Pause.)", "CYRANO:\n Who on God's earth is that?", "A CADET (whispering):\n It is a man\n Who joined to-day.", "CYRANO (making a step toward Christian):\n To-day?", "CARBON (in a low voice):\n Yes. . .his name is\n The Baron de Neuvil.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (checking himself):\n Good!", "It is well.", ". .\n(He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian):\n I. . .\n(He controls himself):\n What said I?." ]

[ "Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.", "A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):\n Cyrano!", "(Cyrano turns round):\n The story!", "CYRANO:\n In its time!", "(He goes up on Le Bret's arm.", "They talk in low voices.)", "THE CADET (rising and coming down):\n The story of the fray!", "'Twill lesson well\n(He stops before the table where Christian is seated):\n This timid young apprentice!", "CHRISTIAN (raising his head):\n 'Prentice!", "Who?", "CYRANO:\n Every man, out!", "Leave me alone with him!", "SECOND CADET:\n We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash\n In a big pasty!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I am turning pale,\n And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!", "CARBON:\n Let us be gone.", "ANOTHER:\n He will not leave a crumb!", "ANOTHER:\n I die of fright to think what will pass here!", "ANOTHER (shutting door right):\n Something too horrible!", "(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase.", "Cyrano and\nChristian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n Embrace me now!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n You are brave.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "but.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, I insist.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray tell me.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come, embrace!", "I am her brother.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Whose brother?", "CYRANO:\n Hers i' faith!", "Roxane's!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing up to him):\n O heavens!", "Her brother. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Cousin--brother!. .", ".the same thing!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And she has told you. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n All!", "CHRISTIAN:\n She loves me?", "say!", "CYRANO:\n Maybe!", "CHRISTIAN (taking his hands):\n How glad I am to meet you, Sir!", "CYRANO:\n That may be called a sudden sentiment!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I ask your pardon.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (looking at him, with his hand on his shoulder):\n True, he's fair, the villain!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Sir!", "If you but knew my admiration!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n But all those noses?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I take them back!", "CYRANO:\n Roxane expects a letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Woe the day!", "CYRANO:\n How?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am lost if I but ope my lips!", "CYRANO:\n Why so?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am a fool--could die for shame!", "CYRANO:\n None is a fool who knows himself a fool.", "And you did not attack me like a fool.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Bah!", "One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault!", "I have a certain military wit,\n But, before women, can but hold my tongue.", "Their eyes!", "True, when I pass, their eyes are kind.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n And, when you stay, their hearts, methinks, are kinder?", "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "for I am one of those men--tongue-tied,\n I know it--who can never tell their love.", "CYRANO:\n And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind,\n More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been\n One of those men who well could speak their love!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, to express one's thoughts with facile grace!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .To be a musketeer, with handsome face!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "I'm sure to prove\n A disappointment to her!", "CYRANO (looking at him):\n Had I but\n Such an interpreter to speak my soul!", "CHRISTIAN (with despair):\n Eloquence!", "Where to find it?", "CYRANO (abruptly):\n That I lend,\n If you lend me your handsome victor-charms;\n Blended, we make a hero of romance!", "CHRISTIAN:\n How so?", "CYRANO:\n Think you you can repeat what things\n I daily teach your tongue?", "CHRISTIAN:\n What do you mean?", "CYRANO:\n Roxane shall never have a disillusion!", "Say, wilt thou that we woo her, double-handed?", "Wilt thou that we two woo her, both together?", "Feel'st thou, passing from my leather doublet,\n Through thy laced doublet, all my soul inspiring?", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Cyrano!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Will you, I say?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I fear!", "CYRANO:\n Since, by yourself, you fear to chill her heart,\n Will you--to kindle all her heart to flame--\n Wed into one my phrases and your lips?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your eyes flash!", "CYRANO:\n Will you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Will it please you so?", "--Give you such pleasure?", "CYRANO (madly):\n It!.", ". .\n(Then calmly, business-like):\n It would amuse me!", "It is an enterprise to tempt a poet.", "Will you complete me, and let me complete you?", "You march victorious,--I go in your shadow;\n Let me be wit for you, be you my beauty!", "CHRISTIAN:\n The letter, that she waits for even now!", "I never can.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (taking out the letter he had written):\n See!", "Here it is--your letter!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Take it!", "Look, it wants but the address.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n Fear nothing.", "Send it.", "It will suit.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But have you. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "We have our pockets full,\n We poets, of love-letters, writ to Chloes,\n Daphnes--creations of our noddle-heads.", "Our lady-loves,--phantasms of our brains,\n --Dream-fancies blown into soap-bubbles!", "Come!", "Take it, and change feigned love-words into true;\n I breathed my sighs and moans haphazard-wise;\n Call all these wandering love-birds home to nest.", "You'll see that I was in these lettered lines,\n --Eloquent all the more, the less sincere!", "--Take it, and make an end!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Were it not well\n To change some words?", "Written haphazard-wise,\n Will it fit Roxane?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twill fit like a glove!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah, credulity of love!", "Roxane\n Will think each word inspired by herself!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My friend!", "(He throws himself into Cyrano's arms.", "They remain thus.)" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come, embrace!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And she has told you. .", "CYRANO:\n All!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I ask your pardon.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Sir!", "Where to find it?", "It is an enterprise to tempt a poet.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Were it not well\n To change some words?", "CHRISTIAN:\n But." ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "Where to find it?", "Her brother. .", "I take them back!", ".?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "CYRANO:\n Take it!", "Come!", "One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault!", "Send it." ]

[ "for I am one of those men--tongue-tied,\n I know it--who can never tell their love.", "CYRANO:\n And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind,\n More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been\n One of those men who well could speak their love!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, to express one's thoughts with facile grace!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .To be a musketeer, with handsome face!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane is precieuse.", "I'm sure to prove\n A disappointment to her!", "CYRANO (looking at him):\n Had I but\n Such an interpreter to speak my soul!", "CHRISTIAN (with despair):\n Eloquence!", "Where to find it?", "CYRANO (abruptly):\n That I lend,\n If you lend me your handsome victor-charms;\n Blended, we make a hero of romance!", "CHRISTIAN:\n How so?" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n Embrace me now!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n You are brave.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "but.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, I insist.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray tell me.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Come, embrace!", "I am her brother.", "--Take it, and make an end!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Were it not well\n To change some words?", "Written haphazard-wise,\n Will it fit Roxane?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twill fit like a glove!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ah, credulity of love!", "Roxane\n Will think each word inspired by herself!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My friend!", "(He throws himself into Cyrano's arms.", "They remain thus.)" ]

[ "Ragueneau, the duenna.", "Then Roxane, Cyrano, and two pages.", "RAGUENEAU:\n --And then, off she went, with a musketeer!", "Deserted and ruined too, I\nwould make an end of all, and so hanged myself.", "My last breath was drawn:--\nthen in comes Monsieur de Bergerac!", "He cuts me down, and begs his cousin to\ntake me for her steward.", "THE DUENNA:\n Well, but how came it about that you were thus ruined?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "Lise loved the warriors, and I loved the poets!", "What cakes there were\nthat Apollo chanced to leave were quickly snapped up by Mars.", "Thus ruin was\nnot long a-coming.", "THE DUENNA (rising, and calling up to the open window):\n Roxane, are you ready?", "They wait for us!", "ROXANE'S VOICE (from the window):\n I will but put me on a cloak!", "THE DUENNA (to Ragueneau, showing him the door opposite):\n They wait us there opposite, at Clomire's house.", "She receives them all\nthere to-day--the precieuses, the poets; they read a discourse on the Tender\nPassion.", "RAGUENEAU:\n The Tender Passion?", "THE DUENNA (in a mincing voice):\n Ay, indeed!", "(Calling up to the window):\n Roxane, an you come not down quickly, we shall miss the discourse on the\nTender Passion!", "ROXANE'S VOICE:\n I come!", "I come!", "(A sound of stringed instruments approaching.)", "CYRANO'S VOICE (behind the scenes, singing):\n La, la, la, la!", "THE DUENNA (surprised):\n They serenade us?", "CYRANO (followed by two pages with arch-lutes):\n I tell you they are demi-semi-quavers, demi-semi-fool!", "FIRST PAGE (ironically):\n You know then, Sir, to distinguish between semi-quavers and demi-semi-\nquavers?", "CYRANO:\n Is not every disciple of Gassendi a musician?", "THE PAGE (playing and singing):\n La, la!", "CYRANO (snatching the lute from him, and going on with the phrase):\n In proof of which, I can continue!", "La, la, la, la!", "ROXANE (appearing on the balcony):\n What?", "'Tis you?", "CYRANO (going on with the air, and singing to it):\n 'Tis I, who come to serenade your lilies, and pay my devoir to your ro-o-\noses!", "ROXANE:\n I am coming down!", "(She leaves the balcony.)", "THE DUENNA (pointing to the pages):\n How come these two virtuosi here?", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis for a wager I won of D'Assoucy.", "We were disputing a nice point in\ngrammar; contradictions raged hotly--''Tis so!'", "'Nay, 'tis so!'", "when suddenly\nhe shows me these two long-shanks, whom he takes about with him as an escort,\nand who are skillful in scratching lute-strings with their skinny claws!", "'I\nwill wager you a day's music,' says he!--And lost it!", "Thus, see you, till\nPhoebus' chariot starts once again, these lute-twangers are at my heels,\nseeing all I do, hearing all I say, and accompanying all with melody.", "'Twas\npleasant at the first, but i' faith, I begin to weary of it already!", "(To the musicians):\n Ho there!", "go serenade Montfleury for me!", "Play a dance to him!", "(The pages go toward the door.", "To the duenna):\n I have come, as is my wont, nightly, to ask Roxane whether.", ". .\n(To the pages, who are going out):\n Play a long time,--and play out of tune!", "(To the duenna):\n . . .Whether her soul's elected is ever the same, ever faultless!", "ROXANE (coming out of the house):\n Ah!", "How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit!", "And--how well I love him!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Christian has so brilliant a wit?", "ROXANE:\n Brighter than even your own, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Be it so, with all my heart!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth\nskilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--\nthat mean all!", "At times his mind seems far away, the Muse says naught--and\nthen, presto!", "he speaks--bewitchingly!", "enchantingly!", "CYRANO (incredulously):\n No, no!", "ROXANE:\n Fie!", "That is ill said!", "But lo!", "men are ever thus!", "Because he is fair to\nsee, you would have it that he must be dull of speech.", "CYRANO:\n He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?", "ROXANE:\n In telling his love?", "why, 'tis not simple telling, 'tis dissertation, 'tis\nanalysis!", "CYRANO:\n How is he with the pen?", "ROXANE:\n Still better!", "Listen,--here:--\n(Reciting):\n 'The more of my poor heart you take\n The larger grows my heart!'", "(Triumphantly to Cyrano):\n How like you those lines?", "CYRANO:\n Pooh!", "ROXANE:\n And thus it goes on.", ". .\n 'And, since some target I must show\n For Cupid's cruel dart,\n Oh, if mine own you deign to keep,\n Then give me your sweet heart!'", "CYRANO:\n Lord!", "first he has too much, then anon not enough!", "How much heart does the\nfellow want?", "ROXANE:\n You would vex a saint!. .", ".But 'tis your jealousy.", "CYRANO (starting):\n What mean you?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, your poet's jealousy!", "Hark now, if this again be not tender-sweet?--\n 'My heart to yours sounds but one cry:\n If kisses fast could flee\n By letter, then with your sweet lips\n My letters read should be!", "If kisses could be writ with ink,\n If kisses fast could flee!'", "CYRANO (smiling approvingly in spite of himself):\n Ha!", "those last lines are,--hm!. .", ".hm!.", ". .\n(Correcting himself--contemptuously):\n --They are paltry enough!", "ROXANE:\n And this.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (enchanted):\n Then you have his letters by heart?", "ROXANE:\n Every one of them!", "CYRANO:\n By all oaths that can be sworn,--'tis flattering!", "ROXANE:\n They are the lines of a master!", "CYRANO (modestly):\n Come, nay. . .a master?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ay, I say it--a master!", "CYRANO:\n Good--be it so.", "THE DUENNA (coming down quickly):\n Here comes Monsieur de Guiche!", "(To Cyrano, pushing him toward the house):\n In with you!", "'twere best he see you not; it might perchance put him on the\nscent.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano):\n Ay, of my own dear secret!", "He loves me, and is powerful, and, if he knew,\nthen all were lost!", "Marry!", "he could well deal a deathblow to my love!", "CYRANO (entering the house):\n Good!", "good!", "(De Guiche appears.)" ]

[ "ROXANE'S VOICE (from the window):\n I will but put me on a cloak!", "(A sound of stringed instruments approaching.)", "CYRANO'S VOICE (behind the scenes, singing):\n La, la, la, la!", "THE PAGE (playing and singing):\n La, la!", "We were disputing a nice point in\ngrammar; contradictions raged hotly--''Tis so!'", "'Nay, 'tis so!'", "why, 'tis not simple telling, 'tis dissertation, 'tis\nanalysis!", "ROXANE:\n Still better!", "ROXANE:\n Every one of them!", "ROXANE:\n They are the lines of a master!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?", "enchantingly!", "Then Roxane, Cyrano, and two pages.", "CYRANO (followed by two pages with arch-lutes):\n I tell you they are demi-semi-quavers, demi-semi-fool!", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ay, I say it--a master!", ". .\n(To the pages, who are going out):\n Play a long time,--and play out of tune!", "CYRANO (incredulously):\n No, no!", "He loves me, and is powerful, and, if he knew,\nthen all were lost!", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis for a wager I won of D'Assoucy.", "She receives them all\nthere to-day--the precieuses, the poets; they read a discourse on the Tender\nPassion." ]

[ "(To the duenna):\n . . .Whether her soul's elected is ever the same, ever faultless!", "ROXANE (coming out of the house):\n Ah!", "How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit!", "And--how well I love him!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Christian has so brilliant a wit?", "ROXANE:\n Brighter than even your own, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Be it so, with all my heart!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth\nskilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much--\nthat mean all!", "At times his mind seems far away, the Muse says naught--and\nthen, presto!", "he speaks--bewitchingly!" ]

[ "Ragueneau, the duenna.", "Then Roxane, Cyrano, and two pages.", "RAGUENEAU:\n --And then, off she went, with a musketeer!", "Deserted and ruined too, I\nwould make an end of all, and so hanged myself.", "My last breath was drawn:--\nthen in comes Monsieur de Bergerac!", "He cuts me down, and begs his cousin to\ntake me for her steward.", "THE DUENNA:\n Well, but how came it about that you were thus ruined?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh!", "Lise loved the warriors, and I loved the poets!", "What cakes there were\nthat Apollo chanced to leave were quickly snapped up by Mars.", "THE DUENNA (coming down quickly):\n Here comes Monsieur de Guiche!", "(To Cyrano, pushing him toward the house):\n In with you!", "'twere best he see you not; it might perchance put him on the\nscent.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano):\n Ay, of my own dear secret!", "He loves me, and is powerful, and, if he knew,\nthen all were lost!", "Marry!", "he could well deal a deathblow to my love!", "CYRANO (entering the house):\n Good!", "good!", "(De Guiche appears.)" ]

[ "Roxane, De Guiche, the duenna standing a little way off.", "ROXANE (courtesying to De Guiche):\n I was going out.", "DE GUICHE:\n I come to take my leave.", "ROXANE:\n Whither go you?", "DE GUICHE:\n To the war.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, to-night.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "DE GUICHE:\n I am ordered away.", "We are to besiege Arras.", "ROXANE:\n Ah--to besiege?.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ay.", "My going moves you not, meseems.", "ROXANE:\n Nay.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I am grieved to the core of the heart.", "Shall I again behold you?. .", ".When?", "I know not.", "Heard you that I am named commander?.", ". .\n\nROXANE (indifferently):\n Bravo!", "DE GUICHE:\n Of the Guards regiment.", "ROXANE (startled):\n What!", "the Guards?", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, where serves your cousin, the swaggering boaster.", "I will find a way to\nrevenge myself on him at Arras.", "ROXANE (choking):\n What mean you?", "The Guards go to Arras?", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n Bethink you, is it not my own regiment?", "ROXANE (falling seated on the bench--aside):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE:\n What ails you?", "ROXANE (moved deeply):\n Oh--I am in despair!", "The man one loves!--at the war!", "DE GUICHE (surprised and delighted):\n You say such sweet words to me!", "'Tis the first time!--and just when I must\nquit you!", "ROXANE (collected, and fanning herself):\n Thus,--you would fain revenge your grudge against my cousin?", "DE GUICHE:\n My fair lady is on his side?", "ROXANE:\n Nay,--against him!", "DE GUICHE:\n Do you see him often?", "ROXANE:\n But very rarely.", "DE GUICHE:\n He is ever to be met now in company with one of the cadets,. . .one New--\nvillen--viller--\n\nROXANE:\n Of high stature?", "DE GUICHE:\n Fair-haired!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, a red-headed fellow!", "DE GUICHE:\n Handsome!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Tut!", "DE GUICHE:\n But dull-witted.", "ROXANE:\n One would think so, to look at him!", "(Changing her tone):\n How mean you to play your revenge on Cyrano?", "Perchance you think to put him\ni' the thick of the shots?", "Nay, believe me, that were a poor vengeance--he\nwould love such a post better than aught else!", "I know the way to wound his\npride far more keenly!", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?", "Tell.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n If, when the regiment march to Arras, he were left here with his beloved\nboon companions, the Cadets, to sit with crossed arms so long as the war\nlasted!", "There is your method, would you enrage a man of his kind; cheat him\nof his chance of mortal danger, and you punish him right fiercely.", "DE GUICHE (coming nearer):\n O woman!", "woman!", "Who but a woman had e'er devised so subtle a trick?", "ROXANE:\n See you not how he will eat out his heart, while his friends gnaw their\nthick fists for that they are deprived of the battle?", "So are you best\navenged.", "DE GUICHE:\n You love me, then, a little?", "(She smiles):\n I would fain--seeing you thus espouse my cause, Roxane--believe it a proof\nof love!", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis a proof of love!", "DE GUICHE (showing some sealed papers):\n Here are the marching orders; they will be sent instantly to each company--\nexcept--\n(He detaches one):\n --This one!", "'Tis that of the Cadets.", "(He puts it in his pocket):\n This I keep.", "(Laughing):\n Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "Cyrano!", "His love of battle!. .", ".So you can play tricks on\npeople?. .", ".you, of all ladies!", "ROXANE:\n Sometimes!", "DE GUICHE (coming close to her):\n Oh!", "how I love you!--to distraction!", "Listen!", "To-night--true, I ought to\nstart--but--how leave you now that I feel your heart is touched!", "Hard by, in\nthe Rue d'Orleans, is a convent founded by Father Athanasius, the syndic of\nthe Capuchins.", "True that no layman may enter--but--I can settle that with the\ngood Fathers!", "Their habit sleeves are wide enough to hide me in.", "'Tis they\nwho serve Richelieu's private chapel: and from respect to the uncle, fear the\nnephew.", "All will deem me gone.", "I will come to you, masked.", "Give me leave to\nwait till tomorrow, sweet Lady Fanciful!", "ROXANE:\n But, of this be rumored, your glory.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Bah!", "ROXANE:\n But the siege--Arras.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n 'Twill take its chance.", "Grant but permission.", "ROXANE:\n No!", "DE GUICHE:\n Give me leave!", "ROXANE (tenderly):\n It were my duty to forbid you!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "ROXANE:\n You must go!", "(Aside):\n Christian stays here.", "(Aloud):\n I would have you heroic--Antoine!", "DE GUICHE:\n O heavenly word!", "You love, then, him?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n . . .For whom I trembled.", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!", "I go then!", "(He kisses her hand):\n Are you content?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, my friend!", "(He goes out.)", "THE DUENNA (making behind his back a mocking courtesy):\n Yes, my friend!", "ROXANE (to the duenna):\n Not a word of what I have done.", "Cyrano would never pardon me for stealing\nhis fighting from him!", "(She calls toward the house):\n Cousin!" ]

[ "DE GUICHE:\n To the war.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ay.", ".When?", "The Guards go to Arras?", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n Bethink you, is it not my own regiment?", "DE GUICHE:\n What ails you?", "The man one loves!--at the war!", "You love, then, him?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n . . .For whom I trembled.", "Cyrano would never pardon me for stealing\nhis fighting from him!" ]

[ "I know not.", "ROXANE (collected, and fanning herself):\n Thus,--you would fain revenge your grudge against my cousin?", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I am grieved to the core of the heart.", "ROXANE:\n Whither go you?", "ROXANE (choking):\n What mean you?", "(Aside):\n Christian stays here.", "My going moves you not, meseems.", "Grant but permission.", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?" ]

[ "I know the way to wound his\npride far more keenly!", "DE GUICHE:\n What then?", "Tell.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n If, when the regiment march to Arras, he were left here with his beloved\nboon companions, the Cadets, to sit with crossed arms so long as the war\nlasted!", "There is your method, would you enrage a man of his kind; cheat him\nof his chance of mortal danger, and you punish him right fiercely.", "DE GUICHE (coming nearer):\n O woman!", "woman!", "Who but a woman had e'er devised so subtle a trick?", "ROXANE:\n See you not how he will eat out his heart, while his friends gnaw their\nthick fists for that they are deprived of the battle?", "So are you best\navenged.", "DE GUICHE:\n You love me, then, a little?" ]

[ "Roxane, De Guiche, the duenna standing a little way off.", "ROXANE (courtesying to De Guiche):\n I was going out.", "DE GUICHE:\n I come to take my leave.", "ROXANE:\n Whither go you?", "DE GUICHE:\n To the war.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, to-night.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "DE GUICHE:\n I am ordered away.", "We are to besiege Arras.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n . . .For whom I trembled.", "DE GUICHE (in an ecstasy):\n Ah!", "I go then!", "(He kisses her hand):\n Are you content?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, my friend!", "(He goes out.)", "THE DUENNA (making behind his back a mocking courtesy):\n Yes, my friend!", "ROXANE (to the duenna):\n Not a word of what I have done.", "Cyrano would never pardon me for stealing\nhis fighting from him!", "(She calls toward the house):\n Cousin!" ]

[ "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "THE DUENNA (putting her little finger in her ear):\n Yes!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(They have come to Clomire's door.)", "THE DUENNA:\n Oh, see!", "The knocker is muffled up!", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", "(She lifts it carefully and knocks with precaution.)", "ROXANE (seeing that the door opens):\n Let us enter!", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "CYRANO (quickly, as she is going in):\n Listen!", "(She turns):\n What mean you to question him on, as is your wont, to-night?", "ROXANE:\n Oh--\n\nCYRANO (eagerly):\n Well, say.", "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", "Speak to me of love,\nand speak splendidly!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Very good!", "ROXANE:\n But secret!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "ROXANE:\n Not a word!", "(She enters and shuts the door.)", "CYRANO (when the door is shut, bowing to her):\n A thousand thanks!", "(The door opens again, and Roxane puts her head out.)", "ROXANE:\n Lest he prepare himself!", "CYRANO:\n The devil!--no, no!", "BOTH TOGETHER:\n Secret.", "(The door shuts.)", "CYRANO (calling):\n Christian!" ]

[ "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "THE DUENNA (putting her little finger in her ear):\n Yes!", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(They have come to Clomire's door.)", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", "(She lifts it carefully and knocks with precaution.)", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "CYRANO (calling):\n Christian!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "(The door shuts.)", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "ROXANE:\n But secret!." ]

[ "ROXANE (seeing that the door opens):\n Let us enter!", "(On the threshold, to Cyrano):\n If Christian comes, as I feel sure he will, bid him wait for me!", "CYRANO (quickly, as she is going in):\n Listen!", "(She turns):\n What mean you to question him on, as is your wont, to-night?", "ROXANE:\n Oh--\n\nCYRANO (eagerly):\n Well, say.", "ROXANE:\n But you will be mute?", "CYRANO:\n Mute as a fish.", "ROXANE:\n I shall not question him at all, but say: Give rein to your fancy!", "Prepare\nnot your speeches,--but speak the thoughts as they come!", "Speak to me of love,\nand speak splendidly!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n Very good!" ]

[ "Roxane, The duenna, Cyrano.", "ROXANE:\n We are going to Clomire's house.", "(She points to the door opposite):\n Alcandre and Lysimon are to discourse!", "THE DUENNA (putting her little finger in her ear):\n Yes!", "But my little finger tells me we shall miss them.", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere a pity to miss such apes!", "(They have come to Clomire's door.)", "THE DUENNA:\n Oh, see!", "The knocker is muffled up!", "(Speaking to the knocker):\n So they have gagged that metal tongue of yours, little noisy one, lest it\nshould disturb the fine orators!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Secret.", "ROXANE:\n Not a word!", "(She enters and shuts the door.)", "CYRANO (when the door is shut, bowing to her):\n A thousand thanks!", "(The door opens again, and Roxane puts her head out.)", "ROXANE:\n Lest he prepare himself!", "CYRANO:\n The devil!--no, no!", "BOTH TOGETHER:\n Secret.", "(The door shuts.)", "CYRANO (calling):\n Christian!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory.", "Come,\n Lose no time; put away those sulky looks,\n Come to your house with me, I'll teach you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n Why?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will wait for Roxane here.", "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "I say.", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!", "Thus to act a part,\n And tremble all the time!--'Twas well enough\n At the beginning!--Now I know she loves!", "I fear no longer!--I will speak myself.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited.", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "The devil!", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):\n --It is she!", "Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Speak for yourself, my friend, and take your chance.", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n Why?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will wait for Roxane here.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "The devil!", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n How?", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "Come quick with me and learn.", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "Thus to act a part,\n And tremble all the time!--'Twas well enough\n At the beginning!--Now I know she loves!", "The devil!", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No, no!", "I say.", "I am aweary of these borrowed letters,\n --Borrowed love-makings!", "Thus to act a part,\n And tremble all the time!--'Twas well enough\n At the beginning!--Now I know she loves!", "I fear no longer!--I will speak myself.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited." ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CYRANO:\n I know all that is needful.", "Here's occasion\n For you to deck yourself with glory.", "Come,\n Lose no time; put away those sulky looks,\n Come to your house with me, I'll teach you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n No!", "CYRANO:\n Why?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will wait for Roxane here.", "CYRANO:\n How?", "Crazy?", "Come quick with me and learn.", "CYRANO:\n Mercy!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And how know you I cannot speak?--\n I am not such a fool when all is said!", "I've by your lessons profited.", "You'll see\n I shall know how to speak alone!", "The devil!", "I know at least to clasp her in my arms!", "(Seeing Roxane come out from Clomire's house):\n --It is she!", "Cyrano, no!--Leave me not!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Speak for yourself, my friend, and take your chance.", "(He disappears behind the garden wall.)" ]

[ "Christian, Roxane, the duenna.", "ROXANE (coming out of Clomire's house, with a company of friends, whom she\nleaves.", "Bows and good-byes):\n Barthenoide!--Alcandre!--Gremione!--\n\nTHE DUENNA (bitterly disappointed):\n We've missed the speech upon the Tender Passion!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "ROXANE (still bowing):\n Urimedonte--adieu!", "(All bow to Roxane and to each other, and then separate, going up different\nstreets.", "Roxane suddenly seeing Christian):\n You!", "(She goes to him):\n Evening falls.", "Let's sit.", "Speak on.", "I listen.", "CHRISTIAN (sits by her on the bench.", "A silence):\n Oh!", "I love you!", "ROXANE (shutting her eyes):\n Ay, speak to me of love.", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE:\n That's\n The theme!", "But vary it.", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Vary it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love you so!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "without doubt!--and then?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n And then--I should be--oh!--so glad--so glad\n If you would love me!--Roxane, tell me so!", "ROXANE (with a little grimace):\n I hoped for cream,--you give me gruel!", "Say\n How love possesses you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh utterly!", "ROXANE:\n Come, come!. .", ".unknot those tangled sentiments!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your throat I'd kiss it!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE (half-rising):\n Again!", "CHRISTIAN (eagerly, detaining her):\n No, no!", "I love thee not!", "ROXANE (reseating herself):\n 'Tis well!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I adore thee!", "ROXANE (rising, and going further off):\n Oh!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I am grown stupid!", "ROXANE (dryly):\n And that displeases me, almost as much\n As 'twould displease me if you grew ill-favored.", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Rally your poor eloquence that's flown!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, you love me, that I know.", "Adieu.", "(She goes toward her house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "I'd tell you--\n\nROXANE (opening the door):\n You adore me?", "I've heard it very oft.", "No!--Go away!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I would fain.", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "CYRANO (who has re-entered unseen):\n I' faith!", "It is successful!" ]

[ "ROXANE (coming out of Clomire's house, with a company of friends, whom she\nleaves.", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "Speak on.", "I listen.", "CHRISTIAN (sits by her on the bench.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n And then--I should be--oh!--so glad--so glad\n If you would love me!--Roxane, tell me so!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your throat I'd kiss it!", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "It is successful!" ]

[ "A silence):\n Oh!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh utterly!", "ROXANE:\n Come, come!. .", "CHRISTIAN:\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n Vary it!", "Christian, Roxane, the duenna.", "Say\n How love possesses you?", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "(She goes toward her house.)" ]

[ "without doubt!--and then?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n And then--I should be--oh!--so glad--so glad\n If you would love me!--Roxane, tell me so!", "ROXANE (with a little grimace):\n I hoped for cream,--you give me gruel!", "Say\n How love possesses you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh utterly!", "ROXANE:\n Come, come!. .", ".unknot those tangled sentiments!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Your throat I'd kiss it!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I love thee!", "ROXANE (half-rising):\n Again!" ]

[ "Christian, Roxane, the duenna.", "ROXANE (coming out of Clomire's house, with a company of friends, whom she\nleaves.", "Bows and good-byes):\n Barthenoide!--Alcandre!--Gremione!--\n\nTHE DUENNA (bitterly disappointed):\n We've missed the speech upon the Tender Passion!", "(Goes into Roxane's house.)", "ROXANE (still bowing):\n Urimedonte--adieu!", "(All bow to Roxane and to each other, and then separate, going up different\nstreets.", "Roxane suddenly seeing Christian):\n You!", "(She goes to him):\n Evening falls.", "Let's sit.", "Speak on.", "Adieu.", "(She goes toward her house.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, go not yet!", "I'd tell you--\n\nROXANE (opening the door):\n You adore me?", "I've heard it very oft.", "No!--Go away!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I would fain.", ". .\n\n(She shuts the door in his face.)", "CYRANO (who has re-entered unseen):\n I' faith!", "It is successful!" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano, two pages.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Come to my aid!", "CYRANO:\n Not I!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I shall die,\n Unless at once I win back her fair favor.", "CYRANO:\n And how can I, at once, i' th' devil's name,\n Lesson you in.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (seizing his arm):\n Oh, she is there!", "(The window of the balcony is now lighted up.)", "CYRANO (moved):\n Her window!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I shall die!", "CYRANO:\n Speak lower!", "CHRISTIAN (in a whisper):\n I shall die!", "CYRANO:\n The night is dark.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Well!", "CYRANO:\n All can be repaired.", "Although you merit not.", "Stand there, poor wretch!", "Fronting the balcony!", "I'll go beneath\n And prompt your words to you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Hold your tongue!", "THE PAGES (reappearing at back--to Cyrano):\n Ho!", "CYRANO:\n Hush!", "(He signs to them to speak softly.)", "FIRST PAGE (in a low voice):\n We've played the serenade you bade\n To Montfleury!", "CYRANO (quickly, in a low voice):\n Go!", "lurk in ambush there,\n One at this street corner, and one at that;\n And if a passer-by should here intrude,\n Play you a tune!", "SECOND PAGE:\n What tune, Sir Gassendist?", "CYRANO:\n Gay, if a woman comes,--for a man, sad!", "(The pages disappear, one at each street corner.", "To Christian):\n Call her!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Roxane!", "CYRANO (picking up stones and throwing them at the window):\n Some pebbles!", "wait awhile!", "ROXANE (half-opening the casement):\n Who calls me?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I!", "ROXANE:\n Who's that?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Christian!", "ROXANE (disdainfully):\n Oh!", "you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I would speak with you.", "CYRANO (under the balcony--to Christian):\n Good.", "Speak soft and low.", "ROXANE:\n No, you speak stupidly!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, pity me!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "you love me no more!", "CHRISTIAN (prompted by Cyrano):\n You say--Great Heaven!", "I love no more?--when--I--love more and more!", "ROXANE (who was about to shut the casement, pausing):\n Hold!", "'tis a trifle better!", "ay, a trifle!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Love grew apace, rocked by the anxious beating.", ". .\n Of this poor heart, which the cruel wanton boy.", ". .", "Took for a cradle!", "ROXANE (coming out on to the balcony):\n That is better!", "But\n An if you deem that Cupid be so cruel\n You should have stifled baby-love in's cradle!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Ah, Madame, I assayed, but all in vain\n This. . .new-born babe is a young. . .Hercules!", "ROXANE:\n Still better!", "CHRISTIAN (same play):\n Thus he strangled in my heart\n The. . .serpents twain, of. . .Pride. . .and Doubt!", "ROXANE (leaning over the balcony):\n Well said!", "--But why so faltering?", "Has mental palsy\n Seized on your faculty imaginative?", "CYRANO (drawing Christian under the balcony, and slipping into his place):\n Give place!", "This waxes critical!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n To-day.", ". .", "Your words are hesitating.", "CYRANO (imitating Christian--in a whisper):\n Night has come.", ". .", "In the dusk they grope their way to find your ear.", "ROXANE:\n But my words find no such impediment.", "CYRANO:\n They find their way at once?", "Small wonder that!", "For 'tis within my heart they find their home;\n Bethink how large my heart, how small your ear!", "And,--from fair heights descending, words fall fast,\n But mine must mount, Madame, and that takes time!", "ROXANE:\n Meseems that your last words have learned to climb.", "CYRANO:\n With practice such gymnastic grows less hard!", "ROXANE:\n In truth, I seem to speak from distant heights!", "CYRANO:\n True, far above; at such a height 'twere death\n If a hard word from you fell on my heart.", "ROXANE (moving):\n I will come down.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (hastily):\n No!", "ROXANE (showing him the bench under the balcony):\n Mount then on the bench!", "CYRANO (starting back alarmed):\n No!", "ROXANE:\n How, you will not?", "CYRANO (more and more moved):\n Stay awhile!", "'Tis sweet,.", ". .", "The rare occasion, when our hearts can speak\n Our selves unseen, unseeing!", "ROXANE:\n Why--unseen?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, it is sweet!", "Half hidden,--half revealed--\n You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,\n And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:\n I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!", "Know you what such a moment holds for me?", "If ever I were eloquent.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You were!", "CYRANO:\n Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung\n Straight from my heart as now it springs.", "ROXANE:\n Why not?", "CYRANO:\n Till now I spoke haphazard.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Your eyes\n Have beams that turn men dizzy!--But to-night\n Methinks I shall find speech for the first time!", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis true, your voice rings with a tone that's new.", "CYRANO (coming nearer, passionately):\n Ay, a new tone!", "In the tender, sheltering dusk\n I dare to be myself for once,--at last!", "(He stops, falters):\n What say I?", "I know not!--Oh, pardon me--\n It thrills me,--'tis so sweet, so novel.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n How?", "So novel?", "CYRANO (off his balance, trying to find the thread of his sentence):\n Ay,--to be at last sincere;\n Till now, my chilled heart, fearing to be mocked.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Mocked, and for what?", "CYRANO:\n For its mad beating!--Ay,\n My heart has clothed itself with witty words,\n To shroud itself from curious eyes:--impelled\n At times to aim at a star, I stay my hand,\n And, fearing ridicule,--cull a wild flower!", "ROXANE:\n A wild flower's sweet.", "CYRANO:\n Ay, but to-night--the star!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "never have you spoken thus before!", "CYRANO:\n If, leaving Cupid's arrows, quivers, torches,\n We turned to seek for sweeter--fresher things!", "Instead of sipping in a pygmy glass\n Dull fashionable waters,--did we try\n How the soul slakes its thirst in fearless draught\n By drinking from the river's flooding brim!", "ROXANE:\n But wit?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n If I have used it to arrest you\n At the first starting,--now, 'twould be an outrage,\n An insult--to the perfumed Night--to Nature--\n To speak fine words that garnish vain love-letters!", "Look up but at her stars!", "The quiet Heaven\n Will ease our hearts of all things artificial;\n I fear lest, 'midst the alchemy we're skilled in\n The truth of sentiment dissolve and vanish,--\n The soul exhausted by these empty pastimes,\n The gain of fine things be the loss of all things!", "ROXANE:\n But wit?", "I say.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n In love 'tis crime,--'tis hateful!", "Turning frank loving into subtle fencing!", "At last the moment comes, inevitable,--\n --Oh, woe for those who never know that moment!", "When feeling love exists in us, ennobling,\n Each well-weighed word is futile and soul-saddening!", "ROXANE:\n Well, if that moment's come for us--suppose it!", "What words would serve you?", "CYRANO:\n All, all, all, whatever\n That came to me, e'en as they came, I'd fling them\n In a wild cluster, not a careful bouquet.", "I love thee!", "I am mad!", "I love, I stifle!", "Thy name is in my heart as in a sheep-bell,\n And as I ever tremble, thinking of thee,\n Ever the bell shakes, ever thy name ringeth!", "All things of thine I mind, for I love all things;\n I know that last year on the twelfth of May-month,\n To walk abroad, one day you changed your hair-plaits!", "I am so used to take your hair for daylight\n That,--like as when the eye stares on the sun's disk,\n One sees long after a red blot on all things--\n So, when I quit thy beams, my dazzled vision\n Sees upon all things a blonde stain imprinted.", "ROXANE (agitated):\n Why, this is love indeed!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ay, true, the feeling\n Which fills me, terrible and jealous, truly\n Love,--which is ever sad amid its transports!", "Love,--and yet, strangely, not a selfish passion!", "I for your joy would gladly lay mine own down,\n --E'en though you never were to know it,--never!", "--If but at times I might--far off and lonely,--\n Hear some gay echo of the joy I bought you!", "Each glance of thine awakes in me a virtue,--\n A novel, unknown valor.", "Dost begin, sweet,\n To understand?", "So late, dost understand me?", "Feel'st thou my soul, here, through the darkness mounting?", "Too fair the night!", "Too fair, too fair the moment!", "That I should speak thus, and that you should hearken!", "Too fair!", "In moments when my hopes rose proudest,\n I never hoped such guerdon.", "Naught is left me\n But to die now!", "Have words of mine the power\n To make you tremble,--throned there in the branches?", "Ay, like a leaf among the leaves, you tremble!", "You tremble!", "For I feel,--an if you will it,\n Or will it not,--your hand's beloved trembling\n Thrill through the branches, down your sprays of jasmine!", "(He kisses passionately one of the hanging tendrils.)", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "I am trembling, weeping!--I am thine!", "Thou hast conquered all of me!", "CYRANO:\n Then let death come!", "'Tis I, 'tis I myself, who conquered thee!", "One thing, but one, I dare to ask--\n\nCHRISTIAN (under the balcony):\n A kiss!", "ROXANE (drawing back):\n What?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "ROXANE:\n You ask. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n I. . .\n(To Christian, whispering):\n Fool!", "you go too quick!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Since she is moved thus--I will profit by it!", "CYRANO (to Roxane):\n My words sprang thoughtlessly, but now I see--\n Shame on me!--I was too presumptuous.", "ROXANE (a little chilled):\n How quickly you withdraw.", "CYRANO:\n Yes, I withdraw\n Without withdrawing!", "Hurt I modesty?", "If so--the kiss I asked--oh, grant it not.", "CHRISTIAN (to Cyrano, pulling him by his cloak):\n Why?", "CYRANO:\n Silence, Christian!", "Hush!", "ROXANE (leaning over):\n What whisper you?", "CYRANO:\n I chid myself for my too bold advances;\n Said, 'Silence, Christian!'", "(The lutes begin to play):\n Hark!", "Wait awhile,.", ". .\n Steps come!", "(Roxane shuts the window.", "Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a\nmerry, the other a melancholy, tune):\n Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad!", "What?", "Neither man nor woman?--oh!", "a monk!", "(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern.", "He goes from house to house, looking\nat every door.)" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Come to my aid!", "THE PAGES (reappearing at back--to Cyrano):\n Ho!", ". .", "CYRANO:\n Ay, it is sweet!", "CYRANO:\n Your eyes\n Have beams that turn men dizzy!--But to-night\n Methinks I shall find speech for the first time!", "CYRANO:\n For its mad beating!--Ay,\n My heart has clothed itself with witty words,\n To shroud itself from curious eyes:--impelled\n At times to aim at a star, I stay my hand,\n And, fearing ridicule,--cull a wild flower!", "ROXANE:\n A wild flower's sweet.", "I love thee!", "Ay, like a leaf among the leaves, you tremble!", "Wait awhile,." ]

[ ". .\n\nCYRANO (hastily):\n No!", ". .", "(He stops, falters):\n What say I?", "Have words of mine the power\n To make you tremble,--throned there in the branches?", "ROXANE (leaning over the balcony):\n Well said!", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "When feeling love exists in us, ennobling,\n Each well-weighed word is futile and soul-saddening!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I shall die,\n Unless at once I win back her fair favor.", "CYRANO:\n And how can I, at once, i' th' devil's name,\n Lesson you in.", "Fronting the balcony!" ]

[ "The rare occasion, when our hearts can speak\n Our selves unseen, unseeing!", "ROXANE:\n Why--unseen?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, it is sweet!", "Half hidden,--half revealed--\n You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak,\n And I, the glimmering whiteness of your dress:\n I but a shadow--you a radiance fair!", "Know you what such a moment holds for me?", "If ever I were eloquent.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You were!", "CYRANO:\n Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung\n Straight from my heart as now it springs.", "ROXANE:\n Why not?", "CYRANO:\n Till now I spoke haphazard.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What?" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano, two pages.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Come to my aid!", "CYRANO:\n Not I!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But I shall die,\n Unless at once I win back her fair favor.", "CYRANO:\n And how can I, at once, i' th' devil's name,\n Lesson you in.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (seizing his arm):\n Oh, she is there!", "(The window of the balcony is now lighted up.)", "CYRANO (moved):\n Her window!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "I shall die!", "(The lutes begin to play):\n Hark!", "Wait awhile,.", ". .\n Steps come!", "(Roxane shuts the window.", "Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a\nmerry, the other a melancholy, tune):\n Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad!", "What?", "Neither man nor woman?--oh!", "a monk!", "(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern.", "He goes from house to house, looking\nat every door.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.", "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "(He goes back to Christian.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "(He goes back to Christian.)" ]

[ ". .", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", "(He goes back to Christian.)", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "(He goes out.)", "Straight on." ]

[ "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.", "CYRANO (to the friar):\n What do you, playing at Diogenes?", "THE FRIAR:\n I seek the house of Madame.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "plague take him!", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR:\n Madeleine Robin.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n What would he?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pointing to a street at the back):\n This way!", "Straight on.", ". .", "THE FRIAR\n I thank you, and, in your intention\n Will tell my rosary to its last bead.", "(He goes out.)", "CYRANO:\n Good luck!", "My blessings rest upon your cowl!", "(He goes back to Christian.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", "Cyrano, Christian.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!." ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)", "Cyrano, Christian.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!", "win for me that kiss.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Soon or late!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis true!", "The moment of intoxication--\n Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet\n Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips!", "(To himself):\n I'd fainer it should come thanks to.", ". .\n\n(A sound of shutters reopening.", "Christian goes in again under the balcony.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.", "ROXANE (coming out on the balcony):\n Still there?", "We spoke of a. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n A kiss!", "The word is sweet.", "I see not why your lip should shrink from it;\n If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do?", "Oh!", "let it not your bashfulness affright;\n Have you not, all this time, insensibly,\n Left badinage aside, and unalarmed\n Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping?", "Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward--\n From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, when all is said,--what is it?", "An oath that's ratified,--a sealed promise,\n A heart's avowal claiming confirmation,--\n A rose-dot on the 'i' of 'adoration,'--\n A secret that to mouth, not ear, is whispered,--\n Brush of a bee's wing, that makes time eternal,--\n Communion perfumed like the spring's wild flowers,--\n The heart's relieving in the heart's outbreathing,\n When to the lips the soul's flood rises, brimming!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, Madame, is honorable:\n The Queen of France, to a most favored lord\n Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!", "ROXANE:\n What then?", "CYRANO (speaking more warmly):\n Buckingham suffered dumbly,--so have I,--\n Adored his Queen, as loyally as I,--\n Was sad, but faithful,--so am I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n And you\n Are fair as Buckingham!", "CYRANO (aside--suddenly cooled):\n True,--I forgot!", "ROXANE:\n Must I then bid thee mount to cull this flower?", "CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony):\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This brush of bee's wing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "CHRISTIAN (hesitating):\n But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!", "ROXANE:\n This moment infinite!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", "(Christian springs forward, and by means of the bench, the branches, and the\npillars, climbs to the balcony and strides over it.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Roxane!", "(He takes her in his arms, and bends over her lips.)", "CYRANO:\n Aie!", "Strange pain that wrings my heart!", "The kiss, love's feast, so near!", "I, Lazarus,\n Lie at the gate in darkness.", "Yet to me\n Falls still a crumb or two from the rich man's board--\n Ay, 'tis my heart receives thee, Roxane--mine!", "For on the lips you press you kiss as well\n The words I spoke just now!--my words--my words!", "(The lutes play):\n A sad air,--a gay air: the monk!", "(He begins to run as if he came from a long way off, and cries out):\n Hola!", "ROXANE:\n Who is it?", "CYRANO:\n I--I was but passing by.", ". .\n Is Christian there?", "CHRISTIAN (astonished):\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE:\n Good-day, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "ROXANE:\n I'm coming!", "(She disappears into the house.", "At the back re-enter the friar.)", "CHRISTIAN (seeing him):\n Back again!", "(He follows Roxane.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.", "We spoke of a. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n A kiss!", "An oath that's ratified,--a sealed promise,\n A heart's avowal claiming confirmation,--\n A rose-dot on the 'i' of 'adoration,'--\n A secret that to mouth, not ear, is whispered,--\n Brush of a bee's wing, that makes time eternal,--\n Communion perfumed like the spring's wild flowers,--\n The heart's relieving in the heart's outbreathing,\n When to the lips the soul's flood rises, brimming!", "CYRANO:\n A kiss, Madame, is honorable:\n The Queen of France, to a most favored lord\n Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!", "ROXANE:\n What then?", "CHRISTIAN (hesitating):\n But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", "Strange pain that wrings my heart!", "(He begins to run as if he came from a long way off, and cries out):\n Hola!", "(He follows Roxane.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (aside--suddenly cooled):\n True,--I forgot!", "CHRISTIAN (astonished):\n Cyrano!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "Strange pain that wrings my heart!", "I, Lazarus,\n Lie at the gate in darkness.", "Yet to me\n Falls still a crumb or two from the rich man's board--\n Ay, 'tis my heart receives thee, Roxane--mine!", "ROXANE:\n What then?", "CYRANO:\n I--I was but passing by.", "(Christian springs forward, and by means of the bench, the branches, and the\npillars, climbs to the balcony and strides over it.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony):\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This heart-breathing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "ROXANE:\n This brush of bee's wing!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Mount!", "CHRISTIAN (hesitating):\n But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!", "ROXANE:\n This moment infinite!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (still pushing him):\n Come, blockhead, mount!", "(Christian springs forward, and by means of the bench, the branches, and the\npillars, climbs to the balcony and strides over it.)", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah, Roxane!", "(He takes her in his arms, and bends over her lips.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.", "ROXANE (coming out on the balcony):\n Still there?", "We spoke of a. . .\n\nCYRANO:\n A kiss!", "The word is sweet.", "I see not why your lip should shrink from it;\n If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do?", "Oh!", "let it not your bashfulness affright;\n Have you not, all this time, insensibly,\n Left badinage aside, and unalarmed\n Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping?", "Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward--\n From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!", "ROXANE:\n Hush!", "hush!", "CYRANO:\n I--I was but passing by.", ". .\n Is Christian there?", "CHRISTIAN (astonished):\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE:\n Good-day, cousin!", "CYRANO:\n Cousin, good-day!", "ROXANE:\n I'm coming!", "(She disappears into the house.", "At the back re-enter the friar.)", "CHRISTIAN (seeing him):\n Back again!", "(He follows Roxane.)" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.", "THE FRIAR:\n 'Tis here,--I'm sure of it--Madame Madeleine Robin.", "CYRANO:\n Why, you said Ro-LIN.", "THE FRIAR:\n No, not I.\n B,I,N,BIN!", "ROXANE (appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a\nlantern, and Christian):\n What is't?", "THE FRIAR:\n A letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "THE FRIAR (to Roxane):\n Oh, it can boot but a holy business!", "'Tis from a worthy lord.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Christian):\n De Guiche!", "CHRISTIAN:\n He dares.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Oh, he will not importune me forever!", "(Unsealing the letter):\n I love you,--therefore--\n(She reads in a low voice by the aid of Ragueneau's lantern):\n 'Lady,\n The drums beat;\n My regiment buckles its harness on\n And starts; but I,--they deem me gone before--\n But I stay.", "I have dared to disobey\n Your mandate.", "I am here in convent walls.", "I come to you to-night.", "By this poor monk--\n A simple fool who knows not what he bears--\n I send this missive to apprise your ear.", "Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet:\n I go not ere I've seen them once again!", "I would be private; send each soul away,\n Receive alone him,--whose great boldness you\n Have deigned, I hope, to pardon, ere he asks,--\n He who is ever your--et cetera.'", "(To the monk):\n Father, this is the matter of the letter:--\n(All come near her, and she reads aloud):\n 'Lady,\n The Cardinal's wish is law; albeit\n It be to you unwelcome.", "For this cause\n I send these lines--to your fair ear addressed--\n By a holy man, discreet, intelligent:\n It is our will that you receive from him,\n In your own house, the marriage\n(She turns the page):\n benediction\n Straightway, this night.", "Unknown to all the world\n Christian becomes your husband.", "Him we send.", "He is abhorrent to your choice.", "Let be.", "Resign yourself, and this obedience\n Will be by Heaven well recompensed.", "Receive,\n Fair lady, all assurance of respect,\n From him who ever was, and still remains,\n Your humble and obliged--et cetera.'", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", "I knew naught was to fear;\n It could be but holy business!", "ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):\n Am I not apt at reading letters?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Hum!", "ROXANE (aloud, with despair):\n But this is horrible!", "THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano):\n 'Tis you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis I!", "THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing\nhis beauty):\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'", "THE FRIAR:\n . . .Oh!", "Most worthy lord!", "(To Roxane):\n Submit you?", "ROXANE (with a martyr's look):\n I submit!", "(While Ragueneau opens the door, and Christian invites the friar to enter, she\nwhispers to Cyrano):\n Oh, keep De Guiche at bay!", "He will be here!", "Let him not enter till.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I understand!", "(To the friar):\n What time need you to tie the marriage-knot?", "THE FRIAR:\n A quarter of an hour.", "CYRANO (pushing them all toward the house):\n Go!", "I stay.", "ROXANE (to Christian):\n Come!.", ". .\n\n(They enter.)", "CYRANO:\n Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?", "(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):\n Come!. .", ".up I go!. .", ".I have my plan!.", ". .\n(The lutes begin to play a very sad air):\n What, ho!", "(The tremolo grows more and more weird):\n It is a man!", "ay!", "'tis a man this time!", "(He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps\nhimself in his cloak, then leans over):\n 'Tis not too high!", "(He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the\ntrees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to\nlet himself fall):\n I'll shake this atmosphere!" ]

[ "'Tis from a worthy lord.", "I come to you to-night.", "For this cause\n I send these lines--to your fair ear addressed--\n By a holy man, discreet, intelligent:\n It is our will that you receive from him,\n In your own house, the marriage\n(She turns the page):\n benediction\n Straightway, this night.", "Let be.", "I knew naught was to fear;\n It could be but holy business!", "ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):\n Am I not apt at reading letters?", "ROXANE (aloud, with despair):\n But this is horrible!", "(To Roxane):\n Submit you?", "Let him not enter till.", ". .\n\n(They enter.)" ]

[ "For this cause\n I send these lines--to your fair ear addressed--\n By a holy man, discreet, intelligent:\n It is our will that you receive from him,\n In your own house, the marriage\n(She turns the page):\n benediction\n Straightway, this night.", "I would be private; send each soul away,\n Receive alone him,--whose great boldness you\n Have deigned, I hope, to pardon, ere he asks,--\n He who is ever your--et cetera.'", "He will be here!", "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.", "THE FRIAR:\n A quarter of an hour.", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'", "Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet:\n I go not ere I've seen them once again!", "THE FRIAR:\n No, not I.\n B,I,N,BIN!", "I come to you to-night.", "CYRANO (pushing them all toward the house):\n Go!" ]

[ "Resign yourself, and this obedience\n Will be by Heaven well recompensed.", "Receive,\n Fair lady, all assurance of respect,\n From him who ever was, and still remains,\n Your humble and obliged--et cetera.'", "THE FRIAR (with great delight):\n O worthy lord!", "I knew naught was to fear;\n It could be but holy business!", "ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):\n Am I not apt at reading letters?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Hum!", "ROXANE (aloud, with despair):\n But this is horrible!", "THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano):\n 'Tis you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis I!", "THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing\nhis beauty):\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE (quickly):\n I have overlooked the postscript--see:--\n 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'" ]

[ "Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.", "THE FRIAR:\n 'Tis here,--I'm sure of it--Madame Madeleine Robin.", "CYRANO:\n Why, you said Ro-LIN.", "THE FRIAR:\n No, not I.\n B,I,N,BIN!", "ROXANE (appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a\nlantern, and Christian):\n What is't?", "THE FRIAR:\n A letter.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What?", "THE FRIAR (to Roxane):\n Oh, it can boot but a holy business!", "'Tis from a worthy lord.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Christian):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?", "(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):\n Come!. .", ".up I go!. .", ".I have my plan!.", ". .\n(The lutes begin to play a very sad air):\n What, ho!", "(The tremolo grows more and more weird):\n It is a man!", "ay!", "'tis a man this time!", "(He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps\nhimself in his cloak, then leans over):\n 'Tis not too high!", "(He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the\ntrees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to\nlet himself fall):\n I'll shake this atmosphere!" ]

[ "Cyrano, De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (who enters, masked, feeling his way in the dark):\n What can that cursed Friar be about?", "CYRANO:\n The devil!. .", ".If he knows my voice!", "(Letting go with one hand, he pretends to turn an invisible key.", "Solemnly):\n Cric!", "Crac!", "Assume thou, Cyrano, to serve the turn,\n The accent of thy native Bergerac!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (looking at the house):\n 'Tis there.", "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "(He is about to enter, when Cyrano leaps from the balcony, holding on to the\nbranch, which bends, dropping him between the door and De Guiche; he pretends\nto fall heavily, as from a great height, and lies flat on the ground,\nmotionless, as if stunned.", "De Guiche starts back):\n What's this?", "(When he looks up, the branch has sprung back into its place.", "He sees only\nthe sky, and is lost in amazement):\n Where fell that man from?", "CYRANO (sitting up, and speaking with a Gascon accent):\n From the moon!", "DE GUICHE:\n From?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (in a dreamy voice):\n What's o'clock?", "DE GUICHE:\n He's lost his mind, for sure!", "CYRANO:\n What hour?", "What country this?", "What month?", "What day?", "DE GUICHE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I am stupefied!", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n Like a bomb\n I fell from the moon!", "DE GUICHE (impatiently):\n Come now!", "CYRANO (rising, in a terrible voice):\n I say,--the moon!", "DE GUICHE (recoiling):\n Good, good!", "let it be so!. .", ".He's raving mad!", "CYRANO (walking up to him):\n I say from the moon!", "I mean no metaphor!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Was't a hundred years--a minute, since?", "--I cannot guess what time that fall embraced!--\n That I was in that saffron-colored ball?", "DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders):\n Good!", "let me pass!", "CYRANO (intercepting him):\n Where am I?", "Tell the truth!", "Fear not to tell!", "Oh, spare me not!", "Where?", "where?", "Have I fallen like a shooting star?", "DE GUICHE:\n Morbleu!", "CYRANO:\n The fall was lightning-quick!", "no time to choose\n Where I should fall--I know not where it be!", "Oh, tell me!", "Is it on a moon or earth,\n that my posterior weight has landed me?", "DE GUICHE:\n I tell you, Sir.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (with a screech of terror, which makes De Guiche start back):\n No?", "Can it be?", "I'm on\n A planet where men have black faces?", "DE GUICHE (putting a hand to his face):\n What?", "CYRANO (feigning great alarm):\n Am I in Africa?", "A native you?", "DE GUICHE (who has remembered his mask):\n This mask of mine.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (pretending to be reassured):\n In Venice?", "ha!--or Rome?", "DE GUICHE (trying to pass):\n A lady waits. .\n\nCYRANO (quite reassured):\n Oh-ho!", "I am in Paris!", "DE GUICHE (smiling in spite of himself):\n The fool is comical!", "CYRANO:\n You laugh?", "DE GUICHE:\n I laugh,\n But would get by!", "CYRANO (beaming with joy):\n I have shot back to Paris!", "(Quite at ease, laughing, dusting himself, bowing):\n Come--pardon me--by the last water-spout,\n Covered with ether,--accident of travel!", "My eyes still full of star-dust, and my spurs\n Encumbered by the planets' filaments!", "(Picking something off his sleeve):\n Ha!", "on my doublet?--ah, a comet's hair!.", ". .\n\n(He puffs as if to blow it away.)", "DE GUICHE (beside himself):\n Sir!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (just as he is about to pass, holds out his leg as if to show him\nsomething and stops him):\n In my leg--the calf--there is a tooth\n Of the Great Bear, and, passing Neptune close,\n I would avoid his trident's point, and fell,\n Thus sitting, plump, right in the Scales!", "My weight\n Is marked, still registered, up there in heaven!", "(Hurriedly preventing De Guiche from passing, and detaining him by the button\nof his doublet):\n I swear to you that if you squeezed my nose\n It would spout milk!", "DE GUICHE:\n Milk?", "CYRANO:\n From the Milky Way!", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, go to hell!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n I fall, Sir, out of heaven!", "Now, would you credit it, that as I fell\n I saw that Sirius wears a nightcap?", "True!", "(Confidentially):\n The other Bear is still too small to bite.", "(Laughing):\n I went through the Lyre, but I snapped a cord;\n(Grandiloquent):\n I mean to write the whole thing in a book;\n The small gold stars, that, wrapped up in my cloak,\n I carried safe away at no small risks,\n Will serve for asterisks i' the printed page!", "DE GUICHE:\n Come, make an end!", "I want.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Oh-ho!", "You are sly!", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "CYRANO:\n You would worm all out of me!--the way\n The moon is made, and if men breathe and live\n In its rotund cucurbita?", "DE GUICHE (angrily):\n No, no!", "I want.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Ha, ha!--to know how I got up?", "Hark, it was by a method all my own.", "DE GUICHE (wearied):\n He's mad!", "CYRANO(contemptuously):\n No!", "not for me the stupid eagle\n Of Regiomontanus, nor the timid\n Pigeon of Archytas--neither of those!", "DE GUICHE:\n Ay, 'tis a fool!", "But 'tis a learned fool!", "CYRANO:\n No imitator I of other men!", "(De Guiche has succeeded in getting by, and goes toward Roxane's door.", "Cyrano\nfollows him, ready to stop him by force):\n Six novel methods, all, this brain invented!", "DE GUICHE (turning round):\n Six?", "CYRANO (volubly):\n First, with body naked as your hand,\n Festooned about with crystal flacons, full\n O' th' tears the early morning dew distils;\n My body to the sun's fierce rays exposed\n To let it suck me up, as 't sucks the dew!", "DE GUICHE (surprised, making one step toward Cyrano):\n Ah!", "that makes one!", "CYRANO (stepping back, and enticing him further away):\n And then, the second way,\n To generate wind--for my impetus--\n To rarefy air, in a cedar case,\n By mirrors placed icosahedron-wise.", "DE GUICHE (making another step):\n Two!", "CYRANO (still stepping backward):\n Or--for I have some mechanic skill--\n To make a grasshopper, with springs of steel,\n And launch myself by quick succeeding fires\n Saltpeter-fed to the stars' pastures blue!", "DE GUICHE (unconsciously following him and counting on his fingers):\n Three!", "CYRANO:\n Or (since fumes have property to mount)--\n To charge a globe with fumes, sufficiently\n To carry me aloft!", "DE GUICHE (same play, more and more astonished):\n Well, that makes four!", "CYRANO:\n Or smear myself with marrow from a bull,\n Since, at the lowest point of Zodiac,\n Phoebus well loves to suck that marrow up!", "DE GUICHE (amazed):\n Five!", "CYRANO (who, while speaking, had drawn him to the other side of the square\nnear a bench):\n Sitting on an iron platform--thence\n To throw a magnet in the air.", "This is\n A method well conceived--the magnet flown,\n Infallibly the iron will pursue:\n Then quick!", "relaunch your magnet, and you thus\n Can mount and mount unmeasured distances!", "DE GUICHE:\n Here are six excellent expedients!", "Which of the six chose you?", "CYRANO:\n Why, none!--a seventh!", "DE GUICHE:\n Astonishing!", "What was it?", "CYRANO:\n I'll recount.", "DE GUICHE:\n This wild eccentric becomes interesting!", "CYRANO (making a noise like the waves, with weird gestures):\n Houuh!", "Houuh!", "DE GUICHE:\n Well.", "CYRANO:\n You have guessed?", "DE GUICHE:\n Not I!", "CYRANO:\n The tide!", "I' th' witching hour when the moon woos the wave,\n I laid me, fresh from a sea-bath, on the shore--\n And, failing not to put head foremost--for\n The hair holds the sea-water in its mesh--\n I rose in air, straight!", "straight!", "like angel's flight,\n And mounted, mounted, gently, effortless,.", ". .", "When lo!", "a sudden shock!", "Then.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (overcome by curiosity, sitting down on the bench):\n Then?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "then.", ". .\n(Suddenly returning to his natural voice):\n The quarter's gone--I'll hinder you no more:\n The marriage-vows are made.", "DE GUICHE (springing up):\n What?", "Am I mad?", "That voice?", "(The house-door opens.", "Lackeys appear carrying lighted candelabra.", "Light.", "Cyrano gracefully uncovers):\n That nose--Cyrano?", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Cyrano.", "While we were chatting, they have plighted troth.", "DE GUICHE:\n Who?", "(He turns round.", "Tableau.", "Behind the lackeys appear Roxane and Christian,\nholding each other by the hand.", "The friar follows them, smiling.", "Ragueneau\nalso holds a candlestick.", "The duenna closes the rear, bewildered, having made\na hasty toilet):\n Heavens!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n The devil!. .", "DE GUICHE:\n But.", "DE GUICHE:\n Sir!", "let me pass!", "ha!--or Rome?", "(Quite at ease, laughing, dusting himself, bowing):\n Come--pardon me--by the last water-spout,\n Covered with ether,--accident of travel!", ". .\n\n(He puffs as if to blow it away.)", "DE GUICHE:\n Not I!", "DE GUICHE (springing up):\n What?", "While we were chatting, they have plighted troth." ]

[ "CYRANO:\n Like a bomb\n I fell from the moon!", "CYRANO (volubly):\n First, with body naked as your hand,\n Festooned about with crystal flacons, full\n O' th' tears the early morning dew distils;\n My body to the sun's fierce rays exposed\n To let it suck me up, as 't sucks the dew!", "DE GUICHE:\n From?.", "DE GUICHE:\n He's lost his mind, for sure!", "Is it on a moon or earth,\n that my posterior weight has landed me?", "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "When lo!", "CYRANO:\n Or (since fumes have property to mount)--\n To charge a globe with fumes, sufficiently\n To carry me aloft!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (in a dreamy voice):\n What's o'clock?", "(The house-door opens." ]

[ "My weight\n Is marked, still registered, up there in heaven!", "(Hurriedly preventing De Guiche from passing, and detaining him by the button\nof his doublet):\n I swear to you that if you squeezed my nose\n It would spout milk!", "DE GUICHE:\n Milk?", "CYRANO:\n From the Milky Way!", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, go to hell!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n I fall, Sir, out of heaven!", "Now, would you credit it, that as I fell\n I saw that Sirius wears a nightcap?", "True!", "(Confidentially):\n The other Bear is still too small to bite.", "(Laughing):\n I went through the Lyre, but I snapped a cord;\n(Grandiloquent):\n I mean to write the whole thing in a book;\n The small gold stars, that, wrapped up in my cloak,\n I carried safe away at no small risks,\n Will serve for asterisks i' the printed page!", "DE GUICHE:\n Come, make an end!" ]

[ "Cyrano, De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (who enters, masked, feeling his way in the dark):\n What can that cursed Friar be about?", "CYRANO:\n The devil!. .", ".If he knows my voice!", "(Letting go with one hand, he pretends to turn an invisible key.", "Solemnly):\n Cric!", "Crac!", "Assume thou, Cyrano, to serve the turn,\n The accent of thy native Bergerac!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (looking at the house):\n 'Tis there.", "I see dim,--this mask hinders me!", "Cyrano gracefully uncovers):\n That nose--Cyrano?", "CYRANO (bowing):\n Cyrano.", "While we were chatting, they have plighted troth.", "DE GUICHE:\n Who?", "(He turns round.", "Tableau.", "Behind the lackeys appear Roxane and Christian,\nholding each other by the hand.", "The friar follows them, smiling.", "Ragueneau\nalso holds a candlestick.", "The duenna closes the rear, bewildered, having made\na hasty toilet):\n Heavens!" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "DE GUICHE (to Roxane):\n You?", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "(To Cyrano):\n My compliments--Sir Apparatus-maker!", "Your story would arrest at Peter's gate\n Saints eager for their Paradise!", "Note well\n The details.", "'Faith!", "They'd make a stirring book!", "CYRANO (bowing):\n I shall not fail to follow your advice.", "THE FRIAR (showing with satisfaction the two lovers to De Guiche):\n A handsome couple, son, made one by you!", "DE GUICHE (with a freezing look):\n Ay!", "(To Roxane):\n Bid your bridegroom, Madame, fond farewell.", "ROXANE:\n Why so?", "DE GUICHE (to Christian):\n Even now the regiment departs.", "Join it!", "ROXANE:\n It goes to battle?", "DE GUICHE:\n Without doubt.", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh ay!", "they go.", "(Drawing out the paper he had put in his pocket):\n Here is the order.", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "ROXANE (throwing herself in Christian's arms):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE (sneeringly to Cyrano):\n The wedding-night is far, methinks!", "CYRANO (aside):\n He thinks to give me pain of death by this!", "CHRISTIAN (to Roxane):\n Oh!", "once again!", "Your lips!", "CYRANO:\n Come, come, enough!", "CHRISTIAN (still kissing Roxane):\n --'Tis hard to leave her, you know not.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (trying to draw him away):\n I know.", "(Sound of drums beating a march in the distance.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The regiment starts!", "ROXANE (To Cyrano, holding back Christian, whom Cyrano is drawing away):\n Oh!--I trust him you!", "Promise me that no risks shall put his life\n In danger!", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", ". .\n That I cannot!", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", "CYRANO:\n Again, I'll do my best, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!", "CYRANO:\n All that man can do,\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n That he shall be faithful!", "CYRANO:\n Doubtless, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n That he will write oft?", "CYRANO (pausing):\n That, I promise you!", "Curtain." ]

[ "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "DE GUICHE (to Christian):\n Even now the regiment departs.", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "DE GUICHE (sneeringly to Cyrano):\n The wedding-night is far, methinks!", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!", "CYRANO:\n All that man can do,\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n That he shall be faithful!", "CYRANO:\n Doubtless, but." ]

[ "CYRANO (bowing):\n I shall not fail to follow your advice.", "Note well\n The details.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (trying to draw him away):\n I know.", "Your story would arrest at Peter's gate\n Saints eager for their Paradise!", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", "they go.", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "DE GUICHE (to Christian):\n Even now the regiment departs.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!" ]

[ "DE GUICHE:\n Without doubt.", "ROXANE:\n But the Cadets go not?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh ay!", "they go.", "(Drawing out the paper he had put in his pocket):\n Here is the order.", "(To Christian):\n Baron, bear it, quick!", "ROXANE (throwing herself in Christian's arms):\n Christian!", "DE GUICHE (sneeringly to Cyrano):\n The wedding-night is far, methinks!", "CYRANO (aside):\n He thinks to give me pain of death by this!", "CHRISTIAN (to Roxane):\n Oh!", "once again!" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane, Christian, the friar, Ragueneau, lackeys, the duenna.", "DE GUICHE (to Roxane):\n You?", "(Recognizing Christian, in amazement):\n He?", "(Bowing, with admiration, to Roxane):\n Cunningly contrived!", "(To Cyrano):\n My compliments--Sir Apparatus-maker!", "Your story would arrest at Peter's gate\n Saints eager for their Paradise!", "Note well\n The details.", "'Faith!", "They'd make a stirring book!", "CYRANO:\n I will try my best, but promise.", ". .\n That I cannot!", "ROXANE:\n But swear he shall be prudent?", "CYRANO:\n Again, I'll do my best, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n In the siege\n Let him not suffer!", "CYRANO:\n All that man can do,\n I. . .\n\nROXANE:\n That he shall be faithful!", "CYRANO:\n Doubtless, but.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n That he will write oft?", "CYRANO (pausing):\n That, I promise you!", "Curtain." ]

[ "Christian, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, Le Bret, the cadets, then Cyrano.", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis terrible.", "CARBON:\n Not a morsel left.", "LE BRET:\n Mordioux!", "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "You will awake them.", "(To the cadets):\n Hush!", "Sleep on.", "(To Le Bret):\n He who sleeps, dines!", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", ". .\n What starvation!", "(Firing is heard in the distance.)", "CARBON:\n Oh, plague take their firing!", "'Twill wake my sons.", "(To the cadets, who lift up their heads):\n Sleep on!", "(Firing is again heard, nearer this time.)", "A CADET (moving):\n The devil!. .", ".Again.", "CARBON:\n 'Tis nothing!", "'Tis Cyrano coming back!", "(Those who have lifted up their heads prepare to sleep again.)", "A SENTINEL (from without):\n Ventrebieu!", "Who goes there?", "THE VOICE Of CYRANO:\n Bergerac.", "The SENTINEL (who is on the redoubt):\n Ventrebieu!", "Who goes there?", "CYRANO (appearing at the top):\n Bergerac, idiot!", "(He comes down; Le Bret advances anxiously to meet him.)", "LE BRET:\n Heavens!", "CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n Wounded?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "you know it has become their custom to shoot at me every morning and to\nmiss me.", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "To take letters at each day's dawn.", "To risk.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (stopping before Christian):\n I promised he should write often.", "(He looks at him):\n He sleeps.", "How pale he is!", "But how handsome still, despite his sufferings.", "If his poor little lady-love knew that he is dying of hunger.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Get you quick to bed.", "CYRANO:\n Nay, never scold, Le Bret.", "I ran but little risk.", "I have found me a spot\nto pass the Spanish lines, where each night they lie drunk.", "LE BRET:\n You should try to bring us back provision.", "CYRANO:\n A man must carry no weight who would get by there!", "But there will be\nsurprise for us this night.", "The French will eat or die. . .if I mistake not!", "LE BRET:\n Oh!. .", ".tell me!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Nay, not yet.", "I am not certain. . .You will see!", "CARBON:\n It is disgraceful that we should starve while we're besieging!", "LE BRET:\n Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!", "To think that while\nwe are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the\nCardinal Infante of Spain.", "CYRANO:\n It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn.", "LE BRET:\n I am in earnest.", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "indeed!", "LE BRET:\n To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .\n.Thankless one.", "(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):\n Where are you going?", "CYRANO:\n I am going to write another.", "(He enters the tent and disappears.)" ]

[ ". .\n What starvation!", "'Twill wake my sons.", "'Tis Cyrano coming back!", "LE BRET:\n Wounded?", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "To risk.", "(He looks at him):\n He sleeps.", "I ran but little risk.", "indeed!", "CYRANO:\n I am going to write another." ]

[ "LE BRET:\n To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .\n.Thankless one.", ".tell me!.", "LE BRET:\n You should try to bring us back provision.", "CYRANO (appearing at the top):\n Bergerac, idiot!", "To risk.", "Who goes there?", "(Those who have lifted up their heads prepare to sleep again.)", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", "LE BRET:\n Heavens!", "(To the cadets):\n Hush!" ]

[ "(He comes down; Le Bret advances anxiously to meet him.)", "LE BRET:\n Heavens!", "CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):\n Hush!", "LE BRET:\n Wounded?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "you know it has become their custom to shoot at me every morning and to\nmiss me.", "LE BRET:\n This passes all!", "To take letters at each day's dawn.", "To risk.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (stopping before Christian):\n I promised he should write often.", "(He looks at him):\n He sleeps." ]

[ "Christian, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, Le Bret, the cadets, then Cyrano.", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis terrible.", "CARBON:\n Not a morsel left.", "LE BRET:\n Mordioux!", "CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):\n Curse under your breath.", "You will awake them.", "(To the cadets):\n Hush!", "Sleep on.", "(To Le Bret):\n He who sleeps, dines!", "LE BRET:\n But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!.", "LE BRET:\n Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!", "To think that while\nwe are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the\nCardinal Infante of Spain.", "CYRANO:\n It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn.", "LE BRET:\n I am in earnest.", "CYRANO:\n Oh!", "indeed!", "LE BRET:\n To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .\n.Thankless one.", "(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):\n Where are you going?", "CYRANO:\n I am going to write another.", "(He enters the tent and disappears.)" ]

[ "The same, all but Cyrano.", "The day is breaking in a rosy light.", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "The report of cannon is heard in the\ndistance, followed immediately by the beating of drums far away to the left.", "Other drums are heard much nearer.", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "Voices of\nofficers in the distance.", "CARBON (sighing):\n The reveille!", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!", "Thou art at an end!. .", ".I know well what will be their\nfirst cry!", "A CADET (sitting up):\n I am so hungry!", "ANOTHER:\n I am dying of hunger.", "TOGETHER:\n Oh!", "CARBON:\n Up with you!", "THIRD CADET:\n --Cannot move a limb.", "FOURTH CADET:\n Nor can I.", "THE FIRST (looking at himself in a bit of armor):\n My tongue is yellow.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "ANOTHER:\n My coronet for a bit of Chester!", "ANOTHER:\n If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a pint of chyle, I shall\nretire to my tent--like Achilles!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "something!", "were it but a crust!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest.", "Come,\nhearten them up.", "SECOND CADET (rushing toward another who is munching something):\n What are you crunching there?", "FIRST CADET:\n Cannon-wads soaked in axle-grease!", "'Tis poor hunting round about Arras!", "A CADET (entering):\n I have been after game.", "ANOTHER (following him):\n And I after fish.", "ALL (rushing to the two newcomers):\n Well!", "what have you brought?--a pheasant?--a carp?--Come, show us quick!", "THE ANGLER:\n A gudgeon!", "THE SPORTSMAN:\n A sparrow!", "ALL TOGETHER (beside themselves):\n 'Tis more than can be borne!", "We will mutiny!", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!", "Come to my help.", "(The daylight has now come.)" ]

[ "Voices of\nofficers in the distance.", "A CADET (sitting up):\n I am so hungry!", "ANOTHER:\n I am dying of hunger.", "THIRD CADET:\n --Cannot move a limb.", "FOURTH CADET:\n Nor can I.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "were it but a crust!", "FIRST CADET:\n Cannon-wads soaked in axle-grease!", "ANOTHER (following him):\n And I after fish.", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!" ]

[ "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "CARBON:\n Up with you!", "Other drums are heard much nearer.", "FIRST CADET:\n Cannon-wads soaked in axle-grease!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "THE ANGLER:\n A gudgeon!" ]

[ "FOURTH CADET:\n Nor can I.", "THE FIRST (looking at himself in a bit of armor):\n My tongue is yellow.", "The air at this season of the year is hard to digest.", "ANOTHER:\n My coronet for a bit of Chester!", "ANOTHER:\n If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a pint of chyle, I shall\nretire to my tent--like Achilles!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "something!", "were it but a crust!", "CARBON (going to the tent and calling softly):\n Cyrano!", "ALL THE CADETS:\n We are dying!", "CARBON (continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the tent):\n Come to my aid, you, who have the art of quick retort and gay jest." ]

[ "The same, all but Cyrano.", "The day is breaking in a rosy light.", "The town of\nArras is golden in the horizon.", "The report of cannon is heard in the\ndistance, followed immediately by the beating of drums far away to the left.", "Other drums are heard much nearer.", "Sounds of stirring in the camp.", "Voices of\nofficers in the distance.", "CARBON (sighing):\n The reveille!", "(The cadets move and stretch themselves):\n Nourishing sleep!", "Thou art at an end!. .", "ANOTHER (following him):\n And I after fish.", "ALL (rushing to the two newcomers):\n Well!", "what have you brought?--a pheasant?--a carp?--Come, show us quick!", "THE ANGLER:\n A gudgeon!", "THE SPORTSMAN:\n A sparrow!", "ALL TOGETHER (beside themselves):\n 'Tis more than can be borne!", "We will mutiny!", "CARBON:\n Cyrano!", "Come to my help.", "(The daylight has now come.)" ]

[ "The SAME.", "Cyrano.", "CYRANO (appearing from the tent, very calm, with a pen stuck behind his ear\nand a book in his hand):\n What is wrong?", "(Silence.", "To the first cadet):\n Why drag you your legs so sorrowfully?", "THE CADET:\n I have something in my heels which weighs them down.", "CYRANO:\n And what may that be?", "THE CADET:\n My stomach!", "CYRANO:\n So have I, 'faith!", "THE CADET:\n It must be in your way?", "CYRANO:\n Nay, I am all the taller.", "A THIRD:\n My stomach's hollow.", "CYRANO:\n 'Faith, 'twill make a fine drum to sound the assault.", "ANOTHER:\n I have a ringing in my ears.", "CYRANO:\n No, no, 'tis false; a hungry stomach has no ears.", "ANOTHER:\n Oh, to eat something--something oily!", "CYRANO (pulling off the cadet's helmet and holding it out to him):\n Behold your salad!", "ANOTHER:\n What, in God's name, can we devour?", "CYRANO (throwing him the book which he is carrying):\n The 'Iliad'.", "ANOTHER:\n The first minister in Paris has his four meals a day!", "CYRANO:\n 'Twere courteous an he sent you a few partridges!", "THE SAME:\n And why not?", "with wine, too!", "CYRANO:\n A little Burgundy.", "Richelieu, s'il vous plait!", "THE SAME:\n He could send it by one of his friars.", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "by His Eminence Joseph himself.", "ANOTHER:\n I am as ravenous as an ogre!", "CYRANO:\n Eat your patience, then.", "THE FIRST CADET (shrugging his shoulders):\n Always your pointed word!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, pointed words!", "I would fain die thus, some soft summer eve,\n Making a pointed word for a good cause.", "--To make a soldier's end by soldier's sword,\n Wielded by some brave adversary--die\n On blood-stained turf, not on a fever-bed,\n A point upon my lips, a point within my heart.", "CRIES FROM ALL:\n I'm hungry!", "CYRANO (crossing his arms):\n All your thoughts of meat and drink!", "Bertrand the fifer!--you were shepherd once,--\n Draw from its double leathern case your fife,\n Play to these greedy, guzzling soldiers.", "Play\n Old country airs with plaintive rhythm recurring,\n Where lurk sweet echoes of the dear home-voices,\n Each note of which calls like a little sister,\n Those airs slow, slow ascending, as the smoke-wreaths\n Rise from the hearthstones of our native hamlets,\n Their music strikes the ear like Gascon patois!.", ". .\n(The old man seats himself, and gets his flute ready):\n Your flute was now a warrior in durance;\n But on its stem your fingers are a-dancing\n A bird-like minuet!", "O flute!", "Remember\n That flutes were made of reeds first, not laburnum;\n Make us a music pastoral days recalling--\n The soul-time of your youth, in country pastures!.", ". .\n(The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc):\n Hark to the music, Gascons!.", ". .'Tis no longer\n The piercing fife of camp--but 'neath his fingers\n The flute of the woods!", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", ". .\n Hark!.", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "Hark, Gascons, to the music!", "(The cadets sit with bowed heads; their eyes have a far-off look as if\ndreaming, and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs and\nthe corner of their cloaks.)", "CARBON (to Cyrano in a whisper):\n But you make them weep!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, for homesickness.", "A nobler pain than hunger,--'tis of the soul, not of\nthe body!", "I am well pleased to see their pain change its viscera.", "Heart-ache\nis better than stomach-ache.", "CARBON:\n But you weaken their courage by playing thus on their heart-strings!", "CYRANO (making a sign to a drummer to approach):\n Not I.", "The hero that sleeps in Gascon blood is ever ready to awake in them.", "'Twould suffice.", ". .\n\n(He makes a signal; the drum beats.)", "ALL THE CADETS (stand up and rush to take arms):\n What?", "What is it?", "CYRANO (smiling):\n You see!", "One roll of the drum is enough!", "Good-by dreams, regrets, native\nland, love. . .All that the pipe called forth the drum has chased away!", "A CADET (looking toward the back of the stage):\n Ho!", "here comes Monsieur de Guiche.", "ALL THE CADETS (muttering):\n Ugh!. .", ".Ugh!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (smiling):\n A flattering welcome!", "A CADET:\n We are sick to death of him!", "ANOTHER CADET:\n --With his lace collar over his armor, playing the fine gentleman!", "ANOTHER:\n As if one wore linen over steel!", "THE FIRST:\n It were good for a bandage had he boils on his neck.", "THE SECOND:\n Another plotting courtier!", "ANOTHER CADET:\n His uncle's own nephew!", "CARBON:\n For all that--a Gascon.", "THE FIRST:\n Ay, false Gascon!. .", ".trust him not.", ". .\n Gascons should ever be crack-brained.", ". .\n Naught more dangerous than a rational Gascon.", "LE BRET:\n How pale he is!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "he is hungry, just like us poor devils; but under his cuirass, with its\nfine gilt nails, his stomach-ache glitters brave in the sun.", "CYRANO (hurriedly):\n Let us not seem to suffer either!", "Out with your cards, pipes, and dice.", ". .\n(All begin spreading out the games on the drums, the stools, the ground, and\non their cloaks, and light long pipes):\n And I shall read Descartes.", "(He walks up and down, reading a little book which he has drawn from his\npocket.", "Tableau.", "Enter De Guiche.", "All appear absorbed and happy.", "He is\nvery pale.", "He goes up to Carbon.)" ]

[ "Cyrano.", "CYRANO:\n A little Burgundy.", "ANOTHER:\n I am as ravenous as an ogre!", "Hark, Gascons, to the music!", "Heart-ache\nis better than stomach-ache.", "here comes Monsieur de Guiche.", "A CADET:\n We are sick to death of him!", "ANOTHER:\n Oh!", "Tableau.", "He is\nvery pale." ]

[ "Play\n Old country airs with plaintive rhythm recurring,\n Where lurk sweet echoes of the dear home-voices,\n Each note of which calls like a little sister,\n Those airs slow, slow ascending, as the smoke-wreaths\n Rise from the hearthstones of our native hamlets,\n Their music strikes the ear like Gascon patois!.", "CYRANO:\n And what may that be?", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "ANOTHER CADET:\n --With his lace collar over his armor, playing the fine gentleman!", "Cyrano.", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", "THE SECOND:\n Another plotting courtier!", "What is it?", "ANOTHER:\n I am as ravenous as an ogre!", "ANOTHER:\n I have a ringing in my ears." ]

[ "Remember\n That flutes were made of reeds first, not laburnum;\n Make us a music pastoral days recalling--\n The soul-time of your youth, in country pastures!.", ". .\n(The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc):\n Hark to the music, Gascons!.", ". .'Tis no longer\n The piercing fife of camp--but 'neath his fingers\n The flute of the woods!", "No more the call to combat,\n 'Tis now the love-song of the wandering goat-herds!.", ". .\n Hark!.", ". .'tis the valley, the wet landes, the forest,\n The sunburnt shepherd-boy with scarlet beret,\n The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river,--\n 'Tis Gascony!", "Hark, Gascons, to the music!", "(The cadets sit with bowed heads; their eyes have a far-off look as if\ndreaming, and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs and\nthe corner of their cloaks.)", "CARBON (to Cyrano in a whisper):\n But you make them weep!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, for homesickness.", "A nobler pain than hunger,--'tis of the soul, not of\nthe body!" ]

[ "The SAME.", "Cyrano.", "CYRANO (appearing from the tent, very calm, with a pen stuck behind his ear\nand a book in his hand):\n What is wrong?", "(Silence.", "To the first cadet):\n Why drag you your legs so sorrowfully?", "THE CADET:\n I have something in my heels which weighs them down.", "CYRANO:\n And what may that be?", "THE CADET:\n My stomach!", "CYRANO:\n So have I, 'faith!", "THE CADET:\n It must be in your way?", "he is hungry, just like us poor devils; but under his cuirass, with its\nfine gilt nails, his stomach-ache glitters brave in the sun.", "CYRANO (hurriedly):\n Let us not seem to suffer either!", "Out with your cards, pipes, and dice.", ". .\n(All begin spreading out the games on the drums, the stools, the ground, and\non their cloaks, and light long pipes):\n And I shall read Descartes.", "(He walks up and down, reading a little book which he has drawn from his\npocket.", "Tableau.", "Enter De Guiche.", "All appear absorbed and happy.", "He is\nvery pale.", "He goes up to Carbon.)" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Good-day!", "(They examine each other.", "Aside, with satisfaction):\n He's green.", "CARBON (aside):\n He has nothing left but eyes.", "DE GUICHE (looking at the cadets):\n Here are the rebels!", "Ay, Sirs, on all sides\n I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me;\n That the Cadets, these loutish, mountain-bred,\n Poor country squires, and barons of Perigord,\n Scarce find for me--their Colonel--a disdain\n Sufficient!", "call me plotter, wily courtier!", "It does not please their mightiness to see\n A point-lace collar on my steel cuirass,--\n And they enrage, because a man, in sooth,\n May be no ragged-robin, yet a Gascon!", "(Silence.", "All smoke and play):\n Shall I command your Captain punish you?", "No.", "CARBON:\n I am free, moreover,--will not punish--\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "CARBON:\n I have paid my company--'tis mine.", "I bow but to headquarters.", "DE GUICHE:\n So?--in faith!", "That will suffice.", "(Addressing himself to the cadets):\n I can despise your taunts\n 'Tis well known how I bear me in the war;\n At Bapaume, yesterday, they saw the rage\n With which I beat back the Count of Bucquoi;\n Assembling my own men, I fell on his,\n And charged three separate times!", "CYRANO (without lifting his eyes from his book):\n And your white scarf?", "DE GUICHE (surprised and gratified):\n You know that detail?. .", ".Troth!", "It happened thus:\n While caracoling to recall the troops\n For the third charge, a band of fugitives\n Bore me with them, close by the hostile ranks:\n I was in peril--capture, sudden death!--\n When I thought of the good expedient\n To loosen and let fall the scarf which told\n My military rank; thus I contrived\n --Without attention waked--to leave the foes,\n And suddenly returning, reinforced\n With my own men, to scatter them!", "And now,\n --What say you, Sir?", "(The cadets pretend not to be listening, but the cards and the dice-boxes\nremain suspended in their hands, the smoke of their pipes in their cheeks.", "They wait.)", "CYRANO:\n I say, that Henri Quatre\n Had not, by any dangerous odds, been forced\n To strip himself of his white helmet plume.", "(Silent delight.", "The cards fall, the dice rattle.", "The smoke is puffed.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The ruse succeeded, though!", "(Same suspension of play, etc.)", "CYRANO:\n Oh, may be!", "But\n One does not lightly abdicate the honor\n To serve as target to the enemy\n(Cards, dice, fall again, and the cadets smoke with evident delight):\n Had I been present when your scarf fell low,\n --Our courage, Sir, is of a different sort--\n I would have picked it up and put it on.", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh, ay!", "Another Gascon boast!", "CYRANO:\n A boast?", "Lend it to me.", "I pledge myself, to-night,\n --With it across my breast,--to lead th' assault.", "DE GUICHE:\n Another Gascon vaunt!", "You know the scarf\n Lies with the enemy, upon the brink\n Of the stream,. . .the place is riddled now with shot,--\n No one can fetch it hither!", "CYRANO (drawing the scarf from his pocket, and holding it out to him):\n Here it is.", "(Silence.", "The cadets stifle their laughter in their cards and dice-boxes.", "De\nGuiche turns and looks at them; they instantly become grave, and set to play.", "One of them whistles indifferently the air just played by the fifer.)", "DE GUICHE (taking the scarf):\n I thank you.", "It will now enable me\n To make a signal,--that I had forborne\n To make--till now.", "(He goes to the rampart, climbs it, and waves the scarf thrice.)", "ALL:\n What's that?", "THE SENTINEL (from the top of the rampart):\n See you yon man\n Down there, who runs?.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (descending):\n 'Tis a false Spanish spy\n Who is extremely useful to my ends.", "The news he carries to the enemy\n Are those I prompt him with--so, in a word,\n We have an influence on their decisions!", "CYRANO:\n Scoundrel!", "DE GUICHE (carelessly knotting on his scarf):\n 'Tis opportune.", "What were we saying?", "Ah!", "I have news for you.", "Last evening\n --To victual us--the Marshal did attempt\n A final effort:--secretly he went\n To Dourlens, where the King's provisions be.", "But--to return to camp more easily--\n He took with him a goodly force of troops.", "Those who attacked us now would have fine sport!", "Half of the army's absent from the camp!", "CARBON:\n Ay, if the Spaniards knew, 'twere ill for us,\n But they know nothing of it?", "DE GUICHE:\n Oh!", "they know.", "They will attack us.", "CARBON:\n Ah!", "DE GUICHE:\n For my false spy\n Came to warn me of their attack.", "He said,\n 'I can decide the point for their assault;\n Where would you have it?", "I will tell them 'tis\n The least defended--they'll attempt you there.'", "I answered, 'Good.", "Go out of camp, but watch\n My signal.", "Choose the point from whence it comes.'", "CARBON (to cadets):\n Make ready!", "(All rise; sounds of swords and belts being buckled.)", "DE GUICHE:\n 'Twill be in an hour.", "FIRST CADET:\n Good!.", ". .\n\n(They all sit down again and take up their games.)", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Time must be gained.", "The Marshal will return.", "CARBON:\n How gain it?", "DE GUICHE:\n You will all be good enough\n To let yourselves to be killed.", "CYRANO:\n Vengeance!", "oho!", "DE GUICHE:\n I do not say that, if I loved you well,\n I had chosen you and yours,--but, as things stand,--\n Your courage yielding to no corps the palm--\n I serve my King, and serve my grudge as well.", "CYRANO:\n Permit that I express my gratitude.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I know you love to fight against five score;\n You will not now complain of paltry odds.", "(He goes up with Carbon.)", "CYRANO (to the cadets):\n We shall add to the Gascon coat of arms,\n With its six bars of blue and gold, one more--\n The blood-red bar that was a-missing there!", "(De Guiche speaks in a low voice with Carbon at the back.", "Orders are given.", "Preparations go forward.", "Cyrano goes up to Christian, who stands with crossed\narms.)", "CYRANO (putting his hand on Christian's shoulder):\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN (shaking his head):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n Alas!", "CHRISTIAN:\n At least, I'd send\n My heart's farewell to her in a fair letter!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n I had suspicion it would be to-day,\n(He draws a letter out of his doublet):\n And had already writ.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Show!", "CYRANO:\n Will you. .", ".?", "CHRISTIAN (taking the letter):\n Ay!", "(He opens and reads it):\n Hold!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n This little spot!", "CYRANO (taking the letter, with an innocent look):\n A spot?", "CHRISTIAN:\n A tear!", "CYRANO:\n Poets, at last,--by dint of counterfeiting--\n Take counterfeit for true--that is the charm!", "This farewell letter,--it was passing sad,\n I wept myself in writing it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Wept?", "why?", "CYRANO:\n Oh!. .", ".death itself is hardly terrible,.", ". .\n --But, ne'er to see her more!", "That is death's sting!", "--For. . .I shall never.", ". .\n(Christian looks at him):\n We shall.", ". .\n(Quickly):\n I mean, you.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (snatching the letter from him):\n Give me that letter!", "(A rumor, far off in the camp.)", "VOICE Of SENTINEL:\n Who goes there?", "Halloo!", "(Shots--voices--carriage-bells.)", "CARBON:\n What is it?", "A SENTINEL (on the rampart):\n 'Tis a carriage!", "(All rush to see.)", "CRIES:\n In the camp?", "It enters!--It comes from the enemy!", "--Fire!--No!--The coachman cries!--What does he say?", "--'On the King's service!'", "(Everyone is on the rampart, staring.", "The bells come nearer.)", "DE GUICHE:\n The King's service?", "How?", "(All descend and draw up in line.)", "CARBON:\n Uncover, all!", "DE GUICHE:\n The King's!", "Draw up in line!", "Let him describe his curve as it befits!", "(The carriage enters at full speed covered with dust and mud.", "The curtains\nare drawn close.", "Two lackeys behind.", "It is pulled up suddenly.)", "CARBON:\n Beat a salute!", "(A roll of drums.", "The cadets uncover.)", "DE GUICHE:\n Lower the carriage-steps!", "(Two cadets rush forward.", "The door opens.)", "ROXANE (jumping down from the carriage):\n Good-day!", "(All are bowing to the ground, but at the sound of a woman's voice every head\nis instantly raised.)" ]

[ "No.", "CARBON:\n I am free, moreover,--will not punish--\n\nDE GUICHE:\n Ah!", "That will suffice.", "And now,\n --What say you, Sir?", "I pledge myself, to-night,\n --With it across my breast,--to lead th' assault.", "He said,\n 'I can decide the point for their assault;\n Where would you have it?", "CARBON (to cadets):\n Make ready!", "CYRANO:\n Permit that I express my gratitude.", "CYRANO:\n What?", "(The carriage enters at full speed covered with dust and mud." ]

[ "The cards fall, the dice rattle.", "CYRANO:\n Vengeance!", "--Fire!--No!--The coachman cries!--What does he say?", "They wait.)", "Orders are given.", "DE GUICHE:\n The King's service?", "CYRANO:\n Alas!", "(He opens and reads it):\n Hold!", "(Silence.", "Draw up in line!" ]

[ "I answered, 'Good.", "Go out of camp, but watch\n My signal.", "Choose the point from whence it comes.'", "CARBON (to cadets):\n Make ready!", "(All rise; sounds of swords and belts being buckled.)", "DE GUICHE:\n 'Twill be in an hour.", "FIRST CADET:\n Good!.", ". .\n\n(They all sit down again and take up their games.)", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Time must be gained.", "The Marshal will return.", "CARBON:\n How gain it?" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (to Carbon):\n Good-day!", "(They examine each other.", "Aside, with satisfaction):\n He's green.", "CARBON (aside):\n He has nothing left but eyes.", "DE GUICHE (looking at the cadets):\n Here are the rebels!", "Ay, Sirs, on all sides\n I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me;\n That the Cadets, these loutish, mountain-bred,\n Poor country squires, and barons of Perigord,\n Scarce find for me--their Colonel--a disdain\n Sufficient!", "call me plotter, wily courtier!", "It does not please their mightiness to see\n A point-lace collar on my steel cuirass,--\n And they enrage, because a man, in sooth,\n May be no ragged-robin, yet a Gascon!", "Two lackeys behind.", "It is pulled up suddenly.)", "CARBON:\n Beat a salute!", "(A roll of drums.", "The cadets uncover.)", "DE GUICHE:\n Lower the carriage-steps!", "(Two cadets rush forward.", "The door opens.)", "ROXANE (jumping down from the carriage):\n Good-day!", "(All are bowing to the ground, but at the sound of a woman's voice every head\nis instantly raised.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane.", "DE GUICHE:\n On the King's service!", "You?", "ROXANE:\n Ay,--King Love's!", "What other king?", "CYRANO:\n Great God!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing forward):\n Why have you come?", "ROXANE:\n This siege--'tis too long!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But why?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I will tell you all!", "CYRANO (who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground,\nafraid to raise his eyes):\n My God!", "dare I look at her?", "DE GUICHE:\n You cannot remain here!", "ROXANE (merrily):\n But I say yes!", "Who will push a drum hither for me?", "(She seats herself on the drum they roll forward):\n So!", "I thank you.", "(She laughs):\n My carriage was fired at\n(proudly):\n by the patrol!", "Look!", "would you not think 'twas made of a pumpkin, like\nCinderella's chariot in the tale,--and the footmen out of rats?", "(Sending a kiss with her lips to Christian):\n Good-morrow!", "(Examining them all):\n You look not merry, any of you!", "Ah!", "know you that 'tis a long road to get\nto Arras?", "(Seeing Cyrano):\n Cousin, delighted!", "CYRANO (coming up to her):\n But how, in Heaven's name?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n How found I the way to the army?", "It was simple enough, for I had but to\npass on and on, as far as I saw the country laid waste.", "Ah, what horrors were\nthere!", "Had I not seen, then I could never have believed it!", "Well, gentlemen,\nif such be the service of your King, I would fainer serve mine!", "CYRANO:\n But 'tis sheer madness!", "Where in the fiend's name did you get through?", "ROXANE:\n Where?", "Through the Spanish lines.", "FIRST CADET:\n --For subtle craft, give me a woman!", "DE GUICHE:\n But how did you pass through their lines?", "LE BRET:\n Faith!", "that must have been a hard matter!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n None too hard.", "I but drove quietly forward in my carriage, and when some\nhidalgo of haughty mien would have stayed me, lo!", "I showed at the window my\nsweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most\ngallant gentlemen in the world,--I passed on!", "CARBON:\n True, that smile is a passport!", "But you must have been asked frequently to\ngive an account of where you were going, Madame?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.'", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Roxane.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Forgive me that I said, 'my lover!'", "But bethink you, had I said 'my\nhusband,' not one of them had let me pass!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What ails you?", "DE GUICHE:\n You must leave this place!", "ROXANE:\n I?", "CYRANO:\n And that instantly!", "LE BRET:\n No time to lose.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Indeed, you must.", "ROXANE:\n But wherefore must I?", "CHRISTIAN (embarrassed):\n 'Tis that.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (the same):\n --In three quarters of an hour.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (the same):\n --Or for.", ". .", "CARBON (the same):\n It were best.", ". .", "LE BRET (the same):\n You might.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You are going to fight?--I stay here.", "ALL:\n No, no!", "ROXANE:\n He is my husband!", "(She throws herself into Christian's arms):\n They shall kill us both together!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Why do you look at me thus?", "ROXANE:\n I will tell you why!", "DE GUICHE (in despair):\n 'Tis a post of mortal danger!", "ROXANE (turning round):\n Mortal danger!", "CYRANO:\n Proof enough, that he has put us here!", "ROXANE (to De Guiche):\n So, Sir, you would have made a widow of me?", "DE GUICHE:\n Nay, on my oath.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I will not go!", "I am reckless now, and I shall not stir from here!--Besides,\n'tis amusing!", "CYRANO:\n Oh-ho!", "So our precieuse is a heroine!", "ROXANE:\n Monsieur de Bergerac, I am your cousin.", "A CADET:\n We will defend you well!", "ROXANE (more and more excited):\n I have no fear of that, my friends!", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "ROXANE:\n And, by good luck, I have chosen a hat that will suit well with the\nbattlefield!", "(Looking at De Guiche):\n But were it not wisest that the Count retire?", "They may begin the attack.", "DE GUICHE:\n That is not to be brooked!", "I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return.", "You have still time--think better of it!", "ROXANE:\n Never!", "(De Guiche goes out.)" ]

[ "CYRANO (who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground,\nafraid to raise his eyes):\n My God!", "Where in the fiend's name did you get through?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.'", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Why do you look at me thus?", "DE GUICHE (in despair):\n 'Tis a post of mortal danger!", "I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return.", "You have still time--think better of it!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "(She throws herself into Christian's arms):\n They shall kill us both together!", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CYRANO:\n Great God!", ". .", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "You?", "I am reckless now, and I shall not stir from here!--Besides,\n'tis amusing!", "ROXANE:\n I will tell you why!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (the same):\n --In three quarters of an hour." ]

[ "I but drove quietly forward in my carriage, and when some\nhidalgo of haughty mien would have stayed me, lo!", "I showed at the window my\nsweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most\ngallant gentlemen in the world,--I passed on!", "CARBON:\n True, that smile is a passport!", "But you must have been asked frequently to\ngive an account of where you were going, Madame?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, frequently.", "Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.'", "At that word\nthe very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door,\nand, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower\nthe muskets leveled at me;--then, with melancholy but withal very graceful\ndignity--his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he\nwould bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n But, Roxane.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Forgive me that I said, 'my lover!'", "But bethink you, had I said 'my\nhusband,' not one of them had let me pass!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But." ]

[ "The same.", "Roxane.", "DE GUICHE:\n On the King's service!", "You?", "ROXANE:\n Ay,--King Love's!", "What other king?", "CYRANO:\n Great God!", "CHRISTIAN (rushing forward):\n Why have you come?", "ROXANE:\n This siege--'tis too long!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But why?.", "ROXANE (more and more excited):\n I have no fear of that, my friends!", "ANOTHER (in ecstasy):\n The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root!", "ROXANE:\n And, by good luck, I have chosen a hat that will suit well with the\nbattlefield!", "(Looking at De Guiche):\n But were it not wisest that the Count retire?", "They may begin the attack.", "DE GUICHE:\n That is not to be brooked!", "I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return.", "You have still time--think better of it!", "ROXANE:\n Never!", "(De Guiche goes out.)" ]

[ "The same, all but De Guiche.", "CHRISTIAN (entreatingly):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "FIRST CADET (to the others):\n She stays!", "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano, who still pleads with her):\n No!", "Naught shall make me stir from this spot!", "CARBON (who, like the others, has been buckling, dusting, brushing his hat,\nsettling his plume, and drawing on his cuffs, advances to Roxane, and\nceremoniously):\n It is perchance more seemly, since things are thus, that I present to you\nsome of these gentlemen who are about to have the honor of dying before your\neyes.", "(Roxane bows, and stands leaning on Christian's arm, while Carbon introduces\nthe cadets to her):\n Baron de Peyrescous de Colignac!", "THE CADET (with a low reverence):\n Madame.", ". .", "CARBON (continuing):\n Baron de Casterac de Cahuzac,--Vidame de Malgouyre Estressac Lesbas\nd'Escarabiot, Chevalier d'Antignac-Juzet, Baron Hillot de Blagnac-Salechan de\nCastel Crabioules.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But how many names have you each?", "BARON HILLOT:\n Scores!", "CARBON (to Roxane):\n Pray, upon the hand that holds your kerchief.", "ROXANE (opens her hand, and the handkerchief falls):\n Why?", "(The whole company start forward to pick it up.)", "CARBON (quickly raising it):\n My company had no flag.", "But now, by my faith, they will have the fairest in\nall the camp!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n 'Tis somewhat small.", "CARBON (tying the handkerchief on the staff of his lance):\n But--'tis of lace!", "A CADET (to the rest):\n I could die happy, having seen so sweet a face, if I had something in my\nstomach--were it but a nut!", "CARBON (who has overheard, indignantly):\n Shame on you!", "What, talk of eating when a lovely woman!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But your camp air is keen; I myself am famished.", "Pasties, cold fricassee,\nold wines--there is my bill of fare?", "Pray bring it all here.", "(Consternation.)", "A CADET:\n All that?", "ANOTHER:\n But where on earth find it?", "ROXANE (quietly):\n In my carriage.", "ALL:\n How?", "ROXANE:\n Now serve up--carve!", "Look a little closer at my coachman, gentlemen, and\nyou will recognize a man most welcome.", "All the sauces can be sent to table\nhot, if we will!", "THE CADETS (rushing pellmell to the carriage):\n 'Tis Ragueneau!", "(Acclamations):\n Oh, oh!", "ROXANE (looking after them):\n Poor fellows!", "CYRANO (kissing her hand):\n Kind fairy!", "RAGUENEAU (standing on the box like a quack doctor at a fair):\n Gentlemen!.", ". .\n\n(General delight.)", "THE CADETS:\n Bravo!", "bravo!", "RAGUENEAU:\n . . .The Spaniards, gazing on a lady so dainty fair, overlooked the fare so\ndainty!.", ". .", "(Applause.)", "CYRANO (in a whisper to Christian):\n Hark, Christian!", "RAGUENEAU:\n . . .And, occupied with gallantry, perceived not--\n(His draws a plate from under the seat, and holds it up):\n --The galantine!.", ". .\n\n(Applause.", "The galantine passes from hand to hand.)", "CYRANO (still whispering to Christian):\n Prythee, one word!", "RAGUENEAU:\n And Venus so attracted their eyes that Diana could secretly pass by with--\n(He holds up a shoulder of mutton):\n --her fawn!", "(Enthusiasm.", "Twenty hands are held out to seize the shoulder of mutton.)", "CYRANO (in a low whisper to Christian):\n I must speak to you!", "ROXANE (to the cadets, who come down, their arms laden with food):\n Put it all on the ground!", "(She lays all out on the grass, aided by the two imperturbable lackeys who\nwere behind the carriage.)", "ROXANE (to Christian, just as Cyrano is drawing him apart):\n Come, make yourself of use!", "(Christian comes to help her.", "Cyrano's uneasiness increases.)", "RAGUENEAU:\n Truffled peacock!", "FIRST CADET (radiant, coming down, cutting a big slice of ham):\n By the mass!", "We shall not brave the last hazard without having had a\ngullet-full!--\n(quickly correcting himself on seeing Roxane):\n --Pardon!", "A Balthazar feast!", "RAGUENEAU (throwing down the carriage cushions):\n The cushions are stuffed with ortolans!", "(Hubbub.", "They tear open and turn out the contents of the cushions.", "Bursts of\nlaughter--merriment.)", "THIRD CADET:\n Ah!", "Viedaze!", "RAGUENEAU (throwing down to the cadets bottles of red wine):\n Flasks of rubies!--\n(and white wine):\n --Flasks of topaz!", "ROXANE (throwing a folded tablecloth at Cyrano's head):\n Unfold me that napkin!--Come, come!", "be nimble!", "RAGUENEAU (waving a lantern):\n Each of the carriage-lamps is a little larder!", "CYRANO (in a low voice to Christian, as they arrange the cloth together):\n I must speak with you ere you speak to her.", "RAGUENEAU:\n My whip-handle is an Arles sausage!", "ROXANE (pouring out wine, helping):\n Since we are to die, let the rest of the army shift for itself.", "All for the\nGascons!", "And mark!", "if De Guiche comes, let no one invite him!", "(Going from one to the other):\n There!", "there!", "You have time enough!", "Do not eat too fast!--Drink a little.-\n-Why are you crying?", "FIRST CADET:\n It is all so good!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Tut!--Red or white?--Some bread for Monsieur de Carbon!--a knife!", "Pass your\nplate!--a little of the crust?", "Some more?", "Let me help you!--Some champagne?-\n-A wing?", "CYRANO (who follows her, his arms laden with dishes, helping her to wait on\neverybody):\n How I worship her!", "ROXANE (going up to Christian):\n What will you?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Nothing.", "ROXANE:\n Nay, nay, take this biscuit, steeped in muscat; come!. .", ".but two drops!", "CHRISTIAN (trying to detain her):\n Oh!", "tell me why you came?", "ROXANE:\n Wait; my first duty is to these poor fellows.--Hush!", "In a few minutes.", ". .", "LE BRET (who had gone up to pass a loaf on the end of a lance to the sentry on\nthe rampart):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Quick!", "hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game-baskets!", "Hurry!--Let us all\nlook unconscious!", "(To Ragueneau):\n Up on your seat!--Is everything covered up?", "(In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets,\ncloaks, and beavers.", "De Guiche enters hurriedly--stops suddenly, sniffing the\nair.", "Silence.)" ]

[ "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", "ROXANE (opens her hand, and the handkerchief falls):\n Why?", "CARBON (quickly raising it):\n My company had no flag.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But your camp air is keen; I myself am famished.", "Cyrano's uneasiness increases.)", "FIRST CADET (radiant, coming down, cutting a big slice of ham):\n By the mass!", "They tear open and turn out the contents of the cushions.", "Viedaze!", "De Guiche enters hurriedly--stops suddenly, sniffing the\nair.", "Silence.)" ]

[ "CARBON (tying the handkerchief on the staff of his lance):\n But--'tis of lace!", "THIRD CADET:\n Ah!", "(Acclamations):\n Oh, oh!", "RAGUENEAU (throwing down the carriage cushions):\n The cushions are stuffed with ortolans!", "CYRANO:\n Quick!", "(In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets,\ncloaks, and beavers.", "Silence.)", "(Hubbub.", "All for the\nGascons!", "(Enthusiasm." ]

[ ". .\n\n(Applause.", "The galantine passes from hand to hand.)", "CYRANO (still whispering to Christian):\n Prythee, one word!", "RAGUENEAU:\n And Venus so attracted their eyes that Diana could secretly pass by with--\n(He holds up a shoulder of mutton):\n --her fawn!", "(Enthusiasm.", "Twenty hands are held out to seize the shoulder of mutton.)", "CYRANO (in a low whisper to Christian):\n I must speak to you!", "ROXANE (to the cadets, who come down, their arms laden with food):\n Put it all on the ground!", "(She lays all out on the grass, aided by the two imperturbable lackeys who\nwere behind the carriage.)", "ROXANE (to Christian, just as Cyrano is drawing him apart):\n Come, make yourself of use!", "(Christian comes to help her." ]

[ "The same, all but De Guiche.", "CHRISTIAN (entreatingly):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "FIRST CADET (to the others):\n She stays!", "ALL (hurrying, hustling each other, tidying themselves):\n A comb!--Soap!--My uniform is torn!--A needle!--A ribbon!--Lend your\nmirror!--My cuffs!--Your curling-iron!--A razor!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (to Cyrano, who still pleads with her):\n No!", "Naught shall make me stir from this spot!", "CARBON (who, like the others, has been buckling, dusting, brushing his hat,\nsettling his plume, and drawing on his cuffs, advances to Roxane, and\nceremoniously):\n It is perchance more seemly, since things are thus, that I present to you\nsome of these gentlemen who are about to have the honor of dying before your\neyes.", "(Roxane bows, and stands leaning on Christian's arm, while Carbon introduces\nthe cadets to her):\n Baron de Peyrescous de Colignac!", "THE CADET (with a low reverence):\n Madame.", "In a few minutes.", ". .", "LE BRET (who had gone up to pass a loaf on the end of a lance to the sentry on\nthe rampart):\n De Guiche!", "CYRANO:\n Quick!", "hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game-baskets!", "Hurry!--Let us all\nlook unconscious!", "(To Ragueneau):\n Up on your seat!--Is everything covered up?", "(In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets,\ncloaks, and beavers.", "De Guiche enters hurriedly--stops suddenly, sniffing the\nair.", "Silence.)" ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE:\n It smells good here.", "A CADET (humming):\n Lo!", "Lo-lo!", "DE GUICHE (looking at him):\n What is the matter?--You are very red.", "THE CADET:\n The matter?--Nothing!--'Tis my blood--boiling at the thought of the coming\nbattle!", "ANOTHER:\n Poum, poum--poum.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (turning round):\n What's that?", "THE CADET (slightly drunk):\n Nothing!.", ". .'Tis a song!--a little.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n You are merry, my friend!", "THE CADET:\n The approach of danger is intoxicating!", "DE GUICHE (calling Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, to give him an order):\n Captain!", "I. . .\n(He stops short on seeing him):\n Plague take me!", "but you look bravely, too!", "CARBON (crimson in the face, hiding a bottle behind his back, with an evasive\nmovement):\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE:\n I have one cannon left, and have had it carried there--\n(he points behind the scenes):\n --in that corner. . .Your men can use it in case of need.", "A CADET (reeling slightly):\n Charming attention!", "ANOTHER (with a gracious smile):\n Kind solicitude!", "DE GUICHE:\n How?", "they are all gone crazy?", "(Drily):\n As you are not used to cannon, beware of the recoil.", "FIRST CADET:\n Pooh!", "DE GUICHE (furious, going up to him):\n But.", ". .", "THE CADET:\n Gascon cannons never recoil!", "DE GUICHE (taking him by the arm and shaking him):\n You are tipsy!--but what with?", "THE CADET (grandiloquently):\n --With the smell of powder!", "DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders and pushing him away, then going quickly to\nRoxane):\n Briefly, Madame, what decision do you deign to take?", "ROXANE:\n I stay here.", "DE GUICHE:\n You must fly!", "ROXANE:\n No!", "I will stay.", "DE GUICHE:\n Since things are thus, give me a musket, one of you!", "CARBON:\n Wherefore?", "DE GUICHE:\n Because I too--mean to remain.", "CYRANO:\n At last!", "This is true valor, Sir!", "FIRST CADET:\n Then you are Gascon after all, spite of your lace collar?", "ROXANE:\n What is all this?", "DE GUICHE:\n I leave no woman in peril.", "SECOND CADET (to the first):\n Hark you!", "Think you not we might give him something to eat?", "(All the viands reappear as if by magic.)", "DE GUICHE (whose eyes sparkle):\n Victuals!", "THE THIRD CADET:\n Yes, you'll see them coming from under every coat!", "DE GUICHE (controlling himself, haughtily):\n Do you think I will eat your leavings?", "CYRANO (saluting him):\n You make progress.", "DE GUICHE (proudly, with a light touch of accent on the word 'breaking'):\n I will fight without br-r-eaking my fast!", "FIRST CADET (with wild delight):\n Br-r-r-eaking!", "He has got the accent!", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n I?", "THE CADET:\n 'Tis a Gascon!", "(All begin to dance.)", "CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (who had disappeared behind the rampart, reappearing\non the ridge):\n I have drawn my pikemen up in line.", "They are a resolute troop.", "(He points to a row of pikes, the tops of which are seen over the ridge.)", "DE GUICHE (bowing to Roxane):\n Will you accept my hand, and accompany me while I review them?", "(She takes it, and they go up toward the rampart.", "All uncover and follow\nthem.)", "CHRISTIAN (going to Cyrano, eagerly):\n Tell me quickly!", "(As Roxane appears on the ridge, the tops of the lances disappear, lowered for\nthe salute, and a shout is raised.", "She bows.)", "THE PIKEMEN (outside):\n Vivat!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What is this secret?", "CYRANO:\n If Roxane should.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Should?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Speak of the letters?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Yes, I know!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Do not spoil all by seeming surprised.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n At what?", "CYRANO:\n I must explain to you!. .", ".Oh!", "'tis no great matter--I but thought of it to-\nday on seeing her.", "You have.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Tell quickly!", "CYRANO:\n You have. . .written to her oftener than you think.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n How so?", "CYRANO:\n Thus, 'faith!", "I had taken it in hand to express your flame for you!. .", ".At\ntimes I wrote without saying, 'I am writing!'", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ah!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'Tis simple enough!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But how did you contrive, since we have been cut off, thus. . .to?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .Oh!", "before dawn. . .I was able to get through.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (folding his arms):\n That was simple, too?", "And how oft, pray you, have I written?. .", ".Twice in\nthe week?. .", ".Three times?. .", ".Four?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!", "Every day?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, every day,--twice.", "CHRISTIAN (violently):\n And that became so mad a joy for you, that you braved death.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing Roxane returning):\n Hush!", "Not before her!", "(He goes hurriedly into his tent.)" ]

[ "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE (looking at him):\n What is the matter?--You are very red.", "ROXANE:\n I stay here.", "THE THIRD CADET:\n Yes, you'll see them coming from under every coat!", "CYRANO:\n If Roxane should.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Do not spoil all by seeming surprised.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n How so?", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .Oh!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!" ]

[ "De Guiche.", "THE CADET:\n Gascon cannons never recoil!", "(All the viands reappear as if by magic.)", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n At what?", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n Speak of the letters?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n How so?", "DE GUICHE (taking him by the arm and shaking him):\n You are tipsy!--but what with?", "She bows.)", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n . . .Oh!", "He has got the accent!" ]

[ "DE GUICHE (whose eyes sparkle):\n Victuals!", "THE THIRD CADET:\n Yes, you'll see them coming from under every coat!", "DE GUICHE (controlling himself, haughtily):\n Do you think I will eat your leavings?", "CYRANO (saluting him):\n You make progress.", "DE GUICHE (proudly, with a light touch of accent on the word 'breaking'):\n I will fight without br-r-eaking my fast!", "FIRST CADET (with wild delight):\n Br-r-r-eaking!", "He has got the accent!", "DE GUICHE (laughing):\n I?", "THE CADET:\n 'Tis a Gascon!", "(All begin to dance.)", "CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (who had disappeared behind the rampart, reappearing\non the ridge):\n I have drawn my pikemen up in line." ]

[ "The same.", "De Guiche.", "DE GUICHE:\n It smells good here.", "A CADET (humming):\n Lo!", "Lo-lo!", "DE GUICHE (looking at him):\n What is the matter?--You are very red.", "THE CADET:\n The matter?--Nothing!--'Tis my blood--boiling at the thought of the coming\nbattle!", "ANOTHER:\n Poum, poum--poum.", ". .\n\nDE GUICHE (turning round):\n What's that?", "THE CADET (slightly drunk):\n Nothing!.", ".Three times?. .", ".Four?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n More often still.", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!", "Every day?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, every day,--twice.", "CHRISTIAN (violently):\n And that became so mad a joy for you, that you braved death.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (seeing Roxane returning):\n Hush!", "Not before her!", "(He goes hurriedly into his tent.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Christian.", "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", "ROXANE (running up to Christian):\n Ah, Christian, at last!.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (taking her hands):\n Now tell me why--\n Why, by these fearful paths so perilous--\n Across these ranks of ribald soldiery,\n You have come?", "ROXANE:\n Love, your letters brought me here!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What say you?", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis your fault if I ran risks!", "Your letters turned my head!", "Ah!", "all this month,\n How many!--and the last one ever bettered\n The one that went before!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What!--for a few\n Inconsequent love-letters!", "ROXANE:\n Hold your peace!", "Ah!", "you cannot conceive it!", "Ever since\n That night, when, in a voice all new to me,\n Under my window you revealed your soul--\n Ah!", "ever since I have adored you!", "Now\n Your letters all this whole month long!--meseemed\n As if I heard that voice so tender, true,\n Sheltering, close!", "Thy fault, I say!", "It drew me,\n The voice o' th' night!", "Oh!", "wise Penelope\n Would ne'er have stayed to broider on her hearthstone,\n If her Ulysses could have writ such letters!", "But would have cast away her silken bobbins,\n And fled to join him, mad for love as Helen!", "CHRISTIAN:\n But.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I read, read again--grew faint for love;\n I was thine utterly.", "Each separate page\n Was like a fluttering flower-petal, loosed\n From your own soul, and wafted thus to mine.", "Imprinted in each burning word was love\n Sincere, all-powerful.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n A love sincere!", "Can that be felt, Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, that it can!", "CHRISTIAN:\n You come. .", ".?", "ROXANE:\n O, Christian, my true lord, I come--\n (Were I to throw myself, here, at your knees,\n You would raise me--but 'tis my soul I lay\n At your feet--you can raise it nevermore!)", "--I come to crave your pardon.", "(Ay, 'tis time\n To sue for pardon, now that death may come!)", "For the insult done to you when, frivolous,\n At first I loved you only for your face!", "CHRISTIAN (horror-stricken):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n And later, love--less frivolous--\n Like a bird that spreads its wings, but can not fly--\n Arrested by your beauty, by your soul\n Drawn close--I loved for both at once!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And now?", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself,\n And now, I love you only for your soul!", "CHRISTIAN (stepping backward):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Be happy.", "To be loved for beauty--\n A poor disguise that time so soon wears threadbare--\n Must be to noble souls--to souls aspiring--\n A torture.", "Your dear thoughts have now effaced\n That beauty that so won me at the outset.", "Now I see clearer--and I no more see it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n You are doubtful of such victory?", "CHRISTIAN (pained):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n I see you cannot yet believe it.", "Such love. .", ".?", "CHRISTIAN:\n I do not ask such love as that!", "I would be loved more simply; for.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n For that\n Which they have all in turns loved in thee?--\n Shame!", "Oh!", "be loved henceforth in a better way!", "CHRISTIAN:\n No!", "the first love was best!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "how you err!", "'Tis now that I love best--love well!", "'Tis that\n Which is thy true self, see!--that I adore!", "Were your brilliance dimmed.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Hush!", "ROXANE:\n I should love still!", "Ay, if your beauty should to-day depart.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN:\n Say not so!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, I say it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ugly?", "How?", "ROXANE:\n Ugly!", "I swear I'd love you still!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My God!", "ROXANE:\n Are you content at last?", "CHRISTIAN (in a choked voice):\n Ay!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What is wrong?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets):\n Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,--\n My love deprives them of the sight of you:\n Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!", "ROXANE (deeply affected):\n Dear Christian!.", ". .\n\n(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)" ]

[ "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Your letters turned my head!", "Now\n Your letters all this whole month long!--meseemed\n As if I heard that voice so tender, true,\n Sheltering, close!", "wise Penelope\n Would ne'er have stayed to broider on her hearthstone,\n If her Ulysses could have writ such letters!", "ROXANE:\n Ay, that it can!", "--I come to crave your pardon.", "For the insult done to you when, frivolous,\n At first I loved you only for your face!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!.", "CHRISTIAN:\n I do not ask such love as that!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ugly?" ]

[ "Thy fault, I say!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And now?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "you cannot conceive it!", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis your fault if I ran risks!", "ROXANE (running up to Christian):\n Ah, Christian, at last!.", "How?", "ROXANE (deeply affected):\n Dear Christian!." ]

[ "CHRISTIAN (horror-stricken):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n And later, love--less frivolous--\n Like a bird that spreads its wings, but can not fly--\n Arrested by your beauty, by your soul\n Drawn close--I loved for both at once!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And now?", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself,\n And now, I love you only for your soul!", "CHRISTIAN (stepping backward):\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Be happy.", "To be loved for beauty--\n A poor disguise that time so soon wears threadbare--\n Must be to noble souls--to souls aspiring--\n A torture.", "Your dear thoughts have now effaced\n That beauty that so won me at the outset.", "Now I see clearer--and I no more see it!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh!." ]

[ "Roxane, Christian.", "In the distance cadets coming and going.", "Carbon and De\nGuiche give orders.", "ROXANE (running up to Christian):\n Ah, Christian, at last!.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (taking her hands):\n Now tell me why--\n Why, by these fearful paths so perilous--\n Across these ranks of ribald soldiery,\n You have come?", "ROXANE:\n Love, your letters brought me here!", "CHRISTIAN:\n What say you?", "ROXANE:\n 'Tis your fault if I ran risks!", "Your letters turned my head!", "Ah!", "I swear I'd love you still!", "CHRISTIAN:\n My God!", "ROXANE:\n Are you content at last?", "CHRISTIAN (in a choked voice):\n Ay!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What is wrong?", "CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away):\n Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n But?.", ". .\n\nCHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets):\n Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,--\n My love deprives them of the sight of you:\n Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!", "ROXANE (deeply affected):\n Dear Christian!.", ". .\n\n(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano.", "At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.", "CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed):\n What?", "Why so pale?", "CHRISTIAN:\n She does not love me!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis you she loves!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n --For she loves me only for my soul!", "CYRANO:\n Truly?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Yes!", "Thus--you see, that soul is you,.", ". .", "Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!", "CYRANO:\n I?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Oh, I know it!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, 'tis true!", "CHRISTIAN:\n You love\n To madness!", "CYRANO:\n Ay!", "and worse!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Then tell her so!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n And why not?", "CYRANO:\n Look at my face!--be answered!", "CHRISTIAN:\n She'd love me--were I ugly.", "CYRANO:\n Said she so?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "in those words!", "CYRANO:\n I'm glad she told you that!", "But pooh!--believe it not!", "I am well pleased\n She thought to tell you.", "Take it not for truth.", "Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!", "CHRISTIAN:\n That I intend discovering!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "I beg!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "she shall choose between us!--Tell her all!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "I will not have it!", "Spare me this!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Because my face is haply fair, shall I\n Destroy your happiness?", "'Twere too unjust!", "CYRANO:\n And I,--because by Nature's freak I have\n The gift to say--all that perchance you feel.", "Shall I be fatal to your happiness?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Tell all!", "CYRANO:\n It is ill done to tempt me thus!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Too long I've borne about within myself\n A rival to myself--I'll make an end!", "CYRANO:\n Christian!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Our union, without witness--secret--\n Clandestine--can be easily dissolved\n If we survive.", "CYRANO:\n My God!--he still persists!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will be loved myself--or not at all!", "--I'll go see what they do--there, at the end\n Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose\n One of us two!", "CYRANO:\n It will be you.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray God!", "(He calls):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "ROXANE (coming up quickly):\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Cyrano has things\n Important for your ear.", ". .\n\n(She hastens to Cyrano.", "Christian goes out.)" ]

[ "Why so pale?", "CHRISTIAN:\n She does not love me!", ". .", "Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Then tell her so!", "CYRANO:\n Look at my face!--be answered!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "(He calls):\n Roxane!" ]

[ "Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!", "Christian, Cyrano.", "and worse!", "CHRISTIAN:\n I will be loved myself--or not at all!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Tell all!", "'Twere too unjust!", "I beg!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Because my face is haply fair, shall I\n Destroy your happiness?", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CYRANO:\n I'm glad she told you that!" ]

[ "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!", "in those words!", "CYRANO:\n I'm glad she told you that!", "But pooh!--believe it not!", "I am well pleased\n She thought to tell you.", "Take it not for truth.", "Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!", "CHRISTIAN:\n That I intend discovering!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "I beg!", "CHRISTIAN:\n Ay!" ]

[ "Christian, Cyrano.", "At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.", "CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed):\n What?", "Why so pale?", "CHRISTIAN:\n She does not love me!", "CYRANO:\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n 'Tis you she loves!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "CHRISTIAN:\n --For she loves me only for my soul!", "--I'll go see what they do--there, at the end\n Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose\n One of us two!", "CYRANO:\n It will be you.", "CHRISTIAN:\n Pray God!", "(He calls):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "no!", "ROXANE (coming up quickly):\n What?", "CHRISTIAN:\n Cyrano has things\n Important for your ear.", ". .\n\n(She hastens to Cyrano.", "Christian goes out.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano.", "Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau,\nDe Guiche, etc.", "ROXANE:\n Important, how?", "CYRANO (in despair.", "to Roxane):\n He's gone!", "'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees\n Importance in a trifle!", "ROXANE (warmly):\n Did he doubt\n Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!", "CYRANO (taking her hand):\n But are you sure you told him all the truth?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, I would love him were he.", ". .\n\n(She hesitates.)", "CYRANO:\n Does that word\n Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?", "ROXANE:\n I. . .\n\nCYRANO (smiling sadly):\n 'Twill not hurt me!", "Say it!", "If he were\n Ugly!.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, ugly!", "(Musket report outside):\n Hark!", "I hear a shot!", "CYRANO (ardently):\n Hideous!", "ROXANE:\n Hideous!", "yes!", "CYRANO:\n Disfigured.", "ROXANE:\n Ay!", "CYRANO:\n Grotesque?", "ROXANE:\n He could not be grotesque to me!", "CYRANO:\n You'd love the same?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n The same--nay, even more!", "CYRANO (losing command over himself--aside):\n My God!", "it's true, perchance, love waits me there!", "(To Roxane):\n I. . .Roxane. . .listen.", ". .", "LE BRET (entering hurriedly--to Cyrano):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (turning round):\n What?", "LE BRET:\n Hush!", "(He whispers something to him.)", "CYRANO (letting go Roxane's hand and exclaiming):\n Ah, God!", "ROXANE:\n What is it?", "CYRANO (to himself--stunned):\n All is over now.", "(Renewed reports.)", "ROXANE:\n What is the matter?", "Hark!", "another shot!", "(She goes up to look outside.)", "CYRANO:\n It is too late, now I can never tell!", "ROXANE (trying to rush out):\n What has chanced?", "CYRANO (rushing to stop her):\n Nothing!", "(Some cadets enter, trying to hide something they are carrying, and close\nround it to prevent Roxane approaching.)", "ROXANE:\n And those men?", "(Cyrano draws her away):\n What were you just about to say before. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n What was I saying?", "Nothing now, I swear!", "(Solemnly):\n I swear that Christian's soul, his nature, were.", ". .\n(Hastily correcting himself):\n Nay, that they are, the noblest, greatest.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Were?", "(With a loud scream):\n Oh!", "(She rushes up, pushing every one aside.)", "CYRANO:\n All is over now!", "ROXANE (seeing Christian lying on the ground, wrapped in his cloak):\n O Christian!", "LE BRET (to Cyrano):\n Struck by first shot of the enemy!", "(Roxane flings herself down by Christian.", "Fresh reports of cannon--clash of\narms--clamor--beating of drums.)", "CARBON (with sword in the air):\n O come!", "Your muskets.", "(Followed by the cadets, he passes to the other side of the ramparts.)", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "THE VOICE OF CARBON (from the other side):\n Ho!", "make haste!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CARBON:\n FORM LINE!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CARBON:\n HANDLE YOUR MATCH!", "(Ragueneau rushes up, bringing water in a helmet.)", "CHRISTIAN (in a dying voice):\n Roxane!", "CYRANO (quickly, whispering into Christian's ear, while Roxane distractedly\ntears a piece of linen from his breast, which she dips into the water, trying\nto stanch the bleeding):\n I told her all.", "She loves you still.", "(Christian closes his eyes.)", "ROXANE:\n How, my sweet love?", "CARBON:\n DRAW RAMRODS!", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n He is not dead?", "CARBON:\n OPEN YOUR CHARGES WITH YOUR TEETH!", "ROXANE:\n His cheek\n Grows cold against my own!", "CARBON:\n READY!", "PRESENT!", "ROXANE (seeing a letter in Christian's doublet):\n A letter!.", ". .\n 'Tis for me!", "(She opens it.)", "CYRANO (aside):\n My letter!", "CARBON:\n FIRE!", "(Musket reports--shouts--noise of battle.)", "CYRANO (trying to disengage his hand, which Roxane on her knees is holding):\n But, Roxane, hark, they fight!", "ROXANE (detaining him):\n Stay yet awhile.", "For he is dead.", "You knew him, you alone.", "(Weeping quietly):\n Ah, was not his a beauteous soul, a soul\n Wondrous!", "CYRANO (standing up--bareheaded):\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE:\n An inspired poet?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE:\n And a mind sublime?", "CYRANO:\n Oh, yes!", "ROXANE:\n A heart too deep for common minds to plumb,\n A spirit subtle, charming?", "CYRANO (firmly):\n Ay, Roxane.", "ROXANE (flinging herself on the dead body):\n Dead, my love!", "CYRANO (aside--drawing his sword):\n Ay, and let me die to-day,\n Since, all unconscious, she mourns me--in him!", "(Sounds of trumpets in the distance.)", "DE GUICHE (appearing on the ramparts--bareheaded--with a wound on his\nforehead--in a voice of thunder):\n It is the signal!", "Trumpet flourishes!", "The French bring the provisions into camp!", "Hold but the place awhile!", "ROXANE:\n See, there is blood\n Upon the letter--tears!", "A VOICE (outside--shouting):\n Surrender!", "VOICE OF CADETS:\n No!", "RAGUENEAU (standing on the top of his carriage, watches the battle over the\nedge of the ramparts):\n The danger's ever greater!", "CYRANO (to De Guiche--pointing to Roxane):\n I will charge!", "Take her away!", "ROXANE (kissing the letter--in a half-extinguished voice):\n O God!", "his tears!", "his blood!.", ". .\n\nRAGUENEAU (jumping down from the carriage and rushing toward her):\n She's swooned away!", "DE GUICHE (on the rampart--to the cadets--with fury):\n Stand fast!", "A VOICE (outside):\n Lay down your arms!", "THE CADETS:\n No!", "CYRANO (to De Guiche):\n Now that you have proved your valor, Sir,\n(Pointing to Roxane):\n Fly, and save her!", "DE GUICHE (rushing to Roxane, and carrying her away in his arms):\n So be it!", "Gain but time,\n The victory's ours!", "CYRANO:\n Good.", "(Calling out to Roxane, whom De Guiche, aided by Ragueneau, is bearing away in\na fainting condition):\n Farewell, Roxane!", "(Tumult.", "Shouts.", "Cadets reappear, wounded, falling on the scene.", "Cyrano,\nrushing to the battle, is stopped by Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is streaming\nwith blood.)", "CARBON:\n We are breaking!", "I am wounded--wounded twice!", "CYRANO (shouting to the Gascons):\n GASCONS!", "HO, GASCONS!", "NEVER TURN YOUR BACKS!", "(To Carbon, whom he is supporting):\n Have no fear!", "I have two deaths to avenge:\n My friend who's slain;--and my dead happiness!", "(They come down, Cyrano brandishing the lance to which is attached Roxane's\nhandkerchief):\n Float there!", "laced kerchief broidered with her name!", "(He sticks it in the ground and shouts to the cadets):\n FALL ON THEM, GASCONS!", "CRUSH THEM!", "(To the fifer):\n Fifer, play!", "(The fife plays.", "The wounded try to rise.", "Some cadets, falling one over the\nother down the slope, group themselves round Cyrano and the little flag.", "The\ncarriage is crowded with men inside and outside, and, bristling with\narquebuses, is turned into a fortress.)", "A CADET (appearing on the crest, beaten backward, but still fighting, cries):\n They're climbing the redoubt!", "(and falls dead.)", "CYRANO:\n Let us salute them!", "(The rampart is covered instantly by a formidable row of enemies.", "The\nstandards of the Imperialists are raised):\n Fire!", "(General discharge.)", "A CRY IN THE ENEMY'S RANKS:\n Fire!", "(A deadly answering volley.", "The cadets fall on all sides.)", "A SPANISH OFFICER (uncovering):\n Who are these men who rush on death?", "CYRANO (reciting, erect, amid a storm of bullets):\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!", "Brawling, swaggering boastfully,\n(He rushes forward, followed by a few survivors):\n The bold Cadets.", ". .\n\n(His voice is drowned in the battle.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "CYRANO (to himself--stunned):\n All is over now.", "(Renewed reports.)", "(Cyrano draws her away):\n What were you just about to say before. .", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "CYRANO (quickly, whispering into Christian's ear, while Roxane distractedly\ntears a piece of linen from his breast, which she dips into the water, trying\nto stanch the bleeding):\n I told her all.", "(She opens it.)", "(Weeping quietly):\n Ah, was not his a beauteous soul, a soul\n Wondrous!", "CYRANO:\n Oh, yes!", "A VOICE (outside--shouting):\n Surrender!", "VOICE OF CADETS:\n No!" ]

[ "CYRANO:\n It is too late, now I can never tell!", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n The same--nay, even more!", "CRUSH THEM!", "ROXANE:\n A heart too deep for common minds to plumb,\n A spirit subtle, charming?", "If he were\n Ugly!.", "A VOICE (outside--shouting):\n Surrender!", "ROXANE:\n Christian!", "The wounded try to rise.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Yes, ugly!", "his tears!" ]

[ "(Christian closes his eyes.)", "ROXANE:\n How, my sweet love?", "CARBON:\n DRAW RAMRODS!", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n He is not dead?", "CARBON:\n OPEN YOUR CHARGES WITH YOUR TEETH!", "ROXANE:\n His cheek\n Grows cold against my own!", "CARBON:\n READY!", "PRESENT!", "ROXANE (seeing a letter in Christian's doublet):\n A letter!.", ". .\n 'Tis for me!", "(She opens it.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano.", "Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau,\nDe Guiche, etc.", "ROXANE:\n Important, how?", "CYRANO (in despair.", "to Roxane):\n He's gone!", "'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees\n Importance in a trifle!", "ROXANE (warmly):\n Did he doubt\n Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!", "CYRANO (taking her hand):\n But are you sure you told him all the truth?", "ROXANE:\n Yes, I would love him were he.", ". .\n\n(She hesitates.)", "The\nstandards of the Imperialists are raised):\n Fire!", "(General discharge.)", "A CRY IN THE ENEMY'S RANKS:\n Fire!", "(A deadly answering volley.", "The cadets fall on all sides.)", "A SPANISH OFFICER (uncovering):\n Who are these men who rush on death?", "CYRANO (reciting, erect, amid a storm of bullets):\n The bold Cadets of Gascony,\n Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!", "Brawling, swaggering boastfully,\n(He rushes forward, followed by a few survivors):\n The bold Cadets.", ". .\n\n(His voice is drowned in the battle.)", "Curtain." ]

[ "Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):\n Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once--nay, twice, to see if her coif\nsuited.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):\n 'Tis not well.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n But I saw Sister Martha take a plum\n Out of the tart.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha):\n That was ill done, my sister.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n A little glance!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n And such a little plum!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He'll say we nuns are vain!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n And greedy!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling):\n Ay, and kind!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Is it not true, pray, Mother Marguerite,\n That he has come, each week, on Saturday\n For ten years, to the convent?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ay!", "and more!", "Ever since--fourteen years ago--the day\n His cousin brought here, 'midst our woolen coifs,\n The worldly mourning of her widow's veil,\n Like a blackbird's wing among the convent doves!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He only has the skill to turn her mind\n From grief--unsoftened yet by Time--unhealed!", "ALL THE SISTERS:\n He is so droll!--It's cheerful when he comes!--\n He teases us!--But we all like him well!--\n --We make him pasties of angelica!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But, he is not a faithful Catholic!", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n We will convert him!", "THE SISTERS:\n Yes!", "Yes!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I forbid,\n My daughters, you attempt that subject.", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But. . .God.", ". .", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!", "God knows him well!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But--every Saturday, when he arrives,\n He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ah!", "says he so?", "Well, the last time he came\n Food had not passed his lips for two whole days!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Mother!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n He's poor.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Who told you so, dear Mother?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Monsieur Le Bret.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n None help him?", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n He permits not.", "(In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif\nand veil.", "De Guiche, imposing-looking and visibly aged, walks by her side.", "They saunter slowly.", "Mother Marguerite rises):\n 'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine\n Walks in the garden with a visitor.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):\n The Marshal of Grammont?", "SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):\n 'Tis he, I think.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n 'Tis many months now since he came to see her.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!.", ". .", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n The world!", "(They go out.", "De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to\nthe embroidery frame.)" ]

[ "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "and more!", "Yes!", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But--every Saturday, when he arrives,\n He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'", "Well, the last time he came\n Food had not passed his lips for two whole days!", "SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):\n The Marshal of Grammont?", ". ." ]

[ "THE SISTERS:\n Yes!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He'll say we nuns are vain!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But, he is not a faithful Catholic!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Who told you so, dear Mother?", "(In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif\nand veil.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):\n 'Tis not well.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n 'Tis many months now since he came to see her.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Is it not true, pray, Mother Marguerite,\n That he has come, each week, on Saturday\n For ten years, to the convent?", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n We will convert him!" ]

[ "THE SISTERS:\n Yes!", "Yes!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I forbid,\n My daughters, you attempt that subject.", "Nay,\n Weary him not--he might less oft come here!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But. . .God.", ". .", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Nay, never fear!", "God knows him well!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n But--every Saturday, when he arrives,\n He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n Ah!", "says he so?" ]

[ "Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):\n Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once--nay, twice, to see if her coif\nsuited.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):\n 'Tis not well.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n But I saw Sister Martha take a plum\n Out of the tart.", "MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha):\n That was ill done, my sister.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n A little glance!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n And such a little plum!", "MOTHER MARGUERITE:\n I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n Nay, prithee do not!--he will mock!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n He'll say we nuns are vain!", "They saunter slowly.", "Mother Marguerite rises):\n 'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine\n Walks in the garden with a visitor.", "SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):\n The Marshal of Grammont?", "SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):\n 'Tis he, I think.", "SISTER MARTHA:\n 'Tis many months now since he came to see her.", "THE SISTERS:\n He is so busy!--The Court,--the camp!.", ". .", "SISTER CLAIRE:\n The world!", "(They go out.", "De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to\nthe embroidery frame.)" ]

[ "Roxane; the Duke de Grammont, formerly Count de Guiche.", "Then Le Bret and\nRagueneau.", "THE DUKE:\n And you stay here still--ever vainly fair,\n Ever in weeds?", "ROXANE:\n Ever.", "THE DUKE:\n Still faithful?", "ROXANE:\n Still.", "THE DUKE (after a pause):\n Am I forgiven?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, since I am here.", "(Another pause.)", "THE DUKE:\n His was a soul, you say?.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ah!--when you knew him!", "THE DUKE:\n Ah, may be!. .", ".I, perchance, too little knew him!", ". . .And his last letter, ever next your heart?", "ROXANE:\n Hung from this chain, a gentle scapulary.", "THE DUKE:\n And, dead, you love him still?", "ROXANE:\n At times,--meseems\n He is but partly dead--our hearts still speak,\n As if his love, still living, wrapped me round!", "THE DUKE (after another pause):\n Cyrano comes to see you?", "ROXANE:\n Often, ay.", "Dear, kind old friend!", "We call him my 'Gazette.'", "He never fails to come: beneath this tree\n They place his chair, if it be fine:--I wait,\n I broider;--the clock strikes;--at the last stroke\n I hear,--for now I never turn to look--\n Too sure to hear his cane tap down the steps;\n He seats himself:--with gentle raillery\n He mocks my tapestry that's never done;\n He tells me all the gossip of the week.", ". .\n(Le Bret appears on the steps):\n Why, here's Le Bret!", "(Le Bret descends):\n How goes it with our friend?", "LE BRET:\n Ill!--very ill.", "THE DUKE:\n How?", "ROXANE (to the Duke):\n He exaggerates!", "LE BRET:\n All that I prophesied: desertion, want!.", ". .\n His letters now make him fresh enemies!--\n Attacking the sham nobles, sham devout,\n Sham brave,--the thieving authors,--all the world!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "but his sword still holds them all in check;\n None get the better of him.", "THE DUKE (shaking his head):\n Time will show!", "LE BRET:\n Ah, but I fear for him--not man's attack,--\n Solitude--hunger--cold December days,\n That wolf-like steal into his chamber drear:--\n Lo!", "the assassins that I fear for him!", "Each day he tightens by one hole his belt:\n That poor nose--tinted like old ivory:\n He has retained one shabby suit of serge.", "THE DUKE:\n Ay, there is one who has no prize of Fortune!--\n Yet is not to be pitied!", "LE BRET (with a bitter smile):\n My Lord Marshal!.", ". .", "THE DUKE:\n Pity him not!", "He has lived out his vows,\n Free in his thoughts, as in his actions free!", "LE BRET (in the same tone):\n My Lord!.", ". .", "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", "I have all, and he has naught;.", ". .", "Yet I were proud to take his hand!", "(Bowing to Roxane):\n Adieu!", "ROXANE:\n I go with you.", "(The Duke bows to Le Bret, and goes with Roxane toward the steps.)", "THE DUKE (pausing, while she goes up):\n Ay, true,--I envy him.", "Look you, when life is brimful of success\n --Though the past hold no action foul--one feels\n A thousand self-disgusts, of which the sum\n Is not remorse, but a dim, vague unrest;\n And, as one mounts the steps of worldly fame,\n The Duke's furred mantles trail within their folds\n A sound of dead illusions, vain regrets,\n A rustle--scarce a whisper--like as when,\n Mounting the terrace steps, by your mourning robe\n Sweeps in its train the dying autumn leaves.", "ROXANE (ironically):\n You are pensive?", "THE DUKE:\n True!", "I am!", "(As he is going out, suddenly):\n Monsieur Le Bret!", "(To Roxane):\n A word, with your permission?", "(He goes to Le Bret, and in a low voice):\n True, that none\n Dare to attack your friend;--but many hate him;\n Yesterday, at the Queen's card-play, 'twas said\n 'That Cyrano may die--by accident!'", "Let him stay in--be prudent!", "LE BRET (raising his arms to heaven):\n Prudent!", "He!.", ". .", "He's coming here.", "I'll warn him--but!.", ". .\n\nROXANE (who has stayed on the steps, to a sister who comes toward her):\n What is it?", "THE SISTER:\n Ragueneau would see you, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n Let him come.", "(To the Duke and Le Bret):\n He comes to tell his troubles.", "Having been\n An author (save the mark!)", "--poor fellow--now\n By turns he's singer.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Bathing-man.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Then actor.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Beadle.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Wig-maker.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n Teacher of the lute.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What will he be to-day, by chance?", "RAGUENEAU (entering hurriedly):\n Ah!", "Madame!", "(He sees Le Bret):\n Ah!", "you here, Sir!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n Tell all your miseries\n To him; I will return anon.", "RAGUENEAU:\n But, Madame.", ". .\n\n(Roxane goes out with the Duke.", "Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret.)" ]

[ ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Ah!--when you knew him!", "ROXANE:\n At times,--meseems\n He is but partly dead--our hearts still speak,\n As if his love, still living, wrapped me round!", "THE DUKE:\n Ay, there is one who has no prize of Fortune!--\n Yet is not to be pitied!", ". .", ". .", "LE BRET (raising his arms to heaven):\n Prudent!", "He!.", "He's coming here.", "LE BRET:\n Bathing-man.", ". .\n\n(Roxane goes out with the Duke." ]

[ "Look you, when life is brimful of success\n --Though the past hold no action foul--one feels\n A thousand self-disgusts, of which the sum\n Is not remorse, but a dim, vague unrest;\n And, as one mounts the steps of worldly fame,\n The Duke's furred mantles trail within their folds\n A sound of dead illusions, vain regrets,\n A rustle--scarce a whisper--like as when,\n Mounting the terrace steps, by your mourning robe\n Sweeps in its train the dying autumn leaves.", "LE BRET:\n Beadle.", "ROXANE:\n Often, ay.", "THE DUKE:\n Pity him not!", "Then Le Bret and\nRagueneau.", "Roxane; the Duke de Grammont, formerly Count de Guiche.", "Each day he tightens by one hole his belt:\n That poor nose--tinted like old ivory:\n He has retained one shabby suit of serge.", "LE BRET (with a bitter smile):\n My Lord Marshal!.", "LE BRET:\n All that I prophesied: desertion, want!.", "He has lived out his vows,\n Free in his thoughts, as in his actions free!" ]

[ "THE DUKE:\n Pity him not!", "He has lived out his vows,\n Free in his thoughts, as in his actions free!", "LE BRET (in the same tone):\n My Lord!.", ". .", "THE DUKE (haughtily):\n True!", "I have all, and he has naught;.", ". .", "Yet I were proud to take his hand!", "(Bowing to Roxane):\n Adieu!", "ROXANE:\n I go with you.", "(The Duke bows to Le Bret, and goes with Roxane toward the steps.)" ]

[ "Roxane; the Duke de Grammont, formerly Count de Guiche.", "Then Le Bret and\nRagueneau.", "THE DUKE:\n And you stay here still--ever vainly fair,\n Ever in weeds?", "ROXANE:\n Ever.", "THE DUKE:\n Still faithful?", "ROXANE:\n Still.", "THE DUKE (after a pause):\n Am I forgiven?", "ROXANE:\n Ay, since I am here.", "(Another pause.)", "THE DUKE:\n His was a soul, you say?.", "LE BRET:\n Teacher of the lute.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n What will he be to-day, by chance?", "RAGUENEAU (entering hurriedly):\n Ah!", "Madame!", "(He sees Le Bret):\n Ah!", "you here, Sir!", "ROXANE (smiling):\n Tell all your miseries\n To him; I will return anon.", "RAGUENEAU:\n But, Madame.", ". .\n\n(Roxane goes out with the Duke.", "Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret.)" ]

[ "Le Bret, Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", "I hurried to him.", "Saw him turn\n The corner. . .suddenly, from out a window\n Where he was passing--was it chance?. .", ".may be!", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", "LE BRET:\n Cowards!", "O Cyrano!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I ran--I saw.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis hideous!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Saw our poet, Sir--our friend--\n Struck to the ground--a large wound in his head!", "LE BRET:\n He's dead?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", ". .\n Ah!", "his room!", "What a thing to see!--that garret!", "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No, his consciousness has flown.", "LE BRET:\n Saw you a doctor?", "RAGUENEAU:\n One was kind--he came.", "LE BRET:\n My poor Cyrano!--We must not tell this\n To Roxane suddenly.--What said this leech?--\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Said,--what, I know not--fever, meningitis!--\n Ah!", "could you see him--all his head bound up!--\n But let us haste!--There's no one by his bed!--\n And if he try to rise, Sir, he might die!", "LE BRET (dragging him toward the right):\n Come!", "Through the chapel!", "'Tis the quickest way!", "ROXANE (appearing on the steps, and seeing Le Bret go away by the colonnade\nleading to the chapel door):\n Monsieur le Bret!", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "(She descends the steps.)" ]

[ "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", ".may be!", "O Cyrano!", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis hideous!", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No, his consciousness has flown.", "RAGUENEAU:\n One was kind--he came.", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "(She descends the steps.)" ]

[ ". .", "'Tis the quickest way!", "O Cyrano!", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "Saw him turn\n The corner. . .suddenly, from out a window\n Where he was passing--was it chance?. .", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", "Through the chapel!", "What a thing to see!--that garret!" ]

[ ". .", "LE BRET:\n 'Tis hideous!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Saw our poet, Sir--our friend--\n Struck to the ground--a large wound in his head!", "LE BRET:\n He's dead?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No--but--I bore him to his room.", ". .\n Ah!", "his room!", "What a thing to see!--that garret!", "LE BRET:\n He suffers?", "RAGUENEAU:\n No, his consciousness has flown.", "LE BRET:\n Saw you a doctor?" ]

[ "Le Bret, Ragueneau.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Since you are here, 'tis best she should not know!", "I was going to your friend just now--was but\n A few steps from the house, when I saw him\n Go out.", "I hurried to him.", "Saw him turn\n The corner. . .suddenly, from out a window\n Where he was passing--was it chance?. .", ".may be!", "A lackey let fall a large piece of wood.", "LE BRET:\n Cowards!", "O Cyrano!", "RAGUENEAU:\n I ran--I saw.", "RAGUENEAU:\n One was kind--he came.", "LE BRET:\n My poor Cyrano!--We must not tell this\n To Roxane suddenly.--What said this leech?--\n\nRAGUENEAU:\n Said,--what, I know not--fever, meningitis!--\n Ah!", "could you see him--all his head bound up!--\n But let us haste!--There's no one by his bed!--\n And if he try to rise, Sir, he might die!", "LE BRET (dragging him toward the right):\n Come!", "Through the chapel!", "'Tis the quickest way!", "ROXANE (appearing on the steps, and seeing Le Bret go away by the colonnade\nleading to the chapel door):\n Monsieur le Bret!", "(Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering):\n Le Bret goes--when I call!", "'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's.", "(She descends the steps.)" ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "Two sisters, for a moment.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "what a beauty in September's close!", "My sorrow's eased.", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm.", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "(She seats herself.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". .", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "(A pause):\n Yes, she must be preaching!", "Surely he must come soon!--Ah, a dead leaf!--\n(She brushes off the leaf from her work):\n Nothing, besides, could--scissors?--In my bag!", "--Could hinder him.", ". .\n\nA SISTER (coming to the steps):\n Monsieur de Bergerac." ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "what a beauty in September's close!", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "(A pause):\n Yes, she must be preaching!" ]

[ "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(She seats herself.", "My sorrow's eased.", "Two sisters, for a moment.", ". .", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm.", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "--Could hinder him.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!" ]

[ "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "(The sisters go):\n He'll be here now.", "(She seats herself.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". ." ]

[ "Roxane alone.", "Two sisters, for a moment.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "what a beauty in September's close!", "My sorrow's eased.", "April's joy dazzled it,\n But autumn wins it with her dying calm.", "(She seats herself at the embroidery frame.", "Two sisters come out of the\nhouse, and bring a large armchair under the tree):\n There comes the famous armchair where he sits,\n Dear faithful friend!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n It is the parlor's best!", "ROXANE:\n Thanks, sister.", "A clock strikes):\n The hour strikes.", "--My silks?--Why, now, the hour's struck!", "How strange\n To be behind his time, at last, to-day!", "Perhaps the portress--where's my thimble?.", ". .", "Here!--Is preaching to him.", "(A pause):\n Yes, she must be preaching!", "Surely he must come soon!--Ah, a dead leaf!--\n(She brushes off the leaf from her work):\n Nothing, besides, could--scissors?--In my bag!", "--Could hinder him.", ". .\n\nA SISTER (coming to the steps):\n Monsieur de Bergerac." ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano and, for a moment, Sister Martha.", "ROXANE (without turning round):\n What was I saying?.", ". .\n(She embroiders.", "Cyrano, very pale, his hat pulled down over his eyes,\nappears.", "The sister who had announced him retires.", "He descends the steps\nslowly, with a visible difficulty in holding himself upright, bearing heavily\non his cane.", "Roxane still works at her tapestry):\n Time has dimmed the tints.", ". .\n How harmonize them now?", "(To Cyrano, with playful reproach):\n For the first time\n Late!--For the first time, all these fourteen years!", "CYRANO (who has succeeded in reaching the chair, and has seated himself--in a\nlively voice, which is in great contrast with his pale face):\n Ay!", "It is villainous!", "I raged--was stayed.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n By?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n By a bold, unwelcome visitor.", "ROXANE (absently, working):\n Some creditor?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, cousin,--the last creditor\n Who has a debt to claim from me.", "ROXANE:\n And you\n Have paid it?", "CYRANO:\n No, not yet!", "I put it off;\n --Said, 'Cry you mercy; this is Saturday,\n When I have get a standing rendezvous\n That naught defers.", "Call in an hour's time!'", "ROXANE (carelessly):\n Oh, well, a creditor can always wait!", "I shall not let you go ere twilight falls.", "CYRANO:\n Haply, perforce, I quit you ere it falls!", "(He shuts his eyes, and is silent for a moment.", "Sister Martha crosses the\npark from the chapel to the flight of steps.", "Roxane, seeing her, signs to her\nto approach.)", "ROXANE (to Cyrano):\n How now?", "You have not teased the Sister?", "CYRANO (hastily opening his eyes):\n True!", "(In a comically loud voice):\n Sister!", "come here!", "(The sister glides up to him):\n Ha!", "ha!", "What?", "Those bright eyes\n Bent ever on the ground?", "SISTER MARTHA (who makes a movement of astonishment on seeing his face):\n Oh!", "CYRANO (in a whisper, pointing to Roxane):\n Hush!", "'tis naught!--\n(Loudly, in a blustering voice):\n I broke fast yesterday!", "SISTER MARTHA (aside):\n I know, I know!", "That's how he is so pale!", "Come presently\n To the refectory, I'll make you drink\n A famous bowl of soup. . .You'll come?", "CYRANO:\n Ay, ay!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n There, see!", "You are more reasonable to-day!", "ROXANE (who hears them whispering):\n The Sister would convert you?", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Nay, not I!", "CYRANO:\n Hold!", "but it's true!", "You preach to me no more,\n You, once so glib with holy words!", "I am\n Astonished!.", ". .\n(With burlesque fury):\n Stay, I will surprise you too!", "Hark!", "I permit you.", ". .\n(He pretends to be seeking for something to tease her with, and to have found\nit):\n . . .It is something new!--\n To--pray for me, to-night, at chapel-time!", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "oh!", "CYRANO (laughing):\n Good Sister Martha is struck dumb!", "SISTER MARTHA (gently):\n I did not wait your leave to pray for you.", "(She goes out.)", "CYRANO (turning to Roxane, who is still bending over her work):\n That tapestry!", "Beshrew me if my eyes\n Will ever see it finished!", "ROXANE:\n I was sure\n To hear that well-known jest!", "(A light breeze causes the leaves to fall.)", "CYRANO:\n The autumn leaves!", "ROXANE (lifting her head, and looking down the distant alley):\n Soft golden brown, like a Venetian's hair.", "--See how they fall!", "CYRANO:\n Ay, see how brave they fall,\n In their last journey downward from the bough,\n To rot within the clay; yet, lovely still,\n Hiding the horror of the last decay,\n With all the wayward grace of careless flight!", "ROXANE:\n What, melancholy--you?", "CYRANO (collecting himself):\n Nay, nay, Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n Then let the dead leaves fall the way they will.", ". .\n And chat.", "What, have you nothing new to tell,\n My Court Gazette?", "CYRANO:\n Listen.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "CYRANO (growing whiter and whiter):\n Saturday\n The nineteenth: having eaten to excess\n Of pear-conserve, the King felt feverish;\n The lancet quelled this treasonable revolt,\n And the august pulse beats at normal pace.", "At the Queen's ball on Sunday thirty score\n Of best white waxen tapers were consumed.", "Our troops, they say, have chased the Austrians.", "Four sorcerers were hanged.", "The little dog\n Of Madame d'Athis took a dose.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I bid\n You hold your tongue, Monsieur de Bergerac!", "CYRANO:\n Monday--not much--Claire changed protector.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO (whose face changes more and more):\n Tuesday, the Court repaired to Fontainebleau.", "Wednesday, the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque.", ". .\n No!", "Thursday--Mancini, Queen of France!", "(almost!)", "Friday, the Monglat to Count Fiesque said--'Yes!'", "And Saturday the twenty-sixth.", ". .\n\n(He closes his eyes.", "His head falls forward.", "Silence.)", "ROXANE (surprised at his voice ceasing, turns round, looks at him, and rising,\nterrified):\n He swoons!", "(She runs toward him crying):\n Cyrano!", "CYRANO (opening his eyes, in an unconcerned voice):\n What is this?", "(He sees Roxane bending over him, and, hastily pressing his hat on his head,\nand shrinking back in his chair):\n Nay, on my word\n 'Tis nothing!", "Let me be!", "ROXANE:\n But.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n That old wound\n Of Arras, sometimes,--as you know.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Dear friend!", "CYRANO:\n 'Tis nothing, 'twill pass soon;\n(He smiles with an effort):\n See!--it has passed!", "ROXANE:\n Each of us has his wound; ay, I have mine,--\n Never healed up--not healed yet, my old wound!", "(She puts her hand on her breast):\n 'Tis here, beneath this letter brown with age,\n All stained with tear-drops, and still stained with blood.", "(Twilight begins to fall.)", "CYRANO:\n His letter!", "Ah!", "you promised me one day\n That I should read it.", "ROXANE:\n What would you?--His letter?", "CYRANO:\n Yes, I would fain,--to-day.", ". .\n\nROXANE (giving the bag hung at her neck):\n See!", "here it is!", "CYRANO (taking it):\n Have I your leave to open?", "ROXANE:\n Open--read!", "(She comes back to her tapestry frame, folds it up, sorts her wools.)", "CYRANO (reading):\n 'Roxane, adieu!", "I soon must die!", "This very night, beloved; and I\n Feel my soul heavy with love untold.", "I die!", "No more, as in days of old,\n My loving, longing eyes will feast\n On your least gesture--ay, the least!", "I mind me the way you touch your cheek\n With your finger, softly, as you speak!", "Ah me!", "I know that gesture well!", "My heart cries out!--I cry \"Farewell\"!'", "ROXANE:\n But how you read that letter!", "One would think.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (continuing to read):\n 'My life, my love, my jewel, my sweet,\n My heart has been yours in every beat!'", "(The shades of evening fall imperceptibly.)", "ROXANE:\n You read in such a voice--so strange--and yet--\n It is not the first time I hear that voice!", "(She comes nearer very softly, without his perceiving it, passes behind his\nchair, and, noiselessly leaning over him, looks at the letter.", "The darkness\ndeepens.)", "CYRANO:\n 'Here, dying, and there, in the land on high,\n I am he who loved, who loves you,--I. . .'\n\nROXANE (putting her hand on his shoulder):\n How can you read?", "It is too dark to see!", "(He starts, turns, sees her close to him.", "Suddenly alarmed, he holds his head\ndown.", "Then in the dusk, which has now completely enfolded them, she says,\nvery slowly, with clasped hands):\n And, fourteen years long, he has played this part\n Of the kind old friend who comes to laugh and chat.", "CYRANO:\n Roxane!", "ROXANE:\n 'Twas you!", "CYRANO:\n No, never; Roxane, no!", "ROXANE:\n I should have guessed, each time he said my name!", "CYRANO:\n No, it was not I!", "ROXANE:\n It was you!", "CYRANO:\n I swear!", "ROXANE:\n I see through all the generous counterfeit--\n The letters--you!", "CYRANO:\n No.", "ROXANE:\n The sweet, mad love-words!", "You!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "ROXANE:\n The voice that thrilled the night--you, you!", "CYRANO:\n I swear you err.", "ROXANE:\n The soul--it was your soul!", "CYRANO:\n I loved you not.", "ROXANE:\n You loved me not?", "CYRANO:\n 'Twas he!", "ROXANE:\n You loved me!", "CYRANO:\n No!", "ROXANE:\n See!", "how you falter now!", "CYRANO:\n No, my sweet love, I never loved you!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "Things dead, long dead, see!", "how they rise again!", "--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,\n When, on this letter, which he never wrote,\n The tears were your tears?", "CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):\n The bloodstains were his.", "ROXANE:\n Why, then, that noble silence,--kept so long--\n Broken to-day for the first time--why?", "CYRANO:\n Why?.", ". .\n\n(Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running.)" ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano and, for a moment, Sister Martha.", "ROXANE (without turning round):\n What was I saying?.", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "CYRANO (growing whiter and whiter):\n Saturday\n The nineteenth: having eaten to excess\n Of pear-conserve, the King felt feverish;\n The lancet quelled this treasonable revolt,\n And the august pulse beats at normal pace.", "The little dog\n Of Madame d'Athis took a dose.", "CYRANO:\n Yes, I would fain,--to-day.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (continuing to read):\n 'My life, my love, my jewel, my sweet,\n My heart has been yours in every beat!'", "ROXANE:\n You read in such a voice--so strange--and yet--\n It is not the first time I hear that voice!", "(She comes nearer very softly, without his perceiving it, passes behind his\nchair, and, noiselessly leaning over him, looks at the letter.", "ROXANE:\n See!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n I was sure\n To hear that well-known jest!", "'tis naught!--\n(Loudly, in a blustering voice):\n I broke fast yesterday!", ". .\n(He pretends to be seeking for something to tease her with, and to have found\nit):\n . . .It is something new!--\n To--pray for me, to-night, at chapel-time!", "SISTER MARTHA:\n Nay, not I!", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n That old wound\n Of Arras, sometimes,--as you know.", "CYRANO:\n No!", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I bid\n You hold your tongue, Monsieur de Bergerac!", "ha!", "My heart cries out!--I cry \"Farewell\"!'", ". .\n(With burlesque fury):\n Stay, I will surprise you too!" ]

[ "The little dog\n Of Madame d'Athis took a dose.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n I bid\n You hold your tongue, Monsieur de Bergerac!", "CYRANO:\n Monday--not much--Claire changed protector.", "ROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO (whose face changes more and more):\n Tuesday, the Court repaired to Fontainebleau.", "Wednesday, the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque.", ". .\n No!", "Thursday--Mancini, Queen of France!", "(almost!)", "Friday, the Monglat to Count Fiesque said--'Yes!'", "And Saturday the twenty-sixth." ]

[ "Roxane, Cyrano and, for a moment, Sister Martha.", "ROXANE (without turning round):\n What was I saying?.", ". .\n(She embroiders.", "Cyrano, very pale, his hat pulled down over his eyes,\nappears.", "The sister who had announced him retires.", "He descends the steps\nslowly, with a visible difficulty in holding himself upright, bearing heavily\non his cane.", "Roxane still works at her tapestry):\n Time has dimmed the tints.", ". .\n How harmonize them now?", "(To Cyrano, with playful reproach):\n For the first time\n Late!--For the first time, all these fourteen years!", "CYRANO (who has succeeded in reaching the chair, and has seated himself--in a\nlively voice, which is in great contrast with his pale face):\n Ay!", "how you falter now!", "CYRANO:\n No, my sweet love, I never loved you!", "ROXANE:\n Ah!", "Things dead, long dead, see!", "how they rise again!", "--Why, why keep silence all these fourteen years,\n When, on this letter, which he never wrote,\n The tears were your tears?", "CYRANO (holding out the letter to her):\n The bloodstains were his.", "ROXANE:\n Why, then, that noble silence,--kept so long--\n Broken to-day for the first time--why?", "CYRANO:\n Why?.", ". .\n\n(Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running.)" ]

[ "The same.", "Le Bret and Ragueneau.", "LE BRET:\n What madness!", "Here?", "I knew it well!", "CYRANO (smiling and sitting up):\n What now?", "LE BRET:\n He has brought his death by coming, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n God!", "Ah, then!", "that faintness of a moment since. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Why, true!", "It interrupted the 'Gazette:'\n . . .Saturday, twenty-sixth, at dinner-time,\n Assassination of De Bergerac.", "(He takes off his hat; they see his head bandaged.)", "ROXANE:\n What says he?", "Cyrano!--His head all bound!", "Ah, what has chanced?", "How?--Who?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO:\n 'To be struck down,\n Pierced by sword i' the heart, from a hero's hand!'", "That I had dreamed.", "O mockery of Fate!", "--Killed, I!", "of all men--in an ambuscade!", "Struck from behind, and by a lackey's hand!", "'Tis very well.", "I am foiled, foiled in all,\n Even in my death.", "RAGUENEAU:\n Ah, Monsieur!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (holding out his hand to him):\n Ragueneau,\n Weep not so bitterly!. .", ".What do you now,\n Old comrade?", "RAGUENEAU (amid his tears):\n Trim the lights for Moliere's stage.", "CYRANO:\n Moliere!", "RAGUENEAU:\n Yes; but I shall leave to-morrow.", "I cannot bear it!--Yesterday, they played\n 'Scapin'--I saw he'd thieved a scene from you!", "LE BRET:\n What!", "a whole scene?", "RAGUENEAU:\n Oh, yes, indeed, Monsieur,\n The famous one, 'Que Diable allait-il faire?'", "LE BRET:\n Moliere has stolen that?", "CYRANO:\n Tut!", "He did well!.", ". .\n(to Ragueneau):\n How went the scene?", "It told--I think it told?", "RAGUENEAU (sobbing):\n Ah!", "how they laughed!", "CYRANO:\n Look you, it was my life\n To be the prompter every one forgets!", "(To Roxane):\n That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke\n --Under your balcony, you remember?", "Well!", "There was the allegory of my whole life:\n I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,\n While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!", "Just!", "very just!", "Here on the threshold drear\n Of death, I pay my tribute with the rest,\n To Moliere's genius,--Christian's fair face!", "(The chapel-bell chimes.", "The nuns are seen passing down the alley at the\nback, to say their office):\n Let them go pray, go pray, when the bell rings!", "ROXANE (rising and calling):\n Sister!", "Sister!", "CYRANO (holding her fast):\n Call no one.", "Leave me not;\n When you come back, I should be gone for aye.", "(The nuns have all entered the chapel.", "The organ sounds):\n I was somewhat fain for music--hark!", "'tis come.", "ROXANE:\n Live, for I love you!", "CYRANO:\n No, In fairy tales\n When to the ill-starred Prince the lady says\n 'I love you!'", "all his ugliness fades fast--\n But I remain the same, up to the last!", "ROXANE:\n I have marred your life--I, I!", "CYRANO:\n You blessed my life!", "Never on me had rested woman's love.", "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "But I have had your friendship--grace to you\n A woman's charm has passed across my path.", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "CYRANO (smiling):\n I see.", "ROXANE:\n I loved but once, yet twice I lose my love!", "CYRANO:\n Hark you, Le Bret!", "I soon shall reach the moon.", "To-night, alone, with no projectile's aid!.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n What are you saying?", "CYRANO:\n I tell you, it is there,\n There, that they send me for my Paradise,\n There I shall find at last the souls I love,\n In exile,--Galileo--Socrates!", "LE BRET (rebelliously):\n No, no!", "It is too clumsy, too unjust!", "So great a heart!", "So great a poet!", "Die\n Like this?", "what, die. .", ".?", "CYRANO:\n Hark to Le Bret, who scolds!", "LE BRET (weeping):\n Dear friend.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (starting up, his eyes wild):\n What ho!", "Cadets of Gascony!", "The elemental mass--ah yes!", "The hic.", ". .", "LE BRET:\n His science still--he raves!", "CYRANO:\n Copernicus\n Said.", ". .\n\nROXANE:\n Oh!", "CYRANO:\n Mais que diable allait-il faire,\n Mais que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere?.", ". .\n Philosopher, metaphysician,\n Rhymer, brawler, and musician,\n Famed for his lunar expedition,\n And the unnumbered duels he fought,--\n And lover also,--by interposition!--\n Here lies Hercule Savinien\n De Cyrano de Bergerac,\n Who was everything, yet was naught.", "I cry you pardon, but I may not stay;\n See, the moon-ray that comes to call me hence!", "(He has fallen back in his chair; the sobs of Roxane recall him to reality; he\nlooks long at her, and, touching her veil):\n I would not bid you mourn less faithfully\n That good, brave Christian: I would only ask\n That when my body shall be cold in clay\n You wear those sable mourning weeds for two,\n And mourn awhile for me, in mourning him.", "ROXANE:\n I swear it you!.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (shivering violently, then suddenly rising):\n Not there!", "what, seated?--no!", "(They spring toward him):\n Let no one hold me up--\n(He props himself against the tree):\n Only the tree!", "(Silence):\n It comes.", "E'en now my feet have turned to stone,\n My hands are gloved with lead!", "(He stands erect):\n But since Death comes,\n I meet him still afoot,\n(He draws his sword):\n And sword in hand!", "LE BRET:\n Cyrano!", "ROXANE (half fainting):\n Cyrano!", "(All shrink back in terror.)", "CYRANO:\n Why, I well believe\n He dares to mock my nose?", "Ho!", "insolent!", "(He raises his sword):\n What say you?", "It is useless?", "Ay, I know\n But who fights ever hoping for success?", "I fought for lost cause, and for fruitless quest!", "You there, who are you!--You are thousands!", "Ah!", "I know you now, old enemies of mine!", "Falsehood!", "(He strikes in air with his sword):\n Have at you!", "Ha!", "and Compromise!", "Prejudice, Treachery!.", ". .\n(He strikes):\n Surrender, I?", "Parley?", "No, never!", "You too, Folly,--you?", "I know that you will lay me low at last;\n Let be!", "Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!", "(He makes passes in the air, and stops, breathless):\n You strip from me the laurel and the rose!", "Take all!", "Despite you there is yet one thing\n I hold against you all, and when, to-night,\n I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,\n Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,\n One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,\n I bear away despite you.", "(He springs forward, his sword raised; it falls from his hand; he staggers,\nfalls back into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)", "ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):\n 'Tis?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):\n MY PANACHE.", "Curtain." ]

[ "CYRANO (smiling and sitting up):\n What now?", "ROXANE:\n God!", "(He takes off his hat; they see his head bandaged.)", "Ah, what has chanced?", ". .\n(to Ragueneau):\n How went the scene?", "It told--I think it told?", ". .\n\nCYRANO (shivering violently, then suddenly rising):\n Not there!", "You there, who are you!--You are thousands!", "I know you now, old enemies of mine!", "Take all!" ]

[ "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "He did well!.", "I cannot bear it!--Yesterday, they played\n 'Scapin'--I saw he'd thieved a scene from you!", ". .\n\nCYRANO (starting up, his eyes wild):\n What ho!", "CYRANO (smiling):\n I see.", "--Killed, I!", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "LE BRET:\n His science still--he raves!", "O mockery of Fate!", "Ah, then!" ]

[ "ROXANE:\n I have marred your life--I, I!", "CYRANO:\n You blessed my life!", "Never on me had rested woman's love.", "My mother even could not find me fair:\n I had no sister; and, when grown a man,\n I feared the mistress who would mock at me.", "But I have had your friendship--grace to you\n A woman's charm has passed across my path.", "LE BRET (pointing to the moon, which is seen between the trees):\n Your other lady-love is come.", "CYRANO (smiling):\n I see.", "ROXANE:\n I loved but once, yet twice I lose my love!", "CYRANO:\n Hark you, Le Bret!", "I soon shall reach the moon.", "To-night, alone, with no projectile's aid!." ]

[ "The same.", "Le Bret and Ragueneau.", "LE BRET:\n What madness!", "Here?", "I knew it well!", "CYRANO (smiling and sitting up):\n What now?", "LE BRET:\n He has brought his death by coming, Madame.", "ROXANE:\n God!", "Ah, then!", "that faintness of a moment since. .", "You too, Folly,--you?", "I know that you will lay me low at last;\n Let be!", "Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!", "(He makes passes in the air, and stops, breathless):\n You strip from me the laurel and the rose!", "Take all!", "Despite you there is yet one thing\n I hold against you all, and when, to-night,\n I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed,\n Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue,\n One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch,\n I bear away despite you.", "(He springs forward, his sword raised; it falls from his hand; he staggers,\nfalls back into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)", "ROXANE (bending and kissing his forehead):\n 'Tis?.", ". .\n\nCYRANO (opening his eyes, recognizing her, and smiling):\n MY PANACHE.", "Curtain." ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER I LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, Kent.", "CAN any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind, than\na necessity of communicating disagreeable intelligence?", "Indeed it is\nsometimes difficult to determine, whether the relator or the receiver\nof evil tidings is most to be pitied.", "I have just had a letter from Madame Duval; she is totally at a loss\nin what manner to behave; she seems desirous to repair the wrongs she\nhas done, yet wishes the world to believe her blameless.", "She would\nfain cast upon another the odium of those misfortunes for which she\nalone is answerable.", "Her letter is violent, sometimes abusive, and\nthat of you!-you, to whom she is under obligations which are greater\neven than her faults, but to whose advice she wickedly imputes all the\nsufferings of her much injured daughter, the late Lady Belmont.", "The\nchief purport of her writing I will acquaint you with; the letter\nitself is not worthy your notice.", "She tells me that she has, for many years past, been in continual\nexpectation of making a journey to England, which prevented her\nwriting for information concerning this melancholy subject, by giving\nher hopes of making personal inquiries; but family occurrences have\nstill detained her in France, which country she now sees no prospect\nof quitting.", "She has, therefore, lately used her utmost endeavors\nto obtain a faithful account of whatever related to her ill-advised\ndaughter; the result of which giving her some reason to apprehend,\nthat, upon her death-bed, she bequeathed an infant orphan to the world,\nshe most graciously says, that if you, with whom she understands the\nchild is placed, will procure authentic proofs of its relationship to\nher, you may sent it to Paris, where she will properly provide for it.", "This woman is, undoubtedly, at length, self-convicted of her most\nunnatural behaviour; it is evident, from her writing, that she is\nstill as vulgar and illiterate as when her first husband, Mr. Evelyn,\nhad the weakness to marry her; nor does she at all apologize for\naddressing herself to me, though I was only once in her company.", "Her letter has excited in my daughter Mirvan, a strong desire to be\ninformed of the motives which induced Madame Duval to abandon the\nunfortunate Lady Belmont, at a time when a mother's protection was\npeculiarly necessary for her peace and her reputation.", "Notwithstanding\nI was personally acquainted with all the parties concerned in that\naffair, the subject always appeared of too delicate a nature to be\nspoken of with the principals; I cannot, therefore, satisfy Mrs. Mirvan\notherwise than by applying to you.", "By saying that you may send the child, Madame Duval aims at conferring,\nwhere she most owes obligation.", "I pretend not to give you advice;\nyou, to whose generous protection this helpless orphan is indebted\nfor every thing, are the best and only judge of what she ought to\ndo; but I am much concerned at the trouble and uneasiness which this\nunworthy woman may occasion you.", "My daughter and my grandchild join with me in desiring to be most\nkindly remembered to the amiable girl; and they bid me remind you, that\nthe annual visit to Howard Grove, which we were formerly promised,\nhas been discontinued for more than four years.", "I am, dear Sir,\nwith great regard, Your most obedient friend and servant, M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER II MR. VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nBerry Hill, Dorsetshire.", "YOUR Ladyship did but too well foresee the perplexity and uneasiness\nof which Madame Duval's letter has been productive.", "However, I ought\nrather to be thankful that I have so many years remained unmolested,\nthan repine at my present embarrassment; since it proves, at least,\nthat this wretched woman is at length awakened to remorse.", "In regard to my answer, I must humbly request your Ladyship to write\nto this effect: \"That I would not, upon any account, intentionally\noffend Madame Duval; but that I have weighty, nay unanswerable\nreasons for detaining her grand-daughter at present in England;\nthe principal of which is, that it was the earnest desire of one\nto whose will she owes implicit duty.", "Madame Duval may be assured,\nthat she meets with the utmost attention and tenderness; that her\neducation, however short of my wishes, almost exceeds my abilities;\nand I flatter myself, when the time arrives that she shall pay her\nduty to her grand-mother, Madame Duval will find no reason to be\ndissatisfied with what has been done for her.\"", "Your Ladyship will not, I am sure, be surprised at this answer.", "Madame\nDuval is by no means a proper companion or guardian for a young woman:\nshe is at once uneducated and unprincipled; ungentle in temper, and\nunamiable in her manners.", "I have long known that she has persuaded\nherself to harbour an aversion for me-Unhappy woman!", "I can only regard\nher as an object of pity!", "I dare not hesitate at a request from Mrs. Mirvan; yet, in complying\nwith it, I shall, for her own sake, be as concise as I possibly can;\nsince the cruel transactions which preceded the birth of my ward can\nafford no entertainment to a mind so humane as her's.", "Your Ladyship may probably have heard, that I had the honour to\naccompany Mr. Evelyn, the grandfather of my young charge, when\nupon his travels, in the capacity of a tutor.", "His unhappy marriage,\nimmediately upon his return to England, with Madame Duval, then a\nwaiting-girl at a tavern, contrary to the advice and entreaties of\nall his friends, among whom I was myself the most urgent, induced\nhim to abandon his native land, and fix his abode in France.", "Thither he was followed by shame and repentance; feelings which\nhis heart was not framed to support; for, notwithstanding he had\nbeen too weak to resist the allurements of beauty, which nature,\nthough a niggard to her of every other boon, had with a lavish hand\nbestowed on his wife; yet he was a young man of excellent character,\nand, till thus unaccountably infatuated, of unblemished conduct.", "He\nsurvived this ill-judged marriage but two years.", "Upon his death-bed,\nwith an unsteady hand, he wrote me the following note:\n\n\n\"My friend, forget your resentment, in favour of your humanity;-a\nfather, trembling for the welfare of his child, bequeaths her to your\ncare.", "O Villars!", "hear!", "pity!", "And relieve me!\"", "Had my circumstances permitted me, I should have answered these words\nby an immediate journey to Paris; but I was obliged to act by the\nagency of a friend, who was upon the spot, and present at the opening\nof the will.", "Mr. Evelyn left to me a legacy of a thousand pounds, and the sole\nguardianship of his daughter's person till her eighteenth year;\nconjuring me, in the most affecting terms, to take the charge of her\neducation till she was able to act with propriety for herself; but,\nin regard to fortune, he left her wholly dependent on her mother,\nto whose tenderness he earnestly recommended her.", "Thus, though he would not, to a woman low-bred and illiberal as\nMrs. Evelyn, trust the conduct and morals of his daughter, he\nnevertheless thought proper to secure to her the respect and duty\nto which, from her own child, were certainly her due; but unhappily,\nit never occurred to him that the mother, on her part, could fail in\naffection or justice.", "Miss Evelyn, Madam, from the second to the eighteenth year of her\nlife, was brought up under my care, and, except when at school\nunder my roof.", "I need not speak to your Ladyship of the virtues\nof that excellent young creature.", "She loved me as her father; nor\nwas Mrs. Villars less valued by her; while to me she became so dear,\nthat her loss was little less afflicting than that which I have since\nsustained of Mrs. Villars herself.", "At that period of her life we parted; her mother, then married to\nMonsieur Duval, sent for her to Paris.", "How often have I since regretted\nthat I did not accompany her thither!", "Protected and supported by me,\nthe misery and disgrace which awaited her might perhaps have been\navoided.", "But, to be brief-Madame Duval, at the instigation of her\nhusband, earnestly, or rather tyrannically, endeavoured to effect a\nunion between Miss Evelyn and one of his nephews.", "And, when she found\nher power inadequate to her attempt, enraged at her non-compliance,\nshe treated her with the grossest unkindness, and threatened her with\npoverty and ruin.", "Miss Evelyn, to whom wrath and violence had hitherto been strangers,\nsoon grew weary of such usage; and rashly, and without a witness,\nconsented to a private marriage with Sir John Belmont, a very\nprofligate young man, who had but too successfully found means to\ninsinuate himself into her favour.", "He promised to conduct her to\nEngland-he did.-O, Madam, you know the rest!-Disappointed of the\nfortune he expected, by the inexorable rancour of the Duvals, he\ninfamously burnt the certificate of their marriage, and denied that\nthey had ever been united.", "She flew to me for protection.", "With what mixed transports of joy and\nanguish did I again see her!", "By my advice, she endeavoured to procure\nproofs of her marriage-but in vain; her credulity had been no match\nfor his art.", "Every body believed her innocent, from the guiltless tenor of her\nunspotted youth, and from the known libertinism of her barbarous\nbetrayer.", "Yet her sufferings were too acute for her slender frame;\nand the same moment that gave birth to her infant, put an end at once\nto the sorrows and the life of its mother.", "The rage of Madame Duval at her elopement, abated not while this\ninjured victim of cruelty yet drew breath.", "She probably intended, in\ntime, to have pardoned her; but time was not allowed.", "When she was\ninformed of her death, I have been told, that the agonies of grief\nand remorse, with which she was seized, occasioned her a severe fit\nof illness.", "But, from the time of her recovery to the date of her\nletter to your Ladyship, I had never heard that she manifested any\ndesire to be made acquainted with the circumstances which attended\nthe death of Lady Belmont, and the birth of her helpless child.", "That child, Madam, shall never, while life is lent me, know the loss\nshe has sustained.", "I have cherished, succoured, and supported her,\nfrom her earliest infancy to her sixteenth year; and so amply has she\nrepaid my care and affection, that my fondest wish is now circumscribed\nby the desire of bestowing her on one who may be sensible of her worth,\nand then sinking to eternal rest in her arms.", "Thus it has happened, that the education of the father, daughter,\nand grand-daughter, has devolved on me.", "What infinite misery have the\ntwo first caused me!", "Should the fate of the dear survivor be equally\nadverse, how wretched will be the end of my cares-the end of my days!", "Even had Madame Duval merited the charge she claims, I fear my\nfortitude would have been unequal to such a parting; but being such\nas she is, not only my affection, but my humanity, recoils, at the\nbarbarous idea of deserting the sacred trust reposed in me.", "Indeed,\nI could but ill support her former yearly visits to the respectable\nmansion at Howard Grove: pardon me, dear Madam, and do not think me\ninsensible of the honour which your Ladyship's condescension confers\nupon us both; but so deep is the impression which the misfortunes\nof her mother have made on my heart, that she does not, even for\na moment, quit my sight without exciting apprehensions and terrors\nwhich almost overpower me.", "Such, Madam, is my tenderness, and such\nmy weakness!-But she is the only tie I have upon earth, and I trust\nto your Ladyship's goodness not to judge of my feelings with severity.", "I beg leave to present my humble respects to Mrs. and Miss Mirvan;\nand have the honour to be, Madam, your Ladyship's most obedient and\nmost humble servant, ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER III LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\n\n[Written some months after the last]\n\nHoward Grove, March 8.", "Dear and Rev.", "Sir,\n\n\nYOUR last letter gave me infinite pleasure: after so long and tedious\nan illness, how grateful to yourself and to your friends must be your\nreturning health!", "You have the hearty wishes of every individual of\nthis place for its continuance and increase.", "Will you not think I take advantage of your acknowledged recovery,\nif I once more venture to mention your pupil and Howard Grove\ntogether?", "Yet you must remember the patience with which we submitted\nto your desire of not parting with her during the bad state of your\nhealth, tho' it was with much reluctance we forbore to solicit her\ncompany.", "My grand-daughter in particular, has scarce been able to\nrepress her eagerness to again meet the friend of her infancy; and\nfor my own part, it is very strongly my wish to manifest the regard I\nhad for the unfortunate Lady Belmont, by proving serviceable to her\nchild; which seems to me the best respect that can be paid to her\nmemory.", "Permit me, therefore, to lay before you a plan which Mrs.\nMirvan and I have formed, in consequence of your restoration to health.", "I would not frighten you;-but do you think you could bear to part\nwith your young companion for two or three months?", "Mrs. Mirvan\nproposes to spend the ensuing spring in London, whither for the\nfirst time, my grandchild will accompany her: Now, my good friend,\nit is very earnestly their wish to enlarge and enliven their party by\nthe addition of your amiable ward, who would share, equally with her\nown daughter, the care and attention of Mrs. Mirvan.", "Do not start\nat this proposal; it is time that she should see something of the\nworld.", "When young people are too rigidly sequestered from it, their\nlively and romantic imaginations paint it to them as a paradise of\nwhich they have been beguiled; but when they are shown it properly,\nand in due time, they see it such as it really is, equally shared by\npain and pleasure, hope and disappointment.", "You have nothing to apprehend from her meeting with Sir John Belmont,\nas that abandoned man is now abroad, and not expected home this year.", "Well, my good Sir, what say you to our scheme?", "I hope it will meet\nwith your approbation; but if it should not, be assured I can never\nobject to any decision of one who is so much respected and esteemed\nas Mr. Villars, by His most faithful, humble servant, M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER IV MR. VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nBerry Hill, March 12.", "I AM grieved, Madam, to appear obstinate, and I blush to incur\nthe imputation of selfishness.", "In detaining my young charge thus\nlong with myself in the country, I consulted not solely my own\ninclination.", "Destined, in all probability, to possess a very moderate\nfortune, I wished to contract her views to something within it.", "The\nmind is but too naturally prone to pleasure, but too easily yielded\nto dissipation: it has been my study to guard her against their\ndelusions, by preparing her to expect-and to despise them.", "But the\ntime draws on for experience and observation to take the place of\ninstruction: if I have in some measure, rendered her capable of using\none with discretion, and making the other with improvement, I shall\nrejoice myself with the assurance of having largely contributed to her\nwelfare.", "She is now of an age that happiness is eager to attend,-let\nher then enjoy it!", "I commit her to the protection of your Ladyship,\nand only hope she may be found worthy half the goodness I am satisfied\nshe will meet with at your hospitable mansion.", "Thus far, Madam, I cheerfully submit to your desire.", "In confiding my\nward to the care of Lady Howard, I can feel no uneasiness from her\nabsence, but what will arise from the loss of her company, since I\nshall be as well convinced of her safety as if she were under my own\nroof.-But can your Ladyship be serious in proposing to introduce her\nto the gaieties of a London life?", "Permit me to ask, for what end,\nor for what purpose?", "A youthful mind is seldom totally free from\nambition; to curb that, is the first step to contentment, since to\ndiminish expectation is to increase enjoyment.", "I apprehend nothing\nmore than too much raising her hopes and her views, which the natural\nvivacity of her disposition would render but too easy to effect.", "The town-acquaintance of Mrs. Mirvan are all in the circle of high\nlife; this artless young creature, with too much beauty to escape\nnotice, has too much sensibility to be indifferent to it; but she\nhas too little wealth to be sought with propriety by men of the\nfashionable world.", "Consider Madam, the peculiar cruelty of her situation.", "Only child of\na wealthy Baronet, whose person she has never seen, whose character\nshe has reason to abhor, and whose name she is forbidden to claim;\nentitled as she is to lawfully inherit his fortune and estate, is\nthere any probability that he will properly own her?", "And while he\ncontinues to persevere in disavowing his marriage with Miss Evelyn,\nshe shall never, at the expense of her mother's honour, receive a\npart of her right as the donation of his bounty.", "And as to Mr. Evelyn's estate, I have no doubt but that Madame Duval\nand her relations will dispose of it among themselves.", "It seems, therefore, as if this deserted child, though legally heiress\nto two large fortunes, must owe all her rational expectations to\nadoption and friendship.", "Yet her income will be such as may make her\nhappy, if she is disposed to be so in private life; though it will\nby no means allow her to enjoy the luxury of a London fine lady.", "Let Miss Mirvan, then, Madam, shine in all the splendour of high life;\nbut suffer my child still to enjoy the pleasures of humble retirement,\nwith a mind to which greater views are unknown.", "I hope this reasoning will be honoured with your approbation; and\nI have yet another motive which has some weight with me: I would\nnot willingly give offence to any human being; and surely Madame\nDuval might accuse me of injustice, if, while I refuse to let her\ngrand-daughter wait upon her, I consent that she should join a party\nof pleasure to London.", "In sending her to Howard Grove, not one of these scruples arise;\nand therefore Mrs. Clinton, a most worthy woman, formerly her nurse,\nand now my housekeeper, shall attend her thither next week.", "Though I have always called her by the name of Anville, and reported\nin this neighbourhood that her father, my intimate friend, left her to\nmy guardianship; yet I have thought it necessary she should herself\nbe acquainted with the melancholy circumstances attending her birth:\nfor though I am very desirous of guarding her from curiosity and\nimpertinence, by concealing her name, family, and story, yet I would\nnot leave it in the power of chance to shock her gentle nature with\na tale of so much sorrow.", "You must not, Madam, expect too much from my pupil; she is quite\na little rustic, and knows nothing of the world; and though her\neducation has been the best I could bestow in this retired place,\nto which Dorchester, the nearest town, is seven miles distant, yet\nI shall not be surprised if you should discover in her a thousand\ndeficiencies of which I have never dreamt.", "She must be very much\naltered since she was last at Howard Grove.", "But I will say nothing\nof her; I leave her to your Ladyship's own observations, of which\nI beg a faithful relation; and am, Dear Madam, with great respect,\nYour obedient and most humble Servant, ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER V MR. VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nMarch 18.", "Dear Madam,\n\nTHIS letter will be delivered to you by my child-the child of my\nadoption-my affection!", "Unblest with one natural friend, she merits\na thousand.", "I send her to you innocent as an angel, and artless as\npurity itself; and I send you with her the heart of your friend, the\nonly hope he has on earth, the subject of his tenderest thoughts, and\nthe object of his latest cares.", "She is one, Madam, for whom alone I\nhave lately wished to live; and she is one whom to serve I would with\ntransport die!", "Restore her but to me all innocence as you receive her,\nand the fondest hope of my heart will be amply gratified.", "A. VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER VI LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove.", "Dear Rev.", "Sir,\n\n\nTHE solemn manner in which you have committed your child to my care,\nhas in some measure damped the pleasure which I receive from the\ntrust, as it makes me fear that you suffer from your compliance, in\nwhich case I shall very sincerely blame myself for the earnestness\nwith which I have requested this favour: but remember, my good Sir,\nshe is within a few days summons; and be assured, I will not detain\nher a moment longer than you wish.", "You desire my opinion of her.", "She is a little angel!", "I cannot wonder that you sought to monopolize\nher: neither ought you, at finding it impossible.", "Her face and person answer my most refined ideas of complete beauty:\nand this, though a subject of praise less important to you, or, to\nme than any other, is yet so striking, it is not possible to pass\nit unnoticed.", "Had I not known from whom she received her education,\nI should at first sight of so perfect a face, have been in pain for\nher understanding; since it has been long and justly remarked, that\nfolly has ever sought alliance with beauty.", "She has the same gentleness in her manners, the same natural graces\nin her motions, that I formerly so much admired in her mother.", "Her\ncharacter seems truly ingenuous and simple; and at the same time\nthat nature has blessed her with an excellent understanding and great\nquickness of parts, she has a certain air of inexperience and innocency\nthat is extremely interesting.", "You have not reason to regret the retirement in which she has lived;\nsince that politeness which is acquired by an acquaintance with high\nlife, is in her so well supplied by a natural desire of obliging,\njoined to a deportment infinitely engaging.", "I observe, with great satisfaction, a growing affection between\nthis amiable girl and my grand-daughter, whose heart is as free\nfrom selfishness or conceit, as that of her young friend is from\nall guile.", "Their regard may be mutually useful, since much is to be\nexpected from emulation where nothing is to be feared from envy.", "I\nwould have them love each other as sisters, and reciprocally supply\nthe place of that tender and happy relationship to which neither of\nthem has a natural claim.", "Be satisfied, my good Sir, that your child shall meet with the same\nattention as our own.", "We all join in most hearty wishes for your health\nand happiness, and in returning our sincere thanks for the favour you\nhave conferred on us.", "I am, dear Sir, Your most faithful servant,\nM. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER VII LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, March 26.", "BE not alarmed, my worthy friend, at my so speedily troubling you\nagain; I seldom use the ceremony of waiting for answers, or writing\nwith any regularity, and I have at present immediate occasion for\nbegging your patience.", "Mrs. Mirvan has just received a letter from her long absent husband,\ncontaining the welcome news of his hoping to reach London by\nthe beginning of next week.", "My daughter and the Captain have been\nseparated almost seven years, and it would therefore be needless to\nsay what joy, surprise, and consequently confusion, his at present\nunexpected return has caused at Howard Grove.", "Mrs. Mirvan, you cannot\ndoubt, will go instantly to town to meet him; her daughter is under\na thousand obligations to attend her; I grieve that her mother cannot.", "And now, my good Sir, I almost blush to proceed;-but, tell me, may I\nask-will you permit-that your child may accompany them?", "Do not think\nus unreasonable, but consider the many inducements which conspire to\nmake London the happiest place at present she can be in.", "The joyful\noccasion of the journey; the gaiety of the whole party, opposed to\nthe dull life she must lead, if left here with a solitary old woman\nfor her sole companion, while she so well knows the cheerfulness and\nfelicity enjoyed by the rest of the family,-are circumstances that\nseem to merit your consideration.", "Mrs. Mirvan desires me to assure\nyou that one week is all she asks, as she is certain that the Captain,\nwho hates London, will be eager to revisit Howard Grove; and Maria is\nso very earnest in wishing to have the company of her friend, that,\nif you are inexorable, she will be deprived of half the pleasure she\notherwise hopes to receive.", "However, I will not, my good Sir, deceive you into an opinion that\nthey intend to live in a retired manner, as that cannot be fairly\nexpected.", "But you have no reason to be uneasy concerning Madame Duval;\nshe has not any correspondent in England, and obtains no intelligence\nbut by common report.", "She must be a stranger to the name your child\nbears; and, even should she hear of this excursion, so short a time\nas a week or less spent in town upon so particular an occasion,\nthough previous to their meeting, cannot be construed into disrespect\nto herself.", "Mrs. Mirvan desires me to assure you, that if you will oblige her,\nher two children shall equally share her time and her attention.", "She\nhas sent a commission to a friend in town to take a house for her;\nand while she waits for an answer concerning it, I shall for one\nfrom you to our petition.", "However, your child is writing herself;\nand that, I doubt not, will more avail than all we can possible urge.", "My daughter desires her best compliments to you if, she says, you\nwill grant her request but not else.", "Adieu, my dear Sir, we all hope every thing from your goodness.", "M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER VIII EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, March 26.", "THIS house seems to be the house of joy; every face wears a smile,\nand a laugh is at every body's service.", "It is quite amusing to walk\nabout and see the general confusion; a room leading to the garden\nis fitting up for Captain Mirvan's study.", "Lady Howard does not sit a\nmoment in a place; Miss Mirvan is making caps; every body so busy!-such\nflying from room to room!-so many orders given, and retracted, and\ngiven again!", "nothing but hurry and perturbation.", "Well but, my dear Sir, I am desired to make a request to you.", "I hope\nyou will not think me an encroacher; Lady Howard insists upon my\nwriting!-yet I hardly know how to go on; a petition implies a want\nand have you left me one?", "No, indeed.", "I am half ashamed of myself for beginning this letter.", "But these dear\nladies are so pressing-I cannot, for my life, resist wishing for the\npleasures they offer me,-provided you do not disapprove them.", "They are to make a very short stay in town.", "The Captain will meet them\nin a day or two.", "Mrs. Mirvan and her sweet daughter both go; what a\nhappy party!", "Yet, I am not very eager to accompany them: at least\nI shall be contented to remain where I am, if you desire that I should.", "Assured, my dearest Sir, of your goodness, your bounty, and your\nindulgent kindness, ought I to form a wish that has not your\nsanction?", "Decide for me, therefore, without the least apprehension\nthat I shall be uneasy or discontented.", "While I am yet in suspense,\nperhaps I may hope; but I am most certain that when you have once\ndetermined I shall not repine.", "They tell me that London is now in full splendour.", "Two playhouses\nare open,-the Opera-house,-Ranelagh,-and the Pantheon.-You see I have\nlearned all their names.", "However, pray don't suppose that I make any\npoint of going, for I shall hardly sigh, to see them depart without me,\nthough I shall probably never meet with such another opportunity.", "And,\nindeed, their domestic happiness will be so great,-it is natural to\nwish to partake of it.", "I believe I am bewitched!", "I made a resolution, when I began, that\nI would not be urgent; but my pen-or rather my thoughts, will not\nsuffer me to keep it-for I acknowledge, I must acknowledge, I cannot\nhelp wishing for your permission.", "I almost repent already that I have made this confession; pray forget\nthat you have read it, if this journey is displeasing to you.", "But\nI will not write any longer; for the more I think of this affair,\nthe less indifferent to it I find myself.", "Adieu, my most honoured, most reverenced, most beloved father!", "for\nby what other name can I call you?", "I have no happiness or sorrow,\nno hope or fear, but what your kindness bestows, or your displeasure\nmay cause.", "You will not, I am sure, send a refusal without reasons\nunanswerable, and therefore I shall cheerfully acquiesce.", "Yet I\nhope-I hope you will be able to permit me to go!", "I am, with the\nutmost affection, gratitude, and duty, your EVELINA -\n\n\nI cannot to you sign ANVILLE, and what other name may I claim?", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER IX MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, March 28.", "TO resist the urgency of intreaty, is a power which I have not yet\nacquired: I aim not at an authority which deprives you of liberty,\nyet I would fain guide myself by a prudence which should save me the\npangs of repentance.", "Your impatience to fly to a place which your\nimagination has painted to you in colors so attractive, surprises me\nnot; I have only to hope, that the liveliness of your fancy may not\ndeceive you: to refuse, would be raising it still higher.", "To see my\nEvelina happy, is to see myself without a wish: go, then my child;\nand may that Heaven, which alone can direct, preserve and strengthen\nyou!", "To that, my love, will I daily offer prayers for your felicity.", "O\nmay it guard, watch over you, defend you from danger, save you from\ndistress, and keep vice as distant from your person as from your heart!", "And to me, may it grant, the ultimate blessing of closing these aged\neyes in the arms of one so dear-so deservedly beloved!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER X EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS \n\nQueen Ann Street, London, Saturday, April 2.", "THIS moment arrived.", "Just going to Drury Lane Theatre.", "The celebrated\nMr. Garrick performs Ranger.", "I am quite in ecstasy.", "So is Miss\nMirvan.", "How fortunate that he should happen to play!", "We would not\nlet Mrs. Mirvan rest till she consented to go.", "Her chief objection\nwas to our dress, for we have had no time to Londonize ourselves; but\nwe teased her into compliance, and so we are to sit in some obscure\nplace that she may not be seen.", "As to me, I should be alike unknown\nin the most conspicuous or most private part of the house.", "I can write no more now.", "I have hardly time to breathe-only just this,\nthe houses and streets are not quite so superb as I expected.", "However,\nI have seen nothing yet, so I ought not to judge.", "Well; adieu, my dearest Sir, for the present; I could not forbear\nwriting a few words instantly on my arrival, though I suppose my letter\nof thanks for your consent is still on the road.", "Saturday Night.", "O, my dear Sir, in what raptures am I returned?", "Well may Mr. Garrick\nbe so celebrated, so universally admired-I had not any idea of so\ngreat a performer.", "Such ease!", "such vivacity in his manner!", "such grace in his motions!", "such\nfire and meaning in his eyes!-I could hardly believe he had studied\na written part, for every word seemed to be uttered from the impulse\nof the moment.", "His action-at once so graceful and so free!-his voice-so clear,\nso melodious, yet so wonderfully various in its tones!-Such\nanimation!-every look speaks!", "I would have given the world to have had the whole play acted over\nagain.", "And when he danced-O, how I envied Clarinda!", "I almost wished\nto have jumped on the stage and joined them.", "I am afraid you will think me mad, so I won't say any more; yet,\nI really believe Mr. Garrick would make you mad too if you could see\nhim.", "I intend to ask Mrs. Mirvan to go to the play every night while\nwe stay in town.", "She is extremely kind to me; and Maria, her charming\ndaughter, is the sweetest girl in the world.", "I shall write to you every evening all that passes in the day, and\nthat in the same manner as, if I could see, I should tell you.", "Sunday.", "This morning we went to Portland chapel; and afterwards we walked\nin the mall of St. James's Park, which by no means answered my\nexpectations: it is a long straight walk of dirty gravel, very uneasy\nto the feet; and at each end instead of an open prospect, nothing is\nto be seen but houses built of brick.", "When Mrs. Mirvan pointed out\nthe Palace to me-I think I was never much more surprised.", "However, the walk was very agreeable to us; every body looked gay,\nand seemed pleased; and the ladies were so much dressed, that Miss\nMirvan and I could do nothing but look at them.", "Mrs. Mirvan met\nseveral of her friends.", "No wonder, for I never saw so many people\nassembled together before.", "I looked about for some of my acquaintance,\nbut in vain; for I saw not one person that I knew, which is very odd,\nfor all the world seemed there.", "Mrs. Mirvan says we are not to walk in the Park again next Sunday,\neven if we should be in town, because there is better company in\nKensington Gardens; but really if you had seen how much every body\nwas dressed, you would not think that possible.", "Monday.", "We are to go this evening to a private ball, given by Mrs. Stanley,\na very fashionable lady of Mrs. Mirvan's acquaintance.", "We have been a-shopping as Mrs. Mirvan calls it, all this morning,\nto buy silks, caps, gauzes, and so forth.", "The shops are really very entertaining, especially the mercers; there\nseem to be six or seven men belonging to each shop; and every one took\ncare by bowing and smirking, to be noticed.", "We were conducted from\none to another, and carried from room to room with so much ceremony,\nthat at I was almost afraid to go on.", "I thought I should never have chosen a silk: for they produced so\nmany, I knew not which to fix upon; and they recommended them all so\nstrongly, that I fancy they thought I only wanted persuasion to buy\nevery thing they showed me.", "And, indeed, they took so much trouble,\nthat I was almost ashamed I could not.", "At the milliners, the ladies we met were so much dressed, that I should\nrather have imagined they were making visits than purchases.", "But\nwhat most diverted me was, that we were more frequently served\nby men than by women; and such men!", "so finical, so affected!", "they\nseemed to understand every part of a woman's dress better than we\ndo ourselves; and they recommended caps and ribbands with an air of\nso much importance, that I wished to ask them how long they had left\noff wearing them.", "The dispatch with which they work in these great shops is amazing,\nfor they have promised me a complete suit of linen against the evening.", "I have just had my hair dressed.", "You can't think how oddly my head\nfeels; full of powder and black pins, and a great cushion on the top\nof it.", "I believe you would hardly know me, for my face looks quite\ndifferent to what it did before my hair was dressed.", "When I shall\nbe able to make use of a comb for myself I cannot tell; for my hair\nis so much entangled, frizzled they call it, that I fear it will be\nvery difficult.", "I am half afraid of this ball to-night; for, you know, I have never\ndanced but at school: however, Miss Mirvan says there is nothing in\nit.", "Yet, I wish it was over.", "Adieu, my dear Sir, pray excuse the wretched stuff I write; perhaps\nI may improve by being in this town, and then my letters will be less\nunworthy your reading.", "Meantime, I am, Your dutiful and affectionate,\nthough unpolished, EVELINA.", "Poor Miss Mirvan cannot wear one of the caps she made, because they\ndress her hair too large for them.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XI EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nQueen Ann Street, April 5, Tuesday Morning.", "I HAVE a vast deal to say, and shall give all this morning to my pen.", "As to my plan of writing every evening the adventures of the day,\nI find it impracticable; for the diversions here are so very late,\nthat if I begin my letters after them, I could not go to bed at all.", "We passed a most extraordinary evening.", "A private ball this was called,\nso I expected to have seen about four or five couple; but Lord!", "my\ndear Sir, I believe I saw half the world!", "Two very large rooms were\nfull of company; in one were cards for the elderly ladies, and in\nthe other were the dancers.", "My mamma Mirvan, for she always calls me\nher child, said she would sit with Maria and me till we were provided\nwith partners, and then join the card-players.", "The gentlemen, as they passed and repassed, looked as if they thought\nwe were quite at their disposal, and only waiting for the honour of\ntheir commands; and they sauntered about, in a careless, indolent\nmanner, as if with a view to keep us in suspense.", "I don't speak of\nthis in regard to Miss Mirvan and myself only, but to the ladies in\ngeneral: and I thought it so provoking, that I determined in my own\nmind that, far from humouring such airs, I would rather not dance\nat all, than with any one who would seem to think me ready to accept\nthe first partner who would condescend to take me.", "Not long after, a young man, who had for some time looked at us with a\nkind of negligent impertinence, advanced on tiptoe towards me; he had\na set smile on his face, and his dress was so foppish, that I really\nbelieved he even wished to be stared at; and yet he was very ugly.", "Bowing almost to the ground with a sort of swing, and waving his\nhand, with the greatest conceit, after a short and silly pause, he\nsaid, \"Madam-may I presume?", "\"-and stopt, offering to take my hand.", "I\ndrew it back, but could scarce forbear laughing.", "\"Allow me, Madam,\"\ncontinued he, affectedly breaking off every half moment, \"the honour\nand happiness-if I am not so unhappy as to address you too late-to\nhave the happiness and honour-\"\n\n\nAgain he would have taken my hand; but bowing my head, I begged to\nbe excused, and turned to Miss Mirvan to conceal my laughter.", "He then\ndesired to know if I had already engaged myself to some more fortunate\nman?", "I said No, and that I believed I should not dance at all.", "He would\nkeep himself he told me, disengaged, in hopes I should relent; and\nthen, uttering some ridiculous speeches of sorrow and disappointment,\nthough his face still wore the same invariable smile, he retreated.", "It so happened, as we have since recollected, that during this little\ndialogue Mrs. Mirvan was conversing with the lady of the house.", "And\nvery soon after, another gentleman, who seemed about six-and-twenty\nyears old, gaily but not foppishly dressed, and indeed extremely\nhandsome, with an air of mixed politeness and gallantry, desired to\nknow if I was engaged, or would honour him with my hand.", "So he was\npleased to say, though I am sure I know not what honour he could\nreceive from me; but these sort of expressions, I find, are used\nas words of course, without any distinction of persons, or study\nof propriety.", "Well, I bowed, and I am sure I coloured; for indeed I was frightened\nat the thoughts of dancing before so many people, all strangers, and,\nwhich was worse, with a stranger: however, that was unavoidable;\nfor, though I looked round the room several times, I could not see\none person that I knew.", "And so he took my hand, and led me to join\nin the dance.", "The minuets were over before we arrived, for we were kept late by\nthe milliners making us wait for our things.", "He seemed very desirous of entering into conversation with me; but\nI was seized with such a panic, that I could hardly speak a word,\nand nothing but the shame of so soon changing my mind prevented my\nreturning to my seat, and declining to dance at all.", "He appeared to be surprised at my terror, which I believe was but\ntoo apparent: however, he asked no questions, though I fear he must\nthink it very strange, for I did not choose to tell him it was owing\nto my never before dancing but with a school-girl.", "His conversation was sensible and spirited; his air, and address\nwere open and noble; his manners gentle, attentive, and infinitely\nengaging; his person is all elegance, and his countenance the most\nanimated and expressive I have ever seen.", "In a short time we were joined by Miss Mirvan, who stood next couple\nto us.", "But how I was startled when she whispered me that my partner\nwas a nobleman!", "This gave me a new alarm: how will he be provoked,\nthought I, when he finds what a simple rustic he has honoured with\nhis choice!", "one whose ignorance of the world makes her perpetually\nfear doing something wrong!", "That he should be so much my superior in every way, quite disconcerted\nme; and you will suppose my spirits were not much raised, when I\nheard a lady, in passing us, say, \"This is the most difficult dance\nI ever saw.\"", "\"O dear, then\" cried Maria to her partner, \"with your leave, I'll\nsit down till the next.\"", "\"So will I too, then,\" cried I, \"for I am sure I can hardly stand.\"", "\"But you must speak to your partner first,\" answered she; for he\nhad turned aside to talk with some gentlemen.", "However, I had not\nsufficient courage to address him; and so away we all three tript,\nand seated ourselves at another end of the room.", "But, unfortunately for me, Miss Mirvan soon after suffered herself to\nbe prevailed upon to attempt the dance; and just as she rose to go,\nshe cried, \"My dear, yonder is your partner, Lord Orville walking\nabout the room in search of you.\"", "\"Don't leave me then, dear girl!\"", "cried I; but she was obliged to\ngo.", "And now I was more uneasy than ever; I would have given the world\nto have seen Mrs. Mirvan, and begged of her to make my apologies;\nfor what, thought I, can I possibly say to him in excuse for running\naway?", "He must either conclude me a fool, or half mad; for any one\nbrought up in the great world, and accustomed to its ways, can have\nno idea of such sort of fears as mine.", "My confusion increased when I observed that he was every where seeking\nme, with apparent perplexity and surprise; but when, at last, I saw\nhim move towards the place where I sat, I was ready to sink with\nshame and distress.", "I found it absolutely impossible to keep my seat,\nbecause I could not think of a word to say for myself; and so I rose,\nand walked hastily towards the card-room, resolving to stay with\nMrs. Mirvan the rest of the evening, and not to dance at all.", "But\nbefore I could find her, Lord Orville saw and approached me.", "He begged to know if I was not well?", "You may easily imagine how much\nI was embarrassed.", "I made no answer; but hung my head like a fool,\nand looked on my fan.", "He then, with an air the most respectfully serious, asked if he had\nbeen so unhappy as to offend me?", "\"No, indeed!\"", "cried I; and, in hopes of changing the discourse, and\npreventing his further inquiries, I desired to know if he had seen\nthe young lady who had been conversing with me?", "No;-but would I honour him with any commands to her?", "\"O, by no means!\"", "Was there any other person with whom I wished to speak?", "I said no, before I knew I had answered at all.", "Should he have the pleasure of bringing me any refreshment?", "I bowed, almost involuntarily.", "And away he flew.", "I was quite ashamed of being so troublesome, and so much above\nmyself as these seeming airs made me appear; but indeed I was too\nmuch confused to think or act with any consistency.", "If he had not been as swift as lightning, I don't know whether I\nshould not have stolen away again; but he returned in a moment.", "When\nI had drank a glass of lemonade, he hoped, he said, that I would\nagain honour him with my hand, as a new dance was just begun.", "I had\nnot the presence of mind to say a single word, and so I let him once\nmore lead me to the place I had left.", "Shocked to find how silly, how childish a part I had acted, my former\nfears of dancing before such a company, and with such a partner,\nreturned more forcibly than ever.", "I suppose he perceived my uneasiness;\nfor he entreated me to sit down again if dancing was disagreeable to\nme.", "But I was quite satisfied with the folly I had already shewn; and\ntherefore declined his offer, though I was really scarce able to stand.", "Under such conscious disadvantages, you may easily imagine my dear Sir,\nhow ill I acquitted myself.", "But, though I both expected and deserved\nto find him very much mortified and displeased at his ill fortune in\nthe choice he had made; yet, to my very great relief, he appeared to\nbe even contented, and very much assisted and encouraged me.", "These\npeople in high life have too much presence of mind, I believe, to\nseem disconcerted, or out of humour, however they may feel: for had\nI been the person of the most consequence in the room, I could not\nhave met with more attention and respect.", "When the dance was over, seeing me still very much flurried, he led\nme to a seat, saying that he would not suffer me to fatigue myself\nfrom politeness.", "And then, if my capacity, or even, if my spirits had been better, in\nhow animated a conversation I might have been engaged!", "it was then\nI saw that the rank of Lord Orville was his least recommendation,\nhis understanding and his manners being far more distinguished.", "His\nremarks upon the company in general were so apt, so just, so lively,\nI am almost surprised myself that they did not reanimate me; but,\nindeed, I was too well convinced of the ridiculous part I had myself\nplayed before so nice an observer, to be able to enjoy his pleasantry:\nso self-compassion gave me feeling for others.", "Yet I had not the\ncourage to attempt either to defend them or to rally in my turn;\nbut listened to him in silent embarrassment.", "When he found this, he changed the subject, and talked of public\nplaces, and public performers; but he soon discovered that I was\ntotally ignorant of them.", "He then, very ingeniously, turned the discourse to the amusements\nand occupations of the country.", "It now struck me that he was resolved to try whether or not I was\ncapable of talking upon any subject.", "This put so great a restraint\nupon my thoughts, that I was unable to go further than a monosyllable,\nand not ever so far, when I could possibly avoid it.", "We were sitting in this manner, he conversing with all gaiety, I\nlooking down with all foolishness, when that fop who had first asked\nme to dance, with a most ridiculous solemnity approached, and, after\na profound bow or two, said, \"I humbly beg pardon, Madam,-and of you\ntoo, my Lord,-for breaking in upon such agreeable conversation-which\nmust, doubtless, be more delectable-than what I have the honour\nto offer-but-\"\n\n\nI interrupted him-I blush for my folly,-with laughing; yet I could not\nhelp it; for, added to the man's stately foppishness, (and he actually\ntook snuff between every three words) when I looked around at Lord\nOrville, I saw such extreme surprise in his face,-the cause of which\nappeared so absurd, that I could not for my life preserve my gravity.", "I had not laughed before from the time I had left Miss Mirvan, and I\nhad much better have cried then; Lord Orville actually stared at me;\nthe beau, I know not his name, looked quite enraged.", "\"Refrain-Madam,\"\nsaid he, with an important air, \"a few moments refrain!-I have but\na sentence to trouble you with.-May I know to what accident I must\nattribute not having the honour of your hand?\"", "\"Accident, Sir!\"", "repeated I, much astonished.", "\"Yes, accident, Madam;-for surely,-I must take the liberty to\nobserve-pardon me, Madam,-it ought to be no common one-that should\ntempt a lady-so young a one too,-to be guilty of ill-manners.\"", "A confused idea now for the first time entered my head, of something\nI had heard of the rules of an assembly; but I was never at one\nbefore,-I have only danced at school,-and so giddy and heedless I\nwas, that I had not once considered the impropriety of refusing one\npartner, and afterwards accepting another.", "I was thunderstruck at the\nrecollection: but, while these thoughts were rushing into my head,\nLord Orville with some warmth, said, \"This Lady, Sir, is incapable\nof meriting such an accusation!\"", "The creature-for I am very angry with him-made a low bow and with a\ngrin the most malicious I ever saw, \"My Lord,\" said he, \"far be it\nfrom me to accuse the lady, for having the discernment to distinguish\nand prefer-the superior attractions of your Lordship.\"", "Again he bowed and walked off.", "Was ever any thing so provoking?", "I was ready to die with shame.", "\"What\na coxcomb!\"", "exclaimed Lord Orville: while I, without knowing what\nI did, rose hastily, and moving off, \"I can't imagine,\" cried I,\n\"where Mrs. Mirvan has hid herself!\"", "\"Give me leave to see,\" answered he.", "I bowed and sat down again,\nnot daring to meet his eyes; for what must he think of me, between\nmy blunder, and the supposed preference?", "He returned in a moment, and told me that Mrs. Mirvan was at cards,\nbut would be glad to see me; and I went immediately.", "There was but\none chair vacant; so, to my great relief, Lord Orville presently left\nus.", "I then told Mrs. Mirvan my disasters; and she good-naturedly\nblamed herself for not having better instructed me; but said, she had\ntaken it for granted that I must know such common customs.", "However,\nthe man may, I think, be satisfied with his pretty speech and carry\nhis resentment no farther.", "In a short time Lord Orville returned.", "I consented, with the best grace\nI could, to go down another dance, for I had had time to recollect\nmyself; and therefore resolved to use some exertion, and, if possible,\nto appear less a fool than I had hitherto done; for it occurred to me,\nthat, insignificant as I was, compared to a man of his rank and figure;\nyet, since he had been so unfortunate as to make choice of me for a\npartner, why I should endeavour to make the best of it.", "The dance, however, was short, and he spoke very little; so I had no\nopportunity of putting my resolution in practice.", "He was satisfied, I\nsuppose, with his former successless efforts to draw me out or, rather,\nI fancied he had been inquiring who I was.", "This again disconcerted me;\nand the spirits I had determined to exert, again failed me.", "Tired,\nashamed, and mortified, I begged to sit down till we returned home,\nwhich I did soon after.", "Lord Orville did me the honour to hand me to\nthe coach, talking all the way of the honour I had done him!", "O these\nfashionable people!", "Well, my dear Sir, was it not a strange evening?", "I could not help\nbeing thus particular, because, to me, every thing is so new.", "But it\nis now time to conclude.", "I am, with all love and duty, your EVELINA.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nTuesday, April 5.", "THERE is to be no end to the troubles of last night.", "I have this\nmoment, between persuasion and laughter, gathered from Maria the most\ncurious dialogue that ever I heard.", "You will at first be startled at\nmy vanity; but, my dear Sir, have patience!", "It must have passed while I was sitting with Mrs. Mirvan, in the\ncard-room.", "Maria was taking some refreshment, and saw Lord Orville\nadvancing for the same purpose himself; but he did not know her,\nthough she immediately recollected him.", "Presently after, a very\ngay-looking man, stepping hastily up to him cried, \"Why, my Lord,\nwhat have you done with your lovely partner?\"", "\"Nothing!\"", "answered Lord Orville with a smile and a shrug.", "\"By Jove,\" cried the man, \"she is the most beautiful creature I ever\nsaw in my life!\"", "Lord Orville, as he well might, laughed; but answered, \"Yes, a pretty\nmodest-looking girl.\"", "\"O my Lord!\"", "cried the madman, \"she is an angel!\"", "\"A silent one,\" returned he.", "\"Why ay, my Lord, how stands she as to that?", "She looks all intelligence\nand expression.\"", "\"A poor weak girl!\"", "answered Lord Orville, shaking his head.", "\"By Jove,\" cried the other, \"I am glad to hear it!\"", "At that moment, the same odious creature who had been my former\ntormentor, joined them.", "Addressing Lord Orville with great respect,\nhe said, \"I beg pardon, my Lord,-if I was-as I fear might be the\ncase-rather too severe in my censure of the lady who is honoured with\nyour protection-but, my Lord, ill-breeding is apt to provoke a man.\"", "\"Ill-breeding!\"", "cried my unknown champion, \"impossible!", "that elegant\nface can never be so vile a mask!\"", "\"O Sir, as to that,\" answered he, \"you must allow me to judge;\nfor though I pay all deference to your opinion-in other things-yet\nI hope you will grant-and I appeal to your Lordship also-that I am\nnot totally despicable as a judge of good or ill-manners.\"", "\"I was so wholly ignorant,\" said Lord Orville, gravely, \"of the\nprovocation you might have had, that I could not but be surprised at\nyour singular resentment.\"", "\"It was far from my intention,\" answered he, \"to offend your lordship;\nbut, really, for a person who is nobody, to give herself such airs,-I\nown I could not command my passion.", "For, my Lord, though I have made\ndiligent inquiry-I cannot learn who she is.\"", "\"By what I can make out,\" cried my defender, \"she must be a country\nparson's daughter.\"", "\"He!", "he!", "he!", "very good, 'pon honour!\"", "cried the fop;-\"well, so I\ncould have sworn by her manners.\"", "And then, delighted at his own wit, he laughed, and went away, as I\nsuppose, to repeat it.", "\"But what the deuce is all this?\"", "demanded the other.", "\"Why a very foolish affair,\" answered Lord Orville; \"your Helen\nfirst refused this coxcomb, and then-danced with me.", "This is all I\ncan gather of it.\"", "\"O, Orville,\" returned he, \"you are a happy man!-But ill-bred?", "-I\ncan never believe it!", "And she looks too sensible to be ignorant.\"", "\"Whether ignorant or mischievous, I will not pretend to determine;\nbut certain it is, she attended to all I could say to her, though I\nhave really fatigued myself with fruitless endeavours to entertain\nher, with the most immovable gravity; but no sooner did Lovel begin\nhis complaint, than she was seized with a fit of laughing, first\naffronting the poor beau, and then enjoying his mortification.\"", "\"Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "why there is some genius in that, my Lord, perhaps\nrather-rustic.\"", "Here Maria was called to dance, and so heard no more.", "Now, tell me, my dear Sir, did you ever know any thing more\nprovoking?", "\"A poor weak girl!\"", "\"ignorant or mischievous!\"", "What\nmortifying words!", "I am resolved, however, that I will never again be\ntempted to go to an assembly.", "I wish I had been in Dorsetshire.", "Well, after this, you will not be surprised that Lord Orville contented\nhimself with an inquiry after our healths this morning, by his servant,\nwithout troubling himself to call, as Miss Mirvan had told me he would;\nbut perhaps it may be only a country custom.", "I would not live here for the world.", "I care not how soon we\nleave town.", "London soon grows tiresome.", "I wish the Captain would\ncome.", "Mrs. Mirvan talks of the opera for this evening; however,\nI am very indifferent about it.", "Wednesday Morning.", "Well, my dear Sir, I have been pleased against my will, I could almost\nsay; for I must own I went out in very ill humour, which I think you\ncannot wonder at: but the music and the singing were charming; they\nsoothed me into a pleasure the most grateful, the best suited to my\npresent disposition in the world.", "I hope to persuade Mrs. Mirvan to\ngo again on Saturday.", "I wish the opera was every night.", "It is, of all\nentertainments, the sweetest and most delightful.", "Some of the songs\nseemed to melt my very soul.", "It was what they call a serious opera,\nas the comic first singer was ill.\n\n\nTo-night we go to Ranelagh.", "If any of those three gentlemen who\nconversed so freely about me should be there-but I won't think of it.", "Thursday Morning.", "Well, my dear Sir, we went to Ranelagh.", "It is a charming place; and\nthe brilliancy of the lights, on my first entrance, made me almost\nthink I was in some enchanted castle or fairy palace, for all looked\nlike magic to me.", "The very first person I saw was Lord Orville.", "I felt so confused!-but\nhe did not see me.", "After tea, Mrs. Mirvan being tired, Maria and\nI walked round the room alone.", "Then again we saw him, standing by\nthe orchestra.", "We, too, stopt to hear a singer.", "He bowed to me; I\ncourtesied, and I am sure I coloured.", "We soon walked on, not liking\nour situation; however, he did not follow us; and when we passed by\nthe orchestra again, he was gone.", "Afterwards, in the course of the\nevening, we met him several times; but he was always with some party,\nand never spoke to us, though whenever he chanced to meet my eyes,\nhe condescended to bow.", "I cannot but be hurt at the opinion he entertains of me.", "It is true\nmy own behaviour incurred it-yet he is himself the most agreeable,\nand, seemingly, the most amiable man in the world, and therefore it\nis that I am grieved to be thought ill of by him: for of whose esteem\nought we to be ambitious, if not of those who most merit our own?-But\nit is too late to reflect upon this now.", "Well I can't help it.-However,\nI think I have done with assemblies.", "This morning was destined for seeing sights, auctions, curious shops,\nand so forth; but my head ached, and I was not in a humour to be\namused, and so I made them go without me, though very unwillingly.", "They\nare all kindness.", "And now I am sorry I did not accompany them, for I know not what\nto do with myself.", "I had resolved not to go to the play to-night;\nbut I believe I shall.", "In short, I hardly care whether I do or not.", "* * * * *\n\n\nI thought I had done wrong!", "Mrs. Mirvan and Maria have been half the\ntown over, and so entertained!-while I, like a fool, staid at home\nto do nothing.", "And, at the auction in Pall-mall, who should they\nmeet but Lord Orville.", "He sat next to Mrs. Mirvan, and they talked\na great deal together; but she gave me no account of the conversation.", "I may never have such another opportunity of seeing London; I am quite\nsorry that I was not of the party; but I deserve this mortification,\nfor having indulged my ill-humour.", "Thursday Night.", "We are just returned from the play, which was King Lear, and has made\nme very sad.", "We did not see any body we knew.", "Well, adieu, it is too late to write more.", "Friday.", "Captain Mirvan is arrived.", "I have not spirits to give an account of\nhis introduction, for he has really shocked me.", "I do not like him.", "He\nseems to be surly, vulgar, and disagreeable.", "Almost the same moment that Maria was presented to him, he began\nsome rude jests upon the bad shape of her nose, and called her a tall\nill-formed thing.", "She bore it with the utmost good-humour; but that\nkind and sweet-tempered woman, Mrs. Mirvan, deserved a better lot.", "I\nam amazed she would marry him.", "For my own part, I have been so shy, that I have hardly spoken to\nhim, or he to me.", "I cannot imagine why the family was so rejoiced\nat his return.", "If he had spent his whole life abroad, I should have\nsupposed they might rather have been thankful than sorrowful.", "However,\nI hope they do not think so ill of him as I do.", "At least, I am sure\nthey have too much prudence to make it known.", "Saturday Night.", "We have been to the opera, and I am still more pleased than I was\non Tuesday.", "I could have thought myself in Paradise, but for the\ncontinual talking of the company around me.", "We sat in the pit, where\nevery body was dressed in so high a style, that if I had been less\ndelighted with the performance, my eyes would have found me sufficient\nentertainment from looking at the ladies.", "I was very glad I did not sit next the Captain; for he could not bear\nthe music or singers, and was extremely gross in his observations\nof both.", "When the opera was over, we went into a place called the\ncoffee-room where ladies, as well as gentlemen, assemble.", "There are\nall sorts of refreshments, and the company walk about, and chat with\nthe same ease and freedom as in a private room.", "On Monday we go to a ridotto, and on Wednesday we return to Howard\nGrove.", "The Captain says he won't stay here to be smoked with filth\nany longer; but, having been seven years smoked with a burning sun,\nhe will retire to the country, and sink into a fair weather chap.", "Adieu, my dear Sir.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nTuesday, April 12.", "My dear Sir,\n\n\nWE came home from the ridotto so late, or rather so early that it\nwas not possible for me to write.", "Indeed, we did not go -you will be\nfrightened to hear it-till past eleven o'clock: but no body does.", "A\nterrible reverse of the order of nature!", "We sleep with the sun,\nand wake with the moon.", "The room was very magnificent, the lights and decorations were\nbrilliant, and the company gay and splendid.", "But I should have told\nyou, that I made many objections to being of the party, according\nto the resolution I had formed.", "However, Maria laughed me out of my\nscruples, and so once again I went to an assembly.", "Miss Mirvan danced a minuet; but I had not the courage to follow\nher example.", "In our walks I saw Lord Orville.", "He was quite alone,\nbut did not observe us.", "Yet, as he seemed of no party, I thought\nit was not impossible that he might join us; and though I did not\nwish much to dance at all-yet, as I was more acquainted with him\nthan with any other person in the room, I must own I could not help\nthinking it would be infinitely more desirable to dance again with him\nthan with an entire stranger.", "To be sure, after all that had passed,\nit was very ridiculous to suppose it even probable that Lord Orville\nwould again honour me with his choice; yet I am compelled to confess\nmy absurdity, by way of explaining what follows.", "Miss Mirvan was soon engaged; and presently after a very fashionable\ngay looking man, who seemed about thirty years of age, addressed\nhimself to me, and begged to have the honour of dancing with me.", "Now\nMaria's partner was a gentleman of Mrs. Mirvan's acquaintance; for\nshe had told us it was highly improper for young women to dance with\nstrangers at any public assembly.", "Indeed it was by no means my wish\nso to do: yet I did not like to confine myself from dancing at all;\nneither did I dare refuse this gentleman as I had done Mr. Lovel,\nand then, if any acquaintance should offer, accept him: and so, all\nthese reasons combining, induced me to tell him-yet I blush to write\nit to you!-that I was already engaged; by which I meant to keep myself\nat liberty to a dance, or not, as matters should fall out.", "I suppose my consciousness betrayed my artifice, for he looked at me\nas if incredulous; and, instead of being satisfied with my answer\nand leaving me, according to my expectation, he walked at my side,\nand, with the greatest ease imaginable, began a conversation in the\nfree style which only belongs to old and intimate acquaintance.", "But,\nwhat was most provoking, he asked me a thousand questions concerning\nthe partner to whom I was engaged.", "And at last he said, \"Is it really\npossible that a man whom you have honoured with your acceptance can\nfail to be at hand to profit from your goodness?\"", "I felt extremely foolish; and begged Mrs. Mirvan to lead to a seat;\nwhich she very obligingly did.", "The Captain sat next her; and to my\ngreat surprise, this gentleman thought proper to follow, and seat\nhimself next to me.", "\"What an insensible!\"", "continued he; \"why, Madam, you are missing the\nmost delightful dance in the world!-The man must be either mad or a\nfool-Which do you incline to think him yourself?\"", "\"Neither, Sir,\" answered I, in some confusion.", "He begged my pardon for the freedom of his supposition, saying,\n\"I really was off my guard, from astonishment that any man can be\nso much and so unaccountably his own enemy.", "But where, Madam, can he\npossibly be!-has he left the room!-or has not he been in it?\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" said I peevishly, \"I know nothing of him.\"", "\"I don't wonder that you are disconcerted, Madam; it is really very\nprovoking.", "The best part of the evening will be absolutely lost.", "He\ndeserves not that you should wait for him.\"", "\"I do not, Sir,\" said I, \"and I beg you not to-\"\n\n\n\"Mortifying, indeed, Madam,\" interrupted he, \"a lady to wait for a\ngentleman!-O fie!-careless fellow!-What can detain him?-Will you give\nme leave to seek him?\"", "\"If you please, Sir,\" answered I; quite terrified lest Mrs. Mirvan\nshould attend to him; for she looked very much surprised at seeing\nme enter into conversation with a stranger.", "\"With all my heart,\" cried he; \"pray, what coat has he on?\"", "\"Indeed I never looked at it.\"", "\"Out upon him!\"", "cried he; \"What!", "did he address you in a coat not\nworth looking at?-What a shabby wretch!\"", "How ridiculous!", "I really could not help laughing, which I fear\nencouraged him, for he went on.", "\"Charming creature!-and can you really bear ill usage with so much\nsweetness?", "Can you, like patience on a monument, smile in the midst\nof disappointment?", "For my part, though I am not the offended person,\nmy indignation is so great, that I long to kick the fellow round\nthe room!-unless, indeed,-(hesitating and looking earnestly at me,)\nunless, indeed,-it is a partner of your own creating?\"", "I was dreadfully abashed, and could not make an answer.", "\"But no!\"", "cried he (again, and with warmth,) \"It cannot be that you\nare so cruel!", "Softness itself is painted in your eyes.-You could not,\nsurely, have the barbarity so wantonly to trifle with my misery.\"", "I turned away from this nonsense with real disgust, Mrs. Mirvan saw\nmy confusion, but was perplexed what to think of it, and I could\nnot explain to her the cause, lest the Captain should hear me.", "I\ntherefore proposed to walk; she consented, and we all rose; but,\nwould you believe it?", "this man had the assurance to rise too, and\nwalk close by my side, as if of my party!", "\"Now,\" cried he, \"I hope we shall see this ingrate.-Is that\nhe?", "\"-pointing to an old man who was lame, \"or that?\"", "And in this\nmanner he asked me of whoever was old or ugly in the room.", "I made\nno sort of answer: and when he found that I was resolutely silent,\nand walked on as much as I could without observing him, he suddenly\nstamped his foot, and cried out in a passion, \"Fool!", "idiot!", "booby!\"", "I turned hastily toward him: \"O, Madam,\" continued he, \"forgive my\nvehemence; but I am distracted to think there should exist a wretch\nwho can slight a blessing for which I would forfeit my life!-O that I\ncould but meet him, I would soon-But I grow angry: pardon me, Madam,\nmy passions are violent, and your injuries affect me!\"", "I began to apprehend he was a madman, and stared at him with the\nutmost astonishment.", "\"I see you are moved, Madam,\" said he; \"generous\ncreature!-but don't be alarmed, I am cool again, I am indeed,-upon\nmy soul I am;-I entreat you, most lovely of mortals!", "I intreat you\nto be easy.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" said I very seriously, \"I must insist upon your leaving\nme; you are quite a stranger to me, and I am both unused, and averse\nto your language and your manners.\"", "This seemed to have some effect on him.", "He made me a low bow, begged\nmy pardon, and vowed he would not for the world offend me.", "\"Then, Sir, you must leave me,\" cried I.", "\"I am gone, Madam, I am\ngone!\"", "with a most tragical air; and he marched away at a quick pace,\nout of sight in a moment; but before I had time to congratulate myself,\nhe was again at my elbow.", "\"And could you really let me go, and not be sorry?-Can you see me\nsuffer torments inexpressible, and yet retain all your favour for\nthat miscreant who flies you?-Ungrateful puppy!-I could bastinado him!\"", "\"For Heaven's sake, my dear,\" cried Mrs. Mirvan, \"who is he talking\nof?\"", "\"Indeed-I do not know, Madam,\" said I; \"but I wish he would leave me.\"", "\"What's all that there?\"", "cried the Captain.", "The man made a low bow, and said, \"Only, Sir, a slight objection\nwhich this young lady makes to dancing with me, and which I am\nendeavouring to obviate.", "I shall think myself greatly honoured if\nyou will intercede for me.\"", "\"That lady, Sir,\" said the Captain coldly, \"is her own mistress.\"", "And\nhe walked sullenly on.", "\"You, Madam,\" said the man (who looked delighted, to Mrs. Mirvan),\n\"You, I hope, will have the goodness to speak for me.\"", "\"Sir,\" answered she gravely, \"I have not the pleasure of being\nacquainted with you.\"", "\"I hope when you have, Ma'am,\" cried he, undaunted, \"you will honour\nme with your approbation: but, while I am yet unknown to you, it would\nbe truly generous in you to countenance me; and I flatter myself,\nMadam, that you will not have cause to repent it.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan, with an embarrassed air, replied, \"I do not at all mean,\nSir, to doubt your being a gentleman,-but-\"\n\n\n\"But what, Madam?-that doubt removed, why a but?\"", "\"Well, Sir,\" said Mrs. Mirvan (with a good humoured smile), \"I will\neven treat you with your own plainness, and try what effect that will\nhave on you: I must therefore tell you, once for all-\"\n\n\n\"O pardon me, Madam!\"", "interrupted he, eagerly, \"you must not proceed\nwith those words once for all; no, if I have been too plain, and\nthough a man, deserve a rebuke, remember, dear ladies that if you copy,\nyou ought in justice to excuse me.\"", "We both stared at the man's strange behaviour.", "\"Be nobler than your sex,\" continued he, turning to me, \"honour me\nwith one dance, and give up the ingrate who has merited so ill your\npatience.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan looked with astonishment at us both.", "\"Who does he speak of, my dear?-you never mentioned-\"\n\n\n\"O, Madam!\"", "exclaimed he, \"he was not worth mentioning-it is a pity he\nwas ever though of; but let us forget his existence.", "One dance is all\nI solicit.", "Permit me, Madam, the honour of this young lady's hand;\nit will be a favour I shall ever most gratefully acknowledge.\"", "\"Sir,\" answered she, \"favours and strangers have with me no\nconnection.\"", "\"If you have hitherto,\" said he, \"confined your benevolence to your\nintimate friends, suffer me to be the first for whom your charity\nis enlarged.\"", "\"Well, Sir, I know not what to say to you,-but-\"\n\n\nHe stopt her but with so many urgent entreaties that she at last told\nme, I must either go down one dance, or avoid his importunities by\nreturning home.", "I hesitated which alternative to chose; but this\nimpetuous man at length prevailed, and I was obliged to consent to\ndance with him.", "And thus was my deviation from truth punished; and thus did this\nman's determined boldness conquer.", "During the dance, before we were too much engaged in it for\nconversation, he was extremely provoking about my partner, and tried\nevery means in his power to make me own that I had deceived him;\nwhich, though I would not so far humble myself as to acknowledge,\nwas indeed but too obvious.", "Lord Orville, I fancy, did not dance at all.", "He seemed to have a\nlarge acquaintance, and joined several different parties: but you\nwill easily suppose, I was not much pleased to see him, in a few\nminutes after I was gone, walk towards the place I had just left,\nand bow to and join Mrs. Mirvan!", "How unlucky I thought myself, that I had not longer withstood this\nstranger's importunities!", "The moment we had gone down the dance, I was\nhastening away from him; but he stopt me, and said, that I could by no\nmeans return to my party without giving offence, before we had done\nour duty of walking up the dance.", "As I know nothing at all of these\nrules and customs I was obliged to submit to his directions; but I\nfancy I looked rather uneasy, for he took notice of my inattention,\nsaying, in his free way, \"Whence that anxiety?-Why are those lovely\neyes perpetually averted?\"", "\"I wish you would say no more to me, Sir,\" cried I peevishly; \"you\nhave already destroyed all my happiness for this evening.\"", "\"Good Heaven!", "What is it I have done?-How have I merited this scorn?\"", "\"You have tormented me to death; you have forced me from my friends,\nand intruded yourself upon me, against my will, for a partner.\"", "\"Surely, my dear Madam, we ought to be better friends, since\nthere seems to be something of sympathy in the frankness of our\ndispositions.-And yet, were you not an angel-how do you think I could\nbrooke such contempt?\"", "\"If I have offended you,\" cried I, \"you have but to leave me-and O\nhow I wish you would!\"", "\"My dear creature,\" said he, half laughing, \"why where could you\nbe educated?\"", "\"Where I most sincerely wish I now was!\"", "\"How conscious you must be, all beautiful that you are, that those\ncharming airs serve only to heighten the bloom of your complexion!\"", "\"Your freedom, Sir, where you are more acquainted, may perhaps be\nless disagreeable; but to me -\"\n\n\n\"You do me justice,\" cried he, interrupting me, \"yes, I do indeed\nimprove upon acquaintance; you will hereafter be quite charmed\nwith me.\"", "\"Hereafter, Sir, I hope I shall never-\"\n\n\n\"O hush!-hush!-have you forgot the situation in which I found you?-Have\nyou forgot, that when deserted, I pursued you,-when betrayed, I adored\nyou?-but for me-\"\n\n\n\"But for you, Sir, I might perhaps have been happy.\"", "\"What then, am I to conclude that, but for me, your partner would\nhave appeared?-poor fellow!-and did my presence awe him?\"", "\"I wish his presence, Sir, could awe you!\"", "\"His presence!-perhaps then you see him?\"", "\"Perhaps, Sir, I do,\" cried I, quite wearied of his raillery.", "\"Where?", "Where?-for Heaven's sake show me the wretch!\"", "\"Wretch, Sir!\"", "\"O, a very savage!-a sneaking, shame-faced, despicable puppy!\"", "I know not what bewitched me-but my pride was hurt, and my spirits\nwere tired, and-in short, I had the folly, looking at Lord Orville,\nto repeat, \"Despicable, you think?\"", "His eyes instantly followed mine; \"Why, is that the gentleman?\"", "I made no answer; I could not affirm, and I would not deny:-for I\nhoped to be relieved from his teasing by his mistake.", "The very moment we had done what he called our duty, I eagerly desired\nto return to Mrs. Mirvan.", "\"To your partner, I presume, Madam?\"", "said he, very gravely.", "This quite confounded me.", "I dreaded lest this mischievous man ignorant\nof his rank, should address himself to Lord Orville, and say something\nwhich might expose my artifice.", "Fool!", "to involve myself in such\ndifficulties!", "I now feared what I had before wished; and therefore,\nto avoid Lord Orville, I was obliged myself to propose going down\nanother dance, though I was ready to sink with shame while I spoke.", "\"But your partner, Ma'am?\"", "said he, affecting a very solemn air,\n\"perhaps he may resent my detaining you: if you will give me leave\nto ask his consent-\"\n\n\n\"Not for the universe.\"", "\"Who is he, Madam?\"", "I wished myself a hundred miles off.", "He repeated his question,\n\"What is his name?\"", "\"Nothing-nobody-I don't know-\"\n\n\nHe assumed a most important solemnity: \"How!-not know?-Give me leave,\nmy dear Madam, to recommend this caution to you: Never dance in public\nwith a stranger,-with one whose name you are unacquainted with,-who\nmay be a mere adventurer,-a man of no character, consider to what\nimpertinence you may expose yourself.\"", "Was ever anything so ridiculous?", "I could not help laughing, in spite\nof my vexation.", "At this instant, Mrs. Mirvan, followed by Lord Orville, walked up to\nus.", "You will easily believe it was not difficult for me to recover\nmy gravity; but what was my consternation, when this strange man,\ndestined to be the scourge of my artifice, exclaimed, \"Ha!", "My Lord\nOrville!-I protest I did not know your Lordship.", "What can I say for my\nusurpation?-Yet, faith, my Lord, such a prize was not to be neglected.\"", "My shame and confusion were unspeakable.", "Who could have supposed or\nforeseen that this man knew Lord Orville?", "But falsehood is not more\nunjustifiable than unsafe.", "Lord Orville-well he might-looked all amazement.", "\"The philosophic coldness of your Lordship,\" continued this odious\ncreature, \"every man is not endowed with.", "I have used my utmost\nendeavours to entertain this lady, though I fear without success;\nand your lordship will not be a little flattered, if acquainted with\nthe difficulty which attended my procuring the honour of only one\ndance.\"", "Then, turning to me, who was sinking with shame, while Lord\nOrville stood motionless, and Mrs. Mirvan astonished,-he suddenly\nseized my hand, saying, \"Think, my Lord, what must be my reluctance\nto resign this fair hand to your Lordship!\"", "In the same instant, Lord Orville took it of him; I coloured violently,\nand made an effort to recover it.", "\"You do me too much honour, Sir,\"\ncried he, (with an air of gallantry, pressing it to his lips before\nhe let it go;) \"however, I shall be happy to profit by it, if this\nlady,\" turning to Mrs. Mirvan, \"will permit me to seek for her party.\"", "To compel him thus to dance, I could not endure; and eagerly called\nout, \"By no means-not for the world!-I must beg-\"\n\n\n\"Will you honour me, Madam, with your commands,\" cried my tormentor;\n\"may I seek the lady's party?\"", "\"No, Sir,\" answered I, turning from him.", "\"What shall be done, my dear?\"", "said Mrs. Mirvan.", "\"Nothing, Ma'am;-anything, I mean-\"\n\n\n\"But do you dance, or not?", "you see his Lordship waits.\"", "\"I hope not-I beg that-I would not for the world-I am sure I ought\nto-to-\"\n\n\nI could not speak; but that confident man, determining to discover\nwhether or not I had deceived him, said to Lord Orville, who\nstood suspended, \"My Lord, this affair, which at present seems\nperplexed, I will briefly explain:-this lady proposed to me another\ndance,-nothing could have made me more happy,-I only wished for your\nLordship's permission; which, if now granted, will, I am persuaded,\nset everything right.\"", "I glowed with indignation.", "\"No, Sir-it is your absence, and that alone,\ncan set everything right.\"", "\"For Heaven's sake, my dear,\" cried Mrs. Mirvan, who could no\nlonger contain her surprise, \"what does all this mean?-were you\npre-engaged?-had Lord Orville-\"\n\n\n\"No, Madam,\" cried I, \"only-only I did not know that gentleman,-and\nso-and so I thought-I intended-I-\"\n\n\nOverpowered by all that had passed, I had not strength to make my\nmortifying explanation;-my spirits quite failed me, and I burst\ninto tears.", "They all seemed shocked and amazed.", "\"What is the matter, my dearest love?\"", "cried Mrs. Mirvan, with\nkindest concern.", "\"What have I done!\"", "exclaimed my evil genius, and ran officiously\nfor a glass of water.", "However, a hint was sufficient for Lord Orville, who comprehended all\nI would have explained.", "He immediately led me to a seat, and said in\na low voice, \"Be not distressed, I beseech you: I shall ever think\nmy name honoured by your making use of it.\"", "This politeness relieved me.", "A general murmur had alarmed Miss Mirvan,\nwho flew instantly to me; while Lord Orville the moment Mrs. Mirvan\nhad taken the water, led my tormentor away.", "\"For Heaven's sake, dear Madam,\" cried I, \"let me go home;-indeed I\ncannot stay here any longer.\"", "\"Let us all go,\" cried my kind Maria.", "\"But the Captain, what will he say-I had better go home in a chair.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan consented, and I rose to depart.", "Lord Orville and that\nman both came to me.", "The first, with an attention I but ill-merited\nfrom him, led me to a chair; while the other followed, pestering me\nwith apologies.", "I wished to have made mine to Lord Orville, but was\ntoo much ashamed.", "It was about one o'clock.", "Mrs. Mirvan's servants saw me home.", "And now,-what again shall ever tempt me to an assembly?", "I dread to\nhear what you will think of me, my most dear and honoured Sir: you\nwill need your utmost partiality to receive me without displeasure.", "This morning Lord Orville has sent to inquire after our health; and\nSir Clement Willoughby, for that, I find, is the name of my persecutor,\nhas called; but I would not go down stairs till he was gone.", "And now, my dear Sir, I can somewhat account for the strange,\nprovoking, and ridiculous conduct of this Sir Clement last night;\nfor Miss Mirvan says he is the very man with whom she heard Lord\nOrville conversing at Mrs. Stanley's, when I was spoken of in so\nmortifying a manner.", "He was pleased to say he was glad to hear I was\na fool; and therefore, I suppose, he concluded he might talk as much\nnonsense as he pleased to me: however, I am very indifferent as to\nhis opinion;-but for Lord Orville,-if then he thought me an idiot,\nnow, I am sure, he must suppose me both bold and presuming.", "Make use\nof his name!-what impertinence-he can never know how it happened,-he\ncan only imagine it was from an excess of vanity;-well, however,\nI shall leave this bad city to-morrow, and never again will I enter it.", "The Captain intends to take us to-night to the Fantoccini.", "I cannot\nbear that Captain; I can give you no idea how gross he is.", "I heartily\nrejoice that he was not present at the disagreeable conclusion of\nyesterday's adventure, for I am sure he would have contributed to my\nconfusion; which might, perhaps, have diverted him, as he seldom or\nnever smiles but at some other person's expense.", "And here I conclude my London letters,-and without any regret; for I\nam too inexperienced and ignorant to conduct myself with propriety\nin this town, where everything is new to me, and many things are\nunaccountable and perplexing.", "Adieu, my dear Sir; Heaven restore me safely to you!", "I wish I was to go\nimmediately to Berry Hill; yet the wish is ungrateful to Mrs. Mirvan,\nand therefore I will repress it.", "I shall write an account of the\nFantoccini from Howard Grove.", "We have not been to half the public\nplaces that are now open, though I dare say you will think we have\nbeen to all.", "But they are almost as innumerable as the persons who\nfill them.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XIV.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Queen Ann Street, April 13.", "HOW much will you be surprised, my dearest Sir, at receiving another\nletter, from London, of your Evelina's writing!", "But, believe me, it\nwas not my fault, neither is it my happiness, that I am still here:\nour journey has been postponed by an accident equally unexpected\nand disagreeable.", "We went last night to see the Fantoccini, where we had infinite\nentertainment from the performance of a little comedy in French and\nItalian, by puppets, so admirably managed, that they both astonished\nand diverted us all, except the Captain, who has a fixed and most\nprejudiced hatred of whatever is not English.", "When it was over, while we waited for the coach, a tall elderly woman\nbrushed quickly past us, calling out, \"My God, what shall I do?\"", "\"Why, what would you do?\"", "cried the Captain.", "\"Ma foi, Monsieur,\" answered she, \"I have lost my company, and in\nthis place I don't know nobody.\"", "There was something foreign in her accent, though it was difficult\nto discover whether she was an English or a French woman.", "She was\nvery well dressed; and seemed so entirely at a loss what to do,\nthat Mrs. Mirvan proposed to the Captain to assist her.", "\"Assist her!\"", "cried he, \"ay, with all my heart;-let a link-boy call\nher a coach.\"", "There was not one to be had, and it rained very fast.", "\"Mon Dieu!\"", "exclaimed the stranger, \"what shall become of me?", "Je\nsuis au desespoir!\"", "\"Dear Sir,\" cried Miss Mirvan, \"pray let us take the poor lady into\nour coach.", "She is quite alone, and a foreigner-\"\n\n\n\"She's never the better for that,\" answered he: \"she may be a woman\nof the town, for anything you know.\"", "\"She does not appear such,\" said Mrs. Mirvan; \"and indeed she seems\nso much distressed, that we shall but follow the golden rule, if we\ncarry her to her lodgings.\"", "\"You are mighty fond of new acquaintance,\" returned he; \"but first\nlet us know if she be going our way.\"", "Upon inquiry, we found that she lived in Oxford Road; and, after\nsome disputing, the Captain surlily, and, with a very bad grace,\nconsented to admit her into his coach; though he soon convinced us,\nthat he was determined she should not be too much obliged to him,\nfor he seemed absolutely bent upon quarrelling with her: for which\nstrange inhospitality I can assign no other reason, than that she\nappeared to be a foreigner.", "The conversation began, by her telling us, that she had been in England\nonly two days; that the gentlemen belonging to her were Parisians,\nand had left her to see for a hackney-coach, as her own carriage was\nabroad; and that she had waited for them till she was quite frightened,\nand concluded that they had lost themselves.", "\"And pray,\" said the Captain, \"why did you go to a public place\nwithout an Englishman?\"", "\"Ma foi, Sir,\" answered she, \"because none of my acquaintance is\nin town.\"", "\"Why then,\" said he, \"I'll tell you what, your best way is to go out\nof it yourself.\"", "\"Pardi, Monsieur,\" returned she, \"and so I shall; for, I promise you,\nI think the English a parcel of brutes; and I'll go back to France\nas fast as I can, for I would not live among none of you.\"", "\"Who wants you?\"", "cried the Captain: \"do you suppose, Madam French,\nwe have not enough of other nations to pick our pockets already?", "I'll\nwarrant you, there's no need for you for to put in your oar.\"", "\"Pick your pockets, Sir!", "I wish nobody wanted to pick your pockets no\nmore than I do; and I'll promise you you'd be safe enough.", "But there's\nno nation under the sun can beat the English for ill-politeness:\nfor my part, I hate the very sight of them; and so I shall only\njust visit a person of quality or two of my particular acquaintance,\nand then I shall go back again to France.\"", "\"Ay, do,\" cried he; \"and then go to the devil together, for that's\nthe fittest voyage for the French and the quality.\"", "\"We'll take care, however,\" cried the stranger with great vehemence,\n\"not to admit none of your vulgar unmannered English among us.\"", "\"O never fear,\" returned he, coolly, \"we shan't dispute the point\nwith you; you and the quality may have the devil all to yourselves.\"", "Desirous of changing the subject of a conversation which now became\nvery alarming, Miss Mirvan called out, \"Lord, how slow the man drives!\"", "\"Never mind, Moll,\" said her father, \"I'll warrant you he'll drive\nfast enough to-morrow, when you are going to Howard Grove.\"", "\"To Howard Grove!\"", "exclaimed the stranger, \"why, mon Dieu, do you\nknow Lady Howard?\"", "\"Why, what if we do?\"", "answered he; \"that's nothing to you; she's none\nof your quality, I'll promise you.\"", "\"Who told you that?\"", "cried she; \"you don't know nothing about the\nmatter!", "besides, you're the ill-bredest person ever I see: and as\nto your knowing Lady Howard, I don't believe no such a thing; unless,\nindeed, you are her steward.\"", "The Captain, swearing terribly, said, with great fury, \"You would\nmuch sooner be taken for her wash-woman.\"", "\"Her wash-woman, indeed?-Ha, ha, ha, why you han't no eyes; did you\never see a wash-woman in such a gown as this?-Besides, I'm no such\nmean person, for I'm as good as Lady Howard, and as rich too; and\nbesides, I'm now come to England to visit her.\"", "\"You may spare yourself that there trouble,\" said the Captain,\n\"she has paupers enough about her already.\"", "\"Paupers, Mister!-no more a pauper than yourself, nor so much\nneither;-but you are a low, dirty fellow, and I shan't stoop to take\nno more notice of you.\"", "\"Dirty fellow!\"", "exclaimed the Captain, seizing both her wrists, \"hark\nyou, Mrs. Frog, you'd best hold your tongue; for I must make bold to\ntell you, if you don't, that I shall make no ceremony of tripping you\nout of the window, and there you may lie in the mud till some of your\nMonseers come to help you out of it.\"", "Their increasing passion quite terrified us; and Mrs. Mirvan was\nbeginning to remonstrate with the Captain, when we were all silenced\nby what follows.", "\"Let me go, villain that you are, let me go, or I'll promise you I'll\nget you put to prison for this usage.", "I'm no common person, I assure\nyou; and, ma foi, I'll go to Justice Fielding about you; for I'm a\nperson of fashion, and I'll make you know it, or my name a'n't Duval.\"", "I heard no more: amazed, frightened, and unspeakably shocked, an\ninvoluntary exclamation of Gracious Heaven!", "escaped me, and, more\ndead than alive, I sunk into Mrs. Mirvan's arms.", "But let me draw a\nveil over a scene too cruel for a heart so compassionately tender as\nyour's; it is sufficient that you know this supposed foreigner proved\nto be Madame Duval,-the grandmother of your Evelina!", "O, Sir, to discover so near a relation in a woman, who had thus\nintroduced herself!-what would become of me, were it not for you,\nmy protector, my friend, and my refuge?", "My extreme concern, and Mrs. Mirvan's surprise, immediately betrayed\nme.", "But, I will not shock you with the manner of her acknowledging\nme, or the bitterness, the grossness -I cannot otherwise express\nmyself,-with which she spoke of those unhappy past transactions\nyou have so pathetically related to me.", "All the misery of a much\ninjured parent, dear, though never seen, regretted, though never\nknown, crowded so forcibly upon my memory, that they rendered this\ninterview-one only excepted-the most afflicting I can ever know.", "When we stopt at her lodgings, she desired me to accompany her into\nthe house, and said she could easily procure a room for me to sleep\nin.", "Alarmed and trembling, I turned to Mrs. Mirvan.", "\"My daughter,\nMadam,\" said that sweet woman, \"cannot so abruptly part with her young\nfriend; you must allow a little time to wean them from each other.\"", "\"Pardon me, Ma'am,\" answered Madame Duval, (who, from the time of her\nbeing known, somewhat softened her manners) \"Miss can't possibly be\nso nearly connected to this child as I am.\"", "\"No matter for that,\" cried the Captain, (who espoused my cause to\nsatisfy his own pique, tho' an awkward apology had passed between them)\n\"she was sent to us; and so, dy'e see, we don't choose for to part\nwith her.\"", "I promised to wait upon her at what time she pleased the next day;\nand, after a short debate, she desired me to breakfast with her,\nand we proceeded to Queen Ann Street.", "What an unfortunate adventure!", "I could not close my eyes the whole\nnight.", "A thousand times I wished I had never left Berry Hill: however,\nmy return thither shall be accelerated to the utmost of my power;\nand, once more in that abode of tranquil happiness, I will suffer no\ntemptation to allure me elsewhere.", "Mrs. Mirvan was so kind as to accompany me to Madame Duval's house\nthis morning.", "The Captain, too, offered his service; which I declined,\nfrom a fear she should suppose I meant to insult her.", "She frowned most terribly upon Mrs. Mirvan; but she received me with\nas much tenderness as I believe she is capable of feeling.", "Indeed,\nour meeting seems really to have affected her; for when, overcome by\nthe variety of emotions which the sight of her occasioned, I almost\nfainted in her arms, she burst into tears, and said, \"let me not lose\nmy poor daughter a second time!\"", "This unexpected humanity softened\nme extremely; but she very soon excited my warmest indignation, by\nthe ungrateful mention she made of the best of men, my dear and most\ngenerous benefactor.", "However, grief and anger mutually gave way to\nterror, upon her avowing the intention of her visiting England was\nto make me return with her to France.", "This, she said, was a plan she\nhad formed from the instant she had heard of my birth; which, she\nprotested, did not reach her ears till I must have been twelve years\nof age; but Monsieur Duval, who she declared was the worst husband\nin the world, would not permit her to do any thing she wished: he\nhad been dead but three months; which had been employed in arranging\ncertain affairs, that were no sooner settled, than she set off for\nEngland.", "She was already out of mourning, for she said nobody here\ncould tell how long she had been a widow.", "She must have been married very early in life: what her age is I do\nnot know; but she really looks to be less than fifty.", "She dresses\nvery gaily, paints very high, and the traces of former beauty are\nstill very visible in her face.", "I know not when, or how, this visit would have ended, had not the\nCaptain called for Mrs. Mirvan, and absolutely insisted upon my\nattending her.", "He is become, very suddenly, so warmly my friend, that\nI quite dread his officiousness.", "Mrs. Mirvan, however, whose principal\nstudy seems to be healing those wounds which her husband inflicts,\nappeased Madame Duval's wrath, by a very polite invitation to drink\ntea and spend the evening here.", "Not without great difficulty was\nthe Captain prevailed upon to defer his journey some time longer;\nbut what could be done?", "It would have been indecent for me to have\nquitted town the very instant I discovered that Madame Duval was in it;\nand to have staid here solely under her protection-Mrs. Mirvan, thank\nHeaven, was too kind for such a thought.", "That she should follow us to\nHoward Grove, I almost equally dreaded.", "It is therefore determined,\nthat we remain in London for some days, or a week: though the Captain\nhas declared that the old French hag, as he is pleased to call her,\nshall fare never the better for it.", "My only hope is to get safe to Berry Hill; where, counselled and\nsheltered by you, I shall have nothing more to fear.", "Adieu, my ever\ndear and most honoured Sir!", "I shall have no happiness till I am again\nwith you.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "I dare not hesitate at a request from Mrs. Mirvan; yet, in complying\nwith it, I shall, for her own sake, be as concise as I possibly can;\nsince the cruel transactions which preceded the birth of my ward can\nafford no entertainment to a mind so humane as her's.", "The rage of Madame Duval at her elopement, abated not while this\ninjured victim of cruelty yet drew breath.", "I beg leave to present my humble respects to Mrs. and Miss Mirvan;\nand have the honour to be, Madam, your Ladyship's most obedient and\nmost humble servant, ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER V MR. VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nMarch 18.", "Mrs. Mirvan desires me to assure you, that if you will oblige her,\nher two children shall equally share her time and her attention.", "I am quite in ecstasy.", "No;-but would I honour him with any commands to her?", "It must have passed while I was sitting with Mrs. Mirvan, in the\ncard-room.", "Afterwards, in the course of the\nevening, we met him several times; but he was always with some party,\nand never spoke to us, though whenever he chanced to meet my eyes,\nhe condescended to bow.", "Can you, like patience on a monument, smile in the midst\nof disappointment?" ]

[ "\"Your freedom, Sir, where you are more acquainted, may perhaps be\nless disagreeable; but to me -\"\n\n\n\"You do me justice,\" cried he, interrupting me, \"yes, I do indeed\nimprove upon acquaintance; you will hereafter be quite charmed\nwith me.\"", "And,\nindeed, their domestic happiness will be so great,-it is natural to\nwish to partake of it.", "On Monday we go to a ridotto, and on Wednesday we return to Howard\nGrove.", "Yet I had not the\ncourage to attempt either to defend them or to rally in my turn;\nbut listened to him in silent embarrassment.", "why there is some genius in that, my Lord, perhaps\nrather-rustic.\"", "I am afraid you will think me mad, so I won't say any more; yet,\nI really believe Mr. Garrick would make you mad too if you could see\nhim.", "She is quite alone, and a foreigner-\"\n\n\n\"She's never the better for that,\" answered he: \"she may be a woman\nof the town, for anything you know.\"", "Almost the same moment that Maria was presented to him, he began\nsome rude jests upon the bad shape of her nose, and called her a tall\nill-formed thing.", "And she looks too sensible to be ignorant.\"", "Two very large rooms were\nfull of company; in one were cards for the elderly ladies, and in\nthe other were the dancers." ]

[ "\"A poor weak girl!\"", "answered Lord Orville, shaking his head.", "\"By Jove,\" cried the other, \"I am glad to hear it!\"", "At that moment, the same odious creature who had been my former\ntormentor, joined them.", "Addressing Lord Orville with great respect,\nhe said, \"I beg pardon, my Lord,-if I was-as I fear might be the\ncase-rather too severe in my censure of the lady who is honoured with\nyour protection-but, my Lord, ill-breeding is apt to provoke a man.\"", "\"Ill-breeding!\"", "cried my unknown champion, \"impossible!", "that elegant\nface can never be so vile a mask!\"", "\"O Sir, as to that,\" answered he, \"you must allow me to judge;\nfor though I pay all deference to your opinion-in other things-yet\nI hope you will grant-and I appeal to your Lordship also-that I am\nnot totally despicable as a judge of good or ill-manners.\"", "\"I was so wholly ignorant,\" said Lord Orville, gravely, \"of the\nprovocation you might have had, that I could not but be surprised at\nyour singular resentment.\"", "\"It was far from my intention,\" answered he, \"to offend your lordship;\nbut, really, for a person who is nobody, to give herself such airs,-I\nown I could not command my passion." ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER I LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, Kent.", "CAN any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind, than\na necessity of communicating disagreeable intelligence?", "Indeed it is\nsometimes difficult to determine, whether the relator or the receiver\nof evil tidings is most to be pitied.", "I have just had a letter from Madame Duval; she is totally at a loss\nin what manner to behave; she seems desirous to repair the wrongs she\nhas done, yet wishes the world to believe her blameless.", "She would\nfain cast upon another the odium of those misfortunes for which she\nalone is answerable.", "Her letter is violent, sometimes abusive, and\nthat of you!-you, to whom she is under obligations which are greater\neven than her faults, but to whose advice she wickedly imputes all the\nsufferings of her much injured daughter, the late Lady Belmont.", "The\nchief purport of her writing I will acquaint you with; the letter\nitself is not worthy your notice.", "She tells me that she has, for many years past, been in continual\nexpectation of making a journey to England, which prevented her\nwriting for information concerning this melancholy subject, by giving\nher hopes of making personal inquiries; but family occurrences have\nstill detained her in France, which country she now sees no prospect\nof quitting.", "She has, therefore, lately used her utmost endeavors\nto obtain a faithful account of whatever related to her ill-advised\ndaughter; the result of which giving her some reason to apprehend,\nthat, upon her death-bed, she bequeathed an infant orphan to the world,\nshe most graciously says, that if you, with whom she understands the\nchild is placed, will procure authentic proofs of its relationship to\nher, you may sent it to Paris, where she will properly provide for it.", "He is become, very suddenly, so warmly my friend, that\nI quite dread his officiousness.", "Mrs. Mirvan, however, whose principal\nstudy seems to be healing those wounds which her husband inflicts,\nappeased Madame Duval's wrath, by a very polite invitation to drink\ntea and spend the evening here.", "Not without great difficulty was\nthe Captain prevailed upon to defer his journey some time longer;\nbut what could be done?", "It would have been indecent for me to have\nquitted town the very instant I discovered that Madame Duval was in it;\nand to have staid here solely under her protection-Mrs. Mirvan, thank\nHeaven, was too kind for such a thought.", "That she should follow us to\nHoward Grove, I almost equally dreaded.", "It is therefore determined,\nthat we remain in London for some days, or a week: though the Captain\nhas declared that the old French hag, as he is pleased to call her,\nshall fare never the better for it.", "My only hope is to get safe to Berry Hill; where, counselled and\nsheltered by you, I shall have nothing more to fear.", "Adieu, my ever\ndear and most honoured Sir!", "I shall have no happiness till I am again\nwith you.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XV MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, April 16.", "IN the belief and hope that my Evelina would, ere now, have bid adieu\nto London, I had intended to have deferred writing, till I heard\nof her return to Howard Grove; but the letter I have this moment\nreceived, with intelligence of Madame Duval's arrival in England,\ndemands an immediate answer.", "Her journey hither equally grieves and alarms me.", "How much did I\npity my child, when I read of a discovery at once so unexpected\nand unwished!", "I have long dreaded this meeting and its consequence;\nto claim you seems naturally to follow acknowledging you.", "I am well\nacquainted with her disposition, and have for many years foreseen\nthe contest which now threatens us.", "Cruel as are the circumstances of this affair, you must not, my\nlove, suffer it to depress your spirits: remember, that while life\nis lent me, I will devote it to your service; and, for future time,\nI will make such provisions as shall seem to me most conducive to\nyour future happiness.", "Secure of my protection, and relying on my\ntenderness, let no apprehensions of Madame Duval disturb your peace:\nconduct yourself towards her with all the respect and deference due\nto so near a relation, remembering always, that the failure of duty\non her part, can by no means justify any neglect on your's.", "Indeed,\nthe more forcibly you are struck with improprieties and misconduct\nin another, the greater should be your observance and diligence\nto avoid even the shadow of similar errors.", "Be careful, therefore,\nthat no remissness of attention, no indifference of obliging, make\nknown to her the independence I assure you of; but when she fixes\nthe time for her leaving England, trust to me the task of refusing\nyour attending her: disagreeable to myself, I own, it will be; yet\nto you it would be improper, if not impossible.", "In regard to her opinion of me, I am more sorry than surprised at\nher determined blindness; the palliation which she feels the want of,\nfor her own conduct, leads her to seek for failings in all who were\nconcerned in those unhapppy transactions which she has so much reason\nto lament.", "And this, as it is the cause, so we must in some measure\nconsider it as the excuse of her inveteracy.", "How grateful to me are your wishes to return to Berry Hill!", "Your\nlengthened stay in London, and the dissipation in which I find you\nare involved, fill me with uneasiness.", "I mean not, however, that I\nwould have you sequester yourself from the party to which you belong,\nsince Mrs. Mirvan might thence infer a reproof which your youth and\nher kindness would render inexcusable.", "I will not, therefore, enlarge\nupon this subject; but content myself with telling you, that I shall\nheartily rejoice when I hear of your safe arrival at Howard Grove,\nfor which place I hope you will be preparing at the time you receive\nthis letter.", "I cannot too much thank you, my best Evelina, for the minuteness of\nyour communications.", "Continue to me this indulgence, for I should be\nmiserable if in ignorance of your proceedings.", "How new to you is the scene of life in which you are\nengaged!-balls-plays-operas-ridottos!-Ah, my child!", "At your return\nhither, how will you bear the change?", "My heart trembles for your\nfuture tranquility.-Yet I will hope every thing from the unsullied\nwhiteness of your soul, and the native liveliness of your disposition.", "I am sure I need not say, how much more I was pleased with the\nmistakes of your inexperience at the private ball, than with the\nattempted adoption of more fashionable manners at the ridotto.", "But\nyour confusion and mortifications were such as to entirely silence\nall reproofs on my part.", "I hope you will see no more of Sir Clement Willoughby, whose\nconversation and boldness are extremely disgustful to me.", "I was\ngratified by the good nature of Lord Orville, upon your making use\nof his name; but I hope you will never again put it to such a trial.", "Heaven bless thee, my dear child!", "And grant that neither misfortune\nnor vice may ever rob thee of that gaiety of heart, which, resulting\nfrom innocence, while it constitutes your own, contributes also to\nthe felicity of all who know you!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XVI EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nQueen Ann Street, Thursday morning, April 14.", "BEFORE our dinner was over yesterday Madame Duval came to tea; though\nit will lessen your surprise, to hear that it was near five o'clock,\nfor we never dine till the day is almost over.", "She was asked into\nanother room while the table was cleared, and then was invited to\npartake of the dessert.", "She was attended by a French gentleman, whom she introduced by the\nname of Monsieur Du Bois: Mrs. Mirvan received them both with her\nusual politeness; but the Captain looked very much displeased; and\nafter a short silence, very sternly said to Madame Duval, \"Pray who\nasked you to bring that there spark with you?\"", "\"O,\" cried she, \"I never go no where without him.\"", "Another short silence ensued, which was terminated by the Captain's\nturning roughly to the foreigner, and saying, \"Do you know, Monseer,\nthat you are the first Frenchman I ever let come into my house?\"", "Monsieur Du Bois made a profound bow.", "He speaks no English, and\nunderstands it so imperfectly, that he might possibly imagine he had\nreceived a compliment.", "Mrs. Mirvan endeavourd to divert the Captain's ill-humour,\nby starting new subjects: but he left to her all the trouble of\nsupporting them, and leant back in his chair in gloomy silence,\nexcept when any opportunity offered of uttering some sarcasm upon\nthe French.", "Finding her efforts to render the evening agreeable were\nfruitless, Mrs. Mirvan proposed a party to Ranelagh.", "Madame Duval\njoyfully consented to it; and the Captain though he railed against\nthe dissipation of the women, did not oppose it; and therefore Maria\nand I ran up stairs to dress ourselves.", "Before we were ready, word was brought us that Sir Clement Willoughby\nwas in the drawing-room.", "He introduced himself under the pretence\nof inquiring after all our healths, and entered the room with the\neasy air of an old acquaintance; though Mrs. Mirvan confessed that\nhe seemed embarrassed when he found how coldly he was received,\nnot only by the Captain, but by herself.", "I was extremely disconcerted at the thoughts of seeing this man again,\nand did not go downstairs till I was called to tea.", "He was then\ndeeply engaged in a discourse upon French manners with Madame Duval\nand the Captain; and the subject seemed so entirely to engross him,\nthat he did not, at first, observe my entrance into the room.", "Their\nconversation was supported with great vehemence; the Captain roughly\nmaintaining the superiority of the English in every particular,\nand Madame Duval warmly refusing to allow of it in any; while Sir\nClement exerted all his powers of argument and of ridicule, to second\nand strengthen whatever was advanced by the Captain: for he had the\nsagacity to discover, that he could take no method so effectual for\nmaking the master of the house his friend, as to make Madame Duval his\nenemy; and indeed, in a very short time, he had reason to congratulate\nhimself upon his successful discernment.", "As soon as he saw me, he made a most respectful bow, and hoped I had\nnot suffered from the fatigue of the ridotto: I made no other answer\nthan a slight inclination of the head, for I was very much ashamed\nof that whole affair.", "He then returned to the disputants; where he\nmanaged the argument so skilfully, at once provoking Madame Duval,\nand delighting the Captain, that I could not forbear admiring his\naddress, though I condemned his subtlety.", "Mrs. Mirvan, dreading such\nviolent antagonists, attempted frequently to change the subject; and\nshe might have succeeded, but for the interposition of Sir Clement,\nwho would not suffer it to be given up, and supported it with such\nhumour and satire, that he seems to have won the Captain's heart;\nthough their united forces so enraged and overpowered Madame Duval,\nthat she really trembled with passion.", "I was very glad when Mrs. Mirvan said it was time to be gone.", "Sir\nClement arose to take leave; but the Captain very cordially invited\nhim to join our party: he had an engagement, he said, but would give\nit up to have that pleasure.", "Some little confusion ensued in regard to our manner of setting\noff.", "Mrs. Mirvan offered Madame Duval a place in her coach, and\nproposed that we four females should go all together; however, this\nshe rejected, declaring she would by no means go so far without a\ngentleman, and wondering so polite a lady could make so English a\nproposal.", "Sir Clement Willoughby said, his chariot was waiting at\nthe door, and begged to know if it could be of any use.", "It was at\nlast decided, that a hackney-coach should be called for Monsieur Du\nBois and Madame Duval, in which the Captain, and, at his request,\nSir Clement, went also; Mrs. and Miss Mirvan and I had a peaceful\nand comfortable ride by ourselves.", "I doubt not but they quarrelled all the way; for when we met at\nRanelagh every one seemed out of humour; and though we joined parties,\npoor Madame Duval was avoided as much as possible by all but me.", "The room was so very much crowded, that but for the uncommon assiduity\nof Sir Clement Willoughby, we should not have been able to procure\na box (which is the name given to the arched recesses that are\nappropriated for tea-parties) till half the company had retired.", "As\nwe were taking possession of our places, some ladies of Mrs. Mirvan's\nacquaintance stopped to speak to her, and persuaded her to take a\nround with them.", "When she returned to us, what was my surprise, to\nsee that Lord Orville had joined her party!", "The ladies walked on:\nMrs. Mirvan seated herself, and made a slight, though respectful,\ninvitation to Lord Orville to drink his tea with us; which, to my no\nsmall consternation, he accepted.", "I felt a confusion unspeakable at again seeing him, from the\nrecollection of the ridotto adventure: nor did my situation lessen it;\nfor I was seated between Madame Duval and Sir Clement, who seemed\nas little as myself to desire Lord Orville's presence.", "Indeed, the\ncontinual wrangling and ill-breeding of Captain Mirvan and Madame\nDuval made me blush that I belonged to them.", "And poor Mrs. Mirvan\nand her amiable daughter had still less reason to be satisfied.", "A general silence ensued after he was seated: his appearance, from\ndifferent motives, gave an universal restraint to every body.", "What his\nown reasons were for honouring us with his company, I cannot imagine;\nunless, indeed, he had a curiosity to know whether I should invent\nany new impertinence concerning him.", "The first speech was made by Madame Duval, who said, \"It's quite a\nshocking thing to see ladies come to so genteel a place as Ranelagh\nwith hats on; it has a monstrous vulgar look: I can't think what they\nwear them for.", "There is no such a thing to be seen in Paris.\"", "\"Indeed,\" cried Sir Clement, \"I must own myself no advocate for\nhats; I am sorry the ladies ever invented or adopted so tantalizing\na fashion: for, where there is beauty, they only serve to shade it;\nand, where there is none, to excite a most unavailing curiosity.", "I\nfancy they were originally worn by some young and whimsical coquette.\"", "\"More likely,\" answered the Captain, \"they were invented by some\nwrinkled old hag, who'd a mind for to keep the young fellows in chace,\nlet them be never so weary.\"", "\"I don't know what you may do in England,\" cried Madame Duval, \"but\nI know in Paris no woman needn't be at such a trouble as that to be\ntaken very genteel notice of.\"", "\"Why, will you pretend for to say,\" returned the Captain, \"that they\ndon't distinguish the old from the young there as well as here?\"", "\"They don't make no distinguishments at all,\" said she; \"they're\nvastly too polite.\"", "\"More fools they!\"", "cried the Captain, sneeringly.", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried, Sir Clement, \"that, for our own sakes,\nwe Englishmen too were blest with so accommodating a blindness!\"", "\"Why the devil do you make such a prayer as that?\"", "demanded the\nCaptain: \"them are the first foolish words I've heard you speak;\nbut I suppose you're not much used to that sort of work.", "Did you ever\nmake a prayer before, since you were a sniveler?\"", "\"Ay, now,\" cried Madame Duval, \"that's another of the unpolitenesses\nof you English, to go to talking of such things as that: now in Paris\nnobody never says nothing about religion, no more than about politics.\"", "\"Why then,\" answered he, \"it's a sign they take no more care of\ntheir souls than of their country, and so both one and t'other go to\nold Nick.\"", "\"Well, if they do,\" said she, \"who's the worse, so long as they don't\nsay nothing about it?", "It's the tiresomest thing in the world to be\nalways talking of them sort of things, and nobody that's ever been\nabroad troubles their heads about them.\"", "\"Pray then,\" cried the Captain, \"since you know so much of the matter,\nbe so good as to tell us what they do trouble their heads about?-Hey,\nSir Clement!", "han't we a right to know that much?\"", "\"A very comprehensive question,\" said Sir Clement, \"and I expect much\ninstruction from the lady's answer.\"", "\"Come, Madam,\" continued the Captain, \"never flinch; speak at once;\ndon't stop for thinking.\"", "\"I assure you I am not going,\" answered she; \"for as to what they\ndo do, why they've enough to do, I promise you, what with one thing\nor another.\"", "\"But what, what do they do, these famous Monseers?\"", "demanded the\nCaptain; \"can't you tell us?", "do they game?-or drink?-or fiddle?-or are\nthey jockeys?-or do they spend all their time in flummering old women?\"", "\"As to that, Sir-but indeed I shan't trouble myself to answer such a\nparcel of low questions, so don't ask me no more about it.\"", "And then,\nto my great vexation, turning to Lord Orville, she said, \"Pray, Sir,\nwas you ever in Paris?\"", "He only bowed.", "\"And pray, Sir, how did you like it?\"", "This comprehensive question, as Sir Clement would have called it,\nthough it made him smile, also made him hesitate; however, his answer\nwas expressive of his approbation.", "\"I thought you would like it, Sir, because you look so like a\ngentleman.", "As to the Captain, and as to that other gentleman, why\nthey may very well not like what they don't know: for I suppose, Sir,\nyou was never abroad?\"", "\"Only three years, Ma'am,\" answered Sir Clement, drily.", "\"Well, that's very surprising!", "I should never have thought it: however,\nI dare say you only kept company with the English.\"", "\"Why, pray, who should he keep company with?\"", "cried the Captain:\n\"what I suppose you'd have him ashamed of his own nation, like some\nother people not a thousand miles off, on purpose to make his own\nnation ashamed of him?\"", "\"I'm sure it would be a very good thing if you'd go abroad yourself.\"", "\"How will you make out that, hey, Madam?", "come, please to tell me,\nwhere would be the good of that?\"", "\"Where!", "why a great deal.", "They'd make quite another person of you.\"", "\"What, I suppose you'd have me to learn to cut capers?-and dress like\na monkey?-and palaver in French gibberish?-hey, would you?-And powder,\nand daub, and make myself up, like some other folks?\"", "\"I would have you learn to be more politer, Sir, and not to talk to\nladies in such a rude, old-fashion way as this.", "You, Sir, as have been\nin Paris,\" again addressing herself to Lord Orville, \"can tell this\nEnglish gentleman how he'd be despised, if he was to talk in such an\nungenteel manner as this before any foreigners.", "Why, there isn't a\nhairdresser, nor a shoemaker, nor nobody, that wouldn't blush to be\nin your company.\"", "\"Why, look ye, Madam,\" answered the Captain, \"as to your hair-pinchers\nand shoe-blacks, you may puff off their manners, and welcome; and I\nam heartily glad you like 'em so well: but as to me, since you must\nneeds make so free of your advice, I must e'en tell you, I never kept\ncompany with any such gentry.\"", "\"Come, ladies and gentlemen,\" said Mrs. Mirvan, \"as many of you as have\ndone tea, I invite to walk with me.\"", "Maria and I started up instantly;\nLord Orville followed; and I question whether we were not half round\nthe room ere the angry disputants knew that we had left the box.", "As the husband of Mrs. Mirvan had borne so large a share in\nthe disagreeable altercation, Lord Orville forbore to make any\ncomments upon it; so that the subject was immediately dropt, and the\nconversation became calmly sociable, and politely cheerful, and, to\nevery body but me, must have been highly agreeable:-but, as to myself,\nI was so eagerly desirous of making some apology to Lord Orville,\nfor the impertinence of which he must have thought me guilty at the\nridotto, and yet so utterly unable to assume sufficient courage to\nspeak to him, concerning an affair in which I had so terribly exposed\nmyself, that I hardly ventured to say a word all the time we were\nwalking.", "Besides, the knowledge of his contemptuous opinion haunted and\ndispirited me, and made me fear he might possibly misconstrue whatever\nI should say.", "So that, far from enjoying a conversation which might, at\nany other time, have delighted me, I continued silent, uncomfortable,\nand ashamed.", "O, Sir, shall I ever again involve myself in so foolish\nan embarrassment?", "I am sure that, if I do, I shall deserve greater\nmortification.", "We were not joined by the rest of the party till we had taken three\nor four turns around the room; and then they were so quarrelsome,\nthat Mrs. Mirvan complained of being fatigued and proposed going\nhome.", "No one dissented.", "Lord Orville joined another party, having first\nmade an offer of his services, which the gentlemen declined, and we\nproceeded to an outward room, where we waited for the carriages.", "It\nwas settled that we should return to town in the same manner we came\nto Ranelagh; and, accordingly, Monsieur Du Bois handed Madame Duval\ninto a hackney coach, and was just preparing to follow her, when she\nscreamed, and jumped hastily out, declaring she was wet through all\nher clothes.", "Indeed, upon examination the coach was found to be in a\ndismal condition; for the weather proved very bad, and the rain had,\nthough I know not how, made its way into the carriage.", "Mrs. and Miss Mirvan, and myself, were already disposed of as before;\nbut no sooner did the Captain hear this account, than, without any\nceremony, he was so civil as to immediately take possession of the\nvacant seat in his own coach, leaving Madame Duval and Monsieur\nDu Bois to take care of themselves.", "As to Sir Clement Willoughby,\nhis own chariot was in waiting.", "I instantly begged permission to offer Madame Duval my own place, and\nmade a motion to get out; but Mrs. Mirvan stopped me, saying, that\nI should then be obliged to return to town with only the foreigner,\nor Sir Clement.", "\"O never mind the old beldame,\" cried the Captain, \"she's\nweather-proof, I'll answer for her; and besides, as we are all, I hope,\nEnglish, why she'll meet with no worse than she expects from us.\"", "\"I do not mean to defend her,\" said Mrs. Mirvan; \"but indeed, as she\nbelongs to our party, we cannot, with any decency, leave the place\ntill she is, by some means, accommodated.\"", "\"Lord, my dear,\" cried the Captain, whom the distress of Madame Duval\nhad put into very good humour, \"why, she'll break her heart if she\nmeets with any civility from a filthy Englishman.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan, however, prevailed; and we all got out of the coach, to\nwait till Madame Duval could meet with some better carriage.", "We found\nher, attended by Monsieur Du Bois, standing amongst the servants, and\nvery busy in wiping her negligee, and endeavouring to save it from\nbeing stained by the wet, as she said it was a new Lyons silk.", "Sir\nClement Willoughby offered her the use of his chariot, but she had been\ntoo much piqued by his raillery to accept it.", "We waited some time,\nbut in vain; for no hackney-coach could be procured.", "The Captain,\nat last, was persuaded to accompany Sir Clement himself, and we four\nfemales were handed into Mrs. Mirvan's carriage, though not before\nMadame Duval had insisted upon our making room for Monsieur Du Bois,\nto which the Captain only consented in preference to being incommoded\nby him in Sir Clement's chariot.", "Our party drove off first.", "We were silent and unsociable; for the\ndifficulties attending this arrangement had made every one languid\nand fatigued.", "Unsociable, I must own, we continued; but very short\nwas the duration of our silence, as we had not proceeded thirty yards\nbefore every voice was heard at once-for the coach broke down!", "I\nsuppose we concluded, of course, that we were all half killed, by\nthe violent shrieks that seemed to come from every mouth.", "The chariot\nwas stopped, the servants came to our assistance, and we were taken\nout of the carriage, without having been at all hurt.", "The night was\ndark and wet; but I had scarce touched the ground when I was lifted\nsuddenly from it by Sir Clement Willoughby, who begged permission to\nassist me, though he did not wait to have it granted, but carried me\nin his arms back to Ranelagh.", "He enquired very earnestly if I was not hurt by the accident?", "I assured\nhim I was perfectly safe, and free from injury; and desired he would\nleave me, and return to the rest of the party, for I was very uneasy\nto know whether they had been equally fortunate.", "He told me he was\nhappy in being honoured with my commands, and would joyfully execute\nthem; but insisted upon first conducting me to a warm room, as I had\nnot wholly escaped being wet.", "He did not regard my objections; but\nmade me follow him to an apartment, where we found an excellent fire,\nand some company waiting for carriages.", "I readily accepted a seat,\nand then begged he would go.", "And go, indeed, he did; but he returned in a moment, telling me\nthat the rain was more violent than ever, and that he had sent his\nservants to offer their assistance, and acquaint the Mirvans of my\nsituation.", "I was very mad that he would not go himself; but as my\nacquaintance with him was so very slight, I did not think proper to\nurge him contrary to his inclination.", "Well, he drew a chair close to mine; and, after again enquiring how\nI did, said, in a low voice, \"You will pardon me, Miss Anville, if\nthe eagerness I feel to vindicate myself, induces me to snatch this\nopportunity of making sincere acknowledgments for the impertinence\nwith which I tormented you at the last ridotto.", "I can assure you,\nMadam, I have been a true and sorrowful penitent ever since; but-shall\nI tell you honestly what encouraged me to-\"\n\n\nHe stopt, but I said nothing; for I thought instantly of the\nconversation Miss Mirvan had overheard, and supposed he was going to\ntell me himself what part Lord Orville had borne in it; and really\nI did not wish to hear it repeated.", "Indeed, the rest of his speech\nconvinces me that such was his intention; with what view I know not,\nexcept to make a merit of his defending me.", "\"And yet,\" he continued, \"my excuse may only expose my own credulity,\nand want of judgment and penetration.", "I will, therefore, merely\nbeseech your pardon, and hope that some future time-\"\n\n\nJust then the door was opened by Sir Clement's servant, and I had the\npleasure of seeing the Captain, Mrs. and Miss Mirvan, enter the room.", "\"O ho!\"", "cried the former, \"you have got a good warm berth here; but\nwe shall beat up your quarters.", "Here, Lucy, Moll, come to the fire,\nand dry your trumpery.", "But, hey-day-why, where's old Madame French?\"", "\"Good God,\" cried I, \"is not Madame Duval then with you?\"", "\"With me!", "No,-thank God.\"", "I was very uneasy to know what might have become of her; and, if they\nwould have suffered me, I should have gone in search of her myself;\nbut all the servants were dispatched to find her; and the Captain said,\nwe might be very sure her French beau would take care of her.", "We waited some time without any tidings, and were soon the only party\nin the room.", "My uneasiness increased so much that Sir Clement now\nmade a voluntary offer of seeking her.", "However, the same moment that\nhe opened the door with this design, she presented herself at it,\nattended by Monsieur Du Bois.", "\"I was this instant, Madam,\" said he, \"coming to see for you.\"", "\"You are mighty good, truly,\" cried she, \"to come when all the\nmischief's over.\"", "She then entered,-in such a condition!-entirely covered with mud,\nand in so great a rage, it was with difficulty she could speak.", "We all\nexpressed our concern, and offered our assistance-except the Captain,\nwho no sooner beheld her than he burst out into a loud laugh.", "We endeavoured, by our enquiries and condolements, to prevent her\nattending to him; and she was for some time so wholly engrossed by her\nanger and her distress, that we succeeded without much trouble.", "We\nbegged her to inform us how this accident happened.", "\"How!\"", "repeated\nshe,-\"why it was all along of your all going away,-and there poor\nMonsieur Du Bois-but it wasn't his fault,-for he's as bad off as me.\"", "All eyes were then turned to Monsieur Du Bois, whose clothes were in\nthe same miserable plight with those of Madame Duval; and who, wet,\nshivering, and disconsolate, had crept to the fire.", "The Captain laughed yet more heartily; while Mrs. Mirvan, ashamed of\nhis rudeness, repeated her inquiries to Madame Duval; who answered,\n\"Why, as we were a-coming along, all in the rain, Monsieur Du Bois\nwas so obliging, though I'm sure it was an unlucky obligingness\nfor me, as to lift me up in his arms to carry me over a place that\nwas ankle-deep in mud; but instead of my being ever the better for\nit, just as we were in the worst part,-I'm sure I wish we had been\nfifty miles off,-for somehow or other his foot slipt,-at least, I\nsuppose so,-though I can't think how it happened, for I'm so such\ngreat weight;-but, however that was, down we both came, together,\nall in the mud; and the more we tried to get up, the more deeper we\ngot covered with the nastiness-and my new Lyons negligee, too, quite\nspoilt!-however, it's well we got up at all, for we might have laid\nthere till now, for aught you all cared; nobody never came near us.\"", "This recital put the Captain into an ecstasy; he went from the lady to\nthe gentleman, and from the gentleman to the lady, to enjoy alternately\nthe sight of their distress.", "He really shouted with pleasure; and,\nshaking Monsieur Du Bois strenuously by the hand, wished him joy of\nhaving touched English ground; and then he held a candle to Madame\nDuval, that he might have a more complete view of her disaster,\ndeclaring repeatedly, that he had never been better pleased in\nhis life.", "The rage of poor Madame Duval was unspeakable; she dashed the candle\nout of his hand, stamping upon the floor, and, at last, spat in\nhis face.", "This action seemed immediately to calm them both, as the joy of the\nCaptain was converted into resentment, and the wrath of Madame Duval\ninto fear: for he put his hands upon her shoulders, and gave her\nso violent a shake, that she screamed out for help; assuring her,\nat the same time, that if she had been one ounce less old, or less\nugly, she should have had it all returned in her own face.", "Monsieur Du Bois, who had seated himself very quietly at the fire,\napproached them, and expostulated very warmly with the Captain;\nbut he was neither understood nor regarded; and Madame Duval was not\nreleased till she quite sobbed with passion.", "When they were parted, I intreated her to permit the woman who has\ncharge of the ladies' cloaks to assist in drying her clothes; she\nconsented, and we did what was possible to save her from catching\ncold.", "We were obliged to wait in this disagreeable situation near an\nhour before a hackney-coach could be found; and then we were disposed\nin the same manner as before our accident.", "I am going this morning to see poor Madame Duval, and to inquire after\nher health, which I think must have suffered by her last night's\nmisfortunes; though, indeed, she seems to be naturally strong and\nhearty.", "Adieu, my dear Sir, till to-morrow.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XVII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nFriday Morning, April 15.", "SIR CLEMENT WILLOUGHBY called here yesterday at noon, and Captain\nMirvan invited him to dinner.", "For my part I spent the day in a manner\nthe most uncomfortable imaginable.", "I found Madame Duval at breakfast in bed, though Monsieur Du Bois was\nin the chamber; which so much astonished me, that I was, involuntarily,\nretiring, without considering how odd an appearance my retreat would\nhave, when Madame Duval called me back, and laughed very heartily at\nmy ignorance of foreign customs.", "The conversation, however, very soon took a more serious turn; for\nshe began, with great bitterness, to inveigh against the barbarous\nbrutality of that fellow the Captain, and the horrible ill-breeding\nof the English in general, declaring, she should make her escape\nwith all expedition from so beastly a nation.", "But nothing can be more\nstrangely absurd, than to hear politeness recommended in language so\nrepugnant to it as that of Madame Duval.", "She lamented, very mournfully, the fate of her Lyons silk; and\nprotested she had rather have parted with all the rest of her wardrobe,\nbecause it was the first gown she had bought to wear upon leaving off\nher weeds.", "She has a very bad cold, and Monsieur Du Bois is so hoarse,\nhe can hardly speak.", "She insisted upon my staying with her all day; as she intended, she\nsaid, to introduce me to some of my own relations.", "I would very fain\nhave excused myself, but she did not allow me any choice.", "Till the arrival of these relations, one continued series of questions\non her side, and of answers on mine, filled up all the time we\npassed together.", "Her curiosity was insatiable; she inquired into\nevery action of my life, and every particular that had fallen under\nmy observation in the lives of all I knew.", "Again, she was so cruel\nas to avow the most inveterate rancour against the sole benefactor\nher deserted child and grand-child have met with; and such was the\nindignation her ingratitude raised, that I would actually have quitted\nher presence and house, had she not, in a manner the most peremptory,\nabsolutely forbid me.", "But what, good Heaven!", "can induce her to such\nshocking injustice?", "O, my friend and father!", "I have no command of\nmyself when this subject is started.", "She talked very much of taking me to Paris, and said I greatly\nwanted the polish of a French education.", "She lamented that I had\nbeen brought up in the country, which, she observed, had given me\na very bumpkinish air.", "However, she bid me not despair, for she had\nknown many girls much worse than me, who had become very fine ladies\nafter a few years residence abroad; and she particularly instanced\na Miss Polly Moore, daughter of a chandler's-shop woman, who, by an\naccident not worth relating, happened to be sent to Paris, where,\nfrom an awkward ill-bred girl, she so much improved, that she has\nsince been taken for a woman of quality.", "The relations to whom she was pleased to introduce me, consisted\nof a Mr. Branghton, who is her nephew, and three of his children,\nthe eldest of which is a son, and the two younger are daughters.", "Mr. Branghton appears about forty years of age.", "He does not seem\nto want a common understanding, though he is very contracted and\nprejudiced: he has spent his whole time in the city, and I believe\nfeels a great contempt for all who reside elsewhere.", "His son seems weaker in his understanding, and more gay in his\ntemper; but his gaiety is that of a foolish, overgrown school-boy,\nwhose mirth consists in noise and disturbance.", "He disdains his father\nfor his close attention to business, and love of money; though he\nseems himself to have no talents, spirit, or generosity, to make him\nsuperior to either.", "His chief delight appears to be tormenting and\nridiculing his sisters; who, in return, most heartily despise him.", "Miss Branghton, the eldest daughter, is by no means ugly; but looks\nproud, ill-tempered, and conceited.", "She hates the city, though without\nknowing why; for it is easy to discover she has lived no where else.", "Miss Polly Branghton is rather pretty, very foolish, very ignorant,\nvery giddy, and, I believe, very good-natured.", "The first half-hour was allotted to making themselves comfortable;\nfor they complained of having had a very dirty walk, as they came on\nfoot from Snow Hill, where Mr. Branghton keeps a silversmith's shop;\nand the young ladies had not only their coats to brush, and shoes to\ndry, but to adjust their head-dress, which their bonnets had totally\ndiscomposed.", "The manner in which Madame Duval was pleased to introduce me to this\nfamily extremely shocked me.", "\"Here, my dears,\" said she, \"here's a\nrelation you little thought of; but you must know, my poor daughter\nCaroline had this child after she run away from me,-though I never\nknew nothing of it, not I, for a long while after; for they took care\nto keep it a secret from me, though the poor child has never a friend\nin the world besides.\"", "\"Miss seems very tender-hearted, aunt,\" said Miss Polly; \"and to be\nsure she's not to blame for her mama's undutifulness, for she couldn't\nhelp it.\"", "\"Lord, no,\" answered she, \"and I never took no notice of it to her:\nfor, indeed, as to that, my own poor daughter wasn't so much to blame\nas you may think; for she'd never have gone astray, if it had not\nbeen for that meddling old parson I told you of.\"", "\"If aunt pleases,\" said young Mr. Branghton, \"we'll talk o' somewhat\nelse, for Miss looks very uneasy-like.\"", "The next subject that was chosen was the age of the three young\nBranghtons and myself.", "The son is twenty; the daughters upon hearing\nthat I was seventeen, said that was just the age of Miss Polly; but\ntheir brother, after a long dispute, proved that she was two years\nolder, to the great anger of both sisters, who agreed that he was\nvery ill-natured and spiteful.", "When this point was settled, the question was put, Which was\ntallest?-We were desired to measure, as the Branghtons were all of\ndifferent opinions.", "None of them, however, disputed my being the\ntallest in the company; but, in regard to one another, they were\nextremely quarrelsome: the brother insisted upon their measuring fair,\nand not with heads and heels; but they would by no means consent to\nlose those privileges of our sex; and therefore the young man was cast,\nas shortest; though he appealed to all present upon the injustice of\nthe decree.", "This ceremony over, the young ladies begun, very freely, to examine\nmy dress, and to interrogate me concerning it.", "\"This apron's\nyour own work, I suppose, Miss?", "but these sprigs a'n't in fashion\nnow.", "Pray, if it is not impertinent, what might you give a yard for\nthis lutestring?-Do you make your own caps, Miss?\"", "and many other\nquestions equally interesting and well-bred.", "Then they asked me how I liked London?", "and whether I should not think\nthe country a very dull place, when I returned thither?", "\"Miss must\ntry if she can't get a good husband,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"and then\nshe may stay and live here.\"", "The next topic was public places, or rather the theatres, for they\nknew of no other; and the merits and defects of all the actors and\nactresses were discussed: the young man here took the lead, and seemed\nto be very conversant on the subject.", "But during this time, what was\nmy concern, and, suffer me to add, my indignation, when I found, by\nsome words I occasionally heard, that Madame Duval was entertaining\nMr. Branghton with all the most secret and cruel particulars of my\nsituation!", "The eldest daughter was soon drawn to them by the recital;\nthe youngest and the son still kept their places; intending, I believe,\nto divert me, though the conversation was all their own.", "In a few minutes, Miss Branghton coming suddenly up to her sister,\nexclaimed, \"Lord, Polly, only think!", "Miss never saw her papa!\"", "\"Lord, how odd!\"", "cried the other; \"why, then, Miss, I suppose you\nwouldn't know him?\"", "This was quite too much for me; I rose hastily, and ran out of\nthe room: but I soon regretted I had so little command of myself;\nfor the two sisters both followed, and insisted upon comforting me,\nnotwithstanding my earnest intreaties to be left alone.", "As soon as I returned to the company, Madame Duval said, \"Why, my dear,\nwhat was the matter with you?", "why did you run away so?\"", "This question almost made me run again, for I knew not how to\nanswer it.", "But, is it not very extraordinary, that she can put me\nin situations so shocking, and then wonder to find me sensible of\nany concern?", "Mr. Branghton junior now inquired of me, whether I had seen the Tower,\nor St. Paul's church?", "and upon my answering in the negative, they\nproposed making a party to shew them to me.", "Among other questions,\nthey also asked, if I had ever seen such a thing as an opera?", "I told\nthem I had.", "\"Well,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"I never saw one in my life,\nso long as I've lived in London; and I never desire to see one,\nif I live here as much longer.\"", "\"Lord, papa,\" cried Miss Polly, \"why not?", "you might as well for once,\nfor the curiosity of the thing: besides, Miss Pomfret saw one, and\nshe says it was very pretty.\"", "\"Miss will think us very vulgar,\" said Miss Branghton, \"to live in\nLondon, and never have been to an opera; but it's no fault of mine,\nI assure you, Miss, only papa don't like to go.\"", "The result was, that a party was proposed, and agreed to, for some\nearly opportunity.", "I did not dare contradict them; but I said\nthat my time, while I remained in town, was at the disposal of\nMrs. Mirvan.", "However, I am sure I will not attend them, if I can\npossibly avoid doing so.", "When we parted, Madame Duval desired to see me the next day; and the\nBranghtons told me, that the first time I went towards Snow Hill,\nthey should be very glad if I would call upon them.", "I wish we may not meet again till that time arrives.", "I am sure I shall not be very ambitious of being known to any more of\nmy relations, if they have any resemblance to those whose acquaintance\nI have been introduced to already.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XVIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\n\nI HAD just finished my letter to you this morning, when a violent\nrapping at the door made me run down stairs; and who should I see in\nthe drawing room, but-Lord Orville!", "He was quite alone, for the family had not assembled to breakfast.", "He\ninquired first of mine, then of the health of Mrs. and Miss Mirvan,\nwith a degree of concern that rather surprised me, till he said he had\njust been informed of the accident we had met with at Ranelagh.", "He\nexpressed his sorrow upon the occasion with utmost politeness, and\nlamented that he had not been so fortunate as to hear of it in time to\noffer his services.", "\"But I think,\" he added, \"Sir Clement Willoughby\nhad the honour of assisting you?\"", "\"He was with Captain Mirvan, my Lord.\"", "\"I had heard of his being of your party.\"", "I hope that flighty man has not been telling Lord Orville he only\nassisted me!", "however, he did not pursue the subject: but said, \"This\naccident though extremely unfortunate, will not, I hope, be the means\nof frightening you from gracing Ranelagh with your presence in future?\"", "\"Our time, my Lord, for London, is almost expired already.\"", "\"Indeed!", "do you leave town so very soon?\"", "\"O yes, my Lord, our stay has already exceeded our intentions.\"", "\"Are you, then, so particularly partial to the country?\"", "\"We merely came to town, my Lord, to meet Captain Mirvan.\"", "\"And does Miss Anville feel no concern at the idea of the many mourners\nher absence will occasion?\"", "\"O, my Lord,-I'm sure you don't think-\" I stopt there; for, indeed,\nI hardly knew what I was going to say.", "My foolish embarrassment, I\nsuppose, was the cause of what followed; for he came to me, and took\nmy hand saying, \"I do think, that whoever has once seen Miss Anville,\nmust receive an impression never to be forgotten.\"", "This compliment,-from Lord Orville,-so surprised me, that I could\nnot speak; but felt myself change colour, and stood for some moments\nsilent, and looking down: however, the instant I recollected my\nsituation, I withdrew my hand, and told him that I would see if\nMrs. Mirvan was not dressed.", "He did not oppose me-so away I went.", "I met them all on the stairs, and returned with them to breakfast.", "I have since been extremely angry with myself for neglecting so\nexcellent an opportunity of apologizing for my behaviour at the\nridotto: but, to own the truth, that affair never once occurred to me\nduring the short tete-e-tete which we had together.", "But, if ever\nwe should happen to be so situated again, I will certainly mention it;\nfor I am inexpressibly concerned at the thought of his harbouring an\nopinion that I am bold or impertinent, and I could almost kill myself\nfor having given him the shadow of a reason for so shocking an idea.", "But was not it very odd that he should make me such a compliment?", "I\nexpected it not from him;-but gallantry, I believe, is common to all\nmen, whatever other qualities they may have in particular.", "Our breakfast was the most agreeable meal, if it may be called a meal,\nthat we have had since we came to town.", "Indeed, but for Madame Duval,\nI should like London extremely.", "The conversation of Lord Orville is really delightful.", "His manners are\nso elegant, so gentle, so unassuming, that they at once engage esteem,\nand diffuse complacence.", "Far from being indolently satisfied with his\nown accomplishments, as I have already observed many men here are,\nthough without any pretensions to his merit, he is most assiduously\nattentive to please and to serve all who are in his company, and,\nthough his success is invariable, he never manifests the smallest\ndegree of consciousness.", "I could wish that you, my dearest Sir, knew Lord Orville, because I\nam sure you would love him; and I have felt that wish for no other\nperson I have seen since I came to London.", "I sometimes imagine, that\nwhen his youth is flown, his vivacity abated, and his life is devoted\nto retirement, he will, perhaps, resemble him whom I most love and\nhonour.", "His present sweetness, politeness, and diffidence, seem to\npromise in future the same benevolence, dignity, and goodness.", "But\nI must not expatiate upon this subject.", "When Lord Orville was gone,-and he made but a very short visit,-I\nwas preparing, most reluctantly, to wait upon Madame Duval; but\nMrs. Mirvan proposed to the Captain, that she should be invited to\ndinner in Queen Ann Street; and he readily consented, for he said he\nwished to ask after her Lyons negligee.", "The invitation is accepted, and we expect her every moment.", "But to me,\nit is very strange, that a woman who is the uncontrolled mistress\nof her time, fortune, and actions, should choose to expose herself\nvoluntarily to the rudeness of a man who is openly determined to\nmake her his sport.", "But she has very few acquaintance; and, I fancy,\nscarce knows how to employ herself.", "How great is my obligation to Mrs. Mirvan, for bestowing her\ntime in a manner so disagreeable to herself, merely to promote my\nhappiness!", "Every dispute in which her undeserving husband engages, is\nproductive of pain and uneasiness to herself; of this I am so sensible,\nthat I even besought her not to send to Madame Duval; but she declared\nshe could not bear to have me pass all my time, while in town, with her\nonly.", "Indeed she could not be more kind to me, were she your daughter.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XIX EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nSaturday Morning, April 16.", "MADAM DUVAL was accompanied by Monsieur Du Bois.", "I am surprised that\nshe should choose to introduce him where he is so unwelcome: and,\nindeed, it is strange that they should be so constantly together,\nthough I believe I should have taken notice of it, but that Captain\nMirvan is perpetually rallying me upon my grandmama's beau.", "They were both received by Mrs. Mirvan with her usual good-breeding;\nbut the Captain, most provokingly, attacked her immediately, saying,\n\"Now, Madame, you that have lived abroad, please to tell me this here:\nWhich did you like best, the warm room at Ranelagh, or the cold bath\nyou went into afterwards?", "though I assure you, you look so well,\nthat I should advise you to take another dip.\"", "\"Ma foi, Sir,\" cried she, \"nobody asked for your advice, so you may\nas well keep it to yourself: besides, it's no such great joke to be\nsplashed, and to catch cold, and spoil all one's things, whatever\nyou may think of it.\"", "\"Splashed, quoth-a!-why I thought you were soused all over.-Come,\ncome, don't mince the matter, never spoil a good story; you know you\nhadn't a dry thread about you-'Fore George, I shall never think on't\nwithout hollooing!", "such a poor forlorn draggle-tailed-gentlewoman!", "and\npoor Monseer French, here, like a drowned rat, by your side!-\"\n\n\n\"Well, the worse pickle we was in, so much the worser in you not to\nhelp us; for you knowed where we were fast enough, because, while I\nlaid in the mud, I'm pretty sure I heard you snigger: so it's like\nenough you jostled us down yourself; for Monsieur Du Bois says, that\nhe is sure he had a great jolt given him, or he shouldn't have fell.\"", "The Captain laughed so immoderately, that he really gave me also a\nsuspicion that he was not entirely innocent of the charge: however,\nhe disclaimed it very peremptorily.", "\"Why then,\" continued she, \"if you didn't do that, why didn't you\ncome to help us?\"", "\"Who, I?-what, do you suppose I had forgot I was an Englishman,\na filthy, beastly Englishman?\"", "\"Very well, Sir, very well; but I was a fool to expect any better,\nfor it's all of a piece with the rest; you know, you wanted to fling\nme out of the coach-window, the very first time ever I see you:\nbut I'll never go to Ranelagh with you no more, that I'm resolved;\nfor I dare say, if the horses had runn'd over me, as I laid in that\nnastiness, you'd never have stirred a step to save me.\"", "\"Lord, no, to be sure, Ma'am, not for the world!", "I know your opinion\nof our nation too well, to affront you by supposing a Frenchman would\nwant my assistance to protect you.", "Did you think that Monseer here,\nand I had changed characters, and that he should pop you into the mud,\nand I help you out of it?", "Ha, ha, ha!\"", "\"O very well, Sir, laugh on, it's like your manners; however, if\npoor Monsieur Du Bois hadn't met with that unlucky accident himself\nI shouldn't have wanted nobody's help.\"", "\"O, I promise you, Madame, you'd never have had mine; I knew my\ndistance better: and as to your being a little ducked, or so, why,\nto be sure, Monseer and you settled that between yourselves; so it\nwas no business of mine.\"", "\"What, then, I suppose you want to make me believe as Monsieur Du\nBois served me that trick o'purpose?\"", "\"O' purpose!", "ay, certainly; whoever doubted that?", "Do you think a\nFrenchman ever made a blunder?", "If he had been some clumsy-footed\nEnglish fellow, indeed, it might have been accidental: but what\nthe devil signifies all your hopping and capering with your\ndancing-masters, if you can't balance yourselves upright?\"", "In the midst of this dialogue, Sir Clement Willoughby made his\nappearance.", "He affects to enter the house with the freedom of an old\nacquaintance; and this very easiness, which, to me, is astonishing,\nis what most particularly recommends him to the Captain.", "Indeed,\nhe seems very successfully to study all the humours of that gentleman.", "After having heartily welcomed him, \"You are just come in time, my\nboy,\" said he, \"to settle a little matter of a dispute between this\nhere gentlewoman and I; do you know she has been trying to persuade\nme, that she did not above half like the ducking Monseer gave her\nt'other night.\"", "\"I should have hoped,\" said Sir Clement, with the utmost gravity, \"that\nthe friendship subsisting between that lady and gentleman would have\nguarded them against any actions professed disagreeable to each other:\nbut, probably, they might not have discussed the matter previously;\nin which case the gentleman, I must own, seems to have been guilty of\ninattention, since, in my humble opinion, it was his business first\nto have inquired whether the lady preferred soft or hard ground,\nbefore he dropt her.\"", "\"O very fine, gentlemen, very fine,\" cried Madame Duval, \"you may try\nto set us together by the ears as much as you will; but I'm not such\nan ignorant person as to be made a fool of so easily; so you needn't\ntalk no more about it, for I sees into your designs.\"", "Monsieur Du Bois, who was just able to discover the subject upon\nwhich the conversation turned, made his defence, in French, with\ngreat solemnity: he hoped, he said, that the company would at least\nacknowledge he did not come from a nation of brutes; and consequently,\nthat to wilfully offend any lady, was, to him, utterly impossible;\nbut that, on the contrary, in endeavouring, as was his duty, to save\nand guard her, he had himself suffered, in a manner which he would\nforbear to relate, but which, he greatly apprehended, he should feel\nthe ill effects of for many months: and then, with a countenance\nexceedingly lengthened, he added, that he hoped it would not be\nattributed to him as national prejudice, when he owned that he must,\nto the best of his memory, aver, that his unfortunate fall was owing\nto a sudden but violent push, which, he was shocked to say, some\nmalevolent person, with a design to his injury, must certainly have\ngiven him; but whether with a view to mortify him, by making him let\nthe lady fall, or whether merely to spoil his clothes, he could not\npretend to determine.", "This disputation was, at last, concluded by Mrs. Mirvan's proposing\nthat we should all go to Cox's Museum.", "Nobody objected, and carriages\nwere immediately ordered.", "In our way down stairs, Madame Duval, in a very passionate manner,\nsaid, \"Ma foi, if I wouldn't give fifty guineas only to know who gave\nus that shove!\"", "This Museum is very astonishing, and very superb; yet if afforded me\nbut little pleasure, for it is a mere show, though a wonderful one.", "Sir Clement Willoughby, in our walk round the room, asked me what my\nopinion was of this brilliant spectacle!", "\"It is a very fine, and very ingenious,\" answered I; \"and yet-I don't\nknow how it is-but I seem to miss something.\"", "\"Excellently answered!\"", "cried he; \"you have exactly defined my own\nfeelings, though in a manner I should never have arrived at.", "But\nI was certain your taste was too well formed, to be pleased at the\nexpense of your understanding.\"", "\"Pardi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"I hope you two is difficult enough!", "I'm\nsure if you don't like this you like nothing; for it's the grandest,\nprettiest, finest sight that ever I see in England.\"", "\"What,\" cried the Captain with a sneer, \"I suppose this may be in\nyour French taste?", "it's like enough, for it's all kickshaw work.", "But\npr'ythee, friend,\" turning to the person who explained the devices,\n\"will you tell me the use of all this?", "for I'm not enough of a conjuror\nto find it out.\"", "\"Use, indeed!\"", "repeated Madame Duval, disdainfully; \"Lord if every\nthing's to be useful!-\"\n\n\"Why, Sir, as to that, Sir,\" said our conductor, \"the ingenuity of\nthe mechanism-the beauty of the workmanship-the-undoubtedly, Sir, any\nperson of taste may easily discern the utility of such extraordinary\nperformances.\"", "\"Why then, Sir,\" answered the Captain, \"your person of taste must\nbe either a coxcomb, or a Frenchman; though, for the matter of that,\n'tis the same thing.\"", "Just then our attention was attracted by a pine-apple; which, suddenly\nopening, discovered a nest of birds, which immediately began to\nsing.", "\"Well,\" cried Madame Duval, \"this is prettier than all the rest!", "I declare, in all my travels, I never see nothing eleganter.\"", "\"Hark ye, friend,\" said the Captain, \"hast never another pine-apple?\"", "\"Sir?-\"\n\n\"Because, if thou hast, pr'ythee give it us without the birds;\nfor, d'ye see, I'm no Frenchman, and should relish something more\nsubstantial.\"", "This entertainment concluded with a concert of mechanical music: I\ncannot explain how it was produced, but the effect was pleasing.", "Madame\nDuval was in ecstasies; and the Captain flung himself into so many\nridiculous distortions, by way of mimicking her, that he engaged the\nattention of all the company; and, in the midst of the performance of\nthe Coronation Anthem, while Madame Duval was affecting to beat time,\nand uttering many expressions of delight, he called suddenly for salts,\nwhich a lady, apprehending some distress, politely handed to him,\nand which, instantly applying to the nostrils of poor Madame Duval,\nshe involuntarily snuffed up such a quantity, that the pain and\nsurprise made her scream aloud.", "When she recovered, she reproached\nhim with her usual vehemence; but he protested he had taken that\nmeasure out of pure friendship, as he concluded, from her raptures,\nthat she was going into hysterics.", "This excuse by no means appeased\nher, and they had a violent quarrel; but the only effect her anger\nhad on the Captain, was to increase his diversion.", "Indeed, he laughs\nand talks so terribly loud in public, that he frequently makes us\nashamed of belonging to him.", "Madame Duval, notwithstanding her wrath, made no scruple of returning\nto dine in Queen Ann Street.", "Mrs. Mirvan had secured places for the\nplay at Drury-Lane Theatre, and, though ever uneasy in her company, she\nvery politely invited Madame Duval to be of our party; however, she had\na bad cold and chose to nurse it.", "I was sorry for her indisposition;\nbut I knew not how to be sorry she did not accompany us, for she is-I\nmust not say what, but very unlike other people.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XX EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\n\nOUR places were in the front row of a side-box.", "Sir Clement Willoughby,\nwho knew our intention, was at the door of the theatre, and handed\nus from the carriage.", "We had not been seated five minutes before Lord Orville, whom we saw in\nthe stage-box, came to us; and he honoured us with his company all the\nevening; Miss Mirvan and I both rejoiced that Madam Duval was absent,\nas we hoped for the enjoyment of some conversation, uninterrupted\nby her quarrels with the Captain: but I soon found that her presence\nwould have made very little alteration; for as far was I from daring\nto speak, that I knew not where even to look.", "The play was Love for Love; and though it is fraught with wit and\nentertainment I hope I shall never see it represented again; for it\nis so extremely indelicate-to use the softest word I can-that Miss\nMirvan and I were perpetually out of countenance, and could neither\nmake any observations ourselves, nor venture to listen to those of\nothers.", "This was the most provoking, as Lord Orville was in excellent\nspirits, and exceedingly entertaining.", "When the play was over, I flattered myself I should be able to look\nabout me with less restraint, as we intended to stay the farce; but\nthe curtain had hardly dropped, when the box-door opened, and in came\nMr. Lovel, the man by whose foppery and impertinence I was so much\nteased at the ball where I first saw Lord Orville.", "I turned away my head, and began talking to Miss Mirvan; for I was\ndesirous to avoid speaking to him-but in vain; for, as soon as he had\nmade his compliments to Lord Orville and Sir Clement Willoughby, who\nreturned them very coldly, he bent his head forward and said to me,\n\"I hope, Ma'am, you have enjoyed your health since I had the honour-I\nbeg ten thousand pardons, but, I protest I was going to say the honour\nof dancing with you-however, I mean the honour of seeing you dance?\"", "He spoke with a self-complacency that convinced me that he had studied\nthis address, by way of making reprisals for my conduct at the ball;\nI therefore bowed slightly, but made no answer.", "After a short silence he again called my attention, by saying, in an\neasy, negligent way, \"I think, Ma'am, you was never in town before?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"So I did presume.", "Doubtless, Ma'am, every thing must be infinitely\nnovel to you.", "Our customs, our manners, and les etiquettes de nous\nautres, can have little very resemblance to those you have been used\nto.", "I imagine, Ma'am, your retirement is at no very small distance\nfrom the capital?\"", "I was so much disconcerted at this sneering speech, that I said not\na word; though I have since thought my vexation both stimulated and\ndelighted him.", "\"The air we breathe here, however, Ma'am,\" continued he, very\nconceitedly, \"though foreign to that you have been accustomed to,\nhas not I hope been at variance with your health?\"", "\"Mr. Lovel,\" said Lord Orville, \"could not your eye have spared\nthat question?\"", "\"O, my Lord,\" answered he, \"if health were the only cause of a lady's\nbloom, my eye, I grant, had been infallible from the first glance;\nbut-\"\n\n\"Come, come,\" cried Mrs. Mirvan, \"I must beg no insinuations of that\nsort: Miss Anville's colour, as you have successfully tried, may,\nyou see, be heightened; but, I assure you, it would be past your\nskill to lessen it.\"", "\"'Pon honour, Madam,\" returned he, \"you wrong me; I presumed not to\ninfer that rouge was the only succedaneum for health; but, really,\nI have known so many different causes for a lady's colour, such as\nflushing-anger-mauvaise honte-and so forth, that I never dare decide\nto which it may be owing.\"", "\"As to such causes as them there,\" cried the Captain, \"they must\nbelong to those that they keep company with.\"", "\"Very true, Captain,\" said Sir Clement; \"the natural complexion has\nnothing to do with the occasional sallies of the passions, or any\naccidental causes.\"", "\"No, truly,\" returned the Captain: \"for now here's me, why I look like\nany other man; just now; and yet, if you were to put me in a passion,\n'fore George, you'd soon see me have as fine a high colour as any\npainted Jezebel in all this place, be she never so bedaubed.\"", "\"But,\" said Lord Orville, \"the difference of natural and of artificial\ncolour seems to me very easily discerned; that of nature is mottled\nand varying; that of art set, and too smooth; it wants that animation,\nthat glow, that indescribable something, which, even now that I see\nit, wholly surpasses all my powers of expression.\"", "\"Your Lordship,\" said Sir Clement, \"is universally acknowledged to\nbe a connoisseur in beauty.\"", "\"And you, Sir Clement,\" returned he, \"an enthusiast.\"", "\"I am proud to own it,\" cried Sir Clement; \"in such a cause, and before\nsuch objects, enthusiasm is simply the consequence of not being blind.\"", "\"Pr'ythee, a truce with all this palavering,\" cried the Captain:\n\"the women are vain enough already; no need for to puff 'em up more.\"", "\"We must all submit to the commanding officer,\" said Sir Clement:\n\"therefore, let us call another subject.", "Pray, ladies, how have you\nbeen entertained with the play?\"", "\"Want of entertainment,\" said Mrs. Mirvan, \"is its least fault; but I\nown there are objections to it, which I should be glad to see removed.\"", "\"I could have ventured to answer for the ladies,\" said Lord Orville,\n\"since I am sure this is not a play that can be honoured with their\napprobation.\"", "\"What, I suppose it is not sentimental enough!\"", "cried the Captain,\n\"or else it is too good for them; for I'll maintain it's one of the\nbest comedies in our language, and has more wit in one scene than\nthere is in all the new plays put together.\"", "\"For my part,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"I confess I seldom listen to the\nplayers: one has so much to do, in looking about and finding out one's\nacquaintance, that, really, one has no time to mind the stage.", "Pray,\"\nmost affectedly fixing his eyes upon a diamond ring on his little\nfinger, \"pray-what was the play to-night?\"", "\"Why, what the D-l,\" cried the Captain, \"do you come to the play\nwithout knowing what it is?\"", "\"O yes, Sir, yes, very frequently: I have no time to read play-bills;\none merely comes to meet one's friends, and shew that one's alive.\"", "\"Ha, ha, ha!-and so,\" cried the Captain, \"it costs you five shillings\na-night just to shew you're alive!", "Well, faith, my friends should\nall think me dead and underground before I'd be at that expense for\n'em.", "Howsomever-this here you may take from me-they'll find you out\nfast enough if you have anything to give 'em.-And so you've been here\nall this time, and don't know what the play was?\"", "\"Why, really Sir, a play requires so much attention,-it is scarce\npossible to keep awake if one listens;-for, indeed, by the time it\nis evening, one has been so fatigued with dining,-or wine,-or the\nhouse,-or studying,-that it is-it is perfectly an impossibility.", "But,\nnow I think of it, I believe I have a bill in my pocket; O, ay,\nhere it is-Love for Love, ay,-true, ha, ha!-how could I be so stupid!\"", "\"O, easily enough, as to that, I warrant you,\" said the Captain;\n\"but, by my soul, this is one of the best jokes I ever heard!-Come\nto a play, and not know what it is!-Why, I suppose you wouldn't have\nfound it out, if they had fob'd you off with a scraping of fiddlers,\nor an opera?-Ha, ha, ha!-Why, now, I should have thought you might\nhave taken some notice of one Mr. Tattle, that is in this play!\"", "This sarcasm, which caused a general smile, made him colour: but,\nturning to the Captain with a look of conceit, which implied that he\nhad a retort ready, he said, \"Pray, Sir, give me leave to ask-What\ndo you think of one Mr. Ben, who is also in this play?\"", "The Captain, regarding him with the utmost contempt, answered in a loud\nvoice, \"Think of him!-why, I think he is a man!\"", "And then, staring\nfull in his face, he struck his cane on the ground with a violence\nthat made him start.", "He did not however, choose to take any notice\nof this: but, having bit his nails some time in manifest confusion,\nhe turned very quick to me, and in a sneering tone of voice, said,\n\"For my part, I was most struck with the country young lady, Miss Prue;\npray what do you think of her, Ma'am?\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" cried I, very much provoked, \"I think-that is, I do\nnot think any thing about her.\"", "\"Well, really, Ma'am, you prodigiously surprise me!-mais, apparemment\nce n'est qu'une facon de parler?", "-though I should beg your pardon,\nfor probably you do not understand French?\"", "I made no answer, for I thought his rudeness intolerable; but Sir\nClement, with great warmth, said, \"I am surprised that you can suppose\nsuch an object as Miss Prue would engage the attention of Miss Anville\neven for a moment.\"", "\"O, Sir,\" returned this fop, \"'tis the first character in the piece!-so\nwell drawn!-so much the thing!-such true country breeding-such rural\nignorance!", "ha, ha, ha!-'tis most admirably hit off, 'pon honour!\"", "I could almost have cried, that such impertinence should be leveled\nat me; and yet, chagrined as I was, I could never behold Lord Orville\nand this man at the same time, and feel any regret for the cause I\nhad given of displeasure.", "\"The only female in the play,\" said Lord Orville, \"worthy of being\nmentioned to these ladies is Angelica.\"", "\"Angelica,\" cried Sir Clement, \"is a noble girl; she tries her lover\nseverely, but she rewards him generously.\"", "\"Yet, in a trial so long,\" said Mrs. Mirvan, \"there seems rather too\nmuch consciousness of her power.\"", "\"Since my opinion has the sanction of Mrs. Mirvan,\" added Lord\nOrville, \"I will venture to say, that Angelica bestows her hand\nrather with the air of a benefactress, than with the tenderness of\na mistress.", "Generosity without delicacy, like wit without judgment,\ngenerally gives as much pain as pleasure.", "The uncertainty in which\nshe keeps Valentine, and her manner of trifling with his temper,\ngive no very favourable idea of her own.\"", "\"Well, my Lord,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"it must, however, be owned, that\nuncertainty is not the ton among our ladies at present; nay, indeed,\nI think they say,-though faith,\" taking a pinch of snuff, \"I hope it\nis not true-but they say, that we now are most shy and backward.\"", "The curtain then drew up, and our conversation ceased.", "Mr. Lovel,\nfinding we chose to attend to the players, left the box.", "How strange\nit is, Sir, that this man, not contented with the large share of\nfoppery and nonsense which he has from nature, should think proper\nto affect yet more!", "for what he said of Tattle and of Miss Prue,\nconvinced me that he really had listened to the play, though he was\nso ridiculous and foolish as to pretend ignorance.", "But how malicious and impertinent is this creature to talk to me in\nsuch a manner!", "I am sure I hope I shall never see him again.", "I should\nhave despised him heartily as a fop, had he never spoken to me at\nall; but now, that he thinks proper to resent his supposed ill-usage,\nI am really quite afraid of him.", "The entertainment was, The Duece is in Him; which Lord Orville observed\nto be the most finished and elegant petit piece that was ever written\nin English.", "In our way home, Mrs. Mirvan put me into some consternation by saying,\nit was evident, from the resentment which this Mr. Lovel harbours\nof my conduct, that he would think it a provocation sufficiently\nimportant for a duel, if his courage equaled his wrath.", "I am terrified at the very idea.", "Good Heaven!", "that a man so weak\nand frivolous should be so revengeful!", "However, if bravery would\nhave excited him to affront Lord Orville, how much reason have I to\nrejoice that cowardice makes him contended with venting his spleen\nupon me!", "But we shall leave town soon, and, I hope, see him no more.", "It was some consolation to me to hear from Miss Mirvan, that, while\nhe was speaking to me so cavalierly, Lord Orville regarded him with\ngreat indignation.", "But, really, I think there ought to be a book of the laws and\ncustoms -e;-la-mode, presented to all young people upon their first\nintroduction into public company.", "To-night we go to the opera, where I expect very great pleasure.", "We\nshall have the same party as at the play, for Lord Orville said he\nshould be there, and would look for us.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXI EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nI HAVE a volume to write of the adventures\nof yesterday.", "In the afternoon,-at Berry Hill I should have said the\nevening, for it was almost six o'clock,-while Miss Mirvan and I were\ndressing for the opera, and in high spirits from the expectation of\ngreat entertainment and pleasure, we heard a carriage stop at the door,\nand concluded that Sir Clement Willoughby, with his usual assiduity,\nwas come to attend us to the Haymarket; but, in a few moments, what\nwas our surprise to see our chamber door flung open, and the two Miss\nBranghtons enter the room!", "They advanced to me with great familiarity,\nsaying, \"How do you do, Cousin?-so we've caught you at the glass!-well,\nI'm determined I'll tell my brother of that!\"", "Miss Mirvan, who had never before seen them, and could not at first\nimagine who they were, looked so much astonished, that I was ready\nto laugh myself, till the eldest said, \"We're come to take you to\nthe opera, Miss; papa and my brother are below, and we are to call\nfor your grand-mama as we go along.\"", "\"I am very sorry,\" answered I, \"that you should have taken so much\ntrouble, as I am engaged already.\"", "\"Engaged!", "Lord, Miss, never mind that,\" cried the youngest; \"this\nyoung lady will make your excuses I dare say; it's only doing as one\nwould be done by, you know.\"", "\"Indeed Ma'am,\" said Miss Mirvan, \"I shall myself be very sorry to\nbe deprived of Miss Anville's company this evening.\"", "\"Well, Miss, that is not so very good-natured in you,\" said Miss\nBranghton, \"considering we only come to give our cousin pleasure;\nit's no good to us; it's all upon her account; for we came, I don't\nknow how much round about to take her up.\"", "\"I am extremely obliged to you,\" said I, \"and very sorry you have\nlost so much time; but I cannot possibly help it, for I engaged myself\nwithout knowing you would call.\"", "\"Lord, what signifies that?\"", "said Miss Polly, \"you're no old maid,\nand so you needn't be so very formal: besides I dare say those you\nare engaged to a'n't half so near related to you as we are.\"", "\"I must beg you not to press me any further, for I assure you it is\nnot in my power to attend you.\"", "\"Why, we came all out of the city on purpose: besides, your grand-mama\nexpects you;-and, pray, what are we to say to her?\"", "\"Tell her, if you please, that I am much concerned,-but that I am\npre-engaged.\"", "\"And who to?\"", "demanded the abrupt Miss Branghton.", "\"To Mrs. Mirvan,-and a large party.\"", "\"And, pray, what are you all going to do, that it would be such a\nmighty matter for you to come along with us?\"", "\"We are all going to-to the opera.\"", "\"O dear, if that be all, why can't we go altogether?\"", "I was extremely disconcerted at this forward and ignorant behaviour,\nand yet their rudeness very much lessened my concern at refusing\nthem.", "Indeed, their dress was such as would have rendered their scheme\nof accompanying our party impracticable, even if I had desired it;\nand this, as they did not themselves find it out, I was obliged,\nin terms the least mortifying I could think of, to tell them.", "They were very much chagrined, and asked where I should sit.", "\"In the pit,\" answered I.", "\"In the pit,\" repeated Miss Branghton; \"well, really, I must own,\nI should never have supposed that my gown was not good enough for\nthe pit: but come, Polly, let's go; if Miss does not think us fine\nenough for her, why to be sure she may choose.\"", "Surprised at this ignorance, I would have explained to them, that the\npit at the opera required the same dress as the boxes; but they were\nso much affronted they would not hear me; and, in great displeasure,\nleft the room, saying, they would not have troubled me, only they\nthought I should not be proud with my own relations, and that they\nhad at least as good a right to my company as strangers.", "I endeavoured to apologize, and would have sent a long message to\nMadame Duval: but they hastened away without listening to me; and\nI could not follow them down stairs, because I was not dressed.", "The\nlast words I heard them say were, \"Well, her grandmama will be in a\nfine passion, that's one good thing.\"", "Though I was extremely mad at this visit, yet I so heartily rejoiced at\ntheir going, that I would not suffer myself to think gravely about it.", "Soon after, Sir Clement actually came, and we all went down\nstairs.", "Mrs. Mirvan ordered tea; and we were engaged in a very lively\nconversation, when the servant announced Madame Duval, who instantly\nfollowed him into the room.", "Her face was the colour of scarlet, and her eyes sparkled with\nfury.", "She came up to me with a hasty step, saying, \"So, Miss, you\nrefuses to come to me, do you?", "And pray who are you, to dare to\ndisobey me?\"", "I was quite frightened;-I made no answer;-I even attempted to rise,\nand could not, but sat still, mute and motionless.", "Everybody but Miss Mirvan seemed in the utmost astonishment; and\nthe Captain rising and approaching Madame Duval, with a voice of\nauthority, said, \"Why, how now, Mrs. Turkey-cock, what's put you into\nthis here fluster?\"", "\"It's nothing to you,\" answered she, \"so you may as well hold your\ntongue; for I shan't be called to no account by you, I assure you.\"", "\"There you're out, Madame Fury,\" returned he; \"for you must know,\nI never suffer anybody to be in a passion in my house, but myself.\"", "\"But you shall,\" cried she, in a great rage; \"for I'll be in as great\na passion as ever I please, without asking your leave: so don't give\nyourself no more airs about it.", "And as for you Miss,\" again advancing\nto me, \"I order you to follow me this moment, or else I'll make you\nrepent it all your life.\"", "And, with these words, she flung out of\nthe room.", "I was in such extreme terror, at being addressed and threatened in a\nmanner to which I am so wholly unused, that I almost thought I should\nhave fainted.", "\"Don't be alarmed, my love,\" cried Mrs. Mirvan, \"but stay where you\nare, and I will follow Madame Duval, and try to bring her to reason.\"", "Miss Mirvan took my hand, and most kindly endeavoured to raise my\nspirits.", "Sir Clement, too, approached me, with an air so interested\nin my distress, that I could not but feel myself obliged to him; and,\ntaking my other hand, said, \"For Heaven's sake, my dear Madam, compose\nyourself: surely the violence of such a wretch ought merely to move\nyour contempt; she can have no right, I imagine, to lay her commands\nupon you, and I only wish that you would allow me to speak to her.\"", "\"O no!", "not for the world!-indeed, I believe,-I am afraid-I had better\nfollow her.\"", "\"Follow her!", "Good God, my dear Miss Anville, would you trust yourself\nwith a mad woman?", "for what else can you call a creature whose passions\nare so insolent?", "No, no; send her word at once to leave the house,\nand tell her you desire that she will never see you again.\"", "\"O, Sir!", "you don't know who you talk of!-it would ill become me to\nsend Madame Duval such a message.\"", "\"But why,\" cried he, (looking very inquisitive,) \"why should you\nscruple to treat her as she deserves?\"", "I then found that his aim was to discover the nature of her connection\nwith me; but I felt so much ashamed of my near relationship to her,\nthat I could not persuade myself to answer him, and only intreated\nthat he would leave her to Mrs. Mirvan, who just then entered the room.", "Before she could speak to me, the Captain, called out, \"Well, Goody,\nwhat have you done with Madame French?", "is she cooled a little?", "cause\nif she ben't, I've just thought of a most excellent device to bring\nher to.\"", "\"My dear Evelina,\" said Mrs. Mirvan, \"I have been vainly endeavouring\nto appease her; I pleaded your engagement, and promised your future\nattendance: but I am sorry to say, my love, that I fear her rage will\nend in a total breach (which I think you had better avoid) if she is\nany further opposed.\"", "\"Then I will go to her, Madam,\" cried I; \"and, indeed, it is now no\nmatter, for I should not be able to recover my spirits sufficiently\nto enjoy much pleasure any where this evening.\"", "Sir Clement began a very warm expostulation and intreaty, that I would\nnot go; but I begged him to desist, and told him, very honestly, that,\nif my compliance were not indispensably necessary I should require\nno persuasion to stay.", "He then took my hand, to lead me down stairs;\nbut the Captain desired him to be quiet, saying he would 'squire me\nhimself, \"because\" he added, (exultingly rubbing his hands) \"I have\na wipe ready for the old lady, which may serve her to chew as she\ngoes along.\"", "We found her in the parlour, \"O you're come at last, Miss, are\nyou?-fine airs you give yourself, indeed!-ma foi, if you hadn't\ncome, you might have staid, I assure you, and have been a beggar,\nfor your pains.\"", "\"Heyday, Madam,\" cried the Captain, (prancing forward, with a look of\ngreat glee) \"what, a'n't you got out of that there passion yet?", "why\nthen, I'll tell you what to do to cool yourself; call upon your old\nfriend, Monseer Slippery, who was with you at Ranelagh, and give my\nservice to him, and tell him, if he sets any store by your health,\nthat I desire he'll give you such another souse as he did before:\nhe'll know what I mean, and I'll warrant you he'll do't for my sake.\"", "\"Let him, if he dares!\"", "cried Madame Duval; \"but I shan't stay to\nanswer you no more; you are a vulgar fellow;-and so, child, let us\nleave him to himself.\"", "\"Hark ye, Madam,\" cried the Captain, \"you'd best not call names;\nbecause, d'ye see, if you do, I shall make bold to shew you the door.\"", "She changed colour, and saying, \"Pardi, I can shew it myself,\" hurried\nout of the room, and I followed her into a hackney-coach.", "But, before\nwe drove off, the Captain, looking out of the parlour window, called\nout \"D'ye hear, Madam, don't forget my message to Monseer.\"", "You will believe our ride was not the most agreeable in the world;\nindeed, it would be difficult to say which was least pleased, Madame\nDuval or me, though the reasons of our discontent were so different:\nhowever, Madame Duval soon got the start of me; for we had hardly\nturned out of Queen Ann Street, when a man, running full speed,\nstopt the coach.", "He came up to the window, and I saw he was the\nCaptain's servant.", "He had a broad grin on his face, and panted for\nbreath.", "Madame Duval demanded his business: \"Madam,\" answered he,\n\"my master desires his compliments to you, and-and-and he says he\nwishes it well over with you.", "He!", "he!", "he!-\"\n\nMadame Duval instantly darted forward, and gave him a violent blow on\nthe face; \"Take that back for your answer, sirrah,\" cried she, \"and\nlearn not to grin at your betters another time.", "Coachman, drive on!\"", "The servant was in a violent passion, and swore terribly; but we were\nsoon out of hearing.", "The rage of Madame Duval was greater than ever; and she inveighed\nagainst the Captain with such fury, that I was even apprehensive\nshe would have returned to his house, purposely to reproach him,\nwhich she repeatedly threatened to do; nor would she, I believe,\nhave hesitated a moment, but that, notwithstanding her violence,\nhe has really made her afraid of him.", "When we came to her lodgings we found all the Branghtons in the\npassage, impatiently waiting for us with the door open.", "\"Only see, here's Miss!\"", "cried the brother.", "\"Well, I declare I thought as much!\"", "said the younger sister.", "\"Why, Miss,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"I think you might as well have\ncome with your cousins at once; it's throwing money in the dirt,\nto pay two coaches for one fare.\"", "\"Lord, father,\" cried the son, \"make no words about that; for I'll\npay for the coach that Miss had.\"", "\"O, I know very well,\" answered Mr. Branghton, \"that you're always\nmore ready to spend than to earn.\"", "I then interfered, and begged that I might myself be allowed to pay\nthe fare, as the expense was incurred upon my account; they all said\nno, and proposed that the same coach should carry us to the opera.", "While this passed the Miss Branghtons were examining my dress, which,\nindeed, was very improper for my company; and, as I was extremely\nunwilling to be so conspicuous amongst them, I requested Madame Duval\nto borrow a hat or bonnet for me of the people of the house.", "But\nshe never wears either herself, and thinks them very English and\nbarbarous; therefore she insisted that I should go full dressed,\nas I had prepared myself for the pit, though I made many objections.", "We were then all crowded into the same carriage; but when we arrived\nat the opera-house, I contrived to pay the coachman.", "They made a\ngreat many speeches; but Mr. Branghton's reflection had determined\nme not to be indebted to him.", "If I had not been too much chagrined to laugh, I should have been\nextremely diverted at their ignorance of whatever belongs to an\nopera.", "In the first place they could not tell at what door we ought\nto enter, and we wandered about for some time, without knowing\nwhich way to turn: they did not choose to apply to me, though I was\nthe only person of the party who had ever before been at an opera;\nbecause they were unwilling to suppose that their country counsin,\nas they were pleased to call me, should be better acquainted with\nany London public place than themselves.", "I was very indifferent and\ncareless upon this subject; but not a little uneasy at finding that\nmy dress, so different from that of the company to which I belonged,\nattracted general notice and observation.", "In a short time, however, we arrived at one of the door-keeper's\nbars.", "Mr. Branghton demanded for what part of the house they\ntook money?", "They answered, the pit; and regarded us all with great\nearnestness.", "The son then advancing, said \"Sir, if you please, I beg\nthat I may treat Miss.\"", "\"We'll settle that another time,\" answered Mr. Branghton, and put\ndown a guinea.", "Two tickets of admission were given to him.", "Mr. Branghton, in his turn, now stared at the door-keeper, and demanded\nwhat he meant by giving him only two tickets for a guinea.", "\"Only two, Sir!\"", "said the man; \"why, don't you know that the tickets\nare half-a guinea each?\"", "\"Half-a-guinea each!\"", "repeated Mr. Branghton, \"why, I never heard of\nsuch a thing in my life!", "And pray, Sir, how many will they admit?\"", "\"Just as usual, Sir, one person each.\"", "\"But one person for half-a-guinea!-why, I only want to sit in the\npit, friend.\"", "\"Had not the ladies better sit in the gallery, Sir; for they'll hardly\nchoose to go into the pit with their hats on?\"", "\"O, as to that,\" cried Miss Branghton, \"if our hats are too high we'll\ntake them off when we get in.", "I sha'n't mind, it, for I did my hair\non purpose.\"", "Another party then approaching, the door-keeper could no longer attend\nto Mr. Branghton; who, taking up the guinea, told him it should be\nlong enough before he'd see it again, and walked away.", "The young ladies, in some confusion, expressed their surprise that\ntheir papa should not know the opera prices, which, for their parts,\nthey had read in the papers a thousand times.", "\"The price of stocks,\" said he, \"is enough for me to see after; and\nI took it for granted it was the same thing here as at the playhouse.\"", "\"I knew well enough what the price was,\" said the son; \"but I would\nnot speak, because I thought perhaps they'd take less, as we're such\na large party.\"", "The sisters both laughed very contemptuously at this idea, and\nasked him if he ever heard of people's abating any thing at a public\nplace?", "I don't know whether I have or not,\" answered he; \"but I am\nsure if they would, you'd like it so much the worse.\"", "\"Very true, Tom,\" cried Mr. Branghton; \"tell a woman that any thing\nis reasonable, and she'll be sure to hate it.\"", "\"Well,\" said Miss Polly, \"I hope that aunt and Miss will be of our\nside, for papa always takes part with Tom.\"", "\"Come, come,\" cried Madame Duval, \"if you stand talking here, we\nshan't get no place at all.\"", "Mr. Branghton then enquired the way to the gallery; and, when we came\nto the door-keeper, demanded what was to pay.", "\"The usual price, Sir,\" said the man.", "\"Then give me change,\" cried Mr. Branghton, again putting down\nhis guinea.", "\"For how many, Sir?\"", "\"Why-let's see,-for six.\"", "\"For six, Sir?", "why, you're given me but a guinea.\"", "\"But a guinea!", "why, how much would you have?", "I suppose it is'n't\nhalf-a-guinea a piece here too?\"", "\"No, Sir, only five shillings.\"", "Mr. Branghton again took up his unfortunate guinea, and protested he\nwould not submit to no such imposition.", "I then proposed that we should\nreturn home, but Madame Duval would not consent; and we were conducted,\nby a woman who sells books of the opera, to another gallery-door,\nwhere, after some disputing, Mr. Branghton at last paid, and we all\nwent up stairs.", "Madame Duval complained very much of the trouble of going so high:\nbut Mr. Branghton desired her not to hold the place too cheap;\n\"for, whatever you think,\" cried he, \"I assure you I paid pit price;\nso don't suppose I come here to save my money.\"", "\"Well, to be sure,\" said Miss Branghton, \"there's no judging of a\nplace by the outside, else, I must needs say, there's nothing very\nextraordinary in the stair-case.\"", "But, when we entered the gallery their amazement and disappointment\nbecame general.", "For a few instants, they looked at one another without\nspeaking, and then they all broke silence at once.", "\"Lord, papa,\" exclaimed Miss Polly, \"why, you have brought us to the\none-shilling gallery!\"", "\"I'll be glad to give you two shillings, though,\" answered he,\n\"to pay.", "I was never so fooled out of my money before, since the\nhouse of my birth.", "Either the door-keeper's a knave, or this is the\ngreatest imposition that ever was put upon the public.\"", "\"Ma foi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"I never sat in such a mean place in\nall my life;-why, it's as high-we shan't see nothing.\"", "\"I thought at the time,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"that three shillings was\nan exorbitant price for a place in the gallery: but as we'd been asked\nso much at the other doors, why I paid it without many words; but,\nthen, to be sure, thinks I, it can never be like any other gallery,\nwe shall see some crinkum-crankum or other for our money; but I find\nit's as arrant a take-in as ever I met with.\"", "\"Why, it's as like the twelve-penny gallery at Drury Lane,\" cried\nthe son, \"as two peas are to one another.", "I never knew father so\nbit before.\"", "\"Lord,\" said Miss Branghton, \"I thought it would have been quite a\nfine place,-all over, I don't know what,-and done quite in taste.\"", "In this manner they continued to express their dissatisfaction till\nthe curtain drew up; after which their observations were very curious.", "They made no allowance for the customs, or even for the language,\nof another country; but formed all their remarks upon comparisons\nwith the English theatre.", "Notwithstanding my vexation at having been forced into a party so\nvery disagreeable, and that, too, from one so much-so very much the\ncontrary-yet, would they have suffered me to listen, I should have\nforgotten every thing unpleasant, and felt nothing but delight in\nhearing the sweet voice of Signor Millico, the first singer; but they\ntormented me with continual talking.", "\"What a jabbering they make!\"", "cried Mr. Branghton, \"there's no\nknowing a word they say.", "Pray, what's the reason they can't as well\nsing in English?-but I suppose the fine folks would not like it,\nif they could understand it.\"", "\"How unnatural their action is!\"", "said the son: \"why, now, who ever\nsaw an Englishman put himself in such out-of-the-way postures?\"", "\"For my part,\" said Miss Polly, \"I think it's very pretty, only I\ndon't know what it means.\"", "\"Lord, what does that signify,\" cried her sister; \"mayn't one like a\nthing without being so very particular?-You may see that Miss likes\nit, and I don't suppose she knows more of the matter than we do.\"", "A gentleman, soon after, was so obliging as to make room in the front\nrow for Miss Branghton and me.", "We had no sooner seated ourselves,\nthan Miss Branghton exclaimed, \"Good gracious!", "only see!-why, Polly,\nall the people in the pit are without hats, dressed like anything!\"", "\"Lord, so they are,\" cried Miss Polly; \"well, I never saw the\nlike!-it's worth coming to the opera, if one saw nothing else.\"", "I was then able to distinguish the happy party I had left; and I saw\nthat Lord Orville had seated himself next to Mrs. Mirvan.", "Sir Clement\nhad his eyes perpetually cast towards the five-shilling gallery,\nwhere I suppose he concluded that we were seated; however, before the\nopera was over, I have reason to believe that he had discovered me,\nhigh and distant as I was from him.", "Probably he distinguished me by\nmy head-dress.", "At the end of the first act, as the green curtain dropped to prepare\nfor the dance, they imagined that the opera was done; and Mr. Branghton\nexpressed great indignation that he had been tricked out of his money\nwith so little trouble.", "\"Now, if any Englishman was to do such an\nimpudent thing as this,\" said he, \"why, he'd be pelted;-but here,\none of these outlandish gentry may do just what he pleases, and come\non, and squeak out a song or two, and then pocket your money without\nfurther ceremony.\"", "However, so determined he was to be dissatisfied, that, before the\nconclusion of the third act, he found still more fault with the opera\nfor being too long; and wondered whether they thought their singing\ngood enough to serve us for supper.", "During the symphony of a song of Signor Millico's, in the second act,\nyoung Mr. Branghton said, \"It's my belief that that fellow's going\nto sing another song!-why, there's nothing but singing!-I wonder when\nthey'll speak.\"", "This song, which was slow and pathetic, caught all my attention,\nand I leaned my head forward to avoid hearing their observations,\nthat I might listen without interruption: but, upon turning round,\nwhen the song was over, I found that I was the object of general\ndiversion to the whole party; for the Miss Branghtons were tittering,\nand the two gentlemen making signs and faces at me, implying their\ncontempt of my affectation.", "This discovery determined me to appear as inattentive as themselves;\nbut I was very much provoked at being thus prevented enjoying the\nonly pleasure, which, in such a party, was within my power.", "\"So Miss,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"you're quite in the fashion, I see-so\nyou like operas?", "Well, I'm not so polite; I can't like nonsense,\nlet it be never so much the taste.\"", "\"But pray, Miss,\" said the son, \"what makes that fellow look so\ndoleful while he is singing?\"", "\"Probably because the character he performs is in distress.\"", "\"Why, then, I think he might as well let alone singing till he's in\nbetter cue: it's out of all nature for a man to be piping when he's\nin distress.", "For my part, I never sing but when I'm merry; yet I love\na song as well as most people.\"", "When the curtain dropt they all rejoiced.", "\"How do you like it?", "\"-and \"How do you like it?\"", "passed from one\nto another with looks of the utmost contempt.", "\"As for me,\" said\nMr. Branghton, \"they've caught me once; but if ever they do again,\nI'll give 'em leave to sing me to Bedlam for my pains: for such a\nheap of stuff never did I hear: there isn't one ounce of sense in\nthe whole opera, nothing but one continued squeaking and squalling\nfrom beginning to end.\"", "\"If I had been in the pit,\" said Madame Duval, \"I should have liked it\nvastly, for music is my passion; but sitting in such a place as this,\nis quite unbearable.\"", "Miss Branghton, looking at me, declared, that she was not genteel\nenough to admire it.", "Miss Polly confessed, that, if they would but sing English, she would\nlike it very well.", "The brother wished he could raise a riot in the house, because then\nhe might get his money again.", "And, finally, they all agreed that it was monstrous dear.", "During the last dance, I perceived standing near the gallery-door,\nSir Clement Willoughby.", "I was extremely vexed, and would have given\nthe world to have avoided being seen by him: my chief objection was,\nfrom the apprehension that he would hear Miss Branghton call me\ncousin.-I fear you will think this London journey has made me grow\nvery proud; but indeed this family is so low-bred and vulgar, that\nI should be equally ashamed of such a connection in the country,\nor anywhere.", "And really I had already been so much chagrined that\nSir Clement had been a witness of Madame Duval's power over me,\nthat I could not bear to be exposed to any further mortification.", "As the seats cleared, by parties going away, Sir Clement approached\nnearer to us.", "The Miss Branghtons observed with surprise, what a\nfine gentleman was come into the gallery; and they gave me great\nreason to expect, that they would endeavour to attract his notice,\nby familiarity with me, whenever he should join us; and so I formed a\nsort of plan to prevent any conversation.", "I'm afraid you will think\nit wrong; and so I do myself now;-but, at the time, I only considered\nhow I might avoid immediate humiliation.", "As soon as he was within two seats of us, he spoke to me: \"I am\nvery happy, Miss Anville, to have found you, for the ladies below\nhave each an humble attendant, and therefore I am come to offer my\nservices here.\"", "\"Why then,\" cried I, (not without hesitating) \"if you please,-I will\njoin them.\"", "\"Will you allow me the honour of conducting you?\"", "cried he eagerly;\nand, instantly taking my hand, he would have marched away with me:\nbut I turned to Madame Duval, and said, \"As our party is so large,\nMadame, if you will give me leave, I will go down to Mrs. Mirvan,\nthat I may not crowd you in the coach.\"", "And then, without waiting for an answer, I suffered Sir Clement to\nhand me out of the gallery.", "Madame Duval, I doubt not, will be very angry; and so I am with myself\nnow, and therefore I cannot be surprised: but Mr. Branghton, I am\nsure, will easily comfort himself, in having escaped the additional\ncoach-expense of carrying me to Queen Ann Street; as to his daughters,\nthey had no time to speak; but I saw they were in utter amazement.", "My intention was to join Mrs. Mirvan, and accompany her home.", "Sir\nClement was in high spirits and good humour; and all the way he went,\nI was fool enough to rejoice in secret at the success of my plan;\nnor was it till I got down stairs, and amidst the servants, that any\ndifficulty occurred to me of meeting with my friends.", "I then asked Sir Clement, how I should contrive to acquaint Mrs. Mirvan\nthat I had left Madame Duval?", "\"I fear it will be almost impossible to find her,\" answered he;\n\"but you can have no objection to permitting me to see you safe home.\"", "He then desired his servant, who was waiting, to order his chariot\nto draw up.", "This quite startled me; I turned to him hastily, and said that I\ncould not think of going away without Mrs. Mirvan.", "\"But how can we meet with her?\"", "cried he; \"you will not choose to\ngo into the pit yourself; I cannot send a servant there; and it is\nimpossible for me to go and leave you alone.\"", "The truth of this was indisputable, and totally silenced me.", "Yet,\nas soon as I could recollect myself, I determined not to go into\nhis chariot, and told him I believed I had best return to my party\nup stairs.", "He would not hear of this; and earnestly intreated me not to withdraw\nthe trust I had reposed in him.", "While he was speaking, I saw Lord Orville, with several ladies and\ngentlemen, coming from the pit passage: unfortunately he saw me too,\nand, leaving his company, advanced instantly towards me, and with an\nair and voice of surprise, said, \"Good God, do I see Miss Anville!\"", "I now most severely felt the folly of my plan, and the awkwardness\nof my situation: however, I hastened to tell him, though in a\nhesitating manner, that I was waiting for Mrs. Mirvan; but what was my\ndisappointment, when he acquainted me that she was already gone home!", "I was inexpressibly distressed; to suffer Lord Orville to think\nme satisfied with the single protection of Sir Clement Willoughby,\nI could not bear; yet I was more than ever averse to returning to a\nparty which I dreaded his seeing.", "I stood some moments in suspense,\nand could not help exclaiming, \"Good Heaven, what can I do!\"", "\"Why, my dear madam,\" cried Sir Clement, \"should you be thus\nuneasy?-you will reach Queen Ann Street almost as soon as Mrs. Mirvan,\nand I am sure you cannot doubt being as safe.\"", "I made no answer, and Lord Orville then said, \"My coach is here; and\nmy servants are ready to take any commands Miss Anville will honour\nme with for them.", "I shall myself go home in a chair, and therefore-\"\n\nHow grateful did I feel for a proposal so considerate, and made\nwith so much delicacy!", "I should gladly have accepted it, had I been\npermitted, but Sir Clement would not let him even finish his speech;\nhe interrupted him with evident displeasure, and said, \"My Lord,\nmy own chariot is now at the door.\"", "And just then the servant came, and told him the carriage was ready.", "He\nbegged to have the honour of conducting me to it, and would have taken\nmy hand; but I drew it back, saying, \"I can't-I can't indeed!", "pray\ngo by yourself-and as to me, let me have a chair.\"", "\"Impossible,\" cried he with vehemence, \"I cannot think of trusting\nyou with strange chairmen,-I cannot answer it to Mrs. Mirvan;-come,\ndear Madam, we shall be home in five minutes.\"", "Again I stood suspended.", "With what joy would I then have compromised\nwith my pride, to have been once more with Madame Duval and the\nBranghtons, provided I had not met with Lord Orville!", "However, I\nflatter myself that he not only saw but pitied my embarrassment; for\nhe said in a tone of voice unusually softened, \"To offer my services\nin the presence of Sir Clement Willoughby would be superfluous; but\nI hope I need not assure Miss Anville how happy it would make me to\nbe of the least use to her.\"", "I courtsied my thanks.", "Sir Clement, with great earnestness, pressed\nme to go; and while I was thus uneasily deliberating what to do, the\ndance, I suppose, finished, for the people crowded down stairs.", "Had\nLord Orville then repeated his offer, I would have accepted it\nnotwithstanding Sir Clement's repugnance; but I fancy he thought it\nwould be impertinent.", "In a very few minutes I heard Madame Duval's\nvoice, as she descended from the gallery.", "\"Well,\" cried I hastily,\n\"if I must go-\" I stopt; but Sir Clement immediately handed me\ninto his chariot, called out, \"Queen Ann Street,\" and then jumped\nin himself.", "Lord Orville, with a bow and a half smile, wished me\ngood night.", "My concern was so great at being seen and left by Lord Orville in so\nstrange a situation, that I should have been best pleased to have\nremained wholly silent during our ride home; but Sir Clement took\ncare to prevent that.", "He began by making many complaints of my unwillingness to trust myself\nwith him, and begged to know what could be the reason?", "This question\nso much embarrassed me, that I could not tell what to answer; but\nonly said, that I was sorry to have taken up so much of his time.", "\"O Miss Anville,\" cried he, taking my hand, \"if you knew with what\ntransport I would dedicate to you not only the present but all the\nfuture time allotted to me, you would not injure me by making such\nan apology.\"", "I could not think of a word to say to this, nor to a great many other\nequally fine speeches with which he ran on; though I would fain have\nwithdrawn my hand, and made almost continual attempts; but in vain,\nfor he actually grasped it between both his, without any regard to\nmy resistance.", "Soon after, he said that he believed the coachman was going the wrong\nway; and he called to his servant, and gave him directions.", "Then\nagain addressing himself to me, \"How often, how assiduously have I\nsought an opportunity of speaking to you, without the presence of\nthat brute, Captain Mirvan!", "Fortune has now kindly favoured me with\none; and permit me,\" again seizing my hand, \"permit me to use it in\ntelling you that I adore you.\"", "I was quite thunderstruck at this abrupt and unexpected\ndeclaration.", "For some moments I was silent; but when I recovered\nfrom my surprise, I said, \"Indeed, Sir, if you were determined to\nmake me repent leaving my own party so foolishly, you have very\nwell succeeded.\"", "\"My dearest life,\" cried he, \"is it possible you can be so cruel?", "Can\nyour nature and your countenance be so totally opposite?", "Can the\nsweet bloom upon those charming cheeks, which appears as much the\nresult of good-humour as of beauty-\"\n\n\"O, Sir,\" cried I, interrupting him, \"this is very fine; but I had\nhoped we had had enough of this sort of conversation at the ridotto,\nand I did not expect you would so soon resume it.\"", "\"What I then said, my sweet reproacher, was the effect of a mistaken,\na profane idea, that your understanding held no competition with your\nbeauty; but now, now that I find you equally incomparable in both, all\nwords, all powers of speech, are too feeble to express the admiration\nI feel of your excellencies.\"", "\"Indeed,\" cried I, \"if your thoughts had any connection with your\nlanguage, you would never suppose that I could give credit to praise\nso very much above my desert.\"", "This speech, which I made very gravely, occasioned still stronger\nprotestations; which he continued to pour forth, and I continued to\ndisclaim, till I began to wonder that we were not in Queen Ann Street,\nand begged he would desire the coachman to drive faster.", "\"And does this little moment,\" cried he, \"which is the first of\nhappiness I have ever known, does it already appear so very long\nto you?\"", "\"I am afraid the man has mistaken the way,\" answered I, \"or else we\nshould ere now have been at our journey's end.", "I must beg you will\nspeak to him.\"", "\"And can you think me so much my own enemy?-if my good genius has\ninspired the man with a desire of prolonging my happiness, can you\nexpect that I should counteract its indulgence?\"", "I now began to apprehend that he had himself ordered the man to go\na wrong way; and I was so much alarmed at the idea, that, the very\ninstant it occurred to me, I let down the glass, and made a sudden\neffort to open the chariot-door myself, with a view of jumping into\nthe street; but he caught hold of me, exclaiming, \"For Heaven's sake,\nwhat is the matter?\"", "\"I-I don't know,\" cried I (quite out of breath), \"but I am sure the\nman goes wrong; and if you will not speak to him, I am determined I\nwill get out myself.\"", "\"You amaze me,\" answered he (still holding me), \"I cannot imagine\nwhat you apprehend.", "Surely you can have no doubts of my honour?\"", "He drew me towards him as he spoke.", "I was frightened dreadfully,\nand could hardly say, \"No, Sir, no,-none at all: only Mrs. Mirvan,-I\nthink she will be uneasy.\"", "\"Whence this alarm, my dearest angel?-What can you fear?-my life is\nat your devotion, and can you, then, doubt my protection?\"", "And so saying, he passionately kissed my hand.", "Never, in my whole life, have I been so terrified.", "I broke forcibly\nfrom him, and, putting my head out of the window, called aloud to the\nman to stop.", "Where we then were, I know not; but I saw not a human\nbeing, or I should have called for help.", "Sir Clement, with great earnestness, endeavoured to appease and\ncompose me: \"If you do not intend to murder me,\" cried I, \"for mercy's,\nfor pity's sake, let me get out!\"", "\"Compose your spirits, my dearest life,\" cried he, \"and I will do\neverything you would have me.\"", "And then he called to the man himself,\nand bid him make haste to Queen Ann Street.", "\"This stupid fellow,\"\ncontinued he, \"has certainly mistaken my orders; but I hope you are\nnow fully satisfied.\"", "I made no answer, but kept my head at the window watching which way he\ndrove, but without any comfort to myself, as I was quite unacquainted\nwith either the right or the wrong.", "Sir Clement now poured forth abundant protestations of honour, and\nassurances of respect, intreating my pardon for having offended me,\nand beseeching my good opinion: but I was quite silent, having too much\napprehension to make reproaches, and too much anger to speak without.", "In this manner we went through several streets, till at last, to my\ngreat terror, he suddenly ordered the man to stop, and said, \"Miss\nAnville, we are now within twenty yards of your house; but I cannot\nbear to part with you, till you generously forgive me for the offence\nyou have taken, and promise not to make it known to the Mirvan's.\"", "I hesitated between fear and indignation.", "\"Your reluctance to speak redoubles my contrition for having displeased\nyou, since it shews the reliance I might have on a promise which you\nwill not give without consideration.\"", "\"I am very, very much distressed,\" cried I; \"you ask a promise which\nyou must be sensible I ought not to grant, and yet dare not refuse.\"", "\"Drive on!\"", "cried he to the coachman;-\"Miss Anville, I will not compel\nyou; I will exact no promise, but trust wholly to your generosity.\"", "This rather softened me; which advantage he no sooner received, than\nhe determined to avail himself of; for he flung himself on his knees,\nand pleaded with so much submission, that I was really obliged to\nforgive him, because his humiliation made me quite ashamed: and,\nafter that, he would not let me rest till I gave him my word that I\nwould not complain of him to Mrs. Mirvan.", "My own folly and pride, which had put me in his power, were pleas\nwhich I could not but attend to in his favour.", "However, I shall take\nvery particular care never to be again alone with him.", "When, at last, we arrived at our house, I was so overjoyed, that I\nshould certainly have pardoned him then, if I had not before.", "As he\nhanded me up stairs, he scolded his servant aloud, and very angrily,\nfor having gone so much out of the way.", "Miss Mirvan ran out to meet\nme; -and who should I see behind her, but Lord Orville!", "All my joy now vanished, and gave place to shame and confusion; for\nI could not endure that he should know how long a time Sir Clement\nand I had been together, since I was not at liberty to assign any\nreason for it.", "They all expressed great satisfaction at seeing me; and said they\nhad been extremely uneasy and surprised that I was so long coming\nhome, as they had heard from Lord Orville that I was not with Madame\nDuval.", "Sir Clement, in an affected passion, said, that his booby of\na servant had misunderstood his orders, and was driving us to the\nupper end of Piccadilly.", "For my part, I only coloured; for though I\nwould not forfeit my word, I yet disdained to confirm a tale in which\nI had myself no belief.", "Lord Orville, with great politeness, congratulated me, that the\ntroubles of the evening had so happily ended; and said, that he had\nfound it impossible to return home, before he enquired after my safety.", "In a very short time he took his leave, and Sir Clement followed\nhim.", "As soon as they were gone, Mrs. Mirvan, though with great\nsoftness, blamed me for having quitted Madame Duval.", "I assured her,\nand with truth, that for the future I would be more prudent.", "The adventures of the evening so much disconcerted me, that I could\nnot sleep all night.", "I am under the most cruel apprehensions lest\nLord Orville should suppose my being on the gallery-stairs with Sir\nClement was a concerted scheme, and even that our continuing so long\ntogether in his chariot was with my approbation, since I did not say a\nword on the subject, nor express my dissatisfaction at the coachman's\npretended blunder.", "Yet his coming hither to wait our arrival though it seems to imply\nsome doubt, shews also some anxiety.", "Indeed, Miss Mirvan says,\nthat he appeared extremely anxious, nay, uneasy and impatient for\nmy return.", "If I did not fear to flatter myself, I should think it\nnot impossible but that he had a suspicion of Sir Clement's design,\nand was therefore concerned for my safety.", "What a long letter is this!", "however, I shall not write many more from\nLondon; for the Captain said this morning, that he would leave town\non Tuesday next.", "Madame Duval will dine here to-day, and then she\nis to be told his intention.", "I am very much amazed that she accepted Mrs. Mirvan's invitation, as\nshe was in such wrath yesterday.", "I fear that to-day I shall myself be\nthe principal object of her displeasure; but I must submit patiently,\nfor I cannot defend myself.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "Should this letter be productive of any\nuneasiness to you, more than ever shall I repent the heedless\nimprudence which it recites.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "I cannot too much thank you, my best Evelina, for the minuteness of\nyour communications.", "What his\nown reasons were for honouring us with his company, I cannot imagine;\nunless, indeed, he had a curiosity to know whether I should invent\nany new impertinence concerning him.", "He did not however, choose to take any notice\nof this: but, having bit his nails some time in manifest confusion,\nhe turned very quick to me, and in a sneering tone of voice, said,\n\"For my part, I was most struck with the country young lady, Miss Prue;\npray what do you think of her, Ma'am?\"", "When we came to her lodgings we found all the Branghtons in the\npassage, impatiently waiting for us with the door open.", "cried the brother.", "\"The price of stocks,\" said he, \"is enough for me to see after; and\nI took it for granted it was the same thing here as at the playhouse.\"", "\"Well, to be sure,\" said Miss Branghton, \"there's no judging of a\nplace by the outside, else, I must needs say, there's nothing very\nextraordinary in the stair-case.\"", "cried he eagerly;\nand, instantly taking my hand, he would have marched away with me:\nbut I turned to Madame Duval, and said, \"As our party is so large,\nMadame, if you will give me leave, I will go down to Mrs. Mirvan,\nthat I may not crowd you in the coach.\"", "\"I fear it will be almost impossible to find her,\" answered he;\n\"but you can have no objection to permitting me to see you safe home.\"", "I must beg you will\nspeak to him.\"" ]

[ "I will not, therefore, enlarge\nupon this subject; but content myself with telling you, that I shall\nheartily rejoice when I hear of your safe arrival at Howard Grove,\nfor which place I hope you will be preparing at the time you receive\nthis letter.", "We all\nexpressed our concern, and offered our assistance-except the Captain,\nwho no sooner beheld her than he burst out into a loud laugh.", "\"For my part,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"I confess I seldom listen to the\nplayers: one has so much to do, in looking about and finding out one's\nacquaintance, that, really, one has no time to mind the stage.", "How new to you is the scene of life in which you are\nengaged!-balls-plays-operas-ridottos!-Ah, my child!", "Madame Duval demanded his business: \"Madam,\" answered he,\n\"my master desires his compliments to you, and-and-and he says he\nwishes it well over with you.", "\"The price of stocks,\" said he, \"is enough for me to see after; and\nI took it for granted it was the same thing here as at the playhouse.\"", "I made no answer, for I thought his rudeness intolerable; but Sir\nClement, with great warmth, said, \"I am surprised that you can suppose\nsuch an object as Miss Prue would engage the attention of Miss Anville\neven for a moment.\"", "only see!-why, Polly,\nall the people in the pit are without hats, dressed like anything!\"", "\"Why, my dear madam,\" cried Sir Clement, \"should you be thus\nuneasy?-you will reach Queen Ann Street almost as soon as Mrs. Mirvan,\nand I am sure you cannot doubt being as safe.\"", "\"And yet,\" he continued, \"my excuse may only expose my own credulity,\nand want of judgment and penetration." ]

[ "When the play was over, I flattered myself I should be able to look\nabout me with less restraint, as we intended to stay the farce; but\nthe curtain had hardly dropped, when the box-door opened, and in came\nMr. Lovel, the man by whose foppery and impertinence I was so much\nteased at the ball where I first saw Lord Orville.", "I turned away my head, and began talking to Miss Mirvan; for I was\ndesirous to avoid speaking to him-but in vain; for, as soon as he had\nmade his compliments to Lord Orville and Sir Clement Willoughby, who\nreturned them very coldly, he bent his head forward and said to me,\n\"I hope, Ma'am, you have enjoyed your health since I had the honour-I\nbeg ten thousand pardons, but, I protest I was going to say the honour\nof dancing with you-however, I mean the honour of seeing you dance?\"", "He spoke with a self-complacency that convinced me that he had studied\nthis address, by way of making reprisals for my conduct at the ball;\nI therefore bowed slightly, but made no answer.", "After a short silence he again called my attention, by saying, in an\neasy, negligent way, \"I think, Ma'am, you was never in town before?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"So I did presume.", "Doubtless, Ma'am, every thing must be infinitely\nnovel to you.", "Our customs, our manners, and les etiquettes de nous\nautres, can have little very resemblance to those you have been used\nto.", "I imagine, Ma'am, your retirement is at no very small distance\nfrom the capital?\"", "I was so much disconcerted at this sneering speech, that I said not\na word; though I have since thought my vexation both stimulated and\ndelighted him.", "\"The air we breathe here, however, Ma'am,\" continued he, very\nconceitedly, \"though foreign to that you have been accustomed to,\nhas not I hope been at variance with your health?\"" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XV MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, April 16.", "IN the belief and hope that my Evelina would, ere now, have bid adieu\nto London, I had intended to have deferred writing, till I heard\nof her return to Howard Grove; but the letter I have this moment\nreceived, with intelligence of Madame Duval's arrival in England,\ndemands an immediate answer.", "Her journey hither equally grieves and alarms me.", "How much did I\npity my child, when I read of a discovery at once so unexpected\nand unwished!", "I have long dreaded this meeting and its consequence;\nto claim you seems naturally to follow acknowledging you.", "I am well\nacquainted with her disposition, and have for many years foreseen\nthe contest which now threatens us.", "Cruel as are the circumstances of this affair, you must not, my\nlove, suffer it to depress your spirits: remember, that while life\nis lent me, I will devote it to your service; and, for future time,\nI will make such provisions as shall seem to me most conducive to\nyour future happiness.", "Secure of my protection, and relying on my\ntenderness, let no apprehensions of Madame Duval disturb your peace:\nconduct yourself towards her with all the respect and deference due\nto so near a relation, remembering always, that the failure of duty\non her part, can by no means justify any neglect on your's.", "Indeed,\nthe more forcibly you are struck with improprieties and misconduct\nin another, the greater should be your observance and diligence\nto avoid even the shadow of similar errors.", "Be careful, therefore,\nthat no remissness of attention, no indifference of obliging, make\nknown to her the independence I assure you of; but when she fixes\nthe time for her leaving England, trust to me the task of refusing\nyour attending her: disagreeable to myself, I own, it will be; yet\nto you it would be improper, if not impossible.", "Indeed, Miss Mirvan says,\nthat he appeared extremely anxious, nay, uneasy and impatient for\nmy return.", "If I did not fear to flatter myself, I should think it\nnot impossible but that he had a suspicion of Sir Clement's design,\nand was therefore concerned for my safety.", "What a long letter is this!", "however, I shall not write many more from\nLondon; for the Captain said this morning, that he would leave town\non Tuesday next.", "Madame Duval will dine here to-day, and then she\nis to be told his intention.", "I am very much amazed that she accepted Mrs. Mirvan's invitation, as\nshe was in such wrath yesterday.", "I fear that to-day I shall myself be\nthe principal object of her displeasure; but I must submit patiently,\nfor I cannot defend myself.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "Should this letter be productive of any\nuneasiness to you, more than ever shall I repent the heedless\nimprudence which it recites.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nMonday Morning, April 18.", "MRS. MIRVAN has just communicated to me an anecdote concerning Lord\nOrville, which has much surprised, half pleased, and half pained me.", "While they were sitting together during the opera, he told her that\nhe had been greatly concerned at the impertinence which the young\nlady under her protection had suffered from Mr. Lovel; but that he\nhad the pleasure of assuring her, she had no future disturbance to\napprehend from him.", "Mrs. Mirvan, with great eagerness, begged he would explain himself;\nand said she hoped he had not thought so insignificant an affair\nworthy his serious attention.", "\"There is nothing,\" answered he, \"which requires more immediate notice\nthan impertinence, for it ever encroaches when it is tolerated.\"", "He\nthen added, that he believed he ought to apologize for the liberty\nhe had taken in interfering; but that, as he regarded himself in the\nlight of a party concerned, from having had the honour of dancing\nwith Miss Anville, he could not possibly reconcile to himself a\npatient neutrality.", "He then proceeded to tell her, that he had waited upon Mr. Lovel the\nmorning after the play; that the visit had proved an amicable one,\nbut the particulars were neither entertaining nor necessary: he only\nassured her, Miss Anville might be perfectly easy, since Mr. Lovel\nhad engaged his honour never more to mention, or even to hint at what\nhad passed at Mrs. Stanley's assembly.", "Mrs. Mirvan expressed her satisfaction at this conclusion, and thanked\nhim for his polite attention to her young friend.", "\"It would be needless,\" said he, \"to request that this affair may\nnever transpire, since Mrs. Mirvan cannot but see the necessity of\nkeeping it inviolably secret; but I thought it incumbent upon me,\nas the young lady is under your protection, to assure both you and\nher of Mr. Lovel's future respect.\"", "Had I known of this visit previous to Lord Orville's making it, what\ndreadful uneasiness would it have cost me!", "Yet that he should so much\ninterest himself in securing me from offence, gives me, I must own,\nan internal pleasure, greater than I can express; for I feared he\nhad too contemptuous an opinion of me, to take any trouble upon my\naccount.", "Though, after all, this interference might rather be to\nsatisfy his own delicacy, than from thinking well of me.", "But how cool, how quiet is true courage!", "Who, from seeing Lord Orville\nat the play, would have imagined his resentment would have hazarded\nhis life?", "yet his displeasure was evident, though his real bravery and\nhis politeness equally guarded him from entering into any discussion\nin our presence.", "Madame Duval, as I expected, was most terribly angry yesterday:\nshe scolded me for, I believe, two hours, on account of having\nleft her; and protested she had been so much surprised at my going,\nwithout giving her time to answer, that she hardly knew whether she\nwas awake or asleep.", "But she assured me that if ever I did so again,\nshe would never more take me into public.", "And she expressed an equal\ndegree of displeasure against Sir Clement, because he had not even\nspoken to her, and because he was always of the Captain's side in\nan argument.", "The Captain, as bound in honour, warmly defended him,\nand then followed a dispute in the usual style.", "After dinner, Mrs. Mirvan introduced the subject of our leaving\nLondon.", "Madame Duval said she would stay a month or two longer.", "The\nCaptain told her she was welcome, but that he and his family should\ngo into the country on Tuesday morning.", "A most disagreeable scene followed.", "Madame Duval insisted upon keeping\nme with her; but Mrs. Mirvan said, that as I was actually engaged on\na visit to Lady Howard, who had only consented to my leaving her for\na few days, she could not think of returning without me.", "Perhaps, if the Captain had not interfered, the good-breeding and\nmildness of Mrs. Mirvan might have had some effect upon Madame Duval;\nbut he passes no opportunity of provoking her; and therefore made\nso many gross and rude speeches, all of which she retorted, that,\nin conclusion, she vowed she would sooner go to law in right of her\nrelationship, than that I should be taken away from her.", "I heard this account from Mrs. Mirvan, who was so kindly considerate\nas to give me a pretence for quitting the room as soon as this\ndispute began, lest Madame Duval should refer to me, and insist on\nmy obedience.", "The final result of the conversation was, that, to soften matters for\nthe present, Madame Duval should make one in the party to Howard Grove,\nwhither we are positively to go next Wednesday.", "And though we are\nnone of us satisfied with this plan, we know not how to form a better.", "Mrs. Mirvan is now writing to Lady Howard, to excuse bringing this\nunexpected guest, and prevent the disagreeable surprise which must\notherwise attend her reception.", "This dear lady seems eternally studying\nmy happiness and advantage.", "To-night we go to the Pantheon, which is the last diversion we shall\npartake of in London; for to-morrow- * * * * *\n\n\nThis moment, my dearest Sir, I have received your kind letter.", "If you thought us too dissipated the first week, I almost fear to\nknow what you will think of us this second;-however, the Pantheon this\nevening will probably be the last public place which I shall ever see.", "The assurance of your support and protection in regard to Madame Duval,\nthough what I never doubted, excites my utmost gratitude.", "How,\nindeed, cherished under your roof, the happy object of your\nconstant indulgence, how could I have borne to become the slave of\nher tyrannical humours?", "-Pardon me that I speak so hardly of her;\nbut whenever the idea of passing my days with her occurs to me, the\ncomparison which naturally follows, takes from me all that forbearance\nwhich, I believe, I owe her.", "You are already displeased with Sir Clement: to be sure, then, his\nbehaviour after the opera will not make his peace with you.", "Indeed\nthe more I reflect upon it, the more angry I am.", "I was entirely in\nhis power, and it was cruel in him to cause me so much terror.", "O, my dearest Sir, were I but worthy the prayers and the wishes\nyou offer for me, the utmost ambition of my heart would be fully\nsatisfied!", "but I greatly fear you will find me, now that I am out of\nthe reach of your assisting prudence, more weak and imperfect than\nyou could have expected.", "I have not now time to write another word, for I must immediately\nhasten to dress for the evening.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nQueen Ann Street, Tuesday, April 19.", "THERE is something to me half melancholy in writing an account of our\nlast adventures in London.", "However, as this day is merely appropriated\nto packing and preparations for our journey, and as I shall shortly\nhave no more adventures to write, I think I may as well complete my\ntown journal at once: and, when you have it all together, I hope,\nmy dear Sir, you will send me your observations and thoughts upon it\nto Howard Grove.", "About eight o'clock we went to the Pantheon.", "I was extremely struck\nwith the beauty of the building, which greatly surpassed whatever\nI could have expected or imagined.", "Yet it has more the appearance\nof a chapel than of a place of diversion; and, though I was quite\ncharmed with the magnificence of the room, I felt that I could\nnot be as gay and thoughtless there as at Ranelagh; for there is\nsomething in it which rather inspires awe and solemnity, than mirth\nand pleasure.", "However, perhaps it may only have this effect upon such\na novice as myself.", "I should have said, that our party consisted only of Captain, Mrs. and\nMiss Mirvan, as Madame Duval spent the day in the city;-which I own\nI could not lament.", "There was a great deal of company; but the first person we saw was Sir\nClement Willoughby.", "He addressed us with his usual ease, and joined\nus for the whole evening.", "I felt myself very uneasy in his presence;\nfor I could not look at him, nor hear him speak, without recollecting\nthe chariot adventure; but, to my great amazement, I observed that\nhe looked at me without the least apparent discomposure, though,\ncertainly, he ought not to think of his behaviour without blushing.", "I\nreally wish I had not forgiven him, and then he could not have ventured\nto speak to me any more.", "There was an exceeding good concert, but too much talking to hear\nit well.", "Indeed I am quite astonished to find how little music\nis attended to in silence; for, though every body seems to admire,\nhardly any body listens.", "We did not see Lord Orville till we went into the tea-room, which\nis large, low, and under ground, and serves merely as a foil to the\napartments above; he then sat next to us.", "He seemed to belong to a\nlarge party, chiefly of ladies; but, among the gentlemen attending\nthem, I perceived Mr. Lovel.", "I was extremely irresolute whether or not I ought to make any\nacknowledgments to Lord Orville for his generous conduct in securing\nme from the future impertinence of that man; and I thought, that,\nas he had seemed to allow Mrs. Mirvan to acquaint me, though no one\nelse, of the measures which he had taken, he might perhaps suppose me\nungrateful if silent: however, I might have spared myself the trouble\nof deliberating, as I never once had the shadow of an opportunity of\nspeaking unheard by Sir Clement.", "On the contrary, he was so exceedingly\nofficious and forward, that I could not say a word to any body but\ninstantly he bent his head forward, with an air of profound attention,\nas if I had addressed myself wholly to him; and yet I never once\nlooked at him, and would not have spoken to him on any account.", "Indeed, Mrs. Mirvan herself, though unacquainted with the behaviour of\nSir Clement after the opera, says it is not right for a young woman to\nbe seen so frequently in public with the same gentleman; and, if our\nstay in town was to be lengthened, she would endeavour to represent\nto the Captain the impropriety of allowing his constant attendance;\nfor Sir Clement with all his easiness, could not be so eternally of\nour parties, if the Captain was less fond of his company.", "At the same table with Lord Orville sat a gentleman,-I call him so\nonly because he was at the same table,-who, almost from the moment\nI was seated, fixed his eyes steadfastly on my face, and never once\nremoved them to any other object during tea-time, notwithstanding my\ndislike of his staring must, I am sure, have been very evident.", "I was\nquite surprised, that a man, whose boldness was so offensive, could\nhave gained admission into a party of which Lord Orville made one;\nfor I naturally concluded him to be some low-bred, uneducated man;\nand I thought my idea was indubitably confirmed, when I heard him say\nto Sir Clement Willoughby, in an audible whisper,-which is a mode of\nspeech very distressing and disagreeable to bystanders,-\"For Heaven's\nsake, Willoughby, who is that lovely creature?\"", "But what was my amazement, when, listening attentively for the answer,\nthough my head was turned another way, I heard Sir Clement say,\n\"I am sorry I cannot inform your Lordship, but I am ignorant myself.\"", "Lordship!", "how extraordinary!", "that a nobleman, accustomed, in all\nprobability, to the first rank of company in the kingdom, from his\nearliest infancy, can possibly be deficient in good manners, however\nfaulty in morals and principles!", "Even Sir Clement Willoughby appeared\nmodest in comparison with this person.", "During tea, a conversation was commenced upon the times, fashions,\nand public places, in which the company of both tables joined.", "It\nbegan by Sir Clement's inquiring of Miss Mirvan and of me, if the\nPantheon had answered our expectations.", "We both readily agreed that it had greatly exceeded them.", "\"Ay, to be sure,\" said the Captain, \"why, you don't suppose they'd\nconfess they didn't like it, do you?", "Whatever's the fashion, they\nmust like, of course;-or else, I'd be bound for it, they'd own,\nthat there never was such a dull place as this here invented.\"", "\"And has, then, this building,\" said Lord Orville, \"no merit that may\nserve to lessen your censure?", "Will not your eye, Sir, speak something\nin its favour?\"", "\"Eye!\"", "cried the Lord, (I don't know his name,) \"and is there any eye\nhere, that can find pleasure in looking at dead walls or statues, when\nsuch heavenly living objects as I now see demand all their admiration?\"", "\"O, certainly,\" said Lord Orville, \"the lifeless symmetry of\narchitecture, however beautiful the design and proportion, no man would\nbe so mad as to put in competition with the animated charms of nature:\nbut when, as to-night, the eye may be regaled at the same time, and\nin one view, with all the excellence of art, and all the perfection\nof nature, I cannot think that either suffer by being seen together.\"", "\"I grant, my Lord,\" said Sir Clement, \"that the cool eye of\nunimpassioned philosophy may view both with equal attention, and\nequal safety; but, where the heart is not so well guarded, it is\napt to interfere, and render, even to the eye, all objects but one\ninsipid and uninteresting.\"", "\"Aye, Aye,\" cried the Captain, \"you may talk what you will of your\neye here, and your eye there, and, for the matter of that, to be sure\nyou have two,-but we all know they both squint one way.\"", "\"Far be it from me,\" said Lord Orville, \"to dispute the magnetic\npower of beauty, which irresistibly draws and attracts whatever has\nsoul and sympathy: and I am happy to acknowledge, that though we\nhave now no gods to occupy a mansion professedly built for them,\nyet we have secured their better halves, for we have goddesses to\nwhom we all most willingly bow down.\"", "And then with a very droll air,\nhe made a profound reverence to the ladies.", "\"They'd need to be goddesses with a vengeance,\" said the Captain,\n\"for they're mortal dear to look at.", "Howsomever, I should be glad\nto know what you can see in e'er a face among them that's worth\nhalf-a-guinea for a sight.\"", "\"Half-a-guinea!\"", "exclaimed that same Lord, \"I would give half I am\nworth for a sight of only one, provided I make my own choice.", "And,\nprithee, how can money be better employed than in the service of\nfine women?\"", "\"If the ladies of his own party can pardon the Captain's speech,\" said\nSir Clement, \"I think he has a fair claim to the forgiveness of all.\"", "\"Then you depend very much, as I doubt not but you may,\" said Lord\nOrville, \"upon the general sweetness of the sex;-but as to the ladies\nof the Captain's party, they may easily pardon, for they cannot\nbe hurt.\"", "\"But they must have a devilish good conceit of themselves, though,\"\nsaid the Captain, \"to believe all that.", "Howsomever, whether or no,\nI should be glad to be told by some of you, who seem to be knowing\nin them things, what kind of diversion can be found in such a place\nas this here, for one who has had, long ago, his full of face-hunting?\"", "Every body laughed, but nobody spoke.", "\"Why, look you there now,\" continued the Captain, \"you're all at a dead\nstand!-not a man among you can answer that there question.", "Why, then,\nI must make bold to conclude, that you all come here for no manner\nof purpose but to stare at one another's pretty faces:-though, for\nthe matter of that, half of 'em are plaguy ugly;-and, as to t'other\nhalf,-I believe it's none of God's manufactory.\"", "\"What the ladies may come hither for, Sir,\" said Mr. Lovel, (stroking\nhis ruffles, and looking down,) \"it would ill become us to determine;\nbut as to we men, doubtless we can have no other view than to admire\nthem.\"", "\"If I ben't mistaken,\" cried the Captain, (looking earnestly in\n his face,)\n\"you are that same person we saw at Love for Love t'other night;\nben't you?\"", "Mr. Lovel bowed.", "\"Why, then, Gentlemen,\" continued he, with a loud laugh, \"I must tell\nyou a most excellent good joke;-when all was over, as sure as you're\nalive, he asked what the play was!", "Ha, ha, ha!\"", "\"Sir,\" said Mr. Lovel, colouring, \"if you were as much used to\n town-life as I\nam,-which, I presume, is not precisely the case,-I fancy you would\nnot find so much diversion from a circumstance so common.\"", "\"Common!", "What, is it common?\"", "repeated the Captain; \"why then,\n 'fore George,\nsuch chaps are more fit to be sent to school, and well disciplined with\na cat-o'-nine tails, than to poke their heads into a play-house.", "Why,\na play is the only thing left, now-a-days, that has a grain of sense\nin it; for as to all the rest of your public places, d'ye see, if\nthey were all put together, I wouldn't give that for 'em!\"", "(snapping\nhis fingers.)", "\"And now we're talking of them sort of things, there's\nyour operas,-I should like to know, now, what any of you can find to\nsay for them.\"", "Lord Orville, who was most able to have answered, seemed by no means\n to think\nthe Captain worthy an argument, upon a subject concerning which he\nhad neither knowledge nor feeling: but, turning to us, he said, \"The\nladies are silent, and we seem to have engrossed the conversation to\nourselves, in which we are much more our own enemies than theirs.", "But,\"\naddressing himself to Miss Mirvan and me, \"I am most desirous to hear\nthe opinions of these young ladies, to whom all public places must,\nas yet, be new.\"", "We both, and with eagerness, declared that we had received as much,\n if not\nmore pleasure, at the opera than any where: but we had better have\nbeen silent; for the Captain, quite displeased, said, \"What signifies\nasking them girls?", "Do you think they know their own minds yet?", "Ask\n'em after any thing that's called diversion, and you're sure they'll\nsay it's vastly fine-they are a set of parrots, and speak by rote,\nfor they all say the same thing: but ask 'em how they like making\npuddings and pies, and I'll warrant you'll pose 'em.", "As to them operas,\nI desire I may hear no more of their liking such nonsense; and for\nyou, Moll\" (to his daughter,) \"I charge you, as you value my favour,\nthat you'll never again be so impertinent as to have a taste of your\nown before my face.", "There are fools enough in the world, without\nyour adding to their number.", "I'll have no daughter of mine affect\nthem sort of megrims.", "It is a shame they a'n't put down; and if I'd\nmy will, there's not a magistrate in this town but should be knocked\non the head for suffering them.", "If you've a mind to praise any thing,\nwhy you may praise a play, and welcome, for I like it myself.\"", "This reproof effectually silenced us both for the rest of the\n evening.", "Nay,\nindeed, for some minutes it seemed to silence every body else; till Mr.\nLovel, not willing to lose an opportunity of returning the Captain's\nsarcasm, said, \"Why, really Sir, it is but natural to be most pleased\nwith what is most familiar; and, I think, of all our diversions,\nthere is not one so much in common between us and the country as a\nplay.", "Not a village but has its barns and comedians; and as for the\nstage business, why it may be pretty equally done any where; and even\nin regard to us, and the canaille, confined as we all are within the\nsemi-circle of a theatre, there is no place where the distinction is\nless obvious.\"", "While the Captain seemed considering for Mr. Lovel's meaning,\n Lord Orville,\nprobably with a view to prevent his finding it, changed the subject\nto Cox's Museum, and asked what he thought of it?", "\"Think!-\"said he, \"why I think as how it i'n't worth thinking\n about.", "I like\nno such jemcracks.", "It is only fit, in my mind, for monkeys:-though,\nfor aught I know, they too might turn up their noses at it.\"", "\"May we ask your Lordship's own opinion?\"", "said Mrs. Mirvan.", "\"The mechanism,\" answered he, \"is wonderfully ingenioous: I am sorry\n it is\nturned to no better account; but its purport is so frivolous, so\nvery remote from all aim at instruction or utility, that the sight\nof so fine a show leaves a regret on the mind, that so much work,\nand so much ingenuity, should not be better bestowed.\"", "\"The truth is,\" said the Captain, \"that in all this huge town,\n so full as it\nis of folks of all sorts, there i'n't so much as one public place,\nbesides the play-house, where a man, that's to say, a man who is a\nman, ought not to be ashamed to shew his face.", "T'other day they got\nme to a ridotto: but, I believe, it will be long enough before they\nget me to another.", "I knew no more what to do with myself, than if my\nship's company had been metamorphosed into Frenchman.", "Then, again,\nthere's your famous Ranelagh, that you make such a fuss about;-why\nwhat a dull place is that!-it's the worst of all.\"", "\"Ranelagh dull!", "\"-\"Ranelagh dull!-was echoed from mouth to mouth;\n and all\nthe ladies, as if of one accord, regarded the Captain with looks of\nthe most ironical contempt.", "\"As to Ranelagh,\" said Mr. Lovell, \"most indubitably, though the\n price is\nblebian, it is by no means adapted to the plebian taste.", "It requires\na certain acquaintance with high life, and-and-and something\nof-of-something d'un vrai gout, to be really sensible of its\nmerit.", "Those whose-whose connections, and so forth, are not among\nles gens comme il faut, can feel nothing but ennui at such a place\nas Ranelagh.\"", "\"Ranelagh!\"", "cried Lord -, \"O, tis the divinest place under heaven,-or,\nindeed,-for aught I know-\"\n\n\"O you creature!\"", "cried a pretty, but affected young lady, patting him\nwith her fan, \"you sha'n't talk so; I know what you are going to say;\nbut, positively, I won't sit by you, if you're so wicked.\"", "\"And how can one sit by you, and be good?\"", "said he, \"when only to\n look at you\nis enough to make one wicked-or wish to be so?\"", "\"Fie, my Lord!\"", "returned she, \"you really are insufferable.", "I don't\n think I\nshall speak to you again these seven years.\"", "\"What a metamorphosis,\" cried Lord Orville,\" should you make a\n patriarch of\nhis Lordship.\"", "\"Seven years!\"", "said he, \"dear Madam, be contented with telling me\n you will\nnot speak to me after seven years, and I will endeavour to submit.\"", "\"O, very well, my Lord,\" answered she, \"pray date the end of our\nspeaking to each other as early as you please, I'll promise to agree\nto your time.\"", "\"You know, dear Madam,\" said he, sipping his tea, \"you know I only\n live in\nyour sight.\"", "\"O yes, my Lord, I have long known that.", "But I begin to fear we\n shall be too\nlate for Ranelagh this evening.\"", "\"O no, Madame,\" said Mr. Lovel, looking at his watch, \"it is but\n just past\nten.\"", "\"No more!\"", "cried she, \"O then we shall do very well.\"", "All the ladies now started up, and declared they had no time to lose.", "\"Why, what the D-l,\" cried the Captain, leaning forward with both\n his arms\non the table,\" are you going to Ranelagh at this time of night?\"", "The ladies looked at one another, and smiled.", "\"To Ranelagh?\"", "cried Lord -, \"yes, and I hope you are going too;\n for we\ncannot possibly excuse these ladies.\"", "\"I go to Ranelagh?-if I do, I'll be -.\"", "Everybody now stood up; and the stranger Lord, coming round to me,\n said, \"You\ngo, I hope?\"", "\"No, my Lord, I believe not.\"", "\"O you cannot, must not be so barbarous.\"", "And he took my hand,\n and ran on,\nsaying such fine speeches, and compliments, that I might almost have\nsupposed myself a goddess, and him a pagan paying me adoration.", "As\nsoon as I possibly could, I drew back my hand; but he frequently,\nin the course of conversation, contrived to take it again, though it\nwas extremely disagreeable to me; and the more so, as I saw that Lord\nOrville had his eyes fixed upon us, with a gravity of attention that\nmade me uneasy.", "And, surely, my dear Sir, it was a great liberty in this lord,\nnot withstanding his rank, to treat me so freely.", "As to Sir Clement,\nhe seemed in misery.", "They all endeavoured to prevail with the Captain to join the\n Ranelagh party;\nand this lord told me, in a low voice, that it was tearing his heart\nout to go without me.", "During this conversation Mr. Lovel came forward, and assuming a look\nof surprise, made me a bow, and inquired how I did, protesting upon\nhis honour, that he had not seen me before, or would have sooner paid\nhis respects to me.", "Though his politeness was evidently constrained, yet I was very glad\n to be\nthus assured of having nothing more to fear from him.", "The Captain, far from listening to their persuasions of accompanying\n them to\nRanelagh, was quite in a passion at the proposal, and vowed he would\nsooner go to the Blackhole in Calcutta.", "\"But,\" said Lord -, \"if the ladies will take their tea at Ranelagh,\nyou may depend upon our seeing them safe home; for we shall be proud\nof the honour of attending them.\"", "\"May be so,\" said the Captain, \"but I'll tell you what, if one\n of these\nplaces ben't enough for them to-night, why to-morrow they shall go\nto ne'er a one.\"", "We instantly declared ourselves ready to go home.", "\"It is not for yourselves that we petition,\" said Lord -.", "\"But for us;\nif you have any charity, you will not be so cruel as to deny us; we\nonly beg you to prolong our happiness for a few minutes,-the favour\nis but a small one for you to grant, though so great a one for us\nto receive.\"", "\"To tell you a piece of my mind,\" said the Captain, surlily,\n \"I think you\nmight as well not give the girls so much of this palaver; they'll take\nit all for gospel.", "As to Moll, why she's well enough, but nothing\nextraordinary; though, perhaps, you may persuade her that her pug\nnose is all the fashion; and as to the other, why she's good white\nand red to be sure; but what of that?-I'll warrant she'll moulder\naway as fast as her neighbours.\"", "\"Is there,\" cried Lord -, \"another man in this place, who, seeing such\nobjects, could make such a speech?\"", "\"As to that there,\" returned the Captain, \"I don't know whether\n there be or\nno, and, to make free, I don't care; for I sha'n't go for to model\nmyself by any of these fair-weather chaps, who dare not so much\nas say their souls are their own,-and, for aught I know, no more\nthey ben't.", "I'm almost as much ashamed of my countrymen as if I was\na Frenchman, and I believe in my heart there i'n't a pin to choose\nbetween them; and, before long, we shall hear the very sailors talking\nthat lingo, and see never a swabber without a bag and a sword.\"", "\"He, he, he!-well, 'pon honour,\" cried Mr. Lovel, \"you gentlemen of\n the ocean\nhave a most severe way of judging.\"", "\"Severe!", "'fore George, that is impossible; for, to cut the matter\n short, the\nmen, as they call themselves, are no better than monkeys; and as to\nthe women, why they are mere dolls.", "So now you've got my opinion of\nthis subject; and I so wish you good night.\"", "The ladies, who were very impatient to be gone, made their courtsies,\n and\ntripped away, followed by all the gentlemen of their party, except\nthe lord before mentioned, and, Lord Orville, who stayed to make\ninquiries of Mrs. Mirvan concerning our leaving town; and then\nsaying, with his usual politeness, something civil to each of us,\nwith a very grave air he quitted us.", "Lord - remained some minutes longer, which he spent in making a\n profusion of\ncompliments to me; by which he prevented my hearing distinctly what\nLord Orville said, to my great vexation, especially as he looked-I\nthought so, at least-as if displeased at his particularity of behaviour\nto me.", "In going to an outward room, to wait for the carriage, I walked, and\ncould not possibly avoid it, between this nobleman and Sir Clement\nWilloughby, and, when the servant said the coach stopped the way,\nthough the latter offered me his hand, which I should much have\npreferred, this same lord, without any ceremony, took mine himself;\nand Sir Clement, with a look extremely provoked, conducted Mrs. Mirvan.", "In all ranks and all stations of life, how strangely do characters and\nmanners differ!", "Lord Orville, with a politeness which knows no\nintermission, and makes no distinction, is as unassuming and modest\nas if he had never mixed with the great, and was totally ignorant\nof every qualification he possesses; this other lord, though lavish\nof compliments and fine speeches, seems to me an entire stranger to\nreal good-breeding; whoever strikes his fancy, engrosses his whole\nattention.", "He is forward and bold; has an air of haughtiness towards\nmen, and a look of libertinism towards woman; and his conscious quality\nseems to have given him a freedom in his way of speaking to either sex,\nthat is very little short of rudeness.", "When we returned home, we were all low-spirited.", "The evening's\n entertainment\nhad displeased the Captain; and his displeasure, I believe,\ndisconcerted us all.", "And here I thought to have concluded my letter; but, to my great\n surprise,\njust now we had a visit from Lord Orville.", "He called, he said, to\npay his respects to us before we left town, and made many inquiries\nconcerning our return; and, when Mrs Mirvan told him we were going\ninto the country without any view of again quitting it, he expressed\nconcern in such terms-so polite, so flattering, so serious-that I\ncould hardly forbear being sorry for myself.", "Were I to go immediately\nto Berry Hill, I am sure I should feel nothing but joy;-but, now we\nare joined by this Captain, and Madame Duval, I must own I expect\nvery little pleasure at Howard Grove.", "Before Lord Orville went, Sir Clement Willoughby called.", "He was\n more grave\nthan I had ever seen him; and made several attempts to speak to me in\na low voice, and to assure me that his regret upon the occasion of\nour journey was entirely upon my account.", "But I was not in spirits,\nand could not bear to be teased by him.", "However, he has so well\npaid his court to Captain Mirvan, that he gave him a very hearty\ninvitation to the Grove.", "At this he brightened,-and just then Lord\nOrville took leave.", "No doubt but he was disgusted at this ill-timed, ill-bred partiality;\n for\nsurely it was very wrong to make an invitation before Lord Orville\nin which he was not included!", "I was so much chagrined, that, as soon\nas he went, I left the room; and I shall not go down stairs till Sir\nClement is gone.", "Lord Orville cannot but observe his assiduous endeavours to ingratiate\nhimself into my favour; and does not this extravagant civility\nof Captain Mirvan give him reason to suppose that it meets with\nour general approbation?", "I cannot thimk upon this subject without\ninexpressible uneasiness; and yet I can think of nothing else.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "Pray write to me immediately.", "How many\n long letters\nhas this one short fortnight produced!", "More than I may probably\never write again.", "I fear I shall have tired you with reading them;\nbut you will now have time to rest, for I shall find but little to\nsay in future.", "And now, most honoured Sir, with all the follies and imperfections\n which I\nhave thus faithfully recounted, can you, and with unabated kindness,\nsuffer me to sign myself Your dutiful and most affectionate EVELINA?", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXIV MR VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, April 22.", "HOW much do I rejoice that I can again address my letters to Howard\nGrove!", "My Evelina would have grieved had she known the anxiety of my\nmind during her residence in the great world.", "My apprehensions have\nbeen inexpressibly alarming; and your journal, at once exciting and\nrelieving my fears, has almost wholly occupied me since the time of\nyour dating it from London.", "Sir Clement Willoughby must be an artful designing man: I am extremely\nirritated at his conduct.", "The passion he pretends for you has neither\nsincerity nor honour; the manner and the opportunities he has chosen\nto declare it, are bordering upon insult.", "His unworthy behaviour after the opera, convinces me, that, had\n not your\nvehemence frightened him, Queen Ann Street would have been the last\nplace whither he would have ordered his chariot.", "O, my child, how\nthankful am I for your escape!", "I need not now, I am sure, enlarge\nupon your indiscretion and want of thought, in so hastily trusting\nyourself with a man so little known to you, and whose gaiety and\nflightiness should have put you on your guard.", "The nobleman you met at the Pantheon, bold and forward as you describe\n him to\nbe, gives me no apprehension; a man who appears so openly licentious,\nand who makes his attack with so little regard to decorum, is one who,\nto a mind such as my Evelina's, can never be seen but with the disgust\nwhich his manners ought to excite.", "But Sir Clement, though he seeks occasion to give real offence,\n contrives to\navoid all appearance of intentional evil.", "He is far more dangerous,\nbecause more artful: but I am happy to observe, that he seems to\nhave made no impression upon your heart; and therefore a very little\ncare and prudence may secure you from those designs which I fear he\nhas formed.", "Lord Orville appears to be of a better order of beings.", "His spirited\n conduct\nto the meanly impertinent Lovel, and his anxiety for you after the\nopera, prove him to be a man of sense and feeling.", "Doubtless he thought\nthere was much reason to tremble for your safety while exposed to\nthe power of Sir Clement; and he acted with a regard to real honour,\nthat will always incline me to think well of him, in so immediately\nacquainting the Mirvan family with your situation.", "Many men of this\nage, from a false and pretended delicacy to a friend, would have\nquietly pursued their own affairs, and thought it more honourable\nto leave an unsuspecting young creature to the mercy of a libertine,\nthan to risk his displeasure by taking measures for her security.", "Your evident concern at leaving London is very natural, and yet\n it afflicts\nme.", "I ever dreaded your being too much pleased with a life of\ndissipation, which youth and vivacity render but too alluring; and\nI almost regret the consent for your journey, which I had not the\nresolution to withhold.", "Alas, my child, the artfulness of your nature, and the simplicity\n of your\neducation, alike unfit you for the thorny paths of the great and\nbusy world.", "The supposed obscurity of your birth and situation,\nmakes you liable to a thousand disagreeable adventures.", "Not only\nmy views, but my hopes for your future life, have ever centered in\nthe country.", "Shall I own to you, that, however I may differ from\nCaptain Mirvan in other respects, yet my opinion of the town, its\nmanners, inhabitants, and diversions, is much upon upon a level with\nhis own?", "Indeed it is the general harbour of fraud and of folly, of\nduplicity and of impertinence; and I wish few things more fervently,\nthan that you may have taken a lasting leave of it.", "Remember, however, that I only speak in regard to a public and\n dissipated\nlife; in private families we may doubtless find as much goodness,\nhonesty, and virtue, in London as in the country.", "If contented with a retired station, I still hope I shall live to\n see my\nEvelina the ornament of her neighbourhood, and the pride and delight\nof her family; and giving and receiving joy from such society as may\nbest deserve her affection, and employing herself in such useful and\ninnocent occupations as may secure and merit the tenderest love of her\nfriends, and the worthiest satisfaction of her own heart.", "Such are my\nhopes, and such have been my expectations.", "Disappointment them not,\nmy beloved child; but cheer me with a few lines, that may assure me,\nthis one short fortnight spent in town has not undone the work of\nseventeen years spent in the country.", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXV EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, April 25.", "NO, my dear Sir, no: the work of seventeen years remains such as\nit was, ever unworthy your time and your labour; but not more so\nnow-at least I hope not,-than before that fortnight which has so much\nalarmed you.", "And yet I must confess, that I am not half so happy here at present\n as I was\nere I went to town: but the change is in the place, not in me.", "Captain\nMirvan and Madame Duval have ruined Howard Grove.", "The harmony that\nreigned here is disturbed, our schemes are broken, our way of life is\naltered, and our comfort is destroyed.", "But do not suppose London to\nbe the source of these evils; for, had our excursion been any where\nelse, so disagreeable an addition to our household must have caused\nthe same change at our return.", "I was sure you would be displeased with Sir Clement Willoughby, and\ntherefore I am by no means surprised at what you say of him; but\nfor Lord Orville-I must own I had greatly feared that my weak and\nimperfect account would not have procured him the good opinion which\nhe so well deserves, and which I am delighted to find you seem to\nhave of him.", "O, Sir, could I have done justice to the merit of which\nI believe him posessed;-could I have painted him to you such as he\nappeared to me;-then, indeed, you would have had some idea of the\nclaim which he has to your approbation!", "After the last letter which I wrote in town, nothing more passed\n previous to\nour journey hither, except a very violent quarrel between Captain\nMirvan and Madame Duval.", "As the Captain intended to travel on\nhorseback, he had settled that we four females should make use of\nhis coach.", "Madame Duval did not come to Queen Ann Street till the\ncarriage had waited some time at the door; and then, attended by\nMonsieur Du Bois, she made her appearance.", "The Captain, impatient to be gone, would not suffer them to enter\n the house,\nbut insisted that we should immediately get into the coach.", "We obeyed;\nbut were no sooner seated, than Madame Duval said, \"Come, Monsieur\nDu Bois, these girls can make very good room for you; sit closer,\nchildren.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan looked quite confounded; and M. Du Bois, after making some\napologies about crowding us, actually got into the coach, on the side\nwith Miss Mirvan and me.", "But no sooner was he seated, than the Captain,\nwho had observed this transaction very quietly, walked up to the\ncoach door, saying, \"What, neither with your leave, nor by your leave?\"", "M. Du Bois seemed rather shocked, and began to make abundance of\n excuses: but\nthe Captain neither understood nor regarded him, and, very roughly,\nsaid, \"Look'ee, Monseer, this here may be a French fashion for aught I\nknow,-but give and take is fair in all nations; and so now, d'ye see,\nI'll make bold to show you an English one.\"", "And then, seizing his wrist, he made him jump out of the coach.", "M. Du Bois instantly put his hand upon his sword, and threatened to\nresent this indignity.", "The Captain, holding up his stick, bid him draw\nat his peril.", "Mrs. Mirvan, greatly alarmed, got out of the coach, and,\nstanding between them, intreated her husband to re-enter the house.", "\"None of your clack!\"", "cried he angrily; \"what the D-l, do you\n suppose I\ncan't manage a Frenchman?\"", "Meantime, Madame Duval called out to M. Du Bois, \"Eh, laissez-le,\n mon ami, ne\nle corrigez pas; c'est une villaine bete qui n'en vaut pas la peine.\"", "\"Monsieur le Capitaine,\" cried M. Du Bois, \"voulez-vous bien ne\ndemander pardon?\"", "\"O ho, you demand pardon, do you?\"", "said the Captain,\" I thought as\n much; I\nthought you'd come to;-so you have lost your relish for an English\nsalutation, have you?\"", "strutting up to him with looks of defiance.", "A crowd was now gathering, and Mrs. Mirvan again besought her husband\n to go\ninto the house.", "\"Why, what a plague is the woman afraid of?-Did you ever know\n a Frenchman\nthat could not take an affront?-I warrant Monseer knows what he is\nabout;-don't you Monseer?\"", "M. Du Bois, not understanding him, only said, \"plait-il, Monsieur?\"", "\"No, nor dish me neither,\" answered the Captain; \"but, be that as\n it may,\nwhat signifies our parleying here?", "If you've any thing to propose,\nspeak at once; if not, why let us go on our journey without more ado.\"", "\"Parbleu, je n'entends rien, moi!\"", "cried M. Du Bois, shrugging up his\nshoulders, and looking very dismal.", "Mrs. Mirvan then advanced to him, and said in French, that she was\n sure the\nCaptain had not any intention to affront him, and begged he would\ndesist from a dispute which could only be productive of mutual\nmisunderstanding, as neither of them knew the language of the other.", "This sensible remonstrance had the desired effect; and M. Du Bois,\n making a\nbow to every one except the Captain, very wisely gave up the point,\nand took leave.", "We then hoped to proceed quietly on our journey; but the turbulent\n Captain\nwould not yet permit us.", "He approached Madame Duval with an exulting\nair, and said, \"Why, how's this, Madame?", "what, has your champion\ndeserted you?", "why, I thought you told me, that you old gentlewomen\nhad it all your own way among them French sparks?\"", "\"As to that, Sir,\" answered she, \"it's not of no consequence what you\nthought; for a person who can behave in such a low way, may think\nwhat he pleases for me, for I sha'n't mind.\"", "\"Why then, Mistress, since you must needs make so free,\" cried he,\n \"please to\ntell me the reason you took the liberty for to ask any of your\nfollowers into my coach without my leave?", "Answer me to that.\"", "\"Why, then, pray, Sir,\" returned she, \"tell me the reaon why you\n took the\nliberty to treat the gentleman in such an unpolite way, as to take\nand pull him neck and heels out?", "I'm sure he hadn't done nothing to\naffront you, nor nobody else; and I don't know what great hurt he\nwould have done you, by just sitting still in the coach; he would\nnot have eat it.\"", "\"What, do you think, then, that my horses have nothing to do but\n to carry\nabout your snivelling Frenchmen?", "If you do, Madam, I must make bold\nto tell you, you are out, for I'll see 'em hang'd first.\"", "\"More brute you, then!", "For they've never carried nobody half so good.\"", "\"Why, look'ee, Madam, if you must needs provoke me, I'll tell you\n a piece of\nmy mind; you must know, I can see as far into a millstone as another\nman; and so, if you thought for to fob me off with another one of your\nsmirking French puppies for a son-in-law, why you'll find yourself\nin a hobble, that's all.\"", "\"Sir, you're a-but I won't say what;-but I protest I hadn't no such\na thought, no more hadn't Monsieur Du Bois.\"", "\"My dear,\" said Mrs. Mirvan, \"we shall be very late.\"", "\"Well, well,\" answered he, \"get away then; off with you as fast as\n you can,\nit's high time.", "As to Molly, she's fine lady enough in all conscience;\nI want none of your French chaps to make her worse.\"", "And so saying he mounted his horse and we drove off.", "And I could\n not but\nthink, with regret, of the different feelings we experienced upon\nleaving London, to what had belonged to our entering it.", "During the journey Madame Duval was so very violent against the\n Captain, that\nshe obliged Mrs. Mirvan to tell her, that, when in her presence,\nshe must beg her to choose some other subject of discourse.", "We had a most affectionate reception from Lady Howard, whose\n kindness and\nhospitality cannot fail of making every body happy who is disposed\nso to be.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "I hope, though I have hitherto neglected\n to mention\nit, that you have always remembered me to whoever has made any inquiry\nconcerning me.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXVI EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, April 27.", "O MY dear Sir, I now write in the greatest uneasiness!", "Madame Duval\nhas made a proposal which terrifies me to death, and which was as\nunexpected as it is shocking.", "She had been employed for some hours this afternoon in reading\n letters from\nLondon: and, just about tea-time, she sent for me into her room, and\nsaid, with a look of great satisfaction, \"Come here, child, I've got\nsome very good news to tell you: something that will surprise you,\nI'll give you my word, for you ha'n't no notion of it.\"", "I begged her to explain herself; and then, in terms which I cannot\nrepeat, she said she had been considering what a shame it was to\nsee me such a poor country, shame-faced thing, when I ought to be a\nfine lady; and that she had long, and upon several occasions, blushed\nfor me, though she must own the fault was none of mine; for nothing\nbetter could be expected from a girl who had been so immured.", "However,\nshe assured me she had, at length, hit upon a plan, which would make\nquite another creature of me.", "I waited, without much impatience, to hear what this preface led to;\n but I\nwas soon awakened to more lively sensations, when she aquainted me,\nthat her intention was to prove my birthright, and to claim, by law,\nthe inheritance of my real family!", "It would be impossible for me to express my extreme consternation\n when she\nthus unfolded her scheme.", "My surprise and terror were equally great;\nI could say nothing: I heard her with a silence which I had not the\npower to break.", "She then expatiated very warmly upon the advantages I should reap from\nher plan; talked in a high style of my future grandeur; assured me\nhow heartily I should despise almost every body and every thing I had\nhitherto seen; predicted my marrying into some family of the first\nrank in the kingdom; and, finally, said I should spend a few months in\nParis, where my education and manners might receive their last polish.", "She enlarged also upon the delight she should have, in common\n with myself,\nfrom mortifying the pride of certain people, and showing them that\nshe was not to be slighted with impunity.", "In the midst of this discourse, I was relieved by a summons to\n tea.", "Madame\nDuval was in great spirits; but my emotion was too painful for\nconcealment, and every body enquired into the cause.", "I would fain\nhave waived the subject, but Madame Duval was determined to make it\npublic.", "She told tham that she had it in her head to make something\nof me, and that they should soon call me by another name than that\nof Anville; and yet that she was not going to have the child married\nneither.", "I could not endure to hear her proceed, and was going to leave\n the room;\nwhich, when Lady Howard perceived, she begged Madame Duval would\ndefer her intelligence to some other opportunity; but she was so\neager to communicate her scheme, that she could bear no delay;\nand therefore they suffered me to go without opposition.", "Indeed,\nwhenever my situation or affairs are mentioned by Madame Duval,\nshe speaks of them with such bluntness and severity, that I cannot\nbe enjoined a task more cruel than to hear her.", "I was afterwards accquainted with some particulars of the conversation\n by\nMiss Mirvan; who told me that Madame Duval informed them of her plan\nwih the utmost complacency, and seemed to think herself very fortunate\nin having suggested it; but, soon after, she accidentally betrayed,\nthat she had been instigated to the scheme by her relations the\nBranghtons, whose letters, which she received today, first mentioned\nthe proposal.", "She declared that she would have nothing to do with\nany roundabout ways, but go openly and instantly to law, in order to\nprove my birth, real name, and title to the estate of my ancestors.", "How impertinent and officious in these Branghtons, to interfere\nthus in my concerns!", "You can hardly imagine what a disturbance this\nplan has made in the family.", "The Captain, without enquiring into any\nparticulars of the affair, has peremptorily declared himself against\nit, merely because it has been proposed by Madame Duval; and they\nhave battled the point together with great violence.", "Mrs. Mirvan says,\nshe will not even think, till she hears your opinion.", "But Lady Howard,\nto my great surprise, openly avows her appprobation of Madame Duval's\nintention; however, she will write her reasons and sentiments upon\nthe subject to you herself.", "As to Miss Mirvan, she is my second self, and neither hopes nor\n fears but as\nI do.", "And as to me,-I know not what to say, nor even what to wish; I\nhave often thought my fate peculiarly cruel, to have but one parent,\nand from that one to be banished for ever;-while, on the other side,\nI have but too well known and felt the propriety of the separation.", "And\nyet, you may much better imagine, than I can express, the internal\nanguish which sometimes oppresses my heart, when I reflect upon the\nstrange indifference that must occasion a father never to make the\nleast enquiry after the health, the welfare, or even the life of\nhis child!", "O Sir, to me the loss is nothing!-greatly, sweetly, and most\n benevolently\nhave you guarded me from feeling it; but for him, I grieve indeed!-I\nmust be divested, not merely of all filial piety, but of all humanity,\ncould I ever think upon this subject, and not be wounded to the soul.", "Again I must repeat, I know not what to wish; think for me, therefore,\nmy dearest Sir, and suffer my doubting mind, that knows not which way\nto direct its hopes, to be guided by your wisdom and unerring counsel.", "EVELINA.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXVII LADY HOWARD TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\n\nHoward Grove.", "Dear Sir,\n\n\nI CANNOT give a greater proof of the high opinion I have of your\ncandour, than by the liberty I am now going to take, of presuming to\noffer you advice, upon a subject concerning which you have so just a\nclaim to act for yourself; but I know you have too unaffected a love\nof justice, to be partially tenacious of your own judgment.", "Madame Duval has been proposing a scheme which has put us all in\n commotion,\nand against which, at first, in common with the rest of my family,\nI exclaimed: but, upon more mature consideration, I own my objections\nhave almost wholly vanished.", "This scheme is no other than to commence a lawsuit with Sir John\nBelmont, to prove the validity of his marriage with Miss Evelyn; the\nnecessary consequence of which proof will be, securing his fortune\nand estate to his daughter.", "And why, my dear Sir, should not this be?", "I know that, upon first\n hearing,\nsuch a plan conveys ideas that must shock you; but I know, too,\nthat your mind is superior to being governed by prejudices, or\nto opposing any important cause on account of a few disagreeable\nattendant circumstances.", "Your lovely charge, now first entering into life, has merit which\n ought not\nto be buried in obscurity.", "She seems born for an ornament to the world.", "Nature has been bountiful to her of whatever she had to bestow; and\nthe peculiar attention you have given to her education, has formed her\nmind to a degree of excellence, that in one so young I have scarce\never seen equalled.", "Fortune alone has hitherto been sparing of her\ngifts; and she, too, now opens the way which leads to all that is\nleft to wish for her.", "What your reasons may have been, my good Sir, for so carefully\n concealing the\nbirth, name, and pretensions of this amiable girl, and forbearing to\nmake any claim upon Sir John Belmont, I am totally a stranger to; but,\nwithout knowing, I respect them, from the high opinion that I have\nof your character and judgment: but I hope they are not insuperable;\nfor I cannot but think, that it was never designed for one who seems\nmeant to grace the world, to have her life devoted to retirement.", "Surely Sir John Belmont, wretch as he has shown himself, could never\n see his\naccomplished daughter, and not be proud to own her, and eager to\nsecure her the inheritance of his fortune.", "The admiration she met\nwith in town, though merely the effect of her external attractions,\nwas such, that Mrs. Mirvan assures me, she would have had the most\nsplendid offers, had there not seemed to be some mystery in regard\nto her birth, which, she was well informed was assiduously, though\nvainly, endeavoured to be discovered.", "Can it be right, my dear Sir, that this promising young creature\nshould be deprived of the fortune and rank of life to which she is\nlawfully entitled, and which you have prepared her to support and to\nuse so nobly?", "To despise riches may, indeed, be philosophic; but to\ndispense them worthily must, surely, be more beneficial to mankind.", "Perhaps a few years, or indeed a much shorter time, may make this\nscheme impracticable: Sir John, tho' yet young, leads a life too\ndissipated for long duration; and when too late, we may regret that\nsomething was not sooner done: for it will be next to impossible, after\nhe is gone, to settle or prove anything with his heirs and executors.", "Pardon the earnestness with which I write my sense of this affair;\nbut your charming ward has made me so warmly her friend, that I cannot\nbe indifferent upon a subject of such importance to her future life.", "Adieu, my dear Sir;-send me speedily an answer to this remonstrance,\nand believe me to be, -c. M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXVIII MR VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nBerry Hill, May 2.", "YOUR letter, Madam, has opened a source of anxiety, to which I look\nforward with dread, and which, to see closed, I scarcely dare expect.", "I\nam unwilling to oppose my opinion to that of your Ladyship; nor,\nindeed, can I, but by arguments which I believe will rather rank me\nas a hermit ignorant of the world, and fit only for my cell, than as\na proper guardian, in an age such as this, for an accomplished young\nwoman.", "Yet, thus called upon, it behoves me to explain, and endeavour\nto vindicate, the reasons by which I have been hitherto guided.", "The mother of this dear child,-who was led to destruction by her own\nimprudence, the hardness of heart of Madame Duval, and the villany of\nSir John Belmont,-was once, what her daughter is now, the best beloved\nof my heart: and her memory, so long as my own holds, I shall love,\nmourn and honour!", "On the fatal day that her gentle soul left its\nmansion, and not many hours ere she ceased to breathe, I solemnly\nplighted my faith, That her child if it lived, should know no father\nbut myself, or her acknowledged husband.", "You cannot, Madam, suppose that I found much difficulty in adhering\nto this promise, and forbearing to make any claim upon Sir John\nBelmont.", "Could I feel an affection the most paternal for this poor\nsufferer, and not abominate her destroyer?", "Could I wish to deliver to\nhim, who had so basely betrayed the mother, the helpless and innocent\noffspring, who, born in so much sorrow, seemed entitled to all the\ncompassionate tenderness of pity?", "For many years, the name alone of that man, accidentally spoken in my\nhearing, almost divested me of my Christianity, and scarce could I\nforbear to execrate him.", "Yet I sought not, neither did I desire, to\ndeprive him of his child, had he with any appearance of contrition,\nor, indeed, of humanity, endeavoured to become less unworthy such a\nblessing;-but he is a stranger to all parental feelings, and has with\na savage insensibility, forborne to enquire even into the existence\nof this sweet orphan, though the situation of his injured wife was\nbut too well known to him.", "You wish to be acquainted with my intentions.-I must acknowledge\nthey were such as I now perceive would not be honoured with your\nLadyship's approbation; for though I have sometimes thought of\npresenting Evelina to her father, and demanding the justice which\nis her due, yet, at other times, I have both disdained and feared\nthe application; disdained lest it should be refused; and feared,\nlest it should be accepted!", "Lady Belmont, who was firmly persuaded of her approaching dissolution,\nfrequently and earnestly besought me, that if her infant was a female,\nI would not abandon her to the direction of a man so wholly unfit to\ntake the charge of her education: but, should she be importunately\ndemanded, that I would retire with her abroad, and carefully conceal\nher from Sir John, till some apparent change in his sentiments and\nconduct should announce him less improper for such a trust.", "And\noften would she say, \"Should the poor babe have any feelings\ncorrespondent with its mother's, it will have no want while under\nyour protection.\"", "Alas!", "she had no sooner quitted it herself, than\nshe was plunged into a gulph of misery, that swallowed up her peace,\nreputation, and life.", "During the childhood of Evelina, I suggested a thousand plans for the\nsecurity of her birth-right;-but I as many times rejected them.", "I\nwas in a perpetual conflict, between the desire that she should\nhave justice done her, and the apprehension that, while I improved\nher fortune, I should endanger her mind.", "However, as her character\nbegan to be formed, and her disposition to be displayed, my perplexity\nabated; the road before me seemed less thorny and intricate, and I\nthought I could perceive the right path from the wrong: for when I\nobserved the artless openness the ingenuous simplicity of her nature;\nwhen I saw that her guileless and innocent soul fancied all the world\nto be pure and disinterested as herself, and that her heart was open\nto every impression with which love, pity, or art might assail it;-then\ndid I flatter myself, that to follow my own inclination, and to secure\nher welfare, was the same thing; since, to expose her to the snares and\ndangers inevitably encircling a house of which the master is dissipated\nand unprincipled, without the guidance of a mother, or any prudent and\nsensible female, seemed to me no less than suffering her to stumble\ninto some dreadful pit, when the sun is in its meridian.", "My plan,\ntherefore, was not merely to educate and to cherish her as my own, but\nto adopt her the heiress of my small fortune, and to bestow her upon\nsome worthy man, with whom she might spend her days in tranquility,\ncheerfulness, and good-humour, untainted by vice, folly, or ambition.", "So much for the time past.", "Such have been the motives by which I have\nbeen governed; and I hope they will be allowed not merely to account\nfor, but also to justify, the conduct which has resulted from them.", "It\nnow remains to speak of the time to come.", "And here, indeed, I am sensible of difficulties which I almost despair\nof surmounting according to my wishes.", "I pay the highest deference to\nyour Ladyship's opinion, which it is extremely painful to me not to\nconcur with;-yet I am so well acquainted with your goodness, that I\npresume to hope it would not be absolutely impossible for me to offer\nsuch arguments as might lead you to think with me, that this young\ncreature's chance of happiness seems less doubtful in retirement, than\nit would be in the gay and dissipated world.", "But why should I perplex\nyour Ladyship with reasoning that can turn to so little account?", "for,\nalas!", "what arguments, what persuasions, can I make use of, with any\nprospect of success, to such a woman as Madame Duval?", "Her character\nand the violence of her disposition, intimidate me from making the\nattempt: she is too ignorant for instruction, too obstinate for\nintreaty, and too weak for reason.", "I will not, therefore, enter into a contest from which I have nothing\nto expect but altercation and impertinence.", "As soon would I discuss the\neffect of sound with the deaf, or the nature of colours with the blind,\nas aim at illuminating with conviction a mind so warped by prejudice,\nso much the slave of unruly and illiberal passions.", "Unused as she\nis to control, persuasion would but harden, and opposition incense\nher.", "I yield, therefore, to the necessity which compels my reluctant\nacquiescence; and shall now turn all my thoughts upon considering\nof such methods for the conducting this enterprise, as may be most\nconducive to the happiness of my child and least liable to wound\nher sensibility.", "The law-suit, therefore, I wholly and absolutely disapprove.", "Will you, my dear Madam, forgive the freedom of an old man, if I\nown myself greatly surprised, that you could, even for a moment,\nlisten to a plan so violent, so public, so totally repugnant to all\nfemale delicacy?", "I am satisfied your Ladyship has not weighed this\nproject.", "There was a time, indeed, when to assert the innocence\nof Lady Belmont, and to blazon to the world the wrongs, not guilt,\nby which she suffered, I proposed, nay attempted, a similar plan:\nbut then all assistance and encouragement was denied.", "How cruel to\nthe remembrance I bear of her woes is this tardy resentment of Madame\nDuval!", "She was deaf to the voice of Nature, though she has hearkened\nto that of Ambition.", "Never can I consent to have this dear and timid girl brought forward to\nthe notice of the world by such a method; a method which will subject\nher to all the impertinence of curiosity, the sneers of conjecture, and\nthe stings of ridicule.", "And for what?-the attainment of wealth which\nshe does not want, and the gratification of vanity which she does not\nfeel.", "A child to appear against a father!-no, Madam, old and infirm\nas I am, I would even yet sooner convey her myself to some remote\npart of the world, though I were sure of dying in the expedition.", "Far different had been the motives which would have stimulated\nher unhappy mother to such a proceeding; all her felicity in this\nworld was irretrievably lost; her life was become a burthen to her;\nand her fair fame, which she had early been taught to prize above\nall other things, had received a mortal wound: therefore, to clear\nher own honour, and to secure from blemish the birth of her child,\nwas all the good which fortune had reserved herself the power of\nbestowing.", "But even this last consolation was withheld from her!", "Let milder measures be adopted: and-since it must be so-let application\nbe made to Sir John Belmont, but as to a law-suit, I hope, upon this\nsubject, never more to hear it mentioned.", "With Madame Duval, all pleas of delicacy would be ineffectual;\nher scheme must be opposed by arguments better suited to her\nunderstanding.", "I will not, therefore, talk of its impropriety, but\nendeavour to prove its inutility.", "Have the goodness, then, to tell\nher, that her own intentions would be frustrated by her plan; since,\nshould the lawsuit be commenced, and even should the cause be gained,\nSir John Belmont would still have it in his power, and, if irritated,\nno doubt in his inclination, to cut off her grand-daughter with\na shilling.", "She cannot do better herself than to remain quiet and inactive\nin the affair: the long and mutual animosity between her and Sir\nJohn will make her interference merely productive of debates and\nill-will.", "Neither would I have Evelina appear till summoned.", "And as\nto myself, I must wholly decline acting; though I will, with unwearied\nzeal, devote all my thoughts to giving counsel: but, in truth, I have\nneither inclination nor spirits adequate to engaging personally with\nthis man.", "My opinion is, that he would pay more respect to a letter from your\nLadyship upon this subject, than from any other person.", "I, therefore,\nadvise and hope, that you will yourself take the trouble of writing\nto him, in order to open the affair.", "When he shall be inclined to see\nEvelina, I have for him a posthumous letter, which his much injured\nlady left to be presented to him, if ever such a meeting should\ntake place.", "The views of the Branghtons, in suggesting this scheme, are obviously\ninterested.", "They hope, by securing to Evelina the fortune of her\nfather, to induce Madame Duval to settle her own upon themselves.", "In\nthis, however, they would probably be mistaken; for little minds have\never a propensity to bestow their wealth upon those who are already\nin affluence; and, therefore, the less her grandchild requires her\nassistance, the more gladly she will give it.", "I have but one thing more to add, from which, however, I can by no\nmeans recede: my word so solemnly given to Lady Belmont, that her\nchild should never be owned but with her self, must be inviolably\nadhered to.", "I am, dear Madam, with great respect, Your Ladyship's\nmost obedient servant, ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXIX MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, May 2.", "HOW sincerely do I sympathise in the uneasiness and concern which\nmy beloved Evelina has so much reason to feel!", "The cruel scheme in\nagitation is equally repugnant to my judgment and my inclination;-yet\nto oppose it seems impracticable.", "To follow the dictates of my own\nheart, I should instantly recall you to myself, and never more consent\nto your being separated from me; but the manners and opinion of the\nworld demand a different conduct.", "Hope, however, for the best, and be\nsatisfied you shall meet with no indignity; if you are not received\ninto your own family as you ought to be, and with the distinction that\nis your due, you shall leave it for ever; and once again restored to\nmy protection, secure your own tranquillity, and make, as you have\nhitherto done, all the happiness of my life.", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXX EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, May 6.", "THE die is thrown, and I attend the event in trembling!", "Lady Howard\nhas written to Paris, and sent her letter to town, to be forwarded in\nthe ambassador's packet; and, in less than a fortnight, therefore, she\nexpects an answer.", "O, Sir, with what anxious impatience shall I wait\nits arrival!", "upon it seems to depend the fate of my future life.", "My\nsolicitude is so great, and my suspense so painful, that I cannot\nrest a moment in peace, or turn my thoughts into any other channel.", "Deeply interested as I now am in the event, most sincerely do I\nregret that the plan was ever proposed.", "Methinks it cannot end to\nmy satisfaction: for either I must be torn from the arms of my more\nthan father,-or I must have the misery of being finally convinced,\nthat I am cruelly rejected by him who has the natural claim to that\ndear title, which to write, mention, or think of, fills my whole soul\nwith filial tenderness.", "The subject is discussed here eternally.", "Captain Mirvan and Madame\nDuval, as usual, quarrel whenever it is started: but I am so wholly\nengrossed by my own reflections, that I cannot even listen to them.", "My\nimagination changes the scene perpetually: one moment, I am embraced\nby a kind and relenting parent, who takes me to that heart from\nwhich I have hitherto been banished, and supplicates, through me,\npeace and forgiveness from the ashes of my mother!-at another, he\nregards me with detestation, considers me as the living image of an\ninjured saint, and repulses me with horror!-But I will not afflict\nyou with the melancholy phantasms of my brain; I will endeavour to\ncompose my mind to a more tranquil state, and forbear to write again\ntill I have in some measure succeeded.", "May Heaven bless you, my dearest Sir!", "and long, long may it continue\nyou on earth, to bless Your grateful EVELINA\n\n\n</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXI LADY HOWARD TO SIR JOHN BELMONT, BART\n\nHoward Grove, May 5.", "Sir,\n\nYOU will, doubtless, be surprised at receiving a letter from one who\nhad for so short a period the honour of your acquaintance, and that\nat so great a distance of time; but the motive which has induced me to\ntake this liberty is of so delicate a nature, that were I to commence\nmaking apologies for my officiousness, I fear my letter would be too\nlong for your patience.", "You have, probably, already conjectured the subject upon which I\nmean to treat.", "My regard for Mr. Evelyn, and his amiable daughter,\nwas well known to you: nor can I ever cease to be interested in\nwhatever belongs to their memory or family.", "I must own myself somewhat distressed in what manner to introduce the\npurport of my writing; yet as I think that, in affairs of this kind,\nfrankness is the first requisite to a good understanding between\nthe parties concerned, I will neither torment you nor myself with\npunctilious ceremonies, but proceed instantly and openly to the\nbusiness which occasions my giving you this trouble.", "I presume, Sir, it would be superfluous to tell you, that your child\nresides still in Dorsetshire, and is still under the protection\nof the Reverend Mr. Villars, in whose house she was born: for,\nthough no enquiries concerning her have reached his ears, or mine,\nI can never suppose it possible you have forborne to make them.", "It\nonly remains, therefore, to tell you, that your daughter is now\ngrown up; that she has been educated with the utmost care, and the\nutmost success; and that she is now a most deserving, accomplished,\nand amiable young woman.", "Whatever may be your view for her future destination in life, it seems\ntime to declare it.", "She is greatly admired, and, I doubt not, will\nbe very much sought after: it is proper, therefore, that her future\nexpectations, and your pleasure concerning her, should be made known.", "Believe me, Sir, she merits your utmost attention and regard.", "You\ncould not see and know her, and remain unmoved by those sensations of\naffection which belong to so near and tender a relationship.", "She is\nthe lovely resemblance of her lovely mother;-pardon, Sir, the liberty\nI take in mentioning that unfortunate lady; but I think it behoves\nme, upon this occasion, to shew the esteem I felt for her: allow me,\ntherefore, to say, and be not offended at my freedom, that the memory\nof that excellent lady has but too long remained under the aspersions\nof calumny; surely it is time to vindicate her fame;-and how can that\nbe done in a manner more eligible, more grateful to her friends, or\nmore honourable to yourself, than by openly receiving as your child,\nthe daughter of the late Lady Belmont?", "The venerable man who has had the care of her education, deserves\nyour warmest acknowledgments, for the unremitting pains he has taken,\nand the attention he has shewn in the discharge of his trust.", "Indeed\nshe has been peculiarly fortunate in meeting with such a friend and\nguardian; a more worthy man, or one whose character seems nearer to\nperfection, does not exist.", "Permit me to assure you, Sir, she will amply repay whatever regard and\nfavour you may hereafter shew her, by the comfort and happiness you\ncannot fail to find in her affection and duty.", "To be owned properly\nby you is the first wish of her heart; and, I am sure, that to merit\nyour approbation will be the first study of her life.", "I fear that you will think this address impertinent; but I must rest\nupon the goodness of my intention to plead my excuse.", "I am, Sir,\nYour most obedient humble servant, M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "He addressed us with his usual ease, and joined\nus for the whole evening.", "\"O, very well, my Lord,\" answered she, \"pray date the end of our\nspeaking to each other as early as you please, I'll promise to agree\nto your time.\"", "\"Why, what the D-l,\" cried the Captain, leaning forward with both\n his arms\non the table,\" are you going to Ranelagh at this time of night?\"", "\"No, my Lord, I believe not.\"", "\"No, nor dish me neither,\" answered the Captain; \"but, be that as\n it may,\nwhat signifies our parleying here?", "We then hoped to proceed quietly on our journey; but the turbulent\n Captain\nwould not yet permit us.", "why, I thought you told me, that you old gentlewomen\nhad it all your own way among them French sparks?\"", "She enlarged also upon the delight she should have, in common\n with myself,\nfrom mortifying the pride of certain people, and showing them that\nshe was not to be slighted with impunity.", "And\nyet, you may much better imagine, than I can express, the internal\nanguish which sometimes oppresses my heart, when I reflect upon the\nstrange indifference that must occasion a father never to make the\nleast enquiry after the health, the welfare, or even the life of\nhis child!", "It\nonly remains, therefore, to tell you, that your daughter is now\ngrown up; that she has been educated with the utmost care, and the\nutmost success; and that she is now a most deserving, accomplished,\nand amiable young woman." ]

[ "He then proceeded to tell her, that he had waited upon Mr. Lovel the\nmorning after the play; that the visit had proved an amicable one,\nbut the particulars were neither entertaining nor necessary: he only\nassured her, Miss Anville might be perfectly easy, since Mr. Lovel\nhad engaged his honour never more to mention, or even to hint at what\nhad passed at Mrs. Stanley's assembly.", "It is only fit, in my mind, for monkeys:-though,\nfor aught I know, they too might turn up their noses at it.\"", "\"Half-a-guinea!\"", "I have but one thing more to add, from which, however, I can by no\nmeans recede: my word so solemnly given to Lady Belmont, that her\nchild should never be owned but with her self, must be inviolably\nadhered to.", "He seemed to belong to a\nlarge party, chiefly of ladies; but, among the gentlemen attending\nthem, I perceived Mr. Lovel.", "My\nimagination changes the scene perpetually: one moment, I am embraced\nby a kind and relenting parent, who takes me to that heart from\nwhich I have hitherto been banished, and supplicates, through me,\npeace and forgiveness from the ashes of my mother!-at another, he\nregards me with detestation, considers me as the living image of an\ninjured saint, and repulses me with horror!-But I will not afflict\nyou with the melancholy phantasms of my brain; I will endeavour to\ncompose my mind to a more tranquil state, and forbear to write again\ntill I have in some measure succeeded.", "\"Sir, you're a-but I won't say what;-but I protest I hadn't no such\na thought, no more hadn't Monsieur Du Bois.\"", "He was\n more grave\nthan I had ever seen him; and made several attempts to speak to me in\na low voice, and to assure me that his regret upon the occasion of\nour journey was entirely upon my account.", "Let milder measures be adopted: and-since it must be so-let application\nbe made to Sir John Belmont, but as to a law-suit, I hope, upon this\nsubject, never more to hear it mentioned.", "And\noften would she say, \"Should the poor babe have any feelings\ncorrespondent with its mother's, it will have no want while under\nyour protection.\"" ]

[ "I need not now, I am sure, enlarge\nupon your indiscretion and want of thought, in so hastily trusting\nyourself with a man so little known to you, and whose gaiety and\nflightiness should have put you on your guard.", "The nobleman you met at the Pantheon, bold and forward as you describe\n him to\nbe, gives me no apprehension; a man who appears so openly licentious,\nand who makes his attack with so little regard to decorum, is one who,\nto a mind such as my Evelina's, can never be seen but with the disgust\nwhich his manners ought to excite.", "But Sir Clement, though he seeks occasion to give real offence,\n contrives to\navoid all appearance of intentional evil.", "He is far more dangerous,\nbecause more artful: but I am happy to observe, that he seems to\nhave made no impression upon your heart; and therefore a very little\ncare and prudence may secure you from those designs which I fear he\nhas formed.", "Lord Orville appears to be of a better order of beings.", "His spirited\n conduct\nto the meanly impertinent Lovel, and his anxiety for you after the\nopera, prove him to be a man of sense and feeling.", "Doubtless he thought\nthere was much reason to tremble for your safety while exposed to\nthe power of Sir Clement; and he acted with a regard to real honour,\nthat will always incline me to think well of him, in so immediately\nacquainting the Mirvan family with your situation.", "Many men of this\nage, from a false and pretended delicacy to a friend, would have\nquietly pursued their own affairs, and thought it more honourable\nto leave an unsuspecting young creature to the mercy of a libertine,\nthan to risk his displeasure by taking measures for her security.", "Your evident concern at leaving London is very natural, and yet\n it afflicts\nme.", "I ever dreaded your being too much pleased with a life of\ndissipation, which youth and vivacity render but too alluring; and\nI almost regret the consent for your journey, which I had not the\nresolution to withhold.", "Alas, my child, the artfulness of your nature, and the simplicity\n of your\neducation, alike unfit you for the thorny paths of the great and\nbusy world." ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nMonday Morning, April 18.", "MRS. MIRVAN has just communicated to me an anecdote concerning Lord\nOrville, which has much surprised, half pleased, and half pained me.", "While they were sitting together during the opera, he told her that\nhe had been greatly concerned at the impertinence which the young\nlady under her protection had suffered from Mr. Lovel; but that he\nhad the pleasure of assuring her, she had no future disturbance to\napprehend from him.", "Mrs. Mirvan, with great eagerness, begged he would explain himself;\nand said she hoped he had not thought so insignificant an affair\nworthy his serious attention.", "\"There is nothing,\" answered he, \"which requires more immediate notice\nthan impertinence, for it ever encroaches when it is tolerated.\"", "He\nthen added, that he believed he ought to apologize for the liberty\nhe had taken in interfering; but that, as he regarded himself in the\nlight of a party concerned, from having had the honour of dancing\nwith Miss Anville, he could not possibly reconcile to himself a\npatient neutrality.", "He then proceeded to tell her, that he had waited upon Mr. Lovel the\nmorning after the play; that the visit had proved an amicable one,\nbut the particulars were neither entertaining nor necessary: he only\nassured her, Miss Anville might be perfectly easy, since Mr. Lovel\nhad engaged his honour never more to mention, or even to hint at what\nhad passed at Mrs. Stanley's assembly.", "Mrs. Mirvan expressed her satisfaction at this conclusion, and thanked\nhim for his polite attention to her young friend.", "\"It would be needless,\" said he, \"to request that this affair may\nnever transpire, since Mrs. Mirvan cannot but see the necessity of\nkeeping it inviolably secret; but I thought it incumbent upon me,\nas the young lady is under your protection, to assure both you and\nher of Mr. Lovel's future respect.\"", "Had I known of this visit previous to Lord Orville's making it, what\ndreadful uneasiness would it have cost me!", "Believe me, Sir, she merits your utmost attention and regard.", "You\ncould not see and know her, and remain unmoved by those sensations of\naffection which belong to so near and tender a relationship.", "She is\nthe lovely resemblance of her lovely mother;-pardon, Sir, the liberty\nI take in mentioning that unfortunate lady; but I think it behoves\nme, upon this occasion, to shew the esteem I felt for her: allow me,\ntherefore, to say, and be not offended at my freedom, that the memory\nof that excellent lady has but too long remained under the aspersions\nof calumny; surely it is time to vindicate her fame;-and how can that\nbe done in a manner more eligible, more grateful to her friends, or\nmore honourable to yourself, than by openly receiving as your child,\nthe daughter of the late Lady Belmont?", "The venerable man who has had the care of her education, deserves\nyour warmest acknowledgments, for the unremitting pains he has taken,\nand the attention he has shewn in the discharge of his trust.", "Indeed\nshe has been peculiarly fortunate in meeting with such a friend and\nguardian; a more worthy man, or one whose character seems nearer to\nperfection, does not exist.", "Permit me to assure you, Sir, she will amply repay whatever regard and\nfavour you may hereafter shew her, by the comfort and happiness you\ncannot fail to find in her affection and duty.", "To be owned properly\nby you is the first wish of her heart; and, I am sure, that to merit\nyour approbation will be the first study of her life.", "I fear that you will think this address impertinent; but I must rest\nupon the goodness of my intention to plead my excuse.", "I am, Sir,\nYour most obedient humble servant, M. HOWARD.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXII EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, Kent, May 10.", "OUR house has been enlivened to-day by the arrival of a London visitor;\nand the necessity I have been under of concealing the uneasiness of\nmy mind, has made me exert myself so effectually, that I even think\nit is really diminished; or, at least, my thoughts are not so totally,\nso very anxiously, occupied by one subject only as they lately were.", "I was strolling this morning with Miss Mirvan, down a lane about\na mile from the Grove, when we heard the trampling of horses; and,\nfearing the narrowness of the passage, we were turning hastily back,\nbut stopped upon hearing a voice call out, \"Pray, Ladies, don't be\nfrightened, for I will walk my horse.\"", "We turned again, and then saw\nSir Clement Willoughby.", "He dismounted; and approaching us with the\nreins in his hand, presently recollected us.", "\"Good Heaven,\" cried\nhe, with his usual quickness, \"do I see Miss Anville ?-and you too,\nMiss Mirvan?\"", "He immediately ordered his servant to take charge of his horse; and\nthen, advancing to us, took a hand of each, which he pressed to his\nlips, and said a thousand fine things concerning his good fortune,\nour improved looks, and the charms of the country, when inhabited\nby such rural deities.", "\"The town, Ladies, has languished since your\nabsence;-or, at least, I have so much languished myself, as to be\nabsolutely insensible to all it had to offer.", "One refreshing breeze,\nsuch as I now enjoy, awakens me to new vigour, life, and spirit.", "But I\nnever before had the good luck to see the country in such perfection.\"", "\"Has not almost every body left town, Sir?\"", "said Miss Mirvan.", "\"I am ashamed to answer you, Madam,-but indeed it is as full as ever,\nand will continue so till after the birth-day.", "However, you Ladies\nwere so little seen, that there are but few who know what it has\nlost.", "For my own part, I felt it too sensibly, to be able to endure\nthe place any longer.\"", "\"Is there any body remaining there, that we were acquainted\nwith?\"", "cried I.", "\"O yes, Ma'am.\"", "And then he named two or three persons we have seen\nwhen with him; but he did not mention Lord Orville, and I would not\nask him, lest he should think me curious.", "Perhaps, if he stays here\nsome time, he may speak of him by accident.", "He was proceeding in this complimentary style, when we were met by\nthe Captain; who no sooner perceived Sir Clement, than he hastened\nup to him, gave him a hearty shake of the hand, a cordial slap on the\nback, and some other equally gentle tokens of satisfaction, assuring\nhim of his great joy at his visit, and declaring he was as glad to\nsee him as if he had been a messenger who brought news that a French\nship was sunk.", "Sir Clement, on the other side, expressed himself with\nequal warmth; and protested he had been so eager to pay his respects\nto Captain Mirvan, that he had left London in its full lustre, and a\nthousand engagements unanswered, merely to give himself that pleasure.", "\"We shall have rare sport,\" said the Captain; \"for, do you know, the\nold French-woman is among us?", "'Fore George, I have scarce made any\nuse of her yet, by reason I have had nobody with me that could enjoy a\njoke: howsomever, it shall go hard but we'll have some diversion now.\"", "Sir Clement very much approved of the proposal; and we then went into\nthe house, where he had a very grave reception from Mrs. Mirvan, who\nis by no means pleased with his visit, and a look of much discontent\nfrom Madame Duval, who said to me in a low voice, \"I'd as soon have\nseen Old Nick as that man, for he's the most impertinentest person\nin the world, and isn't never of my side.\"", "The Captain is now actually occupied in contriving some scheme, which,\nhe says, is to pay the old Dowager off; and so eager and delighted is\nhe at the idea, that he can scarcely restrain his raptures sufficiently\nto conceal his design even from herself.", "I wish, however, since I do\nnot dare put Madame Duval upon her guard, that he had the delicacy\nnot to acquaint me with his intention.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\n\nMay 13th.", "THE Captain's operations are begun,-and, I hope, ended; for, indeed,\npoor Madame Duval has already but too much reason to regret Sir\nClement's visit to Howard Grove.", "Yesterday morning, during breakfast, as the Captain was reading the\nnewspaper, Sir Clement suddenly begged to look at it, saying, he wanted\nto know if there was any account of a transaction, at which he had\nbeen present the evening before his journey hither, concerning a poor\nFrenchman, who had got into a scrape which might cost him his life.", "The Captain demanded particulars; and then Sir Clement told a\nlong story of being with a party of country friends at the Tower,\nand hearing a man call out for mercy in French; and that, when he\ninquired into the occasion of his distress, he was informed that he\nhad been taken up upon suspicion of treasonable practices against the\ngovernment.", "\"The poor fellow,\" continued he, \"no sooner found that I\nspoke French, than he besought me to hear him, protesting that he had\nno evil designs; that he had been but a short time in England, and\nonly waited the return of a lady from the country to quit it for ever.\"", "Madame Duval changed colour, and listened with the utmost attention.", "\"Now, though I by no means approve of so many foreigners continually\nflocking into our country,\" added he, addressing himself to the\nCaptain, \"yet I could not help pitying the poor wretch, because\nhe did not know enough of English to make his defence; however, I\nfound it impossible to assist him; for the mob would not suffer me\nto interfere.", "In truth, I am afraid he was but roughly handled.\"", "\"Why, did they duck him?\"", "said the Captain.", "\"Something of that sort,\" answered he.", "\"So much the better!", "so much the better!\"", "cried the Captain, \"an\nimpudent French puppy!", "I'll bet you what you will he was a rascal.", "I\nonly wish all his countrymen were served the same.\"", "\"I wish you had been in his place, with all my soul!\"", "cried Madame\nDuval, warmly;-\"but pray, Sir, did'n't nobody know who this poor\ngentleman was?\"", "\"Why I did hear his name,\" answered Sir Clement, \"but I cannot\nrecollect it.\"", "\"It wasn't-it wasn't-Du Bois?\"", "stammered out Madame Duval.", "\"The very name!\"", "answered he: \"yes, Du Bois, I remember it now.\"", "Madame Duval's cup fell from her hand, as she repeated \"Du\nBois!", "Monsieur Du Bois, did you say?\"", "\"Du Bois!", "why, that's my friend,\" cried the Captain, \"that's Monseer\nSlippery, i'n't it?-Why, he's plaguy fond of sousing work; howsomever,\nI'll be sworn they gave him his fill of it.\"", "\"And I'll be sworn,\" cried Madame Duval, \"that you're a-but I don't\nbelieve nothing about it, so you needn't be so overjoyed, for I dare\nsay it was no more Monsieur Du Bois than I am.\"", "\"I thought at the time,\" said Sir Clement, very gravely, \"that I had\nseen the gentleman before; and now I recollect, I think it was in\ncompany with you, Madame.\"", "\"With me, Sir?\"", "cried Madame Duval.", "\"Say you so?\"", "said the Captain; \"why then it must be he, as sure\nas you're alive!-Well, but, my good friend, what will they do with\npoor Monseer?\"", "\"It is difficult to say,\" answered Sir Clement, very thoughtfully;\n\"but I should suppose, that if he has not good friends to appear for\nhim, he will be in a very unpleasant situation; for these are serious\nsorts of affairs.\"", "\"Why, do you think they'll hang him?\"", "demanded the Captain.", "Sir Clement shook his head, but made no answer.", "Madame Duval could no longer contain her agitation; she started\nfrom her chair, repeating, with a voice half-choked, \"Hang him!-they\ncan't,-they sha'n't-let them at their peril!-However, it's all false,\nand I won't believe a word of it;-but I'll go to town this very moment,\nand see M. Du Bois myself;-I won't wait for nothing.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan begged her not to be alarmed; but she flew out of the\nroom, and up stairs into her own apartment.", "Lady Howard blamed both\nthe gentlemen for having been so abrupt, and followed her.", "I would\nhave accompanied her, but the Captain stopped me; and, having first\nlaughed very heartily, said he was going to read his commission to\nhis ship's company.", "\"Now, do you see,\" said he, \"as to Lady Howard, I sha'n't pretend for\nto enlist her into my service, and so I shall e'en leave her to make\nit out as well as she can; but as to all you, I expect obedience and\nsubmission to orders; I am now upon a hazardous expedition, having\nundertaken to convoy a crazy vessel to the shore of Mortification; so,\nd'ye see, if any of you have anything to propose that will forward the\nenterprise,-why speak and welcome; but if any of you, that are of my\nchosen crew, capitulate, or enter into any treaty with the enemy,-I\nshall look upon you as mutinying, and turn you adrift.\"", "Having finished this harangue, which was interlarded with many\nexpressions, and sea-phrases, that I cannot recollect, he gave Sir\nClement a wink of intelligence, and left us to ourselves.", "Indeed, notwithstanding the attempts I so frequently make of writing\nsome of the Captain's conversation, I can only give you a faint idea\nof his language; for almost every other word he utters is accompanied\nby an oath, which, I am sure, would be as unpleasant for you to read,\nas for me to write: and, besides, he makes use of a thousand sea-terms,\nwhich are to me quite unintelligible.", "Poor Madame Duval sent to inquire at all probable places, whether\nshe could be conveyed to town in any stage-coach: but the Captain's\nservant brought her for answer, that no London stage would pass\nnear Howard Grove till to-day.", "She then sent to order a chaise;\nbut was soon assured, that no horses could be procured.", "She was so\nmuch inflamed by these disappointments, that she threatened to set\nout for town on foot; and it was with difficulty that Lady Howard\ndissuaded her from this mad scheme.", "The whole morning was filled up with these inquiries.", "But when we\nwere all assembled to dinner, she endeavoured to appear perfectly\nunconcerned, and repeatedly protested that she gave not any credit\nto the report, as far as it regarded M. Du Bois, being very certain\nthat he was not the person in question.", "The Captain used the most provoking efforts to convince her that she\ndeceived herself; while Sir Clement, with more art, though not less\nmalice, affected to be of her opinion; but, at the same time that he\npretended to relieve her uneasiness, by saying that he doubted not\nhaving mistaken the name, he took care to enlarge upon the danger to\nwhich the unknown gentleman was exposed, and expressed great concern\nat his perilous situation.", "Dinner was hardly removed, when a letter was delivered to Madam\nDuval.", "The moment she had read it, she hastily demanded from whom\nit came.", "\"A country boy brought it,\" answered the servant,\" but he would\nnot wait.\"", "\"Run after him this instant!\"", "cried she, \"and be sure you bring him\nback.", "Mon Dieu!", "quelle aventure!", "que feraije?\"", "\"What's the matter?", "what's the matter?\"", "said the Captain.", "\"Why nothing-nothing's the matter.", "O mon Dieu!\"", "And she rose, and walked about the room.", "\"Why, what,-has Monseer sent to you?\"", "continued the Captain: \"is that\nthere letter from him?\"", "\"No,-it i'n't;-besides, if it is, it's nothing to you.\"", "\"O then, I'm sure it is!", "Pray now, Madam, don't be so close;\ncome tell us all about it-what does he say?", "how did he relish the\nhorse-pond?-which did he find best, sousing single or double?", "'Fore\nGeorge, 'twas plaguy unlucky you was not with him!\"", "\"It's no such a thing, Sir,\" cried she, very angrily; \"and if you're\nso very fond of a horse-pond, I wish you'd put yourself into one,\nand not be always a thinking about other people's being served so.\"", "The man then came in to acquaint her they could not overtake the\nboy.", "She scolded violently, and was in such perturbation, that Lady\nHoward interfered, and begged to know the cause of her uneasiness,\nand whether she could assist her.", "Madame Duval cast her eyes upon the Captain and Sir Clement, and said\nshe should be glad to speak to her Ladyship without so many witnesses.", "\"Well, then, Miss Anville,\" said the Captain, turning to me, \"do you\nand Molly go into another room, and stay there till Mrs. Duval has\nopened her mind to us.\"", "\"So you may think, Sir,\" cried she, \"but who's fool then?", "no, no,\nyou needn't trouble yourself to make a ninny of me neither, for I'm\nnot so easily taken in, I'll assure you.\"", "Lady Howard then invited her into the dressing-room, and I was desired\nto attend her.", "As soon as we had shut the door, \"O my Lady,\" exclaimed Madam Duval,\n\"here's the most cruelest thing in the world has happened!-but that\nCaptain is such a beast, I can't say nothing before him,-but it's\nall true!", "poor M. Du Bois is tooked up!\"", "Lady Howard begged her to be comforted, saying that, as M. Du Bois\nwas certainly innocent, there could be no doubt of his ability to\nclear himself.", "\"To be sure, my Lady,\" answered she, \"I know he is innocent; and to\nbe sure they'll never be so wicked as to hang him for nothing?\"", "\"Certainly not,\" replied Lady Howard; \"you have no reason to be\nuneasy.", "This is not a country where punishment is inflicted without\nproof.\"", "\"Very true, my Lady: but the worst thing is this; I cannot bear\nthat that fellow the Captain should know about it; for if he does,\nI sha'n't never hear the last of it;-no more won't poor M. Du Bois.\"", "\"Well, well,\" said Lady Howard, \"shew me the letter, and I will\nendeavour to advise you.\"", "The letter was then produced.", "It was signed by the clerk of a country\njustice; who acquainted her, that a prisoner, then upon trial for\nsuspicion of treasonable practices against the government, was just\nupon the point of being committed to jail; but having declared that\nhe was known to her, this clerk had been prevailed upon to write,\nin order to enquire if she really could speak to the character and\nfamily of a Frenchman who called himself Pierre Du Bois.", "When I heard the letter, I was quite amazed at its success.", "So\nimprobable did it seem, that a foreigner should be taken before\na country justice of peace, for a crime of so dangerous a nature,\nthat I cannot imagine how Madame Duval could be alarmed, even for\na moment.", "But, with all her violence of temper, I see that she is\neasily frightened, and in fact, more cowardly than many who have not\nhalf her spirit; and so little does she reflect upon circumstances,\nor probability, that she is continually the dupe of her own-I ought\nnot to say ignorance, but yet I can think of no other word.", "I believe that Lady Howard, from the beginning of the transaction,\nsuspected some contrivance of the Captain; and this letter, I am\nsure, must confirm her suspicion: however, though she is not at all\npleased with his frolic, yet she would not hazard the consequence of\ndiscovering his designs: her looks, her manner, and her character,\nmade me draw this conclusion from her apparent perplexity; for not a\nword did she say that implied any doubt of the authenticity of the\nletter.", "Indeed there seems to be a sort of tacit agreement between\nher and the Captain, that she should not appear to be acquainted with\nhis schemes; by which means she at once avoids quarrels, and supports\nher dignity.", "While she was considering what to propose, Madame Duval begged to\nhave the use of her Ladyship's chariot, that she might go immediately\nto the assistance of her friend.", "Lady Howard politely assured her,\nthat it should be extremely at her service; and then Madame Duval\nbesought her not to own to the Captain what had happened, protesting\nthat she could not endure he should know poor M. Du Bois had met with\nso unfortunate an accident.", "Lady Howard could not help smiling, though\nshe readily promised not to inform the Captain of the affair.", "As to\nme, she desired my attendance; which I was by no means rejoiced at,\nas I was certain that she was going upon a fruitless errand.", "I was then commissioned to order the chariot.", "At the foot of the stairs I met the Captain, who was most impatiently\nwaiting the result of the conference.", "In an instant we were joined\nby Sir Clement.", "A thousand inquiries were then made concerning Madame\nDuval's opinion of the letter, and her intentions upon it: and when I\nwould have left them, Sir Clement, pretending equal eagerness with\nthe Captain, caught my hand, and repeatedly detained me, to ask\nsome frivolous question, to the answer of which he must be totally\nindifferent.", "At length, however, I broke from them; they retired into\nthe parlour, and I executed my commission.", "The carriage was soon ready; and Madame Duval, having begged Lady\nHoward to say she was not well, stole softly down stairs, desiring me\nto follow her.", "The chariot was ordered at the garden-door; and, when\nwe were seated, she told the man, according to the clerk's directions,\nto drive to Mr. Justice Tyrell's, asking at the same time, how many\nmiles off he lived?", "I expected he would have answered, that he knew of no such person;\nbut, to my great surprise, he said, \"Why, 'Squire Tyrell lives about\nnine miles beyond the park.\"", "\"Drive fast, then,\" cried she, \"and you sha'n't be no worse for it.\"", "During our ride, which was extremely tedious, she tormented herself\nwith a thousand fears for M. Du Bois's safety; and piqued herself\nvery much upon having escaped unseen by the Captain, not only that\nshe avoided his triumph, but because she knew him to be so much M. Du\nBois's enemy, that she was sure he would prejudice the justice against\nhim, and endeavour to take away his life.", "For my part, I was quite\nashamed of being engaged in so ridiculous an affair, and could only\nthink of the absurd appearance we should make upon our arrival at\nMr. Tyrell's.", "When we had been out near two hours, and expected every moment to\nstop at the place of our destination, I observed that Lady Howard's\nservant, who attended us on horseback, rode on forward till he was\nout of sight: and soon after returning, came up to the chariot window,\nand delivering a note to Madame Duval, said he had met a boy who was\njust coming with it to Howard Grove from the clerk of Mr. Tyrell.", "While she was reading it, he rode round to the other window, and making\na sign for secrecy, put into my hand a slip of paper, on which was\nwritten, \"Whatever happens, be not alarmed-for you are safe-though\nyou endanger all mankind!\"", "I readily imagined that Sir Clement must be the author of this note,\nwhich prepared me to expect some disagreeable adventure: but I had\nno time to ponder upon it; for Madame Duval had no sooner read her\nown letter, than, in an angry tone of voice, she exclaimed, \"Why,\nnow, what a thing is this!", "here we're come all this way for nothing!\"", "She gave me the note; which informed her, that she need not trouble\nherself to go to Mr. Tyrell's, as the prisoner had had the address to\nescape.", "I congratulated her upon this fortunate incident; but she was\nso much concerned at having rode so far in vain, that she seemed to\nbe less pleased than provoked.", "However, she ordered the man to make\nwhat haste he could home, as she hoped, at least, to return before\nthe Captain should suspect what had passed.", "The carriage turned about; and we journeyed so quietly for near an\n hour, that\nI began to flatter myself we should be suffered to proceed to Howard\nGrove without any molestation, when suddenly, the footman called out,\n\"John, are we going right?\"", "\"Why, I a'n't sure,\" said the coachman, \"But I'm afraid we turned\n wrong.\"", "\"What do you mean by that, sirrah?\"", "said Madame Duval; \"why, if you\n lose your\nway, we shall all be in the dark.\"", "\"I think we should turn to the left,\" said the footman.", "\"To the left!\"", "answered the other; \"No, no, I'm partly sure we should\n turn to\nthe right.\"", "\"You had better make some enquiry,\" said I.", "\"Ma foi!\"", "cried Madame Duval, \"we're in a fine hole here!-they\n neither of\nthem know no more than the post.", "However, I'll tell my Lady as sure\nas you're born, you'd better find the way.\"", "\"Let's try this lane,\" said the footman.", "\"No,\" said the coachman, \"that's the road to Canterbury; we had best\ngo straight on.\"", "\"Why, that's the direct London road,\" returned the footman, \"and\n will lead us\ntwenty miles about.\"", "\"Pardi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"why, they won't go one way nor\nt'other!", "and now we're come all this jaunt for nothing, I suppose we\nshan't get home to-night!\"", "\"Let's go back to the public-house,\" said the footman, \"and ask for a\nguide.\"", "\"No, no,\" said the other, \"if we stay here a few minutes, somebody\n or other\nwill pass by; and the horses are almost knocked up already.\"", "\"Well, I protest,\" cried Madame Duval, \"I'd give a guinea to see\n them sots\nboth horse-whipped!", "As sure as I'm alive they're drunk!", "Ten to one\nbut they'll overturn us next.\"", "After much debating, they at length agreed to go on till we came to\n some inn,\nor met with a passenger who could direct us.", "We soon arrived at a\nfarm-house, and the footman alighted, and went into it.", "In a few minutes he returned, and told us we might proceed, for that\n he had\nprocured a direction: \"But,\" added he, \"it seems there are some\nthieves hereabouts; and so the best way will be for you to leave\nyour watches and your purses with the farmer, whom I know very well,\nand who is an honest man, and a tenant of my Lady's.\"", "\"Thieves!\"", "cried Madame Duval, looking aghast; \"the Lord help\n us!-I've no\ndoubt but we shall be all murdered!\"", "The farmer came up to us, and we gave him all we were worth, and\n the servants\nfollowed our example.", "We then proceeded; and Madame Duval's anger\nso entirely subsided, that, in the mildest manner imaginable, she\nintreated them to make haste, and promised to tell their Lady how\ndiligent and obliging they had been.", "She perpetually stopped them,\nto ask if they apprehended any danger; and was at length so much\noverpowered by her fears, that she made the footman fasten his horse\nto the back of the carriage, and then come and seat himself within\nit.", "My endeavours to encourage her were fruitless: she sat in the\nmiddle, held the man by the arm, and protested that if he did but\nsave her life, she would make his fortune.", "Her uneasiness gave me much\nconcern, and it was with the utmost difficulty I forbore to acquaint\nher that she was imposed upon; but the mutual fear of the Captain's\nresentment to me, and of her own to him, neither of which would have\nany moderation, deterred me.", "As to the footman, he was evidently in\ntorture from restraining his laughter; and I observed that he was\nfrequently obliged to make most horrid grimaces, from pretended fear,\nin order to conceal his risibility.", "Very soon after, \"The robbers are coming!\"", "cried the coachman.", "The footman opened the door, and jumped out of the chariot.", "Madame Duval gave a loud scream.", "I could no longer preserve my silence.", "\"For Heaven's sake, my dear\nMadame,\" said I, \"don't be alarmed,-you are in no danger,-you are\nquite safe,-there is nothing but-\"\n\n Here the chariot was stopped by two men in masks; who at each side\n put in\ntheir hands as if for our purses.", "Madame Duval sunk to the bottom\nof the chariot, and implored their mercy.", "I shrieked involuntarily,\nalthough prepared for the attack: one of them held me fast, while\nthe other tore poor Madame Duval out of the carriage, in spite of\nher cries, threats, and resistance.", "I was really frightened, and trembled exceedingly.", "\"My angel!\"", "cried\nthe man who held me, \"you cannot surely be alarmed,-do you not know\nme?-I shall hold myself in eternal abhorrence, if I have really\nterrified you.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir Clement, you have,\" cried I:-\"but, for Heaven's sake,\nwhere is Madame Duval?-why is she forced away?\"", "\"She is perfectly safe; the Captain has her in charge: but suffer\n me now, my\nadored Miss Anville, to take the only opportunity that is allowed me,\nto speak upon another, a much dearer, much sweeter subject.\"", "And then he hastily came into the chariot, and seated himself next to\nme.", "I would fain have disengaged myself from him, but he would not let\nme: \"Deny me not, most charming of women,\" cried he, \"deny me not this\nonly moment that is lent me, to pour forth my soul into your gentle\nears,-to tell you how much I suffer from your absence,-how much I dread\nyour displeasure,-and how cruelly I am affected by your coldness!\"", "\"O, Sir, this is no time for such language;-pray leave me, pray go\n to the\nrelief of Madame Duval,-I cannot bear that she should be treated with\nsuch indignity.\"", "\"And will you,-can you command my absence?-When may I speak to you,\n if not\nnow?-Does the Captain suffer me to breathe a moment out of his\nsight?-and are not a thousand impertinent people for ever at your\nelbow?\"", "\"Indeed, Sir Clement, you must change your style, or I will not hear\n you.", "The\nimpertinent people you mean are among my best friends; and you would\nnot, if you really wished me well, speak of them so disrespectfully.\"", "\"Wish you well!-O, Miss Anville, point but out to me how, in what\n manner, I\nmay convince you of the fervour of my passion;-tell me but what\nservices you will accept from me,-and you shall find my life, my\nfortune, my whole soul at your devotion.\"", "\"I want nothing, Sir, that you can offer;-I beg you not to talk to\n me so-so\nstrangely.", "Pray leave me; and pray assure yourself you cannot take\nany method so successless to show any regard for me, as entering into\nschemes so frightful to Madame Duval, and so disagreeable to myself.\"", "\"The scheme was the Captain's: I even opposed it: though, I own,\n I could not\nrefuse myself the so-long-wished-for happiness of speaking to you\nonce more, without so many of-your friends to watch me.", "And I had\nflattered myself, that the note I charged the footman to give you,\nwould have prevented the alarm you have received.\"", "\"Well Sir, you have now, I hope, said enough; and, if you will not go\nyourself to see for Madame Duval, at least suffer me to inquire what\nis become of her.\"", "\"And when may I speak to you again?\"", "\"No matter when,-I don't know,-perhaps-\"\n\n \"Perhaps what, my angel?\"", "\"Perhaps never, Sir,-if you torment me thus.\"", "\"Never!", "O, Miss Anville, how cruel, how piercing to my soul is\n that icy\nword!-Indeed I cannot endure such displeasure.\"", "\"Then, Sir, you must not provoke it.", "Pray leave me directly.\"", "\"I will Madam: but let me, at least, make a merit of my\n obedience,-allow me\nto hope that you will, in future, be less averse to trusting yourself\nfor a few moments alone with me\"\n\n I was surprised at the freedom of this request: but, while I hesitated\n how to\nanswer it, the other mask came up to the chariot-door, and, in a voice\nalmost stifled with laughter said, \"I've done for her!-the old buck\nis safe;-but we must sheer off directly, or we shall be all ground.\"", "Sir Clement instantly left me, mounted his horse, and rode off.", "The\n Captain\nhaving given some directions to the servants, followed him.", "I was both uneasy and impatient to know the fate of Madame Duval, and\nimmediately got out of the chariot to seek her.", "I desired the footman\nto show me which way she was gone; he pointed with his finger by\nway of answer, and I saw that he dared not trust his voice to make\nany other.", "I walked on at a very quick pace, and soon, to my great\nconsternation, perceived the poor lady seated upright in a ditch.", "I\nflew to her with unfeigned concern at her situation.", "She was sobbing,\nnay, almost roaring, and in the utmost agony of rage and terror.", "As\nsoon as she saw me, she redoubled her cries; but her voice was so\nbroken, I could not understand a word she said.", "I was so much shocked,\nthat it was with difficulty I forebore exclaiming against the cruelty\nof the Captain for thus wantonly ill-treating her; and I could not\nforgive myself for having passively suffered the deception.", "I used my\nutmost endeavours to comfort her, assuring her of our present safety,\nand begging her to rise and return to the chariot.", "Almost bursting with passion, she pointed to her feet, and with\n frightful\nviolence she actually tore the ground with her hands.", "I then saw that her feet were tied together with a strong rope, which\nwas fastened to the upper branch of a tree, even with a hedge which\nran along the ditch where she sat.", "I endeavoured to untie the knot;\nbut soon found it was infinitely beyond my strength.", "I was, therefore,\nobliged to apply to the footman; but, being very unwilling to add to\nhis mirth by the sight of Madame Duval's situation.", "I desired him to\nlend me a knife: I returned with it, and cut the rope.", "Her feet were\nsoon disentangled; and then, though with great difficulty, I assisted\nher to rise.", "But what was my astonishment, when, the moment she was\nup, she hit me a violent slap on the face!", "I retreated from her with\nprecipitation and dread: and she then loaded me with reproaches, which,\nthough almost unintelligible, convinced me that she imagined I had\nvoluntarily deserted her; but she seemed not to have the slightest\nsuspicion that she had not been attacked by real robbers.", "I was so much surprised and confounded at the blow, that, for some\n time, I\nsuffered her to rave without making any answer; but her extreme\nagitation, and real suffering, soon dispelled my anger, which all\nturned into compassion.", "I then told her, that I had been forcibly\ndetained from following her, and assured her of my real sorrow of\nher ill-usage.", "She began to be somewhat appeased; and I again intreated her to\n return to the\ncarriage, or give me leave to order that it should draw up to the\nplace where we stood.", "She made no answer, till I told her, that the\nlonger we remained still, the greater would be the danger of our\nride home.", "Struck with this hint, she suddenly, and with hasty steps,\nmoved forward.", "Her dress was in such disorder, that I was quite sorry to have\n her figure\nexposed to the servants, who all of them, in imitation of her master,\nhold her in derision: however the disgrace was unavoidable.", "The ditch, happily, was almost quite dry, or she must have suffered\n still\nmore seriously; yet so forlorn, so miserable a figure, I never before\nsaw her.", "Her head-dress had fallen off, her linen was torn, her\nnegligee had not a pin left in it, her petticoats she was obliged to\nhold on, and her shoes were perpetually slipping off.", "She was covered\nwith dirt, weeds, and filth, and her face was really horrible; for\nthe pomatum and powder from her head, and the dust from the road,\nwere quite pasted on her skin by her tears, which, with her rouge,\nmade so frightful a mixture, that she hardly looked human.", "The servants were ready to die with laughter the moment they saw her;\n but not\nall my remonstrances could prevail upon her to get into the carriage,\ntill she had most vehemently reproached them both for not rescuing\nher.", "The footman, fixing his eyes on the ground, as if fearful of\nagain trusting himself to look at her, protested that the robbers had\nvowed they would shoot him if he moved an inch, and that one of them\nhad stayed to watch the chariot, while the other carried her off,\nadding, that the reason of their behaving so barbarously, was to\nrevenge our having secured our purses.", "Notwithstanding, her anger,\nshe gave immediate credit to what he said; and really imagined that her\nwant of money had irritated the pretended robbers to treat her with\nsuch cruelty.", "I determined, therefore, to be carefully upon my guard\nnot to betray the imposition, which could now answer no other purpose,\nthen occasioning an irreparable breach between her and the Captain.", "Just as we were seated in the chariot, she discovered the loss which\n her head\nhad sustained, and called out, \"My God!", "what is become of my hair?-why,\nthe villain has stole all my curls!\"", "She then ordered the man to run and see if he could find any of them\n in the\nditch.", "He went, and presently returning, produced a great quantity of\nhair, in such nasty condition, that I was amazed she would take it;\nand the man, as he delivered it to her, found it impossible to keep\nhis countenance; which she no sooner observed, than all her stormy\npassions were again raised.", "She flung the battered curls in his face,\nsaying, \"Sirrah, what do you grin for?", "I wish you'd been served so\nyourself, and you wouldn't have found it no such joke; you are the\nimpudentest fellow ever I see; and if I find you dare grin at me any\nmore, I shall make no ceremony of boxing your ears.\"", "Satisfied with the threat, the man hastily retired, and we drove on.", "Her anger now subsiding into grief, she began most sorrowfully to\n lament her\ncase.", "\"I believe,\" she cried, \"never nobody was so unlucky as I\nam!", "and so here, because I ha'n't had misfortunes enough already,\nthat puppy has made me lose my curls!-Why, I can't see nobody without\nthem:-only look at me,-I was never so bad off in my life before.", "Pardi,\nif I'd know'd as much, I'd have brought two or three sets with me:\nbut I'd never a thought of such a thing as this.\"", "Finding her now somewhat pacified, I ventured to ask an account of her\nadventure, which I will endeavour to write in her own words.", "\"Why, child, all this misfortune comes of that puppy's making us\n leave our\nmoney behind us; for, as soon as the robber see I did put nothing\nin his hands, he lugged me out of the chariot by main force, and I\nverily thought he'd have murdered me.", "He was as strong as a lion;\nI was no more in his hands than a child.", "But I believe never nobody\nwas so abused before; for he dragged me down the road, pulling and\nhauling me all the way, as if'd no more feeling than a horse.", "I'm\nsure I wish I could see that man cut up and quartered alive!", "however,\nhe'll come to the gallows, that's one good thing.", "So soon as we'd\ngot out of sight of the chariot, though he needn't have been afraid,\nfor if he'd beat me to a mummy, those cowardly fellows wouldn't have\nsaid nothing to it-so, when I was got there, what does he do, but\nall of a sudden he takes me by both the shoulders, and he gives me\nsuch a shake!-Mon Dieu I shall never forget it, if I live to be an\nhundred.", "I'm sure I dare say I'm out of joint all over.", "And though\nI made as much noise as I ever could, he took no more notice of\nit than nothing at all; there he stood, shaking me in that manner,\nas if he was doing it for a wager.", "I'm determined, if it costs me\nall my fortune, I'll see that villain hanged.", "He shall be found out,\nif there's e'er a justice in England.", "So when he had shook me till he\nwas tired, and I felt all over like a jelly, without saying never a\nword, he takes and pops me into the ditch!", "I'm sure, I thought he'd\nhave murdered me, as much as ever I thought any thing in my life;\nfor he kept bumping me about, as if he thought nothing too bad for\nme.", "However, I'm resolved I'll never leave my purse behind me again,\nthe longest day I have to live.", "So when he couldn't stand over me\nno longer, he holds out his hands again for my money; but he was as\ncunning as could be, for he wouldn't speak a word, because I shouldn't\nswear to his voice; however, that sha'n't save him, for I'll swear to\nhim any day in the year, if I can but catch him.", "So, when I told him I\nhad no money, he fell to jerking me again, just as if he had but that\nmoment begun!", "And, after that, he got me close by a tree, and out of\nhis pocket he pulls a great cord!-It's a wonder I did not swoon away:\nfor as sure as you're alive, he was going to hang to me that tree.", "I\nscreamed like any thing mad, and told him if he would but spare my\nlife, I'd never prosecute him, nor tell anybody what he'd done to me:\nso he stood some time quite in a brown study, a-thinking what he should\ndo.", "And so, after that, he forced me to sit down in the ditch, and he\ntied my feet together, just as you see them: and then, as if he had\nnot done enough, he twitched off my cap, and without saying nothing,\ngot on his horse and left me in that condition; thinking, I suppose,\nthat I might lie there and perish.\"", "Though this narrative almost compelled me to laugh, yet I was really\nirritated with the Captain, for carrying his love of tormenting,-sport,\nhe calls it,-to such barbarous and unjustifiable extremes.", "I consoled\nand soothed her, as well as I was able: and told her, that since\nM. Du Bois had escaped, I hoped, when she recovered from her fright,\nall would end well.", "\"Fright, child!\"", "repeated she,-\"why that's not half:-I promise you,\n I wish it\nwas: but here I'm bruised from top to toe and it's well if ever I have\nthe right use of my limbs again.", "However, I'm glad the villain got\nnothing but his trouble for his pains.", "But here the worst is to come,\nfor I can't go out, because I've got no curls, and so he'll be escaped\nbefore I can get to the justice to stop him.", "I'm resolved I'll tell\nLady Howard how her man served me; for if he hadn't made me fling\n'em away, I dare say I would have pinned them up well enough for\nthe country.\"", "\"Perhaps Lady Howard may be able to lend you a cap that will wear\n without\nthem.\"", "\"Lady Howard, indeed!", "why, do you think I'd wear one of her\n dowdies?", "No, I'll\npromise you, I sha'n't put on no such disguisement.", "It's the unluckiest\nthing in the world that I did not make the man pick up the curls again;\nbut he put me in such a passion, I could not think of nothing.", "I\nknow I can't get none at Howard Grove for love nor money: for of\nall the stupid places ever I see, that Howard Grove is the worst;\nthere's never no getting nothing one wants.\"", "This sort of conversation lasted till we arrived at our journey's end;\nand then a new distress occurred: Madame Duval was eager to speak\nto Lady Lady Howard and Mrs. Mirvan, and to relate her misfortunes:\nbut she could not endure that Sir Clement or the Captain should\nsee her in such disorder; so she said they were so ill-natured,\nthat instead of pitying her, they would only make a jest of her\ndisasters.", "She therefore sent me first into the house, to wait for an\nopportunity of their being out of the way, that she might steal up\nstairs unobserved.", "In this I succeeded, as the gentlemen thought it\nmost prudent not to seem watching for her; though they both contrived\nto divert themselves with peeping at her as she passed.", "She went immediately to bed, where she had her supper.", "Lady Howard\nand Mrs. Mirvan both of them very kindly sat with her, and listened\nto her tale with compassionate attention: while Miss Mirvan and I\nretired to our own room, where I was very glad to end the troubles\nof the day in a comfortable conversation.", "The Captain's raptures, during supper, at the success of his plan,\nwere boundless.", "I spoke afterwards to Mrs. Mirvan with the openness\nwhich her kindness encourages, and begged her to remonstrate with\nhim upon the cruelty of tormenting Madame Duval so causelessly.", "She\npromised to take the first opportunity of starting up the subject:\nbut said he was at present so much elated, that he would not listen\nto her with any patience.", "However, should he make any new efforts to\nmolest her, I can by no means consent to be passive.", "Had I imagined\nhe would have been so violent, I would have risked his anger in her\ndefense much sooner.", "She had kept her bed all day, and declares she is almost bruised\nto death.", "Adieu, my dear Sir.", "What a long letter have I written!", "I could almost\nfancy I sent it to you from London!", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXIV EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\n\nHoward Grove, May 15.", "THIS insatiable Captain, if left to himself, would not, I believe,\nrest, till he had tormented Madame Duval into a fever.", "He seems\nto have no delight but in terrifying or provoking her; and all his\nthoughts apparently turn upon inventing such methods as may do it\nmost effectually.", "She had her breakfast again in bed yesterday morning: but during ours,\nthe Captain, with a very significant look at Sir Clement, gave us to\nunderstand, that he thought she had now rested long enough to bear\nthe hardships of a fresh campaign.", "His meaning was obvious: and, therefore, I resolved to endeavour\nimmediately to put a stop to his intended exploits.", "When breakfast\nwas over, I followed Mrs. Mirvan out of the parlour, and begged\nher to lose no time in pleading the cause of Madame Duval with the\nCaptain.", "\"My love,\" answered she, \"I have already expostulated with\nhim; but all I can say is fruitless, while his favourite, Sir Clement,\ncontrives to urge him on.\"", "\"Then I will go and speak to Sir Clement,\" said I, \"for I know he\nwill desist if I request him.\"", "\"Have I care, my dear!\"", "said she, smiling: \"it is sometimes dangerous\nto make requests to men who are too desirous of receiving them.\"", "\"Well, then, my dear Madam, will you give me leave to speak myself\nto the Captain?\"", "\"Willingly: nay, I will accompany you to him.\"", "I thanked her, and we went to seek him.", "He was walking in the garden\nwith Sir Clement.", "Mrs. Mirvan most obligingly made an opening for my\npurpose, by saying, \"Mr. Mirvan, I have brought a petitioner with me.\"", "\"Why, what's the matter now?\"", "cried he.", "I was fearful of making him angry, and stammered very much, when I\ntold him, I hoped he had no new plan for alarming Madame Duval.", "\"New plan!\"", "cried he; \"why, you don't suppose the old one would do\nagain, do you?", "Not but what it was a very good one, only I doubt she\nwouldn't bite.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" said I, \"she had already suffered too much; and I\nhope you will pardon me, if I take the liberty of telling you, that I\nthink it my my duty to do all in my power to prevent her being again\nso much terrified.\"", "A sullen gloominess instantly clouded his face, and, turning short\nfrom me, he said, I might do as I pleased, but that I should much\nsooner repent than repair my officiousness.", "I was too much disconcerted at this rebuff to attempt making any\nanswer: and finding that Sir Clement warmly espoused my cause,\nI walked away, and left them to discuss the point together.", "Mrs. Mirvan, who never speaks to the Captain when he is out of humour,\nwas glad to follow me, and with her usual sweetness made a thousand\napologies for her husband's ill-manners.", "When I left her, I went to Madame Duval, who was just risen, and\nemployed in examining the clothes she had on the day of her ill usage.", "\"Here's a sight!\"", "she cried.", "\"Come, here child,-only look-Pardi, so\nlong as I've lived, I never see so much before!", "Why, all my things\nare spoilt; and what's worse, my sacque was as good as new.", "Here's\nthe second negligee I've used in this manner!", "- I'm sure I was a\nfool to put it on in such a lonesome place as this; however if I\nstay here these ten years, I'll never put on another good gown,\nthat I'm resolved.\"", "\"Will you let the maid try if she can iron it out, or clean it, Ma'am?\"", "\"No, she'll only make bad worse.-But look here, now, here's\na cloak!", "Mon Dieu!", "why it looks like a dish-clout!", "Of all the\nunluckiness that ever I met, this is the worst!", "for, do you know, I\nbought it but the day before I left Paris!-Besides, into the bargain,\nmy cap's quite gone: where the villain twitched it, I don't know;\nbut I never see no more of it from that time to this.", "Now you must\nknow that this was the becomingest cap I had in the world, for I've\nnever another with pink ribbon in it; and, to tell you the truth,\nif I hadn't thought to have seen M. Du Bois, I'd no more have put\nit on than I'd have flown; for as to what one wears in such a stupid\nplace as this, it signifies no more than nothing at all.\"", "She then told me, that she had been thinking all night of a contrivance\nto hinder the Captain from finding out her loss of curls; which was\nhaving a large gauge handkerchief pinned over her head as a hood,\nand saying she had the tooth-ache.", "\"To tell you the truth,\" added she, \"I believe that Captain is one\nof the worst men in the world; he's always making a joke of me;\nand as to his being a gentleman, he has no more manners than a bear,\nfor he's always upon the grin when one's in distress; and, I declare\nI'd rather be done anything to than laughed at, for, to my mind,\nit's one or other the disagreeablest thing in the world.\"", "Mrs. Mirvan, I found, had been endeavouring to dissuade her from the\ndesign she had formed of having recourse to the law, in order to find\nout the supposed robbers; for she dreads a discovery of the Captain,\nduring Madam Duval's stay at Howard Grove, as it could not fail being\nproductive of infinite commotion.", "She has, therefore, taken great\npains to show the inutility of applying to justice, unless she were\nmore able to describe the offenders against whom she would appear;\nand has assured her, that as she neither heard their voices, nor saw\ntheir faces, she cannot possibly swear to their persons, or obtain\nany redress.", "Madame Duval, in telling me this, extremely lamented her hard fate,\nthat she was thus prevented from revenging her injuries; which,\nhowever, she vowed she would not be persuaded to pocket tamely:\n\"because,\" added she, \"if such villains as these are let to have\ntheir own way, and nobody takes no notice of their impudence, they'll\nmake no more ado than nothing at all of tying people in ditches,\nand such things as that: however, I shall consult with M. Du Bois,\nas soon as I can ferret out where he's hid himself.", "I'm sure I've a\nright to his advice, for it's all along of his gaping about at the\nTower that I've met with these misfortunes.\"", "\"M. Du Bois,\" said I, \"will, I am sure, be very sorry when he hears\nwhat has happened.\"", "\"And what good will that do now?-that won't unspoil all my clothes;\nI can tell him, I a'n't much obliged to him, though it's no fault\nof his;-yet it i'n't the less provokinger for that.", "I'm sure, if he\nhad been there, to have seen me served in that manner, and put neck\nand heels into a ditch, he'd no more have thought it was me than\nthe Pope of Rome.", "I'll promise you, whatever you may think of it,\nI sha'n't have no rest, night nor day, till I find out that rogue.\"", "\"I have no doubt, Madam, but you will soon discover him.\"", "\"Pardi, if I do, I'll hang him, as sure as fate!-but what's the oddest,\nis, that he should take such a special spite against me above all the\nrest!", "it was as much for nothing as could be; for I don't know what\nI had done, so particular bad, to be used in that manner: I'm sure,\nI hadn't given no offence, as I know of, for I never see his face all\nthe time: and as to screaming a little, I think it's very hard if one\nmustn't do such a thing as that, when one's put in fear of one's life.\"", "During this conversation, she endeavoured to adjust her headdress,\nbut could not at all please herself.", "Indeed, had I not been present,\nI should have thought it impossible for a woman, at her time of life,\nto be so very difficult in regard to dress.", "What she may have in\nview, I cannot imagine, but the labour of the toilette seems the\nchief business of her life.", "When I left her, in my way down stairs, I met Sir Clement; who with\ngreat earnestness, said he must not be denied the honour of a moment's\nconversation with me; and then, without waiting for an answer, he\nled me to the garden; at the door of which, however, I absolutely\ninsisted upon stopping.", "He seemed very serious, and said, in a grave tone of voice, \"At length,\nMiss Anville, I flatter myself I have hit upon an expedient that will\noblige you; and therefore, though it is death to myself, I will put\nin practice.\"", "I begged him to explain himself.", "\"I saw your desire of saving Madame Duval, and scarce could I refrain\ngiving the brutal Captain my real opinion of his savage conduct;\nbut I am unwilling to quarrel with him, lest I should be denied\nentrance into a house which you inhabit; I have been endeavouring\nto prevail with him to give up his absurd new scheme, but I find\nhim impenetrable:-I have therefore determined to make a pretense for\nsuddenly leaving this place, dear as it is to me, and containing all\nI most admire and adore;-and I will stay in town till the violence\nof this boobyish humour is abated.\"", "He stopped; but I was silent, for I knew not what I ought to\nsay.", "He took my hand, which he pressed to his lips, saying, \"And\nmust I then, Miss Anville, must I quit you-sacrifice voluntarily my\ngreatest felicity:-and yet not be honoured with one word, one look\nof approbation?\"", "I withdrew my hand, and said with half a laugh, \"You know so well,\nSir Clement, the value of the favours you confer, that it would be\nsuperfluous for me to point it out.\"", "\"Charming, charming girl!", "how does your wit, your understanding, rise\nupon me daily: and must I, can I part with you?-will no other method-\"\n\n\"O, Sir, do you so soon repent the good office you had planned for\nMadame Duval?\"", "\"For Madame Duval!-cruel creature, and will you not even suffer me\nto place to your account the sacrifice I am about to make?\"", "\"You must place it, Sir, to what account you please; but I am too\nmuch in haste now to stay here any longer.\"", "And then I would have left him; but he held me, and rather impatiently\nsaid, \"If, then, I cannot be so happy as to oblige you, Miss Anville,\nyou must not be surprised should I seek to oblige myself.", "If my scheme\nis not honoured with your approbation, for which alone it was formed,\nwhy should I, to my own infinite dissatisfaction, pursue it?\"", "We were then, for a few minutes, both silent; I was really unwilling\nhe should give up a plan which would so effectually break into\nthe Captain's designs, and, at the same time, save me the pain\nof disobliging him; and I should instantly and thankfully have\naccepted his offered civility, had not Mrs. Mirvan's caution made\nme fearful.", "However, when he pressed me to speak, I said, in an\nironical voice, \"I had thought, Sir, that the very strong sense you\nhave yourself of the favour you propose to me, would sufficiently have\nrepaid you; but, as I was mistaken, I must thank you myself.", "And now,\"\nmaking a low courtesy, \"I hope, Sir, you are satisfied.\"", "\"Loveliest of thy sex-\" he began; but I forced myself from him and\nran upstairs.", "Soon after Miss Mirvan told me that Sir Clement had just received a\nletter, which obliged him instantly to leave the Grove, and that he\nhad actually ordered a chaise.", "I then acquainted her with the real\nstate of the affair.", "Indeed, I conceal nothing from her; she is so\ngentle and sweet-tempered, that it gives me great pleasure to place\nan entire confidence in her.", "At dinner, I must own, we all missed him; for though the flightiness\nof his behaviour to me, when we are by ourselves is very distressing;\nyet, in large companies, and general conversation, he is extremely\nentertaining and agreeable.", "As to the Captain, he has been so much\nchagrined at his departure, that he has scarce spoken a word since\nhe went: but Madame Duval, who made her first public appearance since\nher accident, was quite in raptures that she escaped seeing him.", "The money which we left at the farm-house has been returned to\nus.", "What pains the Captain must have taken to arrange and manage the\nadventures which he chose we should meet with!", "Yet he must certainly be\ndiscovered; for Madame Duval is already very much perplexed, at having\nreceived a letter this morning from M. Du Bois, in which he makes no\nmention of his imprisonment.", "However, she has so little suspicion,\nthat she imputes his silence upon the subject to his fears that the\nletter might be intercepted.", "Not one opportunity could I meet with, while Sir Clement was here,\n to enquire\nafter his friend Lord Orville: but I think it was strange he should\nnever mention him unasked.", "Indeed, I rather wonder that Mrs. Mirvan\nherself did not introduce the subject, for she always seemed\nparticularly attentive to him.", "And now, once more, all my thoughts involuntarily turn upon the\n letter I so\nsoon expect from Paris.", "This visit of Sir Clement has, however,\nsomewhat diverted my fears; and, therefore, I am very glad he made\nit at this time.", "Adieu, my dear Sir.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXV SIR JOHN BELMONT TO LADY HOWARD\n\n\n\nParis, May 11.", "Madam,\n\nI HAVE this moment the honour of your Ladyship's Letter, and I will\nnot wait another, before I return an answer.", "It seldom happens that a man, though extolled as a saint, is really\n without\nblemish; or that another, though reviled as a devil, is really\nwithout humanity.", "Perhaps the time is not very distant, when I may\nhave the honour to convince your Ladyship of this truth, in regard\nto Mr. Villars and myself.", "As to the young lady, whom Mr. Villars so obligingly proposes\n presenting to\nme, I wish her all the happiness to which, by your ladyship's account,\nshe seems entitled; and, if she has a third part of the merit of her\nto whom you compare her, I doubt not but Mr. Villars will be more\nsuccessful in every other application he may make for her advantage,\nthat he can ever be in any with which he may be pleased to favour me.", "I have the honour to be Madam, Your Ladyship's most humble, and most\nobedient servant, JOHN BELMONT.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXVI EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, May 18.", "WELL, my dear Sir, all is now over!", "the letter so anxiously expected\nis at length arrived, and my doom is fixed.", "The various feelings\nwhich oppress me, I have not language to describe; nor need I-you\nknow my heart, you have yourself formed it-and its sensations upon\nthis occasion you may but too readily imagine.", "Outcast as I am, and rejected for ever by him to whom I of right\n belong-shall\nI now implore your continued protection?-No, no;-I will not offend\nyour generous heart, which, open to distress, has no wish but to\nrelieve it, with an application that would seem to imply a doubt.", "I\nam more secure than ever of your kindness, since you now know upon\nthat is my sole dependence.", "I endeavour to bear this stroke with composure, and in such a manner\n as if I\nhad already received your counsel and consolation.", "Yet, at times,\nmy emotions are almost too much for me.", "O, Sir, what a letter for a\nparent to write!", "Must I not myself be deaf to the voice of nature,\nif I could endure to be thus absolutely abandoned without regret?", "I\ndare not even to you, nor would I, could I help it, to myself,\nacknowledge all that I might think; for, indeed, I have sometimes\nsentiments upon this rejection, which my strongest sense of duty can\nscarcely correct.", "Yet, suffer me to ask-might not this answer have\nbeen softened?-was it not enough to disclaim me for ever, without\ntreating me with contempt, and wounding me with derision?", "But while I am thus thinking of myself, I forget how much more he is\nthe object of sorrow than I am!", "Alas!", "what amends can he make himself\nfor the anguish he is hoarding up for time to come!", "My heart bleeds\nfor him, whenever this reflection occurs to me.", "What is said of you, my protector, my friend, my benefactor!", "I dare\n not trust\nmyself to comment upon.", "Gracious Heaven!", "what a return for goodness\nso unparalleled!", "I would fain endeavour to divert my thoughts from this subject;\n but even that\nis not in my power; for, afflicting as this letter is to me, I find\nthat it will not be allowed to conclude the affair, though it does\nall my expectations; for Madame Duval has determined not to let it\nrest here.", "She heard the letter in great wrath, and protested she\nwould not be so easily answered; she regretted her facility in having\nbeen prevailed upon to yield the direction of this affair to those\nwho knew not how to manage it, and vowed she would herself undertake\nand conduct it in future.", "It is in vain that I have pleaded against her resolution, and\nbesought her to forbear an attack where she has nothing to expect but\nresentment: especially as there seems to be a hint, that Lady Howard\nwill one day be more openly dealt with.", "She will not hear me: she is\nfuriously bent upon a project which is terrible to think of;-for she\nmeans to go herself to Paris, take me with her, and there, face to\nface, demand justice!", "How to appease or to persuade her, I know not; but for the universe\nwould I not be dragged, in such a manner, to an interview so awful,\nwith a parent I have never yet beheld!", "Lady Howard and Mrs. Mirvan are both of them infinitely shocked at\nthe present state of affairs, and they seem to be even more kind to\nme than ever; and my dear Maria, who is the friend of my heart, uses\nher utmost efforts to console me; and, when she fails in her design,\nwith still greater kindness she sympathises in my sorrow.", "I very much rejoice, however, that Sir Clement Willoughby had left\nus before this letter arrived.", "I am sure the general confusion of\nthe house would otherwise have betrayed to him the whole of a tale\nwhich I now, more than ever, wish to have buried in oblivion.", "Lady Howard thinks I ought not to disoblige Madame Duval, yet she\nacknowledges the impropriety of my accompanying her abroad on such\nan enterprise.", "Indeed, I would rather die than force myself into his\npresence.", "But so vehement is Madame Duval, that she would instantly\nhave compelled me to attend her to town, in her way to Paris, had\nnot Lady Howard so far exerted herself, as to declare she could by no\nmeans consent to my quitting her house, till she gave me up to you,\nby whose permission I had entered it.", "She was extremely angry at this denial; and the Captain, by his sneers\nand raillery, so much increased her rage, that she has positively\ndeclared, should your next letter dispute her authority to guide me\nby her own pleasure, she will, without hesitation, make a journey to\nBerry Hill, and teach you to know who she is.", "Should she put this threat in execution, nothing could give me greater\nuneasiness: for her violence and volubility would almost distract you.", "Unable as I am to act for myself, or to judge what conduct I ought\nto pursue, how grateful do I feel myself, that I have such a guide\nand director to counsel and instruct me as yourself!", "Adieu, my dearest Sir!", "Heaven, I trust, will never let me live to be\nrepulsed, and derided by you, to whom I may now sign myself, wholly\nyour EVELINA.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXVII MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, May 21.", "LET not my Evelina be depressed by a stroke of fortune for which\nshe is not responsible.", "No breach of duty on your part has incurred\nthe unkindness which has been shown you; nor have you, by any act of\nimprudence, provoked either censure or reproach.", "Let me intreat you,\ntherefore, my dearest child, to support yourself with that courage\nwhich your innocency ought to inspire: and let all the affliction\nyou allow yourself be for him only who, not having that support,\nmust one day be but too severely sensible how much he wants it.", "The hint thrown out concerning myself is wholly unintelligible to me:\nmy heart, I dare own, fully acquits me of vice; but without blemish,\nI have never ventured to pronounce myself.", "However, it seems his\nintention to be hereafter more explicit; and then,-should anything\nappear, that has on my part contributed to those misfortunes we lament,\nlet me at least say, that the most partial of my friends cannot be\nso much astonished as I shall myself be at such a discovery.", "The mention, also, of any future applications I may make, is equally\nbeyond my comprehension.", "But I will not dwell upon a subject, which\nalmost compels from me reflections that cannot but be wounding to a\nheart so formed for filial tenderness as my Evelina's.", "There is an\nair of mystery throughout the letter, the explanation of which I will\nawait in silence.", "The scheme of Madame Duval is such as might be reasonably expected from\na woman so little inured to disappointment, and so totally incapable\nof considering the delicacy of your situation.", "Your averseness\nto her plan gives me pleasure, for it exactly corresponds with my\nown.", "Why will she not make the journey she projects by herself?", "She\nwould not have even the wish of an opposition to encounter.", "And then,\nonce more, might my child and myself be left to the quiet enjoyment\nof that peaceful happiness, which she alone has interrupted.", "As to\nher coming hither, I could, indeed, dispense with such a visit; but,\nif she will not be satisfied with my refusal by letter, I must submit\nto the task of giving it her in person.", "My impatience for your return is increased by your account of Sir\nClement Willoughby's visit to Howard Grove.", "I am but little surprised\nat the perseverance of his assiduities to interest you in his favour;\nbut I am very much hurt that you should be exposed to addresses, which,\nby their privacy, have an air that shocks me.", "You cannot, my love,\nbe too circumspect; the slightest carelessness on your part will be\ntaken advantage of by a man of his disposition.", "It is not sufficient\nfor you to be reserved: his conduct even calls for your resentment;\nand should he again, as will doubtless be his endeavour, contrive\nto solicit your favour in private, let your disdain and displeasure\nbe so marked, as to constrain a change in his behaviour.", "Though,\nindeed, should his visit be repeated while you remain at the Grove,\nLady Howard must pardon me if I shorten yours.", "Adieu, my child.", "You will always make my respects to the hospitable\nfamily to which we are so much obliged.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXVIII MR. VILLARS TO LADY HOWARD\n\nBerry Hill, May 27.", "Dear Madam,\n\n\nI BELIEVE your Ladyship will not be surprised at hearing I have had\na visit from Madame Duval, as I doubt not her having made known her\nintention before she left Howard Grove.", "I would gladly have excused\nmyself this meeting, could I have avoided it decently; but, after so\nlong a journey, it was not possible to refuse her admittance.", "She told me, that she came to Berry Hill, in consequence of a letter\nI had sent to her grand-daughter, in which I forbid her going to\nParis.", "Very roughly she then called me to account for the authority\nwhich I had assumed; and, had I been disposed to have argued with\nher, she would very angrily have disputed the right by which I used\nit.", "But I declined all debating.", "I therefore listened very quietly,\ntill she had so much fatigued herself with talking, that she was glad,\nin her turn, to be silent.", "And then, I begged to know the purport of\nher visit.", "She answered, that she came to make me relinquish the power I had\nusurped over her grand-daughter; and assured me she would not quit\nthe place till she succeeded.", "But I will not trouble your Ladyship with the particulars of this\ndisagreeable conversation; nor should I, but on account of the result,\nhave chosen so unpleasant a subject for your perusal.", "However, I will\nbe as concise as I possibly can, that the better occupations of your\nLadyship's time may be less impeded.", "When she found me inexorable in refusing Evelina's attending her to\nParis, she peremptorily insisted that she should at least live with\nher in London till Sir John Belmont's return.", "I remonstrated against\nthis scheme with all the energy in my power; but the contest was vain;\nshe lost her patience, and I my time.", "She declared, that if I was\nresolute in opposing her, she would instantly make a will, in which\nshe would leave all her fortune to strangers, though, otherwise,\nshe intended her grand-daughter for her sole heiress.", "To me, I own, this threat seemed of little consequence; I have long\naccustomed myself to think, that, with a competency, of which she is\nsure, my child might be as happy as in the possession of millions;\nbut the incertitude of her future fate deters me from following\nimplicitly the dictates of my present judgement.", "The connections she\nmay hereafter form, the style of life for which she may be destined,\nand the future family to which she may belong, are considerations\nwhich give but too much weight to the menaces of Madame Duval.", "In\nshort, Madam, after a discourse infinitely tedious, I was obliged,\nthough very reluctantly, to compromise with this ungovernable woman,\nby consenting that Evelina should pass one month with her.", "I never made a concession with so bad a grace, or so much regret.", "The\nviolence and vulgarity of this woman, her total ignorance of propriety,\nthe family to which she is related, and the company she is likely to\nkeep, are objections so forcible to her having the charge of this dear\nchild, that nothing less than my diffidence of the right I have of\ndepriving her of so large a fortune, would have induced me to listen\nto her proposal.", "Indeed we parted, at last, equally discontented;\nshe at what I had refused, I at what I had granted.", "It now only remains for me to return your Ladyship my humble\nacknowledgments for the kindness which you have so liberally shown\nto my ward; and to beg you would have the goodness to part with her\nwhen Madame Duval thinks proper to claim the promise which she has\nextorted from me.", "I am, Dear Madam, &c. ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXIX MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA\n\nBerry Hill, May 28.", "WITH a reluctance which occasions me inexpressible uneasiness, I\nhave been almost compelled to consent that my Evelina should quit the\nprotection of the hospitable and respectable Lady Howard, and accompany\nMadame Duval to a city which I had hoped she would never again have\nentered.", "But alas, my dear child, we are the slaves of custom, the\ndupes of prejudice, and dare not stem the torrent of an opposing\nworld, even though our judgements condemn our compliance!", "However,\nsince the die is cast, we must endeavor to make the best of it.", "You will have the occasion, in the course of the month you are to\npass with Madame Duval, for all the circumspection and prudence you\ncan call to your aid.", "She will not, I know, propose any thing to you\nwhich she thinks wrong herself; but you must learn not only to judge\nbut to act for yourself; if any schemes are started, any engagements\nmade, which your understanding represents to you as improper, exert\nyourself resolutely in avoiding them; and do not, by a too passive\nfacility, risk the censure of the world, or your own future regret.", "You cannot too assiduously attend to Madame Duval herself; but I\nwould wish you to mix as little as possible with her associates, who\nare not likely to be among those whose acquaintance would reflect\ncredit upon you.", "Remember, my dear Evelina, nothing is so delicate\nas the reputation of a woman; it is at once the most beautiful and\nmost brittle of all human things.", "Adieu, my beloved child; I shall be but ill at ease till this month\nis elapsed.", "A.V.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XL EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nLondon, June 6.", "ONCE more, my dearest Sir, I write to you from this great\ncity.", "Yesterday morning, with the truest concern, I quitted the dear\ninhabitants of Howard Grove, and most impatiently shall I count the\ndays till I see them again.", "Lady Howard and Mrs. Mirvan took leave\nof me with the most flattering kindness; but indeed I knew not how to\npart with Maria, whose own apparent sorrow redoubled mine.", "She made\nme promise to send her a letter every post: and I shall write to her\nwith the same freedom, and almost the same confidence, you allow me\nto make use of to yourself.", "The Captain was very civil to me: but he wrangled with poor Madame\nDuval to the last moment; and, taking me aside, just before we got\ninto the chaise, he said, \"Hark'ee, Miss Anville, I've a favour for\nto ask of you, which is this; that you will write us word how the\nold gentlewoman finds herself, when she sees it was all a trick;\nand what the French lubber says to it, and all about it.\"", "I answered that I would obey him, though I was very little pleased\nwith the commission, which, to me, was highly improper; but he will\neither treat me as an informer, or make me a party in his frolic.", "As soon as we drove away, Madame Duval, with much satisfaction,\nexclaimed, \"Dieu merci, we've got off at last!", "I'm sure I never desire\nto see that place again.", "It's a wonder I've got away alive; for I\nbelieve I've had the worst luck ever was known, from the time I set\nmy foot upon the threshold.", "I know I wish I'd never a gone.", "Besides,\ninto the bargain, it's the most dullest place in all Christendom:\nthere's never no diversions, nor nothing at all.\"", "Then she bewailed M. Du Bois; concerning whose adventures she continued\nto make various conjectures during the rest of our journey.", "When I asked her what part of London she should reside in, she told me\nthat Mr. Branghton was to meet us at an inn, and would conduct us to\na lodging.", "Accordingly, we proceeded to a house in Bishopsgate Street,\nand were led by a waiter into a room where we found Mr. Branghton.", "He received us very civilly; but seemed rather surprised at seeing\nme, saying, \"Why, I didn't think of your bringing Miss; however,\nshe's very welcome.\"", "\"I'll tell you how it was,\" said Madame Duval: \"you must know I've\na mind to take the girl to Paris, that she may see something of the\nworld, and improve herself a little; besides, I've another reason,\nthat you and I will talk more about.", "But, do you know, that meddling\nold parson, as I told you of, would not let her go: however, I'm\nresolved I'll be even with him; for I shall take her on with me,\nwithout saying never a word more to nobody.\"", "I started at this intimation, which very much surprised me.", "But, I am\nvery glad she has discovered her intention, as I shall be carefully\nupon my guard not to venture from town with her.", "Mr. Branghton then hoped we had passed our time agreeably in the\ncountry.", "\"O Lord, cousin,\" cried she, \"I've been the miserablest creature in\nthe world!", "I'm sure all the horses in London sha'n't drag me into\nthe country again of one while: why, how do you think I've been\nserved?-only guess.\"", "\"Indeed, cousin, I can't pretend to do that.\"", "\"Why then I'll tell you.", "Do you know I've been robbed!-that is,\nthe villain would have robbed me if he could, only I'd secured all\nmy money.\"", "\"Why, then cousin, I think your loss can't have been very great.\"", "\"O Lord, you don't know what you're a saying; you're talking in the\nunthinkingest manner in the world: why, it was all along of not having\nno money that I met with that misfortune.\"", "\"How's that, cousin?", "I don't see what great misfortune you can have\nmet with, if you'd secured all your money.\"", "\"That's because you don't know nothing of the matter: for there the\nvillain came to the chaise; and, because we hadn't got nothing to give\nhim, though he'd no more right to our money than the man in the moon,\nyet, do you know, he fell into the greatest passion ever you see,\nand abused me in such a manner, and put me in a ditch, and got a rope\no'purpose to hang me;-and I'm sure, if that wasn't misfortune enough,\nwhy I don't know what is.\"", "\"This is a hard case, indeed, cousin.", "But why don't you go to Justice\nFielding?\"", "\"O as to that, I'm a going to him directly; but only I want first to\nsee M. Du Bois; for the oddest thing of all is, that he has wrote to\nme, and never said nothing of where he is, nor what's become of him,\nnor nothing else.\"", "\"M. Du Bois!", "why, he's at my house at this very time.\"", "\"M. Du Bois at your house!", "well, I declare this is the surprisingest\npart of all: However, I assure you, I think he might have comed for me,\nas well as you, considering what I have gone through on his account;\nfor, to tell you the truth, it was all along of him that I met with\nthat accident; so I don't take it very kind of him, I promise you.\"", "\"Well, but cousin, tell me some of the particulars of this affair.\"", "\"As to the particulars, I'm sure they'd make your hair stand on end\nto hear them; however, the beginning of it all was through the fault\nof M. Du Bois: but, I'll assure you, he may take care of himself\nin future, since he don't so much as come to see if I'm dead or\nalive.-But, there, I went for him to a justice of peace, and rode\nall out of the way, and did every thing in the world, and was used\nworser than a dog, and all for the sake of serving of him; and now,\nyou see, he don't so much-well, I was a fool for my pains.-However,\nhe may get somebody else to be treated so another time; for, if he's\ntaken up every day in the week, I'll never go after him no more.\"", "This occasioned an explanation; in the course of which Madame Duval,\nto her utter amazement, heard that M. Du Bois had never left London\nduring her absence!", "nor did Mr. Branghton believe that he had ever\nbeen to the Tower, or met with any kind of accident.", "Almost instantly the whole truth of the transaction seemed to rush\nupon her mind, and her wrath was inconceivably violent.", "She asked me\na thousand questions in a breath; but, fortunately, was too vehement\nto attend to my embarrassment, which must otherwise have betrayed my\nknowledge of the deceit.", "Revenge was her first wish; and she vowed\nshe would go the next morning to Justice Fielding, and inquire what\npunishment she might lawfully inflict upon the Captain for his assault.", "I believe we were an hour at Bishopsgate Street before poor Madame\nDuval could allow any thing to be mentioned but her own story; at any\nlength, however, Mr. Branghton told her, that M. Du Bois, and all\nhis own family, were waiting for her at his house.", "A hackney-coach\nwas then called, and we proceeded to Snow Hill.", "Mr. Branghton's house is small and inconvenient; though his shop,\nwhich takes in all the ground floor, is large and commodious.", "I\nbelieve I told you before, that he is a silver-smith.", "We were conducted up two pairs of stairs: for the dining-room,\nMr. Branghton told us, was let.", "His two daughters, their brother,\nM. Du Bois, and a young man, were at tea.", "They had waited some time\nfor Madame Duval, but I found they had not any expectation that I\nshould accompany her; and the young ladies, I believe, were rather\nmore surprised than pleased when I made my appearance; for they seemed\nhurt that I should see their apartment.", "Indeed, I would willingly\nhave saved them that pain, had it been in my power.", "The first person who saw me was M. Du Bois, \"Ah, mon Dieu!\"", "exclaimed\nhe, \"voila Mademoiselle!\"", "\"Goodness,\" cried young Branghton, \"if there isn't Miss!\"", "\"Lord, so there is!\"", "said Miss Polly; \"well, I'm sure I should never\nhave dreamed of Miss's coming.\"", "\"Nor I neither, I'm sure,\" cried Miss Branghton, \"or else I would not\nhave been in this room to see her: I'm quite ashamed about it;-only\nnot thinking of seeing any body but my aunt-however, Tom, it's all\nyour fault; for, you know very well I wanted to borrow Mr. Smith's\nroom, only you were so grumpy you would not let me.\"", "\"Lord, what signifies?\"", "said her brother; \"I dare be sworn Miss has\nbeen up two pair of stairs before now;-ha'n't you, Miss?\"", "I begged that I might not give them the least disturbance; and assured\nthem that I had not any choice in regard to what room we sat in.", "\"Well,\" said Miss Polly, \"when you come next, Miss, we'll have\nMr. Smith's room: and it's a very pretty one, and only up one pair\nof stairs, and nicely furnished, and every thing.\"", "\"To say the truth,\" said Miss Branghton, \"I thought that my cousin\nwould not, upon any account, have come to town in the summer-time;\nfor it's not at all the fashion ;-so, to be sure, thinks I, she'll\nstay till September, when the play-houses open.\"", "This was my reception, which I believe you will not call a very\ncordial one.", "Madame Duval, who, after having severely reprimanded\nM. Du Bois for his negligence, was just entering upon the story of\nher misfortunes, now wholly engaged the company.", "M. Du Bois listened to her with a look of the utmost horror, repeatedly\nlifting up his eyes and hands, and exclaiming, \"O ciel!", "quel barbare!\"", "The young ladies gave her the most earnest attention; but their\nbrother, and the young man, kept a broad grin upon their faces during\nthe whole recital.", "She was, however, too much engaged to observe them;\nbut, when she mentioned having been tied in a ditch, young Branghton,\nno longer able to contain himself, burst into a loud laugh, declaring\nthat he had never heard any thing so funny in his life!", "His laugh\nwas heartily re-echoed by his friend; the Miss Branghtons could not\nresist the example; and poor Madame Duval, to her extreme amazement,\nwas absolutely overpowered and stopped by the violence of their mirth.", "For some minutes the room seemed quite in an uproar; the rage of Madame\nDuval, the astonishment of M. Du Bois, and the angry interrogatories\nof Mr. Branghton, on one side; the convulsive tittering of the\nsisters, and the loud laughs of the young men, on the other,\noccasioned such noise, passion and confusion, that had any one\nstopped an instant on the stairs, he must have concluded himself in\nBedlam.", "At length, however, the father brought them to order; and,\nhalf-laughing, half-frightened, they made Madame Duval some very\nawkward apologies.", "But she would not be prevailed upon to continue\nher narrative, till they had protested they were laughing at the\nCaptain, and not at her.", "Appeased by this, she resumed her story;\nwhich by the help of stuffing handkerchiefs into their mouths, the\nyoung people heard with tolerable decency.", "Every body agreed, that the ill-usage the Captain had given her was\nactionable; and Mr. Branghton said, he was sure she might recover\nwhat damages she pleased, since she had been put in fear of her life.", "She then, with great delight, declared, that she would lose no time\nin satisfying her revenge, and vowed she would not be contented with\nless than half his fortune: \"For though,\" she said, \"I don't put no\nvalue upon the money, because, Dieu merci, I ha'n't no want of it,\nyet I don't wish for nothing so much as to punish that fellow; for\nI'm sure, whatever's the cause of it, he owes me a great grudge,\nand I know no more what it's for than you do; but he's always been\ndoing me one spite or another ever since I knew him.\"", "Soon after tea, Miss Branghton took an opportunity to tell me, in a\nwhisper, that the young man I saw was a lover of her sister's, that\nhis name was Brown, and that he was a haberdasher: with many other\nparticulars of his circumstances and family; and then she declared\nher utter aversion to the thoughts of such a match; but added, that\nher sister had no manner of spirit or ambition, though, for her part,\nshe would ten times rather die an old maid, than marry any person\nbut a gentleman.", "\"And, for that matter,\" added she, \"I believe Polly\nherself don't care much for him, only she's in such a hurry, because,\nI suppose, she's a mind to be married before me; however, she's very\nwelcome; for, I'm sure, I don't care a pin's point whether I ever\nmarry at all;-it's all one to me.\"", "Some time after this, Miss Polly contrived to tell her story.", "She\nassured me, with much tittering, that her sister was in a great fright\nlest she should be married first.", "\"So I make her believe that I will,\"\ncontinued she; \"for I dearly love to plague her a little; though,\nI declare, I don't intend to have Mr. Brown in reality;-I'm sure I\ndon't like him half well enough,-do you, Miss?\"", "\"It is not possible for me to judge of his merits,\" said I, \"as I am\nentirely a stranger to him.\"", "\"But what do you think of him, Miss?\"", "\"Why, really, I-I don't know.\"", "\"But do you think him handsome?", "Some people reckon him to have a\ngood pretty person;-but I'm sure, for my part, I think he's monstrous\nugly:-don't you, Miss?\"", "\"I am no judge,-but I think his person is very-very well.\"", "\"Very well!", "-Why, pray Miss,\" in a tone of vexation, \"what fault can\nyou find with it?\"", "\"O, none at all!\"", "\"I'm sure you must be very ill-natured if you could.", "Now there's Biddy\nsays she thinks nothing of him,-but I know it's all out of spite.", "You\nmust know, Miss, it makes her as mad as can be that I should have\na lover before her; but she's so proud that nobody will court her,\nand I often tell her she'll die an old maid.", "But the thing is, she\nhas taken it into her head to have a liking for Mr. Smith, as lodges\non the first floor; but, Lord, he'll never have her, for he's quite a\nfine gentleman; and besides, Mr. Brown heard him say one day, that he'd\nnever marry as long as he lived, for he'd no opinion of matrimony.\"", "\"And did you tell your sister this?\"", "\"O, to be sure, I told her directly; but she did not mind me; however,\nif she will be a fool she must.\"", "This extreme want of affection and good-nature increased the distaste I\nalready felt for these unamiable sisters; and a confidence so entirely\nunsolicited and unnecessary, manifested equally their folly and their\nwant of decency.", "I was very glad when the time for our departing arrived.", "Mr. Branghton\nsaid our lodgings were in Holborn, that we might be near his house,\nand neighbourly.", "He accompanied us to them himself.", "Our rooms are large, and not inconvenient; our landlord is an hosier.", "I\nam sure I have a thousand reasons to rejoice that I am so little known:\nfor my present situation is, in every respect, very unenviable; and\nI would not, for the world, be seen by any acquaintance of Mrs. Mirvan.", "This morning, Madame Duval, attended by all the Branghtons, actually\nwent to a Justice in the neighborhood, to report the Captain's ill\nusage of her.", "I had great difficulty in excusing myself from being of\nthe party, which would have given me very serious concern.", "Indeed,\nI was extremely anxious, though at home, till I heard the result of\nthe application, for I dread to think of the uneasiness which such\nan affair would occasion the amiable Mrs. Mirvan.", "But, fortunately,\nMadame Duval has received very little encouragement to proceed in\nher design; for she has been informed, that, as she neither heard\nthe voice, nor saw the face of the person suspected, she will find\ndifficulty to cast him upon conjecture, and will have but little\nprobability of gaining her cause, unless she can procure witnesses\nof the transaction.", "Mr. Branghton, therefore, who has considered all\nthe circumstances of the affair, is of the opinion; the lawsuit will\nnot only be expensive, but tedious and hazardous, and has advised\nagainst it.", "Madame Duval, though very unwillingly, has acquiesced\nin his decision; but vows, that if she ever is so affronted again,\nshe will be revenged, even if she ruins herself.", "I am extremely glad\nthat this ridiculous adventure seems now likely to end without more\nserious consequences.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "My direction is at Mr. Dawkin's, a hosier in\nHigh Holborn.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLI EVELINA TO MISS MIRVAN\n\nJune 7th\n\n\nI HAVE no words, my sweet friend, to express the thankfulness I\nfeel for the unbounded kindness which you, your dear mother, and the\nmuch-honoured Lady Howard, have shown me; and still less can I find\nlanguage to tell you with what reluctance I parted from such dear and\ngenerous friends, whose goodness reflects, at once, so much honour\non their own hearts, and on her to whom it has been so liberally\nbestowed.", "But I will not repeat what I have already written to the\nkind Mrs. Mirvan; I will remember your admonitions, and confine to my\nown breast that gratitude with which you have filled it, and teach my\npen to dwell upon subjects less painful to my generous correspondent.", "O, Maria!", "London now seems no longer the same place where I lately\nenjoyed so much happiness; every thing is new and strange to me; even\nthe town itself has not the same aspect.-My situation so altered!-my\nhome so different!-my companions so changed!-But you well know my\naverseness to this journey.", "Indeed, to me, London now seems a desert: that gay and busy appearance\nit so lately wore, is now succeeded by a look of gloom, fatigue,\nand lassitude; the air seems stagnant, the heat is intense, the\ndust intolerable, and the inhabitants illiterate and under-bred;\nAt least, such is the face of things in the part of town where I at\npresent reside.", "Tell me, my dear Maria, do you never retrace in your memory the time\nwe passed here when together?", "to mine it recurs for ever!", "And yet\nI think I rather recollect a dream, or some visionary fancy, than\na reality.-That I should ever have been known to Lord Orville,-that\nI should have spoken to-have danced with him,-seems now a romantic\nillusion: and that elegant politeness, that flattering attention, that\nhigh-bred delicacy, which so much distinguished him above all other\nmen, and which struck us with so much admiration, I now retrace the\nremembrance of rather as belonging to an object of ideal perfection,\nformed by my own imagination, than to a being of the same race and\nnature as those with whom I at present converse.", "I have no news for you, my dear Miss Mirvan; for all that I could\nventure to say of Madame Duval I have already written to your sweet\nmother; and as to adventures, I have none to record.", "Situated as\nI now am, I heartily hope I shall not meet with any; my wish is to\nremain quiet and unnoticed.", "Adieu!", "excuse the gravity of this letter; and believe me, your most\nsincerely Affectionate and obliged EVELINA ANVILLE.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLII EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHolborn, June 9.", "YESTERDAY morning we received an invitation to dine and spend the day\nat Mr. Branghton's; and M. Du Bois, who was also invited, called to\nconduct us to Snow Hill.", "Young Branghton received us at the door; and the first words he spoke\nwere, \"Do you know, sisters a'n't dressed yet.\"", "Then, hurrying us into the house, he said to me, \"Come, Miss, you\nshall go upstairs and catch 'em,-I dare say they're at the glass.\"", "He would have taken my hand; but I declined this civility, and begged\nto follow Madame Duval.", "Mr. Branghton then appeared, and led the way himself.", "We went, as\nbefore, up two pairs of stairs; but the moment the father opened\nthe door, the daughters both gave a loud scream.", "We all stopped;\nand then Miss Branghton called out, \"Lord, Papa, what do you bring\nthe company up here for?", "why, Polly and I a'n't half dressed.\"", "\"More shame for you,\" answered he; \"here's your aunt, and cousin,\nand M. Du Bois, all waiting, and ne'er a room to take them to.\"", "\"Who'd have thought of their coming so soon?\"", "cried she: \"I am sure\nfor my part I thought Miss was used to nothing but quality hours.\"", "\"Why, I sha'n't be ready this half-hour yet,\" said Miss Polly;\n\"can't they stay in the shop till we're dressed?\"", "Mr. Branghton was very angry, and scolded them violently: however,\nwe were obliged to descend, and stools were procured for us in the\nshop, where we found the brother, who was highly delighted, he said,\nthat his sisters had been catched; and he thought proper to entertain\nme with a long account of their tediousness, and the many quarrels\nthey all had together.", "When, at length, these ladies were equipped to their satisfaction,\nthey made their appearance; but before any conversation was suffered\nto pass between them and us, they had a long and most disagreeable\ndialogue with their father, to whose reprimands, though so justly\nincurred, they replied with the utmost pertness while their brother\nall the time laughed aloud.", "The moment they perceived this, they were so much provoked, that,\ninstead of making any apologies to Madame Duval, they next began to\nquarrel with him.", "\"Tom, what do you laugh for?", "I wonder what business\nyou have to be always a laughing when Papa scolds us?\"", "\"Then what business have you to be such a while getting on your\nclothes?", "You're never ready, you know well enough.\"", "\"Lord, Sir, I wonder what's that to you!", "I wish you'd mind your own\naffairs, and not trouble yourself about ours.", "How should a boy like\nyou know any thing?\"", "\"A boy, indeed!", "not such a boy, neither: I'll warrant you'll be glad\nto be as young when you come to be old maids.\"", "This sort of dialogue we were amused with till dinner was ready,\nwhen we again mounted up two pairs of stairs.", "In our way, Miss Polly told me that her sister had asked Mr. Smith\nfor his room to dine in, but he had refused to lend it; \"because,\"\nshe said, \"one day it happened to be a little greased: however, we\nshall have it to drink tea in, and then, perhaps, you may see him;\nand I assure you he's quite like one of the quality, and dresses as\nfine, and goes to balls and dances, and every thing, quite in taste;\nand besides, Miss, he keeps a foot-boy of his own too.\"", "The dinner was ill-served, ill-cooked, and ill-managed.", "The maid\nwho waited had so often to go down stairs for something that was\nforgotten, that the Branghtons were perpetually obliged to rise\nfrom table themselves, to get plates, knives, and forks, bread or\nbeer.", "Had they been without pretensions, all this would have seemed\nof no consequence; but they aimed at appearing to advantage, and even\nfancied they succeeded.", "However, the most disagreeable part of our\nfare was that the whole family continually disputed whose turn it\nwas to rise, and whose to be allowed to sit still.", "When this meal was over, Madame Duval, ever eager to discourse upon\nher travels, entered into an argument with Mr. Branghton, and, in\nbroken English, M. Du Bois, concerning the French nation: and Miss\nPolly, then addressing herself to me, said \"Don't you think, Miss,\nit's very dull sitting up stairs here?", "we'd better go down to shop,\nand then we shall see the people go by.\"", "\"Lord, Poll,\" said the brother, \"you're always wanting to be staring\nand gaping; and I'm sure you needn't be so fond of showing yourself,\nfor you're ugly enough to frighten a horse.\"", "\"Ugly, indeed!", "I wonder which is best, you or me.", "But, I tell you\nwhat, Tom, you've no need to give yourself such airs; for, if you do,\nI'll tell Miss of-you know what-\"\n\n\n\"Who cares if you do?", "you may tell what you will; I don't mind-\"\n\n\n\"Indeed,\" cried I, \"I do not desire to hear any secrets.\"", "\"O, but I'm resolved I'll tell you, because Tom's so very spiteful.", "You\nmust know, Miss, t'other night-\"\n\n\n\"Poll,\" cried the brother, \"if you tell of that, Miss shall know all\nabout your meeting young Brown,-you know when!-So I'll be quits with\nyou one way or other.\"", "Miss Polly coloured, and again proposed our going down stairs till\nMr. Smith's room was ready for our reception.", "\"Aye, so we will,\" said Miss Branghton; \"I'll assure you, cousin,\nwe have some very genteel people pass by our shop sometimes.", "Polly\nand I always go and sit there when we've cleaned ourselves.\"", "\"Yes, Miss,\" cried the brother, \"they do nothing else all day long,\nwhen father don't scold them.", "But the best fun is, when they've\ngot all their dirty things on, and all their hair about their ears,\nsometimes I send young Brown up stairs to them: and then there's such a\nfuss!-There, they hide themselves, and run away, and squeal and squall,\nlike any thing mad: and so then I puts the two cats into the room, and\nI gives them a good whipping, and so that sets them a squalling too;\nso there's such a noise and such an uproar!-Lord, you can't think,\nMiss, what fun it is!\"", "This occasioned a fresh quarrel with the sisters; at the end of which,\nit was at length decided that we should go to the shop.", "In our way down stairs, Miss Branghton said aloud, \"I wonder when\nMr. Smith's room will be ready.\"", "\"So do I,\" answered Polly; \"I'm sure we should not do any harm to\nit now.\"", "This hint had not the desired effect; for we were suffered to proceed\nvery quietly.", "As we entered the shop, I observed a young man in deep mourning\nleaning against the wall, with his arms folded, and his eyes fixed on\nthe ground, apparently in profound and melancholy meditation; but the\nmoment he perceived us, he started, and, making a passing bow, very\nabruptly retired.", "As I found he was permitted to go quite unnoticed,\nI could not forbear enquiring who he was.", "\"Lord!\"", "answered Miss Branghton, \"he's nothing but a poor Scotch poet.\"", "\"For my part,\" said Miss Polly, \"I believe he's just starved, for I\ndon't find he has anything to live upon.\"", "\"Live upon!\"", "cried the brother; \"why, he's a poet, you know, so he\nmay live upon learning.\"", "\"Aye, and good enough for him, too,\" said Miss Branghton; \"for he's\nas proud as he's poor.\"", "\"Like enough,\" replied the brother; \"but, for all that, you won't\nfind he will live without meat and drink: no, no, catch a Scotchman\nat that if you can!", "why, they only come here for what they can get.\"", "\"I'm sure,\" said Miss Branghton, \"I wonder Papa'll be such a fool\nas to let him stay in the house, for I dare say he'll never pay for\nhis lodging.\"", "\"Why, no more he would, if he could get another lodger.", "You know\nthe bill has been put up this fortnight.", "Miss, if you should hear\nof a person that wants a room, I assure you it is a very good one,\nfor all it's up three pair of stairs.\"", "I answered, that as I had no acquaintance in London, I had not any\nchance of assisting them: but both my compassion and my curiosity\nwere excited for this poor young man; and I asked them some further\nparticulars concerning him.", "They then acquainted me, that they had only known him three\nmonths.", "When he first lodged with them, he agreed to board also;\nbut had lately told them he would eat by himself, though they all\nbelieved he had hardly ever tasted a morsel of meat since he left\ntheir table.", "They said, that he had always appeared very low-spirited;\nbut for the last month he had been duller than ever; and, all of a\nsudden, he had put himself into mourning, though they knew not for\nwhom, nor for what; but they supposed it was only for convenience,\nas no person had ever been to see or enquire for him since his\nresidence amongst them: and they were sure he was very poor, as he\nhad not paid for his lodgings the last three weeks: and, finally,\nthey concluded he was a poet, or else half-crazy, because they had,\nat different times, found scraps of poetry in his room.", "They then produced some unfinished verses, written on small pieces of\npaper, unconnected, and of a most melancholy cast.", "Among them was the\nfragment of an ode, which, at my request, they lent to me to copy;\nand as you may perhaps like to see it, I will write it now.", "O LIFE!", "thou lingering dream of grief, of pain, And every\n ill that Nature can sustain,\n Strange, mutable, and wild!", "Now flattering with Hope most fair, Depressing now with\n fell Despair,\n The nurse of Guilt, the slave of Pride,\n That, like a wayward child,\n Who, to himself a foe,\n Sees joy alone in what's denied,\n In what is granted, woe!", "O thou poor, feeble, fleeting, pow'r, By Vice seduc'd, by\n Folly woo'd, By Mis'ry, Shame, Remorse, pursu'd; And as thy\n toilsome steps proceed, Seeming to Youth the fairest flow'r,\n Proving to Age the rankest weed,\n A gilded but a bitter pill,\n Of varied, great, and complicated ill!", "These lines are harsh, but they indicate an internal wretchedness,\nwhich I own, affects me.", "Surely this young man must be involved\nin misfortunes of no common nature but I cannot imagine what can\ninduce him to remain with this unfeeling family, where he is, most\nunworthily, despised for being poor, and most illiberally detested\nfor being a Scotchman.", "He may, indeed, have motives, which he cannot\nsurmount, for submitting to such a situation.", "Whatever they are,\nI most heartily pity him, and cannot but wish it were in my power to\nafford him some relief.", "During this conversation, Mr. Smith's foot-boy came to Miss Branghton,\nand informed her, that his master said she might have the room now\nwhen she liked it, for that he was presently going out.", "This very genteel message, though it perfectly satisfied the Miss\nBranghtons, by no means added to my desire of being introduced to this\ngentleman; and upon their rising, with intention to accept his offer,\nI begged they would excuse my attending them, and said I would sit\nwith Madame Duval till the tea was ready.", "I therefore once more went up two pair of stairs with young\nBranghton, who insisted upon accompanying me; and there we remained\ntill Mr. Smith's foot-boy summoned us to tea, when I followed Madame\nDuval into the dining-room.", "The Miss Branghtons were seated at one window, and Mr. Smith was\nlolling indolently out of the other.", "They all approached us at our\nentrance; and Mr. Smith, probably to show he was master of the\ndepartment, most officiously handed me to a great chair at the upper\nend of the room, without taking any notice of Madame Duval, till I\nrose and offered her my own seat.", "Leaving the rest of the company to entertain themselves, he very\nabruptly began to address himself to me, in a style of gallantry\nequally new and disagreeable to me.", "It is true, no man can possibly pay\nme greater compliments, or make more fine speeches, than Sir Clement\nWilloughby: yet his language, though too flowery, is always that of a\ngentleman; and his address and manners are so very superior to those\nof the inhabitants of this house, that, to make any comparison between\nhim and Mr. Smith, would be extremely unjust.", "This latter seems very\ndesirous of appearing a man of gaiety and spirit; but his vivacity\nis so low-bred, and his whole behaviour so forward and disagreeable,\nthat I should prefer the company of dullness itself, even as that\ngoddess is described by Pope, to that of this sprightly young man.", "He made many apologies that he had not lent his room for our dinner,\nwhich he said, he should certainly have done, had he seen me first:\nand he assured me, that when I came again, he should be very glad to\noblige me.", "I told him, and with sincerity, that every part of the house was\nequally indifferent to me.", "\"Why, Ma'am, the truth is, Miss Biddy and Polly take no care of any\nthing; else, I'm sure, they should be always welcome to my room; for\nI'm never so happy as in obliging the ladies,-that's my character,\nMa'am:-but, really, the last time they had it, every thing was made\nso greasy and so nasty, that, upon my word, to a man who wishes to\nhave things a little genteel, it was quite cruel.", "Now, as to you,\nMa'am, it's quite another thing, for I should not mind if every thing\nI had was spoilt, for the sake of having the pleasure to oblige you;\nand I assure you, Ma'am, it makes me quite happy that I have a room\ngood enough to receive you.\"", "This elegant speech was followed by many others so much in the\nsame style, that to write them would be superfluous; and as he did\nnot allow me a moment to speak to any other person, the rest of the\nevening was consumed in a painful attention to this irksome young man,\nwho seemed to intend appearing before me to the utmost advantage.", "Adieu, my dear Sir.", "I fear you will be sick of reading about this\nfamily; yet I must write of them, or not of any, since I mix with\nno other.", "Happy I shall be when I quit them all, and again return to\nBerry Hill.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "\"Now, do you see,\" said he, \"as to Lady Howard, I sha'n't pretend for\nto enlist her into my service, and so I shall e'en leave her to make\nit out as well as she can; but as to all you, I expect obedience and\nsubmission to orders; I am now upon a hazardous expedition, having\nundertaken to convoy a crazy vessel to the shore of Mortification; so,\nd'ye see, if any of you have anything to propose that will forward the\nenterprise,-why speak and welcome; but if any of you, that are of my\nchosen crew, capitulate, or enter into any treaty with the enemy,-I\nshall look upon you as mutinying, and turn you adrift.\"", "The whole morning was filled up with these inquiries.", "said Madame Duval; \"why, if you\n lose your\nway, we shall all be in the dark.\"", "The footman opened the door, and jumped out of the chariot.", "I was really frightened, and trembled exceedingly.", "I\nscreamed like any thing mad, and told him if he would but spare my\nlife, I'd never prosecute him, nor tell anybody what he'd done to me:\nso he stood some time quite in a brown study, a-thinking what he should\ndo.", "This sort of conversation lasted till we arrived at our journey's end;\nand then a new distress occurred: Madame Duval was eager to speak\nto Lady Lady Howard and Mrs. Mirvan, and to relate her misfortunes:\nbut she could not endure that Sir Clement or the Captain should\nsee her in such disorder; so she said they were so ill-natured,\nthat instead of pitying her, they would only make a jest of her\ndisasters.", "She then told me, that she had been thinking all night of a contrivance\nto hinder the Captain from finding out her loss of curls; which was\nhaving a large gauge handkerchief pinned over her head as a hood,\nand saying she had the tooth-ache.", "I endeavour to bear this stroke with composure, and in such a manner\n as if I\nhad already received your counsel and consolation.", "We went, as\nbefore, up two pairs of stairs; but the moment the father opened\nthe door, the daughters both gave a loud scream." ]

[ "He took my hand, which he pressed to his lips, saying, \"And\nmust I then, Miss Anville, must I quit you-sacrifice voluntarily my\ngreatest felicity:-and yet not be honoured with one word, one look\nof approbation?\"", "\"Come, here child,-only look-Pardi, so\nlong as I've lived, I never see so much before!", "This morning, Madame Duval, attended by all the Branghtons, actually\nwent to a Justice in the neighborhood, to report the Captain's ill\nusage of her.", "She then told me, that she had been thinking all night of a contrivance\nto hinder the Captain from finding out her loss of curls; which was\nhaving a large gauge handkerchief pinned over her head as a hood,\nand saying she had the tooth-ache.", "Pardi,\nif I'd know'd as much, I'd have brought two or three sets with me:\nbut I'd never a thought of such a thing as this.\"", "Miss, if you should hear\nof a person that wants a room, I assure you it is a very good one,\nfor all it's up three pair of stairs.\"", "But, do you know, that meddling\nold parson, as I told you of, would not let her go: however, I'm\nresolved I'll be even with him; for I shall take her on with me,\nwithout saying never a word more to nobody.\"", "And then he hastily came into the chariot, and seated himself next to\nme.", "He went, and presently returning, produced a great quantity of\nhair, in such nasty condition, that I was amazed she would take it;\nand the man, as he delivered it to her, found it impossible to keep\nhis countenance; which she no sooner observed, than all her stormy\npassions were again raised.", "I wish you'd been served so\nyourself, and you wouldn't have found it no such joke; you are the\nimpudentest fellow ever I see; and if I find you dare grin at me any\nmore, I shall make no ceremony of boxing your ears.\"" ]

[ "I'll promise you, whatever you may think of it,\nI sha'n't have no rest, night nor day, till I find out that rogue.\"", "\"I have no doubt, Madam, but you will soon discover him.\"", "\"Pardi, if I do, I'll hang him, as sure as fate!-but what's the oddest,\nis, that he should take such a special spite against me above all the\nrest!", "it was as much for nothing as could be; for I don't know what\nI had done, so particular bad, to be used in that manner: I'm sure,\nI hadn't given no offence, as I know of, for I never see his face all\nthe time: and as to screaming a little, I think it's very hard if one\nmustn't do such a thing as that, when one's put in fear of one's life.\"", "During this conversation, she endeavoured to adjust her headdress,\nbut could not at all please herself.", "Indeed, had I not been present,\nI should have thought it impossible for a woman, at her time of life,\nto be so very difficult in regard to dress.", "What she may have in\nview, I cannot imagine, but the labour of the toilette seems the\nchief business of her life.", "When I left her, in my way down stairs, I met Sir Clement; who with\ngreat earnestness, said he must not be denied the honour of a moment's\nconversation with me; and then, without waiting for an answer, he\nled me to the garden; at the door of which, however, I absolutely\ninsisted upon stopping.", "He seemed very serious, and said, in a grave tone of voice, \"At length,\nMiss Anville, I flatter myself I have hit upon an expedient that will\noblige you; and therefore, though it is death to myself, I will put\nin practice.\"", "I begged him to explain himself.", "\"I saw your desire of saving Madame Duval, and scarce could I refrain\ngiving the brutal Captain my real opinion of his savage conduct;\nbut I am unwilling to quarrel with him, lest I should be denied\nentrance into a house which you inhabit; I have been endeavouring\nto prevail with him to give up his absurd new scheme, but I find\nhim impenetrable:-I have therefore determined to make a pretense for\nsuddenly leaving this place, dear as it is to me, and containing all\nI most admire and adore;-and I will stay in town till the violence\nof this boobyish humour is abated.\"" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XXXII EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHoward Grove, Kent, May 10.", "OUR house has been enlivened to-day by the arrival of a London visitor;\nand the necessity I have been under of concealing the uneasiness of\nmy mind, has made me exert myself so effectually, that I even think\nit is really diminished; or, at least, my thoughts are not so totally,\nso very anxiously, occupied by one subject only as they lately were.", "I was strolling this morning with Miss Mirvan, down a lane about\na mile from the Grove, when we heard the trampling of horses; and,\nfearing the narrowness of the passage, we were turning hastily back,\nbut stopped upon hearing a voice call out, \"Pray, Ladies, don't be\nfrightened, for I will walk my horse.\"", "We turned again, and then saw\nSir Clement Willoughby.", "He dismounted; and approaching us with the\nreins in his hand, presently recollected us.", "\"Good Heaven,\" cried\nhe, with his usual quickness, \"do I see Miss Anville ?-and you too,\nMiss Mirvan?\"", "He immediately ordered his servant to take charge of his horse; and\nthen, advancing to us, took a hand of each, which he pressed to his\nlips, and said a thousand fine things concerning his good fortune,\nour improved looks, and the charms of the country, when inhabited\nby such rural deities.", "\"The town, Ladies, has languished since your\nabsence;-or, at least, I have so much languished myself, as to be\nabsolutely insensible to all it had to offer.", "One refreshing breeze,\nsuch as I now enjoy, awakens me to new vigour, life, and spirit.", "This latter seems very\ndesirous of appearing a man of gaiety and spirit; but his vivacity\nis so low-bred, and his whole behaviour so forward and disagreeable,\nthat I should prefer the company of dullness itself, even as that\ngoddess is described by Pope, to that of this sprightly young man.", "He made many apologies that he had not lent his room for our dinner,\nwhich he said, he should certainly have done, had he seen me first:\nand he assured me, that when I came again, he should be very glad to\noblige me.", "I told him, and with sincerity, that every part of the house was\nequally indifferent to me.", "\"Why, Ma'am, the truth is, Miss Biddy and Polly take no care of any\nthing; else, I'm sure, they should be always welcome to my room; for\nI'm never so happy as in obliging the ladies,-that's my character,\nMa'am:-but, really, the last time they had it, every thing was made\nso greasy and so nasty, that, upon my word, to a man who wishes to\nhave things a little genteel, it was quite cruel.", "Now, as to you,\nMa'am, it's quite another thing, for I should not mind if every thing\nI had was spoilt, for the sake of having the pleasure to oblige you;\nand I assure you, Ma'am, it makes me quite happy that I have a room\ngood enough to receive you.\"", "This elegant speech was followed by many others so much in the\nsame style, that to write them would be superfluous; and as he did\nnot allow me a moment to speak to any other person, the rest of the\nevening was consumed in a painful attention to this irksome young man,\nwho seemed to intend appearing before me to the utmost advantage.", "Adieu, my dear Sir.", "I fear you will be sick of reading about this\nfamily; yet I must write of them, or not of any, since I mix with\nno other.", "Happy I shall be when I quit them all, and again return to\nBerry Hill.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nJune 10th\nTHIS morning Mr. Smith called,\non purpose, he said, to offer me a ticket for the next Hampstead\nassembly.", "I thanked him, but desired to be excused accepting it: he\nwould not, however, be denied, nor answered; and, in a manner both\nvehement and free, pressed and urged his offer, till I was wearied to\ndeath: but, when he found me resolute, he seemed thunderstruck with\namazement, and thought proper to desire I would tell him my reasons.", "Obvious as they must surely have been to any other person, they\nwere such as I knew not how to repeat to him; and, when he found I\nhesitated, he said, \"Indeed, Ma'am, you are too modest; I assure you\nthe ticket is quite at your service, and I shall be very happy to\ndance with you; so pray don't be so coy.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" returned I, \"you are mistaken; I never supposed you\nwould offer a ticket without wishing it should be accepted; but it\nwould answer no purpose to mention the reasons which make me decline\nit, since they cannot possibly be removed.\"", "This speech seemed very much to mortify him; which I could not be\nconcerned at, as I did not choose to be treated by him with so much\nfreedom.", "When he was, at last, convinced that his application to me\nwas ineffectual, he addressed himself to Madame Duval, and begged she\nwould interfere in his favour; offering at the same time to procure\nanother ticket for herself.", "\"Ma foi, Sir,\" answered she, angrily, \"you might as well have had\nthe complaisance to ask me before; for, I assure you, I don't approve\nof no such rudeness: however, you may keep your tickets to yourself,\nfor we don't want none of 'em.\"", "This rebuke almost overset him; he made many apologies, and said that\nhe should certainly have first applied to her, but that he had no\nnotion the young lady would have refused him, and, on the contrary,\nhad concluded that she would have assisted him to persuade Madame\nDuval herself.", "This excuse appeased her; and he pleaded his cause so successfully,\nthat, to my great chagrin, he gained it, and Madame Duval promised\nthat she would go herself, and take me to the Hampstead assembly\nwhenever he pleased.", "Mr. Smith then, approaching me with an air of triumph, said, \"Well,\nMa'am, now I think you can't possibly keep to your denial.\"", "I made no answer; and he soon took leave, tho' not till he had so\nwonderfully gained the favour of Madame Duval, that she declared,\nwhen he was gone, he was the prettiest young man she had seen since\nshe came to England.", "As soon as I could find an opportunity, I ventured, in the most humble\nmanner, to intreat Madame Duval would not insist upon my attending\nher to this ball; and represented to her, as well as I was able,\nthe impropriety of my accepting any present from a man so entirely\nunknown to me: but she laughed at my scruples; called me a foolish,\nignorant country-girl; and said she should make it her business to\nteach me something of the world.", "This ball is to be next week.", "I am sure it is not more improper for,\nthan unpleasant to me, and I will use every possible endeavour to\navoid it.", "Perhaps I may apply to Miss Branghton for advice, as I\nbelieve she will be willing to assist me, from disliking, equally\nwith myself, that I should dance with Mr. Smith.", "June 11th\n\n\nO, my dear Sir!", "I have been shocked to death; and yet at the same\ntime delighted beyond expression, in the hope that I have happily\nbeen the instrument of saving a human creature from destruction.", "This morning Madame Duval said she would invite the Branghton family\nto return our visit to-morrow; and, not choosing to rise herself,-for\nshe generally spends the morning in bed,-she desired me to wait upon\nthem with her message.", "M. Du Bois, who just then called, insisted\nupon attending me.", "Mr. Branghton was in the shop, and told us that his son and daughter\nwere out; but desired me to step up stairs, as he very soon expected\nthem home.", "This I did, leaving M. Du Bois below.", "I went into the\nroom where we had dined the day before; and, by a wonderful chance,\nI happened to seat myself, that I had a view of the stairs, and yet\ncould not be seen from them.", "In about ten minutes time, I saw, passing by the door, with a look\nperturbed and affrighted, the same young man I mentioned in my last\nletter.", "Not heeding, as I suppose, how he went, in turning the corner\nof the stairs, which are narrow and winding, his foot slipped and he\nfell; but almost instantly rising, I plainly perceived the end of a\npistol, which started from his pocket by hitting against the stairs.", "I was inexpressibly shocked.", "All that I had heard of his misery\noccurring to my memory, made me conclude that he was, at that very\nmoment, meditating suicide!", "Struck with the dreadful idea, all my\nstrength seemed to fail me.", "He moved on slowly, yet I soon lost sight\nof him; I sat motionless with terror; all power of action forsook me;\nand I grew almost stiff with horror; till recollecting that it was\nyet possible to prevent the fatal deed, all my faculties seemed to\nreturn, with the hope of saving him.", "My first thought was to fly to Mr. Branghton; but I feared, that an\ninstant of time lost might for ever be rued; and, therefore, guided\nby the impulse of my apprehensions, as well as I was able I followed\nhim up stairs, stepping very softly, and obliged to support myself\nby the banisters.", "When I came within a few stairs of the landing-place I stopped;\nfor I could then see into his room, as he had not yet shut the door.", "He had put the pistol upon a table, and had his hand in his pocket,\nwhence, in a few moments, he took out another: he then emptied\nsomething on the table from a small leather bag; after which, taking\nup both the pistols, one in each hand, he dropt hastily upon his knees,\nand called out, \"O, God!-forgive me!\"", "In a moment strength and courage seemed lent to me as by inspiration:\nI started, and rushing precipitately into the room, just caught\nhis arm, and then, overcome by my own fears, I fell down at his side\nbreathless and senseless.", "My recovery, however, was, I believe, almost\ninstantaneous; and then the sight of this unhappy man, regarding me\nwith a look of unutterable astonishment, mixed with concern, presently\nrestored to me my recollection.", "I arose, though with difficulty;\nhe did the same; the pistols, as I soon saw, were both on the floor.", "Unwilling to leave them, and, indeed, too weak to move, I leant one\nhand on the table, and then stood perfectly still; while he, his eyes\ncast wildly towards me, seemed too infinitely amazed to be capable\nof either speech or action.", "I believe we were some minutes in this extraordinary situation; but,\nas my strength returned, I felt myself both ashamed and awkward, and\nmoved towards the door.", "Pale and motionless, he suffered me to pass,\nwithout changing his posture, or uttering a syllable; and, indeed,\n\n\n\n He look'd a bloodless image of despair.-POPE.", "When I reached the door, I turned round; I looked fearfully at\nthe pistols, and, impelled by an emotion I could not repress,\nI hastily stepped back, with an intention of carrying them away:\nbut their wretched owner, perceiving my design, and recovering from\nhis astonishment, darting suddenly down, seized them both himself.", "Wild with fright, and scarce knowing what I did, I caught, almost\ninvoluntarily, hold of both his arms, and exclaimed, \"O, Sir!", "have\nmercy on yourself!\"", "The guilty pistols fell from his hands, which, disengaging from me,\nhe fervently clasped, and cried, \"Sweet Heaven!", "is this thy angel?\"", "Encouraged by such gentleness, I again attempted to take the pistols;\nbut, with a look half frantic, he again prevented me, saying \"What\nwould you do?\"", "\"Awaken you,\" I cried, with a courage I now wonder at, \"to worthier\nthoughts, and rescue you from perdition.\"", "I then seized the pistols; he said not a word,-he made no effort to\nstop me;-I glided quick by him, and tottered down stairs ere he had\nrecovered from the extremest amazement.", "The moment I reached again the room I had so fearfully left, I threw\naway the pistols, and flinging myself on the first chair, gave free\nvent to the feelings I had most painfully stifled, in a violent burst\nof tears, which, indeed, proved a happy relief to me.", "In this situation I remained some time; but when, at length, I lifted\nup my head, the first object I saw was the poor man who had occasioned\nmy terror, standing, as if petrified, at the door, and gazing at me\nwith eyes of wild wonder.", "I started from the chair; but trembled so excessively, that I almost\ninstantly sunk again into it.", "He then, though without advancing, and,\nin a faultering voice, said, \"Whoever, or whatever you are, relieve\nme, I pray you, from the suspense under which my soul labours-and\ntell me if indeed I do not dream?\"", "To this address, so singular, and so solemn, I had not then the\npresence of mind to frame any answer; but as I presently perceived\nthat his eyes turned from me to the pistols, and that he seemed to\nintend regaining them, I exerted all my strength, and saying, \"O,\nfor Heaven's sake forbear!\"", "I rose and took them myself.", "\"Do my sense deceive me!\"", "cried he, \"do I live-?", "And do you?\"", "As he spoke he advanced towards me; and I, still guarding the pistols,\nretreated, saying, \"No, no-you must not-must not have them!\"", "\"Why-for what purpose, tell me!-do you withhold them?", "\"-\n\n\"To give you time to think,-to save you from eternal misery; -and,\nI hope, to reserve you for mercy and forgiveness.\"", "\"Wonderful!\"", "cried he, with uplifted hands and eyes, \"most wonderful!\"", "For some time he seemed wrapped in deep thought, till a sudden noise\nof tongues below announcing the approach of the Branghtons, made\nhim start from his reverie: he sprung hastily forward, -dropt on one\nknee,-caught hold of my gown, which he pressed to his lips; and then,\nquick as lightning, he rose, and flew up stairs to his own room.", "There was something in the whole of this extraordinary and shocking\nadventure, really too affecting to be borne; and so entirely had I\nspent my spirits, and exhausted my courage, that before the Branghtons\nreached me, I had sunk on the ground without sense or motion.", "I believe I must have been a very horrid sight to them on their\nentrance into the room; for to all appearance, I seemed to have\nsuffered a violent death, either by my own rashness, or the cruelty\nof some murderer, as the pistols had fallen close by my side.", "How soon I recovered I know not; but, probably I was more indebted\nto the loudness of their cries than to their assistance; for they\nall concluded that I was dead, and, for some time, did not make any\neffort to revive me.", "Scarcely could I recollect where, or indeed what, I was, ere they\npoured upon me such a torrent of questions and enquiries, that I\nwas almost stunned by their vociferation.", "However, as soon, and\nas well as I was able, I endeavoured to satisfy their curiosity,\nby recounting what had happened as clearly as was in my power.", "They\nall looked aghast at the recital; but, not being well enough to enter\ninto any discussions, I begged to have a chair called, and to return\ninstantly home.", "Before I left them, I recommended, with great earnestness, a vigilant\nobservance of their unhappy lodger; and that they would take care to\nkeep from him, if possible, all means of self-destruction.", "M. Du Bois, who seemed extremely concerned at my indisposition, walked\nby the side of the chair, and saw me safe to my own apartment.", "The rashness and the misery of this ill-fated young man engross\nall my thoughts.", "If indeed, he is bent upon destroying himself, all\nefforts to save him will be fruitless.", "How much do I wish it were in\nmy power to discover the nature of the malady which thus maddens him\nand to offer or to procure alleviation to his sufferings!", "I am sure,\nmy dearest Sir, you will be much concerned for this poor man; and,\nwere you here, I doubt not but you would find some method of awakening\nhim from the error which blinds him, and of pouring the balm of peace\nand comfort into his afflicted soul.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLIV EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nHolborn, June 13th.", "YESTERDAY all the Branghtons dined here.", "Our conversation was almost\nwholly concerning the adventure of the day before.", "Mr. Branghton said,\nthat his first thought was instantly to turn his lodger out of doors,\n\"Lest,\" continued he, \"his killing himself in my house should bring\nme into any trouble: but then I was afraid I should never get the\nmoney that he owes me; whereas, if he dies in my house, I have a\nright to all he leaves behind him, if he goes off in my debt.", "Indeed,\nI would put him in prison,-but what should I get by that?", "he could not\nearn anything there to pay me: so I considered about it some time,\nand then I determined to ask him, point-blank, for my money out of\nhand.", "And so I did; but he told me he'd pay me next week: however,\nI gave him to understand, that though I was no Scotchman, yet, I did\nnot like to be over-reached any more than he: so he then gave me a\nring, which, to my certain knowledge, must be worth ten guineas, and\ntold me he would not part with it for his life, and a good deal more\nsuch sort of stuff, but that I might keep it until he could pay me.\"", "\"It is ten to one, father,\" said young Branghton, \"if he came fairly\nby it.\"", "\"Very likely not,\" answered he; \"but that will make no great\ndifference, for I shall be able to prove my right to it all one.\"", "What principles!", "I could hardly stay in the room.", "\"I'm determined,\" said the son, \"I'll take some opportunity to\naffront him soon, now I know how poor he is, because of the airs he\ngave himself when he first came.\"", "\"And pray how was that, child?\"", "said Madame Duval.", "\"Why, you never knew such a fuss in your life as he made, because one\nday at dinner I only happened to say, that I supposed he had never\ngot such a good meal in his life before he came to England: there, he\nfell in such a passion as you can't think: but for my part, I took no\nnotice of it: for to be sure, thinks I, he must needs be a gentleman,\nor he'd never go to be so angry about it.", "However, he won't put his\ntricks upon me again in a hurry.\"", "\"Well,\" said Miss Polly, \"he's grown quite another creature to what\nhe was, and he doesn't run away from us, nor hide himself, nor any\nthing; and he's as civil as can be, and he's always in the shop, and\nhe saunters about the stairs, and he looks at every body as comes in.\"", "\"Why, you may see what he's after plain enough,\" said Mr. Branghton;\n\"he wants to see Miss again.\"", "\"Ha, ha, ha!", "Lord, how I should laugh,\" said the son, \"if he should\nhave fell in love with Miss!\"", "\"I'm sure,\" said Miss Branghton, \"Miss is welcome; but, for my part,\nI should be quite ashamed of such a beggarly conquest.\"", "Such was the conversation till tea-time, when the appearance of\nMr. Smith gave a new turn to the discourse.", "Miss Branghton desired me to remark with what a smart air he entered\nthe room, and asked me if he had not very much a quality look?", "\"Come,\" cried he, advancing to us, \"you ladies must not sit together;\nwherever I go I always make it a rule to part the ladies.\"", "And then, handing Miss Branghton to the next chair, he seated himself\nbetween us.", "\"Well, now, ladies, I think we sit very well.", "What say you?", "for my\npart I think it was a very good motion.\"", "\"If my cousin likes it,\" said Miss Branghton, \"I'm sure I've no\nobjection.\"", "\"O,\" cried he, \"I always study what the ladies like,-that's my first\nthought.", "And, indeed, it is but natural that you should like best\nto sit by the gentlemen, for what can you find to say to one another?\"", "\"Say!\"", "cried young Branghton; \"O, never you think of that, they'll\nfind enough to say, I'll be sworn.", "You know the women are never tired\nof talking.\"", "\"Come, come, Tom,\" said Mr. Smith, \"don't be severe upon the ladies;\nwhen I'm by, you know I always take their part.\"", "Soon after, when Miss Branghton offered me some cake, this man of\ngallantry said, \"Well, if I was that lady, I'd never take any thing\nfrom a woman.\"", "\"Why not, Sir?\"", "\"Because I should be afraid of being poisoned for being so handsome.\"", "\"Who is severe upon the ladies now?\"", "said I.", "\"Why, really, Ma'am, it was a slip of the tongue; I did not intend\nto say such a thing; but one can't always be on one's guard.\"", "Soon after, the conversation turning upon public places, young\nBranghton asked if I had ever been to George's at Hampstead?", "\"Indeed, I never heard the place mentioned.\"", "\"Didn't you, Miss,\" cried he eagerly; \"why, then you've a deal of\nfun to come, I'll promise you; and, I tell you what, I'll treat you\nthere some Sunday, soon.", "So now, Bid and Poll, be sure you don't tell\nMiss about the chairs, and all that, for I've a mind to surprise her;\nand if I pay, I think I've a right to have it my own way.\"", "\"George's at Hampstead!\"", "repeated Mr. Smith contemptuously; \"how\ncame you to think the young lady would like to go to such a low\nplace as that!", "But, pray, Ma'am, have you ever been to Don Saltero's\nat Chelsea?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"No!-nay, then I must insist on having the pleasure of conducting\nyou there before long.", "I assure you, Ma'am, many genteel people go,\nor else, I give you my word, I should not recommend it.\"", "\"Pray, cousin,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"have you been at Sadler's\nWells yet?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"No!", "why, then you've seen nothing!\"", "\"Pray, Miss,\" said the son, \"how do you like the Tower of London?\"", "\"I have never been to it, Sir.\"", "\"Goodness!\"", "exclaimed he, \"not seen the Tower!-why, may be, you ha'n't\nbeen o' top of the Monument, neither?\"", "\"No, indeed, I have not.\"", "\"Why, then, you might as well not have come to London for aught I see,\nfor you've been no where.\"", "\"Pray, Miss,\" said Polly, \"have you been all over Paul's Church yet?\"", "\"No, Ma'am.\"", "\"Well, but, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Smith, \"how do you like Vauxhall and\nMarybone?\"", "\"I never saw either, Sir.\"", "\"No-God bless me!-you really surprise me,-why Vauxhall is the first\npleasure in life!-I know nothing like it.-Well, Ma'am, you must\nhave been with strange people, indeed, not to have taken you to\nVauxhall.", "Why you have seen nothing of London yet.", "However, we must\ntry if we can't make you amends.\"", "In the course of this catechism, many other places were mentioned,\nof which I have forgotten the names; but the looks of surprise and\ncontempt that my repeated negatives incurred were very diverting.", "\"Come,\" said Mr. Smith, after tea, \"as this lady has been with such\na queer set of people, let's show her the difference; suppose we go\nsomewhere to-night!-I love to do things with spirit!-Come, ladies,\nwhere shall we go?", "For my part I should like Foote's-but the ladies\nmust choose; I never speak myself.\"", "\"Well, Mr. Smith is always in such spirits!\"", "said Miss Branghton.", "\"Why, yes, Ma'am, yes, thank God, pretty good spirits;-I have not yet\nthe cares of the world upon me;-I am not married,-ha, ha, ha!-you'll\nexcuse me, ladies,-but I can't help laughing!\"", "No objection being made, to my great relief we all proceeded to the\nlittle theatre in the Haymarket, where I was extremely entertained\nby the performance of the Minor and the Commissary.", "They all returned hither to supper.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLV EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nJune 15th.", "YESTERDAY morning Madame Duval again sent me to Mr. Branghton's,\nattended by M. Du Bois, to make some party for the evening, because\nshe had had the vapours the preceding day from staying at home.", "As I entered the shop, I perceived the unfortunate North Briton\nseated in a corner, with a book in his hand.", "He cast his melancholy\neyes up as we came in; and, I believe, immediately recollected my\nface-for he started, and changed colour.", "I delivered Madame Duval's\nmessage to Mr. Branghton, who told me I should find Polly up stairs,\nbut that the others were gone out.", "Up stairs, therefore, I went; and, seated on a window, with Mr. Brown\nat her side, sat Miss Polly.", "I felt a little awkward at disturbing\nthem, and much more so at their behaviour afterwards; for, as soon\nas the common enquiries were over, Mr. Brown grew so fond and so\nfoolish, that I was extremely disgusted.", "Polly, all the time, only\nrebuked him with, \"La, now, Mr. Brown, do be quiet, can't you?-you\nshould not behave so before company.-Why, now, what will Miss think\nof me?", "\"-While her looks plainly showed not merely the pleasure,\nbut the pride which she took in his caresses.", "I did not by any means think it necessary to punish myself by\nwitnessing their tenderness; and therefore telling them I would see\nif Miss Branghton were returned home, I soon left them, and against\ndescended into the shop.", "\"So, Miss, you've come again,\" said Mr. Branghton; \"what, I suppose\nyou've a mind to sit a little in the shop, and see how the world goes,\nhey, Miss?\"", "I made no answer; and M. Du Bois instantly brought me a chair.", "The unhappy stranger, who had risen at my entrance, again seated\nhimself; and though his head leant towards his book, I could not help\nobserving, his eyes were most intently and earnestly turned towards me.", "M. Du Bois, as well as his broken English would allow him, endeavoured\nto entertain us till the return of Miss Branghton and her brother.", "\"Lord, how tired I am!\"", "cried the former; \"I have not a foot to stand\nupon.\"", "And, then, without any ceremony, she flung herself into the\nchair from which I had risen to receive her.", "\"You tired!\"", "said the brother; \"why, then, what must I be, that have\nwalked twice as far?\"", "And, with equal politeness, he paid the same\ncompliment to M. Du Bois which his sister had done to me.", "Two chairs and three stools completed the furniture of the shop;\nand Mr. Branghton, who chose to keep his own seat himself, desired\nM. Du Bois to take another; and then seeing that I was without any,\ncalled out to the stranger, \"Come, Mr. Macartney, lend us your stool.\"", "Shocked at their rudeness, I declined the offer; and, approaching\nMiss Branghton, said, \"If you will be so good as to make room for me\non your chair, there will be no occasion to disturb that gentleman.\"", "\"Lord, what signifies that?\"", "cried the brother; \"he has had his share\nof sitting, I'll be sworn.\"", "\"And, if he has not,\" said the sister, \"he has a chair up stairs;\nand the shop is our own, I hope.\"", "This grossness so much disgusted me, that I took the stool, and\ncarrying it back to Mr. Macartney myself, I returned him thanks as\ncivilly as I could for his politeness, but said that I had rather\nstand.", "He looked at me as if unaccustomed to such attention, bowed very\nrespectfully, but neither spoke nor yet made use of it.", "I soon found that I was an object of derision to all present, except\nM. Du Bois; and therefore, I begged Mr. Branghton would give me an\nanswer for Madame Duval, as I was in haste to return.", "\"Well, then, Tom,-Biddy, where have you a mind to go tonight?", "your\naunt and Miss want to be abroad and amongst them.\"", "\"Why, then, Papa,\" said Miss Branghton, \"we'll go to Don\nSaltero's.", "Mr. Smith likes that place, so may be he'll go along\nwith us.\"", "\"No, no,\" said the son, \"I'm for White-Conduit House; so let's\ngo there.\"", "\"White-Conduit House, indeed!\"", "cried his sister; \"no, Tom, that\nI won't.\"", "\"Why, then, let it alone; nobody wants your company;-we shall do as\nwell without you, I'll be sworn, and better too.\"", "\"I'll tell you what, Tom, if you don't hold your tongue, I'll make\nyou repent it,-that I assure you.\"", "Just then Mr. Smith came into the shop, which he seemed to intend\npassing through; but when he saw me, he stopped, and began a most\ncourteous enquiry after my health, protesting, that, had he known I\nwas there, he should have come down sooner.", "\"But, bless me, Ma'am,\"\nadded he, \"what is the reason you stand?\"", "and then he flew to bring\nme the seat from which I had just parted.", "\"Mr. Smith, you are come in very good time,\" said Mr. Branghton,\n\"to end a dispute between my son and daughter, about where they shall\nall go to-night.\"", "\"O, fie, Tom,-dispute with a lady!\"", "cried Mr. Smith.", "\"Now, as for me,\nI'm for where you will, provided this young lady is of the party;-one\nplace is the same as another to me, so that it be but agreeable to\nthe ladies.-I would go any where with you, Ma'am,\" (to me) \"unless,\nindeed, it were to church; -ha, ha, ha!-You'll excuse me, Ma'am; but,\nreally, I never could conquer my fear of a parson;-ha, ha, ha!-Really,\nladies, I beg your pardon for being so rude; but I can't help laughing\nfor my life!\"", "\"I was just saying, Mr. Smith,\" said Miss Branghton, \"that I should\nlike to go to Don Saltero's;-now, pray, where should you like to go?\"", "\"Why, really, Miss Biddy, you know I always let the ladies decide; I\nnever fix any thing myself; but I should suppose it would be rather\nhot at the coffee-house:-however, pray, ladies, settle it among\nyourselves;-I'm agreeable to whatever you choose.\"", "It was easy for me to discover, that this man, with all his parade of\nconformity, objects to every thing that is not proposed by himself:\nbut he is so much admired by this family for his gentility, that he\nthinks himself a complete fine gentleman!", "\"Come,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"the best way will be to put it to the\nvote, and then every body will speak their minds.", "Biddy, call Poll\ndown stairs.", "We'll start fair.\"", "\"Lord, Papa,\" said Miss Branghton, \"why can't you as well send\nTom?-you're always sending me of the errands.\"", "A dispute then ensued, but Miss Branghton was obliged to yield.", "When Mr. Brown and Miss Polly made their appearance, the latter\nuttered many complaints of having been called, saying, she did not\nwant to come, and was very well where she was.", "\"Now, ladies, your votes,\" cried Mr. Smith; \"and so, Ma'am (to me),\nwe'll begin with you.", "What place shall you like best?\"", "and then, in\na whisper, he added, \"I assure you, I shall say the same as you do,\nwhether I like it or not.\"", "I said, that as I was ignorant what choice was in my power, I must\nbeg to hear their decisions first.", "This was reluctantly assented to;\nand then Miss Branghton voted for Saltero's Coffee-house; her sister,\nfor a party to Mother Red Cap's; the brother for White-Conduit House;\nMr. Brown, for Bagnigge Wells; Mr. Braughton, for Sadler's Wells;\nand Mr. Smith, for Vauxhall.", "\"Well now, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Smith, \"we have all spoken, and so you\nmust give the casting vote.", "Come, what will you fix upon?\"", "\"Sir,\" answered I, \"I was to speak last.\"", "\"Well, so you will,\" said Miss Branghton, \"for we've all spoke first.\"", "\"Pardon me,\" returned I, \"the voting has not yet been quite general.\"", "And I turned towards Mr. Macartney, to whom I wished extremely to\nshow that I was not of the same brutal nature with those by whom he\nwas treated so grossly.", "\"Why, pray,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"who have we left out?", "would you have\nthe cats and dogs vote?\"", "\"No, Sir,\" cried I, with some spirit, \"I would have that gentleman\nvote,-if, indeed, he is not superior to joining our party.\"", "They all looked at me, as if they doubted whether or not they had\nheard me right: but, in a few moments, their surprise gave way to a\nrude burst of laughter.", "Very much displeased, I told M. Du Bois that if he was not ready to\ngo, I would have a coach called for myself.", "O yes, he said, he was always ready to attend me.", "Mr. Smith then, advancing, attempted to take my hand, and begged me\nnot to leave them till I had settled the evening's plans.", "\"I have nothing, Sir,\" said I, \"to do with it, as it is my intention\nto stay at home; and therefore Mr. Branghton will be so good as to\nsend Madame Duval word what place is fixed upon, when it is convenient\nto him.\"", "And then, making a slight courtesy, I left them.", "How much does my disgust for these people increase my pity for poor Mr.\nMacartney!", "I will not see them when I can avoid so doing; but I am\ndetermined to take every opportunity in my power to show civility to\nthis unhappy man, whose misfortunes with this family, only render him\nan object of scorn.", "I was, however, very well pleased with M. Du Bois,\nwho, far from joining in their mirth, expressed himself extremely\nshocked at their ill-breeding.", "We had not walked ten yards before we were followed by Mr. Smith,\nwho came to make excuses, and to assure me they were only joking, and\nhoped I took nothing ill; for if I did, he would make a quarrel of it\nhimself with the Branghtons, rather than I should receive any offense.", "I begged him not to take any trouble about so immaterial an affair,\nand assured him I should not myself.", "He was so officious, that he\nwould not be prevailed upon to return home, till he had walked with\nus to Mr. Dawkins's.", "Madame Duval was very much displeased that I brought her so little\nsatisfaction.", "White-Conduit House was at last fixed upon; and,\nnotwithstanding my great dislike of such parties and such places,\nI was obliged to accompany them.", "Very disagreeable, and much according to my expectations, the\nevening proved.", "There were many people all smart and gaudy, and so\npert and low-bred, that I could hardly endure being amongst them;\nbut the party to which, unfortunately, I belonged, seemed all at home.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLVI EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS\n\nHolborn, June 17th.", "YESTERDAY Mr. Smith carried his point of making a party for Vauxhall,\nconsisting of Madame Duval, M. Du Bois, all the Branghtons, Mr. Brown,\nhimself,-and me!-for I find all endeavours vain to escape any thing\nwhich these people desire I should not.", "There were twenty disputes previous to our setting out; first, as to\nthe time of our going: Mr. Branghton, his son, and young Brown, were\nfor six o'clock; and all the ladies and Mr. Smith were for eight;-the\nlatter, however, conquered.", "Then, as to the way we should go; some were for a boat, others for\na coach, and Mr. Branghton himself was for walking; but the boat\nat length was decided upon.", "Indeed this was the only part of the\nexpedition that was agreeable to me; for the Thames was delightfully\npleasant.", "The garden is very pretty, but too formal; I should have been better\npleased, had it consisted less of straight walks, where\n\n Grove nods at grove, each alley has its brother.", "The trees, the numerous lights, and the company in the circle round\nthe orchestra make a most brilliant and gay appearance; and had I been\nwith a party less disagreeable to me, I should have thought it a place\nformed for animation and pleasure.", "There was a concert; in the course\nof which a hautbois concerto was so charmingly played, that I could\nhave thought myself upon enchanted ground, had I had spirits more\ngentle to associate with.", "The hautbois in the open air is heavenly.", "Mr. Smith endeavoured to attach himself to me, with such officious\nassiduity and impertinent freedom, that he quite sickened me.", "Indeed\nM. Du Bois was the only man of the party to whom, voluntarily, I\never addressed myself.", "He is civil and respectful, and I have found\nnobody else so since I left Howard Grove.", "His English is very bad;\nbut I prefer it to speaking French myself, which I dare not venture\nto do.", "I converse with him frequently, both to disengage myself from\nothers, and to oblige Madame Duval, who is always pleased when he is\nattended to.", "As we were walking about the orchestra, I heard a bell ring; and,\nin a moment, Mr. Smith, flying up to me, caught my hand, and, with a\nmotion too quick to be resisted, ran away with me many yards before I\nhad breath to ask his meaning, though I struggled as well as I could,\nto get from him.", "At last, however, I insisted upon stopping: \"Stopping,\nMa'am!\"", "cried he, \"why we must run on or we shall lose the cascade!\"", "And then again he hurried me away, mixing with a crowd of people,\nall running with so much velocity, that I could not imagine what had\nraised such an alarm.", "We were soon followed by the rest of the party;\nand my surprise and ignorance proved a source of diversion to them\nall, which was not exhausted the whole evening.", "Young Branghton,\nin particular, laughed till he could hardly stand.", "The scene of the cascade I thought extremely pretty, and the general\neffect striking and lively.", "But this was not the only surprise which was to divert them at my\nexpense; for they led me about the garden purposely to enjoy my first\nsight of various other deceptions.", "About ten o'clock, Mr. Smith having chosen a box in a very conpicuous\nplace, we all went to supper.", "Much fault was found with every thing\nthat was ordered, though not a morsel of any thing was left; and the\ndearness of the provisions, with conjectures upon what profit was\nmade by them, supplied discourse during the whole meal.", "When wine and cyder were brought, Mr. Smith said, \"Now let's enjoy\nourselves; now is the time, or never.", "Well, Ma'am, and how do you\nlike Vauxhall?\"", "\"Like it!\"", "cried young Branghton; \"why, how can she help liking\nit?", "she has never seen such a place before, that I'll answer for.\"", "\"For my part,\" said Miss Branghton, \"I like it because it is not\nvulgar.\"", "\"This must have been a fine treat for you, Miss,\" said Mr. Branghton;\n\"why, I suppose you was never so happy in all your life before?\"", "I endeavoured to express my satisfaction with some pleasure; yet,\nI believe, they were much amazed at my coldness.", "\"Miss ought to stay in town till the last night,\" said young Branghton;\n\"and then, it's my belief, she'd say something to it!", "Why, Lord,\nit's the best night of any; there's always a riot,-and there the folks\nrun about,-and then there's such squealing and squalling!-and, there,\nall the lamps are broke,-and the women run skimper scamper.-I declare\nI would not take five guineas to miss the last night!\"", "I was very glad when they all grew tired of sitting, and called for\nthe waiter to pay the bill.", "The Miss Branghtons said they would walk\non while the gentlemen settled the account, and asked me to accompany\nthem; which, however, I declined.", "\"You girls may do as you please,\" said Madame Duval; \"but as to me,\nI promise you, I sha'n't go nowhere without the gentlemen.\"", "\"No more, I suppose, will my cousin,\" said Miss Branghton, looking\nreproachfully towards Mr. Smith.", "This reflection, which I feared would flatter his vanity, made me most\nunfortunately request Madame Duval's permission to attend them.", "She\ngranted it; and away we went, having promised to meet in the room.", "To the room, therefore, I would immediately have gone: but the sisters\nagreed that they would first have a little pleasure; and they tittered\nand talked so loud, that they attracted universal notice.", "\"Lord, Polly,\" said the eldest, \"suppose we were to take a turn in\nthe dark walks!\"", "\"Aye, do,\" answered she; \"and then we'll hide ourselves, and then\nMr. Brown will think we are lost.\"", "I remonstrated very warmly against this plan, telling them it would\nendanger our missing the rest of the party all the evening.", "\"O dear,\" cried Miss Branghton, \"I thought how uneasy Miss would be\nwithout a beau!\"", "This impertinence I did not think worth answering; and, quite by\ncompulsion, I followed them down a long alley, in which there was\nhardly any light.", "By the time we came near the end, a large party of gentlemen,\napparently very riotous, and who were hallooing, leaning on one\nanother, and laughing immoderately, seemed to rush suddenly from\nbehind some trees, and meeting us face to face, put their arms at\ntheir sides, and formed a kind of circle, which first stopped our\nproceeding, and then our retreating, for we were presently entirely\nenclosed.", "The Miss Branghtons screamed aloud, and I was frightened\nexceedingly; our screams were answered with bursts of laughter, and\nfor some minutes we were kept prisoners, till at last one of them,\nrudely seizing hold of me, said I was a pretty little creature.", "Terrified to death, I struggled with such vehemence to disengage\nmyself from him, that I succeeded, in spite of his efforts to detain\nme; and immediately, and with a swiftness which fear only could have\ngiven me, I flew rather than ran up the walk, hoping to secure my\nsafety by returning to the lights and company we had so foolishly\nleft: but before I could possibly accomplish my purpose, I was met\nby another party of men, one of whom placed himself so directly in\nmy way, calling out, \"Whither so fast, my love?", "\"-that I could only\nhave proceeded by running into his arms.", "In a moment both my hands, by different persons, were caught hold of,\nand one of them, in a most familiar manner, desired, when I ran next,\nto accompany me in a race; while the rest of the party stood still\nand laughed.", "I was almost distracted with terror, and so breathless with running,\nthat I could not speak; till another, advancing, said, I was as\nhandsome as an angel, and desired to be of the party.", "I then just\narticulated, \"For Heaven's sake, gentlemen, let me pass!\"", "Another then rushing suddenly forward, exclaimed, \"Heaven and\nearth!", "What voice is that?-\"\n\n\"The voice of the prettiest little actress I have seen this age,\"\nanswered one of my persecutors.", "\"No,-no,-no-\" I panted out, \"I am no actress-pray let me go,-pray\nlet me pass-\"\n\n\"By all that's sacred,\" cried the same voice, which I then knew for\nSir Clement Willoughby's, \"'tis herself!\"", "\"Sir Clement Willoughby!\"", "cried I.", "\"O, Sir, assist-assist me-or I\nshall die with terror!\"", "\"Gentlemen,\" cried he, disengaging them all from me in an instant,\n\"pray leave this lady to me.\"", "Loud laughs proceeded from every mouth, and two or three said\nWilloughby has all the luck!", "But one of them, in a passionate manner,\nvowed he would not give me up, for that he had the first right to me,\nand would support it.", "\"You are mistaken,\" said Sir Clement, \"this lady is-I will explain\nmyself to you another time; but, I assure you, you are all mistaken.\"", "And then taking my willing hand, he led me off, amidst the loud\nacclamations, laughter, and gross merriment of his impertinent\ncompanions.", "As soon as we had escaped from them, Sir Clement, with a voice of\nsurprise, exclaimed, \"My dearest creature, what wonder, what strange\nrevolution, has brought you to such a place as this?\"", "Ashamed of my situation, and extremely mortified to be thus recognized\nby him, I was for some time silent; and when he repeated his question,\nonly stammered out, \"I have,-I hardly know how,-lost from my party-\"\n\nHe caught my hand, and eagerly pressing it, in a passionate voice said,\n\"O that I had sooner met with thee!\"", "Surprised at a freedom so unexpected, I angrily broke from him, saying,\n\"Is this the protection you give me, Sir Clement?\"", "And then I saw, what the perturbation of my mind had prevented my\nsooner noticing, that he had led me, though I know not how, into\nanother of the dark alleys, instead of the place whither I meant to go.", "\"Good God!\"", "I cried, \"where am I?-What way are you going?\"", "\"Where,\" answered he, \"we shall be least observed!\"", "Astonished at this speech, I stopped short, and declared I would go\nno further.", "\"And why not, my angel?\"", "again endeavouring to take my hand.", "My heart beat with resentment; I pushed him away from me with all my\nstrength, and demanded how he dared treat me with such insolence?", "\"Insolence!\"", "repeated he.", "\"Yes, Sir Clement, insolence; from you, who know me, I had a claim\nfor protection,-not to such treatment as this.\"", "\"By Heaven,\" cried he, with warmth, \"you distract me;-why, tell\nme,-why do I see you here?-Is this a place for Miss Anville?-these\ndark walks!-no party!", "no companion!-by all that's good I can scarce\nbelieve my senses!\"", "Extremely offended at this speech, I turned angrily from him: and,\nnot deigning to make any answer, walked on towards that part of the\ngarden whence I perceived the lights and company.", "He followed me; but we were both some time silent.", "\"So you will not explain to me your situation?\"", "said he, at length.", "\"No, Sir,\" answered I, disdainfully.", "\"Nor yet-suffer me to make my own interpretation?-\"\n\nI could not bear this strange manner of speaking; it made my very\nsoul shudder,-and I burst into tears.", "He flew to me, and actually flung himself at my feet, as if\nregardless who might see him, saying, \"O, Miss Anville,-loveliest of\nwomen,-forgive my,-my,-I beseech you forgive me;-if I have offended-if\nI have hurt you-I could kill myself at the thought!-\"\n\n\"No matter, Sir, no matter,\" cried I; \"if I can but find my friends,-I\nwill never speak to-never see you again!\"", "\"Good God!-good Heaven!", "My dearest life, what is it I have done?-what\nis it I have said?-\"\n\n\"You best know, Sir, what and why: but don't hold me here,-let me be\ngone; and do you!\"", "\"Not till you forgive me!-I cannot part with you in anger.\"", "\"For shame, for shame, Sir!\"", "cried I, indignantly, \"do you suppose I\nam to be thus compelled?-do you take advantage of the absence of my\nfriends to affront me?\"", "\"No, Madam,\" cried he, rising: \"I would sooner forfeit my life than\nact so mean a part.", "But you have flung me into amazement unspeakable,\nand you will not condescend to listen to my request of giving me\nsome explanation.\"", "\"The manner, Sir,\" said I, \"in which you spoke that request, made,\nand will make, me scorn to answer it.\"", "\"Scorn!-I will own to you, I expected not such displeasure from\nMiss Anville.\"", "\"Perhaps, Sir, if you had, you would less voluntarily have merited it.\"", "\"My dearest life, surely it must be known to you, that the man does\nnot breathe who adores you so passionately, so fervently, so tenderly\nas I do!-Why, then, will you delight in perplexing me?-in keeping me\nin suspense?-in torturing me with doubt?\"", "\"I, Sir, delight in perplexing you!-you are much mistaken.-Your\nsuspense, your doubts, your perplexities,-are of your own creating;\nand believe me, Sir, they may offend, but they can never delight\nme:-but as you have yourself raised, you must yourself satisfy them.\"", "\"Good God!-that such haughtiness and such sweetness can inhabit the\nsame mansion!\"", "I made no answer; but quickening my pace I walked on silently and\nsullenly, till this most impetuous of men, snatching my hand, which he\ngrasped with violence, besought me to forgive him with such earnestness\nof supplication, that, merely to escape his importunities, I was forced\nto speak, and in some measure to grant the pardon he requested; though\nit was accorded with a very ill grace: but, indeed, I knew not how\nto resist the humility of his intreaties: yet never shall I recollect\nthe occasion he gave me of displeasure, without feeling it renewed.", "We now soon arrived in the midst of the general crowd; and, my own\nsafety being then insured, I grew extremely uneasy for the Miss\nBranghtons, whose danger, however imprudently incurred by their own\nfolly, I too well knew how to tremble for.", "To this consideration all\nmy pride of heart yielded, and I determined to seek my party with the\nutmost speed; though not without a sigh did I recollect the fruitless\nattempt I had made after the opera, of concealing from this man my\nunfortunate connections, which I was now obliged to make known.", "I hastened, therefore, to the room, with a view of sending young\nBranghton to the aid of his sisters.", "In a very short time I perceived\nMadame Duval, and the rest, looking at one of the paintings.", "I must own to you honestly, my dear Sir, that an involuntary repugnance\nseized me at presenting such a set to Sir Clement,-he who had been used\nto see me in parties so different!-My pace slackened as I approached\nthem,-but they presently perceived me.", "\"Ah, Mademoiselle!\"", "cried M. Du Bois, \"Que je suis charm-e; de vous\nvoir!\"", "\"Pray, Miss,\" cried Mr. Brown, \"where's Miss Polly?\"", "\"Why, Miss, you've been a long while gone,\" said Mr. Branghton;\n\"we thought you'd been lost.", "But what have you done with your cousins?\"", "I hesitated,-for Sir Clement regarded me with a look of wonder.", "\"Pardi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"I shan't let you leave me again in\na hurry.", "Why, here we've been in such a fright!-and all the while,\nI suppose, you've been thinking nothing about the matter.\"", "\"Well,\" said young Branghton,\" as long as Miss is come back, I don't\nmind; for as to Bid and Poll, they can take care of themselves.", "But\nthe best joke is, Mr. Smith is gone all about a looking for you.\"", "These speeches were made almost in a breath: but when, at last,\nthey waited for an answer, I told them, that, in walking up one of\nthe long alleys, we had been frightened and separated.", "\"The long alleys!\"", "repeated Mr. Branghton, \"and pray, what had you\nto do in the long alleys?", "why, to be sure, you must all of you have\nhad a mind to be affronted!\"", "This speech was not more impertinent to me, than surprising to Sir\nClement, who regarded all the party with evident astonishment.", "However,\nI told young Branghton, no time ought to be lost, for that his sisters\nmight require his immediate protection.", "\"But how will they get it?\"", "cried this brutal brother: \"if they've\na mind to behave in such a manner as that, they ought to protect\nthemselves; and so they may for me.\"", "\"Well,\" said the simple Mr. Brown, \"whether you go or not, I think\nI may as well see after Miss Polly.\"", "The father then interfering, insisted that his son should accompany\nhim; and away they went.", "It was now that Madame Duval first perceived Sir Clement; to whom,\nturning with a look of great displeasure, she angrily said, \"Ma foi,\nso you are comed here, of all the people in the world!-I wonder, child,\nyou would let such a-such a person as that keep company with you.\"", "\"I am very sorry, Madam,\" said Sir Clement, in a tone of surprise,\n\"if I had been so unfortunate as to offend you; but I believe you\nwill not regret the honour I now have of attending Miss Anville,\nwhen you hear that I have been so happy as to do her some service.\"", "Just as Madame Duval, with her usual Ma foi, was beginning to\nreply, the attention of Sir Clement was wholly drawn from her, by\nthe appearance of Mr. Smith, who, coming suddenly behind me, and\nfreely putting his hands of my shoulders, cried, \"O ho, my little\nrunaway, have I found you at last?", "I have been scampering all over\nthe gardens for you, for I was determined to find you, if you were\nabove ground.-But how could you be so cruel as to leave us?\"", "I turned round to him, and looked with a degree of contempt that I\nhoped would have quieted him: but he had not the sense to understand\nme; and, attempting to take my hand, he added, \"Such a demure-looking\nlady as you are, who'd have thought of your leading one such a\ndance?-Come, now, don't be so coy; only think what a trouble I have\nhad in running after you!\"", "\"The trouble, Sir,\" said I, \"was of your own choice,-not mine.\"", "And\nI walked round to the other side of Madame Duval.", "Perhaps I was too proud;-but I could not endure that Sir Clement,\nwhose eyes followed him with looks of the most surprised curiosity,\nshould witness his unwelcome familiarity.", "Upon my removal he came up to me, and, in a low voice, said, \"You\nare not, then, with the Mirvans?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"And pray,-may I ask you,-have you left them long?\"", "\"No, Sir.\"", "\"How unfortunate I am!-but yesterday I sent to acquaint the Captain\nI should reach the Grove by to-morrow noon!", "However, I shall get away\nas fast as possible.", "Shall you be long in town?\"", "\"I believe not, Sir.\"", "\"And then, when you leave it-which way-will you allow me to ask,\nwhich way you shall travel?\"", "\"Indeed,-I don't know.\"", "\"Not know!-But do you return to the Mirvans any more?\"", "\"I-I can't tell, Sir.\"", "And then I addressed myself to Madame Duval, with such a pretended\nearnestness, that he was obliged to be silent.", "As he cannot but observe the great change in my situation, which\nhe knows not how to account for, there is something in all these\nquestions, and this unrestrained curiosity, that I did not expect\nfrom a man who, when he pleases, can be so well-bred as Sir Clement\nWilloughby.", "He seems disposed to think that the alteration in my\ncompanions authorises an alteration in his manners.", "It is true, he\nhas always treated me with uncommon freedom, but never before with\nso disrespectful an abruptness.", "This observation, which he has given\nme cause to make, of his changing with the tide, has sunk him more\nin my opinion than any other part of his conduct.", "Yet I could almost have laughed when I looked at Mr. Smith, who no\nsooner saw me addressed by Sir Clement, than, retreating aloof from\nthe company, he seemed to lose at once all his happy self-sufficiency\nand conceit; looking now at the baronet, now at himself; surveying,\nwith sorrowful eyes, his dress; struck with his air, his gestures,\nhis easy gaiety, he gazed at him with envious admiration, and seemed\nhimself, with conscious inferiority, to shrink into nothing.", "Soon after, Mr. Brown, running up to us, called out, \"La, what,\ni'n't Miss Polly come yet?\"", "\"Come,\" said Mr. Branghton; \"why, I thought you went to fetch her\nyourself, didn't you?\"", "\"Yes, but I couldn't find her;-yet I daresay I've been over half\nthe garden.\"", "\"Half?", "but why did not you go over it all?\"", "\"Why, so I will: but only I thought I'd just come and see if she was\nhere first.\"", "\"But where's Tom?\"", "\"Why, I don't know; for he would not stay with me, all as ever I\ncould say: for we met some young gentlemen of his acquaintance,\nand so he bid me go and look by myself; for he said, says he, I can\ndivert myself better another way, says he.\"", "This account being given, away again went this silly young man;\nand Mr. Branghton, extremely incensed, said he would go and see\nafter them himself.", "\"So, now\", cried Madame Duval, \"he's gone too!", "why, at this rate,\nwe shall have to wait for one or other of them all night!\"", "Observing that Sir Clement seemed disposed to renew his enquiries,\nI turned towards one of the paintings, and, pretending to be very much\noccupied in looking at it, asked M. Du Bois some questions concerning\nthe figures.", "\"O!", "Mon Dieu!\"", "cried Madame Duval, \"don't ask him; your best way is\nto ask Mr. Smith, for he's been here the oftenest.", "Come, Mr. Smith,\nI dare say you can tell us all about them.\"", "\"Why, yes, Ma'am, yes,\" said Mr. Smith: who, brightening up at this\napplication, advanced towards us with an air of assumed importance,\nwhich, however, sat very uneasily upon him, and begged to know what he\nshould explain first: \"For I have attended,\" said he, \"to all these\npaintings, and know every thing in them perfectly well; for I am\nrather fond of pictures, Ma'am; and, really, I must say, I think, a\npretty pictures is a-a very-is really a very-is something very pretty-\"\n\n\"So do I too,\" said Madame Duval; \"but pray now, Sir, tell us who\nthat is meant for,\" pointing to a figure of Neptune.", "\"That!-why, that, Ma'am, is,-Lord bless me, I can't think how I\ncome to be so stupid, but really I have forgot his name;-and yet,\nI know it as well as my own too:-however, he's a General, Ma'am,\nthey are all Generals.\"", "I saw Sir Clement bite his lips; and, indeed, so did I mine.", "\"Well,\" said Madame Duval, \"it's the oddest dress for a general ever\nI see!\"", "\"He seems so capital a figure,\" said Sir Clement, to Mr. Smith,\n\"that I imagine he must be Generalissimo of the whole army.\"", "\"Yes, Sir, yes,\" answered Mr. Smith, respectfully bowing, and highly\ndelighted at being thus referred to, \"you are perfectly right;-but I\ncannot for my life think of his name;-perhaps, Sir, you may remember\nit?\"", "\"No, really,\" replied Sir Clement, \"my acquaintance among the generals\nis not so extensive.\"", "The ironical tone of voice in which Sir Clement spoke entirely\ndisconcerted Mr. Smith; who again retiring to an humble distance,\nseemed sensibly mortified at the failure of his attempt to recover\nhis consequence.", "Soon after, Mr. Branghton returned with his youngest daughter, who\nhe had rescued from a party of insolent young men; but he had not\nyet been able to find the eldest.", "Miss Polly was really frightened,\nand declared she would never go into the dark walks again.", "Her father,\nleaving her with us, went in quest of her sister.", "While she was relating her adventures, to which nobody listened more\nattentively than Sir Clement, we saw Mr. Brown enter the room.", "\"O,\nla!\"", "cried Miss Polly, \"let me hide myself, and don't tell him\nI'm come.\"", "She then placed herself behind Madame Duval, in such a manner that\nshe could not be seen.", "\"So Miss Polly is not come yet!\"", "said the simple swain: \"well,\nI can't think where she can be!", "I've been looking, and looking,\nand looking all about, and can't find her all I can do.\"", "\"Well, but, Mr. Brown,\" said Mr. Smith, \"sha'n't you go and look for\nthe lady again?\"", "\"Yes, Sir,\" said he, sitting down; \"but I must rest me a little bit\nfirst.", "You can't think how tired I am.\"", "\"O fie, Mr. Brown, fie,\" cried Mr. Smith, winking at us, \"tired of\nlooking for a lady!", "Go, go, for shame!\"", "\"So I will, Sir, presently; but you'd be tired too, if you had walked\nso far: besides, I think she's gone out of the garden, or else I must\nhave seen something or other of her.\"", "A he, he he!", "of the tittering Polly, now betrayed her, and so ended\nthis ingenious little artifice.", "At last appeared Mr. Branghton and Miss Biddy, who, with a face of\nmixed anger and confusion, addressing herself to me, said, \"So, Miss,\nso you ran away from me!", "Well, see if I don't do as much by you some\nday or other!", "But I thought how it would be; you'd no mind to leave\nthe gentlemen, though you run away from me.\"", "I was so much surprised at this attack, that I could not answer her\nfor very amazement; and she proceeded to tell us how ill she had\nbeen used, and that two young men had been making her walk up and\ndown the dark walks by absolute force, and as fast as ever they could\ntear her along; and many other particulars, which I will not tire you\nwith relating.", "In conclusion, looking at Mr. Smith, she said, \"But to\nbe sure, thought I, at least all the company will be looking for me;\nso I little expected to find you all here, talking as comfortably as\never you can.", "However, I know I may thank my cousin for it!\"", "\"If you mean me, Madam,\" said I, very much shocked, \"I am quite\nignorant in what manner I can have been accessary to your distress.\"", "\"Why, by running away so.", "If you'd stayed with us, I'll answer for\nit Mr. Smith and M. Du Bois would have come to look for us; but I\nsuppose they could not leave your ladyship.\"", "The folly and unreasonableness of this speech would admit of no\nanswer.", "But what a scene was this for Sir Clement!", "his surprise was\nevident; and I must acknowledge my confusion was equally great.", "We had now to wait for young Branghton, who did not appear for some\ntime; and during this interval it was with difficulty that I avoided\nSir Clement, who was on the rack of curiosity, and dying to speak\nto me.", "When, at last, the hopeful youth returned, a long and frightful quarrel\nensued between him and his father, in which his sisters occasionally\njoined, concerning his neglect; and he defended himself only by a\nbrutal mirth, which he indulged at their expense.", "Every one now seemed inclined to depart,-when, as usual, a dispute\narose upon the way of our going, whether in a coach or a boat.", "After\nmuch debating, it was determined that we should make two parties,\none by the water and the other by land; for Madame Duval declared\nshe would not, upon any account, go into a boat at night.", "Sir Clement then said, that if she had no carriage in waiting, he\nshould be happy to see her and me safe home, as his was in readiness.", "Fury started into her eyes, and passion inflamed every feature, as she\nanswered, \"Pardi, no-you may take care of yourself, if you please; but\nas to me, I promise you I sha'n't trust myself with no such person.\"", "He pretended not to comprehend her meaning; yet, to waive a discussion,\nacquiesced in her refusal.", "The coach-party fixed upon, consisted of\nMadame Duval, M. Du Bois, Miss Branghton, and myself.", "I now began to rejoice, in private, that at least our lodgings\nwould be neither seen nor known by Sir Clement.", "We soon met with a\nhackney-coach, into which he handed me, and then took leave.", "Madame Duval having already given the coachman her direction, he\nmounted the box, and we were just driving off, when Sir Clement\nexclaimed, \"By Heaven, this is the very coach I had in waiting for\nmyself!\"", "\"This coach, your honour!\"", "said the man; \"no, that it i'n't.\"", "Sir Clement, however, swore that it was; and presently, the man,\nbegging his pardon, said he had really forgotten that he was engaged.", "I have no doubt but that this scheme occurred to him at the moment,\nand that he made some sign to the coachman, which induced him to\nsupport it; for there is not the least probability that the accident\nreally happened, as it is most likely his own chariot was in waiting.", "The man then opened the coach-door, and Sir Clement, advancing to\nit, said \"I don't believe there is another carriage to be had, or\nI would not incommode you; but, as it may be disagreeable to you to\nwait here any longer, I beg you will not get out, for you shall be\nset down before I am carried home, if you will be so good as to make\na little room.\"", "And so saying, in he jumped, and seated himself between M. Du Bois\nand me, while our astonishment at the whole transaction was too great\nfor speech.", "He then ordered the coachman to drive on, according to\nthe directions he had already received.", "For the first ten minutes no one uttered a word; and then, Madame\nDuval, no longer able to contain herself, exclaimed, \"Ma foi, if this\nisn't one of the most impudentest things ever I see!\"", "Sir Clement, regardless of this rebuke, attended only to me; however I\nanswered nothing he said, when I could possibly avoid so doing.", "Miss\nBranghton made several attempts to attract his notice, but in vain,\nfor he would not take the trouble of paying her any regard.", "Madame Duval, during the rest of the ride, addressed herself to M. Du\nBois in French, and in that language exclaimed, with great vehemence,\nagainst boldness and assurance.", "I was extremely glad when I thought our journey must be nearly at an\nend, for my situation was very uneasy to me, as Sir Clement perpetually\nendeavoured to take my hand.", "I looked out of the coach-window, to see\nif we were near home: Sir Clement, stooping over me, did the same;\nand then, in a voice of infinite wonder, called out, \"Where the d-l\nis the man driving to?-Why we are in Broad Street, St.", "Giles's!\"", "\"O, he's very right,\" cried Madame Duval, \"so never trouble your\nhead about that; for I sha'n't go by no directions of your's, I\npromise you.\"", "When, at last, we stopped at an hosier's in High Holborn,-Sir Clement\nsaid nothing, but his eyes, I saw, were very busily employed in\nviewing the place, and the situation of the house.", "The coach, he\nsaid, belong to him, and therefore he insisted upon paying for it;\nand then he took leave.", "M. Du Bois walked home with Miss Branghton,\nand Madame Duval and I retired to our apartments.", "How disagreeable an evening's adventure!", "not one of the party seemed\nsatisfied, except Sir Clement, who was in high spirits: but Madame\nDuval was enraged at meeting with him; Mr. Branghton, angry with his\nchildren; the frolic of the Miss Branghtons had exceeded their plan,\nand ended in their own distress; their brother was provoked that there\nhad been no riot; Mr. Brown was tired, and Mr. Smith mortified.", "As to\nmyself, I must acknowledge, nothing could be more disagreeable to me,\nthan being seen by Sir Clement Willoughby with a party at once so\nvulgar in themselves, and so familiar to me.", "And you, too, my dear Sir, will, I know, be sorry that I have met him;\nhowever, there is no apprehension of his visiting here, as Madame\nDuval is far too angry to admit him.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLVII.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Holborn, June 18th.", "MADAME DUVAL rose very late this morning, and, at one o'clock, we had\nbut just breakfasted, when Miss Branghton, her brother, Mr. Smith,\nand Monsieur Du Bois, called to enquire after our healths.", "The civility in young Branghton, I much suspect, was merely the result\nof his father's commands; but his sister and Mr. Smith, I soon found,\nhad motives of their own.", "Scarce had they spoken to Madame Duval,\nwhen, advancing eagerly to me, \"Pray, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Smith, \"who\nwas that gentleman?\"", "\"Pray, cousin,\" cried Miss Branghton, \"was not he the same gentleman\nyou ran away with that night at the opera?\"", "\"Goodness!", "that he was,\" said young Branghton, \"and, I declare,\nas soon as ever I saw him, I thought I knew his face.\"", "\"I'm sure, I'll defy you to forget him,\" answered his sister, \"if once\nyou had seen him: he is the finest gentleman I ever saw in my life,\ndon't you think so, Mr.", "Smith?\"", "\"Why, you won't give the lady time to speak,\" said Mr. Smith.-\"Pray,\nMa'am, what is the gentleman's name?\"", "\"Willoughby, Sir.\"", "\"Willoughby!", "I think I have heard the name.", "Pray, Ma'am, is he\nmarried?\"", "\"Lord, no, that he is not,\" cried Miss Branghton; \"he looks too\nsmart by a great deal for a married man.", "Pray, cousin, how did you\nget acquainted with him?\"", "\"Pray, Miss,\" said young Branghton, in the same breath, \"what's\nhis business?\"", "\"Indeed I don't know,\" answered I.", "\"Something very genteel, I dare say,\" added Miss Branghton, \"because\nhe dresses so fine.\"", "\"It ought to be something that brings in a good income\" said Mr. Smith;\n\"for I'm sure that he did not get that suit of clothes he had on\nunder thirty or forty pounds; for I know the price of clothes pretty\nwell.-Pray, Ma'am, can you tell me what he has a-year?\"", "\"Don't talk no more about him,\" cried Madame Duval, \"for I don't\nlike to hear his name: I believe he's one of the worst persons in the\nworld; for though I never did him no manner of harm, nor so much as\nhurt a hair of his head, I know he was an accomplice with the fellow,\nCaptain Mirvan, to take away my life.\"", "Everybody, but myself, now crowding around her for an explanation,\na violent rapping at the street-door was unheard; and, without\nany previous notice, in the midst of her narration, Sir Clement\nWilloughby entered the room.", "They all started; and, with looks of\nguilty confusion, as if they feared his resentment for having listened\nto Madame Duval, they scrambled for chairs, and in a moment were all\nformally seated.", "Sir Clement, after a general bow, singling out Madame Duval, said\nwith his usual easiness, \"I have done myself the honour of waiting\non you, Madame, to enquire if you have any commands to Howard Grove,\nwhither I am going to-morrow morning.\"", "Then, seeing the storm that gathered in her eyes, before he allowed her\ntime to answer, he addressed himself to me;-\"And if you, Madam, have\nany with which you will honour me, I shall be happy to execute them.\"", "\"None at all, Sir.\"", "\"None!", "-not to Miss Mirvan!-no message!", "no letter!\"", "\"I wrote to Miss Mirvan yesterday by the post.\"", "\"My application should have been earlier, had I sooner known your\naddress.\"", "\"Ma foi,\" cried Madame Duval, recovering from her surprise, \"I believe\nnever nobody saw the like of this!\"", "\"Of what, Madam?\"", "cried the undaunted Sir Clement, turning quick\ntowards her; \"I hope no one has offended you!\"", "\"You don't hope no such a thing!\"", "cried she, half choked with passion,\nand rising from her chair.", "This motion was followed by the rest;\nand in a moment, every body stood up.", "Still Sir Clement was not abashed; affecting to make a bow\nof acknowledgment to the company in general, he said, \"Pray-I\nbeg-Ladies,-Gentlemen,-pray don't let me disturb you, pray keep\nyour seats.\"", "\"Pray, Sir,\" said Miss Branghton, moving a chair towards him, \"won't\nyou sit down yourself?\"", "\"You are extremely good, Ma'am:-rather than make any disturbance-\"\n\nAnd so saying, this strange man seated himself, as did, in an instant\nevery body else, even Madame Duval herself, who, overpowered by his\nboldness, seemed too full for utterance.", "He then, and with as much composure as if he had been an expected\nguest, began to discourse on the weather,-its uncertainty,-the heat\nof the public places in summer,-the emptiness of the town,-and other\nsuch common topics.", "Nobody, however, answered him; Mr. Smith seemed afraid, young Branghton\nashamed, M. Du Bois amazed, Madame Duval enraged, and myself determined\nnot to interfere.", "All that he could obtain, was the notice of Miss\nBranghton, whose nods, smiles, and attention, had some appearance of\nentering into conversation with him.", "At length, growing tired, I suppose, of engaging every body's eyes,\nand nobody's tongue, addressing himself to Madame Duval and to me,\nthe said, \"I regard myself as peculiarly unfortunate, Ladies, in\nhaving fixed upon a time for my visit to Howard Grove, when you are\nabsent from it.\"", "\"So I suppose, Sir, so I suppose,\" cried Madame Duval, hastily rising,\nand the next moment as hastily seating herself;-\"you'll be wanting of\nsomebody to make your game of, and so you may think to get me there\nagain;-but, I promise you, Sir, you won't find it so easy a matter\nto make me a fool; and besides that,\" raising her voice, \"I've found\nyou out, I assure you; so if ever you go to play your tricks upon me\nagain, I'll make no more ado, but go directly to a justice of peace;\nso, Sir, if you can't think of nothing but making people ride about\nthe country at all hours of the night, just for your diversion, why,\nyou'll find I know some justices as well as Justice Tyrrell.\"", "Sir Clement was evidently embarrassed at this attack; yet he affected\na look of surprise, and protested he did not understand her meaning.", "\"Well,\" cried she, \"if I don't wonder where people can get such\nimpudence!", "if you'll say that, you'll say anything: however, if you\nswear till you're black in the face, I sha'n't believe you; for nobody\nsha'n't persuade me out of my senses, that I'm resolved.\"", "\"Doubtless not, Madam,\" answered he with some hesitation; \"and I hope\nyou do not suspect I ever had such an intention; my respect for you-\"\n\n\"O, Sir, you're vastly polite all of a sudden!", "but I know what it's\nall for!", "it's only for what you can get!-You could treat me like\nnobody at Howard Grove; but now you see I've a house of my own,\nyou're mind to wheedle yourself into it; but I sees your design,\nso you needn't trouble yourself to take no more trouble about that,\nfor you shall never get nothing at my house,-not so much as a dish\nof tea:-so now, Sir, you see I can play you trick for trick.\"", "There was something so extremely gross in this speech, that it even\ndisconcerted Sir Clement, who was too much confounded to make any\nanswer.", "It was curious to observe the effect which his embarrassment, added to\nthe freedom with which Madame Duval addressed him, had upon the rest\nof the company.", "Every one, who before seemed at a loss how or if at\nall, to occupy a chair, how filled it with the most easy composure:\nand Mr. Smith, whose countenance had exhibited the most striking\npicture of mortified envy, now began to recover his usual expression\nof satisfied conceit.", "Young Branghton, too, who had been apparently\nawed by the presence of so fine a gentleman, was again himself, rude\nand familiar: while his mouth was wide distended into a broad grin,\nat hearing his aunt give the beau such a trimming.", "Madame Duval, encouraged by this success, looked around her with an\nair of triumph, and continued her harangue.", "\"And so, Sir, I suppose\nyou thought to have had it all your own way, and to have comed here\nas often as you pleased, and to have got me to Howard Grove again,\non purpose to have served me as you did before; but you shall see I'm\nas cunning as you; so you may go and find somebody else to use in that\nmanner, and to put your mask on, and to make a fool of; for as to me,\nif you go to tell me your stories about the Tower again, for a month\ntogether, I'll never believe 'm no more: and I'll promise you, Sir,\nif you think I like such jokes, you'll find I'm no such person.\"", "\"I assure you, Ma'am,-upon my honour,-I really don't comprehend-I\nfancy there is some misunderstanding-\"\n\n\"What, I suppose you'll tell me next you don't know nothing of the\nmatter?\"", "\"Not a word, upon my honour.\"", "O, Sir Clement, thought I, is it thus you prize your honour!", "\"Pardi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"this is the most provokingest part of\nall!", "why, you might as well tell me I don't know my own name.\"", "\"Here is certainly some mistake; for I assure you, Ma'am-\"\n\n\"Don't assure me nothing,\" cried Madame Duval, raising her voice;\n\"I know what I'm saying, and so do you too; for did not you tell me\nall that about the Tower, and about M. Du Bois?-why M. Du Bois wasn't\nnever there, nor nigh it, and so it was all your own invention.\"", "\"May there not be two persons of the same name?", "the mistake was\nbut natural-\"\n\n\"Don't tell me of no mistake, for it was all on purpose: besides,\ndid not you come, all in a mask, to the chariot-door, and help to get\nme put in that ditch?-I'll promise you, I've had the greatest mind\nin the world to take the law of you ever since; and if ever you do\nas much again, so I will, I assure you!\"", "Here Miss Branghton tittered, Mr. Smith smiled contemptously, and young\nBranghton thrust his handkerchief into his mouth to stop his laughter.", "The situation of Sir Clement, who saw all that passed, became now\nvery awkward even to himself, and he stammered very much in saying,\n\"Surely, Madam-surely you-you cannot do me the-the injustice to\nthink-that I had any share in the-the-the misfortune which-\"\n\n\"Ma foi, Sir,\" cried Madame Duval, with increasing passion, \"you'd\nbest not stand talking to me at that rate: I know it was you; and\nif you stay there, a provoking me in such a manner, I'll send for a\nconstable this minute.\"", "Young Branghton, at these words, in spite of all his efforts, burst\ninto a loud laugh; nor could either his sister or Mr. Smith, though\nwith more moderation, forbear joining in his mirth.", "Sir Clement darted his eyes towards them with looks of the most angry\ncontempt; and then told Madame Duval, that he would not now detain\nher to make his vindication, but would wait on her some time when\nshe was alone.", "\"O Pardi, Sir,\" cried she, \"I don't desire none of your company;\nand if you wasn't the most boldest person in the world, you would\nnot dare look me in the face.\"", "The ha, ha ha's!", "and he, he, he's!", "grew more and more uncontrollable,\nas if the restraint, from which they had burst, had added to their\nviolence.", "Sir Clement could no longer endure being the object who\nexcited them; and, having no answer ready for Madame Duval, he hastily\nstalked towards Mr. Smith and young Branghton, and sternly demanded\nwhat they laughed at?", "Struck by the air of importance which he assumed, and alarmed at the\nangry tone of his voice, their merriment ceased as instantaneously\nas if it had been directed by clock-work; and they stared foolishly,\nnow at him, now at each other, without making any answer but a simple\n\"Nothing, Sir.\"", "\"O pour le coup,\" cried Madame Duval, \"this is too much!", "Pray, Sir,\nwhat business have you to come here a ordering people that comes to\nsee me?", "I suppose next nobody must laugh but yourself!\"", "\"With me, Madam,\" said Sir Clement, bowing, \"a lady may do any thing,\nand consequently there is no liberty in which I shall not be happy\nto indulge you: -but it has never been my custom to give the same\nlicence to gentlemen.\"", "Then, advancing to me, who had sat very quietly on a window during\nthis scene, he said, \"Miss Anville, I may at least acquaint our\nfriends at Howard Grove that I had the honour of leaving you in\ngood health.\"", "And then, lowering his voice, he added, \"For Heaven's\nsake, my dearest creature, who are these people?", "and how came you so\nstrangely situated?\"", "\"I beg my respects to all the family, Sir,\" answered I, aloud;\n\"and I hope you will find them well.\"", "He looked at me reproachfully, but kissed my hand; and then, bowing\nto Madame Duval and Miss Branghton, passed hastily by the men, and\nmade his exit.", "I fancy he will not be very eager to repeat his visit; for I should\nimagine he has rarely, if ever, been before in a situation so awkward\nand disagreeable.", "Madame Duval has been all spirits and exultation ever since he\nwent, and only wishes Captain Mirvan would call, that she might do\nthe same by him.", "Mr. Smith, upon hearing that he was a baronet,\nand seeing him drive off in a very beautiful chariot, declared that\nhe would not have laughed upon any account, had he known his rank;\nand regretted extremely having missed such an opportunity of making\nso genteel an acquaintance.", "Young Branghton vowed, that if he had\nknown as much, he would have asked for his custom: and his sister\nhas sung his praises ever since, protesting she thought all along he\nwas a man of quality by his look.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLVIII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "June 21st.", "THE last three evenings have passed tolerably quiet, for the Vauxhall\nadventures had given Madame Duval a surfeit of public places: home,\nhowever, soon growing tiresome, she determined to-night, she said,\nto relieve her ennui by some amusement; and it was therefore settled,\nthat we should call upon the Branghtons at their house, and thence\nproceed to Marybone Gardens.", "But, before we reached Snow Hill, we were caught in a shower of\nrain: we hurried into the shop, where the first object I saw was\nMr. Macartney, with a book in his hand, seated in the same corner where\nI saw him last; but his looks were still more wretched than before,\nhis face yet thinner, and his eyes sunk almost hollow into his head.", "He\nlifted them up as we entered, and I even thought that they emitted a\ngleam of joy: involuntarily I made to him my first courtesy; he rose\nand bowed with a precipitation that manifested surprise and confusion.", "In a few minutes were joined by all the family, except Mr. Smith,\nwho fortunately was engaged.", "Had all the future prosperity of our lives depended upon the good\nor bad weather of this evening, it could not have been treated\nas a subject of greater importance.", "\"Sure, never anything was so\nunlucky!", "\"-\"Lord, how provoking!", "\"-\"It might rain for ever, if it\nwould hold up now.", "\"-These, and such expressions, with many anxious\nobservations upon the kennels, filled up all the conversation till\nthe shower was over.", "And then a very warm debate arose, whether we should pursue our plan,\nor defer it to some finer evening.", "The Miss Branghtons were for the\nformer; their father was sure it would rain again; Madame Duval, though\nshe detested returning home, yet dreaded the dampness of the gardens.", "M. Du Bois then proposed going to the top of the house, to examine\nwhether the clouds looked threatening or peaceable: Miss Branghton,\nstarting at this proposal, said they might go to Mr. Macartney's room,\nif they would, but not to her's.", "This was enough for the brother; who, with a loud laugh, declared he\nwould have some fun; and immediately led the way, calling to us all\nto follow.", "His sisters both ran after, but no one else moved.", "In a few minutes young Branghton, coming half-way down stairs, called\nout, \"Lord, why don't you all come?", "why, here's Poll's things all\nabout the room!\"", "Mr. Branghton then went; and Madame Duval, who cannot bear to be\nexcluded from whatever is going forward, was handed up stairs by\nM. Du Bois.", "I hesitated a few moments whether or not to join them; but, soon\nperceiving that Mr. Macartney had dropped his book, and that I\nengrossed his whole attention, I prepared, from mere embarrassment,\nto follow them.", "As I went, I heard him move from his chair, and walk slowly after me.", "Believing that he wished to speak to me, and earnestly desiring myself\nto know if, by your means, I could possibly be of any service to him,\nI first slackened my pace, and then turned back.", "But, though I thus\nmet him half-way, he seemed to want courage or resolution to address\nme; for, when he saw me returning, with a look extremely disordered,\nhe retreated hastily from me.", "Not knowing what I ought to do, I went to the street-door, where I\nstood some time, hoping he would be able to recover himself; but,\non the contrary, his agitation increased every moment; he walked\nup and down the room in a quick but unsteady pace, seeming equally\ndistressed and irresolute; and, at length, with a deep sigh, he flung\nhimself into a chair.", "I was so much affected by the appearance of such extreme anguish,\nthat I could remain no longer in the room: I therefore glided by him\nand went up stairs; but, ere I had gone five steps, he precipitately\nfollowed me, and, in a broken voice, called out \"Madam!-for Heaven's\nsake-\"\n\nHe stopped; but I instantly descended, restraining, as well as I was\nable, the fulness of my own concern.", "I waited some time, in painful\nexpectation, for his speaking: all that I had heard of his poverty\noccurring to me, I was upon the point of presenting him my purse;\nbut the fear of mistaking or offending him deterred me.", "Finding,\nhowever, that he continued silent, I ventured to say, \"Did you,-Sir,\nwish to speak to me?\"", "\"I did,\" cried he with quickness, \"but now-I cannot!-\"\n\n\"Perhaps, Sir, another time,-perhaps if you recollect yourself-\"\n\n\"Another time?\"", "repeated he mournfully; \"alas!", "I look not forward\nbut to misery and despair!\"", "\"O, Sir,\" cried I, extremely shocked, \"you must not talk thus!-If\nyou forsake yourself, how can you expect-\"\n\nI stopped.", "\"Tell me, tell me,\" cried he, with eagerness, \"who you\nare?-whence you come?-and by what strange means you seem to be\narbitress and ruler of the destiny of such a wretch as I am?\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried I, \"I could serve you!\"", "\"You can!\"", "\"And how?", "Pray tell me how?\"", "\"To tell you-is death to me!", "yet I will tell you.-I have a right to\nyour assistance,-you have deprived me of the only resource to which\nI could apply,-and therefore-\"\n\n\"Pray, pray speak,\" cried I, putting my hand into my pocket; \"they\nwill be down stairs in a moment!\"", "\"I will, Madam.-Can you-will you-I think you will!-may I then-\" he\nstopped and paused; \"say, will you\"-then, suddenly turning from me,\n\"Great Heaven, I cannot speak!\"", "and he went back to the shop.", "I now put my purse in my hand, and following him, said, \"If,\nindeed, Sir, I can assist you, why should you deny me so great a\nsatisfaction?", "Will you permit me to-\"\n\nI dared not go on; but with a countenance very much softened,\nhe approached me and said, \"Your voice, Madam, is the voice of\ncompassion!-such a voice as these ears have long been strangers to!\"", "Just then young Branghton called out vehemently to me to come up\nstairs.", "I seized the opportunity of hastening away: and therefore\nsaying, \"Heaven, Sir, protect and comfort you!\"", "I let fall my purse\nupon the ground, not daring to present it to him, and ran up stairs\nwith the utmost swiftness.", "Too well do I know you, my ever honoured Sir, to fear your displeasure\nfor this action: I must, however, assure you, I shall need no fresh\nsupply during my stay in town, as I am at little expense, and hope\nsoon to return to Howard Grove.", "Soon, did I say!", "when not a fortnight is yet expired of the long and\ntedious month I must linger out here!", "I had many witticisms to endure from the Branghtons, upon account\nof my staying so long with the Scotch mope, as they call him; but\nI attended to them very little, for my whole heart was filled with\npity and concern.", "I was very glad to find the Marybone scheme was\ndeferred, another shower of rain having put a stop to the dissension\nupon this subject; the rest of the evening was employed in most\nviolent quarrelling between Miss Polly and her brother, on account\nof the discovery made by the latter of the state of her apartment.", "We came home early; and I have stolen from Madame Duval and M. Du Bois,\nwho is here for ever, to write to my best friend.", "I am most sincerely rejoiced, that this opportunity has offered for my\ncontributing what little relief was in my power to this unhappy man;\nand I hope it will be sufficient to enable him to pay his debts to\nthis pitiless family.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLIX.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "Berry Hill.", "DISPLEASURE?", "my Evelina!-you have but done your duty; you have but\nshown that humanity without which I should blush to own my child.", "It\nis mine, however, to see that your generosity be not repressed by\nyour suffering from indulging it; I remit to you, therefore, not\nmerely a token of my approbation, but an acknowledgment of my desire\nto participate in your charity.", "O my child, were my fortune equal to my confidence in thy benevolence,\nwith what transport should I, through thy means, devote it to the\nrelief of indigent virtue!", "yet let us not repine at the limitation\nof our power; for while our bounty is proportioned to our ability,\nthe difference of the greater or less donation can weigh but little\nin the scale of justice.", "In reading your account of the misguided man, whose misery has so\nlargely excited your compassion, I am led to apprehend that his unhappy\nsituation is less the effect of misfortune than of misconduct.", "If he\nis reduced to that state of poverty represented by the Branghtons, he\nshould endeavour, by activity and industry, to retrieve his affairs,\nand not pass his time in idle reading in the very shop of his creditor.", "The pistol scene made me shudder; the courage with which you pursued\nthis desperate man, at once delighted and terrified me.", "Be ever thus,\nmy dearest Evelina, dauntless in the cause of distress!", "let no weak\nfears, no timid doubts, deter you from the exertion of your duty,\naccording to the fullest sense of it that Nature has implanted in\nyour mind.", "Though gentleness and modesty are the peculiar attributes\nof your sex, yet fortitude and firmness, when occasion demands them,\nare virtues as noble and as becoming in women as in men: the right\nline of conduct is the same for both sexes, though the manner in which\nit is pursued may somewhat vary, and be accommodated to the strength\nor weakness of the different travellers.", "There is, however, something so mysterious in all you have seen\nor heard of this wretched man, that I am unwilling to stamp a bad\nimpression of his character upon so slight and partial a knowledge\nof it.", "Where any thing is doubtful, the ties of society, and the laws\nof humanity, claim a favourable interpretation; but remember, my dear\nchild, that those of discretion have an equal claim to your regard.", "As to Sir Clement Willoughby, I know not how to express my indignation\nat his conduct.", "Insolence so insufferable, and the implication of\nsuspicions so shocking, irritate me to a degree of wrath, which I\nhardly thought my almost worn-out passions were capable of again\nexperiencing.", "You must converse with him no more: he imagines, from\nthe pliability of your temper, that he may offend you with impunity;\nbut his behaviour justifies, nay, calls for your avowed resentment;\ndo not, therefore, hesitate in forbidding him your sight.", "The Branghtons, Mr. Smith, and young Brown, however ill-bred and\ndisagreeable, are objects too contemptible for serious displeasure;\nyet I grieve much that my Evelina should be exposed to their rudeness\nand impertinence.", "The very day that this tedious month expires, I shall send Mrs. Clinton\nto town, who will accompany you to Howard Grove.", "Your stay there will,\nI hope, be short; for I feel daily an increasing impatience to fold\nmy beloved child to my bosom!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER L. EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Holborn, June 27th.", "I HAVE just received, my dearest Sir, your kind present, and still\nkinder letter.", "Surely, never had orphan so little to regret as your\ngrateful Evelina!", "Though motherless, though worse than fatherless,\nbereft from infancy of the two first and greatest blessings of life,\nnever has she had cause to deplore their loss; never has she felt the\nomission of a parent's tenderness, care, or indulgence; never, but\nfrom sorrow for them, had reason to grieve at the separation!", "Most\nthankfully do I receive the token of your approbation, and most\nstudiously will I endeavour so to dispose of it, as may merit your\ngenerous confidence in my conduct.", "Your doubts concerning Mr. Macartney give me some uneasiness.", "Indeed,\nSir, he has not the appearance of a man whose sorrows are the effect\nof guilt.", "But I hope, before I leave town, to be better acquainted\nwith his situation, and enabled, with more certainty of his worth,\nto recommend him to your favour.", "I am very willing to relinquish all acquaintance with Sir Clement\nWilloughby, as far as it may depend upon myself so to do; but, indeed\nI know not how I should be able to absolutely forbid him my sight.", "Miss Mirvan, in her last letter, informs me that he is now at Howard\nGrove, where he continues in high favour with the Captain, and is\nthe life and spirit of the house.", "My time, since I wrote last, has\npassed very quietly, Madame Duval having been kept at home by a bad\ncold, and the Branghtons by bad weather.", "The young man, indeed, has\ncalled two or three times; and his behavior, though equally absurd,\nis more unaccountable than ever: he speaks very little, takes hardly\nany notice of Madame Duval, and never looks at me without a broad\ngrin.", "Sometimes he approaches me, as if with intention to communicate\nintelligence of importance; and then, suddenly stopping short, laughs\nrudely in my face.", "O how happy shall I be, when the worthy Mrs. Clinton arrives!", "June 29th.", "Yesterday morning, Mr. Smith called to acquaint us that the Hampstead\nassembly was to be held that evening; and then he presented Madame\nDuval with one ticket, and brought another to me.", "I thanked him for\nhis intended civility, but told him I was surprised he had so soon\nforgotten my having already declined going to the ball.", "\"Lord, Ma'am,\" cried he, \"how should I suppose you was in\nearnest?", "come, come, don't be cross; here's your Grandmama ready to\ntake care of you, so you can have no fair objection, for she'll see\nthat I don't run away with you.", "Besides, Ma'am, I got the tickets\non purpose.\"", "\"If you were determined, Sir,\" said I, \"in making me this offer,\nto allow me no choice of refusal or acceptance, I must think myself\nless obliged to your intention than I was willing to do.\"", "\"Dear Ma'am,\" cried he, \"you're so smart, there is no speaking to\nyou;-indeed you are monstrous smart, Ma'am!", "but come, your Grandmama\nshall ask you, and then I know you'll not be so cruel.\"", "Madame Duval was very ready to interfere; she desired me to make no\nfurther opposition, said she should go herself, and insisted upon my\naccompanying her.", "It was in vain that I remonstrated; I only incurred\nher anger: and Mr. Smith having given both the tickets to Madame\nDuval with an air of triumph, said he should call early in the evening,\nand took leave.", "I was much chagrined at being thus compelled to owe even the shadow\nof an obligation to so forward a young man; but I determined that\nnothing should prevail upon me to dance with him, however my refusal\nmight give offence.", "In the afternoon, when he returned, it was evident that he purposed\nto both charm and astonish me by his appearance: he was dressed in a\nvery showy manner, but without any taste; and the inelegant smartness\nof his air and deportment, his visible struggle against education to\nput on the fine gentleman, added to his frequent conscious glances\nat a dress to which he was but little accustomed, very effectually\ndestroyed his aim of figuring, and rendered all his efforts useless.", "During tea entered Miss Branghton and her brother.", "I was sorry\nto observe the consternation of the former, when she perceived\nMr. Smith.", "I had intended applying to her for advice upon\nthis occasion, but had been always deterred by her disagreeable\nabruptness.", "Having cast her eyes several times from Mr. Smith to me,\nwith manifest displeasure, she seated herself sullenly in the window,\nscarce answering Madame Duval's enquiries; and when I spoke to her,\nturning absolutely away from me.", "Mr. Smith, delighted at this mark of his importance, sat indolently\nquiet on his chair, endeavouring by his looks rather to display,\nthan to conceal, his inward satisfaction.", "\"Good gracious!\"", "cried young Branghton, \"why, you're all as fine as\na five-pence!", "Why, where are you going?\"", "\"To the Hampstead ball,\" answered Mr. Smith.", "\"To a ball!\"", "cried he.", "\"Why, what, is aunt going to a ball?", "Ha,\nha, ha!\"", "\"Yes, to be sure,\" cried Madame Duval; \"I don't know nothing need\nhinder me.\"", "\"And pray, aunt, will you dance too?\"", "\"Perhaps I may; but I suppose, Sir, that's none of your business,\nwhether I do or not.\"", "\"Lord!", "well, I should like to go!", "I should like to see aunt dance\nof all things!", "But the joke is, I don't believe she'll get ever\na partner.\"", "\"You're the most rudest boy ever I see,\" cried Madame Duval, angrily:\n\"but, I promise you, I'll tell your father what you say, for I've no\nnotion of such vulgarness.\"", "\"Why, Lord, aunt, what are you so angry for?", "there's no speaking a\nword, but you fly into a passion: you're as bad as Biddy, or Poll,\nfor that, for you're always a-scolding.\"", "\"I desire, Tom,\" cried Miss Branghton, \"you'd speak for yourself,\nand not make so free with my name.\"", "\"There, now, she's up!", "There's nothing but quarrelling with the women;\nit's my belief they like it better than victuals and drink.\"", "\"Fie, Tom,\" cried Mr. Smith, \"you never remember your manners before\nthe ladies: I'm sure you never heard me speak so rude to them.\"", "\"Why, Lord, you are a beau; but that's nothing to me.", "So, if you've\na mind, you may be so polite as to dance with aunt yourself.\"", "Then,\nwith a loud laugh, he declared it would be good fun to see them.", "\"Let it be never so good, or never so bad,\" cried Madame Duval,\n\"you won't see nothing of it, I promise you; so pray don't let\nme hear no more of such vulgar pieces of fun; for, I assure you,\nI don't like it.", "And as to my dancing with Mr. Smith, you may see\nwonderfuller things than that any day in the week.\"", "\"Why, as to that, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Smith, looking much surprised,\n\"I always thought you intended to play at cards, and so I thought to\ndance with the young lady.\"", "I gladly seized this opportunity to make my declaration, that I should\nnot dance at all.", "\"Not dance at all!\"", "repeated Miss Branghton; \"yes, that's a likely\nmatter truly, when people go to balls.\"", "\"I wish she mayn't,\" said the brother; \"'cause then Mr. Smith will\nhave nobody but aunt for a partner.", "Lord, how mad he'll be!\"", "\"O, as to that,\" said Mr. Smith, \"I don't at all fear of prevailing\nwith the young lady, if once I get her to the room.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" cried I, much offended by his conceit, \"you are\nmistaken; and therefore I beg leave to undeceive you, as you may be\nassured my resolution will not alter.\"", "\"Then, pray, Miss, if it is not impertinent,\" cried Miss Branghton,\nsneeringly, \"what do you go for?\"", "\"Merely and solely,\" answered I, \"to comply with the request of\nMadame Duval.\"", "\"Miss,\" cried young Branghton, \"Bid only wishes it was she, for she\nhas cast a sheep's eye at Mr. Smith this long while.\"", "\"Tom,\" cried the sister, rising, \"I've the greatest mind in the world\nto box your ears!", "How dare you say such a thing of me!\"", "\"No, hang it, Tom, no, that's wrong,\" said Mr. Smith, simpering;\n\"it is indeed, to tell the lady's secrets.-But never mind him, Miss\nBiddy, for I won't believe him.\"", "\"Why, I know Bid would give her ears to go,\" returned the brother;\n\"but only Mr. Smith likes Miss best,-so does every body else.\"", "While the sister gave him a very angry answer, Mr. Smith said to me in\na low voice, \"Why now, Ma'am, how can you be so cruel as to be so much\nhandsomer than your cousins?", "Nobody can look at them when you are by.\"", "\"Miss,\" cried young Branghton, \"whatever he says to you don't mind\nhim for he means no good; I'll give you my word for it, he'll never\nmarry you; for he has told me again and again, he'll never marry as\nlong as he lives; besides, if he'd any mind to be married, there's\nBid would have had him long ago, and thanked him too.\"", "\"Come, come, Tom, don't tell secrets; you'll make the ladies afraid\nof me: but I assure you,\" lowering his voice, \"if I did marry, it\nshould be your cousin.\"", "Should be!-did you ever, my dear Sir, hear such unauthorised freedom?", "I\nlooked at him with a contempt I did not wish to repress, and walked\nto the other end of the room.", "Very soon after Mr. Smith sent for a hackney-coach.", "When I would have\ntaken leave of Miss Branghton, she turned angrily from me, without\nmaking any answer.", "She supposes, perhaps, that I have rather sought,\nthan endeavoured to avoid, the notice and civilities of this conceited\nyoung man.", "The ball was at the long room at Hampstead.", "This room seems very well named, for I believe it would be difficult\nto find any other epithet which might with propriety distinguish it,\nas it is without ornament, elegance, or any sort of singularity,\nand merely to be marked by its length.", "I was saved from the importunities of Mr. Smith, the beginning of the\nevening, by Madame Duval's declaring her intention to dance the first\ntwo dances with him herself.", "Mr. Smith's chagrin was very evident;\nbut as she paid no regard to it, he was necessitated to lead her out.", "I was, however, by no means pleased, when she said she was determined\nto dance a minuet.", "Indeed, I was quite astonished, not having had\nthe least idea she would have consented to, much less proposed,\nsuch an exhibition of her person.", "She had some trouble to make her\nintentions known, as Mr. Smith was rather averse to speaking to the\nmaster of the ceremonies.", "During this minuet, how much did I rejoice in being surrounded only\nwith strangers!", "She danced in a style so uncommon; her age, her showy\ndress, and an unusual quantity of rouge, drew upon her the eyes, and I\nfear the derision, of the whole company.", "Whom she danced with, I know\nnot; but Mr. Smith was so ill-bred as to laugh at her very openly,\nand to speak of her with as much ridicule as was in his power.", "But I\nwould neither look at, nor listen to him, nor would I suffer him to\nproceed with any speech which he began, expressive to his vexation\nat being forced to dance with her.", "I told him, very gravely, that\ncomplaints upon such a subject might, with less impropriety, be made\nto every person in the room than to me.", "When she returned to us, she distressed me very much, by asking what I\nthought of her minuet.", "I spoke as civilly as I could; but the coldness\nof my compliment evidently disappointed her.", "She then called upon\nMr. Smith to secure a good place among the country dancers; and away\nthey went, though not before he had taken the liberty to say to me\nin a low voice, \"I protest to you, Ma'am, I shall be quite out of\ncountenance, if any of my acquaintance should see me dancing with\nthe old lady!\"", "For a few moments I very much rejoiced at being relieved from this\ntroublesome man; but scarce had I time to congratulate myself, before\nI was accosted by another, who begged the favour of hopping a dance\nwith me.", "I told him that I should not dance at all; but he thought proper to\nimportune me, very freely, not to be so cruel; and I was obliged to\nassume no little haughtiness before I could satisfy him I was serious.", "After this, I was addressed much in the same manner, by several other\nyoung men; of whom the appearance and language were equally inelegant\nand low-bred; so that I soon found my situation was both disagreeable\nand improper, since, as I was quite alone, I fear I must seem rather\nto invite than to forbid the offers and notice I received; and yet,\nso great was my apprehension of this interpretation, that I am sure,\nmy dear Sir, you would have laughed had you seen how proudly grave\nI appeared.", "I knew not whether to be glad or sorry, when Madame Duval and Mr. Smith\nreturned.", "The latter instantly renewed his tiresome intreaties, and\nMadame Duval said she would go to the card-table; and as soon as she\nwas accommodated, she desired us to join the dancers.", "I will not trouble you with the arguments which followed.", "Mr. Smith\nteased me till I was weary of resistance; and I should at last have\nbeen obliged to submit, had I not fortunately recollected the affair\nof Mr. Lovel, and told my persecutor, that it was impossible I should\ndance with him, even if I wished it, as I had refused several persons\nin his absence.", "He was not contented with being extremely chagrined; but took the\nliberty, openly and warmly, to expostulate with me upon not having\nsaid I was engaged.", "The total disregard with which, involuntarily, I heard him, made him\nsoon change the subject.", "In truth, I had no power to attend to him;\nfor all my thoughts were occupied in re-tracing the transactions\nof the two former balls, at which I had been present.", "The party-the\nconversation-the company-O how great the contrast!", "In a short time, however, he contrived to draw my attention to himself,\nby his extreme impertinence; for he chose to express what he called\nhis admiration of me, in terms so open and familiar, that he forced\nme to express my displeasure with equal plainness.", "But how was I surprised, when I found he had the temerity-what else\ncan I call it?-to impute my resentment to doubts of his honour:\nfor he said, \"My dear Ma'am, you must be a little patient; I assure\nyou I have no bad designs, I have not upon my word; but, really,\nthere is no resolving upon such a thing as matrimony all at once;\nwhat with the loss of one's liberty, and what with the ridicule of all\none's acquaintance,-I assure you Ma'am you are the first lady who ever\nmade me even demur upon this subject; for, after all, my dear Ma'am,\nmarriage is the devil.\"", "\"Your opinion, Sir,\" answered I, \"of either the married or the single\nlife, can be of no manner of consequence to me; and therefore I would\nby no means trouble you to discuss their different merits.\"", "\"Why, really, Ma'am, as to your being a little out of sorts, I must\nown I can't wonder at it; for, to be sure, marriage is all in all with\nthe ladies; but with us gentlemen it's quite another thing!", "Now only\nput yourself in my place;-suppose you had such a large acquaintance\nof gentlemen as I have,-and that you had always been used to appear a\nlittle-a little smart among them-why, now could you like to let your\nself down all at once into a married man?\"", "I could not tell what to answer; so much conceit, and so much\nignorance, both astonished and silenced me.", "\"I assure you, Ma'am,\" added he, \"there is not only Miss Biddy,-though\nI should have scored to mention her, if her brother had not blab'd,\nfor I'm quite particular in keeping ladies' secrets,-but there are\na great many other ladies that have been proposed to me;-but I never\nthought twice of any of them, that is, not in a serious way:-so you\nmay very well be proud,\" offering to take my hand; \"for I assure you,\nthere is nobody so likely to catch me at last as yourself.\"", "\"Sir, \"cried I, drawing myself back as haughtily as I could, \"you are\ntotally mistaken, if you imagine you have given me any pride I felt\nnot before, by this conversation; on the contrary, you must allow me\nto tell you, I find it too humiliating to bear with it any longer.\"", "I then placed myself behind the chair of Madame Duval: who, when she\nheard of the partners I had refused, pitied my ignorance of the world,\nbut no longer insisted upon my dancing.", "Indeed, the extreme vanity of this man, makes me exert a spirit which\nI did not, till now, know that I possessed: but I cannot endure that\nhe should think me at his disposal.", "The rest of the evening passed very quietly, as Mr. Smith did not\nagain attempt speaking to me; except, indeed, after we had left the\nroom and while Madam Duval was seating herself in the coach, he said,\nin a voice of pique, \"Next time I take the trouble to get any tickets\nfor a young lady, I'll make a bargain before-hand, that she shan't\nturn me over to her grandmother.\"", "We came home very safe; and thus ended this so long projected and\nmost disagreeable affair.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "There was something in the whole of this extraordinary and shocking\nadventure, really too affecting to be borne; and so entirely had I\nspent my spirits, and exhausted my courage, that before the Branghtons\nreached me, I had sunk on the ground without sense or motion.", "\"And pray how was that, child?\"", "I assure you, Ma'am, many genteel people go,\nor else, I give you my word, I should not recommend it.\"", "Just then Mr. Smith came into the shop, which he seemed to intend\npassing through; but when he saw me, he stopped, and began a most\ncourteous enquiry after my health, protesting, that, had he known I\nwas there, he should have come down sooner.", "Much fault was found with every thing\nthat was ordered, though not a morsel of any thing was left; and the\ndearness of the provisions, with conjectures upon what profit was\nmade by them, supplied discourse during the whole meal.", "\"O fie, Mr. Brown, fie,\" cried Mr. Smith, winking at us, \"tired of\nlooking for a lady!", "If you'd stayed with us, I'll answer for\nit Mr. Smith and M. Du Bois would have come to look for us; but I\nsuppose they could not leave your ladyship.\"", "Had all the future prosperity of our lives depended upon the good\nor bad weather of this evening, it could not have been treated\nas a subject of greater importance.", "The very day that this tedious month expires, I shall send Mrs. Clinton\nto town, who will accompany you to Howard Grove.", "The party-the\nconversation-the company-O how great the contrast!" ]

[ "When she returned to us, she distressed me very much, by asking what I\nthought of her minuet.", "said Miss Branghton.", "\"Then, pray, Miss, if it is not impertinent,\" cried Miss Branghton,\nsneeringly, \"what do you go for?\"", "This room seems very well named, for I believe it would be difficult\nto find any other epithet which might with propriety distinguish it,\nas it is without ornament, elegance, or any sort of singularity,\nand merely to be marked by its length.", "\"Why, you won't give the lady time to speak,\" said Mr. Smith.-\"Pray,\nMa'am, what is the gentleman's name?\"", "There was a concert; in the course\nof which a hautbois concerto was so charmingly played, that I could\nhave thought myself upon enchanted ground, had I had spirits more\ngentle to associate with.", "But what have you done with your cousins?\"", "Wild with fright, and scarce knowing what I did, I caught, almost\ninvoluntarily, hold of both his arms, and exclaimed, \"O, Sir!", "I told him, very gravely, that\ncomplaints upon such a subject might, with less impropriety, be made\nto every person in the room than to me.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION." ]

[ "\"Not know!-But do you return to the Mirvans any more?\"", "\"I-I can't tell, Sir.\"", "And then I addressed myself to Madame Duval, with such a pretended\nearnestness, that he was obliged to be silent.", "As he cannot but observe the great change in my situation, which\nhe knows not how to account for, there is something in all these\nquestions, and this unrestrained curiosity, that I did not expect\nfrom a man who, when he pleases, can be so well-bred as Sir Clement\nWilloughby.", "He seems disposed to think that the alteration in my\ncompanions authorises an alteration in his manners.", "It is true, he\nhas always treated me with uncommon freedom, but never before with\nso disrespectful an abruptness.", "This observation, which he has given\nme cause to make, of his changing with the tide, has sunk him more\nin my opinion than any other part of his conduct.", "Yet I could almost have laughed when I looked at Mr. Smith, who no\nsooner saw me addressed by Sir Clement, than, retreating aloof from\nthe company, he seemed to lose at once all his happy self-sufficiency\nand conceit; looking now at the baronet, now at himself; surveying,\nwith sorrowful eyes, his dress; struck with his air, his gestures,\nhis easy gaiety, he gazed at him with envious admiration, and seemed\nhimself, with conscious inferiority, to shrink into nothing.", "Soon after, Mr. Brown, running up to us, called out, \"La, what,\ni'n't Miss Polly come yet?\"", "\"Come,\" said Mr. Branghton; \"why, I thought you went to fetch her\nyourself, didn't you?\"", "\"Yes, but I couldn't find her;-yet I daresay I've been over half\nthe garden.\"" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER XLIII EVELINA IN CONTINUATION\n\nJune 10th\nTHIS morning Mr. Smith called,\non purpose, he said, to offer me a ticket for the next Hampstead\nassembly.", "I thanked him, but desired to be excused accepting it: he\nwould not, however, be denied, nor answered; and, in a manner both\nvehement and free, pressed and urged his offer, till I was wearied to\ndeath: but, when he found me resolute, he seemed thunderstruck with\namazement, and thought proper to desire I would tell him my reasons.", "Obvious as they must surely have been to any other person, they\nwere such as I knew not how to repeat to him; and, when he found I\nhesitated, he said, \"Indeed, Ma'am, you are too modest; I assure you\nthe ticket is quite at your service, and I shall be very happy to\ndance with you; so pray don't be so coy.\"", "\"Indeed, Sir,\" returned I, \"you are mistaken; I never supposed you\nwould offer a ticket without wishing it should be accepted; but it\nwould answer no purpose to mention the reasons which make me decline\nit, since they cannot possibly be removed.\"", "This speech seemed very much to mortify him; which I could not be\nconcerned at, as I did not choose to be treated by him with so much\nfreedom.", "When he was, at last, convinced that his application to me\nwas ineffectual, he addressed himself to Madame Duval, and begged she\nwould interfere in his favour; offering at the same time to procure\nanother ticket for herself.", "\"Ma foi, Sir,\" answered she, angrily, \"you might as well have had\nthe complaisance to ask me before; for, I assure you, I don't approve\nof no such rudeness: however, you may keep your tickets to yourself,\nfor we don't want none of 'em.\"", "This rebuke almost overset him; he made many apologies, and said that\nhe should certainly have first applied to her, but that he had no\nnotion the young lady would have refused him, and, on the contrary,\nhad concluded that she would have assisted him to persuade Madame\nDuval herself.", "This excuse appeased her; and he pleaded his cause so successfully,\nthat, to my great chagrin, he gained it, and Madame Duval promised\nthat she would go herself, and take me to the Hampstead assembly\nwhenever he pleased.", "Mr. Smith then, approaching me with an air of triumph, said, \"Well,\nMa'am, now I think you can't possibly keep to your denial.\"", "\"Why, really, Ma'am, as to your being a little out of sorts, I must\nown I can't wonder at it; for, to be sure, marriage is all in all with\nthe ladies; but with us gentlemen it's quite another thing!", "Now only\nput yourself in my place;-suppose you had such a large acquaintance\nof gentlemen as I have,-and that you had always been used to appear a\nlittle-a little smart among them-why, now could you like to let your\nself down all at once into a married man?\"", "I could not tell what to answer; so much conceit, and so much\nignorance, both astonished and silenced me.", "\"I assure you, Ma'am,\" added he, \"there is not only Miss Biddy,-though\nI should have scored to mention her, if her brother had not blab'd,\nfor I'm quite particular in keeping ladies' secrets,-but there are\na great many other ladies that have been proposed to me;-but I never\nthought twice of any of them, that is, not in a serious way:-so you\nmay very well be proud,\" offering to take my hand; \"for I assure you,\nthere is nobody so likely to catch me at last as yourself.\"", "\"Sir, \"cried I, drawing myself back as haughtily as I could, \"you are\ntotally mistaken, if you imagine you have given me any pride I felt\nnot before, by this conversation; on the contrary, you must allow me\nto tell you, I find it too humiliating to bear with it any longer.\"", "I then placed myself behind the chair of Madame Duval: who, when she\nheard of the partners I had refused, pitied my ignorance of the world,\nbut no longer insisted upon my dancing.", "Indeed, the extreme vanity of this man, makes me exert a spirit which\nI did not, till now, know that I possessed: but I cannot endure that\nhe should think me at his disposal.", "The rest of the evening passed very quietly, as Mr. Smith did not\nagain attempt speaking to me; except, indeed, after we had left the\nroom and while Madam Duval was seating herself in the coach, he said,\nin a voice of pique, \"Next time I take the trouble to get any tickets\nfor a young lady, I'll make a bargain before-hand, that she shan't\nturn me over to her grandmother.\"", "We came home very safe; and thus ended this so long projected and\nmost disagreeable affair.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "I HAVE just received a most affecting letter from Mr. Macartney.", "I\nwill inclose it, my dear Sir, for your perusal.", "More than ever have\nI cause to rejoice that I was able to assist him.", "Mr. Macartney to\nMiss Anville.", "Madam,\n\nIMPRESSED with deepest, the most heartfelt sense of the exalted\nhumanity with which you have rescued from destruction an unhappy\nstranger, allow me, with humblest gratitude, to offer you my fervent\nacknowledgments, and to implore your pardon for the terror I have\ncaused you.", "You bid me, Madam, live: I have now, indeed, a motive for life,\nsince I should not willingly quit the world, while I withhold from\nthe needy and distressed any share of that charity which a disposition\nso noble would otherwise bestow upon them.", "The benevolence with which you have interested yourself in my affairs,\ninduces me to suppose you would wish to be acquainted with the cause\nof that desperation from which you snatched me, and the particulars\nof that misery of which you have so wonderfully been a witness.", "Yet,\nas this explanation will require that I should divulge secrets of a\nnature the most delicate, I must intreat you to regard them as sacred,\neven though I forbear to mention the names of the parties concerned.", "I was brought up in Scotland, though my mother, who had the sole\ncare of me, was an English-woman, and had not one relation in that\ncountry.", "She devoted to me her whole time.", "The retirement in which we\nlived, and the distance from our natural friends, she often told me,\nwere the effect of an unconquerable melancholy with which she was\nseized upon the sudden loss of my father, some time before I was born.", "At Aberdeen, where I finished my education, I formed a friendship with\na young man of fortune, which I considered as the chief happiness\nof my life:-but, when he quitted his studies, I considered it as my\nchief misfortune; for he immediately prepared, by direction of his\nfriends, to make the tour of Europe.", "As I was designed for the church,\nand had no prospect even of maintenance but from my own industry,\nI scarce dared permit even a wish of accompanying him.", "It is true,\nhe would joyfully have borne my expenses: but my affection was as free\nfrom meanness as his own; and I made a determination the most solemn,\nnever to lessen its dignity by submitting to pecuniary obligations.", "We corresponded with great regularity, and the most unbounded\nconfidence, for the space of two years, when he arrived at Lyons in\nhis way home.", "He wrote me thence the most pressing invitation to meet him at Paris,\nwhere he intended to remain some time.", "My desire to comply with his\nrequest, and shorten our absence, was so earnest, that my mother,\ntoo indulgent to control me lent me what assistance was in her power,\nand, in an ill-fated moment, I set out for that capital.", "My meeting with this dear friend was the happiest event of my life: he\nintroduced me to all his acquaintance; and so quickly did time seem to\npass at that delightful period, that the six weeks I had allotted for\nmy stay were gone, ere I was sensible I had missed so many days.", "But\nI must now own, that the company of my friend was not the sole subject\nof my felicity: I became acquainted with a young lady, daughter of an\nEnglishman of distinction, with whom I formed an attachment, which I\nhave a thousand times vowed, a thousand times sincerely thought, would\nbe lasting as my life.", "She had but just quitted a convent in which\nshe had been placed when a child, and though English by birth, she\ncould scarcely speak her native language.", "Her person and disposition\nwere equally engaging; but chiefly I adored her for the greatness of\nthe expectation, which, for my sake, she was willing to resign.", "When the time for my residence in Paris expired, I was almost\ndistracted at the idea of quitting her; yet I had not the courage to\nmake our attachment known to her father, who might reasonably form\nfor her such views as would make him reflect, with a contempt which\nI could not bear to think of, such an offer as mine.", "Yet I had free\naccess to the house, where she seemed to be left almost wholly to\nthe guidance of an old servant, who was my fast friend.", "But, to be brief, the sudden and unexpected return of her father,\none fatal afternoon, proved the beginning of the misery which has ever\nsince devoured me.", "I doubt not but he had listened to our conversation;\nfor he darted into the room with the rage of a madman.", "Heavens!", "what a\nscene followed!-what abusive language did the shame of a clandestine\naffair, and the consciousness of acting ill, induce me to brook!", "At\nlength, however, his fury exceeded my patience, he called me a\nbeggarly, cowardly Scotchman.", "Fired at the words, I drew my sword;\nhe, with equal alertness, drew his; for he was not an old man, but,\non the contrary, strong and able as myself.", "In vain his daughter\npleaded;-in vain did I, repentant of my anger retreat-his reproaches\ncontinued; myself, my country, were loaded with infamy, till no longer\nconstraining my rage,-we fought,-and he fell!", "At that moment I could almost have destroyed myself!", "The young lady\nfainted with terror; the old servant, drawn to us by the noise of the\nscuffle, entreated me to escape, and promised to bring intelligence\nof what should pass to my apartments.", "The disturbance which I heard\nraised in the house obliged me to comply; and, in a state of mind\ninconceivable wretched, I tore myself away.", "My friend, whom I found at home, soon discovered the whole affair.", "It\nwas near midnight before the woman came.", "She told me that her master\nwas living, and her young mistress restored to her senses.", "The absolute\nnecessity for my leaving Paris, while any danger remained, was forcibly\nargued by my friend: the servant promised to acquaint him of whatever\npassed, and he to transmit to me her information.", "Thus circumstanced,\nwith the assistance of this dear friend, I effected my departure from\nParis, and, not long after, I returned to Scotland.", "I would fain have\nstopped by the way, that I might have been nearer the scene of all my\nconcerns; but the low state of my finances denied me that satisfaction.", "The miserable situation of my mind was soon discovered by my mother;\nnor would she rest till I communicated the cause.", "She heard my\nwhole story with an agitation which astonished me:-the name of the\nparties concerned seemed to strike her with horror:-but when I said,\nWe fought, and he fell; -\"My son,\" cried she, \"you have then murdered\nyour father!\"", "and she sunk breathless at my feet.", "Comments, Madam,\nupon such a scene as this, would to you be superfluous, and to me\nagonizing: I cannot, for both our sakes, be too concise.", "When she\nrecovered, she confessed all the particulars of a tale which she had\nhoped never to have revealed.-Alas!", "the loss she had sustained of my\nfather was not by death!-bound to her by no ties but those of honour,\nhe had voluntarily deserted her!-Her settling in Scotland was not\nthe effect of choice,-she was banished thither by a family but too\njustly incensed.-Pardon, Madam, that I cannot be more explicit!", "My senses, in the greatness of my misery, actually forsook me, and,\nfor more than a week, I was wholly delirious.", "My unfortunate mother was\nyet more to pitied; for she pined with unmitigated sorrow, eternally\nreproaching herself for the danger to which her too strict silence had\nexposed me.", "When I recovered my reason, my impatience to hear from\nParis almost deprived me of it again; and though the length of time\nI waited for letters might justly be attributed to contrary winds,\nI could not bear the delay, and was twenty times upon the point of\nreturning thither at all hazards.", "At length, however, several letters\narrived at once, and from the most insupportable of my afflictions I\nwas then relieved; for they acquainted me that the horrors of parricide\nwere not in reserve for me.", "They informed me also, that as soon as the\nwound was healed, a journey would be made to England, where my unhappy\nsister was to be received by an aunt, with whom she was to live.", "This intelligence somewhat quieted the violence of my sorrows.", "I\ninstantly formed a plan of meeting them in London, and, by revealing\nthe whole dreadful story, convincing this irritated parent that\nhe had nothing more to apprehend from his daughter's unfortunate\nchoice.", "My mother consented, and gave me a letter to prove the truth\nof my assertions.", "As I could but ill afford to make this journey,\nI travelled in the cheapest way that was possible.", "I took an obscure\nlodging,-I need not, Madam, tell you where,-and boarded with the\npeople of the house.", "Here I languished, week after week, vainly hoping for the arrival\nof my family; but my impetuosity had blinded me to the imprudence\nof which I was guilty in quitting Scotland so hastily.", "My wounded\nfather, after his recovery, relapsed, and when I had waited in the\nmost comfortless situation for six weeks, my friend wrote me word\nthat the journey was yet deferred for some time longer.", "My finances were then nearly exhausted; and I was obliged, though most\nunwillingly, to beg further assistance from my mother, that I might\nreturn to Scotland.", "Oh, Madam!-my answer was not from herself;-it was\nwritten by a lady who had long been her companion, and aquainted me\nthat she had been taken suddenly ill of a fever,-and was no more!", "The compassionate nature of which you have given such noble proofs,\nassures me I need not, if I could, paint to you the anguish of a mind\noverwhelmed with such accumulated sorrows.", "Inclosed was a letter to a near relation, which she had, during\n her illness,\nwith much difficulty, written; and in which, with the strongest\nmaternal tenderness, she described my deplorable situation, and\nintreated his interest to procure me some preferment.", "Yet so sunk was\nI by misfortune, that a fortnight elapsed before I had the courage or\nspirit to attempt delivering this letter.", "I was then compelled to it\nby want.", "To make my appearance with some decency, I was necessitated\nmyself to the melancholy task of changing my coloured clothes for a\nsuit of mourning;- and then I proceeded to seek my relation.", "I was informed he was not in town.", "In this desperate situation, the pride of my heart, which hitherto\nhad not bowed to adversity, gave way; and I determined to intreat\nthe assistance of my friend, whose offered services I had a thousand\ntimes rejected.", "Yet, Madam, so hard is it to root from the mind\nits favourite principles or prejudices, call them which you please,\nthat I lingered another week ere I had the resolution to send away\na letter, which I regarded as the death of my independence.", "At length, reduced to my last shilling, shunned insolently by the\npeople of the house, and almost famished, I sealed this fatal letter;\nand, with a heavy heart, determined to take it to the post office.", "But\nMr. Branghton and his son suffered me not to pass through their\nshop with impunity; they insulted me grossly, and threatened me with\nimprisonment, if I did not immediately satisfy their demands.", "Stung\nto the soul, I bid them have but a day's patience, and flung from\nthem in a state of mind too terrible for description.", "My letter which I now found would be received too late to save me from\ndisgrace, I tore into a thousand pieces; and scarce could I refrain\nfrom putting an instantaneous, an unlicensed, a period to my existence.", "In this disorder of my senses, I formed the horrible plan of turning\nfoot-pad; for which purpose I returned to my lodging, and collected\nwhatever of my apparel I could part with; which I immediately sold,\nand with the produce purchased a brace of pistols, powder and shot.", "I\nhope, however, you will believe me, when I most solemnly assure you,\nmy sole intention was to frighten the passengers I should assault\nwith these dangerous weapons; which I had not loaded but from a\nresolution,-a dreadful one, I own,-to save myself from an ignominious\ndeath if seized.", "And, indeed, I thought, that if I could but procure\nmoney sufficient to pay Mr. Branghton, and make a journey to Scotland,\nI should soon be able to, by the public papers, to discover whom I\nhad injured, and to make private retribution.", "But, Madam, new to every species of villainy, my perturbation was so\ngreat, that I could with difficulty support myself, yet the Branghtons\nobserved it not as I passed through the shop.", "Here I stop:-what followed is better known to yourself.", "But no time\ncan ever efface from my memory that moment, when, in the very action\nof preparing for my own destruction, or the lawless seizure of the\nproperty of others, you rushed into the room and arrested my arm!-It\nwas indeed an awful moment!-the hand of Providence seemed to intervene\nbetween me and eternity: I beheld you as an angel!-I thought you dropt\nfrom the clouds!-The earth, indeed, had never presented to my view a\nform so celestial!-What wonder, then, that a spectacle so astonishing\nshould, to a man disordered as I was, appear too beautiful to be human?", "And now, Madam, that I have performed this painful task, the more\n grateful\none remains of rewarding, as far as is in my power, your generous\ngoodness, by assuring you it shall not be thrown away.", "You have\nawakened me to a sense of the false pride by which I have been\nactuated;-a pride which, while it scorned assistance from a friend,\nscrupled not to compel it from a stranger, though at the hazard of\nreducing that stranger to a situation as destitute as my own.", "Yet,\noh!", "how violent was the struggle which tore my conflicting soul ere\nI could persuade myself to profit by the benevolence which you were\nso evidently disposed to exert in my favour!", "By means of a ring, the gift of my much-regretted mother, I have for\nthe present satisfied Mr. Branghton; and, by means of your compassion,\nI hope to support myself either till I hear from my friend, to whom\nat length I have written, or till the relation of my mother returns\nto town.", "To talk to you, Madam, of paying my debt, would be vain; I never can!", "the service you have done me exceeds all power of return: you have\nrestored me to my senses; you have taught me to curb those passions\nwhich bereft me of them; and, since I cannot avoid calamity, to bear\nit as a man!", "An interposition so wonderfully circumstanced can never\nbe recollected without benefit.", "Yet allow me to say, the pecuniary\npart of my obligation must be settled by my first ability.", "I am, Madam, with the most profound respect, and heartfelt gratitude,\nYour obedient, and devoted humble servant, J. MACARTNEY.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Holborn, July 1.-5 o'clock in the morning.", "O SIR, what and adventure have I to write!-all night it has occupied\nmy thoughts, and I am now risen thus early to write it to you.", "Yesterday it was settled that we should spend the evening in Marybone\nGardens, where M. Torre, a celebrated foreigner, was to exhibit some\nfire-works.", "The party consisted of Madame Duval, all the Branghtons,\nM. Du Bois, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Brown.", "We were almost the first persons who entered the Gardens, Mr. Branghton\nhaving declared he would have all he could get for his money, which,\nat best, was only fooled away at such silly and idle places.", "We walked in parties, and very much detached from one\nanother.", "Mr. Brown and Miss Polly led the way by themselves; Miss\nBranghton and Mr. Smith followed; and the latter seemed determined\nto be revenged for my behaviour at the ball, by transferring all\nhis former attention for me to Miss Branghton, who received it with\nan air of exultation; and very frequently they each of them, though\nfrom different motives, looked back, to discover whether I observed\ntheir good intelligence.", "Madame Duval walked with M. Du Bois, and Mr.\nBranghton by himself; but his son would willingly have attached\nhimself wholly to me; saying frequently, \"come, Miss, let's you and\nI have a little fun together: you see they have all left us, so now\nlet's leave them.\"", "But I begged to be excused, and went to the other\nside of Madame Duval.", "This Garden, as it is called, is neither striking for magnificence nor\nfor beauty; and we were all so dull and languid, that I was extremely\nglad when we were summoned to the orchestra, upon the opening of\na concert; in the course of which I had the pleasure of hearing a\nconcerto on the violin by Mr. Barthelemon, who to me seems a player\nof exquisite fancy, feeling and variety.", "When notice was given us that the fire-works were preparing we hurried\nalong to secure good places for the sight; but very soon we were so\nencircled and incommoded by the crowd, that Mr. Smith proposed the\nladies should make interest for a form to stand upon: this was soon\neffected: and the men then left us to accommodate themselves better;\nsaying, they would return the moment the exhibition was over.", "The fire-work was really beautiful; and told, with wonderful ingenuity,\nthe story of Orpheus and Eurydice: but, at the moment of the fatal\nlook which separated them for ever, there was such an explosion\nof fire, and so horrible a noise, that we all, as of one accord,\njumpt hastily from the form, and ran away some paces, fearing that\nwe were in danger of mischief, from the innumerable sparks of fire\nwhich glittered in the air.", "For a moment or two I neither knew nor considered whither I had run;\n but my\nrecollection was soon awakened by a stranger's addressing me with,\n\"Come along with me, my dear, and I'll take care of you.\"", "I started; and then, to my great terror, perceived that I had outrun\nall my companions, and saw not one human being I knew!", "With all the\nspeed in my power, and forgetful of my first fright, I hastened back\nto the place I had left;-but found the form occupied by a new set\nof people.", "In vain, from side to side, I looked for some face I knew; I\nfound myself in the midst of a crowd, yet without party, friend,\nor acquaintance.", "I walked in disordered haste from place to place,\nwithout knowing which way to turn, or whither I went.", "Every other\nmoment I was spoken to by some bold and unfeeling man; to whom my\ndistress, which I think must be very apparent, only furnished a\npretence for impertinent witticisms, or free gallantry.", "At last a young officer, marching fiercely up to me, said, \"You are\na sweet pretty creature, and I enlist you in my service;\" and then,\nwith great violence, he seized my hand.", "I screamed aloud with fear;\nand forcibly snatching it away, I ran hastily up to two ladies,\nand cried, \"for Heaven's sake, dear ladies, afford me some protection!\"", "They heard me with a loud laugh, but very readily said, \"Ay, let her\nwalk between us;\" and each of them took hold of an arm.", "Then, in a drawling, ironical tone of voice, they asked what had\nfrightened my little Ladyship?", "I told them my adventure very simply,\nand intreated they would have the goodness to assist me in finding\nmy friends.", "O yes, to be sure, they said, I should not want for friends, whilst I\nwas with them.", "Mine, I said, would be very grateful for any civilities\nwith which they might favour me.", "But imagine, my dear Sir, how I must\nhave been confounded, when I observed, that every other word I spoke\nproduced a loud laugh!", "However, I will not dwell upon a conversation,\nwhich soon, to my inexpressible horror, convinced me I had sought\nprotection from insult, of those who were themselves most likely to\noffer it!", "You, my dearest Sir, I well know, will both feel for and\npity my terror, which I have no words to describe.", "Had I been at liberty, I should have instantly run away from them\nwhen I made the shocking discovery: but, as they held me fast, that\nwas utterly impossible: and such was my dread of their resentment or\nabuse that I did not dare make any open attempt to escape.", "They asked me a thousand questions, accompanied by as many halloos,\nof who I was, what I was, and whence I came?", "My answers were very\nincoherent;-but what, good Heaven, were my emotions, when, a few\nmoments afterwards, I perceived advancing our way-Lord Orville!", "Never shall I forget what I felt at that instant: had I, indeed,\nbeen sunk to the guilty state which such companions might lead him\nto suspect, I could scarce have had feelings more cruelly depressing.", "However, to my infinite joy, he passed us without distinguishing me;\nthough I saw that in a careless manner, his eyes surveyed the party.", "As soon as he was gone, one of these unhappy women said, \"Do you know\nthat young fellow?\"", "Not thinking it possible she should mean Lord Orville by such a term,\nI readily answered, \"No, Madam.\"", "\"Why then,\" answered she, \"you have a monstrous good stare, for a\nlittle county Miss.\"", "I now found I had mistaken her, but was glad to avoid an explanation.", "A few minutes after, what was my delight to hear the voice of\nMr. Brown, who called out,\" Lord, i'n't that Miss what's her name?\"", "\"Thank God,\" cried I, suddenly springing from them both, \"thank God,\nI have found my party.\"", "Mr. Brown was, however, alone; and, without knowing what I did,\nI took hold of his arm.", "\"Lord, Miss,\" cried he, \"we've had such a hunt you can't think!", "some\nof them thought you was gone home: but I says, says I, I don't think,\nsays I, that she's like to go home all alone, says I.\"", "\"So that gentleman belongs to you, Miss, does he?\"", "said one of\nthe women.", "\"Yes, Madam,\" answered I, \"and I now thank you for your civility;\nbut as I am safe, will not give you any further trouble.\"", "I courtsied slightly, and would gave walked away; but, most\nunfortunately, Madame Duval and the two Miss Branghtons just then\njoined us.", "They all began to make a thousand enquiries; to which I briefly\nanswered, that I had been obliged to these two ladies for walking\nwith me, and would tell them more another time: for, though I felt\ngreat comparative courage, I was yet too much intimidated by their\npresence, to dare be explicit.", "Nevertheless, I ventured once more to wish them a goodnight, and\nproposed seeking Mr. Branghton.", "These unhappy women listened to all\nthat was said with a kind of callous curiosity, and seemed determined\nnot to take any hint.", "But my vexation was terribly augmented when,\nafter having whispered something to each other, they very cavalierly\ndeclared, that they intended joining our party!", "and then, one of\nthem very boldly took hold of my arm, while the other, going round,\nseized that of Mr. Brown; and thus, almost forcibly, we were moved\non between them, and followed by Madame Duval and the Miss Branghton.", "It would be very difficult to say which was greatest, my fright,\nor Mr. Brown's consternation; who ventured not to make the least\nresistance, though his uneasiness made him tremble almost as much\nas myself.", "I would instantly have withdrawn my arm: but it was held\nso tight I could not move it; and poor Mr. Brown was circumstanced\nin the same manner on the other side; for I heard him say, \"Lord,\nMa'am, there's no need to squeeze one's arm so!\"", "And this was our situation,-for we had not taken three steps, when,-O\nsir,-we again met Lord Orville!-but not again did he pass quietly by\nus:-unhappily I caught his eye;-both mine immediately were bent to\nthe ground; but he approached me, and we all stopped.", "I then looked up.", "He bowed.", "Good God, with what expressive eyes did\nhe regard me!", "Never were surprise and concern so strongly marked:-yes,\nmy dear Sir, he looked greatly concerned: and that, the remembrance of\nthat, is the only consolation I feel for an evening the most painful\nof my life.", "What he said I know not; for indeed, I seemed to have neither ears nor\nunderstanding; but I recollect that I only courtsied in silence.", "He\npaused for an instant, as if-I believe so,-as if unwilling to pass\non; and then, finding the whole party detained, he again bowed,\nand took leave.", "Indeed, my dear Sir, I thought I should have fainted; so great was\nmy emotion, from shame, vexation, and a thousand other feelings,\nfor which I have no expressions.", "I absolutely tore myself from the\nwoman's arms; and then, disengaging myself from that of Mr. Brown,\nI went to Madame Duval, and besought that she would not suffer me to\nbe again parted from her.", "I fancy-that Lord Orville saw what passed; for scarcely was I at\nliberty, ere he returned.", "Methought, my dear Sir, the pleasure,\nthe surprise of that moment, recompensed me for all the chagrin I\nhad before felt: for do you not think, that his return manifests,\nfor a character so quiet, so reserved as Lord Orville's, something\nlike solicitude in my concerns?", "such at least was the interpretation\nI involuntarily made upon again seeing him.", "With a politeness to which I have been sometime very little used,\nhe apologized for returning; and then inquired after the health of\nMrs. Mirvan, and the rest of the Howard Grove family.", "The flattering\nconjecture which I have just acknowledged, had so wonderfully restored\nmy spirits, that I believe I never answered him so readily, and with\nso little constraint.", "Very short, however, was the duration of this\nconversation; for we were soon most disagreeably interrupted.", "The Miss Branghtons, though they saw almost immediately the\ncharacters of the women to whom I had so unfortunately applied,\nwere, nevertheless, so weak and foolish, as merely to titter at\ntheir behaviour.", "As to Madame Duval, she was for some time so\nstrangely imposed upon, that she thought they were two real fine\nladies.", "Indeed, it is wonderful to see how easily and how frequently\nshe is deceived.", "Our disturbance, however, arose from young Brown,\nwho was now between the two women, by whom his arms were absolutely\npinioned to his sides: for a few minutes his complaints had been only\nmurmured: but he now called out aloud, \"Goodness, Ladies, you hurt\nme like any thing!", "why, I can't walk at all, if you keep pinching my\narms so!\"", "This speech raised a loud laugh in the women, and redoubled the\ntittering of the Miss Branghtons.", "For my own part, I was most cruelly\nconfused: while the countenance of Lord Orville manifested a sort of\nindignant astonishment; and, from that moment, he spoke to me no more\ntill he took leave.", "Madame Duval, who now began to suspect her company, proposed our taking\nthe first box we saw empty, bespeaking a supper, and waiting till Mr.\nBranghton should find us.", "Miss Polly mentioned one she had remarked, to which we all turned.", "Madame Duval instantly seated herself; and the two bold women, forcing\nthe frightened Mr. Brown to go between them, followed her example.", "Lord Orville, with an air of gravity that wounded my very soul,\nthen wished me good night.", "I said not a word; but my face, if it had\nany connection with my heart, must have looked melancholy indeed:\nand so I have some reason to believe it did; for he added with much\nmore softness, though no less dignity, \"Will Miss Anville allow me\nto ask her address, and to pay my respects to her before I leave town?\"", "O how I changed colour at this unexpected request!-yet, what was the\nmortification I suffered in answering, \"My Lord, I am-in Holborn!\"", "He then bowed and left us.", "What, what can he think of this adventure!", "how strangely how cruelly\nhave all appearances turned against me!", "Had I been blessed with any\npresence of mind, I should instantly have explained to him the accident\nwhich occasioned my being in such terrible company:-but I have none!", "As to the rest of the evening, I cannot relate the particulars of what\npassed; for, to you, I only write of what I think; and I can think\nof nothing but this unfortunate, this disgraceful meeting.", "These\ntwo wretched women continued to torment us all, but especially poor\nMr. Brown, who seemed to afford them uncommon diversion, till we were\ndiscovered by Mr. Branghton, who very soon found means to release us\nfrom their persecutions, by frightening them away.", "We stayed but a\nshort time after they left us, which was all employed in explanation.", "Whatever may be the construction which Lord Orville may put upon this\naffair, to me it cannot fail of being unfavourable; to be seen-gracious\nHeaven!", "to be seen in company with two women of such character!-How\nvainly, how proudly have I wished to avoid meeting him when only\nwith the Branghtons and Madame Duval;-but now, how joyful should I\nbe had he seen me to no greater disadvantage!-Holborn, too!", "what a\ndirection!", "he who had always-but I will not torment you, my dearest\nSir, with any more of my mortifying conjectures and apprehensions:\nperhaps he may call,-and then I shall have an opportunity of explaining\nto him all the most shocking part of the adventure.", "And yet, as I did\nnot tell him at whose house I lived, he may not be able to discover me;\nI merely said in Holborn; and he, who I suppose saw my embarrassment,\nforbore to ask any other direction.", "Well, I must take my chance!", "Yet let me, in the justice to Lord Orville, and in justice to the high\nopinion I have always entertained of his honour and delicacy,-let\nme observe the difference of his behaviour, when nearly in the same\nsituation, to that of Sir Clement Willoughby.", "He had, at least,\nequal cause to depreciate me in his opinion, and to mortify and sink\nme in my own; but far different was his conduct:-perplexed, indeed,\nhe looked, and much surprised:-but it was benevolently, not with\ninsolence.", "I am even inclined to think, that he could not see a young\ncreature whom he had so lately known in a higher sphere, appear so\nsuddenly, so strangely, so disgracefully altered in her situation,\nwithout some pity and concern.", "But whatever might be his doubts and\nsuspicions, far from suffering them to influence his behaviour, he\nspoke, he looked with the same politeness and attention with which\nhe had always honoured me when countenanced by Mrs. Mirvan.", "Once again, let me drop this subject.", "In every mortification, every disturbance, how grateful to my heart,\nhow sweet to my recollection, is the certainty of your never-failing\ntenderness, sympathy and protection!", "Oh, Sir, could I upon this\nsubject, could I write as I feel,-how animated would be the language\nof your devoted EVELINA.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LIII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Holborn, July 1st.", "LISTLESS, uneasy, and without either spirit or courage to employ\nmyself, from the time I had finished my last letter, I indolently\nseated myself at the window, where, while I waited Madame Duval's\nsummons to breakfast, I perceived, among the carriages which passed\nby, a coronet-coach, and in a few minutes, from the window of it,\nLord Orville!", "I instantly retreated, but not I believe, unseen;\nfor the coach immediately drove up to our door.", "Indeed, my dear Sir, I must own I was greatly agitated; the idea\nof receiving Lord Orville by myself,-the knowledge that his visit\nwas entirely to me,-the wish of explaining the unfortunate adventure\nof yesterday,-and the mortification of my present circumstances,-all\nthese thoughts, occurring to me nearly at the same time, occasioned me\nmore anxiety, confusion, and perplexity, than I can possibly express.", "I believe he meant to sent up his name; but the maid, unused to such\na ceremony, forgot it by the way, and only told me, that a great\nLord was below, and desired to see me; and, the next moment, he\nappeared himself.", "If, formerly, when in the circle of high life, and accustomed to its\nmanners, I so much admired and distinguished the grace, the elegance\nof Lord Orville, think Sir, how they must strike me now,-now, when\nfar removed from that splendid circle, I live with those to whom even\ncivility is unknown, and decorum a stranger!", "I am sure I received him very awkwardly: depressed by a situation\nso disagreeable-could I do otherwise?", "When his first enquiries were\nmade, \"I think myself very fortunate,\" he said, \"in meeting with Miss\nAnville at home, and still more so in finding her disengaged.\"", "I only courtsied.", "He then talked of Mrs. Mirvan, asked how long I\nhad been in town, and other such general questions, which happily\ngave me time to recover from my embarrassment.", "After which he said,\n\"If Miss Anville will allow me the honour of sitting by her a few\nminutes (for we were both standing) I will venture to tell her the\nmotive which, next to enquiring after her health, has prompted me to\nwait on her thus early.\"", "We were then both seated; and, after a short pause, he said, \"How to\napologize for so great a liberty as I am upon the point of taking,\nI know not;-shall I, therefore, rely wholly upon your goodness,\nand not apologize at all?\"", "I only bowed.", "\"I should be extremely sorry to appear impertinent,-yet hardly know\nhow to avoid it.\"", "\"Impertinent!", "O, my Lord,\" cried I, eagerly, \"that, I am sure,\nis impossible!\"", "\"You are very good,\" answered he, \"and encourage me to be ingenuous-\"\n\n\nAgain he stopped: but my expectation was too great for speech.", "At\nlast, without looking at me, in a low voice, and hesitating manner,\nhe said, \"Were those ladies with whom I saw you last night ever in\nyour company before?\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" cried I, rising and colouring violently, \"nor will\nthey ever be again.\"", "He rose too; and, with an air of the most condescending concern, said,\n\"Pardon, Madam, the abruptness of a question which I knew not how\nto introduce as I ought, and for which I have no excuse to offer but\nmy respect for Mrs. Mirvan, joined to the sincerest wishes for your\nhappiness: yet I fear I have gone too far!\"", "\"I am very sensible of the honour of your lordship's attention,\"\nsaid I; \"but-\"\n\n\n\"Permit me to assure you,\" cried he, finding I hesitated, \"that\nofficiousness is not my characteristic; and that I would by no means\nhave risked your displeasure, had I not been fully satisfied you were\ntoo generous to be offended without a real cause of offence.\"", "\"Offended!\"", "cried I, \"no, my Lord, I am only grieved-grieved,\nindeed!", "to find myself in a situation so unfortunate as to be obliged\nto make explanations, which cannot but mortify and shock me.\"", "\"It is I alone,\" cried he, with some eagerness, \"who am shocked, as\nit is I who deserve to be mortified.", "I seek no explanation, for I have\nno doubt; but in mistaking me, Miss Anville injures herself: allow me\ntherefore, frankly and openly, to tell you the intention of my visit.\"", "I bowed, and we both returned to our seats.", "\"I will own myself to have been greatly surprised,\" continued he,\n\"when I met you yesterday evening, in company with two persons who\nI was sensible merited not the honour of your notice: nor was it\neasy for me to conjecture the cause of your being so situated; yet,\nbelieve me, my incertitude did not for a moment do you injury.", "I was\nsatisfied that their characters must be unknown to you; and I thought,\nwith concern, of the shock you would sustain when you discovered their\nunworthiness.", "I should not, however, upon so short an acquaintance,\nhave usurped the privilege of intimacy, in giving my unasked sentiments\nupon so delicate a subject, had I not known that credulity is the\nsister of innocence, and therefore feared you might be deceived.", "A\nsomething which I could not resist, urged me to the freedom I have\ntaken to caution you; but I shall not easily forgive myself if I have\nbeen so unfortunate as to give you pain.\"", "The pride which his first question had excited, now subsided into\ndelight and gratitude; and I instantly related to him, as well as I\ncould, the accident which had occasioned my joining the unhappy women\nwith whom he had met me.", "He listened with an attention so flattering,\nseemed so much interested during the recital, and, when I had done,\nthanked me in terms so polite, for what he was pleased to call my\ncondescension, that I was almost ashamed either to look at or hear him.", "Soon after the maid came to tell me, that Madame Duval desired to\nhave breakfast made in her own room.", "\"I fear,\" cried Lord Orville, instantly rising, \"that I have intruded\nupon your time;-yet who, so situated, could do otherwise?\"", "Then,\ntaking my hand, \"Will Miss Anville allow me thus to seal my peace?\"", "he\npressed it to his lips, and took leave.", "Generous, noble Lord Orville!", "how disinterested his conduct!", "how\ndelicate his whole behaviour!", "Willing to advise, yet afraid to\nwound me!-Can I ever, in future, regret the adventure I met with at\nMarybone, since it has been productive of a visit so flattering?", "Had\nmy mortifications been still more humiliating, my terrors still\nmore alarming, such a mark of esteem-may I not call it so?-from Lord\nOrville, would have made me ample amends.", "And indeed, my dear Sir, I require some consolation in my present\nvery disagreeable situation; for, since he went, two incidents have\nhappened, that, had not my spirits been particularly elated, would\ngreatly have disconcerted me.", "During breakfast, Madame Duval, very abruptly, asked, if I should\nlike to be married?", "and added, that Mr. Branghton had been proposing\na match for me with his son.", "Surprised, and, I must own, provoked,\nI assured her that in thinking of me, Mr. Branghton would very vainly\nlose his time.", "\"Why,\" cried she, \"I have had grander views for you myself, if once\nI could get you to Paris, and make you be owned; but if I can't do\nthat, and you can do no better, why, as you are both my relations,\nI think to leave my fortune between you; and then, if you marry,\nyou never need want for nothing.\"", "I begged her not to pursue the subject, as, I assured her,\nMr. Branghton was totally disagreeable to me; but she continued her\nadmonitions and reflections, with her usual disregard of whatever\nI could answer.", "She charged me, very peremptorily, neither wholly to\ndiscourage, nor yet to accept Mr. Branghton's offer, till she saw what\ncould be done for me: the young man, she added, had often intended\nto speak to me himself, but, not well knowing how to introduce the\nsubject, he had desired her to pave the way for him.", "I scrupled not, warmly and freely, to declare my aversion to this\nproposal; but it was to no effect; she concluded, just as she had\nbegun, by saying, that I should not have him, if I could do better.", "Nothing, however, shall persuade me to listen to any other person\nconcerning this odious affair.", "My second cause of uneasiness arises, very unexpectedly, from M. Du\nBois; who, to my infinite surprise, upon Madame Duval's quitting\nthe room after dinner, put into my hand a note, and immediately left\nthe house.", "This note contains an open declaration of an attachment to me;\nwhich, he says, he should never have presumed to have acknowledged,\nhad he not been informed that Madame Duval destined my hand to young\nBranghton,-a match which he cannot endure to think of.", "He beseeches\nme earnestly to pardon his temerity; professes the most inviolable\nrespect; and commits his fate to time, patience, and pity.", "This conduct in M. du Bois gives me real concern, as I was disposed\nto think very well of him.", "It will not, however, be difficult to\ndiscourage him; and therefore, I shall not acquaint Madame Duval of\nhis letter, as I have reason to believe it would greatly displease her.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LIV.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "July 3rd.", "O SIR, how much uneasiness must I suffer, to counterbalance one short\nmorning of happiness!", "Yesterday the Branghtons proposed a party to Kensington Gardens; and,\nas usual, Madame Duval insisted upon my attendance.", "We went in a hackney-coach to Piccadilly, and then had a walk through\nHyde Park; which in any other company would have been delightful.", "I\nwas much pleased with Kensington Gardens, and think them infinitely\npreferable to those of Vauxhall.", "Young Branghton was extremely troublesome; he insisted upon walking\nby my side, and talked with me almost by compulsion; however, my\nreserve and coldness prevented his entering upon the hateful subject\nwhich Madame Duval had prepared me to apprehend.", "Once, indeed, when\nI was accidentally a few yards before the rest, he said, \"I suppose,\nMiss, aunt has told you about-you know what?-ha'n't she, Miss?", "\"-But\nI turned from him without making any answer.", "Neither Mr. Smith nor\nMr. Brown were of the party; and poor M. Du Bois, when he found that\nI avoided him, looked so melancholy, that I was really sorry for him.", "While we were strolling round the garden, I perceived, walking with a\nparty of ladies at some distance, Lord Orville!", "I instantly retreated\nbehind Miss Branghton, and kept out of sight till we had passed him;\nfor I dreaded being seen by him again in a public walk with a party\nof which I was ashamed.", "Happily I succeeded in my design, and saw no more of him; for a sudden\nand violent shower of rain made us all hasten out of the gardens.", "We\nran till we came to a small green-shop, where we begged shelter.", "Here\nwe found ourselves in company with two footmen, whom the rain had\ndriven into the shop.", "Their livery I thought I had before seen; and,\nupon looking from the window, I perceived the same upon a coachman\nbelonging to a carriage, which I immediately recollected to be Lord\nOrville's.", "Fearing to be know, I whispered Miss Branghton not to speak my\nname.", "Had I considered but a moment, I should have been sensible of the\ninutility of such a caution, since not one of the party call me by any\nother appellation than that of Cousin or of Miss; but I am perpetually\ninvolved in some distress or dilemma from my own heedlessness.", "This request excited very strongly her curiosity: and she attacked\nme with such eagerness and bluntness of enquiry, that I could not\navoid telling her the reason of my making it, and, consequently,\nthat I was known to Lord Orville: an acknowledgment which proved\nthe most unfortunate in the world; for she would not rest till she\nhad drawn from me the circumstances attending my first making the\nacquaintance.", "Then, calling to her sister, she said, \"Lord, Polly,\nonly think!", "Miss has danced with a Lord!\"", "\"Well,\" cried Polly, \"that's a thing I should never have thought\nof!", "And pray, Miss, what did he say to you?\"", "This question was much sooner asked than answered; and they both became\nso very inquisitive and earnest, that they soon drew the attention of\nMadame Duval and the rest of the party; to whom, in a very short time,\nthey repeated all they had gathered from me.", "\"Goodness, then,\" cried young Branghton, \"if I was Miss, if I would\nnot make free with his Lordship's coach, to take me to town.\"", "\"Why, ay,\" said the father, \"there would be some sense in that; that\nwould be making some use of a Lord's acquaintance, for it would save\nus coach-hire.\"", "\"Lord, Miss,\" cried Polly, \"I wish you would; for I should like of\nall things to ride in a coronet-coach.\"", "\"I promise you,\" said Madame Duval, \"I'm glad you've thought of it,\nfor I don't see no objection;-so let's have the coachman called.\"", "\"Not for the world,\" cried I, very much alarmed: \"indeed it is\nutterly impossible.\"", "\"Why so?\"", "demanded Mr. Branghton: \"pray, where's the good of your\nknowing a Lord, if your never the better for him?\"", "\"Ma foi, child,\" said Madame Duval, \"you don't know no more of the\nworld that if you was a baby.", "Pray, Sir, (to one of the footmen)\ntell that coachman to draw up, for I wants to speak to him.\"", "The man stared, but did not move.", "\"Pray, pray, Madame,\" said I,\n\"pray, Mr. Branghton, have the goodness to give up this plan; I\nknow but very little of his Lordship, and cannot, upon any account,\ntake so great a liberty.\"", "\"Don't say nothing about it,\" said Madam Duval, \"for I shall have\nit my own way: so, if you won't call the coachman, Sir, I'll promise\nyou I'll call him myself.\"", "The footman, very impertinently, laughed and turned upon his\nheel.", "Madame Duval, extremely irritated, ran out in the rain, and\nbeckoned the coachman, who instantly obeyed her summons.", "Shocked\nbeyond all expression, I flew after her, and entreated her, with\nthe utmost earnestness, to let us return in a hackney coach:-but,\noh!-she is impenetrable to persuasion!", "She told the man she wanted him\nto carry her directly to town, and that she would answer for him to\nLord Orville.", "The man, with a sneer, thanked her, but said he should\nanswer for himself; and was driving off; when another footman came\nup to him, with information that his Lord was gone into Kensington\nPalace, and would not want him for an hour or two.", "\"Why, then, friend,\" said Mr. Branghton (for we were followed by all\nthe party), \"where will be the great harm of your taking us to town?\"", "\"Besides,\" said the son, \"I'll promise you a pot of beer for my\nown share.\"", "These speeches had no other answer from the coachman than a loud\nlaugh, which was echoed by the insolent footmen.", "I rejoiced at their\nresistance; though I was certain that, if their Lord had witnessed\ntheir impertinence, they would have been instantly dismissed his\nservice.", "\"Pardi,\" cried Madame Duval, \"if I don't think all the footmen are\nthe most impudentest fellows in the kingdom!", "But I'll promise you\nI'll have your master told of your airs; so you'll get no good by 'em.\"", "\"Why, pray,\" said the coachman, rather alarmed, \"did my Lord give\nyou leave to use the coach?\"", "\"It's no matter for that,\" answered she; \"I'm sure if he's a gentleman,\nhe'd let us have it sooner than we should be wet to the skin; but\nI'll promise you he shall know how saucy you've been, for this young\nlady knows him very well.\"", "\"Ay, that she does,\" said Miss Polly; \"and she's danced with him too.\"", "Oh, how I repented my foolish mismanagement!", "The men bit their lips,\nand looked at one another in some confusion.", "This was perceived by\nour party; who, taking advantage of it, protested they would write\nLord Orville word of their ill behaviour without delay.", "This quite\nstartled them; and one of the footmen offered to run to the palace,\nand ask his Lord's permission for our having the carriage.", "This proposal really made me tremble, and the Branghtons all hung back\nupon it; but Madame Duval is never to be dissuaded from a scheme she\nhas once formed.", "\"Do so,\" cried she; \"and give this child's compliments\nto your master; and tell him, as we ha'n't no coach here, we should\nbe glad to go just as far as Holborn in his.\"", "\"No, no, no!\"", "cried I; \"don't go,-I know nothing of his Lordship,-I\nsend no message,-I have nothing to say to him!\"", "The men, very much perplexed, could with difficulty restrain themselves\nfrom resuming their impertinent mirth.", "Madame Duval scolded me vary\nangrily, and then desired them to go directly.", "\"Pray, then,\" said\nthe coachman, \"what name is to be given to my Lord?\"", "\"Anville,\" answered Madame Duval; \"tell him Miss Anville wants the\ncoach; the young lady he danced with once.\"", "I was really in an agony; but the winds could not have been more deaf\nto me, than those to whom I pleaded!", "and therefore the footman, urged\nby the repeated threats of Madame Duval, and perhaps recollecting the\nname himself, actually went to the palace with this strange message!", "He returned in a few minutes; and, bowing to me with the greatest\nrespect, said, \"My Lord desires his compliments, and his carriage\nwill be always at Miss Anville's service.\"", "I was so much affected by this politeness, and chagrined at the\nwhole affair, that I could scarce refrain from tears.", "Madame Duval,\nand the Miss Branghtons eagerly jumped into the coach, and desired me\nto follow.", "I would rather have submitted to the severest punishment;\nbut all resistance was vain.", "During the whole ride I said not a word: however, the rest of the party\nwere so talkative, that my silence was very immaterial.", "We stopped at\nour lodgings; but, when Madame Duval and I alighted, the Branghtons\nasked if they could not be carried on to Snow-Hill?", "The servants,\nnow all civility, made no objection.", "Remonstrances from me would,\nI too well knew, be fruitless; and therefore, with a heavy heart,\nI retired to my room, and left them to their own direction.", "Seldom have I passed a night in greater uneasiness.-So lately to\nhave cleared myself in the good opinion of Lord Orville,-so soon to\nforfeit it!-to give him reason to suppose I presumed to boast of his\nacquaintance!-to publish his having danced with me!-to take with him\na liberty I should have blushed to have taken with the most intimate\nof my friends!-to treat with such impertinent freedom, one who has\nhonoured me with such distinguished respect!-Indeed, Sir, I could\nhave met with no accident that would so cruelly have tormented me!", "If such were, then, my feelings, imagine,-for I cannot describe,\nwhat I suffered during the scene I am now going to write.", "This morning, while I was alone in the dining-room, young Branghton\ncalled.", "He entered with a most important air; and, strutting up to me,\nsaid, \"Miss, Lord Orville sends his compliments to you.\"", "\"Lord Orville!\"", "repeated I, much amazed.", "\"Yes, Miss, Lord Orville; for I know his Lordship now, as well as\nyou.-And a very civil gentleman he is, for all he's a Lord.\"", "\"For Heaven's sake,\" cried I, \"explain yourself.\"", "\"Why, you must know, Miss, after we left you, we met with a little\nmisfortune; but I don't mind it now, for it's all turned out for the\nbest: but, just as we were a-going up Snow-Hill, plump we comes against\na cart, with such a jogg it almost pulled the coach-wheel off.", "However,\nthat i'n't the worst; for, as I went to open the door in a hurry,\na-thinking the coach would be broke down, as ill-luck would have it,\nI never minded that the glass was up, and so I poked my head fairly\nthrough it.-Only see, Miss, how I've cut my forehead!\"", "A much worse accident to himself would not, I believe, at that moment\nhave given me any concern for him: however, he proceeded with his\naccount, for I was too much confounded to interrupt him.", "\"Goodness, Miss, we were in such a stew, us, and the servants, and all,\nas you can't think; for, besides the glass being broke, the coachman\nsaid how the coach wouldn't be safe to go back to Kensington.", "So we\ndidn't know what to do; however, the footmen said they'd go and tell\nhis Lordship what had happened.", "So then father grew quite uneasy like,\nfor fear of his Lordship's taking offence, and prejudicing us in our\nbusiness; so he said I should go this morning and ask his pardon,\ncause of having broke the glass.", "So then I asked the footmen the\ndirection, and they told me he lived in Berkeley-square; so this\nmorning I went,-and I soon found out the house.\"", "\"You did!\"", "cried I, quite out of breath with apprehension.", "\"Yes, Miss, and a very fine house it is.-Did you ever see it?\"", "\"No.\"", "\"No!-why, then, Miss, I know more of his Lordship than you do,\nfor all you knew him first.", "So, when I came to the door, I was in\na peck of troubles, a-thinking what I should say to him: however,\nthe servants had no mind I should see him; for they told me he was\nbusy, but I might leave my message.", "So I was just a-coming away,\nwhen I bethought myself to say I came from you.\"", "\"From me!\"", "\"Yes, Miss, for you know, why should I have such a long walk as that\nfor nothing?", "So I says to the porter, says I, tell his Lordship, says\nI, one wants to speak to him as comes from one Miss Anville, says I.\"", "\"Good God,\" cried I, \"and by what authority did you take such\na liberty?\"", "\"Goodness, Miss don't be in such a hurry, for you'll be as glad as me,\nwhen you hear how well it all turned out.", "So then they made way for\nme, and said his Lordship would see me directly: and there I was led\nthrough such a heap of servants, and so many rooms, that my heart\nquite misgave me; for I thought, thinks I, he'll be so proud he'll\nhardly let me speak; but he's no more proud than I am, and he was\nas civil as if I'd been a lord myself.", "So then I said, I hoped he\nwouldn't take it amiss about the glass, for it was quite an accident;\nbut he bid me not mention it, for it did not signify.", "And then he\nsaid he hoped you got safe home, and wasn't frightened so I said yes,\nand I gave your duty to him.\"", "\"My duty to him!\"", "exclaimed I,-\"and who gave you leave?-who desired\nyou?\"", "\"O, I did it out of my own head, just to make him think I came from\nyou.", "But I should have told you before, how the footman said he was\ngoing out of town to-morrow evening, and that his sister was soon to\nbe married, and that he was a-ordering a heap of things for that; so\nit come into my head, as he was so affable, that I'd ask him for his\ncustom.", "So I says, says I, my Lord, says I, if your Lordship i'n't\nengaged particularly, my father is a silversmith, and he'll be very\nproud to serve you, says I; and Miss Anville, as danced with you, is\nhis cousin, and she's my cousin too, and she'd be very much obligated\nto you, I'm sure.\"", "\"You'll drive me wild,\" cried I, starting from my seat, \"you have\ndone me an irreparable injury;-but I will hear no more!", "\"-and then I\nran into my own room.", "I was half frantic, I really raved; the good opinion of Lord Orville\nseemed now irretrievable lost: a faint hope, which in the morning I\nhad vainly encouraged, that I might see him again, and explain the\ntransaction, wholly vanished, now I found he was so soon to leave\ntown: and I could not but conclude, that, for the rest of my life,\nhe would regard me as an object of utter contempt.", "The very idea was a dagger to my heart!-I could not support it,\nand-but I blush to proceed-I fear your disapprobation; yet I should\nnot be conscious of having merited it, but that the repugnance I\nfeel to relate to you what I have done, makes me suspect I must have\nerred.", "Will you forgive me, if I won that I first wrote an account of\nthis transaction to Miss Mirvan?-and that I even thought of concealing\nit from you?-Short-lived, however, was the ungrateful idea, and sooner\nwill I risk the justice of your displeasure, than unworthily betray\nyour generous confidence.", "You are now probably prepared for what follows-which is a letter-a\nhasty letter, that, in the height of my agitation, I wrote to Lord\nOrville.", "\"My Lord,\n\n \"I am so infinitely ashamed of the application made yesterday\n for your Lordship's carriage in my name, and so greatly\n shocked at hearing how much it was injured, that I cannot\n forbear writing a few lines, to clear myself from the\n imputation of an impertinence which I blush to be suspected\n of, and to acquaint you, that the request for your carriage\n was made against my consent, and the visit with which you were\n importuned this morning without my knowledge.", "\"I am inexpressibly concerned at having been the instrument,\n however innocently, of so much trouble to your Lordship; but I\n beg you to believe, that the reading these lines is the only\n part of it which I have given voluntarily.", "I am, my Lord,\n\n\n \"Your Lordship's most Humble servant, \"EVELINA ANVILLE.\"", "I applied to the maid of the house to get this note conveyed to\nBerkley-square; but scarce had I parted with it, before I regretted\nhaving written at all; and I was flying down stairs to recover it,\nwhen the voice of Sir Clement Willoughby stopped me.", "As Madame Duval\nhad ordered we should be denied to him, I was obliged to return up\nstairs; and after he was gone, my application was too late, as the\nmaid had given it to a porter.", "My time did not pass very serenely while he was gone; however, he\nbrought me no answer, but that Lord Orville was not at home.", "Whether or\nnot he will take the trouble to send any,-or whether he will condescend\nto call,-or whether the affair will rest as it is, I know not;-but,\nin being ignorant, am most cruelly anxious.", "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LV.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "July 4th.", "YOU may now, my dear Sir, send Mrs. Clinton for your Evelina with as\nmuch speed as she can conveniently make the journey, for no further\nopposition will be made to her leaving this town: happy had it perhaps\nbeen for her had she never entered it!", "This morning Madame Duval desired me to go to Snow-Hill, with an\ninvitation to the Branghtons and Mr. Smith to spend the evening with\nher; and she desired M. Du Bois, who breakfasted with us, to accompany\nme.", "I was very unwilling to obey her, as I neither wished to walk with\nM. Du Bois, nor yet to meet young Branghton.", "And, indeed, another,\na yet more powerful reason, added to my reluctance;-for I thought it\npossible that Lord Orville might send some answer, or perhaps might\ncall, during my absence; however, I did not dare dispute her commands.", "Poor M. Du Bois spoke not a word during our walk, which was, I believe,\nequally unpleasant to us both.", "We found all the family assembled in\nthe shop.", "Mr. Smith, the moment he perceived me, addressed himself\nto Miss Branghton, whom he entertained with all the gallantry in his\npower.", "I rejoice to find that my conduct at the Hampstead ball has had\nso good an effect.", "But young Branghton was extremely troublesome; he\nrepeatedly laughed in my face, and looked so impertinently significant,\nthat I was obliged to give up my reserve to M. Du Bois, and enter\ninto conversation with him merely to avoid such boldness.", "\"Miss,\" said Mr. Branghton, \"I'm sorry to hear from my son that you\nwasn't pleased with what we did about that Lord Orville: but I should\nlike to know what it was you found fault with, for we did all for\nthe best.\"", "\"Goodness!\"", "cried the son, \"why, if you'd seen Miss, you'd have been\nsurprised-she went out of the room quite in a huff, like-\"\n\n\n\"It is too late, now,\" said I, \"to reason upon this subject; but,\nfor the future, I must take the liberty to request, that my name may\nnever be made use of without my knowledge.", "May I tell Madame Duval\nthat you will do her the favour to accept her invitation?\"", "\"As to me, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Smith, \"I am much obliged to the old\nlady, but I have no mind to be taken in by her again; you'll excuse\nme, Ma'am.\"", "All the rest promised to come, and I then took leave; but, as I left\nthe shop, I heard Mr. Branghton say, \"Take courage, Tom, she's only\ncoy.\"", "And, before I had walked ten yards, the youth followed.", "I was so much offended that I would not look at him, but began to\nconverse with M. Du Bois, who was now more lively than I had ever\nbefore seen him; for, most unfortunately, he misinterpreted the reason\nof my attention to him.", "The first intelligence I received when I came home, was, that two\ngentlemen had called, and left cards.", "I eagerly enquired for them,\nand read the names of Lord Orville and Sir Clement Willoughby.", "I by\nno means regretted that I missed seeing the latter, but perhaps I may\nall my life regret that I missed the former; for probably he has now\nleft town,-and I may see him no more!", "\"My goodness,\" cried young Branghton, rudely looking over me, \"only\nthink of that Lord's coming all this way!", "It's my belief he'd got\nsome order ready for father, and so he'd a mind to call and ask you\nif I'd told him the truth.\"", "\"Pray, Betty,\" cried I, \"how long has he been gone?\"", "\"Not two minutes, Ma'am.\"", "\"Why then, I'll lay you any wager, \"said young Branghton, \"he saw\nyou and I a-walking up Holborn Hill.\"", "\"God forbid!\"", "cried I, impatiently; and, too much chagrined to bear\nwith any more of his remarks, I ran up stairs; but I heard him say\nto M. Du Bois, \"Miss is so uppish this morning, that I think I had\nbetter not speak to her again.\"", "I wish M. Du Bois had taken the same resolution; but he chose to\nfollow me into the dining-room, which he found empty.", "\"Vous ne l'aimez donc pas, ce garcon, Mademoiselle!\"", "cried he.", "\"Me!\"", "cried I, \"no, I detest him!\"", "for I was sick at heart.", "\"Ah, tu me rends la vie!\"", "cried he; and, flinging himself at my feet,\nhe had just caught my hand as the door was opened by Madame Duval.", "Hastily, and with marks of guilty confusion in his face, he arose; but\nthe rage of that lady quite amazed me!", "Advancing to the retreating\nM. Du Bois, she began, in French, an attack, which her extreme\nwrath and wonderful volubility almost rendered unintelligible; yet\nI understood but too much, since her reproaches convinced me she had\nherself proposed being the object of his affection.", "He defended himself in a weak and evasive manner; and, upon her\ncommanding him from her sight, very readily withdrew: and then,\nwith yet greater violence, she upbraided me with having seduced his\nheart, called me an ungrateful, designing girl, and protested she\nwould neither take me to Paris, nor any more interest herself in my\naffairs, unless I would instantly agree to marry young Branghton.", "Frightened as I had been at her vehemence, this proposal restored all\nmy courage; and I frankly told her, that in this point I never could\nobey her.", "More irritated than ever, she ordered me to quit the room.", "Such is the present situation of affairs.", "I shall excuse myself from\nseeing the Branghtons this afternoon: indeed, I never wish to see them\nagain.", "I am sorry, however innocently, that I have displeased Madame\nDuval; yet I shall be very glad to quit this town, for I believe\nit does not now contain one person I ever wish to again meet.", "Had\nI but seen Lord Orville, I should regret nothing: I could then have\nmore fully explained what I so hastily wrote; yet it will always be\na pleasure to me to recollect that he called, since I flatter myself\nit was in consequence of his being satisfied with my letter.", "Adieu, my dear Sir; the time now approaches when I hope once more\nto receive your blessing, and to owe all my joy, all my happiness,\nto your kindness.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LVI.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "Berry Hill, July 7th.", "WELCOME, thrice welcome, my darling Evelina, to the arms of the truest,\nthe fondest of your friends!", "Mrs. Clinton, who shall hasten to you\nwith these lines, will conduct you directly hither; for I can consent\nno longer to be parted from the child of my bosom!-the comfort of my\nage!-the sweet solace of all my infirmities!", "Your worthy friends at\nHoward Grove must pardon me that I rob them of the visit you proposed\nto make them before your return to Berry Hill, for I find my fortitude\nunequal to a longer separation.", "I have much to say to you, many comments to make upon your late\nletters, some parts of which give me no little uneasiness; but I\nwill reserve my remarks for our future conversations.", "Hasten, then,\nto the spot of thy nativity, the abode of thy youth, where never yet\ncare or sorrow had power to annoy thee.-O that they might ever be\nbanished this peaceful dwelling!", "Adieu, my dearest Evelina!", "I pray but that thy satisfaction at our\napproaching meeting may bear any comparison with mine!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LVII.", "EVELINA TO MISS MIRVAN.", "Berry Hill, July 14th.", "MY Sweet Maria will be much surprised, and I am willing to flatter\nmyself, concerned, when, instead of her friend, she receives this\nletter;-this cold, this inanimate letter, which will but ill express\nthe feelings of the heart which indites it.", "When I wrote to you last Friday, I was in hourly expectation of\nseeing Mrs. Clinton, with whom I intended to have set out for Howard\nGrove.", "Mrs. Clinton came; but my plan was necessarily altered,\nfor she brought me a letter,-the sweetest that ever was penned,\nfrom the best and kindest friend that ever orphan was blessed with,\nrequiring my immediate attendance at Berry Hill.", "I obeyed,-and pardon me if I own I obeyed without reluctance: after\nso long a separation, should I not else have been the most ungrateful\nof mortals?-And yet,-oh, Maria!", "though I wished to leave London,\nthe gratification of my wish afforded me no happiness!", "and though\nI felt an impatience inexpressible to return hither, no words,\nno language, can explain the heaviness of heart with which I made\nthe journey.", "I believe you would hardly have known me;-indeed,\nI hardly know myself.", "Perhaps, had I first seen you, in your kind\nand sympathizing bosom I might have ventured to have reposed every\nsecret of my soul;-and then-but let me pursue my journal.", "Mrs. Clinton delivered Madame Duval a letter from Mr. Villars, which\nrequested her leave for my return; and, indeed, it was very readily\naccorded: yet, when she found, by my willingness to quit town that\nM. Du Bois was really indifferent to me, she somewhat softened in my\nfavour; and declared, that, but for punishing his folly in thinking\nof such a child, she would not have consented to my being again buried\nin the country.", "All the Branghtons called to take leave of me; but I will not write\na word more about them: indeed I cannot, with any patience, think of\nthat family, to whose forwardness and impertinence is owing all the\nuneasiness I at this moment suffer!", "So great was the depression of my spirits upon the road, that it was\nwith great difficulty I could persuade the worthy Mrs. Clinton I was\nnot ill; but, alas!", "the situation of my mind was such as would have\nrendered any mere bodily pain, by comparison, even enviable!", "And yet, when we arrived at Berry Hill,-when the chaise stopped at this\nplace,-how did my heart throb with joy!-and when, through the window,\nI beheld the dearest, the most venerable of men, with uplifted hands,\nreturning, as I doubt not, thanks for my safe arrival,-good God!", "I\nthought it would have burst my bosom!-I opened the chaise-door myself;\nI flew,-for my feet did not seem to touch the ground,-into the parlour:\nhe had risen to meet me; but the moment I appeared he sunk into his\nchair, uttering, with a deep sigh, though his face beamed with delight,\n\"My God, I thank thee!\"", "I sprung forward; and, with a pleasure that bordered upon agony, I\nembraced his knees, I kissed his hands, I wept over them, but could not\nspeak: while he, now raising his eyes in thankfulness towards heaven,\nnow bowing down his reverend head, and folding me in his arms, could\nscarce articulate the blessings with which his kind and benevolent\nheart overflowed.", "O, Miss Mirvan, to be so beloved by the best of men,-should I not be\nhappy?-Should I have one wish save that of meriting his goodness?-Yet\nthink me not ungrateful; indeed I am not, although the internal\nsadness of my mind unfits me, at present, for enjoying as I ought\nthe bounties of Providence.", "I cannot journalize, cannot arrange my ideas into order.", "How little has situation to do with happiness!", "I had flattered\nmyself, that, when restored to Berry Hill, I should be restored\nto tranquillity: far otherwise have I found it, for never yet had\ntranquillity and Evelina so little intercourse.", "I blush for what I have written.", "Can you, Maria, forgive my\ngravity?", "but I restrain it so much, and so painfully, in the presence\nof Mr. Villars, that I know not how to deny myself the consolation\nof indulging it to you.", "Adieu, my dear Miss Mirvan.", "Yet one thing I must add: do not let the seriousness of this letter\ndeceive you; do not impute to a wrong cause the melancholy I confess,\nby supposing that the heart of your friend mourns a too great\nsusceptibility: no, indeed!", "believe me it never was, never can be,\nmore assuredly her own than at this moment.", "So witness in all truth,\nYour affectionate, EVELINA.", "You will make my excuses to the honoured Lady Howard, and to your\ndear mother.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LVIII.", "EVELINA TO MISS MIRVAN.", "Berry Hill, July 21st.", "YOU accuse me of mystery, and charge me with reserve: I cannot doubt\nbut I must have merited the accusation; yet, to clear myself,-you\nknow not how painful will be the task.", "But I cannot resist your kind\nentreaties;-indeed I do not wish to resist them; for your friendship\nand affection will soothe my chagrin.", "Had it arisen from any other\ncause, not a moment would I have deferred the communication you\nask;-but as it is, I would, were it possible, not only conceal it\nfrom all the world, but endeavour to disbelieve it myself.", "Yet since\nI must tell you, why trifle with your impatience?", "I know not how to come to the point; twenty times have I attempted\nit in vain;-but I will force myself to proceed.", "Oh, Miss Mirvan, could you ever have believed, that one who\nseemed formed as a pattern for his fellow-creatures, as a model of\nperfection,-one whose elegance surpassed all description,-whose\nsweetness of manners disgraced all comparison;-oh, Miss Mirvan,\ncould you ever have believed that Lord Orville, would have treated\nme with indignity?", "Never, never again will I trust to appearances;-never confide in my\nown weak judgment;-never believe that person to be good who seems\nto be amiable!", "What cruel maxims are we taught by a knowledge of the\nworld!-But while my own reflections absorb me, I forget you are still\nin suspense.", "I had just finished the last letter which I wrote to you from London,\nwhen the maid of the house brought me a note.", "It was given to her,\nshe said, by a footman, who told her he would call the next day for\nan answer.", "This note,-but let it speak for itself.", "\"To Miss Anville.", "\"With transport, most charming of thy sex, did I read\n the letter\n with which you yesterday morning favoured me.", "I am sorry the\n affair of the carriage should have given you any concern,\n but I am highly flattered by the anxiety you express so\n kindly.", "Believe me, my lovely girl, I am truly sensible\n to the honour of your good opinion, and feel myself deeply\n penetrated with love and gratitude.", "The correspondence you\n have so sweetly commenced, I shall be proud of continuing;\n and I hope the strong sense I have of the favour you do me\n will prevent your withdrawing it.", "Assure yourself, that I\n desire nothing more ardently than to pour forth my thanks at\n your feet, and to offer those vows which are so justly the\n tribute of your charms and accomplishments.", "In your next\n I intreat you to acquaint me how long you shall remain in\n town.", "The servant, whom I shall commission to call for an\n answer, has orders to ride post with it to me.", "My impatience\n for his arrival will be very great, though inferior to that\n with which I burn to tell you, in person, how much I am,\n my sweet girl, your grateful admirer, \"ORVILLE.\"", "What a letter!", "how has my proud heart swelled every line I have\ncopied!", "What I wrote to him you know; tell me, then, my dear friend,\ndo you think it merited such an answer?-and that I have deservedly\nincurred the liberty he has taken?", "I meant nothing but a simple\napology, which I thought as much due to my own character as to his;\nyet by the construction he seems to have put upon it, should you not\nhave imagined it contained the avowal of sentiments which might indeed\nhave provoked his contempt?", "The moment the letter was delivered to me, I retired to my own room\nto read it; and so eager was my first perusal, that,-I am ashamed\nto own,-it gave me no sensation but of delight.", "Unsuspicious of\nany impropriety from Lord Orville, I perceived not immediately the\nimpertinence it implied,-I only marked the expressions of his own\nregard; and I was so much surprised, that I was unable for some time\nto compose myself, or read it again:-I could only walk up and down\nthe room, repeating to myself, \"Good God, is it possible?-am I then\nloved by Lord Orville?\"", "But this dream was soon over, and I awoke to far different\nfeelings.", "Upon a second reading I thought every word changed,-it did\nnot seem the same letter,-I could not find one sentence that I could\nlook at without blushing: my astonishment was extreme, and it was\nsucceeded by the utmost indignation.", "If, as I am very ready to acknowledge, I erred in writing to Lord\nOrville, was it for him to punish the error?", "If he was offended,\ncould he not have been silent?", "If he thought my letter ill-judged,\nshould he not have pitied my ignorance?", "have considered my youth,\nand allowed for my inexperience?", "Oh, Maria!", "how have I been deceived in this man!", "Words have no\npower to tell the high opinion I had of him; to that was owing the\nunfortunate solicitude which prompted my writing; a solicitude I must\nfor ever repent!", "Yet perhaps I have rather reason to rejoice than to grieve, since this\naffair has shown me his real disposition, and removed that partiality\nwhich, covering his every imperfection, left only his virtues and\ngood qualities exposed to view.", "Had the deception continued much\nlonger, had my mind received any additional prejudice in his favour,\nwho knows whither my mistaken ideas might have led me?", "Indeed I fear I\nwas in greater danger than I apprehended, or can now think of without\ntrembling;-for, oh, if this weak heart of mine had been penetrated\nwith too deep an impression of his merit,-my peace and happiness had\nbeen lost for ever.", "I would fain encourage more cheerful thoughts, fain drive from my\nmind the melancholy that has taken possession of it; but I cannot\nsucceed: for, added to the humiliating feelings which so powerfully\noppress me, I have yet another cause of concern;-alas, my dear Maria,\nI have broken the tranquillity of the best of men!", "I have never had the courage to show him this cruel letter; I could\nnot bear so greatly to depreciate in his opinion, one whom I had, with\ninfinite anxiety, raised in it myself.", "Indeed, my first determination\nwas to confine my chagrin totally to my own bosom; but your friendly\nenquiries have drawn it from me: and now I wish I had made no\nconcealment from the beginning, since I know not how to account for\na gravity, which not all my endeavours can entirely hide or repress.", "My greatest apprehension is, lest he should imagine that my residence\nin London has given me a distaste to the country.", "Every body I see\ntakes notice of my being altered, and looking pale and ill.", "I should\nbe very indifferent to all such observations, did I not perceive\nthat they draw upon me the eyes of Mr. Villars, which glisten with\naffectionate concern.", "This morning, in speaking of my London expedition he mentioned Lord\nOrville.", "I felt so much disturbed, that I would instantly have changed\nthe subject; but he would not allow me, and, very unexpectedly,\nhe began his panegyric; extolling in strong terms, his manly and\nhonourable behaviour in regard to the Marybone adventure.", "My cheeks\nglowed with indignation every word he spoke;-so lately as I had myself\nfancied him the noblest of his sex, now that I was so well convinced\nof my mistake, I could not bear to hear his undeserved praises uttered\nby one so really good, so unsuspecting, so pure of heart.", "What he thought of my silence and uneasiness I fear to know; but I\nhope he will mention the subject no more.", "I will not, however, with\nungrateful indolence, give way to a sadness which I find infectious to\nhim who merits the most cheerful exertion of my spirits.", "I am thankful\nthat he has forborne to probe my wound; and I will endeavour to heal\nit by the consciousness that I have not deserved the indignity I\nhave received.", "Yet I cannot but lament to find myself in a world so\ndeceitful, where we must suspect what we see, distrust what we hear,\nand doubt even what we feel!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LIX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Berry Hill, July 29th.", "I MUST own myself somewhat distressed how to answer your raillery:\nyet, believe me, my dear Maria, your suggestions are those of fancy,\nnot of truth.", "I am unconscious of the weakness you suspect; yet, to\ndispel your doubts, I will animate myself more than ever to conquer\nmy chagrin, and to recover my spirits.", "You wonder, you say, since my heart takes no part in this affair,\nwhy it should make me so unhappy?", "And can you, acquainted as you\nare with the high opinion I entertained of Lord Orville, can you\nwonder that so great a disappointment in his character should affect\nme?", "Indeed, had so strange a letter been sent to me from any body,\nit could not have failed shocking me; how much more sensibly, then,\nmust I feel such an affront, when received from the man in the world\nI had imagined least capable of giving it?", "You are glad I made no reply; assure yourself, my dear friend, had this\nletter been the most respectful that could be written, the clandestine\nair given to it, by his proposal of sending his servant for my answer,\ninstead of having it directed to his house, would effectually have\nprevented my writing.", "Indeed, I have an aversion the most sincere to\nall mysteries, all private actions; however foolishly and blameably,\nin regard to this letter, I have deviated from the open path which,\nfrom my earliest infancy, I was taught to tread.", "He talks of my having commenced a correspondence with him: and\ncould Lord Orville indeed believe I had such a design?", "believe me\nso forward, so bold, so strangely ridiculous?", "I know not if his man\ncalled or not; but I rejoice that I quitted London before he came,\nand without leaving any message for him.", "What, indeed, could I have\nsaid?", "it would have been a condescension very unmerited to have taken\nany, the least notice of such a letter.", "Never shall I cease to wonder how he could write it.", "Oh, Maria!", "what,\nwhat could induce him so causelessly to wound and affront one who\nwould sooner have died than wilfully offended him?", "-How mortifying\na freedom of style!", "how cruel an implication conveyed by his thanks\nand expressions of gratitude!", "Is it not astonishing, that any man\ncan appear so modest, who is so vain?", "Every hour I regret the secrecy I have observed with my beloved\nMr. Villars; I know not what bewitched me, but I felt at first a\nrepugnance to publishing this affair that I could not surmount;-and\nnow, I am ashamed of confessing that I have any thing to confess!", "Yet\nI deserve to be punished for the false delicacy which occasioned my\nsilence, since, if Lord Orville himself was contented to forfeit\nhis character, was it for me, almost at the expense of my own, to\nsupport it?", "Yet I believe I should be very easy, now the first shock is over,\nand now that I see the whole affair with the resentment it merits,\ndid not all my good friends in this neighbourhood, who think me\nextremely altered, tease me about my gravity, and torment Mr. Villars\nwith observations upon my dejection and falling away.", "The subject\nis no sooner started, than a deep gloom overspreads his venerable\ncountenance, and he looks at me with a tenderness so melancholy,\nthat I know not how to endure the consciousness of exciting it.", "Mrs. Selwyn, a lady of large fortune, who lives about three miles from\nBerry Hill, and who has always honoured me with very distinguishing\nmarks of regard, is going, in a short time, to Bristol, and has\nproposed to Mr. Villars to take me with her for the recovery of my\nhealth.", "He seemed very much distressed whether to consent or refuse;\nbut I, without any hesitation, warmly opposed the scheme, protesting\nmy health could no where be better than in this pure air.", "He had\nthe goodness to thank me for this readiness to stay with him; but he\nis all goodness!", "Oh, that it were in my power to be indeed what, in\nthe kindness of his heart, he has called me, the comfort of his age,\nand solace of his infirmities!", "Never do I wish to be again separated from him.", "If here I am grave,\nelsewhere I should be unhappy.", "In his presence, with a very little\nexertion, all the cheerfulness of my disposition seems ready to return;\nthe benevolence of his countenance reanimates, the harmony of his\ntemper composes, the purity of his character edifies me!", "I owe to\nhim every thing!", "and, far from finding my debt of gratitude a weight,\nthe first pride, the first pleasure of my life, is the recollection\nof the obligations conferred upon me by a goodness so unequalled.", "Once, indeed, I thought there existed another,-who, when time\nhad wintered o'er his locks, would have shone forth among his\nfellow-creatures with the same brightness of worth which dignifies\nmy honoured Mr. Villars; a brightness how superior in value to that\nwhich results from mere quickness of parts, wit, or imagination!", "a\nbrightness, which, not contented with merely diffusing smiles,\nand gaining admiration from the sallies of the spirits, reflects a\nreal and a glorious lustre upon all mankind!", "Oh, how great was my\nerror!", "how ill did I judge!", "how cruelly have I been deceived!", "I will not go to Bristol, though Mrs. Selwyn is very urgent with\nme;-but I desire not to see any more of the world!", "the few months I\nhave already passed in it, have sufficed to give me a disgust even\nto its name.", "I hope, too, I shall see Lord Orville no more: accustomed, from my\nfirst knowledge of him, to regard him as a being superior to his race,\nhis presence, perhaps, might banish my resentment, and I might forget\nhis ill conduct; for oh, Maria!-I should not know how to see Lord\nOrville -and to think of displeasure!", "As a sister I loved him;-I could have entrusted him with every\nthought of my heart, had he deigned to wish my confidence: so steady\ndid I think his honour, so feminine his delicacy, and so amiable his\nnature!", "I have a thousand times imagined that the whole study of his\nlife, and whole purport of his reflections, tended solely to the good\nand happiness of others: but I will talk,-write,-think of him no more!", "Adieu, my dear friend!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Berry Hill, August 10th.", "YOU complain of my silence, my dear Miss Mirvan;-but what have I to\nwrite?", "Narrative does not offer, nor does a lively imagination supply\nthe deficiency.", "I have, however, at present, sufficient matter for\na letter, in relating a conversation I had yesterday with Mr. Villars.", "Our breakfast had been the most cheerful we have had since my return\nhither; and when it was over, he did not, as usual, retire to his\nstudy, but continued to converse with me while I worked.", "We might,\nprobably, have passed all the morning thus sociably, but for the\nentrance of a farmer, who came to solicit advice concerning some\ndomestic affairs.", "They withdrew together into the study.", "The moment I was alone my spirits failed me; the exertion with which\nI had supported them had fatigued my mind; I flung away my work, and,\nleaning my arms on the table, gave way to a train of disagreeable\nreflections, which, bursting from the restraint that had smothered\nthem, filled me with unusual sadness.", "This was my situation, when, looking towards the door, which was open,\nI perceived Mr. Villars, who was earnestly regarding me.", "\"Is Farmer\nSmith gone, Sir?\"", "cried I, hastily rising, and snatching up my work.", "\"Don't let me disturb you,\" said he, gravely; \"I will go again to\nmy study.\"", "\"Will you, Sir?-I was in hopes you were coming to sit here.\"", "\"In hopes!-and why, Evelina, should you hope it?\"", "This question was so unexpected, that I knew not how to answer it; but,\nas I saw he was moving away, I followed, and begged him to return.", "\"No,\nmy dear, no,\" said he, with a forced smile, \"I only interrupt your\nmeditations.\"", "Again I knew not what to say; and while I hesitated, he retired.", "My\nheart was with him, but I had not the courage to follow.", "The idea\nof an explanation, brought on in so serious a manner, frightened\nme.", "I recollected the inference you had drawn from my uneasiness,\nand I feared that he might make a similar interpretation.", "Solitary and thoughtful, I passed the rest of the morning in my own\nroom.", "At dinner I again attempted to be cheerful; but Mr. Villars\nhimself was grave, and I had not sufficient spirits to support a\nconversation merely by my own efforts.", "As soon as dinner was over, he\ntook a book, and I walked to the window.", "I believe I remained near an\nhour in this situation.", "All my thoughts were directed to considering\nhow I might dispel the doubts which I apprehended Mr. Villars had\nformed, without acknowledging a circumstance which I had suffered so\nmuch pain merely to conceal.", "But while I was thus planning for the\nfuture, I forgot the present; and so intent was I upon the subject\nwhich occupied me, that the strange appearance of my unusual inactivity\nand extreme thoughtfulness never occurred to me.", "But when, at last,\nI recollected myself, and turned round, I saw that Mr. Villars, who\nhad parted with his book, was wholly engrossed in attending to me.", "I\nstarted from my reverie, and, hardly knowing what I said, asked if\nhe had been reading?", "He paused a moment, and then replied, \"Yes, my child;-a book that\nboth afflicts and perplexes me.\"", "He means me, thought I; and therefore I made no answer.", "\"What if we read it together?\"", "continued he, \"will you assist me to\nclear its obscurity?\"", "I knew not what to say; but I sighed involuntarily from the bottom of\nmy heart.", "He rose, and approaching me, said, with emotion, \"My child,\nI can no longer be a silent witness of thy sorrow,-is not thy sorrow\nmy sorrow?-and ought I to be a stranger to the cause, when I so deeply\nsympathize in the effect?\"", "\"Cause, Sir!\"", "cried I, greatly alarmed, \"what cause?-I don't know,-I\ncan't tell-I-\"\n\n\"Fear not,\" said he, kindly, \"to unbosom thyself to me, my dearest\nEvelina; open to me thy whole heart,-it can have no feelings for\nwhich I will not make allowance.", "Tell me, therefore, what it is that\nthus afflicts us both; and who knows but I may suggest some means\nof relief?\"", "\"You are too, too good,\" cried I, greatly embarrassed; \"but indeed\nI know not what you mean.\"", "\"I see,\" said he, \"it is painful to you to speak: suppose, then,\nI endeavour to save you by guessing?\"", "\"Impossible!", "impossible!\"", "cried I, eagerly; \"no one living could ever\nguess, ever suppose-\" I stopped abruptly; for I then recollected I\nwas acknowledging something was to be guessed: however, he noticed\nnot my mistake.", "\"At least let me try,\" answered he, mildly; \"perhaps I may be a better\ndiviner than you imagine: if I guess every thing that is probable,\nsurely I must approach near the real reason.", "Be honest, then, my love,\nand speak without reserve;-does not the country, after so much gaiety,\nso much variety, does it not appear insipid and tiresome?\"", "\"No, indeed!", "I love it more than ever, and more than ever do I wish\nI had never, never quitted it!\"", "\"Oh, my child!", "that I had not permitted the journey!", "My judgment\nalways opposed it, but my resolution was not proof against persuasion.\"", "\"I blush, indeed,\" cried I, \"to recollect my earnestness;-but I have\nbeen my own punisher!\"", "\"It is too late now,\" answered he, \"to reflect upon this subject;\nlet us endeavour to avoid repentance for the time to come, and\nwe shall not have erred without reaping some instruction.\"", "Then,\nseating himself, and making me sit by him, he continued, \"I must now\nguess again: perhaps you regret the loss of those friends you knew\nin town;-perhaps you miss their society, and fear you may see them\nno more?-perhaps Lord Orville-\"\n\nI could not keep my seat; but, rising hastily, said, \"Dear Sir,\nask me nothing more!-for I have nothing to own,-nothing to say;-my\ngravity has been merely accidental, and I can give no reason for it\nat all.-Shall I fetch you another book?-or will you have this again?\"", "For some minutes he was totally silent, and I pretended to employ\nmyself in looking for a book.", "At last, with a deep sigh, \"I see,\"\nsaid he, \"I see but too plainly, that though Evelina is returned,-I\nhave lost my child!\"", "\"No, Sir, no,\" cried I, inexpressibly shocked, \"she is more your's\nthan ever!", "Without you, the world would be a desert to her, and\nlife a burthen:-forgive her, then, and,-if you can,-condescend to be,\nonce more, the confidant of all her thoughts.\"", "\"How highly I value, how greatly I wish for her confidence,\" returned\nhe, \"she cannot but know;-yet to extort, to tear it from her,-my\njustice, my affection both revolt at the idea.", "I am sorry that I was\nso earnest with you;-leave me, my dear, leave me, and compose yourself;\nwe will meet again at tea.\"", "\"Do you then refuse to hear me?\"", "\"No, but I abhor to compel you.", "I have long seen that your mind has\nbeen ill at ease, and mine has largely partaken of your concern:\nI forbore to question you; for I hoped that time and absence, from\nwhatever excited your uneasiness, might best operate in silence:\nbut, alas!", "your affliction seems only to augment,-your health\ndeclines,-your look alters!-Oh, Evelina, my aged heart bleeds to see\nthe change!-bleeds to behold the darling it had cherished, the prop it\nhad reared for its support, when bowed down by years and infirmities,\nsinking itself under the pressure of internal grief!-struggling to\nhide what it should seek to participate!-But go, my dear, go to your\nown room; we both want composure, and we will talk of this matter\nsome other time.\"", "\"Oh, Sir,\" cried I, penetrated to the soul, \"bid me not leave\nyou!-think me not so lost to feeling, to gratitude-\"\n\n\"Not a word of that,\" interrupted he: \"it pains me you should think\nupon that subject; pains me you should ever remember that you have not\na natural, an hereditary right to every thing within my power.", "I meant\nnot to affect you thus,-I hoped to have soothed you!-but my anxiety\nbetrayed me to an urgency that has distressed you.", "Comfort yourself,\nmy love; and doubt not but that time will stand your friend, and all\nwill end well.\"", "I burst into tears: with difficulty had I so long restrained them; for\nmy heart, while it glowed with tenderness and gratitude, was oppressed\nwith a sense of its own unworthiness.", "\"You are all, all goodness!\"", "cried I, in a voice scarce audible; \"little as I deserve,-unable as\nI am to repay, such kindness,-yet my whole soul feels,-thanks you\nfor it!\"", "\"My dearest child,\" cried he, \"I cannot bear to see thy tears;-for\nmy sake dry them: such a sight is too much for me: think of that,\nEvelina, and take comfort, I charge thee!\"", "\"Say then,\" cried I, kneeling at his feet, \"say then that you\nforgive me!", "that you pardon my reserve,-that you will again suffer\nme to tell you my most secret thoughts, and rely upon my promise\nnever more to forfeit your confidence!-my father!-my protector!-my\never-honoured,-ever-loved-my best and only friend!-say you forgive\nyour Evelina, and she will study better to deserve your goodness!\"", "He raised, he embraced me: he called me his sole joy, his only\nearthly hope, and the child of his bosom!", "He folded me to his heart;\nand, while I wept from the fulness of mine, with words of sweetest\nkindness and consolation, he soothed and tranquillised me.", "Dear to my remembrance will ever be that moment when, banishing\nthe reserve I had so foolishly planned, and so painfully supported,\nI was restored to the confidence of the best of men!", "When at length we were again quietly and composedly seated by each\nother, and Mr. Villars waited for the explanation I had begged him\nto hear, I found myself extremely embarrassed how to introduce the\nsubject which must lead to it.", "He saw my distress; and with a kind of\nbenevolent pleasantry, asked me if I would let him guess any more?", "I\nassented in silence.", "\"Shall I, then, go back to where I left off?\"", "\"If-if you please;-I believe so,-\" said I, stammering.", "\"Well, then, my love, I think I was speaking of the regret it was\nnatural you should feel upon quitting those from whom you had received\ncivility and kindness, with so little certainty of ever seeing\nthem again, or being able to return their good offices.", "These are\ncircumstances that afford but melancholy reflections to young minds;\nand the affectionate disposition of my Evelina, open to all social\nfeelings, must be hurt more than usual by such considerations.-You\nare silent, my dear.", "Shall I name those whom I think most worthy the\nregret I speak of?", "We shall then see if our opinions coincide.\"", "Still I said nothing, and he continued.", "\"In your London journal, nobody appears in a more amiable, a more\nrespectable light than Lord Orville; and perhaps-\"\n\n\"I knew what you would say,\" cried I, hastily, \"and I have long feared\nwhere your suspicions would fall; but indeed, Sir, you are mistaken:\nI hate Lord Orville,-he is the last man in the world in whose favour\nI should be prejudiced.\"", "I stopped; for Mr. Villars looked at me with such infinite surprise,\nthat my own warmth made me blush.", "\"You hate Lord Orville!\"", "repeated he.", "I could make no answer; but took from my pocket-book the letter,\nand giving it to him, \"See, Sir,\" said I, \"how differently the same\nman can talk and write!\"", "He read it three times before he spoke; and then said, \"I am so much\nastonished, that I know not what I read.", "When had you this letter?\"", "I told him.", "Again he read it, and, after considering its contents\nsome time, said, \"I can form but one conjecture concerning this most\nextraordinary performance: he must certainly have been intoxicated\nwhen he wrote it.\"", "\"Lord Orville intoxicated!\"", "repeated I: \"once I thought him a stranger\nto all intemperance;-but it is very possible, for I can believe any\nthing now.\"", "\"That a man who had behaved with so strict a regard to delicacy,\"\ncontinued Mr. Villars, \"and who, as far as occasion had allowed,\nmanifested sentiments the most honourable, should thus insolently,\nthus wantonly, insult a modest young woman, in his perfect senses,\nI cannot think possible.", "But, my dear, you should have inclosed\nthis letter in an empty cover, and have returned it to him again:\nsuch a resentment would at once have become your character, and have\ngiven him an opportunity, in some measure, of clearing his own.", "He\ncould not well have read this letter the next morning without being\nsensible of the impropriety of having written it.\"", "Oh, Maria!", "why had I not this thought?", "I might then have received\nsome apology; the mortification would then have been his, not\nmine.", "It is true, he could not have reinstated himself so highly in\nmy opinion as I had once ignorantly placed him, since the conviction\nof such intemperance would have levelled him with the rest of his\nimperfect race; yet my humbled pride might have been consoled by\nhis acknowledgments.", "But why should I allow myself to be humbled by a man who can suffer\nhis reason to be thus abjectly debased, when I am exalted by one who\nknows no vice, and scarcely a failing, but by hearsay?", "To think of his\nkindness, and reflect upon his praises, might animate and comfort me\neven in the midst of affliction.", "\"Your indignation,\" said he, \"is the\nresult of virtue; you fancied Lord Orville was without fault-he had\nthe appearance of infinite worthiness, and you supposed his character\naccorded with appearance: guileless yourself, how could you prepare\nagainst the duplicity of another?", "Your disappointment has but been\nproportioned to your expectations, and you have chiefly owed its\nseverity to the innocence which hid its approach.\"", "I will bid these words dwell ever in my memory, and they shall\ncheer, comfort, and enliven me!", "This conversation, though extremely\naffecting to me at the time it passed, has relieved my mind from much\nanxiety.", "Concealment, my dear Maria, is the foe of tranquillity:\nhowever I may err in future, I will never be disingenuous\nin acknowledging my errors.", "To you and to Mr. Villars I vow an\nunremitting confidence.", "And yet, though I am more at ease, I am far from well: I have been\nsome time writing this letter; but I hope I shall send you soon a\nmore cheerful one.", "Adieu, my sweet friend.", "I intreat you not to acquaint even your dear\nmother with this affair; Lord Orville is a favourite with her, and\nwhy should I publish that he deserves not that honour?", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Bristol Hotwells, August 28th.", "YOU will be again surprised, my dear Maria, at seeing whence I date my\nletter: but I have been very ill, and Mr. Villars was so much alarmed,\nthat he not only insisted upon my accompanying Mrs. Selwyn hither,\nbut earnestly desired she would hasten her intended journey.", "We travelled very slowly, and I did not find myself so much fatigued\nas I expected.", "We are situated upon a most delightful spot; the\nprospect is beautiful, the air pure, and the weather very favourable\nto invalids.", "I am already better, and I doubt not but I shall soon\nbe well; as well, in regard to mere health, as I wish to be.", "I cannot express the reluctance with which I parted from my revered\nMr. Villars: it was not like that parting which, last April, preceded\nmy journey to Howard Grove, when, all expectation and hope, though I\nwept, I rejoiced, and, though I sincerely grieved to leave him, I yet\nwished to be gone: the sorrow I now felt was unmixed with any livelier\nsensation; expectation was vanished, and hope I had none!", "All that I\nheld most dear upon earth I quitted; and that upon an errand, to the\nsuccess of which I was totally indifferent, the re-establishment of my\nhealth.", "Had it been to have seen my sweet Maria, or her dear mother,\nI should not have repined.", "Mrs. Selwyn is very kind and attentive to me.", "She is extremely clever:\nher understanding, indeed, may be called masculine: but, unfortunately,\nher manners deserve the same epithet; for, in studying to acquire\nthe knowledge of the other sex, she has lost all the softness of\nher own.", "In regard to myself, however, as I have neither courage nor\ninclination to argue with her, I have never been personally hurt at her\nwant of gentleness; a virtue which, nevertheless, seems so essential\na part of the female character, that I find myself more awkward, and\nless at ease, with a woman who wants it, than I do with a man.", "She is\nnot a favourite with Mr. Villars, who has often been disgusted at her\nunmerciful propensity to satire: but his anxiety that I should try\nthe effect of the Bristol waters, overcame his dislike of committing\nme to her care.", "Mrs. Clinton is also here; so that I shall be as well\nattended as his utmost partiality could desire.", "I will continue to write to you, my dear Miss Mirvan, with as much\nconstancy as if I had no other correspondent; though, during my\nabsence from Berry Hill, my letters may, perhaps, be shortened on\naccount of the minuteness of the journal which I must write to my\nbeloved Mr. Villars: but you, who know his expectations, and how\nmany ties bind me to fulfil them, will I am sure, rather excuse any\nomission to yourself, than any negligence to him.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "And now, Madam, that I have performed this painful task, the more\n grateful\none remains of rewarding, as far as is in my power, your generous\ngoodness, by assuring you it shall not be thrown away.", "Good God, with what expressive eyes did\nhe regard me!", "Our disturbance, however, arose from young Brown,\nwho was now between the two women, by whom his arms were absolutely\npinioned to his sides: for a few minutes his complaints had been only\nmurmured: but he now called out aloud, \"Goodness, Ladies, you hurt\nme like any thing!", "We stopped at\nour lodgings; but, when Madame Duval and I alighted, the Branghtons\nasked if they could not be carried on to Snow-Hill?", "Berry Hill, July 7th.", "Perhaps, had I first seen you, in your kind\nand sympathizing bosom I might have ventured to have reposed every\nsecret of my soul;-and then-but let me pursue my journal.", "but I restrain it so much, and so painfully, in the presence\nof Mr. Villars, that I know not how to deny myself the consolation\nof indulging it to you.", "What I wrote to him you know; tell me, then, my dear friend,\ndo you think it merited such an answer?-and that I have deservedly\nincurred the liberty he has taken?", "cried I, hastily rising, and snatching up my work.", "\"If-if you please;-I believe so,-\" said I, stammering." ]

[ "At Aberdeen, where I finished my education, I formed a friendship with\na young man of fortune, which I considered as the chief happiness\nof my life:-but, when he quitted his studies, I considered it as my\nchief misfortune; for he immediately prepared, by direction of his\nfriends, to make the tour of Europe.", "Young Branghton was extremely troublesome; he insisted upon walking\nby my side, and talked with me almost by compulsion; however, my\nreserve and coldness prevented his entering upon the hateful subject\nwhich Madame Duval had prepared me to apprehend.", "cried I, impatiently; and, too much chagrined to bear\nwith any more of his remarks, I ran up stairs; but I heard him say\nto M. Du Bois, \"Miss is so uppish this morning, that I think I had\nbetter not speak to her again.\"", "And, indeed, another,\na yet more powerful reason, added to my reluctance;-for I thought it\npossible that Lord Orville might send some answer, or perhaps might\ncall, during my absence; however, I did not dare dispute her commands.", "Madame Duval instantly seated herself; and the two bold women, forcing\nthe frightened Mr. Brown to go between them, followed her example.", "This intelligence somewhat quieted the violence of my sorrows.", "But my vexation was terribly augmented when,\nafter having whispered something to each other, they very cavalierly\ndeclared, that they intended joining our party!", "I was half frantic, I really raved; the good opinion of Lord Orville\nseemed now irretrievable lost: a faint hope, which in the morning I\nhad vainly encouraged, that I might see him again, and explain the\ntransaction, wholly vanished, now I found he was so soon to leave\ntown: and I could not but conclude, that, for the rest of my life,\nhe would regard me as an object of utter contempt.", "I instantly retreated\nbehind Miss Branghton, and kept out of sight till we had passed him;\nfor I dreaded being seen by him again in a public walk with a party\nof which I was ashamed.", "What I wrote to him you know; tell me, then, my dear friend,\ndo you think it merited such an answer?-and that I have deservedly\nincurred the liberty he has taken?" ]

[ "\"Yes, Miss, and a very fine house it is.-Did you ever see it?\"", "\"No.\"", "\"No!-why, then, Miss, I know more of his Lordship than you do,\nfor all you knew him first.", "So, when I came to the door, I was in\na peck of troubles, a-thinking what I should say to him: however,\nthe servants had no mind I should see him; for they told me he was\nbusy, but I might leave my message.", "So I was just a-coming away,\nwhen I bethought myself to say I came from you.\"", "\"From me!\"", "\"Yes, Miss, for you know, why should I have such a long walk as that\nfor nothing?", "So I says to the porter, says I, tell his Lordship, says\nI, one wants to speak to him as comes from one Miss Anville, says I.\"", "\"Good God,\" cried I, \"and by what authority did you take such\na liberty?\"", "\"Goodness, Miss don't be in such a hurry, for you'll be as glad as me,\nwhen you hear how well it all turned out.", "So then they made way for\nme, and said his Lordship would see me directly: and there I was led\nthrough such a heap of servants, and so many rooms, that my heart\nquite misgave me; for I thought, thinks I, he'll be so proud he'll\nhardly let me speak; but he's no more proud than I am, and he was\nas civil as if I'd been a lord myself." ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "I HAVE just received a most affecting letter from Mr. Macartney.", "I\nwill inclose it, my dear Sir, for your perusal.", "More than ever have\nI cause to rejoice that I was able to assist him.", "Mr. Macartney to\nMiss Anville.", "Madam,\n\nIMPRESSED with deepest, the most heartfelt sense of the exalted\nhumanity with which you have rescued from destruction an unhappy\nstranger, allow me, with humblest gratitude, to offer you my fervent\nacknowledgments, and to implore your pardon for the terror I have\ncaused you.", "You bid me, Madam, live: I have now, indeed, a motive for life,\nsince I should not willingly quit the world, while I withhold from\nthe needy and distressed any share of that charity which a disposition\nso noble would otherwise bestow upon them.", "The benevolence with which you have interested yourself in my affairs,\ninduces me to suppose you would wish to be acquainted with the cause\nof that desperation from which you snatched me, and the particulars\nof that misery of which you have so wonderfully been a witness.", "Yet,\nas this explanation will require that I should divulge secrets of a\nnature the most delicate, I must intreat you to regard them as sacred,\neven though I forbear to mention the names of the parties concerned.", "I cannot express the reluctance with which I parted from my revered\nMr. Villars: it was not like that parting which, last April, preceded\nmy journey to Howard Grove, when, all expectation and hope, though I\nwept, I rejoiced, and, though I sincerely grieved to leave him, I yet\nwished to be gone: the sorrow I now felt was unmixed with any livelier\nsensation; expectation was vanished, and hope I had none!", "All that I\nheld most dear upon earth I quitted; and that upon an errand, to the\nsuccess of which I was totally indifferent, the re-establishment of my\nhealth.", "Had it been to have seen my sweet Maria, or her dear mother,\nI should not have repined.", "Mrs. Selwyn is very kind and attentive to me.", "She is extremely clever:\nher understanding, indeed, may be called masculine: but, unfortunately,\nher manners deserve the same epithet; for, in studying to acquire\nthe knowledge of the other sex, she has lost all the softness of\nher own.", "In regard to myself, however, as I have neither courage nor\ninclination to argue with her, I have never been personally hurt at her\nwant of gentleness; a virtue which, nevertheless, seems so essential\na part of the female character, that I find myself more awkward, and\nless at ease, with a woman who wants it, than I do with a man.", "She is\nnot a favourite with Mr. Villars, who has often been disgusted at her\nunmerciful propensity to satire: but his anxiety that I should try\nthe effect of the Bristol waters, overcame his dislike of committing\nme to her care.", "Mrs. Clinton is also here; so that I shall be as well\nattended as his utmost partiality could desire.", "I will continue to write to you, my dear Miss Mirvan, with as much\nconstancy as if I had no other correspondent; though, during my\nabsence from Berry Hill, my letters may, perhaps, be shortened on\naccount of the minuteness of the journal which I must write to my\nbeloved Mr. Villars: but you, who know his expectations, and how\nmany ties bind me to fulfil them, will I am sure, rather excuse any\nomission to yourself, than any negligence to him.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXII.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Bristol Hotwells, Sept. 12th.", "THE first fortnight that I passed here was so quiet, so serene, that\nit gave me reason to expect a settled calm during my stay; but if I\nmay now judge of the time to come, by the present state of my mind,\nthe calm will be succeeded by a storm, of which I dread the violence!", "This morning, in my way to the pump-room with Mrs. Selwyn, we were\nboth very much incommoded by three gentlemen, who were sauntering by\nthe side of the Avon, laughing and talking very loud, and lounging so\ndisagreeably, that we knew not how to pass them.", "They all three fixed\ntheir eyes very boldly upon me, alternately looking under my hat,\nand whispering one another.", "Mrs. Selwyn assumed an air of uncommon\nsternness, and said, \"You will please, gentlemen, either to proceed\nyourselves, or to suffer us.\"", "\"Oh!", "Ma'am,\" cried one of them, \"we will suffer you with the greatest\npleasure in life.\"", "\"You will suffer us both,\" answered she, \"or I am much mistaken:\nyou had better, therefore, make way quietly; for I should be sorry\nto give my servant the trouble of teaching you better manners.\"", "Her commanding air struck them, yet they all chose to laugh; and one\nof them wished the fellow would begin his lesson, that he might have\nthe pleasure of rolling him into the Avon; while another, advancing to\nme with a freedom which made me start, said, \"By my soul, I did not\nknow you!-but I am sure I cannot be mistaken;-had not I the honour\nof seeing you once at the Pantheon?\"", "I then recollected the nobleman, who, at that place, had so much\nembarrassed me.", "I courtsied without speaking.", "They all bowed, and\nmaking, though in a very easy manner, an apology to Mrs. Selwyn,\nthey suffered us to pass on, but chose to accompany us.", "\"And where,\" continued this Lord, \"can you so long have hid\nyourself?", "do you know I have been in search of you this age?", "I could\nneither find you out, nor hear of you: not a creature could inform me\nwhat was become of you.", "I cannot imagine where you could be immured.", "I\nwas at two or three public places every night, in hopes of meeting\nyou.", "Pray, did you leave town?\"", "\"Yes, my Lord.\"", "\"So early in the season!-what could possibly induce you to go before\nthe birth-day?\"", "\"I had nothing, my Lord, to do with the birth-day.\"", "\"By my soul, all the women who had, may rejoice you were away.", "Have\nyou been here any time?\"", "\"Not above a fortnight, my Lord.\"", "\"A fortnight!-how unlucky that I did not meet you sooner!", "but I have\nhad a run of ill luck ever since I came.", "How long shall you stay?\"", "\"Indeed, my Lord, I don't know.\"", "\"Six weeks, I hope; for I shall wish the place at the devil when\nyou go.\"", "\"Do you, then, flatter yourself, my Lord,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, who\nhad hitherto listened in silent contempt, \"that you shall see such\na beautiful spot as this, when you visit the dominions of the devil?\"", "\"Ha, ha, ha!", "Faith, my Lord,\" said one of his companions, who still\nwalked with us, though the other had taken leave, \"the lady is rather\nhard upon you.\"", "\"Not at all,\" answered Mrs. Selwyn; \"for as I cannot doubt but his\nLordship's rank and interest will secure him a place there, it would\nbe reflecting on his understanding, to suppose he should not wish to\nenlarge and beautify his dwelling.\"", "Much as I was disgusted with this Lord, I must own Mrs. Selwyn's\nseverity rather surprised me: but you, who have so often observed\nit, will not wonder she took so fair an opportunity of indulging\nher humour.", "\"As to places,\" returned he, totally unmoved, \"I am so indifferent\nto them, that the devil take me if I care which way I go!", "objects,\nindeed, I am not so easy about; and, therefore, I expect, that those\nangels with whose beauty I am so much enraptured in this world, will\nhave the goodness to afford me some little consolation in the other.\"", "\"What, my Lord!\"", "cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"would you wish to degrade the\nhabitation of your friend, by admitting into it the insipid company\nof the upper regions?\"", "\"What do you do with yourself this evening?\"", "said his Lordship,\nturning to me.", "\"I shall be at home, my Lord.\"", "\"O, -e;-propos,-where are you?\"", "\"Young ladies, my Lord,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"are no where.\"", "\"Prithee,\" whispered his Lordship, \"is that queer woman your mother?\"", "Good Heavens, Sir, what words for such a question!", "\"No, my Lord.\"", "\"Your maiden aunt then?\"", "\"No.\"", "\"Whoever she is, I wish she would mind her own affairs: I don't know\nwhat the devil a woman lives for after thirty: she is only in other\nfolk's way.", "Shall you be at the assembly?\"", "\"I believe not, my Lord.\"", "\"No!-why then, how in the world can you contrive to pass your time?\"", "\"In a manner which your Lordship will think very extraordinary,\"\ncried Mrs. Selwyn, \"for the young lady reads.\"", "\"Ha, ha, ha!", "Egad, my Lord,\" cried the facetious companion, \"you are\ngot into bad hands.\"", "\"You had better, Ma'am,\" answered he, \"attack Jack Coverley here,\nfor you will make nothing of me.\"", "\"Of you, my Lord,\" cried she, \"Heaven forbid I should ever entertain\nso idle an expectation!", "I only talk, like a silly woman, for the sake\nof talking; but I have by no means so low an opinion of your Lordship,\nas to suppose you vulnerable to censure.\"", "\"Do, pray, Ma'am,\" cried he, \"turn to Jack Coverley; he's the very\nman for you;-he'd be a wit himself if he was not too modest.\"", "\"Prithee, my Lord, be quiet,\" returned the other; \"if the lady is\ncontented to bestow all her favours upon you, why should you make\nsuch a point of my going snacks?\"", "\"Don't be apprehensive, gentlemen,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, drily, \"I am not\nromantic;-I have not the least design of doing good to either of you.\"", "\"Have not you been ill since I saw you?\"", "said his Lordship, again\naddressing himself to me.", "\"Yes, my Lord.\"", "\"I thought so; you are paler than you was, and I suppose that's the\nreason I did not recollect you sooner.\"", "\"Has not your Lordship too much gallantry,\" cried Mrs. Selwyn,\n\"to discover a young lady's illness by her looks?\"", "\"The devil a word can I speak for that woman,\" said he, in a low voice;\n\"do, prithee, Jack, take her in hand.\"", "\"Excuse me, my Lord,\" answered Mr. Coverley.", "\"When shall I see you again?\"", "continued his Lordship; \"do you go to\nthe pump-room every morning?\"", "\"No, my Lord.\"", "\"Do you ride out?\"", "\"No, my Lord.\"", "Just then we arrived at the pump-room, and an end was put to our\nconversation, if it is not an abuse of words to give such a term to\na string of rude questions and free compliments.", "He had not opportunity to say much more to me, as Mrs. Selwyn joined\na large party, and I walked home between two ladies.", "He had, however,\nthe curiosity to see us to the door.", "Mrs. Selwyn was very eager to know how I had made acquaintance with\nthis nobleman, whose manners so evidently announced the character of\na confirmed libertine.", "I could give her very little satisfaction, as\nI was ignorant even of his name: but, in the afternoon, Mr. Ridgeway,\nthe apothecary, gave us very ample information.", "As his person was easily described, for he is remarkably tall,\nMr. Ridgeway told us he was Lord Merton, a nobleman who is but lately\ncome to his title, though he has already dissipated more than half his\nfortune; a professed admirer of beauty, but a man of most licentious\ncharacter; that among men, his companions consisted chiefly of gamblers\nand jockeys, and among women he was rarely admitted.", "\"Well, Miss Anville,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"I am glad I was not more\ncivil to him.", "You may depend upon me for keeping him at a distance.\"", "\"O, Madam,\" said Mr. Ridgeway, \"he may now be admitted any where,\nfor he is going to reform.\"", "\"Has he, under that notion, persuaded any fool to marry him?\"", "\"Not yet, Madam, but a marriage is expected to take place shortly:\nit has been some time in agitation; but the friends of the lady\nhave obliged her to wait till she is of age: however, her brother,\nwho has chiefly opposed the match, now that she is near being at her\nown disposal, is tolerably quiet.", "She is very pretty, and will have\na large fortune.", "We expect her at the Wells every day.\"", "\"What is her name?\"", "said Mrs. Selwyn.", "\"Larpent,\" answered he: \"Lady Louisa Larpent, sister of Lord Orville.\"", "\"Lord Orville!\"", "repeated I, all amazement.", "\"Yes, Ma'am; his Lordship is coming with her.", "I have had certain\ninformation.", "They are to be at the Honourable Mrs. Beaumont's.", "She is\na relation of my Lord's, and has a very fine house upon Clifton Hill.\"", "His Lordship is coming with her!", "-Good God, what an emotion did those\nwords give me!", "How strange, my dear Sir, that, just at this time, he\nshould visit Bristol!", "It will be impossible for me to avoid seeing him,\nas Mrs. Selwyn is very well acquainted with Mrs. Beaumont.", "Indeed,\nI have had an escape in not being under the same roof with him, for\nMrs. Beaumont invited us to her house immediately upon our arrival;\nbut the inconvenience of being so distant from the pump-room made\nMrs. Selwyn decline her civility.", "Oh that the first meeting were over!-or that I could quit Bristol\nwithout seeing him!-inexpressibly do I dread an interview!", "Should\nthe same impertinent freedom be expressed by his looks, which\ndictated this cruel letter, I shall not know how to endure either\nhim or myself.", "Had I but returned it, I should be easier, because\nmy sentiments of it would then be known to him; but now, he can only\ngather them from my behaviour; and I tremble lest he should mistake my\nindignation for confusion!-lest he should misconstrue my reserve into\nembarrassment!-for how, my dearest Sir, how shall I be able totally\nto divest myself of the respect with which I have been used to think\nof him?-the pleasure with which I have been used to see him?", "Surely he, as well as I, must recollect the letter at the moment\nof our meeting; and he will, probably, mean to gather my thoughts\nof it from my looks;-oh that they could but convey to him my real\ndetestation of impertinence and vanity!", "then would he see how much\nhe had mistaken my disposition when he imagined them my due.", "There was a time when the very idea that such a man as Lord Merton\nshould ever be connected with Lord Orville would have both surprised\nand shocked me; and even yet I am pleased to hear of his repugnance\nto the marriage.", "But how strange, that a man of so abandoned a character should be\nthe choice of a sister of Lord Orville!", "and how strange, that, almost\nat the moment of the union, he should be so importunate in gallantry\nto another woman!", "What a world is this we live in!", "how corrupt!", "how\ndegenerate!", "well might I be contented to see no more of it!", "If I\nfind that the eyes of Lord Orville agree with his pen,-I shall then\nthink, that of all mankind, the only virtuous individual resides at\nBerry Hill.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXIII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Bristol Hotwells, Sept. 16th.", "OH, Sir, Lord Orville is still himself!", "still what, from the moment\nI beheld, I believed him to be-all that is amiable in man!", "and your\nhappy Evelina, restored at once to spirits and tranquillity, is no\nlonger sunk in her own opinion, nor discontented with the world;-no\nlonger, with dejected eyes, sees the prospect of passing her future\ndays in sadness, doubt, and suspicion!-with revived courage she\nnow looks forward, and expects to meet with goodness, even among\nmankind:-though still she feels, as strongly as ever, the folly of\nhoping, in any second instance, to meet with perfection.", "Your conjecture was certainly right; Lord Orville, when he wrote that\nletter, could not be in his senses.", "Oh that intemperance should have\npower to degrade so low, a man so noble!", "This morning I accompanied Mrs. Selwyn to Clifton Hill, where,\nbeautifully situated, is the house of Mrs. Beaumont.", "Most uncomfortable\nwere my feelings during our walk, which was very slow; for the\nagitation of my mind made me more than usually sensible how weak I\nstill continue.", "As we entered the house, I summoned all my resolution\nto my aid, determined rather to die than give Lord Orville reason to\nattribute my weakness to a wrong cause.", "I was happily relieved from my\nperturbation, when I saw Mrs. Beaumont was alone.", "We sat with her for,\nI believe, an hour without interruption; and then we saw a phaeton\ndrive up to the gate, and a lady and gentleman alight from it.", "They entered the parlour with the ease of people who were at home.", "The gentleman, I soon saw, was Lord Merton: he came shuffling into\nthe room with his boots on, and his whip in his hand; and having\nmade something like a bow to Mrs. Beaumont, he turned towards me.", "His\nsurprise was very evident; but he took no manner of notice of me.", "He\nwaited, I believe, to discover, first, what chance had brought\nme to that house, where he did not look much rejoiced at meeting\nme.", "He seated himself very quietly at the window, without speaking\nto any body.", "Mean time the lady, who seemed very young, hobbling rather than walking\ninto the room, made a passing courtsy to Mrs. Beaumont, saying,\n\"How are you, Ma'am?\"", "and then, without noticing any body else,\nwith an air of languor she flung herself upon a sofa, protesting,\nin a most affected voice, and speaking so softly she could hardly be\nheard, that she was fatigued to death.", "\"Really, Ma'am, the roads are\nso monstrous dusty,-you can't imagine how troublesome the dust is to\none's eyes!-and the sun, too, is monstrous disagreeable!-I dare say\nI shall be so tanned: I shan't be fit to be seen this age.", "Indeed,\nmy Lord, I won't go out with you any more, for you don't care where\nyou take one.\"", "\"Upon my honour,\" said Lord Merton, \"I took you the pleasantest ride\nin England, the fault was in the sun, not me.\"", "\"Your Lordship is in the right,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"to transfer the\nfault to the sun, because it has so many excellencies to counterbalance\npartial inconveniences that a little blame will not injure that in\nour estimation.\"", "Lord Merton looked by no means delighted at this attack; which\nI believe she would not so readily have made, but to revenge his\nneglect of us.", "\"Did you meet your brother, Lady Louisa?\"", "said Mrs. Beaumont.", "\"No, Ma'am.", "Is he rode out this morning?\"", "I then found, what I had before suspected, that this lady was Lord\nOrville's sister: how strange, that such near relations should be so\ndifferent to each other!", "There is, indeed, some resemblance in their\nfeatures; but, in their manners, not the least.", "\"Yes,\" answered Mrs. Beaumont, \"and I believe he wished to see you.\"", "\"My Lord drove so monstrous fast,\" said Lady Louisa, \"that perhaps\nwe passed him.", "He frightened me out of my senses; I declare my head\nis quite giddy.", "Do you know, Ma'am, we have done nothing but quarrel\nall the morning?-You can't think how I've scolded; have not I, my\nLord?\"", "and she smiled expressively at Lord Merton.", "\"You have been, as you always are,\" said he, twisting his whip with\nhis fingers, \"all sweetness.\"", "\"O fie, my Lord,\" cried she, \"I know you don't think so; I know you\nthink me very ill-natured;-don't you, my Lord?\"", "\"No, upon my honour;-how can your Ladyship ask such a question?", "Pray\nhow goes time?", "my watch stands.\"", "\"It is almost three,\" answered Mrs. Beaumont.", "\"Lord, Ma'am, you frighten me!\"", "cried Lady Louisa; and then, turning\nto Lord Merton, \"why now, you wicked creature you, did you not tell\nme it was but one?\"", "Mrs. Selwyn then rose to take leave; but Mrs. Beaumont asked if she\nwould look at the shrubbery.", "\"I should like it much,\" answered she,\n\"but that I fear to fatigue Miss Anville.\"", "Lady Louisa, then, raising her head from her hand, on which it had\nleant, turned round to look at me; and having fully satisfied her\ncuriosity, without any regard to the confusion it gave me, turned\nabout, and, again leaning on her hand, took no further notice of me.", "I declared myself very able to walk, and begged that I might\naccompany them.", "\"What say you, Lady Louisa,\" cried Mrs. Beaumont,\n\"to a stroll in the garden?\"", "\"Me, Ma'am!-I declare I can't stir a step; the heat is so excessive,\nit would kill me.", "I'm half dead with it already; besides, I shall\nhave no time to dress.", "Will any body be here to-day, Ma'am?\"", "\"I believe not, unless Lord Merton will favour us with his company.\"", "\"With great pleasure, Madam.\"", "\"Well, I declare you don't deserve to be asked,\" cried Lady Louisa,\n\"you wicked creature you!-I must tell you one thing, Ma'am,-you\ncan't think how abominable he was!", "do you know we met Mr. Lovel in\nhis new phaeton, and my Lord was so cruel as to drive against it?-we\nreally flew.", "I declare I could not breathe.", "Upon my word, my Lord,\nI'll never trust myself with you again,-I won't indeed.\"", "We then went into the garden, leaving them to discuss the point at\ntheir leisure.", "Do you remember a pretty but affected young lady I mentioned to\nhave seen, in Lord Orville's party, at the Pantheon?", "How little did\nI then imagine her to be his sister!", "yet Lady Louisa Larpent is the\nvery person.", "I can now account for the piqued manner of her speaking\nto Lord Merton that evening, and I can now account for the air of\ndispleasure with which Lord Orville marked the undue attention of\nhis future brother-in-law to me.", "We had not walked long, ere, at a distance, I perceived Lord Orville,\nwho seemed just dismounted from his horse, enter the garden.", "All\nmy perturbation returned at the sight of him!-yet I endeavoured to\nrepress every feeling but resentment.", "As he approached us, he bowed to\nthe whole party; but I turned away my head to avoid taking any share\nin his civility.", "Addressing himself immediately to Mrs. Beaumont, he\nwas beginning to enquire after his sister: but, upon seeing my face,\nhe suddenly exclaimed, \"Miss Anville!-\" and then he advanced, and made\nhis compliments to me,-not with an air of vanity or impertinence, nor\nyet with a look of consciousness or shame;-but with a countenance open,\nmanly, and charming!-with a smile that indicated pleasure, and eyes\nthat sparkled with delight!-on my side was all that consciousness;\nfor by him, I really believe, the letter was, at that moment,\nentirely forgotten.", "With what politeness did he address me!", "with what sweetness did\nhe look at me!", "the very tone of his voice seemed flattering!", "he\ncongratulated himself upon his good fortune in meeting with me;-hoped\nI should spend some time in Bristol, and enquired, even with anxiety\nenquired, if my health was the cause of my journey; in which case\nhis satisfaction would be converted into apprehension.", "Yet, struck as I was with his manner, and charmed to find him such\nas he was wont to be, imagine not, my dear Sir, that I forgot the\nresentment I owe him, or the cause he has given me of displeasure;\nno, my behaviour was such, as I hope, had you seen, you would not\nhave disapproved: I was grave and distant; I scarce looked at him\nwhen he spoke, or answered him when he was silent.", "As he must certainly observe this alteration in my conduct, I think it\ncould not fail making him both recollect and repent the provocation\nhe had so causelessly given me; for surely he was not so wholly lost\nto reason, as to be now ignorant he had ever offended me.", "The moment that, without absolute rudeness, I was able, I turned\nentirely from him, and asked Mrs. Selwyn if we should not be late\nhome?", "How Lord Orville looked I know not, for I avoided meeting his\neyes; but he did not speak another word as we proceeded to the garden\ngate.", "Indeed, I believe, my abruptness surprised him, for he did not\nseem to expect I had so much spirit.", "And, to own the truth, convinced\nas I was of the propriety, nay, necessity, of showing my displeasure,\nI yet almost hated myself for receiving his politeness so ungraciously.", "When we were taking leave, my eyes accidentally meeting his, I could\nnot but observe that his gravity equalled my own; for it had entirely\ntaken place of the smiles and good humour with which he had met me.", "\"I am afraid this young lady,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, \"is too weak for\nanother long walk till she is again rested.\"", "\"If the ladies will trust to my driving,\" said Lord Orville, \"and\nare not afraid of a phaeton, mine shall be ready in a moment.\"", "\"You are very good, my Lord, \"said Mrs. Selwyn, \"but my will is yet\nunsigned, and I don't choose to venture in a phaeton with a young\nman while that is the case.\"", "\"O,\" cried Mrs. Beaumont, \"you need not be afraid of my Lord Orville,\nfor he is remarkably careful.\"", "\"Well, Miss Anville,\" answered she, \"what say you?\"", "\"Indeed,\" cried I, \"I had much rather walk-.\"", "But then, looking at\nLord Orville, I perceived in his face a surprise so serious at my\nabrupt refusal, that I could not forbear adding, \"for I should be\nsorry to occasion so much trouble.\"", "Lord Orville, brightening at these words, came forward, and pressed\nhis offer in a manner not to be denied;-so the phaeton was ordered!", "And\nindeed, my dear Sir,-I know not how it was;-but, from that moment, my\ncoldness and reserve insensibly wore away!", "You must not be angry,-it\nwas my intention, nay, my endeavour, to support them with firmness:\nbut when I formed the plan, I thought only of the letter,-not of Lord\nOrville!-and how is it possible for resentmen to subsist without\nprovocation?", "yet, believe me, my dearest Sir, had he sustained the\npart he began to act when he wrote this ever-to-be-regretted letter,\nyour Evelina would have not forfeited her title to your esteem,\nby contentedly submitting to be treated with indignity.", "We continued in the garden till the phaeton was ready.", "When we parted\nfrom Mrs. Beaumont, she repeated her invitation to Mrs. Selwyn to\naccept an apartment in her house; but the reason I have already\nmentioned made it be again declined.", "Lord Orville drove very slow, and so cautiously, that, notwithstanding\nthe height of the phaeton, fear would have been ridiculous.", "I supported\nno part in the conversation; but Mrs. Selwyn extremely well supplied\nthe place of two.", "Lord Orville himself did not speak much; but the\nexcellent sense and refined good-breeding which accompany every word\nhe utters, give value and weight to whatever he says.", "\"I suppose, my Lord,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, when we stopped at our\nlodgings, \"you would have been extremely confused had we met any\ngentlemen who have the honour of knowing you.\"", "\"If I had,\" answered he, gallantly, \"it would have been from mere\ncompassion at their envy.\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" answered she, \"it would have been from mere shame,\nthat, in an age so daring, you alone should be such a coward as to\nforbear to frighten women.\"", "\"O,\" cried he, laughing, \"when a man is in a fright for himself,\nthe ladies cannot but be in security; for you have not had half the\napprehension for the safety of your persons, that I have for that\nof my heart.\"", "He then alighted, handed us out, took leave, and again\nmounting the phaeton, was out of sight in a minute.", "\"Certainly,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, when he was gone, \"there must have\nbeen some mistake in the birth of that young man; he was, undoubtedly,\ndesigned for the last age; for he is really polite!\"", "And now, my dear Sir, do not you think, according to the present\nsituation of affairs, I may give up my resentment, without imprudence\nor impropriety?", "I hope you will not blame me.", "Indeed, had you, like\nme, seen his respectful behaviour, you would have been convinced of\nthe impracticability of supporting any further indignation.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXIV.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Bristol Hotwells, Sept. 19th.", "YESTERDAY morning Mrs. Selwyn received a card from Mrs. Beaumont,\nto ask her to dine with her to-day: and another, to the same purpose,\ncame to me.", "The invitation was accepted, and we are but just arrived\nfrom Clifton Hill.", "We found Mrs. Beaumont alone in the parlour.", "I will write you\nthe character of that lady, in the words of our satirical friend\nMrs. Selwyn.", "\"She is an absolute Court Calendar bigot; for, chancing\nherself to be born of a noble and ancient family, she thinks proper to\nbe of opinion, that birth and virtue are one and the same thing.", "She\nhas some good qualities; but they rather originate from pride than\nprinciple, as she piques herself upon being too high-born to be\ncapable of an unworthy action, and thinks it incumbent upon her\nto support the dignity of her ancestry.", "Fortunately for the world\nin general, she has taken it into her head, that condescension is\nthe most distinguishing virtue of high life; so that the same pride\nof family which renders others imperious, is with her the motive of\naffability.", "But her civility is too formal to be comfortable, and too\nmechanical to be flattering.", "That she does me the honour of so much\nnotice, is merely owing to an accident, which, I am sure, is very\npainful to her remembrance; for it so happened, that I once did her\nsome service, in regard to an apartment at Southampton; and I have\nsince been informed, that, at the time she accepted my assistance,\nshe thought I was a woman of quality; and I make no doubt but she was\nmiserable when she discovered me to be a mere country gentlewoman:\nhowever, her nice notions of decorum have made her load me with\nfavours ever since.", "But I am not much flattered by her civilities,\nas I am convinced I owe them neither to attachment nor gratitude;\nbut solely to a desire of cancelling an obligation, which she cannot\nbrook being under, to one whose name is no where to be found in the\nCourt Calendar.\"", "You well know, my dear Sir, the delight this lady takes in giving\nway to her satirical humour.", "Mrs. Beaumont received us very graciously, though she some what\ndistressed me by the questions she asked concerning my family;-such\nas, Whether I was related to the Anvilles in the North?-Whether some\nof my name did not live in Lincolnshire?", "and many other inquiries,\nwhich much embarrassed me.", "The conversation next turned upon the intended marriage in her\nfamily.", "She treated the subject with reserve; but it was evident\nshe disapproved Lady Louisa's choice.", "She spoke in terms of the\nhighest esteem of Lord Orville, calling him, in Marmontel's words,\n\"Un jeune homme comme il y en a peu.\"", "I did not think this conversation very agreeably interrupted by the\nentrance of Mr. Lovel.", "Indeed I am heartily sorry he is now at the\nHot Wells.", "He made his compliments with the most obsequious respect\nto Mrs. Beaumont, but took no sort of notice of any other person.", "In a few minutes Lady Louisa Larpent made her appearance.", "The same\nmanners prevailed; for, courtsying, with \"I hope you are well, Ma'am,\"\nto Mrs. Beaumont, she passed straight forward to her seat on the\nsofa; where, leaning her head on her hand, she cast her languishing\neyes round the room, with a vacant stare, as if determined, though\nshe looked, not to see who was in it.", "Mr. Lovel, presently approaching her, with reverence the most profound,\nhoped her Ladyship was not indisposed.", "\"Mr.", "Lovel!\"", "cried she, raising her head, \"I declare I did not see you:\nhave you been here long?\"", "\"By my watch, Madam,\" said he, \"only five minutes,-but by your\nLadyship's absence as many hours.\"", "\"O!", "now I think of it,\" cried she, \"I am very angry with you;-so go\nalong, do; for I sha'n't speak to you all day.\"", "\"Heaven forbid your La'ship's displeasure should last so long!", "in\nsuch cruel circumstances, a day would seem an age.", "But in what have\nI been so unfortunate as to offend?\"", "\"O, you half killed me the other morning, with terror!", "I have not yet\nrecovered from my fright.", "How could you be so cruel as to drive your\nphaeton against my Lord Merton's?\"", "\"'Pon honour, Ma'am, your La'ship does me wrong;-it was all owing\nto the horses,-there was no curbing them.", "I protest I suffered more\nthan your Ladyship, from the terror of alarming you.\"", "Just then entered Lord Merton; stalking up to Mrs. Beaumont, to\nwhom alone he bowed, he hoped he had not made her wait; and then,\nadvancing to Lady Louisa, said, in a careless manner, \"How is your\nLadyship this morning?\"", "\"Not well at all,\" answered she; \"I have been dying with the head-ache\never since I got up.\"", "\"Indeed!\"", "cried he, with a countenance wholly unmoved, \"I am very\nunhappy to hear it.", "But should not your Ladyship have some advice?\"", "\"I am quite sick of advice,\" answered she, \"Mr. Ridgeway has but just\nleft me,-but he has done me no good.", "Nobody here knows what is the\nmatter with me, yet they all see how indifferent I am.\"", "\"Your Ladyship's constitution,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"is infinitely\ndelicate.\"", "\"Indeed it is,\" cried she, in a low voice, \"I am nerve all over!\"", "\"I am glad, however,\" said Lord Merton, \"that you did not take the\nair this morning, for Coverley has been driving against me as if he\nwas mad: he has got two of the finest spirited horses I ever saw.\"", "\"Pray my Lord,\" cried she, \"why did not you bring Mr. Coverley with\nyou?", "he's a droll creature; I like him monstrously.\"", "\"Why, he promised to be here as soon as me.", "I suppose he'll come\nbefore dinner's over.\"", "In the midst of this trifling conversation Lord Orville made his\nappearance.", "O how different was his address!", "how superior did he look\nand move, to all about him!", "Having paid his respects to Mrs. Beaumont,\nand then to Mrs. Selwyn, he came up to me, and said, \"I hope Miss\nAnville has not suffered from the fatigue of Monday morning?\"", "Then,\nturning to Lady Louisa, who seemed rather surprised at his speaking\nto me, he added, \"Give me leave, sister, to introduce Miss Anville\nto you.\"", "Lady Louisa, half-rising, said, very coldly, that she should be glad\nof the honour of knowing me; and then, abruptly turning to Lord Merton\nand Mr. Lovel, continued, in a half-whisper, her conversation.", "For my part, I had risen and courtsied, and now, feeling very foolish,\nI seated myself again: first I blushed at the unexpected politeness\nof Lord Orville, and immediately afterwards at the contemptuous\nfailure of it in his sister.", "How can that young lady see her brother\nso universally admired for his manners and deportment, and yet be\nso unamiably opposite to him in hers!", "but while his mind, enlarged\nand noble, rises superior to the little prejudices of rank, hers,\nfeeble and unsteady, sinks beneath their influence.", "Lord Orville, I am sure, was hurt and displeased: he bit his lips, and,\nturning from her, addressed himself wholly to me, till we were summoned\nto dinner.", "Do you think I was not grateful for his attention?", "yes,\nindeed, and every angry idea I had entertained was totally obliterated.", "As we were seating ourselves at the table, Mr. Coverley came into the\nroom; he made a thousand apologies in a breath for being so late,\nbut said he had been retarded by a little accident, for that he\nhad overturned his phaeton, and broke it all to pieces.", "Lady Louisa\nscreamed at this intelligence, and, looking at Lord Merton, declared\nshe would never go into a phaeton again.", "\"O,\" cried he, \"never mind Jack Coverley; for he does not know how\nto drive.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"I'll drive against you for a thousand\npounds.\"", "\"Done!\"", "returned the other; \"name your day, and we'll each choose\na judge.\"", "\"The sooner the better,\" cried Mr. Coverley; \"to-morrow, if the\ncarriage can be repaired.\"", "\"These enterprises,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"are very proper for men\nof rank, since 'tis a million to one but both parties will be\nincapacitated for any better employment.\"", "\"For Heaven's sake,\" cried Lady Louisa, changing colour, \"don't talk\nso shockingly!", "Pray, my Lord, pray, Mr. Coverley, don't alarm me in\nthis manner.\"", "\"Compose yourself, Lady Louisa,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, \"the gentlemen\nwill think better of the scheme; they are neither of them in earnest.\"", "\"The very mention of such a scheme,\" said Lady Louisa, taking out\nher salts, \"makes me tremble all over!", "Indeed, my Lord, you have\nfrightened me to death!", "I sha'n't eat a morsel of dinner.\"", "\"Permit me,\" said Lord Orville, \"to propose some other subject for\nthe present, and we will discuss this matter another time.\"", "\"Pray, brother, excuse me; my Lord must give me his word to drop the\nproject,-for I declare it has made me sick as death.\"", "\"To compromise the matter,\" said Lord Orville, \"suppose, if both\nparties are unwilling to give up the bet, that, to make the ladies\neasy, we change its object to something less dangerous?\"", "This proposal was so strongly seconded by all the party, that both\nLord Merton and Mr. Coverley were obliged to comply with it; and it was\nthen agreed that the affair should be finally settled in the afternoon.", "\"I shall now be entirely out of conceit with phaetons again,\" said\nMrs. Selwyn, \"though Lord Orville had almost reconciled me to them.\"", "\"My Lord Orville!\"", "cried the witty Mr. Coverley, \"why, my Lord Orville\nis as careful,-egad, as careful as an old woman!", "Why, I'd drive a\none-horse cart against my Lord's phaeton for a hundred guineas!\"", "This sally occasioned much laughter; for Mr. Coverley, I find, is\nregarded as a man of infinite humour.", "\"Perhaps, Sir,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"you have not discovered the reason\nmy Lord Orville is so careful?\"", "\"Why, no, Ma'am; I must own I never heard any particular reason\nfor it.\"", "\"Why, then, Sir, I'll tell it you; and I believe you will confess it to\nbe very particular; his Lordship's friends are not yet tired of him.\"", "Lord Orville laughed and bowed.", "Mr. Coverley, a little confused, turned\nto Lord Merton, and said, \"No foul play, my Lord!", "I remember your\nLordship recommended me to the notice of this lady the other morning,\nand, egad, I believe you have been doing me the same office to-day.\"", "\"Give you joy, Jack!\"", "cried Lord Merton, with a loud laugh.", "After this the conversation turned wholly upon eating, a subject\nwhich was discussed with the utmost delight; and, had I not known\nthey were men of rank and fashion, I should have imagined that Lord\nMerton, Mr. Lovel, and Mr. Coverley, had all been professed cooks;\nfor they displayed so much knowledge of sauces and made-dishes,\nand of the various methods of dressing the same things, that I am\npersuaded they must have given much time, and much study, to make\nthemselves such adepts in this art.", "It would be very difficult to\ndetermine, whether they were most to be distinguished as gluttons or\nepicures; for they were, at once, dainty and voracious, understood the\nright and the wrong of every dish, and alike emptied the one and the\nother.", "I should have been quite sick of their remarks, had I not been\nentertained by seeing that Lord Orville, who, I am sure, was equally\ndisgusted, not only read my sentiments, but, by his countenance,\ncommunicated to me his own.", "When dinner was over, Mrs. Beaumont recommended the gentlemen to the\ncare of Lord Orville, and then attended the ladies to the drawing-room.", "The conversation, till tea-time, was extremely insipid; Mrs. Selwyn\nreserved herself for the gentlemen, Mrs. Beaumont was grave, and Lady\nLouisa languid.", "But, at tea, every body revived; we were joined by the gentlemen,\nand gaiety took the place of dullness.", "Since I, as Mr. Lovel says, am Nobody, I seated myself quietly at a\nwindow, and not very near to any body: Lord Merton, Mr. Coverley,\nand Mr. Lovel, severally passed me without notice, and surrounded\nthe chair of Lady Louisa Larpent.", "I must own, I was rather piqued at\nthe behaviour of Mr. Lovel, as he had formerly known me.", "It is true,\nI most sincerely despise his foppery; yet I should be grieved to meet\nwith contempt from any body.", "But I was by no means sorry to find,\nthat Lord Merton was determined not to know me before Lady Louisa,\nas his neglect relieved me from much embarrassment.", "As to Mr.\nCoverley, his attention or disregard were equally indifferent to\nme.", "Yet, altogether, I feel extremely uncomfortable in finding myself\nconsidered in a light very inferior to the rest of the company.", "But when Lord Orville appeared, the scene changed: he came up stairs\nlast; and, seeing me sit alone, not only spoke to me directly, but\ndrew a chair next mine, and honoured me with his entire attention.", "He enquired very particularly after my health, and hoped I had already\nfound benefit from the Bristol air.", "\"How little did I imagine,\"\nadded he, \"when I had last the pleasure of seeing you in town, that\nill health would in so short a time have brought you hither!", "I am\nashamed of myself for the satisfaction I feel at seeing you,-yet,\nhow can I help it?\"", "He then enquired after the Mirvan family, and spoke of Mrs. Mirvan\nin terms of most just praise.", "\"She is gentle and amiable,\" said he,\n\"a true feminine character.\"", "\"Yes, indeed,\" answered I: \"and her sweet daughter, to say every\nthing of her at once, is just the daughter such a mother deserves.\"", "\"I am glad of it,\" said he, \"for both their sakes, as such near\nrelations must always reflect credit or disgrace on each other.\"", "After this he began to speak of the beauties of Clifton; but,\nin a few moments, he was interrupted by a call from the company,\nto discuss the affair of the wager.", "Lord Merton and Mr. Coverley,\nthough they had been discoursing upon the subject some time, could\nnot fix upon the thing that satisfied them both.", "When they asked the assistance of Lord Orville, he proposed that every\nbody present should vote something; and that the two gentlemen should\ndraw lots which, from the several votes, should decide the bet.", "\"We must then begin with the ladies,\" said Lord Orville; and applied\nto Mrs. Selwyn.", "\"With all my heart,\" answered she, with her usual readiness; \"and,\nsince the gentlemen are not allowed to risk their necks, suppose we\ndecide the bet by their heads?\"", "\"By our heads?\"", "cried Mr. Coverley.", "\"Egad, I don't understand you.\"", "\"I will then explain myself more fully.", "As I doubt not but you are\nboth excellent classics, suppose, for the good of your own memories,\nand the entertainment and surprise of the company, the thousand pounds\nshould fall to the share of him who can repeat by heart the longest\node of Horace?\"", "Nobody could help laughing, the two gentlemen applied to excepted;\nwho seemed, each of them, rather at a loss in what manner to receive\nthis unexpected proposal.", "At length Mr. Coverley, bowing low, said,\n\"Will your Lordship please to begin?\"", "\"Devil take me if I do!\"", "answered he, turning on his heel, and stalking\nto the window.", "\"Come, gentlemen,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"why do you hesitate?", "I am sure\nyou cannot be afraid of a weak woman?", "Besides, if you should chance to\nbe out, Mr. Lovel, I dare say, will have the goodness to assist you.\"", "The laugh now turned against Mr. Lovel, whose change of countenance\nmanifested no great pleasure at the transition.", "\"Me, Madam!\"", "said he, colouring; \"no, really I must beg to be excused.\"", "\"Why so, Sir?\"", "\"Why so, Ma'am!-Why, really-as to that,-'pon honour, Ma'am, you\nare rather-a little severe;-for how is it possible for a man who\nis in the house, to study the classics?", "I assure you, Ma'am, (with\nan affected shrug) I find quite business enough for my poor head in\nstudying politics.\"", "\"But, did you study politics at school, and at the university?\"", "\"At the university!\"", "repeated he, with an embarrassed look; \"why,\nas to that, Ma'am,-no, I can't say I did; but then, what with\nriding,-and -and-and so forth,-really, one has not much time, even\nat the university, for mere reading.\"", "\"But, to be sure, Sir, you have read the classics?\"", "\"O dear, yes, Ma'am!-very often,-but not very-not very lately.\"", "\"Which of the Odes do you recommend to these gentlemen to begin with?\"", "\"Which of the Odes!-Really, Ma'am, as to that, I have no very\nparticular choice;-for, to own the truth, that Horace was never a\nvery great favourite with me.\"", "\"In truth I believe you!\"", "said Mrs. Selwyn, very drily.", "Lord Merton, again advancing into the circle, with a nod and a laugh,\nsaid, \"Give you joy, Lovel!\"", "Lord Orville next applied to Mrs. Beaumont for her vote.", "\"It would very agreeably remind me of past times,\" said she, \"when\nbowing was in fashion, if the bet was to depend upon the best made\nbow.\"", "\"Egad, my Lord,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"there I should beat you hollow,\nfor your Lordship never bows at all.\"", "\"And pray, Sir, do you?\"", "said Mrs. Selwyn.", "\"Do I, Ma'am?\"", "cried he; \"why, only see!\"", "\"I protest,\" cried she, \"I should have taken that for a shrug, if\nyou had not told me 'twas a bow.\"", "\"My lord,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"let's practise;\" and then, most\nridiculously, they pranced about the room, making bows.", "\"We must now,\" said Lord Orville, turning to me, \"call upon Miss\nAnville.\"", "\"O no, my Lord,\" cried I; \"indeed I have nothing to propose.\"", "He would\nnot, however, be refused; but urged me so much to say something, that\nat last, not to make him wait any longer, I ventured to propose an\nextempore couplet upon some given subject.", "Mr. Coverley instantly\nmade me a bow, or, according to Mrs. Selwyn, a shrug, crying,\n\"Thank you, Ma'am; egad, that's my forte!-why, my Lord, the Fates\nseem against you.\"", "Lady Louisa was then applied to; and every body seemed eager to\nhear her opinion.", "\"I don't know what to say, I declare,\" cried she,\naffectedly; \"can't you pass me?\"", "\"By no means,\" said Lord Merton.", "\"Is it possible your Ladyship can make so cruel a request?\"", "said\nMr. Lovel.", "\"Egad,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"if your Ladyship does not help us in\nthis dilemma, we shall be forced to return to our phaetons.\"", "\"Oh!\"", "cried Lady Louisa, screaming; \"you frightful creature, you,\nhow can you be so abominable?\"", "I believe this trifling lasted near half an hour; when at length,\nevery body being tired, it was given up, and she said she would\nconsider against another time.", "Lord Orville now called upon Mr. Lovel; who, after about ten minutes'\ndeliberation, proposed, with a most important face, to determine the\nwager by who should draw the longest straw!", "I had much difficulty to forbear laughing at this unmeaning scheme;\nbut saw, to my great surprise, not the least change of countenance in\nany other person: and, since we came home, Mrs. Selwyn has informed me,\nthat to draw straws is a fashion of betting by no means uncommon.", "Good\nGod!", "my dear Sir, does it not seem as if money were of no value or\nservice, since those who possess, squander it away in a manner so\ninfinitely absurd?", "It now only remained for Lord Orville to speak; and the attention of\nthe company showed the expectations he had raised; yet, I believe, they\nby no means prevented his proposal from being heard with amazement;\nfor it was no other, than that the money should be his due, who,\naccording to the opinion of the judges, should bring the worthiest\nobject with whom to share it!", "They all stared, without speaking.", "Indeed, I believe every one, for a\nmoment at least, experienced something like shame, from having either\nproposed or countenanced an extravagance so useless and frivolous.", "For\nmy part, I was so much struck and affected by a rebuke so noble to\nthese spendthrifts, that I felt my eyes filled with tears.", "The short silence and momentary reflection into which the company was\nsurprised, Mr. Coverley was the first to dispel, by saying, \"Egad,\nmy Lord, your Lordship has a most remarkable odd way of taking things.\"", "\"Faith,\" said the incorrigible Lord Merton, \"if this scheme takes, I\nshall fix upon my Swiss to share with me; for I don't know a worthier\nfellow breathing.\"", "After a few more of these attempts at wit, the two gentlemen agreed\nthat they would settle the affair the next morning.", "The conversation then took a different turn; but I did not give it\nsufficient attention to write any account of it.", "Not long after,\nLord Orville, resuming his seat near mine, said, \"Why is Miss Anville\nso thoughtful?\"", "\"I am sorry, my Lord,\" said I, \"to consider myself among those who\nhave so justly incurred your censure.\"", "\"My censure!-you amaze me!\"", "\"Indeed, my Lord, you have made me quite ashamed of myself for having\ngiven my vote so foolishly, when an opportunity offered, if, like your\nLordship, I had had the sense to use it, of showing some humanity.\"", "\"You treat this too seriously,\" said he, smiling; \"and I hardly know\nif you do not now mean a rebuke to me.\"", "\"To you, my Lord!\"", "\"Nay, who are most deserving of it; those who adapt their conversation\nto the company, or those who affect to be superior to it?\"", "\"O, my Lord, who else would do you so little justice?\"", "\"I flatter myself,\" answered he, \"that, in fact, your opinion and\nmine, in this point, are the same, though you condescended to comply\nwith the humour of the company.", "It is for me, therefore, to apologize\nfor so unseasonable a gravity, which, but for the particular interest\nthat I now take in the affairs of Lord Merton, I should not have been\nso officious to display.\"", "Such a compliment as this could not fail to reconcile me to myself;\nand with revived spirits, I entered into a conversation, which he\nsupported with me till Mrs. Selwyn's carriage was announced; and we\nreturned home.", "During our ride, Mrs. Selwyn very much surprised me, by asking, if\nI thought my health would now permit me to give up my morning walks\nto the pump-room, for the purpose of spending a week at Clifton?", "\"for\nthis poor Mrs. Beaumont,\" added she, \"is so eager to have a discharge\nin full of her debt to me, that out of mere compassion, I am induced\nto listen to her.", "Besides, she has always a house full of people;\nand, though they are chiefly fools and cox-combs, yet there is some\npleasure in cutting them up.\"", "I begged I might not, by any means, prevent her following her\ninclination, as my health was now very well established.", "And so, my\ndear Sir, to-morrow we are to be actually the guests of Mrs. Beaumont.", "I am not much delighted at this scheme; for, greatly as I am flattered\nby the attention of Lord Orville, it is not very comfortable to\nbe neglected by every body else.", "Besides, as I am sure I owe the\nparticularity of his civility to a generous feeling for my situation,\nI cannot expect him to support it so long as a week.", "How often do I wish, since I am absent from you, that I was under the\nprotection of Mrs. Mirvan!", "It is true, Mrs. Selwyn is very obliging,\nand, in every respect, treats me as an equal; but she is contented with\nbehaving well herself, and does not, with a distinguishing politeness,\nraise and support me with others.", "Yet I mean not to blame her, for I\nknow she is sincerely my friend; but the fact is, she is herself so\nmuch occupied in conversation, when in company, that she has neither\nleisure nor thought to attend to the silent.", "Well, I must take my chance!", "But I knew not, till now, how requisite\nare birth and fortune to the attainment of respect and civility.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXV.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Sept. 20th.", "HERE I am, my dear Sir, under the same roof, and an inmate of the\nsame house as Lord Orville!", "Indeed, if this were not the case, my\nsituation would be very disagreeable, as you will easily believe,\nwhen I tell you the light in which I am generally considered.", "\"My dear,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"did you ever before meet with that\negregious fop, Lovel?\"", "I very readily satisfied her as to my acquaintance with him.", "\"O, then,\" said she, \"I am the less surprised at his ill-nature,\nsince he has already injured you.\"", "I begged her to explain herself; and then she told me, that while\nLord Orville was speaking to me, Lady Louisa said to Mr. Lovel,\n\"Do you know who that is?\"", "\"Why, Ma'am, no, 'pon honour,\" answered he, \"I can't absolutely say\nI do; I only know she is a kind of a toad-eater.", "She made her first\nappearance in that capacity last spring, when she attended Miss Mirvan,\na young lady of Kent.\"", "How cruel is it, my dear Sir, to be thus exposed to the impertinent\nsuggestions of a man who is determined to do me ill offices!", "Lady\nLouisa may well despise a toad-eater; but, thank Heaven,\nher brother has not heard, or does not credit, the mortifying\nappellation.", "Mrs. Selwyn said, she would advise me to pay my court\nto this Mr. Lovel; \"for,\" said she, \"though he is malicious, he is\nfashionable, and may do you some harm in the great world.\"", "But I\nshould disdain myself as much as I do him, were I capable of such\nduplicity as to flatter a man whom I scorn and despise.", "We were received by Mrs. Beaumont with great civility, and by Lord\nOrville with something more.", "As to Lady Louisa, she scarcely perceived\nthat we were in the room.", "There has been company here all day, part of which I have spent most\nhappily: for after tea, when the ladies played at cards, Lord Orville,\nwho does not, and I, who cannot play, were consequently at our own\ndisposal; and then his Lordship entered into a conversation with me,\nwhich lasted till supper-time.", "Almost insensibly, I find the constraint, the reserve, I have been wont\nto feel in his presence, wear away; the politeness, the sweetness,\nwith which he speaks to me, restore all my natural cheerfulness,\nand make me almost as easy as he is himself;-and the more so, as,\nif I may judge by his looks, I am rather raised, than sunk of late\nin his opinion.", "I asked him how the bet was, at last, to be decided?", "He told me that,\nto his great satisfaction, the parties had been prevailed upon to\nlower the sum from one thousand to one hundred pounds; and that they\nhad agreed it should be determined by a race between two old women,\none of whom was to be chosen by each side, and both were to be proved\nmore than eighty years of age, though, in other respects strong and\nhealthy as possible.", "When I expressed my surprise at this extraordinary method of spending\nso much money, \"I am charmed,\" said he, \"at the novelty of meeting\nwith one so unhackneyed in the world, as not to be yet influenced\nby custom to forget the use of reason: for certain it is, that the\nprevalence of fashion makes the greatest absurdities pass uncensured,\nand the mind naturally accommodates itself even to the most ridiculous\nimproprieties, if they occur frequently.\"", "\"I should have hoped,\" said I, \"that the humane proposal made yesterday\nby your Lordship, would have had more effect.\"", "\"O,\" cried he, laughing, \"I was so far from expecting any success,\nthat I shall think myself very fortunate if I escape the wit of\nMr. Coverley in a lampoon!", "yet I spoke openly, because I do not wish\nto conceal that I am no friend to gaming.\"", "After this, he took up the New Bath Guide, and read it with me till\nsupper-time.", "In our way down stairs, Lady Louisa said, \"I thought,\nbrother, you were engaged this evening?\"", "\"Yes, sister,\" answered he, \"and I have been engaged.\"", "And he bowed\nto me with an air of gallantry that rather confused me.", "Sept. 23rd.", "Almost insensibly have three days glided on since I wrote last, and so\nserenely, that, but for your absence, I could not have formed a wish.", "My residence here is much happier than I had dared expect.", "The\nattention with which Lord Orville honours me, is as uniform as it\nis flattering, and seems to result from a benevolence of heart that\nproves him as much a stranger to caprice as to pride; for, as his\nparticular civilities arose from a generous resentment at seeing me\nneglected, so will they, I trust, continue, as long as I shall, in\nany degree, deserve them.", "I am now not merely easy, but even gay in\nhis presence: such is the effect of true politeness, that it banishes\nall restraint and embarrassment.", "When we walk out, he condescends\nto be my companion, and keeps by my side all the way we go.", "When we\nread, he marks the passages most worthy to be noticed, draws out my\nsentiments, and favours me with his own.", "At table, where he always\nsits next to me, he obliges me by a thousand nameless attentions;\nwhile the distinguishing good-breeding with which he treats me,\nprevents my repining at the visibly-felt superiority of the rest of\nthe company.", "A thousand occasional meetings could not have brought\nus to that degree of social freedom, which four days spent under\nthe same roof have, insensibly, been productive of: and, as my only\nfriend in this house, Mrs. Selwyn, is too much engrossed in perpetual\nconversation to attend much to me, Lord Orville seems to regard me\nas a helpless stranger, and, as such, to think me entitled to his\ngood offices and protection.", "Indeed, my dear Sir, I have reason to\nhope, that the depreciating opinion he formerly entertained of me is\nsucceeded by one infinitely more partial.-It may be that I flatter\nmyself; but yet his looks, his attentions, his desire of drawing\nme into conversation, and his solicitude to oblige me, all conspire\nto make me hope I do not.", "In short, my dearest Sir, these last four\nhappy days would repay me for months of sorrow and pain!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXVI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Sept. 24th.", "THIS morning I came down stairs very early; and supposing that the\nfamily would not assemble for some time, I strolled out, purposing\nto take a long walk, in the manner I was wont to do at Berry Hill,\nbefore breakfast: but I had scarce shut the garden-gate, before I\nwas met by a gentleman, who, immediately bowing to me, I recollected\nto be the unhappy Mr. Macartney.", "Very much surprised, I courtsied,\nand stopped till he came up to me.", "He was still in mourning, but\nlooked better than when I saw him last, though he had the same air\nof melancholy which so much struck me at first sight of him.", "Addressing me with the utmost respect, \"I am happy, Madam,\" said he,\n\"to have met with you so soon.", "I came to Bristol but yesterday,\nand have had no small difficulty in tracing you to Clifton.\"", "\"Did you know, then, of my being here?\"", "\"I did, Madam; the sole motive of my journey was to see you.", "I have\nbeen to Berry Hill, and there I had my intelligence, and, at the same\ntime, the unwelcome information of your ill health.\"", "\"Good God!", "Sir,-and can you possibly have taken so much trouble?\"", "\"Trouble!", "O, Madam, could there be any, to return you, the moment I\nhad the power, my personal acknowledgments for your goodness?\"", "I then enquired after Madame Duval and the Snow-Hill family.", "He told\nme they were all well, and that Madame Duval proposed soon returning\nto Paris.", "When I congratulated him on looking better, \"It is yourself,\nMadam,\" said he, \"you should congratulate; for to your humanity alone\nit may now be owing that I exist at all.\"", "He then told me, that his\naffairs were now in a less desperate situation; and that he hoped, by\nthe assistance of time and reason, to accommodate his mind to a more\ncheerful submission to his fate.", "\"The interest you so generously took\nin my affliction,\" added he, \"assures me you will not be displeased to\nhear of my better fortune; I was therefore eager to acquaint you with\nit.\"", "He then told me that his friend, the moment he had received his\nletter, quitted Paris, and flew to give him his personal assistance and\nconsolation.", "With a heavy heart, he acknowledged, he accepted it; \"but\nyet,\" he added, \"I have accepted it; and therefore, as bound equally\nby duty and honour, my first step was to hasten to the benefactress\nof my distress, and to return\" (presenting me something in a paper)\n\"the only part of my obligations that can be returned; for the rest,\nI have nothing but my gratitude to offer, and must always be contented\nto consider myself her debtor.\"", "I congratulated him most sincerely upon his dawning prosperity, but\nbegged he would not deprive me of the pleasure of being his friend;\nand declined receiving the money, till his affairs were more settled.", "While this point was in agitation, I heard Lord Orville's voice\ninquiring of the gardener if he had seen me?", "I immediately opened the\ngarden gate; and his Lordship, advancing to me with quickness, said,\n\"Good God!", "Miss Anville, have you been out alone?", "Breakfast has been\nready some time, and I have been round the garden in search of you.\"", "\"Your Lordship has been very good,\" said I; \"but I hope you have\nnot waited.\"", "\"Not waited!\"", "repeated he, smiling: \"Do you think we could sit down\nquietly to breakfast, with the idea that you had run away from us?", "But\ncome,\" (offering to hand me) \"if we do not return, they will suppose\nI am run away too; and they very naturally may, as they know the\nattraction of the magnet that draws me.\"", "\"I will come, my Lord,\" said I, rather embarrassed, \"in two\nminutes.\"", "Then, turning to Mr. Macartney, with yet more embarrassment,\nI wished him good morning.", "He advanced towards the garden, with the paper still in his hand.", "\"No, no,\" cried I, \"some other time.\"", "\"May I then, Madam, have the honour of seeing you again?\"", "I did not dare take the liberty of inviting any body to the house\nof Mrs. Beaumont, nor yet had I the presence of mind to make an\nexcuse; and, therefore, not knowing how to refuse him, I said,\n\"Perhaps you may be this way again to-morrow morning,-and I believe\nI shall walk out before breakfast.\"", "He bowed, and went away; while I, turning again to Lord Orville,\nsaw his countenance so much altered, that I was frightened at what I\nhad so hastily said.", "He did not again offer me his hand; but walked,\nsilent and slow, by my side.", "Good Heaven!", "thought I, what may he not\nsuppose from this adventure?", "May he not, by my desire of meeting\nMr. Macartney to-morrow, imagine it was by design I walked out to\nmeet him to-day?", "Tormented by this apprehension, I determined to\navail myself of the freedom which his behaviour, since I came hither,\nhas encouraged; and, since he would not ask any questions, begin\nan explanation myself.", "I therefore slackened my pace to gain time;\nand then said, \"Was not your Lordship surprised to see me speaking\nwith a stranger?\"", "\"A stranger?\"", "repeated he; \"is it possible that gentleman can be a\nstranger to you?\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" said I, stammering, \"not to me -but only it might\nlook-he might seem-\"\n\n\"No, believe me,\" said he, with a forced smile, \"I could never suppose\nMiss Anville would make an appointment with a stranger.\"", "\"An appointment, my Lord?\"", "repeated I, colouring violently.", "\"Pardon me, Madam,\" answered he, \"but I thought I had heard one.\"", "I was so much confounded that I could not speak: yet, finding he walked\nquietly on, I could not endure he should make his own interpretation\nof my silence: and therefore, as soon as I recovered from my surprise,\nI said, \"Indeed, my Lord, you are much mistaken, Mr. Macartney had\nparticular business with me-and I could not-I knew not, how to refuse\nseeing him;-but indeed, my Lord-I had not,-he had not,-\" I stammered\nso terribly that I could not go on.", "\"I am very sorry,\" said he, gravely, \"that I have been so unfortunate\nas to distress you; but I should not have followed you had I not\nimagined you were merely walked out for the air.\"", "\"And so I was!\"", "cried I, eagerly, \"indeed, my Lord, I was!", "My meeting\nwith Mr. Macartney was quite accidental; and, if your Lordship thinks\nthere is any impropriety in my seeing him to-morrow, I am ready to\ngive up that intention.\"", "\"If I think!\"", "said he, in a tone of surprise; \"surely Miss Anville\ncannot leave the arbitration of a point so delicate to one who is\nignorant of all the circumstances which attend it?\"", "\"If,\" said I, \"it was worth your Lordship's time to hear them,-you\nshould not be ignorant of the circumstances which attend it.\"", "\"The sweetness of Miss Anville's disposition,\" said he, in a softened\nvoice, \"I have long admired; and the offer of a communication, which\ndoes me so much honour, is too grateful to me not to be eagerly\ncaught at.\"", "Just then Mrs. Selwyn opened the parlour window, and our conversation\nended.", "I was rallied upon my passion for solitary walking; but no\nquestions were asked me.", "When breakfast was over, I hoped to have had some opportunity of\nspeaking with Lord Orville; but Lord Merton and Mr. Coverley came in,\nand insisted up his opinion of the spot they had fixed upon for the\nold women's race.", "The ladies declared they would be of the party;\nand accordingly we all went.", "The race is to be run in Mrs. Beaumont's garden; the two gentlemen\nare as anxious, as if their joint lives depended upon it.", "They\nhave at length fixed upon objects; but have found great difficulty\nin persuading them to practise running, in order to try their\nstrength.", "This grand affair is to be decided next Thursday.", "When we returned to the house, the entrance of more company still\nprevented my having any conversation with Lord Orville.", "I was\nvery much chagrined, as I knew he was engaged at the Hotwells in\nthe afternoon.", "Seeing, therefore, no probability of speaking to him\nbefore the time of my meeting Mr. Macartney arrived, I determined that,\nrather than risk his ill opinion, I would leave Mr. Macartney to his\nown suggestions.", "Yet, when I reflected upon his peculiar situation, his poverty, his\nsadness, and, more than all the rest, the idea I knew he entertained\nof what he calls his obligations to me, I could not resolve upon a\nbreach of promise, which might be attributed to causes, of all the\nothers the most offensive to one whom misfortune has made extremely\nsuspicious of slights and contempt.", "After the most uneasy consideration, I at length determined upon\nwriting an excuse, which would, at once, save me from either meeting\nor affronting him.", "I therefore begged Mrs. Selwyn's leave to send\nher man to the Hotwells, which she instantly granted; and then I\nwrote the following note:\n\n \"To Mr. Macartney.", "\"SIR,\n\n \"As it will not be in my power to walk out to-morrow morning,\n I would\n by no means give you the trouble of coming to Clifton.", "I hope,\n however, to have the pleasure of seeing you before you quit\n Bristol.", "I am, Sir, your obedient servant, \"EVELINA ANVILLE.\"", "I desired the servant to enquire at the pump-room where Mr. Macartney\nlived, and returned to the parlour.", "As soon as the company dispersed, the ladies retired to dress.", "I then,\nunexpectedly, found myself alone with Lord Orville; who, the moment\nI rose to follow Mrs. Selwyn, advanced to me, and said, \"Will Miss\nAnville pardon my impatience, if I remind her of the promise she was\nso good as to make me this morning?\"", "I stopped, and would have returned to my seat; but before I had time,\nthe servants came to lay the cloth.", "He retreated, and went towards\nthe window; and, while I was considering in what manner to begin,\nI could not help asking myself what right I had to communicate the\naffairs of Mr. Macartney: and I doubted whether, to clear myself from\none act of imprudence, I had not committed another.", "Distressed by this reflection, I thought it best to quit the room,\nand give myself some time for consideration before I spoke; and\ntherefore, only saying I must hasten to dress, I ran up stairs,\nrather abruptly I own; and so, I fear, Lord Orville must think.", "Yet\nwhat could I do?", "Unused to the situations in which I find myself, and\nembarrassed by the slightest difficulties, I seldom, till too late,\ndiscover how I ought to act.", "Just as we were all assembled to dinner, Mrs. Selwyn's man, coming\ninto the parlour, presented to me a letter, and said, \"I can't find\nout Mr. Macartney, Madam; but the post-office people will let you\nknow if they hear of him.\"", "I was extremely ashamed of this public message; and, meeting the\neyes of Lord Orville, which were earnestly fixed on me, my confusion\nredoubled, and I knew not which way to look.", "All dinner-time he was\nas silent as myself; and the moment it was in my power I left the\ntable, and went to my own room.", "Mrs. Selwyn presently followed me;\nand her questions obliged me to own almost all the particulars of\nmy acquaintance with Mr. Macartney, in order to excuse my writing to\nhim.", "She said it was a most romantic affair, and spoke her sentiments\nwith great severity; declaring that she had no doubt but he was an\nadventurer and an impostor.", "And now, my dear Sir, I am totally at a loss what I ought to do; the\nmore I reflect, the more sensible I am of the utter impropriety, nay,\ntreachery, of revealing the story, and publishing the misfortunes and\npoverty of Mr. Macartney; who has an undoubted right to my secrecy and\ndiscretion, and whose letter charges me to regard his communication as\nsacred.-And yet, the appearance of mystery,-perhaps something worse,\nwhich this affair must have to Lord Orville,-his seriousness,-and\nthe promise I have made him, are inducements scarce to be resisted\nfor trusting him with the openness he has reason to expect from me.", "I am equally distressed, too, whether or not I should see Mr. Macartney\nto-morrow morning.", "Oh, Sir, could I now be enlightened by your counsel, from what anxiety\nand perplexity should I be relieved!", "But now,-I ought not to betray Mr. Macartney, and I will not forfeit\na confidence which would never have been reposed in me, but from\na reliance upon my honour, which I should blush to find myself\nunworthy of.", "Desirous as I am of the good opinion of Lord Orville,\nI will endeavour to act as if I was guided by your advice; and,\nmaking it my sole aim to deserve it, leave to time and to fate my\nsuccess or disappointment.", "Since I have formed this resolution, my mind is more at ease.", "But I\nwill not finish my letter till the affair is decided.", "Sept. 25th.", "I rose very early this morning; and, after a thousand different plans,\nnot being able to resolve upon giving poor Mr. Macartney leave to\nsuppose I neglected him, I thought it incumbent upon me to keep my\nword, since he had not received my letter; I therefore determined\nto make my own apologies, not to stay with him two minutes, and to\nexcuse myself from meeting him any more.", "Yet, uncertain whether I was wrong or right, it was with fear\nand trembling that I opened the garden-gate;-judge then, of my\nfeelings, when the first object I saw was Lord Orville!-he, too,\nlooked extremely disconcerted, and said, in a hesitating manner,\n\"Pardon me, Madam,-I did not intend,-I did not imagine you would\nhave been here so soon-or-or I would not have come.", "\"-And then, with\na hasty bow, he passed me, and proceeded to the garden.", "I was scarce able to stand, so greatly did I feel myself shocked; but,\nupon my saying, almost involuntarily, \"Oh, my Lord!", "\"-he turned back,\nand, after a short pause, said, \"Did you speak to me, Madam?\"", "I could not immediately answer; I seemed choaked, and was even forced\nto support myself by the garden-gate.", "Lord Orville, soon recovering his dignity, said, \"I know not how\nto apologize for being, just now, at this place;-and I cannot,\nimmediately-if ever -clear myself from the imputation of impertinent\ncuriosity, to which I fear you will attribute it: however, at\npresent, I will only intreat your pardon, without detaining you any\nlonger.\"", "Again he bowed, and left me.", "For some moments I remained fixed to the same spot, and in the same\nposition, immoveable, as if I had been transformed to a stone.", "My first\nimpulse was to call him back, and instantly tell him the whole affair;\nbut I checked this desire, though I would have given the world to\nhave indulged it; something like pride aided what I thought due to\nMr. Macartney, and I determined not only to keep his secret, but to\ndelay any sort of explanation till Lord Orville should condescend to\nrequest it.", "Slowly he walked; and, before he entered the house, he looked back,\nbut hastily withdrew his eyes, upon finding I observed him.", "Indeed, my dear Sir, you cannot easily imagine a situation more\nuncomfortable than mine was at that time; to be suspected by Lord\nOrville of any clandestine actions wounded my soul; I was too much\ndiscomposed to wait for Mr. Macartney, nor in truth, could I endure to\nhave the design of my staying so well known.", "Yet I was so extremely\nagitated, that I could hardly move; and I have reason to believe\nLord Orville, from the parlour-window, saw me tottering along; for,\nbefore I had taken five steps, he came out, and, hastening to meet\nme, said, \"I fear you are not well; pray, allow me (offering his arm)\nto assist you.\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" said I, with all the resolution I could assume; yet\nI was affected by an attention, at that time so little expected,\nand forced to turn away my head to conceal my emotion.", "\"You must,\" said he, with earnestness, \"indeed you must,-I am sure\nyou are not well;-refuse me not the honour of assisting you;\" and,\nalmost forcibly, he took my hand, and, drawing it under his arm,\nobliged me to lean upon him.", "That I submitted was partly the effect of\nsurprise, at an earnestness so uncommon in Lord Orville, and, partly,\nthat I did not just then dare trust my voice to make any objection.", "When we came to the house, he led me into the parlour, and to a\n chair, and\nbegged to know if I would not have a glass of water.", "\"No, my Lord, I thank you,\" said I, \"I am perfectly recovered;\" and,\nrising, I walked to the window, where, for some time, I pretended to\nbe occupied in looking at the garden.", "Determined as I was to act honourably by Mr. Macartney, I yet most\nanxiously wished to be restored to the good opinion of Lord Orville;\nbut his silence, and the thoughtfulness of his air, discouraged me\nfrom speaking.", "My situation soon grew disagreeable and embarrassing, and I resolved\nto return to my chamber till breakfast was ready.", "To remain longer I\nfeared might seem asking for his enquiries; and I was sure it would\nill become me to be more eager to speak, than he was to hear.", "Just as I reached the door, turning to me hastily, he said, \"Are you\ngoing, Miss Anville?\"", "\"I am, my Lord,\" answered I; yet I stopped.", "\"Perhaps to return to-but I beg your pardon!\"", "He spoke with a degree\nof agitation that made me readily comprehend he meant to the garden;\nand I instantly said, \"To my own room, my Lord.\"", "And again I would have\ngone; but, convinced by my answer that I understood him, I believe he\nwas sorry for the insinuation: he approached me with a very serious\nair, though at the same time he forced a smile, and said, \"I know\nnot what evil genius pursues me this morning, but I seem destined to\ndo or to say something I ought not: I am so much ashamed of myself,\nthat I can scarce solicit your forgiveness.\"", "\"My forgiveness!", "my Lord?\"", "cried I, abashed, rather than elated by\nhis condescension; \"surely you cannot-you are not serious?\"", "\"Indeed, never more so!", "yet, if I may be my own interpreter, Miss\nAnville's countenance pronounces my pardon.\"", "\"I know not, my Lord, how any one can pardon, who never has been\noffended.\"", "\"You are very good; yet I could expect no less from a sweetness of\ndisposition which baffles all comparison: you will not think I am an\nencroacher, and that I take advantage of your goodness, should I once\nmore remind you of the promise you vouchsafed me yesterday?\"", "\"No, indeed; on the contrary I shall be very happy to acquit myself\nin your Lordship's opinion.\"", "\"Acquittal you need not,\" said he, leading me again to the window;\n \"yet I\nown my curiosity is strongly excited.\"", "When I was seated, I found myself much at a loss what to say; yet,\nafter a short silence, assuming all the courage in my power, \"Will you\nnot, my Lord,\" said I, \"think me trifling and capricious, should I own\nI have repented the promise I made, and should I entreat your Lordship\nnot to insist upon my strict performance of it?", "\"-I spoke so hastily,\nthat I did not, at the time, consider the impropriety of what I said.", "As he was entirely silent, and profoundly attentive, I continued to\nspeak without interruption.", "\"If your Lordship, by any other means, knew the circumstances attending\nmy acquaintance with Mr. Macartney, I am most sure you would yourself\ndisapprove my relating them.", "He is a gentleman, and has been very\nunfortunate;-but I am not-I think,-at liberty to say more: yet I am\nsure, if he knew your Lordship wished to hear any particulars of his\naffairs, he would readily consent to my acknowledging them;-shall I,\nmy Lord, ask his permission?\"", "\"His affairs!\"", "repeated Lord Orville; \"by no means, I have not the\nleast curiosity about them.\"", "\"I beg your Lordship's pardon,-but indeed I had understood the\ncontrary.\"", "\"Is it possible, Madam, you could suppose the affairs of an utter\nstranger can excite my curiosity?\"", "The gravity and coldness with which he asked this question very\nmuch abashed me.", "But Lord Orville is the most delicate of men!", "and,\npresently recollecting himself, he added, \"I mean not to speak with\nindifference of any friend of yours,-far from it; any such will always\ncommand my good wishes: yet I own I am rather disappointed; and though\nI doubt not the justice of your reason, to which I implicitly submit,\nyou must not wonder, that, when upon the point of being honoured\nwith your confidence, I should feel the greatest regret at finding\nit withdrawn.\"", "Do you think, my dear sir, I did not, at that moment, require all my\nresolution to guard me from frankly telling him whatever he wished\nto hear?", "yet I rejoice that I did not; for, added to the actual wrong\nI should have done, Lord Orville himself, when he had heard, would,\nI am sure, have blamed me.", "Fortunately, this thought occurred to me;\nan I said, \"Your Lordship shall yourself be my judge; the promise\nI made, though voluntary, was rash and inconsiderate; yet, had it\nconcerned myself, I would not have hesitated in fulfilling it; but\nthe gentleman, whose affairs I should be obliged to relate-\"\n\n\"Pardon me,\" cried he, \"for interrupting you; yet allow me to assure\nyou, I have not the slightest desire to be acquainted with his affairs,\nfurther than what belongs to the motives which induced you yesterday\nmorning-\" He stopped; but there was no occasion to say more.", "\"That, my Lord,\" cried I, \"I will tell you honestly.", "Mr. Macartney\nhad some particular business with me, and I could not take the liberty\nto ask him hither.\"", "\"And why not?-Mr. Beaumont, I am sure-\"\n\n\"I could not, my Lord, think of intruding upon Mrs. Beaumont's\ncomplaisance; and so, with the same hasty folly I promised your\nLordship, I much more rashly promised to meet him.\"", "\"And did you?\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" said I, colouring, \"I returned before he came.\"", "Again, for some time, we were both silent; yet, unwilling to leave him\nto reflections which could not but be to my disadvantage, I summoned\nsufficient courage to say, \"There is no young creature, my Lord,\nwho so greatly wants, or so earnestly wishes for, the advice and\nassistance of her friends, as I do: I am new to the world, and unused\nto acting for myself;-my intentions are never willfully blameable,\nyet I err perpetually!-I have hitherto been blessed with the most\naffectionate of friends, and, indeed, the ablest of men, to guide\nand instruct me upon every occasion:-but he is too distant, now,\nto be applied to at the moment I want his aid:-and here,-there is\nnot a human being whose counsel I can ask.\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried he, with a countenance from which all coldness\nand gravity were banished, and succeeded by the mildest benevolence,\n\"that I were worthy,-and capable,-of supplying the place of such a\nfriend to Miss Anville!\"", "\"You do me but too much honour,\" said I, \"yet I hope your Lordship's\ncandour,-perhaps I ought to say indulgence,-will make some allowance,\non account of my inexperience, for behaviour so inconsiderate:-May I,\nmy Lord, hope that you will?\"", "\"May I,\" cried he, \"hope that you will pardon the ill-grace with\n which I have\nsubmitted to my disappointment?", "And that you will permit me (kissing\nmy hand) thus to seal my peace?\"", "\"Our peace, my Lord!\"", "said I, with revived spirits.", "\"This, then,\" said he, again pressing it to his lips, \"for our peace:\nand now,-are we not friends?\"", "Just then the door opened, and I had only time to withdraw my hand,\nbefore the ladies came in to breakfast.", "I have been, all day, the happiest of human beings!-to be thus\nreconciled to Lord Orville, and yet to adhere to my resolution,-what\ncould I wish for more?-he too has been very cheerful, and more\nattentive, more obliging to me than ever.", "Yet Heaven forbid I should\nagain be in a similar situation, for I cannot express how much\nuneasiness I have suffered from the fear of incurring his ill opinion.", "But what will poor Mr. Macartney think of me?", "Happy as I am, I much\nregret the necessity I have been under of disappointing him.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "There is, indeed, some resemblance in their\nfeatures; but, in their manners, not the least.", "And now, my dear Sir, do not you think, according to the present\nsituation of affairs, I may give up my resentment, without imprudence\nor impropriety?", "I am\nashamed of myself for the satisfaction I feel at seeing you,-yet,\nhow can I help it?\"", "I begged I might not, by any means, prevent her following her\ninclination, as my health was now very well established.", "It is true, Mrs. Selwyn is very obliging,\nand, in every respect, treats me as an equal; but she is contented with\nbehaving well herself, and does not, with a distinguishing politeness,\nraise and support me with others.", "We were received by Mrs. Beaumont with great civility, and by Lord\nOrville with something more.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXVI.", "repeated he, smiling: \"Do you think we could sit down\nquietly to breakfast, with the idea that you had run away from us?", "They\nhave at length fixed upon objects; but have found great difficulty\nin persuading them to practise running, in order to try their\nstrength.", "\"No, indeed; on the contrary I shall be very happy to acquit myself\nin your Lordship's opinion.\"" ]

[ "His Lordship is coming with her!", "He then enquired after the Mirvan family, and spoke of Mrs. Mirvan\nin terms of most just praise.", "Your conjecture was certainly right; Lord Orville, when he wrote that\nletter, could not be in his senses.", "I declare I could not breathe.", "\"May I,\" cried he, \"hope that you will pardon the ill-grace with\n which I have\nsubmitted to my disappointment?", "Again he bowed, and left me.", "She spoke in terms of the\nhighest esteem of Lord Orville, calling him, in Marmontel's words,\n\"Un jeune homme comme il y en a peu.\"", "\"May I then, Madam, have the honour of seeing you again?\"", "What a world is this we live in!", "\"I believe not, unless Lord Merton will favour us with his company.\"" ]

[ "Lord Orville laughed and bowed.", "Mr. Coverley, a little confused, turned\nto Lord Merton, and said, \"No foul play, my Lord!", "I remember your\nLordship recommended me to the notice of this lady the other morning,\nand, egad, I believe you have been doing me the same office to-day.\"", "\"Give you joy, Jack!\"", "cried Lord Merton, with a loud laugh.", "After this the conversation turned wholly upon eating, a subject\nwhich was discussed with the utmost delight; and, had I not known\nthey were men of rank and fashion, I should have imagined that Lord\nMerton, Mr. Lovel, and Mr. Coverley, had all been professed cooks;\nfor they displayed so much knowledge of sauces and made-dishes,\nand of the various methods of dressing the same things, that I am\npersuaded they must have given much time, and much study, to make\nthemselves such adepts in this art.", "It would be very difficult to\ndetermine, whether they were most to be distinguished as gluttons or\nepicures; for they were, at once, dainty and voracious, understood the\nright and the wrong of every dish, and alike emptied the one and the\nother.", "I should have been quite sick of their remarks, had I not been\nentertained by seeing that Lord Orville, who, I am sure, was equally\ndisgusted, not only read my sentiments, but, by his countenance,\ncommunicated to me his own.", "When dinner was over, Mrs. Beaumont recommended the gentlemen to the\ncare of Lord Orville, and then attended the ladies to the drawing-room.", "The conversation, till tea-time, was extremely insipid; Mrs. Selwyn\nreserved herself for the gentlemen, Mrs. Beaumont was grave, and Lady\nLouisa languid.", "But, at tea, every body revived; we were joined by the gentlemen,\nand gaiety took the place of dullness." ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXII.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Bristol Hotwells, Sept. 12th.", "THE first fortnight that I passed here was so quiet, so serene, that\nit gave me reason to expect a settled calm during my stay; but if I\nmay now judge of the time to come, by the present state of my mind,\nthe calm will be succeeded by a storm, of which I dread the violence!", "This morning, in my way to the pump-room with Mrs. Selwyn, we were\nboth very much incommoded by three gentlemen, who were sauntering by\nthe side of the Avon, laughing and talking very loud, and lounging so\ndisagreeably, that we knew not how to pass them.", "They all three fixed\ntheir eyes very boldly upon me, alternately looking under my hat,\nand whispering one another.", "Mrs. Selwyn assumed an air of uncommon\nsternness, and said, \"You will please, gentlemen, either to proceed\nyourselves, or to suffer us.\"", "\"Oh!", "Ma'am,\" cried one of them, \"we will suffer you with the greatest\npleasure in life.\"", "\"Our peace, my Lord!\"", "said I, with revived spirits.", "\"This, then,\" said he, again pressing it to his lips, \"for our peace:\nand now,-are we not friends?\"", "Just then the door opened, and I had only time to withdraw my hand,\nbefore the ladies came in to breakfast.", "I have been, all day, the happiest of human beings!-to be thus\nreconciled to Lord Orville, and yet to adhere to my resolution,-what\ncould I wish for more?-he too has been very cheerful, and more\nattentive, more obliging to me than ever.", "Yet Heaven forbid I should\nagain be in a similar situation, for I cannot express how much\nuneasiness I have suffered from the fear of incurring his ill opinion.", "But what will poor Mr. Macartney think of me?", "Happy as I am, I much\nregret the necessity I have been under of disappointing him.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXVII.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "Berry Hill, Sept. 28th.", "DEAD to the world, and equally insensible to its pleasures or its\npains, I long since bad adieu to all joy, and defiance to all sorrow,\nbut what should spring from my Evelina,-sole source, to me, of all\nearthly felicity.", "How strange, then, is it, that the letter in which\nshe tells me she is the happiest of human beings, should give me most\nmortal inquietude!", "Alas, my child!-that innocence, the first, best gift of Heaven,\nshould, of all others, be the blindest to its own danger,-the most\nexposed to treachery,-and the least able to defend itself, in a world\nwhere it is little known, less valued, and perpetually deceived!", "Would to Heaven you were here!-then, by degrees, and with gentleness,\nI might enter upon a subject too delicate for distant discussion.", "Yet\nis it too interesting, and the situation too critical, to allow of\ndelay.-Oh, my Evelina, your situation is critical indeed!-your peace\nof mind is at stake, and every chance for your future happiness may\ndepend upon the conduct of the present moment.", "Hitherto I have forborne to speak with you upon the most important of\nall concerns, the state of your heart:-alas, I need no information!", "I\nhave been silent, indeed, but I have not been blind.", "Long, and with the deepest regret, have I perceived the ascendancy\nwhich Lord Orville has gained upon your mind.-You will start at the\nmention of his name,-you will tremble every word you read;-I grieve\nto give pain to my gentle Evelina, but I dare not any longer spare her.", "Your first meeting with Lord Orville was decisive.", "Lively, fearless,\nfree from all other impressions, such a man as you describe him\ncould not fail of exciting your admiration; and the more dangerously,\nbecause he seemed as unconscious of his power as you of your weakness;\nand therefore you had no alarm, either from his vanity of your own\nprudence.", "Young, animated, entirely off your guard, and thoughtless of\nconsequences, Imagination took the reins; and Reason, slow-paced,\nthough sure-footed, was unequal to the race of so eccentric and flighty\na companion.", "How rapid was then my Evelina's progress through those\nregions of fancy and passion whither her new guide conducted her!-She\nsaw Lord Orville at a ball,-and he was the most amiable of men!", "-She\nmet him again at another,-and he had every virtue under Heaven!", "I mean not to depreciate the merit of Lord Orville, who, one mysterious\ninstance alone excepted, seems to have deserved the idea you formed\nof his character; but it was not time, it was not the knowledge of\nhis worth, obtained your regard: your new comrade had not patience\nto wait any trial; her glowing pencil, dipt in the vivid colours\nof her creative ideas, painted to you, at the moment of your first\nacquaintance, all the excellencies, all the good and rare qualities,\nwhich a great length of time and intimacy could alone have really\ndiscovered.", "You flattered yourself that your partiality was the effect of esteem,\nfounded upon a general love of merit, and a principle of justice;\nand your heart, which fell the sacrifice of your error, was totally\ngone ere you expected it was in danger.", "A thousand times have I been upon the point of showing you the\nperils of your situation; but the same inexperience which occasioned\nyour mistake, I hoped, with the assistance of time and absence, would\neffect a cure: I was, indeed, most unwilling to destroy your illusion,\nwhile I dared hope it might itself contribute to the restoration of\nyour tranquillity; since your ignorance of the danger, and force of\nyour attachment, might possibly prevent that despondency with which\nyoung people, in similar circumstances, are apt to persuade themselves,\nthat what is only difficult, is absolutely impossible.", "But, now, since you have again met, and have become more intimate\nthan ever, all my hope from silence and seeming ignorance is at an end.", "Awake then, my dear, my deluded child, awake to the sense of your\ndanger, and exert yourself to avoid the evils with which it threatens\nyou:-evils which, to a mind like yours, are most to be dreaded; secret\nrepining, and concealed, yet consuming regret!", "Make a noble effort for\nthe recovery of your peace, which now, with sorrow I see it, depends\nwholly upon the presence of Lord Orville.", "This effort may indeed be\npainful; but trust to my experience, when I assure you it is requisite.", "You must quit him!-his sight is baneful to your repose, his society\nis death to your future tranquillity!", "Believe me, my beloved child,\nmy heart aches for your suffering, while it dictates its necessity.", "Could I flatter myself that Lord Orville would, indeed, be sensible\nof your worth, and act with a nobleness of mind which should prove\nit congenial to your own, then would I leave my Evelina to the\nunmolested enjoyment of the cheerful society, and increasing regard,\nof a man she so greatly admires: but this is not an age in which we\nmay trust to appearances; and imprudence is much sooner regretted\nthan repaired.", "Your health, you tell me, is much mended:-Can you then\nconsent to leave Bristol?-not abruptly, that I do not desire, but in a\nfew days from the time you receive this?", "I will write to Mrs. Selwyn,\nand tell her how much I wish your return; and Mrs. Clinton can take\nsufficient care of you.", "I have meditated upon every possible expedient that might tend to\nyour happiness, ere I fixed upon exacting from you a compliance which\nI am convinced will be most painful to you; but I can satisfy myself\nin none.", "This will at least be safe; and as to success,-we must leave\nit to time.", "I am very glad to hear of Mr. Macartney's welfare.", "Adieu, my dearest child!", "Heaven preserve and strengthen you!", "A.V.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXVIII.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Clifton, Sept. 28th.", "SWEETLY, most sweetly, have two days more passed since I wrote:\nbut I have been too much engaged to be exact in my journal.", "To-day has been less tranquil.", "It was destined for the decision of\nthe important bet, and has been productive of general confusion\nthroughout the house.", "It was settled that the race should be run\nat five o'clock in the afternoon.", "Lord Merton breakfasted here, and\nstaid till noon.", "He wanted to engage the ladies to bet on his side,\nin the true spirit of gaming, without seeing the racers.", "But he could\nonly prevail on Lady Louisa, as Mrs. Selwyn said she never laid a wager\nagainst her own wishes, and Mrs. Beaumont would not take sides.", "As for\nme, I was not applied to.", "It is impossible for negligence to be more\npointed than that of Lord Merton to me, in the presence of Lady Louisa.", "But, just before dinner, I happened to be alone in the drawing-room,\nwhen his Lordship suddenly returned; and, coming in with his usual\nfamiliarity, he was beginning, \"You see, Lady Louisa,-\" but stopping\nshort, \"Pray, where's every body gone?\"", "\"Indeed I don't know, my Lord.\"", "He then shut the door; and, with a great alteration in his face\nand manner, advanced eagerly towards me, and said, \"How glad I am,\nmy sweet girl, to meet you, at last, alone!", "By my soul I began to\nthink there was a plot against me, for I've never been able to have\nyou a minute to myself.\"", "And very freely he seized my hand.", "I was so much surprised at this address, after having been so long\ntotally neglected, that I could make no other answer, than staring\nat him with unfeigned astonishment.", "\"Why now,\" continued he, \"if you was not the cruellest little angel\nin the world, you would have helped me to some expedient: for you\nsee how I am watched here; Lady Louisa's eyes are never off me.", "She\ngives me a charming foretaste of the pleasures of a wife!", "However,\nit won't last long.\"", "Disgusted to the greatest degree, I attempted to draw away my hand;\nbut I believe I should not have succeeded if Mrs. Beaumont had not\nmade her appearance.", "He turned from me with the greatest assurance,\nand said, \"How are you, Ma'am?-how is Lady Louisa?-you see I can't\nlive a moment out of the house.\"", "Could you, my dearest Sir, have believed it possible for such\neffrontery to be in man?", "Before dinner came Mr. Coverley, and, before five o'clock, Mr. Lovel\nand some other company.", "The place marked out for the race, was a\ngravel-walk in Mrs. Beaumont's garden, and the length of the ground\ntwenty yards.", "When we were summoned to the course, the two poor old\nwomen made their appearance.", "Though they seemed very healthy for\ntheir time of life, they yet looked so weak, so infirm, so feeble,\nthat I could feel no sensation but that of pity at the sight.", "However,\nthis was not the general sense of the company; for they no sooner came\nforward, than they were greeted with a laugh from every beholder, Lord\nOrville excepted, who looked very grave during the whole transaction.", "Doubtless he must be greatly discontented at the dissipated conduct and\nextravagance of a man, with whom he is soon to be so nearly connected.", "For some time, the scene was truly ridiculous: the agitation of the\nparties concerned, and the bets that were laid upon the old women,\nwere absurd beyond measure.", "Who are you for?", "and whose side are you\nof?", "was echoed from mouth to mouth by the whole company.", "Lord Merton\nand Mr. Coverley were both so excessively gay and noisy, that I soon\nfound they had been free in drinking to their success.", "They handed,\nwith loud shouts, the old women to the race-ground, and encouraged\nthem by liberal promises to exert themselves.", "When the signal was given for them to set off, the poor creatures,\nfeeble and frightened, ran against each other: and, neither of them\nable to support the shock, they both fell on the ground.", "Lord Merton and Mr. Coverley flew to their assistance.", "Seats were\nbrought for them; and they each drank a glass of wine.", "They complained\nof being much bruised; for, heavy and helpless, they had not been\nable to save themselves, but fell with their whole weight upon the\ngravel.", "However, as they seemed equal sufferers, both parties were\ntoo eager to have the affair deferred.", "Again therefore they set off, and hobbled along, nearly even with each\nother, for some time; yet frequently, to the inexpressible diversion of\nthe company, they stumbled and tottered; and the confused hallooing of\n\"Now, Coverley!\"", "\"Now, Merton!\"", "run from side to side during the\nwhole affair.", "Not long after, a foot of one of the poor women slipt, and with great\nforce she came again to the ground.", "Involuntarily, I sprung forward to\nassist her; but Lord Merton, to whom she did not belong, stopped me,\ncalling out, \"No foul play!", "No foul play!\"", "Mr. Coverley then, repeating the same words, went himself to help\nher, and insisted that the other should stop.", "A debate ensued; but\nthe poor creature was too much hurt to move, and declared her utter\ninability to make another attempt.", "Mr. Coverley was quite brutal:\nhe swore at her with unmanly rage, and seemed scarce able to refrain\neven from striking her.", "Lord Merton then, in great rapture, said it was a hollow thing;\nbut Mr. Coverley contended, that the fall was accidental, and time\nshould be allowed for the woman to recover.", "However, all the company\nbeing against him, he was pronounced the loser.", "We then went to the drawing-room, to tea.", "After which, the evening\nbeing remarkably warm, we all walked in the garden.", "Lord Merton was\nquite riotous, and Lady Louisa in high spirits; but Mr. Coverley\nendeavoured, in vain, to conceal his chagrin.", "As Lord Orville was thoughtful, and walked by himself, I expected that,\nas usual, I should pass unnoticed, and be left to my own meditations:\nbut this was not the case; for Lord Merton, entirely off his guard,\ngiddy equally from wine and success, was very troublesome to me;\nand, regardless of the presence of Lady Louisa, which hitherto has\nrestrained him even from common civility, he attached himself to me,\nduring the walk, with a freedom of gallantry that put me extremely\nout of countenance.", "He paid me the most high-flown compliments;\nand frequently and forcibly seized my hand, though I repeatedly,\nand with undissembled anger, drew it back.", "Lord Orville, I saw,\nwatched us with earnestness; and Lady Louisa's smiles were converted\ninto looks of disdain.", "I could not bear to be thus situated; and complaining I was tired,\nI quickened my pace, with intention to return to the house; but\nLord Merton, hastily following, caught my hand, and saying the day\nwas his own, vowed he would not let me go.", "\"You must, my Lord,\" cried I, extremely flurried.", "\"You are the most charming girl in the world,\" said he, \"and never\nlooked better than at this moment.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried Mrs. Selwyn, advancing to us, \"you don't consider,\nthat the better Miss Anville looks the more striking is the contrast\nwith your Lordship; therefore, for your own sake, I would advise you\nnot to hold her.\"", "\"Egad, my Lord,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"I don't see what right you have\nto the best old, and the best young woman too, in the same day.\"", "\"Best young woman!\"", "repeated Mr. Lovel; \"'pon honour, Jack, you have\nmade a most unfortunate speech; however, if Lady Louisa can pardon\nyou,-and her Ladyship is all goodness,-I am sure nobody else can;\nfor you have committed an outrageous solecism in good manners.\"", "\"And pray, Sir,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"under what denomination may your\nown speech pass?\"", "Mr. Lovel, turning another way, affected not to hear her: and\nMr. Coverley, bowing to Lady Louisa, said, \"Her Ladyship is well\nacquainted with my devotion;-but, egad, I don't know how it is,-I\nhad always an unlucky turn at an epigram, and never could resist a\nsmart play upon words in my life.\"", "\"Pray, my Lord,\" cried I, \"let go my hand!", "Pray, Mrs. Selwyn, speak\nfor me.\"", "\"My Lord,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"in detaining Miss Anville any longer\nyou only lose time; for we are already as well convinced of your\nvalour and your strength, as if you were to hold her an age.\"", "\"My Lord,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, \"I must beg leave to interfere: I know\nnot if Lady Louisa can pardon you; but as this young lady is at my\nhouse, I do not choose to have her made uneasy.\"", "\"I pardon him!\"", "cried Lady Louisa; \"I declare I am monstrous glad to\nget rid of him.\"", "\"Egad, my Lord,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"while you are grasping at a\nshadow, you'll lose a substance; you'd best make your peace while\nyou can.\"", "\"Pray, Mr. Coverley, be quiet,\" said Lady Louisa, peevishly; \"for I\ndeclare I won't speak to him.", "Brother,\" taking hold of Lord Orville's\narm, \"will you walk in with me?\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried I, frightened to see how much Lord Merton\nwas in liquor, \"that I too had a brother!-and then I should not be\nexposed to such treatment.\"", "Lord Orville, instantly quitting Lady Louisa, said, \"Will Miss Anville\nallow me the honour of taking that title?\"", "and then, without waiting\nfor any answer, he disengaged me from Lord Merton; and, handing me to\nLady Louisa, \"Let me,\" added he, \"take equal care of both my sisters;\"\nand then, desiring her, to take hold of one arm, and begging me to\nmake use of the other, we reached the house in a moment.", "Lord Merton,\ndisordered as he was, attempted not to stop us.", "As soon as we entered the house, I withdrew my arm, and courtsied my\nthanks, for my heart was too full for speech.", "Lady Louisa, evidently\nhurt at her brother's condescension, and piqued extremely by Lord\nMerton's behaviour, silently drew away hers; and biting her lips,\nwith a look of infinite vexation, walked sullenly up the hall.", "Lord Orville asked her if she would not go into the parlour?", "\"No,\" answered she, haughtily, \"I leave you and your new sister\ntogether:\" and then she walked up stairs.", "I was quite confounded at the pride and rudeness of this speech.", "Lord\nOrville himself seemed thunderstruck: I turned from him, and went into\nthe parlour: he followed me, saying, \"Must I now apologize to Miss\nAnville for the liberty of my interference?-or ought I to apologize,\nthat I did not, as I wished, interfere sooner?\"", "\"O, my Lord,\" cried I, with an emotion I could not repress, \"it is\nfrom you alone I meet with any respect;-all others treat me with\nimpertinence, or contempt!\"", "I am sorry I had not more command of myself, as he had reason just\nthen to suppose I particularly meant his sister; which, I am sure,\nmust very much hurt him.", "\"Good Heaven,\" cried he, \"that so much sweetness and merit can fail\nto excite the love and admiration so justly their due!", "I cannot,-I\ndare not express to you half the indignation I feel at this moment!\"", "\"I am sorry, my Lord,\" said I, more calmly, \"to have raised it;\nbut yet,-in a situation that calls for protection, to meet only with\nmortifications,-indeed, but I am ill formed to bear them!\"", "\"My dear Miss Anville,\" cried he, warmly, \"allow me to be your friend;\nthink of me as if I were indeed your brother; and let me intreat you\nto accept my best services, if there is any thing in which I can be\nso happy as to show my regard,-my respect for you!\"", "Before I had time to speak, the rest of the party entered the parlour;\nand, as I did not wish to see anything more of Lord Merton, at least\nbefore he had slept, I determined to leave it.", "Lord Orville, seeing\nmy design, said, as I passed him, \"Will you go?\"", "\"Had not I best,\nmy Lord?\"", "said I.", "\"I am afraid,\" said he, smiling, \"since I must now\nspeak as your brother, I am afraid you had; -you see you may trust me,\nsince I can advise against my own interest.\"", "I then left the room, and have been writing ever since.", "And, methinks,\nI can never lament the rudeness of Lord Merton, as it has more than\never confirmed to me the esteem of Lord Orville.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXIX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Sept. 30th.", "OH, Sir, what a strange incident have I to recite!", "what a field of\nconjecture to open!", "Yesterday evening we all went to an assembly.", "Lord Orville presented\ntickets to the whole family; and did me the honour, to the no small\nsurprise of all here, I believe, to dance with me.", "But every day\nabounds in fresh instances of his condescending politeness; and he\nnow takes every opportunity of calling me his friend and his sister.", "Lord Merton offered a ticket to Lady Louisa; but she was so much\nincensed against him, that she refused it with the utmost disdain:\nneither could he prevail upon her to dance with him; she sat still the\nwhole evening, and deigned not to look at or speak to him.", "To me her\nbehaviour is almost the same: for she is cold, distant, and haughty,\nand her eyes express the greatest contempt.", "But for Lord Orville,\nhow miserable would my residence here make me!", "We were joined in the ball-room by Mr. Coverley, Mr. Lovel, and Lord\nMerton, who looked as if he was doing penance, and sat all the evening\nnext to Lady Louisa, vainly endeavouring to appease her anger.", "Lord Orville began the minuets: he danced with a young lady who\nseemed to engage the general attention, as she had not been seen here\nbefore.", "She is pretty, and looks mild and good-humoured.", "\"Pray, Mr. Lovel,\" said Lady Louisa, \"who is that?\"", "\"Miss Belmont,\" answered he, \"the young heiress: she came to the\nWells yesterday.\"", "Struck with the name, I involuntarily repeated it; but nobody heard me.", "\"What is her family?\"", "said Mrs. Beaumont.", "\"Have you not heard of her, Ma'am?\"", "cried he; \"she is only daughter\nand heiress of Sir John Belmont.\"", "Good Heaven, how did I start!", "the name struck my ear like a\nthunderbolt.", "Mrs. Selwyn, who immediately looked at me, said,\n\"Be calm, my dear, and we will learn the truth of all this.\"", "Till then I had never imagined her to be acquainted with my story;\nbut she has since told me, that she knew my unhappy mother, and was\nwell informed of the whole affair.", "She asked Mr. Lovel a multitude of questions; and I gathered from\nhis answers, that this young lady was just come from abroad with Sir\nJohn Belmont, who was now in London; that she was under the care of\nhis sister, Mrs. Paterson; and that she would inherit a considerable\nestate.", "I cannot express the strange feelings with which I was agitated during\nthis recital.", "What, my dearest Sir, can it possibly mean?", "Did you ever\nhear of any after-marriage?-or must I suppose, that, while the lawful\nchild is rejected, another is adopted?-I know not what to think!", "I\nam bewildered with a contrariety of ideas!", "When we came home, Mrs. Selwyn passed more than an hour in my room\nconversing upon this subject.", "She says, that I ought instantly to\ngo to town, find out my father, and have the affair cleared up.", "She\nassures me I have too strong a resemblance to my dear, though unknown,\nmother, to allow of the least hesitation in my being owned, when once\nI am seen.", "For my part, I have no wish but to act by your direction.", "I cannot give any account of the evening; so disturbed, so occupied\nam I by this subject, that I can think of no other.", "I have entreated\nMrs. Selwyn to observe the strictest secrecy, and she has promised\nthat she will.", "Indeed, she has too much sense to be idly communicative.", "Lord Orville took notice of my being absent and silent; but I ventured\nnot to intrust him with the cause.", "Fortunately, he was not of the\nparty at the time Mr. Lovel made the discovery.", "Mrs. Selwyn says, that if you approve my going to town, she will\nherself accompany me.", "I had a thousand times rather ask the protection\nof Mrs. Mirvan, but, after this offer that will not be possible.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "I am sure you will write immediately, and I\nshall be all impatience till your letter arrives.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Oct. 1st.", "GOOD God, my dear Sir, what a wonderful tale have I again to\nrelate!", "even yet, I am not recovered from my extreme surprise.", "Yesterday morning, as soon as I had finished my hasty letter, I was\nsummoned to attend a walking party to the Hot Wells.", "It consisted only\nof Mrs. Selwyn and Lord Orville.", "The latter walked by my side all the\nway; and his conversation dissipated my uneasiness, and insensibly\nrestored my serenity.", "At the pump-room I saw Mr. Macartney; I courtsied to him twice ere\nhe would speak to me.", "When he did, I began to apologize for having\ndisappointed him; but I did not find it very easy to excuse myself, as\nLord Orville's eyes, with an expression of anxiety that distressed me,\nturned from him to me, and me to him, every word I spoke.", "Convinced,\nhowever, that I had really trifled with Mr. Macartney, I scrupled not\nto beg his pardon.", "He was then not merely appeased, but even grateful.", "He requested me to see him to-morrow; but I had not the folly to\nbe again guilty of an indiscretion; which had already caused me so\nmuch uneasiness; and therefore I told him frankly, that it was not\nin my power at present to see him but by accident; and, to prevent\nhis being offended, I hinted to him the reason I could not receive\nhim as I wished to do.", "When I had satisfied both him and myself upon this subject, I turned to\nLord Orville, and saw, with concern, the gravity of his countenance.", "I\nwould have spoken to him, but knew not how; I believe, however, he\nread my thoughts; for, in a little time, with a sort of serious smile,\nhe said, \"Does not Mr. Macartney complain of his disappointment?\"", "\"Not much, my Lord.\"", "\"And how have you appeased him?\"", "Finding I hesitated what to answer,\n\"Am I not your brother?\"", "continued he, \"and must I not enquire into\nyour affairs?\"", "\"Certainly, my Lord,\" said I, laughing.", "\"I only wish it were better\nworth your Lordship's while.\"", "\"Let me, then, make immediate use of my privilege.", "When shall you\nsee Mr. Macartney again?\"", "\"Indeed, my Lord, I can't tell.\"", "\"But,-do you know that I shall not suffer my sister to make a private\nappointment?\"", "\"Pray, my Lord,\" cried I earnestly, \"use that word no more!", "Indeed\nyou shock me extremely.\"", "\"That would I not do for the world,\" cried he, \"yet you know not how\nwarmly, how deeply I am interested, not only in all your concerns,\nbut in all your actions.\"", "This speech-the most particular one Lord Orville had ever made to me,\nended our conversation at that time; for I was too much struck by it\nto make any answer.", "Soon after, Mr. Macartney, in a low voice, intreated me not to deny\nhim the gratification of returning the money.", "While he was speaking,\nthe young lady I saw yesterday at the assembly, with the large party,\nentered the pump-room.", "Mr. Macartney turned as pale as death, his\nvoice faultered, and he seemed not to know what he said.", "I was myself\nalmost equally disturbed, by the crowd of confused ideas that occurred\nto me.", "Good Heaven!", "thought I, why should he be thus agitated?-is it\npossible this can be the young lady he loved?-\n\nIn a few minutes we quitted the pump-room; and, though I twice wished\nMr. Macartney good morning, he was so absent he did not hear me.", "We did not immediately return to Clifton, as Mrs. Selwyn had business\nat a pamphlet shop.", "While she was looking at some new poems, Lord\nOrville again asked me when I should see Mr. Macartney?", "\"Indeed, my Lord,\" cried I, \"I know not, but I would give the universe\nfor a few moments' conversation with him!\"", "I spoke this with a simple\nsincerity, and was not aware of the force of my own words.", "\"The universe!\"", "repeated he, \"Good God, Miss Anville, do you say this\nto me?\"", "\"I would say it,\" returned I, \"to any body, my Lord.\"", "\"I beg your pardon,\" said he, in a voice that showed him ill pleased,\n\"I am answered.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried I, \"you must not judge hardly of me.", "I spoke\ninadvertently; but if you knew the painful suspense I suffer at this\nmoment, you would not be surprised at what I have said.\"", "\"And would a meeting with Mr. Macartney relieve you from that\nsuspense?\"", "\"Yes, my Lord, two words might be sufficient.\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried he, after a short pause, \"that I were worthy\nto know their import!\"", "\"Worthy, my Lord!-O, if that were all, your Lordship could ask nothing\nI should not be ready to answer!", "If I were but at liberty to speak, I\nshould be proud of your Lordship's enquiries: but, indeed, I am not-I\nhave not any right to communicate the affairs of Mr. Macartney;-your\nLordship cannot suppose I have.\"", "\"I will own to you,\" answered he, \"I know not what to suppose;\nyet there seems a frankness even in your mystery-and such an air of\nopenness in your countenance, that I am willing to hope,-\" He stopped\na moment, and then added, \"This meeting, you say, is essential to\nyour repose?\"", "\"I did not say that, my Lord; but yet I have the most important\nreasons for wishing to speak to him.\"", "He paused a few minutes; and then said, with warmth, \"Yes, you shall\nspeak to him!-I will myself assist you!-Miss Anville, I am sure,\ncannot form a wish against propriety: I will ask no questions, I\nwill rely upon her own purity, and, uninformed, blindfold as I am,\nI will serve her with all my power!\"", "And then he went into the shop,\nleaving me so strangely affected by his generous behaviour, that I\nalmost wished to follow him with my thanks.", "When Mrs. Selwyn had transacted her affairs, we returned home.", "The moment dinner was over, Lord Orville went out, and did not come\nback till just as we were summoned to supper.", "This is the longest\ntime he has spent from the house since I have been at Clifton; and\nyou cannot imagine, my dear Sir, how much I missed him.", "I scarce knew\nbefore how infinitely I am indebted to him alone for the happiness\nI have enjoyed since I have been at Mrs. Beaumont's.", "As I generally go down stairs last, he came to me, the moment the\nladies had passed by, and said, \"Shall you be at home tomorrow\nmorning?\"", "\"I believe so, my Lord.\"", "\"And will you then receive a visitor for me?\"", "\"For you, my Lord?\"", "\"Yes:-I have made acquaintance with Mr. Macartney, and he has promised\nto call upon me to-morrow about three o'clock.\"", "And then, taking my hand, he led me down stairs.", "O, Sir!-was there ever such another man as Lord Orville?-Yes, one\nother now resides at Berry Hill!", "This morning there has been a great deal of company here; but at the\ntime appointed by Lord Orville, doubtless with that consideration,\nthe parlour is almost always empty, as every body is dressing.", "Mrs. Beaumont, however, was not gone up stairs when Mr. Macartney\nsent in his name.", "Lord Orville immediately said, \"Beg the favour of him to walk in.", "You\nsee, Madam, that I consider myself as at home.\"", "\"I hope so,\" answered Mrs. Beaumont, \"or I should be very uneasy.\"", "Mr. Macartney then entered.", "I believe we both felt very conscious to\nwhom the visit was paid: but Lord Orville received him as his own\nguest; and not merely entertained him as such while Mrs. Beaumont\nremained in the room, but for some time after she had left it, a\ndelicacy that saved me from the embarrassment I should have felt,\nhad he immediately quitted us.", "In a few minutes, however, he gave Mr. Macartney a book,-for I,\ntoo, by way of pretence for continuing in the room, pretended to be\nreading,-and begged he would be so good as to look it over, while he\nanswered a note, which he would dispatch in a few minutes, and return\nto him.", "When he was gone, we both parted with our books; and Mr. Macartney,\nagain producing the paper with the money, besought me to accept it.", "\"Pray,\" said I, still declining it, \"did you know the young lady who\ncame into the pump-room yesterday morning?\"", "\"Know her!\"", "repeated he, changing colour, \"Oh, but too well!\"", "\"Indeed!\"", "\"Why, Madam, do you ask?\"", "\"I must beseech you to satisfy me further upon this subject; pray\ntell me who she is.\"", "\"Inviolably as I meant to keep my secret, I can refuse you, Madam,\nnothing;-that lady-is the daughter of Sir John Belmont!-of my father!\"", "\"Gracious Heaven!\"", "cried I, involuntarily laying my hand on his arm,\n\"you are then-\" my brother, I would have said, but my voice failed me,\nand I burst into tears.", "\"Oh, Madam,\" cried he, \"what does this mean?-what can thus distress\nyou?\"", "I could not answer, but held out my hand to him.", "He seemed greatly\nsurprised, and talked in high terms of my condescension.", "\"Spare yourself,\" cried I, wiping my eyes, \"spare yourself this\nmistake,-you have a right to all I can do for you; the similarity of\nour circumstances-\"\n\nWe were then interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Selwyn; and\nMr. Macartney, finding no probability of our being left alone, was\nobliged to take leave, though, I believe, very reluctantly, while in\nsuch suspense.", "Mrs. Selwyn, then, by dint of interrogatories, drew from me the state\nof this affair.", "She is so penetrating, that there is no possibility\nof evading to give her satisfaction.", "Is not this a strange event?", "Good Heaven!", "how little did I think\nthat the visits I so unwillingly paid at Mr. Branghton's would have\nintroduced me to so near a relation!", "I will never again regret the\ntime I spent in town this summer: a circumstance so fortunate will\nalways make me think of it with pleasure.", "* * * * * *\n\n\nI have just received your letter,-and it has almost broken my\nheart!-Oh, Sir!", "the illusion is over, indeed!", "how vainly have I\nflattered, how miserably deceived myself!", "Long since, doubtful of\nthe situation of my heart, I dreaded a scrutiny;-but now, now that I\nhave so long escaped, I began, indeed, to think my safety insured, to\nhope that my fears were causeless, and to believe that my good opinion\nand esteem of Lord Orville might be owned without suspicion, and felt\nwithout danger;-miserably deceived, indeed!", "His sight is baneful to\nmy repose;-his society is death to my future tranquillity!", "Oh, Lord\nOrville!", "could I have believed that a friendship so grateful to my\nheart, so soothing to my distresses, a friendship, which, in every\nrespect, did me so much honour, would only serve to embitter all my\nfuture moments!-What a strange, what an unhappy circumstance, that\nmy gratitude, though so justly excited, should be so fatal to my peace!", "Yes, Sir, I will quit him;-would to Heaven I could at this\nmoment!", "without seeing him again,-without trusting to my now conscious\nemotion!-Oh, Lord Orville, how little do you know the evils I owe to\nyou!", "how little suppose that, when most dignified by your attention,\nI was most to be pitied,-and when most exalted by your notice, you\nwere most my enemy!", "You, Sir, relied upon my ignorance;-I, alas, upon your experience;\nand, whenever I doubted the weakness of my heart, the idea that you\ndid not suspect it, reassured me,-restored my courage, and confirmed\nmy error!-Yet am I most sensible of the kindness of your silence.", "Oh, Sir!", "why have I ever quitted you?", "why been exposed to dangers to\nwhich I am so unequal?", "But I will leave this place, leave Lord Orville,-leave him, perhaps,\nfor ever!-no matter; your counsel, your goodness, may teach me how\nto recover the peace and the serenity of which my unguarded folly\nhas beguiled me.", "To you alone do I trust,-in you alone confide,\nfor every future hope I may form.", "The more I consider the parting with Lord Orville, the less fortitude\ndo I feel to bear the separation;-the friendship he has shown me,-his\npoliteness,-his sweetness of manners,-his concern in my affairs,-his\nsolicitude to oblige me,-all, all to be given up!-\n\nNo, I cannot tell him I am going,-I dare not trust myself to take\nleave of him,-I will run away without seeing him:-implicitly will I\nfollow your advice, avoid his sight, and shun his society!", "To-morrow morning I will set off for Berry Hill.", "Mrs. Selwyn and\nMrs. Beaumont shall alone know my intention.", "And to-day-I will spend\nin my own room.", "The readiness of my obedience is the only atonement\nI can offer for the weakness which calls for its exertion.", "Can you, will you, most honoured, most dear Sir!", "sole prop by which\nthe poor Evelina is supported,-can you, without reproach, without\ndispleasure, receive the child you have so carefully reared,-from\nwhose education better fruit might have been expected, and who,\nblushing for her unworthiness, fears to meet the eye by which she has\nbeen cherished?-Oh, yes, I am sure you will!", "Your Evelina's errors\nare those of the judgment; and you, I well know, pardon all but those\nof the heart!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, October 1st.", "I HAVE only time, my dearest Sir, for three words, to overtake my\nlast letter, and prevent your expecting me immediately; for, when I\ncommunicated my intention to Mrs. Selwyn, she would not hear of it,\nand declared it would be highly ridiculous for me to go before I\nreceived an answer to my intelligence concerning the journey from\nParis.", "She has, therefore, insisted upon my waiting till your next\nletter arrives.", "I hope you will not be displeased at my compliance,\nthough it is rather against my own judgment: but Mrs. Selwyn quite\noverpowered me with the force of her arguments.", "I will, however, see\nvery little of Lord Orville; I will never come down stairs before\nbreakfast; give up all my walks in the garden; seat myself next to\nMrs. Selwyn; and not merely avoid his conversation, but shun his\npresence.", "I will exert all the prudence and all the resolution in\nmy power, to prevent this short delay from giving you any further\nuneasiness.", "Adieu, my dearest Sir.", "I shall not now leave Clifton till I have\nyour directions.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXXII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "October 2nd.", "YESTERDAY, from the time I received your kind, though heart-piercing\nletter, I kept my room,-for I was equally unable and unwilling to\nsee Lord Orville; but this morning, finding I seemed destined to\npass a few days longer here, I endeavoured to calm my spirits, and to\nappear as usual; though I determined to avoid him to the utmost of my\npower.", "Indeed, as I entered the parlour, when called to breakfast,\nmy thoughts were so much occupied with your letter, that I felt as\nmuch confusion at his sight, as if he had himself been informed of\nits contents.", "Mrs. Beaumont made me a slight compliment upon my recovery, for I\nhad pleaded illness to excuse keeping my room: Lady Louisa spoke\nnot a word; but Lord Orville, little imagining himself the cause\nof my indisposition, enquired concerning my health with the most\ndistinguishing politeness.", "I hardly made any answer; and, for the\nfirst time since I have been here, contrived to sit at some distance\nfrom him.", "I could not help observing that my reserve surprised him; yet he\npersisted in his civilities, and seemed to wish to remove it.", "But I\npaid him very little attention; and the moment breakfast was over,\ninstead of taking a book, or walking in the garden, I retired to my\nown room.", "Soon after, Mrs. Selwyn came to tell me, that Lord Orville had been\nproposing I should take an airing, and persuading her to let him\ndrive us both in his phaeton.", "She delivered the message with an\narchness that made me blush; and added, that an airing, in my Lord\nOrville's carriage, could not fail to revive my spirits.", "There is no\npossibility of escaping her discernment; she has frequently rallied\nme upon his Lordship's attention,-and, alas!-upon the pleasure with\nwhich I have received it!", "However, I absolutely refused the offer.", "\"Well,\" said she, laughing, \"I cannot just now indulge you with any\nsolicitation; for, to tell you the truth, I have business to transact\nat the Wells, and am glad to be excused myself.", "I would ask you to\nwalk with me; -but since Lord Orville is refused, I have not the\npresumption to hope for success.\"", "\"Indeed,\" cried I, \"you are mistaken; I will attend you with pleasure.\"", "\"O rare coquetry!\"", "cried she, \"surely it must be inherent in our sex,\nor it could not have been imbibed at Berry Hill.\"", "I had not spirits to answer her, and therefore put on my hat and\ncloak in silence.", "\"I presume,\" continued she, drily, \"his Lordship may walk with us.\"", "\"If so, Madam,\" said I, \"you will have a companion, and I will stay\nat home.\"", "\"My dear child,\" cried she, \"did you bring the certificate of your\nbirth with you?\"", "\"Dear Madam, no!\"", "\"Why then, we shall never be known again at Berry Hill.\"", "I felt too conscious to enjoy her pleasantry; but I believe she was\ndetermined to torment me, for she asked if she should inform Lord\nOrville that I desired him not to be of the party?", "\"By no means, Madam; but, indeed, I had rather not walk myself.\"", "\"My dear,\" cried she, \"I really do not know you this morning,-you\nhave certainly been taking a lesson of Lady Louisa.\"", "She then went down stairs; but presently returning, told me she had\nacquainted Lord Orville that I did not choose to go out in the phaeton,\nbut preferred a walk, tete-e-tete with her, by way of variety.", "I said nothing, but was really vexed.", "She bad me go down stairs,\nand said she would follow me immediately.", "Lord Orville met me in the hall.", "\"I fear,\" said he, \"Miss Anville is\nnot yet quite well?\"", "and he would have taken my hand, but I turned\nfrom him, and courtsying slightly, went into the parlour.", "Mrs. Beaumont and Lady Louisa were at work: Lord Merton was talking\nwith the latter; for he has now made his peace, and is again received\ninto favour.", "I seated myself, as usual, by the window.", "Lord Orville, in a few\nminutes, came to me, and said, \"Why is Miss Anville so grave?\"", "\"Not grave, my Lord,\" said I, \"only stupid;\" and I took up a book.", "\"You will go,\" said he, after a short pause, \"to the assembly\nto-night?\"", "\"No, my Lord, certainly not.\"", "\"Neither then will I; for I should be sorry to sully the remembrance\nI have of the happiness I enjoyed at the last.\"", "Mrs. Selwyn then coming in, general enquiries were made to all but me,\nof who would go to the assembly?", "Lord Orville instantly declared he\nhad letters to write at home; but every one else settled to go.", "I then hastened Mrs. Selwyn away, though not before she had said to\nLord Orville, \"Pray, has your Lordship obtained Miss Anville's leave\nto favour us with your company?\"", "\"I have not, Madam,\" answered he, \"had the vanity to ask it.\"", "During our walk, Mrs. Selvyn tormented me unmercifully.", "She told me,\nthat since I declined any addition to our party, I must, doubtless, be\nconscious of my own powers of entertainment; and begged me, therefore,\nto exert them freely.", "I repented a thousand times having consented\nto walk alone with her; for though I made the most painful efforts\nto appear in spirits, her raillery quite overpowered me.", "We went first to the pump-room.", "It was full of company; and the moment\nwe entered, I heard a murmuring of, \"That's she!\"", "and, to my great\nconfusion, I saw every eye turned towards me.", "I pulled my hat over my\nface, and, by the assistance of Mrs. Selwyn, endeavoured to screen\nmyself from observation, nevertheless, I found I was so much the\nobject of general attention, that I entreated her to hasten away.", "But\nunfortunately she had entered into conversation, very earnestly,\nwith a gentleman of her acquaintance, and would not listen to me;\nbut said, that if I was tired of waiting, I might walk on to the\nmilliner's with the Miss Watkins, two young ladies I had seen at Mrs.\nBeaumont's, who were going thither.", "I accepted the offer very readily, and away we went.", "But we had not\ngone three yards, before we were followed by a party of young men,\nwho took every possible opportunity of looking at us, and, as they\nwalked behind, talked aloud, in a manner at once unintelligible and\nabsurd.", "\"Yes,\" cried one,\" 'tis certainly she!-mark but her blushing\ncheek!\"", "\"And then her eye -her downcast eye!", "\"-cried another.", "\"True, oh most true,\" said a third, \"every beauty is her own!\"", "\"But then,\" said the first, \"her mind,-now the difficulty is, to\nfind out the truth of that, for she will not say a word.\"", "\"She is timid,\" answered another; \"mark but her timid air.\"", "During this conversation, we walked on silent and quick; as we knew\nnot to whom it was particularly addressed, we were all equally ashamed,\nand equally desirous to avoid such unaccountable observations.", "Soon after we were caught in a shower of rain.", "We hurried on; and\nthese gentlemen, following us, offered their services in the most\npressing manner, begging us to make use of their arms; and, while I\nalmost ran, in order to avoid their impertinence, I was suddenly met\nby Sir Clement Willoughby!", "We both started; \"Good God!\"", "he exclaimed, \"Miss Anville!\"", "and then,\nregarding my tormentors with an air of displeasure, he earnestly\nenquired, if any thing had alarmed me?", "\"No, no;\" cried I, for I found no difficulty now to disengage myself\nfrom these youths, who, probably, concluding from the commanding air\nof Sir Clement, that he had a right to protect me, quietly gave way\nto him, and entirely quitted us.", "With his usual impetuosity, he then began a thousand enquiries,\naccompanied with as many compliments; and he told me, that he\narrived at Bristol but this morning, which he had entirely devoted\nto endeavours to discover where I lodged.", "\"Did you know, then,\" said I, \"that I was at Bristol?\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried he, \"that I could remain in ignorance of your\nproceedings with the same contentment you do of mine!", "then should I not\nfor ever journey upon the wings of Hope, to meet my own despair!", "You\ncannot even judge of the cruelty of my fate; for the ease and serenity\nof your mind incapacitates you from feeling for the agitation of mine!\"", "The ease and serenity of my mind!", "alas, how little do I merit those\nwords!", "\"But,\" added he, \"had accident brought me hither, had I not known\nof your journey, the voice of fame would have proclaimed it to me\ninstantly upon my arrival.\"", "\"The voice of fame!\"", "repeated I.", "\"Yes, for yours was the first name I heard at the pump-room.", "But\nhad I not heard your name, such a description could have painted no\none else.\"", "\"Indeed,\" said I, \"I do not understand you.\"", "But just then arriving\nat the milliner's our conversation ended; for Miss Watkins called me\nto look at caps and ribbons.", "Sir Clement, however, has the art of being always at home; he was very\nsoon engaged, as busily as ourselves, in looking at lace ruffles;\nyet he took an opportunity of saying to me, in a low voice, \"How\ncharmed I am to see you look so well!", "I was told you were ill;-but\nI never saw you in better health,-never more infinitely lovely!\"", "I turned away to examine the ribbons, and soon after Mrs. Selwyn made\nher appearance.", "I found that she was acquainted with Sir Clement;\nand her manner of speaking to him convinced me that he was a favourite\nwith her.", "When their mutual compliments were over, she turned to me, and said,\n\"Pray, Miss Anville, how long can you live without nourishment?\"", "\"Indeed, Ma'am,\" said I, laughing, \"I have never tried.\"", "\"Because so long, and no longer,\" answered she, \"you may remain\nat Bristol.\"", "\"Why, what is the matter, Ma'am?\"", "\"The matter!-why, all the ladies are at open war with you,-the whole\npump-room is in confusion; and you, innocent as you pretend to look,\nare the cause.", "However, if you take my advice, you will be very\ncareful how you eat and drink during your stay.\"", "I begged her to explain herself: and she then told me, that a copy\nof verses had been dropped in the pump-room, and read there aloud:\n\"The beauties of the Wells,\" said she, \"are all mentioned, but you\nare the Venus to whom the prize is given.\"", "\"Is it then possible,\" cried Sir Clement, \"that you have not seen\nthese verses?\"", "\"I hardly know,\" answered I, \"whether any body has.\"", "\"I assure you,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"if you give me the invention of\nthem, you do me an honour I by no means deserve.\"", "\"I wrote down in my tablets,\" said Sir Clement, \"the stanzas which\nconcern Miss Anville this morning at the pump-room; and I will do\nmyself the honour of copying them for her this evening.\"", "\"But why the part that concerns Miss Anville?\"", "said Mrs. Selwyn;\n\"Did you ever see her before this morning?\"", "\"O yes,\" answered he, \"I have had that happiness frequently at\nCaptain Mirvan's.", "Too, too frequently!\"", "added he, in a low voice, as\nMrs. Selwyn turned to the milliner: and as soon as she was occupied\nin examining some trimmings, he came to me, and almost whether I\nwould or not, entered into conversation with me.", "\"I have a thousand things,\" cried he, \"to say to you.", "Pray where\nare you?\"", "\"With Mrs. Selwyn, Sir.\"", "\"Indeed!-then, for once, chance is my friend.", "And how long have you\nbeen here?\"", "\"About three weeks.\"", "\"Good Heaven!", "what an anxious search have I had, to discover your\nabode, since you so suddenly left town!", "The termagant, Madame Duval,\nrefused me all intelligence.", "Oh, Miss Anville, did you know what I\nhave endured!", "the sleepless, restless state of suspense I have been\ntortured with, you could not, all cruel as you are, you could not\nhave received me with such frigid indifference?\"", "\"Received you, Sir!\"", "\"Why, is not my visit to you?\"", "Do you think I should have made this\njourney, but for the happiness of again seeing you?\"", "\"Indeed it is possible I might,-since so many others do.\"", "\"Cruel, cruel girl!", "you know that I adore you!", "you know you are the\nmistress of my soul, and arbitress of my fate!\"", "Mrs. Selwyn then advancing to us, he assumed a more disengaged air,\nand asked, if he should not have the pleasure of seeing her in the\nevening at the assembly?", "\"Oh, yes,\" cried she, \"we shall certainly be there; so you may bring\nthe verses with you, if Miss Anville can wait for them so long.\"", "\"I hope then,\" returned he, \"that you will do me the honour to dance\nwith me?\"", "I thanked him, but said I should not be at the assembly.", "\"Not be at the assembly?\"", "cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"Why, have you, too,\nletters to write?\"", "She looked at me with a significant archness, that made me colour;\nand I hastily answered, \"No, indeed, Ma'am!\"", "\"You have not!\"", "cried she, yet more drily; \"then pray, my dear,\ndo you stay at home to help,-or to hinder others?\"", "\"To do neither, Ma'am,\" answered I, in much confusion; \"so, if you\nplease, I will not stay at home.\"", "\"You allow me, then,\" said Sir Clement, \"to hope for the honour of\nyour hand?\"", "I only bowed,-for the dread of Mrs. Selwyn's raillery made me not\ndare refuse him.", "Soon after this we walked home: Sir Clement accompanied us; and the\nconversation that passed between Mrs. Selwyn and him was supported\nin so lively a manner, that I should have been much entertained,\nhad my mind been more at ease: but, alas!", "I could think of nothing\nbut the capricious, the unmeaning appearance which the alteration\nin my conduct must make in the eyes of the Lord Orville!", "And much\nas I wished to avoid him, greatly as I desire to save myself from\nhaving my weakness known to him,-yet I cannot endure to incur his ill\nopinion,-and, unacquainted as he is with the reasons by which I am\nactuated, how can he fail contemning a change to him so unaccountable?", "As we entered the garden, he was the first object we saw.", "He advanced\nto meet us; and I could not help observing, that at sight of each\nother both he and Sir Clement changed colour.", "We went into the parlour, where we found the same party we had\nleft.", "Mrs. Selwyn presented Sir Clement to Mrs. Beaumont; Lady Louisa\nand Lord Merton he seemed well acquainted with already.", "The conversation was upon the general subjects, of the weather,\nthe company at the Wells, and the news of the day.", "But Sir Clement,\ndrawing his chair next to mine, took every opportunity of addressing\nhimself to me in particular.", "I could not but remark the striking difference of his attention, and\nthat of Lord Orville: the latter has such gentleness of manners, such\ndelicacy of conduct, and an air so respectful, that, when he flatters\nmost, he never distresses; and when he most confers honour, appears\nto receive it!", "The former obtrudes his attention, and forces mine;\nit is so pointed, that it always confuses me, and so public, that it\nattracts general notice.", "Indeed I have sometimes thought that he would\nrather wish, than dislike to have his partiality for me known, as he\ntakes great care to prevent my being spoken to by any but himself.", "When at length he went away, Lord Orville took his seat, and said,\nwith a half smile, \"Shall I call Sir Clement,-or will you call me\nan usurper for taking this place?-You make me no answer?-Must I then\nsuppose that Sir Clement-\"\n\n\"It is little worth your Lordship's while,\" said I, \"to suppose any\nthing upon so insignificant an occasion.\"", "\"Pardon me,\" cried he;-\"to me nothing is insignificant in which you\nare concerned.\"", "To this I made no answer; neither did he say any thing more, till the\nladies retired to dress: and then, when I would have followed them,\nhe stopped me, saying, \"One moment, I entreat you!\"", "I turned back, and he went on, \"I greatly fear that I have been so\nunfortunate as to offend you; yet so repugnant to my very soul is the\nidea, that I know not how to suppose it possible I can unwittingly have\ndone the thing in the world that, designedly, I would wish to avoid.\"", "\"No, indeed, my Lord, you have not,\" said I.", "\"You sigh!\"", "cried he, taking my hand, \"would to Heaven I were\nthe sharer of your uneasiness, whencesoever it springs!", "with what\nearnestness would I not struggle to alleviate it!-Tell me, my dear Miss\nAnville,-my new-adopted sister, my sweet and most amiable friend!-tell\nme, I beseech you, if I can afford you any assistance?\"", "\"None, none, my Lord!\"", "cried I, withdrawing my hand, and moving\ntowards the door.", "\"Is it then impossible I can serve you?-Perhaps you wish to see\nMr. Macartney again?\"", "\"No, my Lord.\"", "And I held the door open.", "\"I am not, I own, sorry for that.", "Yet, oh!", "Miss Anville, there is a\nquestion,-there is a conjecture,-I know not how to mention, because I\ndread the result!-But I see you are in haste;-perhaps in the evening\nI may have the honour of a longer conversation.-Yet one thing, will\nyou have the goodness to allow me to ask?-Did you, this morning,\nwhen you went to the Wells,-did you know whom you should meet there?\"", "\"Who, my Lord?\"", "\"I beg your pardon a thousand times for a curiosity so unlicensed;-but\nI will say no more at present.\"", "He bowed, expecting me to go;-and then, with quick steps, but\na heavy heart, I came to my own room.", "His question, I am sure,\nmeant Sir Clement Willoughby; and had I not imposed upon myself the\nsevere task of avoiding, flying Lord Orville, with all my power, I\nwould instantly have satisfied him of my ignorance of Sir Clement's\njourney.", "And yet more did I long to say something of the assembly,\nsince I found he depended upon my spending the evening at home.", "I did not go down stairs again till the family was assembled to\ndinner.", "My dress, I saw, struck Lord Orville with astonishment; and\nI was myself so much ashamed of appearing whimsical and unsteady,\nthat I could not look up.", "\"I understood,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, \"that Miss Anville did not go\nout this evening.\"", "\"Her intention in the morning,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"was to stay at\nhome; but there is a fascinating power in an assembly, which, upon\nsecond thoughts, is not to be resisted.\"", "\"The assembly!\"", "cried Lord Orville; \"are you then going to the\nassembly?\"", "I made no answer; and we all took our places at table.", "It was not without difficulty that I contrived to give up my usual\nseat; but I was determined to adhere to the promise in my yesterday's\nletter, though I saw that Lord Orville seemed quite confounded at my\nvisible endeavours to avoid him.", "After dinner, we all went into the drawing-room together, as there\nwere no gentlemen to detain his Lordship; and then, before I could\nplace myself out of his way, he said, \"You are then really going to\nthe assembly?-May I ask if you shall dance?\"", "\"I believe not,-my Lord.\"", "\"If I did not fear,\" continued he, \"that you would be tired of the same\npartner at two following assemblies, I would give up my letter-writing\ntill to-morrow evening, and solicit the honour of your hand.\"", "\"If I do dance,\" said I, in great confusion, \"I believe I am engaged.\"", "\"Engaged!\"", "cried he, with earnestness, \"May I ask to whom?\"", "\"To-Sir Clement Willoughby, my Lord.\"", "He said nothing, but looked very little pleased, and did not address\nhimself to me any more all the afternoon.", "Oh, Sir!-thus situated,\nhow comfortless were the feelings of your Evelina!", "Early in the evening, with his accustomed assiduity, Sir Clement came\nto conduct us to the assembly.", "He soon contrived to seat himself\nnext me, and, in a low voice, paid me so many compliments, that I\nknew not which way to look.", "Lord Orville hardly spoke a word, and his countenance was grave and\nthoughtful; yet, whenever I raised my eyes, his, I perceived, were\ndirected towards me, though instantly, upon meeting mine, he looked\nanother way.", "In a short time, Sir Clement, taking from his pocket a folded paper,\nsaid, almost in a whisper, \"Here, loveliest of women, you will\nsee a faint, an unsuccessful attempt to paint the object of all my\nadoration!", "yet, weak as are the lines for the purpose, I envy beyond\nexpression the happy mortal who has dared make the effort.\"", "\"I will look at them,\" said I, \"some other time.\"", "For, conscious\nthat I was observed by Lord Orville, I could not bear he should see\nme take a written paper, so privately offered, from Sir Clement.", "But\nSir Clement is an impracticable man, and I never succeeded in any\nattempt to frustrate whatever he had planned.", "\"No,\" said he, still in a whisper, \"you must take them now, while\nLady Louisa is away;\" for she and Mrs. Selwyn were gone up stairs to\nfinish their dress, \"as she must by no means see them.\"", "\"Indeed,\" said I, \"I have no intention to show them.\"", "\"But the only way,\" answered he, \"to avoid suspicion, is to take\nthem in her absence.", "I would have read them aloud myself, but that\nthey are not proper to be seen by any body in this house, yourself\nand Mrs. Selwyn excepted.\"", "Then again he presented me the paper, which I now was obliged to take,\nas I found declining it was vain.", "But I was sorry that this action\nshould be seen, and the whispering remarked, though the purport of\nthe conversation was left to conjecture.", "As I held it in my hand, Sir Clement teazed me to look at it\nimmediately; and told me, the reason he could not produce the lines\npublicly was, that among the ladies who were mentioned, and supposed\nto be rejected, was Lady Louisa Larpent.", "I am much concerned at\nthis circumstance, as I cannot doubt but that it will render me more\ndisagreeable to her than ever, if she should hear of it.", "I will now copy the verses, which Sir Clement would not let me rest\ntill I had read.", "See last advance, with bashful grace,\n Downcast eye, and blushing cheek,\n Timid air, and beauteous face,\n Anville,-whom the Graces seek.", "Though ev'ry beauty is her own,\n And though her mind each virtue fills,\n Anville,-to her power unknown,\n Artless strikes,-unconscious kills.", "I am sure, my dear Sir, you will not wonder that a panegyric such\nas this should, in reading, give me the greatest confusion; and,\nunfortunately, before I had finished it, the ladies returned.", "\"What have you there, my dear?\"", "said Mrs. Selwyn.", "\"Nothing, Ma'am,\" said I, hastily folding, and putting it in my pocket.", "\"And has nothing,\" cried she, \"the power of rouge?\"", "I made no answer; a deep sigh, which escaped Lord Orville at that\nmoment, reached my ears, and gave me sensations-which I dare not\nmention!", "Lord Merton then handed Lady Louisa and Mrs. Beaumont to the latter's\ncarriage.", "Mrs. Selwyn led the way to Sir Clement's, who handed me in\nafter her.", "During the ride I did not once speak; but when I came to the assembly\nroom, Sir Clement took care that I should not preserve my silence.", "He\nasked me immediately to dance; I begged him to excuse me, and seek\nsome other partner.", "But on the contrary, he told me, he was very\nglad I would sit still, as he had a million of things to say to me.", "He then began to tell me, how much he had suffered from absence;\nhow greatly he was alarmed when he heard I had left town; and how\ncruelly difficult he had found it to trace me; which, at last, he\ncould only do by sacrificing another week to Captain Mirvan.", "\"And Howard Grove,\" continued he, \"which, at my first visit,\nI thought the most delightful spot upon earth, now appeared to me\nthe most dismal: the face of the country seemed altered; the walks,\nwhich I had thought most pleasant, were now most stupid: Lady Howard,\nwho had appeared a cheerful and respectable old lady, now appeared\nin the common John Trot style of other aged dames: Mrs. Mirvan,\nwhom I had esteemed as an amiable piece of still-life, now became so\ninsipid, that I could hardly keep awake in her company: the daughter,\ntoo, whom I had regarded as a good-humoured, pretty sort of a girl,\nnow seemed too insignificant for notice: and as to the Captain,\nI had always thought him a booby,-but now he appeared a savage!\"", "\"Indeed, Sir Clement,\" cried I, angrily, \"I will not hear you speak\nthus of my best friends.\"", "\"I beg your pardon,\" said he, \"but the contrast of my two visits was\ntoo striking not to be mentioned.\"", "He then asked what I thought of the verses?", "\"Either,\" said I, \"they are written ironically, or by some madman.\"", "Such a profusion of compliments ensued, that I was obliged to propose\ndancing, in my own defence.", "When we stood up, \"I intended,\" said he,\n\"to have discovered the author by his looks; but I find you so much the\ngeneral loadstone of attention, that my suspicions change their object\nevery moment.", "Surely you must yourself have some knowledge who he is?\"", "I told him no.", "Yet, my dear Sir, I must own to you, I have no doubt\nbut that Mr. Macartney must be the author; no one else would speak\nof me so partially; and, indeed, his poetical turn puts it, with me,\nbeyond dispute.", "He asked me a thousand questions concerning Lord Orville; how long he\nhad been at Bristol?-what time I had spent at Clifton?-whether he rode\nout every morning?-whether I ever trusted myself in a phaeton?", "and\na multitude of other enquiries, all tending to discover if I was\nhonoured with much of his Lordship's attention, and all made with\nhis usual freedom and impetuosity.", "Fortunately, as I much wished to retire early, Lady Louisa makes a\npoint of being the first who quit the rooms, and therefore we got\nhome in very tolerable time.", "Lord Orville's reception of us was grave and cold: far from\ndistinguishing me, as usual, by particular civilities, Lady Louisa\nherself could not have seen me enter the room with more frigid\nunconcern, nor have more scrupulously avoided honouring me with any\nnotice.", "But chiefly I was struck to see, that he suffered Sir Clement,\nwho stayed supper, to sit between us, without any effort to prevent\nhim, though till then, he had seemed to be even tenacious of a seat\nnext mine.", "This little circumstance affected me more than I can express; yet\nI endeavoured to rejoice at it, since neglect and indifference from\nhim may be my best friends.-But, alas!-so suddenly, so abruptly to\nforfeit his attention!-to lose his friendship!-Oh, Sir, these thoughts\npierced my soul!-scarce could I keep my seat; for not all my efforts\ncould restrain the tears from trickling down my cheeks: however,\nas Lord Orville saw them not, for Sir Clement's head was constantly\nbetween us, I tried to collect my spirits, and succeeded so far as\nto keep my place with decency, till Sir Clement took leave; and then,\nnot daring to trust my eyes to meet those of Lord Orville, I retired.", "I have been writing ever since; for, certain that I could not sleep,\nI would not go to bed.", "Tell me, my dearest Sir, if you possibly\ncan, tell me that you approve my change of conduct,-tell me that\nmy altered behaviour to Lord Orville is right,-that my flying his\nsociety, and avoiding his civilities, are actions which you would\nhave dictated.-Tell me this, and the sacrifices I have made will\ncomfort me in the midst of my regret,-for never, never can I cease\nto regret that I have lost the friendship of Lord Orville!-Oh, Sir,\nI have slighted,-have rejected,-have thrown it away!-No matter, it\nwas an honour I merited not to preserve; and now I see,-that my mind\nwas unequal to sustaining it without danger.", "Yet so strong is the desire you have implanted in me to act with\nuprightness and propriety, that, however the weakness of my heart\nmay distress and afflict me, it will never, I humbly trust, render\nme wilfully culpable.", "The wish of doing well governs every other,\nas far as concerns my conduct,-for am I not your child?-the creature\nof your own forming!-Yet, Oh Sir, friend, parent, of my heart!-my\nfeelings are all at war with my duties!", "and, while I most struggle to\nacquire self-approbation, my peace, my happiness, my hopes,-are lost!", "'Tis you alone can compose a mind so cruelly agitated: you, I well\nknow, can feel pity for the weakness to which you are a stranger;\nand, though you blame the affliction, soothe and comfort the afflicted.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXIII.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "Berry Hill, Oct. 3rd.", "YOUR last communication, my dearest child, is indeed astonishing;\nthat an acknowledged daughter and heiress of Sir John Belmont should\nbe at Bristol, and still my Evelina bear the name of Anville, is to me\ninexplicable; yet the mystery of the letter to Lady Howard prepared\nme to expect something extraordinary upon Sir John Belmont's return\nto England.", "Whoever this young lady may be, it is certain she now takes a place\nto which you have a right indisputable.", "An after-marriage I never\nheard of; yet, supposing such a one to have happened, Miss Evelyn was\ncertainly the first wife, and therefore her daughter must, at least,\nbe entitled to the name of Belmont.", "Either there are circumstances in this affair at present utterly\nincomprehensible, or else some strange and most atrocious fraud has\nbeen practiced; which of these two is the case it now behoves us\nto enquire.", "My reluctance to this step gives way to my conviction of its propriety,\nsince the reputation of your dear and much-injured mother must\nnow either be fully cleared from blemish, or receive its final and\nindelible wound.", "The public appearance of a daughter of Sir John Belmont will revive\nthe remembrance of Miss Evelyn's story in all who have heard it,-who\nthe mother was, will be universally demanded,-and if any other Lady\nBelmont should be named, the birth of my Evelina will receive a stigma,\nagainst which, honour, truth, and innocence may appeal in vain!-a\nstigma, which will eternally blast the fair fame of her virtuous\nmother, and cast upon her blameless self the odium of a title, which\nnot all her purity can rescue from established shame and dishonour!", "No, my dear child, no; I will not quietly suffer the ashes of your\nmother to be treated with ignominy!", "her spotless character shall be\njustified to the world-her marriage shall be acknowledged, and her\nchild shall bear the name to which she is lawfully entitled.", "It is true, that Mrs. Mirvan would conduct this affair with more\ndelicacy than Mrs. Selwyn; yet, perhaps, to save time, is of all\nconsiderations the most important, since the longer this mystery\nis suffered to continue, the more difficult may be rendered its\nexplanation.", "The sooner, therefore, you can set out for town, the\nless formidable will be your task.", "Let not your timidity, my dear love, depress your spirits: I shall,\nindeed, tremble for you at a meeting so singular and so affecting,\nyet there can be no doubt of the success of your application: I\nenclose a letter from your unhappy mother, written, and reserved\npurposely for this occasion: Mrs. Clinton too, who attended her in\nher last illness, must accompany you to town.-But, without any other\ncertificate of your birth, that which you carry in your countenance,\nas it could not be affected by artifice, so it cannot admit of a doubt.", "And now, my Evelina, committed at length to the care of your real\nparent, receive the fervent prayers, wishes, and blessings, of him\nwho so fondly adopted you!", "May'st thou, O child of my bosom!", "may'st thou, in this change of\nsituation, experience no change of disposition!", "but receive with\nhumility, and support with meekness the elevation to which thou\nart rising!", "May thy manners, language, and deportment, all evince\nthat modest equanimity, and cheerful gratitude, which not merely\ndeserve, but dignify prosperity!", "May'st thou, to the last moments of\nan unblemished life, retain thy genuine simplicity, thy singleness\nof heart, thy guileless sincerity!", "And may'st thou, stranger to\nostentation, and superior to insolence, with true greatness of soul\nshine forth conspicuous only in beneficence!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXIV.", "LADY BELMONT TO SIR JOHN BELMONT.", "IN the firm hope that the moment of anguish which approaches will\nprove the period of my sufferings, once more I address myself to Sir\nJohn Belmont, in behalf of the child, who, if it survives its mother,\nwill hereafter be the bearer of this letter.", "Yet, in what terms,-Oh, most cruel of men!-can the lost Caroline\naddress you, and not address you in vain?", "Oh, deaf to the voice of\ncompassion-deaf to the sting of truth-deaf to every tie of honour-say,\nin what terms may the lost Caroline address you, and not address you\nin vain!", "Shall I call you by the loved, the respected title of husband?-No, you\ndisclaim it!-the father of my infant?-No, you doom it to infamy!-the\nlover who rescued me from a forced marriage?-No, you have yourself\nbetrayed me!-the friend from whom I hoped succour and protection?-No,\nyou have consigned me to misery and destruction!", "Oh, hardened against every plea of justice, remorse, or pity!", "how,\nand in what manner, may I hope to move thee?", "Is there one method I\nhave left untried?", "remains there one resource unessayed?", "No!", "I have\nexhausted all the bitterness of reproach, and drained every sluice\nof compassion!", "Hopeless, and almost desperate, twenty times have I flung away my\npen;-but the feelings of a mother, a mother agonizing for the fate\nof her child, again animating my courage, as often I have resumed it.", "Perhaps when I am no more, when the measure of my woes is completed,\nand the still, silent, unreproaching dust has received my sad\nremains,-then, perhaps, when accusation is no longer to be feared,\nnor detection to be dreaded, the voice of equity and the cry of nature\nmay be heard.", "Listen, Oh Belmont, to their dictates!", "reprobate not your child,\nthough you have reprobated its mother.", "The evils that are past,\nperhaps, when too late, you may wish to recal; the young creature\nyou have persecuted, perhaps, when too late, you may regret that\nyou have destroyed;-you may think with horror of the deceptions\nyou have practised, and the pangs of remorse may follow me to the\ntomb:-Oh, Belmont, all my resentment softens into pity at the thought!", "what will become of thee, good Heaven, when, with the eye of penitence,\nthou reviewest thy past conduct!", "Hear, then, the solemn, the last address, with which the unhappy\nCaoline will importune thee.", "If when the time of thy contrition arrives,-for arrive it must!-when\nthe sense of thy treachery shall rob thee of almost every other,\nif then thy tortured heart shall sigh to expiate thy guilt,-mark the\nconditions upon which I leave thee my forgiveness.", "Thou knowest I am thy wife!-clear, then, to the world the reputation\nthou hast sullied, and receive, as thy lawful successor, the child\nwho will present thee this, my dying request!", "The worthiest, the most benevolent, the best of men, to whose consoling\nkindness I owe the little tranquillity I have been able to preserve,\nhas plighted me his faith, that, upon no other conditions, he will\npart with his helpless charge.", "Should'st thou, in the features of this deserted innocent, trace the\nresemblance of the wretched Caroline,-should its face bear the marks\nof its birth, and revive in thy memory the image of its mother, wilt\nthou not, Belmont, wilt thou not therefore renounce it?-Oh, babe of my\nfondest affection!", "for whom already I experience all the tenderness of\nmaternal pity!", "look not like thy unfortunate mother,-lest the parent,\nwhom the hand of death may spare, shall be snatched from thee by the\nmore cruel means of unnatural antipathy!", "I can write no more.", "The small share of serenity I have painfully\nacquired, will not bear the shock of the dreadful ideas that crowd\nupon me.", "Adieu,-for ever!-\n\nYet, Oh!-shall I not, in this last farewell, which thou wilt not read\ntill every stormy passion is extinct, and the kind grave has embosomed\nall my sorrows,-shall I not offer to the man, once so dear to me, a\nray of consolation to those afflictions he has in reserve?", "Suffer me,\nthen, to tell thee, that my pity far exceeds my indignation,-that I\nwill pray for thee in my last moments, and that the recollection of\nthe love I once bore thee, shall swallow up every other!", "Once more, adieu!", "CAROLINE BELMONT.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXV.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "Clifton, Oct. 3rd.", "THIS morning I saw from my window, that Lord Orville was walking in\nthe garden; but I would not go down stairs till breakfast was ready:\nand then, he paid me his compliments almost as coldly as Lady Louisa\npaid hers.", "I took my usual place, and Mrs. Belmont, Lady Louisa, and Mrs. Selwyn,\nentered into their usual conversation.-Not so your Evelina:\ndisregarded, silent, and melancholy, she sat like a cypher, whom,\nto nobody belonging, by nobody was noticed.", "Ill brooking such a situation, and unable to suport the neglect of\nLord Orville, the moment breakfast was over I left the room, and\nwas going up stairs; when, very unpleasantly, I was stopped by Sir\nClement Willoughby, who, flying into the hall, prevented my proceeding.", "He enquired very particularly after my health, and entreated me to\nreturn into the parlour.", "Unwillingly, I consented, but thought any\nthing preferable to continuing alone with him; and he would neither\nleave me, nor suffer me to pass on.", "Yet, in returning, I felt not a\nlittle ashamed at appearing thus to take the visit of Sir Clement to\nmyself.", "And, indeed, he endeavoured, by his manner of addressing me,\nto give it that air.", "He stayed, I believe, an hour; nor would he, perhaps, even then have\ngone, had not Mrs. Beaumont broken up the party, by proposing an\nairing in her coach.", "Lady Louisa consented to accompany her; but\nMrs. Selwyn, when applied to, said, \"If my Lord, or Sir Clement,\nwill join us, I shall be happy to make one;-but really a trio of\nfemales will be nervous to the last degree.\"", "Sir Clement readily agreed to attend them; indeed, he makes it his\nevident study to court the favour of Mrs. Beaumont.", "Lord Orville\nexcused himself from going out; and I retired to my own room.", "What\nhe did with himself I know not, for I would not go down stairs till\ndinner was ready: his coldness, though my own change of behaviour\nhad occasioned it, so cruelly depresses my spirits, that I know not\nhow to support myself in his presence.", "At dinner, I found Sir Clement again of the party.", "Indeed, he manages\nevery thing his own way; for Mrs. Beaumont, though by no means easy\nto please, seems quite at his disposal.", "The dinner, the afternoon, and the evening, were to me the most\nirksome imaginable: I was tormented by the assiduity of Sir Clement,\nwho not only took, but made opportunities of speaking to me,-and\nI was hurt,-Oh, how inexpressibly hurt!-that Lord Orville not only\nforebore, as hitherto, seeking, he even neglected all occasions of\ntalking with me!", "I begin to think, my dear Sir, that the sudden alteration in my\nbehaviour was ill-judged and improper; for, as I had received no\noffence, as the cause of the change was upon my account, not his,\nI should not have assumed, so abruptly, a reserve for which I dared\nassign no reason,-nor have shunned his presence so obviously, without\nconsidering the strange appearance of such a conduct.", "Alas, my dearest Sir, that my reflections should always be too late to\nserve me!", "dearly, indeed, do I purchase experience!", "and much, I fear,\nI shall suffer yet more severely, from the heedless indiscretion\nof my temper, ere I attain that prudence and consideration, which,\nby foreseeing distant consequences, may rule and direct in present\nexigencies.", "Oct. 4th.", "Yesterday morning every body rode out, except Mrs. Selwyn and myself;\nand we two sat for some time together in her room; but, as soon as\nI could, I quitted her, to saunter in the garden; for she diverts\nherself so unmercifully with rallying me, either upon my gravity, or\nconcerning Lord Orville,-that I dread having any conversation with her.", "Here I believe I spent an hour by myself; when, hearing the\ngarden-gate open, I went into an arbour at the end of a long walk,\nwhere, ruminating, very unpleasantly, upon my future prospects, I\nremained quietly seated but a few minutes, before I was interrupted\nby the appearance of Sir Clement Willoughby.", "I started; and would have left the arbour, but he prevented me.", "Indeed,\nI am almost certain he had heard in the house where I was, as it is\nnot, otherwise, probable he would have strolled down the garden alone.", "\"Stop, stop,\" cried he, \"loveliest and most beloved of women, stop\nand hear me!\"", "Then, making me keep my place, he sat down by me, and would have\ntaken my hand; but I drew it back, and said I could not stay.", "\"Can you, then,\" cried he, \"refuse me the smallest gratification,\nthough, but yesterday, I almost suffered martyrdom for the pleasure\nof seeing you?\"", "\"Martyrdom!", "Sir Clement.\"", "\"Yes, beauteous insensible!", "martyrdom: for did I not compel myself\nto be immured in a carriage, the tedious length of a whole morning,\nwith the three most fatiguing women in England?\"", "\"Upon my word, the ladies are extremely obliged to you.\"", "\"Oh,\" returned he, \"they have, every one of them, so copious a share\nof their own personal esteem, that they have no right to repine at\nthe failure of it in the world; and, indeed, they will themselves be\nthe last to discover it.\"", "\"How little,\" cried I, \"are those ladies aware of such severity from\nyou!\"", "\"They are guarded,\" answered he, \"so happily and so securely by their\nown conceit, that they are not aware of it from any body.", "Oh, Miss\nAnville, to be torn away from you, in order to be shut up with them,-is\nthere a human being, except your cruel self, could forbear to pity me?\"", "\"I believe, Sir Clement, however hardly you may choose to judge of\nthem, your situation, by the world in general, would rather have been\nenvied than pitied.\"", "\"The world in general,\" answered he, \"has the same opinion of them\nthat I have myself: Mrs. Beaumont is every where laughed at, Lady\nLouisa ridiculed, and Mrs. Selwyn hated.\"", "\"Good God, Sir Clement, what cruel strength of words do you use!\"", "\"It is you, my angel, are to blame, since your perfections have\nrendered their faults so glaring.", "I protest to you, during our whole\nride, I thought the carriage drawn by snails.", "The absurd pride of\nMrs. Beaumont, and the respect she exacts, are at once insufferable\nand stupifying; had I never before been in her company, I should\nhave concluded that this had been her first airing from the herald's\noffice,-and wished her nothing worse, than that it might also be the\nlast.", "I assure you, that but for gaining the freedom of her house,\nI would fly her as I would plague, pestilence, and famine.", "Mrs.\nSelwyn, indeed, afforded some relief from this formality, but the\nunbounded license of her tongue-\"\n\n\"O, Sir Clement, do you object to that?\"", "\"Yes, my sweet reproacher, in a woman I do; in a woman I think it\nintolerable.", "She has wit, I acknowledge, and more understanding\nthan half her sex put together; but she keeps alive a perpetual\nexpectation of satire, that spreads a general uneasiness among all who\nare in her presence; and she talks so much, that even the best things\nshe says weary the attention.", "As to the little Louisa, 'tis such a\npretty piece of languor, that 'tis almost cruel to speak rationally\nabout her,-else I should say, she is a mere compound of affectation,\nimpertinence, and airs.\"", "\"I am quite amazed,\" said I, \"that, with such opinions, you can behave\nto them all with so much attention and civility.\"", "\"Civility!", "my angel,-why I could worship, could adore them, only to\nprocure myself a moment of your conversation!", "Have you not seen me pay\nmy court to the gross Captain Mirvan, and the virago Madame Duval?", "Were\nit possible that a creature so horrid could be formed, as to partake of\nthe worst qualities of all these characters,-a creature who should have\nthe haughtiness of Mrs. Beaumont, the brutality of Captain Mirvan,\nthe self-conceit of Mrs. Selwyn, the affectation of Lady Louisa,\nand the vulgarity of Madame Duval,-even to such a monster as that I\nwould pay homage, and pour forth adulation, only to obtain one word,\none look from my adored Miss Anville!\"", "\"Sir Clement,\" said I, \"you are greatly mistaken if you suppose this\nduplicity of character recommends you to my good opinion.", "But I must\ntake this opportunity of begging you never more to talk to me in\nthis strain.\"", "\"Oh, Miss Anville, your reproofs, your coldness, pierce me to the\nsoul!", "look upon me with less rigour, and make me what you please;-you\nshall govern and direct all my actions,-you shall new-form, new-model\nme:-I will not have even a wish but of your suggestion; only deign\nto look upon me with pity-if not with favour!\"", "\"Suffer me, Sir,\" said I, very gravely, \"to make use of this occasion\nto put a final conclusion to such expressions.", "I entreat you never\nagain to address me in a language so flighty and so unwelcome.", "You\nhave already given me great uneasiness; and I must frankly assure\nyou, that if you do not desire to banish me from wherever you are,\nyou will adopt a very different style and conduct in future.\"", "I then rose, and was going, but he flung himself at my feet to prevent\nme, exclaiming, in a most passionate manner, \"Good God!", "Miss Anville,\nwhat do you say?-is it, can it be possible, that, so unmoved, that,\nwith such petrifying indifference, you can tear from me even the\nremotest hope!\"", "\"I know not, Sir,\" said I, endeavouring to disengage myself from him,\n\"what hope you mean, but I am sure that I never intended to give\nyou any.\"", "\"You distract me,\" cried he, \"I cannot endure such scorn;-I beseech\nyou to have some moderation in your cruelty, lest you make me\ndesperate:-say, then, that you pity me,-O fairest inexorable!", "loveliest\ntyrant!-say, tell me, at least, that you pity me!\"", "Just then, who should come in sight, as if intending to pass by\nthe arbour, but Lord Orville!", "Good Heaven, how did I start!", "and he,\nthe moment he saw me, turned pale, and was hastily retiring;-but I\ncalled out \"Lord Orville!-Sir Clement, release me,-let go my hand!\"", "Sir Clement, in some confusion, suddenly rose, but still grasped\nmy hand.", "Lord Orville, who had turned back, was again walking away;\nbut, still struggling to disengage myself, I called out \"Pray, pray,\nmy Lord, don't go!-Sir Clement, I insist upon your releasing me!\"", "Lord Orville then, hastily approaching us, said, with great spirit,\n\"Sir Clement, you cannot wish to detain Miss Anville by force!\"", "\"Neither, my Lord,\" cried Sir Clement, proudly, \"do I request the\nhonour of your Lordship's interference.\"", "However, he let go my hand, and I immediately ran into the house.", "I was now frightened to death, lest Sir Clement's mortified pride\nshould provoke him to affront Lord Orville: I therefore ran hastily to\nMrs. Selwyn, and entreated her, in a manner hardly to be understood,\nto walk towards the arbour.", "She asked no questions, for she is quick\nas lightening in taking a hint, but instantly hastened into the garden.", "Imagine, my dear Sir, how wretched I must be till I saw her\nreturn!", "scarce could I restrain myself from running back: however,\nI checked my impatience, and waited, though in agonies, till she came.", "And now, my dear Sir, I have a conversation to write, the most\ninteresting to me that I ever heard.", "The comments and questions with\nwhich Mrs. Selwyn interrupted her account I shall not mention; for\nthey are such as you may very easily suppose.", "Lord Orville and Sir Clement were both seated very quietly in the\narbour: and Mrs. Selwyn, standing still, as soon as she was within\na few yards of them, heard Sir Clement say, \"Your question, my Lord,\nalarms me, and I can by no means answer it, unless you will allow me\nto propose another.\"", "\"Undoubtedly, Sir.\"", "\"You ask me, my Lord, what are my intentions?-I should be very happy\nto be satisfied as to your Lordship's.\"", "\"I have never, Sir, professed any.\"", "Here they were both, for a few moments, silent; and then Sir Clement\nsaid, \"To what, my Lord, must I then impute your desire of knowing\nmine?\"", "\"To an unaffected interest in Miss Anville's welfare.\"", "\"Such an interest,\" said Sir Clement, drily, \"is indeed very generous;\nbut, except in a father,-a brother,-or a lover-\"\n\n\"Sir Clement,\" interrupted his Lordship, \"I know your inference;\nand I acknowledge I have not the right of enquiry which any of those\nthree titles bestow; and yet I confess the warmest wishes to serve\nher and to see her happy.", "Will you, then, excuse me, if I take the\nliberty to repeat my question?\"", "\"Yes, if your Lordship will excuse my repeating, that I think it a\nrather extraordinary one.\"", "\"It may be so,\" said Lord Orville; \"but this young lady seems to\nbe peculiarly situated; she is very young, very inexperienced,\nyet appears to be left totally to her own direction.", "She does not,\nI believe, see the dangers to which she is exposed, and I will own\nto you, I feel a strong desire to point them out.\"", "\"I don't rightly understand your Lordship,-but I think you cannot\nmean to prejudice her against me?\"", "\"Her sentiments of you, Sir, are as much unknown to me, as your\nintentions towards her.", "Perhaps, were I acquainted with either,\nmy officiousness might be at an end: but I presume not to ask upon\nwhat terms-\"\n\nHere he stopped; and Sir Clement said, \"You know, my Lord, I am not\ngiven to despair; I am by no means such a puppy as to tell you I am\nupon sure ground; however, perseverance-\"\n\n\"You are, then, determined to perservere?\"", "\"I am, my Lord.\"", "\"Pardon me, then, Sir Clement, if I speak to you with freedom.", "This\nyoung lady, though she seems alone, and, in some measure, unprotected,\nis not entirely without friends; she has been extremely well educated,\nand accustomed to good company; she has a natural love of virtue,\nand a mind that might adorn any station, however exalted: is such\na young lady, Sir Clement, a proper object to trifle with?-for your\nprinciples, excuse me, Sir, are well known.\"", "\"As to that, my Lord, let Miss Anville look to herself; she has an\nexcellent understanding, and needs no counsellor.\"", "\"Her understanding is indeed excellent; but she is too young for\nsuspicion, and has an artlessness of disposition I never saw equalled.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried Sir Clement, warmly, \"your praises make me doubt\nyour disinterestedness, and there exists not the man, whom I would\nso unwillingly have for a rival as yourself.", "But you must give me\nleave to say, you have greatly deceived me in regard to this affair.\"", "\"How so, Sir?\"", "cried Lord Orville, with equal warmth.", "\"You were pleased, my Lord,\" answered Sir Clement, \"upon our first\nconversation concerning this young lady, to speak to her in terms by\nno means suited to your present encomiums; you said she was a poor,\nweak, ignorant girl, and I had great reason to believe you had a most\ncontemptuous opinion of her.\"", "\"It is very true,\" said Lord Orville, \"that I did not, at our first\nacquaintance, do justice to the merits of Miss Anville; but I knew\nnot then how new she was to the world; at present, however, I am\nconvinced, that whatever might appear strange in her behaviour, was\nsimply the effect of inexperience, timidity, and a retired education;\nfor I find her informed, sensible, and intelligent.", "She is not,\nindeed, like most modern young ladies, to be known in half an hour:\nher modest worth, and fearful excellence, require both time and\nencouragement to show themselves.", "She does not, beautiful as she is,\nseize the soul by surprise, but, with more dangerous fascination,\nshe steals it almost imperceptibly.\"", "\"Enough, my Lord,\" cried Sir Clement, \"your solicitude for her welfare\nis now sufficiently explained.\"", "\"My friendship and esteem,\" returned Lord Orville, \"I do not wish to\ndisguise; but assure yourself, Sir Clement, I should not have troubled\nyou upon this subject, had Miss Anville and I ever conversed but as\nfriends.", "However, since you do not choose to avow your intentions,\nwe must drop the subject.\"", "\"My intentions,\" cried he, \"I will frankly own, are hardly known\nto myself.", "I think Miss Anville the loveliest of her sex; and,\nwere I a marrying man, she, of all the women I have seen, I would\nfix upon for a wife: but I believe that not even the philosophy of\nyour Lordship would recommend me to a connection of that sort, with\na girl of obscure birth, whose only dowry is her beauty, and who is\nevidently in a state of dependency.\"", "\"Sir Clement,\" cried Lord Orville, with some heat, \"we will discuss\nthis point no further; we are both free agents, and must act for\nourselves.\"", "Here Mrs. Selwyn, fearing a surprise, and finding my apprehensions\nof danger were groundless, retired hastily into another walk, and\nsoon after came to give me this account.", "Good Heaven, what a man is this Sir Clement!", "So designing, though so\neasy; so deliberately artful, though so flighty!", "Greatly, however, is\nhe mistaken, all confident as he seems; for the girl, obscure, poor,\ndependent as she is, far from wishing the honour of his alliance,\nwould not only now, but always have rejected it.", "As to Lord Orville,-but I will not trust my pen to mention him,-tell\nme, my dear sir, what you think of him?-tell me if he is not\nthe noblest of men?-and if you can either wonder at, or blame my\nadmiration?", "The idea of being seen immediately by either party, after so singular\na conversation, was both awkward and distressing to me; but I was\nobliged to appear at dinner.", "Sir Clement, I saw, was absent and\nuneasy; he watched me, he watched Lord Orville, and was evidently\ndisturbed in his mind.", "Whenever he spoke to me, I turned from him\nwith undisguised disdain, for I am too much irritated against him,\nto bear with his ill-meant assiduities any longer.", "But, not once,-not a moment, did I dare meet the eyes of Lord\nOrville!", "All consciousness myself, I dreaded his penetration, and\ndirected mine every way-but towards his.", "The rest of the day I never\nquitted Mrs. Selwyn.", "Adieu, my dear Sir: to-morrow I expect your directions, whether I am\nto return to Berry Hill, or once more to visit London.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXVI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Oct. 6th.", "AND now, my dearest Sir, if the perturbation of my spirits will allow\nme, I will finish my last letter from Clifton Hill.", "This morning,\nthough I did not go down stairs early, Lord Orville was the only\nperson in the parlour when I entered it.", "I felt no small confusion\nat seeing him alone, after having so long and successfully avoided\nsuch a meeting.", "As soon as the usual compliments were over, I would\nhave left the room, but he stopped me by saying, \"If I disturb you\nMiss Anville, I am gone.\"", "\"My Lord,\" said I, rather embarrassed, \"I did not mean to stay.\"", "\"I flattered myself,\" cried he, \"I should have had a moment's\nconversation with you.\"", "I then turned back; and he seemed himself in some perplexity: but,\nafter a short pause, \"You are very good,\" said he, \"to indulge my\nrequest; I have, indeed, for some time past, most ardently desired\nan opportunity of speaking to you.\"", "Again he paused; but I said nothing, so he went on.", "\"You allowed me, Madam, a few days since, you allowed me to lay\nclaim to your friendship,-to interest myself in your affairs,-to call\nyou by the affectionate title of sister;-and the honour you did me,\nno man could have been more sensible of; I am ignorant, therefore,\nhow I have been so unfortunate as to forfeit it:-but, at present,\nall is changed!", "you fly me,-your averted eye shuns to meet mine,\nand you sedulously avoid my conversation.\"", "I was extremely disconcerted at this grave, and but too just\naccusation, and I am sure I must look very simple;-but I made no\nanswer.", "\"You will not, I hope,\" continued he, \"condemn me unheard; if there\nis any thing I have done,-or any thing I have neglected, tell me,\nI beseech you, what, and it shall be the whole study of my thoughts\nhow to deserve your pardon.\"", "\"Oh, my Lord,\" cried I, penetrated at once with shame and gratitude,\n\"your too, too great politeness oppresses me!-you have done nothing,-I\nhave never dreamt of offence-if there is any pardon to be asked it\nis rather for me, than for you to ask it.\"", "\"You are all sweetness and condescension!\"", "cried he, \"and I flatter\nmyself you will again allow me to claim those titles which I find\nmyself so unable to forego.", "Yet, occupied as I am, with an idea\nthat gives me the greatest uneasiness, I hope you will not think\nme impertinent, if I still solicit, still intreat, nay implore, you\nto tell me, to what cause your late sudden, and to me most painful,\nreserve was owing?\"", "\"Indeed, my Lord,\" said I, stammering, \"I don't,-I can't,-indeed,\nmy Lord,-\"\n\n\"I am sorry to distress you,\" said he, \"and ashamed to be so\nurgent,-yet I know not how to be satisfied while in ignorance,-and\nthe time when the change happened, makes me apprehend,-may I, Miss\nAnville, tell you what it makes me apprehend?\"", "\"Certainly, my Lord.\"", "\"Tell me, then,-and pardon a question most essentially important\nto me;-Had, or had not, Sir Clement Willoughby any share in causing\nyour inquietude?\"", "\"No, my Lord,\" answered I, with firmness, \"none in the world.\"", "\"A thousand, thousand thanks!\"", "cried he: \"you have relieved me from a\nweight of conjecture which I supported very painfully.", "But one thing\nmore; is it, in any measure, to Sir Clement that I may attribute the\nalteration in your behaviour to myself, which, I could not but observe,\nbegan the very day after his arrival at the Hot Wells?\"", "\"To Sir Clement, my Lord,\" said I, \"attribute nothing.", "He is the last\nman in the world who would have any influence over my conduct.\"", "\"And will you, then, restore to me that share of confidence and favour\nwith which you honoured me before he came?\"", "Just then, to my great relief,-for I knew not what to say,-Mrs.\nBeaumont opened the door, and in a few minutes we went to breakfast.", "Lord Orville was all gaiety; never did I see him more lively or more\nagreeable.", "Very soon after, Sir Clement Willoughby called, to pay\nhis respects, he said, to Mrs. Beaumont.", "I then came to my own room,\nwhere, indulging my reflections, which, now soothed, and now alarmed\nme, I remained very quietly, till I received your most kind letter.", "Oh, Sir, how sweet are the prayers you offer for your Evelina!", "how\ngrateful to her are the blessings you pour upon her head!-You commit\nme to my real parent,-Ah, Guardian, Friend, Protector of my youth,-by\nwhom my helpless infancy was cherished, my mind formed, my very life\npreserved,-you are the Parent my heart acknowledges, and to you do\nI vow eternal duty, gratitude, and affection!", "I look forward to the approaching interview with more fear than hope;\nbut, important as is this subject, I am just now wholly engrossed\nwith another, which I must hasten to communicate.", "I immediately acquainted Mrs. Selwyn with the purport of your\nletter.", "She was charmed to find your opinion agreed with her own,\nand settled that we should go to town to-morrow morning: and a chaise\nis actually ordered to be here by one o'clock.", "She then desired me to pack up my clothes; and said she must go\nherself to make speeches and tell lies to Mrs. Beaumont.", "When I went down stairs to dinner, Lord Orville, who was still in\nexcellent spirits, reproached me for secluding myself so much from\nthe company.", "He sat next me,-he would sit next me,-at table; and he\nmight, I am sure, repeat what he once said of me before, that he\nalmost exhausted himself in fruitless endeavours to entertain me;\n-for, indeed, I was not to be entertained: I was totally spiritless\nand dejected; the idea of the approaching meeting,-and Oh, Sir,\nthe idea of the approaching parting,-gave a heaviness to my heart\nthat I could neither conquer nor repress.", "I even regretted the half\nexplanation that had passed, and wished Lord Orville had supported\nhis own reserve, and suffered me to support mine.", "However, when, during dinner, Mrs. Beaumont spoke of our journey,\nmy gravity was no longer singular; a cloud instantly overspread the\ncountenance of Lord Orville, and he became nearly as thoughtful and\nas silent as myself.", "We all went together to the drawing-room.", "After a short and\nunentertaining conversation, Mrs. Selwyn said she must prepare for\nher journey, and begged me to see for some books she had left in\nthe parlour.", "And here, while I was looking for them, I was followed by Lord\nOrville.", "He shut the door after he came in, and, approaching me with\na look of anxiety, said, \"Is this true, Miss Anville, are you going?\"", "\"I believe so, my Lord,\" said I, still looking for the books.", "\"So suddenly, so unexpectedly must I lose you?\"", "\"No great loss, my Lord,\" cried I, endeavouring to speak cheerfully.", "\"Is it possible,\" said he gravely, \"Miss Anville can doubt my\nsincerity?\"", "\"I can't imagine,\" cried I, \"what Mrs. Selwyn has done with these\nbooks.\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" continued he, \"I might flatter myself you would\nallow me to prove it!\"", "\"I must run up stairs,\" cried I, greatly confused, \"and ask what she\nhas done with them.\"", "\"You are going, then,\" cried he, taking my hand, \"and you give me not\nthe smallest hope of your return!-will you not, then, my too lovely\nfriend!-will you not, at least, teach me, with fortitude like your own,\nto support your absence?\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried I, endeavouring to disengage my hand, \"pray let\nme go!\"", "\"I will,\" cried he, to my inexpressible confusion, dropping on one\nknee, \"if you wish to leave me!\"", "\"O, my Lord,\" exclaimed I, \"rise, I beseech you, rise!-such a posture\nto me!-surely your Lordship is not so cruel as to mock me!\"", "\"Mock you!\"", "repeated he earnestly, \"no I revere you!", "I esteem and\nI admire you above all human beings!", "you are the friend to whom my\nsoul is attached as to its better half!", "you are the most amiable,\nthe most perfect of women!", "and you are dearer to me than language\nhas the power of telling.\"", "I attempt not to describe my sensations at that moment; I scarce\nbreathed; I doubted if I existed,-the blood forsook my cheeks,\nand my feet refused to sustain me: Lord Orville, hastily rising,\nsupported me to a chair, upon which I sunk, almost lifeless.", "For a few minutes, we neither of us spoke; and then, seeing me recover,\nLord Orville, though in terms hardly articulate, intreated my pardon\nfor his abruptness.", "The moment my strength returned, I attempted to\nrise, but he would not permit me.", "I cannot write the scene that followed, though every word is\nengraven on my heart; but his protestations, his expressions, were\ntoo flattering for repetition: nor would he, in spite of my repeated\nefforts to leave him, suffer me to escape:-in short, my dear Sir,\nI was not proof against his solicitations-and he drew from me the\nmost sacred secret of my heart!", "I know not how long we were together; but Lord Orville was upon his\nknees, when the door was opened by Mrs. Selwyn!-To tell you, Sir,\nthe shame with which I overwhelmed, would be impossible;-I snatched\nmy hand from Lord Orville,-he, too, started and rose, and Mrs. Selwyn,\nfor some instants, stood facing us both in silence.", "At last, \"My Lord\" said she, sarcastically, \"have you been so good\nas to help Miss Anville to look for my books?\"", "\"Yes, Madam,\" answered he, attempting to rally, \"and I hope we shall\nsoon be able to find them.\"", "\"Your Lordship is extremely kind,\" said she, drily, \"but I can by\nno means consent to take up any more of your time.\"", "Then looking on\nthe window-seat, she presently found the books, and added, \"Come,\nhere are just three, and so like the servants in the Drummer, this\nimportant affair may give employment to us all.\"", "She then presented\none of them to Lord Orville, another to me, and taking a third herself,\nwith a most provoking look, she left the room.", "I would instantly have followed her; but Lord Orville, who could not\nhelp laughing, begged me to stay a minute, as he had many important\nmatters to discuss.", "\"No, indeed, my Lord, I cannot,-perhaps I have already stayed too\nlong.\"", "\"Does Miss Anville so soon repent her goodness?\"", "\"I scarce know what I do, my Lord,-I am quite bewildered!\"", "\"One hour's conversation,\" cried he, \"will, I hope, compose your\nspirits, and confirm my happiness.", "When, then, may I hope to see you\nalone?-shall you walk in the garden to-morrow before breakfast?\"", "\"No, no, my Lord; you must not, a second time, reproach me with making\nan appointment.\"", "\"Do you then,\" said he, laughing, \"reserve that honour only for\nMr.", "Macartney?\"", "\"Mr. Mccartney,\" said I, \"is poor, and thinks himself obliged to me;\notherwise-\"\n\n\"Poverty,\" cried he, \"I will not plead; but, if being obliged to you\nhas any weight, who shall dispute my title to an appointment?\"", "\"My Lord, I can stay no longer,-Mrs. Selwyn will lose all patience.\"", "\"Deprive her not of the pleasure of her conjectures,-but tell me,\nare you under Mrs. Selwyn's care?\"", "\"Only for the present, my Lord.\"", "\"Not a few are the questions I have to ask Miss Anville: among them,\nthe most important is, whether she depends wholly on herself, or\nwhether there is any other person for whose interest I must solicit?\"", "\"I hardly know, my Lord, I hardly know myself to whom I most belong.\"", "\"Suffer, suffer me, then,\" cried he, with warmth, \"to hasten the time\nwhen that shall no longer admit a doubt!-when your grateful Orville\nmay call you all his own!\"", "At length, but with difficulty, I broke from him.", "I went, however, to\nmy own room, for I was too much agitated to follow Mrs. Selwyn.", "Good\nGod, my dear Sir, what a scene!", "surely the meeting for which I shall\nprepare to-morrow cannot so greatly affect me!", "To be loved by Lord\nOrville,-to be the honoured choice of his noble heart,-my happiness\nseemed too infinite to be borne, and I wept, even bitterly I wept,\nfrom the excess of joy which overpowered me.", "In this state of almost painful felicity I continued till I was\nsummoned to tea.", "When I re-entered the drawing room, I rejoiced much\nto find it full of company, as the confusion with which I met Lord\nOrville was rendered the less observable.", "Immediately after tea, most of the company played at cards,-and\nthen-till supper time, Lord Orville devoted himself wholly to me.", "He saw that my eyes were red, and would not let me rest till he\nmade me confess the cause; and when, though most reluctantly, I had\nacknowledged my weakness, I could with difficulty refrain from weeping\nagain at the gratitude he expressed.", "He earnestly desired to know if my journey could not be postponed!", "and\nwhen I no, entreated permission to attend me to town.", "\"Oh, my Lord,\" cried I, \"what a request!\"", "\"The sooner,\" answered he, \"I make my devotion to you in public,\nthe sooner I may expect, from your delicacy, you will convince the\nworld you encourage no mere danglers.\"", "\"You teach me, then, my Lord, the inference I might expect, if\nI complied.\"", "\"And can you wonder I should seek to hasten the happy time, when\nno scruples, no discretion will demand our separation?", "and the most\npunctilious delicacy will rather promote, than oppose, my happiness\nin attending you?\"", "To this I was silent, and he re-urged his request.", "\"My Lord,\" said I, \"you ask what I have no power to grant.", "This\njourney will deprive me of all right to act for myself.\"", "\"What does Miss Anville mean?\"", "\"I cannot now explain myself; indeed, if I could, the task would be\nboth painful and tedious.\"", "\"O, Miss Anville,\" cried he, \"when may I hope to date the period of\nthis mystery?", "when flatter myself that my promised friend will indeed\nhonour me with her confidence?\"", "\"My Lord,\" said I, \"I mean not to affect any mystery,-but my affairs\nare so circumstanced, that a long and most unhappy story can alone\nexplain them.", "However, if a short suspense will give your Lordship\nany uneasiness,-\"\n\n\"My beloved Miss Anville,\" cried he, eagerly, \"pardon my\nimpatience!-You shall tell me nothing you would wish to conceal,-I\nwill wait your own time for information, and trust to your goodness\nfor its speed.\"", "\"There is nothing, my Lord, I wish to conceal,-to postpone an\nexplanation is all I desire.\"", "He then requested, that, since I would not allow him to accompany\nme to town, I would permit him to write to me, and promise to answer\nhis letters.", "A sudden recollection of the two letters which had already passed\nbetween us occurring to me, I hastily answered, \"No, indeed, my Lord!-\"\n\n\"I am extremely sorry,\" said he, gravely, \"that you think me too\npresumptuous.", "I must own I had flattered myself, that, to soften the\ninquietude of an absence, which seems attended by so many inexplicable\ncircumstances, would not have been to incur your displeasure.\"", "This\nseriousness hurt me; and I could not forbear saying, \"Can you indeed\ndesire, my Lord, that I should, a second time, expose myself, by an\nunguarded readiness, to write to you?\"", "\"A second time!", "unguarded readiness!\"", "repeated he; \"you amaze me!\"", "\"Has your Lordship then quite forgot the foolish letter I was so\nimprudent as to send you when in town?\"", "\"I have not the least idea,\" cried he, \"of what you mean.\"", "\"Why then, my Lord,\" said I, \"we had better let the subject drop.\"", "\"Impossible!\"", "cried he, \"I cannot rest without an explanation!\"", "And then, he obliged me to speak very openly of both the letters: but,\nmy dear Sir, imagine my surprise, when he assured me, in the most\nsolemn manner, that, far from having ever written me a single line,\nhe had never received, seen, or heard of my letter!", "This subject, which caused mutual astonishment and perplexity to us\nboth, entirely engrossed us for the rest of the evening; and he made\nme promise to show him the letter I had received in his name to-morrow\nmorning, that he might endeavour to discover the author.", "After supper, the conversation became general.", "And now, my dearest Sir, may I not call for your congratulations upon\nthe events of this day?", "a day never to be recollected by me but with\nthe most grateful joy!", "I know how much you are inclined to think well\nof Lord Orville; I cannot, therefore, apprehend that my frankness to\nhim will displease you.", "Perhaps the time is not very distant, when\nyour Evelina's choice may receive the sanction of her best friend's\njudgment and approbation,-which seems now all she has to wish!", "In regard to the change in my situation which must first take place,\nsurely I cannot be blamed for what has passed!", "the partiality of Lord\nOrville must not only reflect honour upon me, but upon all to whom\nI do, or may belong.", "Adieu, most dear Sir, I will write again when I arrive at London.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "He paused a few minutes; and then said, with warmth, \"Yes, you shall\nspeak to him!-I will myself assist you!-Miss Anville, I am sure,\ncannot form a wish against propriety: I will ask no questions, I\nwill rely upon her own purity, and, uninformed, blindfold as I am,\nI will serve her with all my power!\"", "I HAVE only time, my dearest Sir, for three words, to overtake my\nlast letter, and prevent your expecting me immediately; for, when I\ncommunicated my intention to Mrs. Selwyn, she would not hear of it,\nand declared it would be highly ridiculous for me to go before I\nreceived an answer to my intelligence concerning the journey from\nParis.", "\"The voice of fame!\"", "Pray where\nare you?\"", "\"I am not, I own, sorry for that.", "remains there one resource unessayed?", "No!", "He enquired very particularly after my health, and entreated me to\nreturn into the parlour.", "\"My friendship and esteem,\" returned Lord Orville, \"I do not wish to\ndisguise; but assure yourself, Sir Clement, I should not have troubled\nyou upon this subject, had Miss Anville and I ever conversed but as\nfriends.", "\"My Lord,\" said I, rather embarrassed, \"I did not mean to stay.\"" ]

[ "Doubtless he must be greatly discontented at the dissipated conduct and\nextravagance of a man, with whom he is soon to be so nearly connected.", "I am very glad to hear of Mr. Macartney's welfare.", "yet, weak as are the lines for the purpose, I envy beyond\nexpression the happy mortal who has dared make the effort.\"", "Sir Clement, in some confusion, suddenly rose, but still grasped\nmy hand.", "\"Why, Madam, do you ask?\"", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Lord Orville then, hastily approaching us, said, with great spirit,\n\"Sir Clement, you cannot wish to detain Miss Anville by force!\"", "\"My Lord,\" said I, rather embarrassed, \"I did not mean to stay.\"", "The dinner, the afternoon, and the evening, were to me the most\nirksome imaginable: I was tormented by the assiduity of Sir Clement,\nwho not only took, but made opportunities of speaking to me,-and\nI was hurt,-Oh, how inexpressibly hurt!-that Lord Orville not only\nforebore, as hitherto, seeking, he even neglected all occasions of\ntalking with me!", "He wanted to engage the ladies to bet on his side,\nin the true spirit of gaming, without seeing the racers." ]

[ "Mrs. Selwyn then advancing to us, he assumed a more disengaged air,\nand asked, if he should not have the pleasure of seeing her in the\nevening at the assembly?", "\"Oh, yes,\" cried she, \"we shall certainly be there; so you may bring\nthe verses with you, if Miss Anville can wait for them so long.\"", "\"I hope then,\" returned he, \"that you will do me the honour to dance\nwith me?\"", "I thanked him, but said I should not be at the assembly.", "\"Not be at the assembly?\"", "cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"Why, have you, too,\nletters to write?\"", "She looked at me with a significant archness, that made me colour;\nand I hastily answered, \"No, indeed, Ma'am!\"", "\"You have not!\"", "cried she, yet more drily; \"then pray, my dear,\ndo you stay at home to help,-or to hinder others?\"", "\"To do neither, Ma'am,\" answered I, in much confusion; \"so, if you\nplease, I will not stay at home.\"", "\"You allow me, then,\" said Sir Clement, \"to hope for the honour of\nyour hand?\"" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\n LETTER LXVII.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "Berry Hill, Sept. 28th.", "DEAD to the world, and equally insensible to its pleasures or its\npains, I long since bad adieu to all joy, and defiance to all sorrow,\nbut what should spring from my Evelina,-sole source, to me, of all\nearthly felicity.", "How strange, then, is it, that the letter in which\nshe tells me she is the happiest of human beings, should give me most\nmortal inquietude!", "Alas, my child!-that innocence, the first, best gift of Heaven,\nshould, of all others, be the blindest to its own danger,-the most\nexposed to treachery,-and the least able to defend itself, in a world\nwhere it is little known, less valued, and perpetually deceived!", "Would to Heaven you were here!-then, by degrees, and with gentleness,\nI might enter upon a subject too delicate for distant discussion.", "Yet\nis it too interesting, and the situation too critical, to allow of\ndelay.-Oh, my Evelina, your situation is critical indeed!-your peace\nof mind is at stake, and every chance for your future happiness may\ndepend upon the conduct of the present moment.", "Hitherto I have forborne to speak with you upon the most important of\nall concerns, the state of your heart:-alas, I need no information!", "I\nhave been silent, indeed, but I have not been blind.", "This subject, which caused mutual astonishment and perplexity to us\nboth, entirely engrossed us for the rest of the evening; and he made\nme promise to show him the letter I had received in his name to-morrow\nmorning, that he might endeavour to discover the author.", "After supper, the conversation became general.", "And now, my dearest Sir, may I not call for your congratulations upon\nthe events of this day?", "a day never to be recollected by me but with\nthe most grateful joy!", "I know how much you are inclined to think well\nof Lord Orville; I cannot, therefore, apprehend that my frankness to\nhim will displease you.", "Perhaps the time is not very distant, when\nyour Evelina's choice may receive the sanction of her best friend's\njudgment and approbation,-which seems now all she has to wish!", "In regard to the change in my situation which must first take place,\nsurely I cannot be blamed for what has passed!", "the partiality of Lord\nOrville must not only reflect honour upon me, but upon all to whom\nI do, or may belong.", "Adieu, most dear Sir, I will write again when I arrive at London.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXVII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Oct. 7th.", "YOU will see, my dear Sir, that I was mistaken in supposing I should\nwrite no more from this place, where my residence now seems more\nuncertain than ever.", "This morning, during breakfast, Lord Orville took an opportunity to\nbeg me, in a low voice, to allow him a moment's conversation before\nI left Clifton; \"May I hope,\" added he, \"that you will stroll into\nthe garden after breakfast?\"", "I made no answer, but I believe my looks gave no denial; for, indeed,\nI much wished to be satisfied concerning the letter.", "The moment,\ntherefore, that I could quit the parlour, I ran up stairs for my\ncalash; but, before I reached my room, Mrs. Selwyn called after me,\n\"If you are going to walk, Miss Anville, be so good as to bid Jenny\nbring down my hat, and I'll accompany you.\"", "Very much disconcerted, I turned into the drawing-room, without making\nany answer, and there I hoped to wait unseen, till she had otherwise\ndisposed of herself.", "But, in a few minutes, the door opened, and Sir\nClement Willoughby entered.", "Starting at the sight of him, in rising hastily, I let drop the letter\nwhich I had brought for Lord Orville's inspection, and, before I could\nrecover it, Sir Clement, springing forward, had it in his hand.", "He\nwas just presenting it to me, and, at the same time, enquiring after\nmy health, when the signature caught his eye, and he read aloud,\n\"Orville.\"", "I endeavoured, eagerly, to snatch it from him, but he would not permit\nme; and, holding it fast, in a passionate manner exclaimed, \"Good God,\nMiss Anville, is it possible you can value such a letter as this?\"", "The question surprised and confounded me, and I was too much ashamed to\nanswer him; but, finding he made an attempt to secure it, I prevented\nhim, and vehemently demanded him to return it.", "\"Tell me first,\" said he, holding it above my reach, \"tell me if you\nhave since received any more letters from the same person?\"", "\"No, indeed,\" cried I, \"never!\"", "\"And will you also, sweetest of women, promise that you never will\nreceive any more?", "Say that, and you will make me the happiest of men.\"", "\"Sir Clement,\" cried I, greatly confused, \"pray give me the letter.\"", "\"And will you not first satisfy my doubts?-will you not relieve me\nfrom the torture of the most distracting suspense?-tell me but that\nthe detested Orville has written to you no more!\"", "\"Sir Clement,\" cried I, angrily, \"you have no right to make any\nconditions,-so pray give me the letter directly.\"", "\"Why such solicitude about this hateful letter?", "can it possibly\ndeserve your eagerness?", "tell me, with truth, with sincerity tell me,\ndoes it really merit the least anxiety?\"", "\"No matter, Sir,\" cried I, in great perplexity, \"the letter is mine,\nand therefore-\"\n\n\n\"I must conclude, then,\" said he, \"that the letter deserves your\nutmost contempt,-but that the name of Orville is sufficient to make\nyou prize it.\"", "\"Sir Clement,\" cried I, colouring, \"you are quite-you are very much-the\nletter is not-\"\n\n\n\"O, Miss Anville,\" cried he, \"you blush!-you stammer!-Great Heaven!", "it\nis then all as I feared!\"", "\"I know not,\" cried I, half-frightened, \"what you mean; but I beseech\nyou to give me the letter, and to compose yourself.\"", "\"The letter,\" cried he, gnashing his teeth, \"you shall never see\nmore!", "You ought to have burnt it the moment you had read it!\"", "And in\nan instant he tore it into a thousand pieces.", "Alarmed at a fury so indecently outrageous, I would have run out of\nthe room; but he caught hold of my gown, and cried, \"Not yet, not yet\nmust you go!", "I am but half-mad yet, and you must stay to finish your\nwork.", "Tell me, therefore, does Orville know your fatal partiality?-Say\nyes,\" added he, trembling with passion, \"and I will fly you for ever!\"", "\"For Heaven's sake, Sir Clement,\" cried I, \"release me!-if you do not,\nyou will force me to call for help.\"", "\"Call then,\" cried he, \"inexorable and most unfeeling girl; call,\nif you please, and bid all the world witness your triumph;-but could\nten worlds obey your call, I would not part from you till you had\nanswered me.", "Tell me, then, does Orville know you love him?\"", "At any other time, an enquiry so gross would have given me\ninexpressible confusion; but now, the wildness of his manner terrified\nme, and I only said, \"Whatever you wish to know, Sir Clement, I will\ntell you another time; but, for the present, I entreat you to let\nme go!\"", "\"Enough,\" cried he, \"I understand you!-the art of Orville has\nprevailed;-cold, inanimate, phlegmatic as he is, you have rendered\nhim the most envied of men!-One thing more, and I have done:-Will he\nmarry you?\"", "What a question!", "my cheeks glowed with indignation, and I felt too\nproud to make any answer.", "\"I see, I see how it is,\" cried he, after a short pause, \"and I\nfind I am undone for ever!\"", "Then, letting loose my gown, he put his\nhand to his forehead, and walked up and down the room in a hasty and\nagitated manner.", "Though now at liberty to go, I had not the courage to leave him:\nfor his evident distress excited all my compassion.", "And this was our\nsituation, when Lady Louisa, Mr Coverley, and Mrs. Beaumont entered\nthe room.", "\"Sir Clement Willoughby,\" said the latter, \"I beg your pardon for\nmaking you wait so long, but-\"\n\n\nShe had not time for another word; Sir Clement, too much disordered to\nknow or care what he did, snatched up his hat, and, brushing hastily\npast her, flew down stairs, and out of the house.", "And with him went my sincerest pity, though I earnestly hope I shall\nsee him no more.", "But what, my dear Sir, am I to conclude from his\nstrange speeches concerning the letter?", "Does it not seem as if he was\nhimself the author of it?", "How else should he be so well acquainted\nwith the contempt it merits?", "Neither do I know another human being\nwho could serve any interest by such a deception.", "I remember, too,\nthat just as I had given my own letter to the maid, Sir Clement came\ninto the shop: probably he prevailed upon her, by some bribery, to\ngive it to him; and afterwards, by the same means, to deliver to me an\nanswer of his own writing.", "Indeed I can in no other manner account for\nthis affair.", "Oh, Sir Clement, were you not yourself unhappy, I know not\nhow I could pardon an artifice that has caused me so much uneasiness!", "His abrupt departure occasioned a kind of general consternation.", "\"Very extraordinary behavior this!\"", "cried Mrs. Beaumont.", "\"Egad,\" said Mr. Coverley, \"the baronet has a mind to tip us a touch\nof the heroics this morning!\"", "\"I declare,\" cried Miss Louisa, \"I never saw any thing so monstrous\nin my life!", "it's quite abominable;-I fancy the man's mad;-I'm sure\nhe has given me a shocking fright!\"", "Soon after, Mrs. Selwyn came up stairs with Lord Merton.", "The former,\nadvancing hastily to me, said, \"Miss Anville, have you an almanack?\"", "\"Me?-no, Madam.\"", "\"Who has one, then?\"", "\"Egad,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"I never bought one in my life; it would\nmake me quite melancholy to have such a time-keeper in my pocket.", "I\nwould as soon walk all day before an hour-glass.\"", "\"You are in the right,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"not to watch time, lest\nyou should be betrayed, unawares, into reflecting how you employ it.\"", "\"Egad, Ma'am,\" cried he, \"if Time thought no more of me than I do of\nTime, I believe I should bid defiance, for one while, to old age and\nwrinkles; for deuce take me, if ever I think about it at all.\"", "\"Pray, Mr. Coverley,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"why do you think it necessary\nto tell me this so often?\"", "\"Often!\"", "repeated he; \"Egad, Madam, I don't know why I said it now;-but\nI'm sure I can't recollect that ever I owned as much before.\"", "\"Owned it before!\"", "cried she, \"why, my dear Sir, you own it all day\nlong; for every word, every look, every action proclaims it.\"", "I now not if he understood the full severity of her satire, but he\nonly turned off with a laugh: and she then applied to Mr. Lovel,\nand asked if he had an almanack?", "Mr. Lovel, who always looks alarmed when she addresses him, with\nsome hesitation answered, \"I assure you, Ma'am, I have no manner of\nantipathy to an almanack,-none in the least,-I assure you;-I dare\nsay I have four or five.\"", "\"Four or five!-pray, may I ask what use you make of so many?\"", "\"Use!-really, Ma'am, as to that,-I don't make any particular use of\nthem; but one must have them, to tell one the day of the month:-I'm\nsure, else I should never keep it in my head.\"", "\"And does your time pass so smoothly unmarked, that, without an\nalmanack, you could not distinguish one day from another?\"", "\"Really, Ma'am,\" cried he, colouring, \"I don't see anything so\nvery particular in having a few almanacks; other people have them,\nI believe, as well as me.\"", "\"Don't be offended,\" cried she, \"I have but made a little\ndigression.", "All I want to know is, the state of the moon;-for if it\nis at the full, I shall be saved a world of conjectures, and know at\nonce to what cause to attribute the inconsistencies I have witnessed\nthis morning.", "In the first place, I heard Lord Orville excuse himself\nfrom going out, because he had business of importance to transact at\nhome;-yet have I seen him sauntering alone in the garden this half\nhour.", "Miss Anville, on the other hand, I invited to walk out with\nme; and, after seeking her every where round the house, I find her\nquietly seated in the drawing-room.", "And, but a few minutes since,\nSir Clement Willoughby, with even more than his usual politeness,\ntold me he was come to spend the morning here;-when, just now,\nI met him flying down stairs, as if pursued by the Furies; and far\nfrom repeating his compliments, or making any excuse, he did not even\nanswer a question I asked him, but rushed past me, with the rapidity\nof a thief from a bailiff!\"", "\"I protest,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, \"I can't think what he meant; such\nrudeness, from a man of any family, is quite incomprehensible.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried Lady Louisa to Lord Merton, \"do you know he did the\nsame by me?-I was just going to ask him what was the matter; but he\nran past me so quick, that I declare he quite dazzled my eyes.", "You\ncan't think, my Lord, how he frightened me; I dare say I look as\npale-don't I look very pale, my Lord?\"", "\"Your Ladyship,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"so well becomes the lilies, that\nthe roses might blush to see themselves so excelled.\"", "\"Pray, Mr. Lovel,\" said Mrs. Selwyn,\" if the roses should blush,\nhow would you find it out?\"", "\"Egad,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"I suppose they must blush, as the saying\nis, like a blue dog,-for they are red already.\"", "\"Prithee, Jack,\" said Lord Merton, \"don't you pretend to talk about\nblushes, that never knew what they were in your life.\"", "\"My Lord,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"if experience alone can justify\nmentioning them, what an admirable treatise upon the subject may we\nnot expect from your Lordship!\"", "\"O, pray, Ma'am,\" answered he, \"stick to Jack Coverley,-he's your only\nman; for my part, I confess I have a mortal aversion to arguments.\"", "\"O, fie, my Lord,\" cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"a senator of the nation!", "a\nmember of the noblest parliament in the world!-and yet neglect the\nart of oratory!\"", "\"Why, faith, my Lord,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"I think, in general, your House\nis not much addicted to study; we of the Lower House have indubitably\nmost application; and, if I did not speak before a superior power\n(bowing to Lord Merton) I should presume to add, we have likewise\nthe most able speakers.\"", "\"Mr. Lovel,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"you deserve immortality for that\ndiscovery!", "But for this observation, and the confession of Lord\nMerton, I protest that I should have supposed that a peer of the realm,\nand an able logician, were synonymous terms.\"", "Lord Merton, turning upon his heel, asked Lady Louisa if she would\ntake the air before dinner?", "\"Really,\" answered she, \"I don't know;-I'm afraid it's monstrous\nhot; besides (putting her hand to her forehead) I an't half well;\nit's quite horrid to have such weak nerves!-the least thing in the\nworld discomposes me: I declare, that man's oddness has given me such\na shock,-I don't know when I shall recover from it.", "But I'm a sad,\nweak creature;-don't you think I am, my Lord?\"", "\"O, by no means,\" answered he, \"your Ladyship is merely delicate,-and\ndevil take me if ever I had the least passion for an Amazon.\"", "\"I have the honour to be quite of your Lordship's opinion,\" said\nMr. Lovel, looking maliciously at Mrs. Selwyn; \"for I have an\ninsuperable aversion to strength, either of body or mind, in a female.\"", "\"Faith, and so have I,\" said Mr. Coverley; \"for egad, I'd as soon\nsee a woman chop wood, as hear her chop logic.\"", "\"So would every man in his senses,\" said Lord Merton, \"for a\nwoman wants nothing to recommend her but beauty and good-nature; in\neverything else she is either impertinent or unnatural.", "For my part,\ndeuce take me if ever I wish to hear a word of sense from a woman as\nlong as I live!\"", "\"It has always been agreed,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, looking round her with\nthe utmost contempt, \"that no man ought to be connected with a woman\nwhose understanding is superior to his own.", "Now I very much fear,\nthat to accommodate all this good company, according to such a rule,\nwould be utterly impracticable, unless we should choose subjects from\nSwift's hospital of idiots.\"", "How many enemies, my dear Sir, does this unbounded severity\nexcite!", "Lord Merton, however, only whistled; Mr. Coverley sang; and\nMr. Lovel, after biting his lips, said \"'Pon honour, that lady-if\nshe was not a lady-I should be half tempted to observe,-that there\nis something,-in such severity,-that is rather, I must say,-rather\noddish.\"", "Just then a servant brought Lady Louisa a note upon a waiter, which\nis a ceremony always used to her Ladyship; and I took the opportunity\nof this interruption to the conversation to steal out of the room.", "I went immediately to the parlour, which I found quite empty; for I\ndid not dare walk in the garden, after what Mrs. Selwyn had said.", "In a few minutes a servant announced Mr. Macartney; saying, as he\nentered the room, that he would acquaint Lord Orville he was there.", "Mr. Macartney rejoiced much at finding me alone.", "He told me he had\ntaken the liberty to enquire for Lord Orville, by way of pretext for\ncoming to the house.", "I then very eagerly enquired if he had seen his father.", "\"I have, Madam,\" said he, \"and the generous compassion you have shown\nmade me hasten to acquaint you, that, upon reading my unhappy mother's\nletter, he did not hesitate to acknowledge me.\"", "\"Good God,\" cried I, with no little emotion, \"how similar are our\ncircumstances!", "And did he receive you kindly?\"", "\"I could not, Madam, expect that he would; the cruel, transaction,\nwhich obliged me to fly to Paris, was recent in his memory.\"", "\"And,-have you seen the young lady?\"", "\"No, Madam,\" said he, mournfully, \"I was forbid her sight.\"", "\"Forbid her sight!-and why?\"", "\"Partly, perhaps, from prudence,-and partly from the remains of a\nresentment which will not easily subside.", "I only requested leave\nto acquaint her with my relationship, and to be allowed to call her\nsister;-but it was denied me!", "'You have no sister,' said Sir John,\n'you must forget her existence.'", "Hard and vain command!\"", "\"You have-you have a sister!\"", "cried I, from an impulse of pity, which\nI could not repress; \"a sister who is most warmly interested in your\nwelfare, and who only wants opportunity to manifest her friendship\nand regard.\"", "\"Gracious Heaven!\"", "cried he, \"what does Miss Anville mean?\"", "\"Anville,\" said I, \"is not my real name; Sir John Belmont is my\nfather,-he is your's,-and I am your sister!-You see, therefore, the\nclaim we mutually have to each other's regard; we are not merely bound\nby the ties of friendship, but by those of blood.", "I feel for you,\nalready, all the affection of a sister; I felt it, indeed, before\nI knew I was one.-Why, my dear brother, do you not speak?-do you\nhesitate to acknowledge me?\"", "\"I am so lost in astonishment,\" cried he, \"that I know not if I\nhear right!", "\"-\n\n\n\"I have, then, found a brother,\" cried I, holding out my hand,\n\"and he will not own me!\"", "\"Own you!-Oh, Madam,\" cried he, accepting my offered hand, \"is it\nindeed possible you can own me?", "-a poor, wretched adventurer!", "who so\nlately had no support but from your generosity?-whom your benevolence\nsnatched from utter destruction?-Can you,-Oh, Madam, can you, indeed,\nand without a blush, condescend to own such an outcast for a brother?\"", "\"Oh, forbear, forbear,\" cried I, \"is this language proper for a\nsister?", "are we not reciprocally bound to each other?-Will you not\nsuffer me to expect from you all the good offices in your power?-But\ntell me, where is our father at present?\"", "\"At the Hot-Wells, Madam; he arrived there yesterday morning.\"", "I would have proceeded with further questions, but the entrance of\nLord Orville prevented me.", "The moment he saw us, he started, and\nwould have retreated; but, drawing my hand from Mr. Macartney's,\nI begged him to come in.", "For a few moments we were all silent, and, I believe, all in equal\nconfusion.", "Mr. Macartney, however, recollecting himself said \"I hope\nyour Lordship will forgive the liberty I have taken in making use of\nyour name.\"", "Lord Orville, rather coldly, bowed, but said nothing.", "Again we were all silent, and then Mr. Macartney took leave.", "\"I fancy,\" said Lord Orville, when he was gone, \"I have shortened Mr.\nMacartney's visit?\"", "\"No, my Lord, not at all.\"", "\"I had presumed,\" said he, with some hesitation, \"I should have seen\nMiss Anville in the garden;-but I knew not she was so much better\nengaged.\"", "Before I could answer, a servant came to tell me the chaise was ready,\nand that Mrs. Selwyn was enquiring for me.", "\"I will wait on her immediately,\" cried I, and away I was running;\nbut Lord Orville, stopping me, said, with great emotion, \"Is it thus,\nMiss Anville, you leave me?\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried I, \"how can I help it?-perhaps, soon, some better\nopportunity may offer-\"\n\n\n\"Good Heaven!\"", "cried he, \"do you take me for a Stoic!", "what better\nopportunity may I hope for?-is not the chaise come?-are you not\ngoing?", "have you even deigned to tell me whither?\"", "\"My journey, my Lord, will now be deferred.", "Mr. Macartney has brought\nme intelligence which renders it at present unnecessary.\"", "\"Mr. Macartney,\" said he, gravely, \"seems to have great influence;-yet\nhe is a very young counsellor.\"", "\"Is it possible, my Lord, Mr. Macartney can give you the least\nuneasiness?\"", "\"My dearest Miss Anville,\" said he, taking my hand, \"I see, and I\nadore the purity of your mind, superior as it is to all little arts,\nand all apprehensions of suspicion; and I should do myself, as well as\nyou, injustice, if I were capable of harbouring the smallest doubts of\nthat goodness which makes you mine forever: nevertheless, pardon me,\nif I own myself surprised,-nay, alarmed, at these frequent meetings\nwith so young a man as Mr.", "Macartney.\"", "\"My Lord,\" cried I, eager to clear myself, \"Mr. Macartney is my\nbrother.\"", "\"Your brother!", "you amaze me!-What strange mystery, then, makes his\nrelationship a secret?\"", "Just then Mrs. Selwyn opened the door.", "\"O, you are here!\"", "cried she:\n\"Pray, is my Lord so kind as to assist you in preparing for your\njourney, or in retarding it?\"", "\"I should be most happy,\" said Lord Orville, smiling, \"if it were in\nmy power to do the latter.\"", "I then acquainted her with Mr. Macartney's communication.", "She immediately ordered the chaise away: and then took me into her\nown room, to consider what should be done.", "A few minutes sufficed to determine her; and she wrote the following\nnote.", "\"To Sir John Belmont, Bart.\"", "\"MRS. SELWYN presents her compliments to Sir John Belmont;\n and, if he is at leisure, will be glad to wait on him this\n morning, upon business of importance.\"", "She then ordered her man to enquire at the pump-room for a direction;\nand went herself to Mrs. Beaumont to apologize for deferring her\njourney.", "An answer was presently returned, that Sir John would be glad to\nsee her.", "She would have had me immediately accompany her to the Hot-Wells; but\nI entreated her to spare me the distress of so abrupt an introduction,\nand to pave the way for my reception.", "She consented rather reluctantly,\nand, attended only by her servant, walked to the Wells.", "She was not absent two hours; yet so miserably did time seem to\nlinger, that I thought a thousand accidents had happened, and feared\nshe would never return.", "I passed the whole time in my own room,\nfor I was too much agitated even to converse with Lord Orville.", "The instant that, from my window, I saw her returning, I flew down\nstairs, and met her in the garden.", "We both walked to the arbour.", "Her looks, in which both disappointment and anger were expressed,\npresently announced to me the failure of her embassy.", "Finding that\nshe did not speak, I asked her, in a faltering voice, whether or not\nI had a father?", "\"You have not, my dear!\"", "said she abruptly.", "\"Very well, Madam,\" said I, with tolerable calmness, \"let the chaise\nthen be ordered again;-I will go to Berry Hill;-and there, I trust,\nI shall still find one!\"", "It was some time ere she could give, or I could hear, the account of\nher visit; and then she related it in a hasty manner; yet, I believe\nI can recollect every word.", "\"I found Sir John alone.", "He received me with the utmost politeness.", "I\ndid not keep him a moment in suspense as to the purport of my\nvisit.", "But I had no sooner made it known, than, with a supercilious\nsmile, he said, 'And have you, Madam, been prevailed upon to revive\nthat ridiculous old story?'", "Ridiculous, I told him, was a term which\nhe would find no one else do him the favour to make use of, in speaking\nof the horrible actions belonging to the old story he made so light of;\n'actions' continued I, 'which would dye still deeper the black annals\nof Nero or Caligula.'", "He attempted in vain to rally; for I pursued him\nwith all the severity in my power, and ceased not painting the enormity\nof his crime till I stung him to the quick, and, in a voice of passion\nand impatience, he said, 'No more, Madam,-this is not a subject upon\nwhich I need a monitor.'", "'Make then,' cried I, 'the only reparation\nin your power.-Your daughter is now at Clifton; send for her hither;\nand, in the face of the world, proclaim the legitimacy of her birth,\nand clear the reputation of your injured wife.'", "'Madam,' said he,\n'you are much mistaken, if you suppose I waited for the honour of this\nvisit before I did what little justice now depends upon me, to the\nmemory of that unfortunate woman: her daughter has been my care from\nher infancy; I have taken her into my house; she bears my name; and\nshe will be my sole heiress.'", "For some time this assertion appeared\nso absurd, that I only laughed at it: but, at last, he assured me,\nI had myself been imposed upon; for that very woman who attended\nLady Belmont in her last illness, conveyed the child to him while\nhe was in London, before she was a year old.", "'Unwilling,' he added,\n'at that time to confirm the rumour of my being married, I sent the\nwoman with the child to France: as soon as she was old enough, I put\nher into a convent, where she has been properly educated, and now\nI have taken her home.", "I have acknowledged her for my lawful child,\nand paid, at length, to the memory of her unhappy mother a tribute\nof fame, which has made me wish to hide myself hereafter from all\nthe world.'", "This whole story sounded so improbable, that I did not\nscruple to tell him I discredited every word.", "He then rung his bell;\nand, enquiring if his hair-dresser was come, said he was sorry to\nleave me; but that, if I would favour him with my company to-morrow,\nhe would do himself the honour of introducing Miss Belmont to me,\ninstead of troubling me to introduce her to him.", "I rose in great\nindignation; and assuring him I would make his conduct as public as\nit was infamous-I left the house.\"", "Good Heaven, how strange the recital!", "how incomprehensible an\naffair!", "The Miss Belmont then who is actually at Bristol, passes\nfor the daughter of my unhappy mother!-passes, in short, for your\nEvelina!", "Who she can be, or what this tale can mean, I have not\nany idea.", "Mrs. Selwyn soon after left me to my own reflections.", "Indeed they were\nnot very pleasant.", "Quietly as I had borne her relation, the moment\nI was alone I felt most bitterly both the disgrace and sorrow of a\nrejection so cruelly inexplicable.", "I know not how long I might have continued in this situation, had\nI not been awakened from my melancholy reverie by the voice of Lord\nOrville.", "\"May I come in,\" cried he, \"or shall I interrupt you?\"", "I was silent, and he seated himself next me.", "\"I fear,\" he continued, \"Miss Anville will think I persecute her:\nyet so much as I have to say, and so much as I wish to hear, with so\nfew opportunities for either, she cannot wonder-and I hope she will\nnot be offended-that I seize with such avidity every moment in my\npower to converse with her.", "You are grave,\" added he, taking my hand;\n\"I hope the pleasure it gives to me, will not be a subject of pain to\nyou?", "-You are silent!-Something, I am sure, has afflicted you:-would\nto Heaven I were able to console you!-Would to Heaven I were worthy\nto participate in your sorrows!\"", "My heart was too full to bear this kindness, and I could only answer by\nmy tears.", "\"Good Heaven,\" cried he, \"how you alarm me!-My love, my sweet\nMiss Anville, deny me no longer to be the sharer of your griefs!-tell\nme, at least, that you have not withdrawn your esteem!-that you do\nnot repent the goodness you have shown me!-that you still think me\nthe same grateful Orville, whose heart you have deigned to accept!\"", "\"Oh, my Lord,\" cried I, \"your generosity overpowers me!\"", "And I wept\nlike an infant.", "For now, that all my hopes of being acknowledged\nseemed finally crushed, I felt the nobleness of his disinterested\nregard so forcibly, that I could scarce breathe under the weight of\ngratitude which oppressed me.", "He seemed greatly shocked; and, in terms the most flattering, the\nmost respectfully tender, he at once soothed my distress, and urged\nme to tell him its cause.", "\"My Lord,\" said I, when I was able to speak, \"you little know what\nan outcast you have honoured with your choice!-a child of bounty,-an\norphan from infancy,-dependant, even for subsistence, dependent, upon\nthe kindness of compassion!-Rejected by my natural friends,-disowned\nfor ever by my nearest relation,-Oh, my Lord, so circumstanced,\ncan I deserve the distinction with which you honour me?", "No, no,\nI feel the inequality too painfully;-you must leave me, my Lord;\nyou must suffer me to return to obscurity; and there, in the bosom\nof my first, best, my only friend,-I will pour forth all the grief\nof my heart!-while you, my Lord, must seek elsewhere-\"\n\n\nI could not proceed; my whole soul recoiled against the charge I\nwould have given, and my voice refused to utter it.", "\"Never,\" cried he, warmly, \"my heart is your's, and I swear to you an\nattachment eternal!-You prepare me, indeed, for a tale of horror, and\nI am almost breathless with expectation;-but so firm is my conviction,\nthat, whatever are your misfortunes, to have merited them is not of the\nnumber, that I feel myself more strongly, more invincibly devoted to\nyou than ever!-Tell me but where I may find this noble friend, whose\nvirtues you have already taught me to reverence,-and I will fly to\nobtain his consent and intercession, that henceforward our fates my be\nindissolubly united;-and then shall it be the sole study of my life to\nendeavor to soften your past,-and guard you from future misfortunes!\"", "I had just raised my eyes to answer this most generous of men, when\nthe first object they met was Mrs. Selwyn.", "\"So, my dear,\" cried she, \"what, still courting the rural shades!-I\nthought ere now you would have been satiated with this retired seat,\nand I have been seeking you all over the house.", "But I find the\nonly way to meet with you,-is to enquire for Lord Orville.", "However,\ndon't let me disturb your meditation; you are possibly planning some\npastoral dialogue.\"", "And, with this provoking speech, she walked on.", "In the greatest confusion I was quitting the arbour, when Lord Orville\nsaid, \"Permit me to follow Mrs. Selwyn;-it is time to put an end to\nall impertinent conjectures; will you allow me to speak to her openly?\"", "I assented in silence, and he left me.", "I then went to my own room, where I continued till I was summoned to\ndinner; after which, Mrs. Selwyn invited me to hers.", "The moment she had shut the door, \"Your Ladyship'\" said she, \"will,\nI hope, be seated.\"", "\"Ma'am!\"", "cried I, staring.", "\"O the sweet innocent!", "So you don't know what I mean?-but, my dear,\nmy sole view is to accustom you a little to your dignity elect, lest,\nwhen you are addressed by your title, you should look another way, from\nan apprehension of listening to a discourse not meant for you to hear.\"", "Having, in this manner, diverted herself with my confusion, till her\nraillery was almost exhausted, she congratulated me very seriously\nupon the partiality of Lord Orville, and painted to me, in the\nstrongest terms, his disinterested desire of being married to me\nimmediately.", "She had told him, she said, my whole story, and yet\nhe was willing, nay eager, that our union should take place of any\nfurther application to my family.", "\"Now, my dear,\" continued she,\n\"I advise you by all means to marry him directly; nothing can be\nmore precarious than our success with Sir John; and the young men of\nthis age are not to be trusted with too much time for deliberation,\nwhere their interests are concerned.\"", "\"Good God, Madam,\" cried I, \"do you think I would hurry Lord Orville?\"", "\"Well, do as you will,\" said she, \"luckily you have an excellent\nsubject for Quixotism;-otherwise this delay might prove your ruin;\nbut Lord Orville is almost as romantic as if he had been born and\nbred at Berry Hill.\"", "She then proposed, as no better expedient seemed likely to be\nsuggested, that I should accompany her at once in her visit to the\nHot-Wells to-morrow morning.", "The very idea made me tremble; yet she represented so strongly the\nnecessity of pursuing this unhappy affair with spirit, or giving it\ntotally up, that, wanting her force of argument, I was almost obliged\nto yield to her proposal.", "In the evening we all walked in the garden; and Lord Orville, who\nnever quitted my side, told me he had been listening to a tale, which\nthough it had removed the perplexities that had so long tormented him,\nhad penetrated him with sorrow and compassion.", "I acquainted him with\nMrs. Selwyn's plan for to-morrow, and confessed the extreme terror\nit gave me.", "He then, in a manner almost unanswerable, besought me\nto leave to him the conduct of the affair, by consenting to be his\nbefore an interview took place.", "I could not but acknowledge my sense of his generosity; but I told him\nI was wholly dependent upon you; and that I was certain your opinion\nwould be the same as mine; which was, that it would be highly improper\nI should dispose of myself for ever, so very near the time which must\nfinally decide by whose authority I ought to be guided.", "The subject of\nthis dreaded meeting, with the thousand conjectures and apprehensions\nto which it gives birth, employed all our conversation then, as it\nhas all my thoughts since.", "Heaven only knows how I shall support myself, when the long\nexpected-the wished-yet terrible moment arrives, that will prostrate\nme at the feet of the nearest, the most reverenced of all relations,\nwhom my heart yearns to know, and longs to love!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXVIII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Oct. 9th.", "I COULD not write yesterday, so violent was the agitation of my\nmind;-but I will not, now, lose a moment till I have hastened to\nmy best friend an account of the transactions of a day I can never\nrecollect without emotion.", "Mrs. Selwyn determined upon sending no message, \"Lest,\" said she,\n\"Sir John, fatigued with the very idea of my reproaches, should\nendeavour to avoid a meeting.", "He cannot but see who you are, whether\nhe will do you justice or not.\"", "We went early, and in Mrs. Beaumont's chariot; into which Lord Orville,\nuttering words of the kindest encouragement, handed us both.", "My uneasiness, during the ride, was excessive; but, when we stopped at\nthe door, I was almost senseless with terror!", "the meeting, at last,\nwas not so dreadful as that moment!", "I believe I was carried into\nthe house; but I scarce recollect what was done with me: however,\nI know we remained some time in the parlour before Mrs. Selwyn could\nsend any message up stairs.", "When I was somewhat recovered, I intreated her to let me return home,\nassuring her I felt myself quite unequal to supporting the interview.", "\"No,\" said she; \"you must stay now: your fears will but gain strength\nby delay; and we must not have such a shock as this repeated.\"", "Then,\nturning to the servant, she sent up her name.", "An answer was brought, that he was going out in great haste, but\nwould attend her immediately.", "I turned so sick, that Mrs. Selwyn was\napprehensive I should have fainted; and, opening a door which led to\nan inner apartment, she begged me to wait there till I was somewhat\ncomposed, and till she had prepared for my reception.", "Glad of every moment's reprieve, I willingly agreed to the proposal;\nand Mrs. Selwyn had but just time to shut me in, before her presence\nwas necessary.", "The voice of a father -Oh, dear and revered name!-which then, for the\nfirst time, struck my ears, affected me in a manner I cannot describe,\nthough it was only employed in giving orders to a servant as he came\ndown stairs.", "Then, entering the parlour, I heard him say, \"I am sorry, Madam,\nI made you wait; but I have an engagement which now calls me away:\nhowever, if you have any commands for me, I shall be glad of the\nhonour of your company some other time.\"", "\"I am come, Sir,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"to introduce your daughter\nto you.\"", "\"I am infinitely obliged to you,\" answered he; \"but I have just had\nthe satisfaction of breakfasting with her.", "Ma'am, your most obedient.\"", "\"You refuse, then, to see her?\"", "\"I am much indebted to you, Madam, for this desire of increasing\nmy family; but you must excuse me if I decline taking advantage of\nit.", "I have already a daughter, to whom I owe everything; and it is\nnot three days since that I had the pleasure of discovering a son: how\nmany more sons and daughters may be brought to me, I am yet to learn;\nbut I am already perfectly satisfied with the size of my family.\"", "\"Had you a thousand children, Sir John,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"this\nonly one, of which Lady Belmont was the mother, ought to be most\ndistinguished; and, far from avoiding her sight, you should thank your\nstars, in humble gratitude, that there yet remains in your power the\nsmallest opportunity of doing the injured wife you have destroyed,\nthe poor justice of acknowledging her child!\"", "\"I am very unwilling, Madam,\" answered he, \"to enter into any\ndiscussion of this point; but you are determined to compel me to\nspeak.", "There lives not at this time the human being, who should\ntalk to me of the regret due to the memory of that ill-fated woman;\nno one can feel it so severely as myself; but let me, nevertheless,\nassure you, I have already done all that remained in my power to\nprove the respect she merited from me: her child I have educated,\nand owned for my lawful heiress: if, madam, you can suggest to me\nany other means by which I may more fully do her justice, and more\nclearly manifest her innocence, name them to me; and, though they\nshould wound my character still deeper, I will perform them readily.\"", "\"All this sounds vastly well,\" returned Mrs. Selwyn; \"but I must own\nit is rather too enigmatical for my faculties of comprehension.", "You\ncan, however, have no objection to seeing this young lady.\"", "\"None in the world.\"", "\"Come forth, then, my dear,\" cried she, opening the door; \"come forth\nand see your father!\"", "Then, taking my trembling hand, she led me\nforward.", "I would have withdrawn it and retreated; but, as he advanced\ninstantly towards me, I found myself already before him.", "What a moment for your Evelina-an involuntary scream escaped me, and,\ncovering my face with my hands, I sunk on the floor.", "He had, however, seen me first; for, in a voice scarce articulate,\nhe exclaimed, \"My God!", "does Caroline Evelyn still live!\"", "Mrs. Selwyn said something, but I could not listen to her; and in a\nfew minutes he added, \"Lift up thy head-if my sight has not blasted\nthee!-lift up thy head, thou image of my long lost Caroline!\"", "Affected beyond measure, I half arose, and embraced his knees, while\nyet on my own.", "\"Yes, yes,\" cried he, looking earnestly in my face, \"I see, I see thou\nart her child!", "she lives-she breathes,-she is present to my view!-Oh,\nGod, that she indeed lived!-Go, child, go,\" added he, wildly starting,\nand pushing me from him: \"take her away, Madam,-I cannot bear to look\nat her!\"", "And then, breaking hastily from me, he rushed out of the room.", "Speechless, motionless myself, I attempted not to stop him; but\n Mrs. Selwyn,\nhastening after him, caught hold of his arm: \"Leave me, Madam,\" cried\nhe, with quickness, \"and take care of the poor child:-bid her not\nthink me unkind; tell her, I would at this moment plunge a dagger in\nmy heart to serve her: but she has set my brain on fire; and I can see\nher no more!\"", "Then, with a violence almost frantic, he ran up stairs.", "Oh, Sir, had I not indeed cause to dread this interview?-an\n interview so\nunspeakably painful and afflicting to us both!", "Mrs. Selwyn would have\nimmediately returned to Clifton; but I entreated her to wait some time,\nin the hope that my unhappy father, when his first emotion was over,\nwould again bear me in his sight.", "However, he soon after sent his\nservant to enquire how I did; and to tell Mrs. Selwyn he was much\nindisposed, but would hope for the honour of seeing her to-morrow,\nat any time she would please to appoint.", "She fixed upon ten o'clock in the morning; and then, with a heavy\n heart, I\ngot into the chariot.", "Those afflicting words, I can see her no\nmore!", "were never a moment absent from my mind.", "Yet the sight of Lord Orville, who handed us from the carriage,\n gave some\nrelief to the sadness of my thoughts.", "I could not, however, enter\nupon the painful subject; but, begging Mrs. Selwyn to satisfy him,\nI went to my own room.", "As soon as I communicated to the good Mrs. Clinton the present\n situation of\nmy affairs, an idea occurred to her which seemed to clear up all the\nmystery of my having been so long disowned.", "The woman, she says, who attended my ever-to-be-regretted mother in\n her last\nillness, and who nursed me the first four months of my life, soon\nafter being discharged from your house, left Berry Hill entirely,\nwith her baby, who was but six weeks older than myself.", "Mrs. Clinton\nremembers, that her quitting the place appeared, at the time, very\nextraordinary to the neighbours; but, as she was never heard of\nafterwards, she was by degrees quite forgotten.", "The moment this was mentioned, it struck Mrs. Selwyn, as well as\n Mrs. Clinton\nherself, that my father had been imposed upon; and that the nurse, who\nsaid she had brought his child to him, had, in fact, carried her own.", "The name by which I was known, the secrecy observed in regard to\n my family,\nand the retirement in which I lived, all conspired to render this\nscheme, however daring and fraudulent, by no means impracticable; and,\nin short, the idea was no sooner started, than conviction seemed to\nfollow it.", "Mrs. Selwyn determined immediately to discover the truth or mistake\n of this\nconjecture; therefore, the moment she had dined, she walked to the\nHot Wells, attended by Mrs. Clinton.", "I waited in my room till her return; and then heard the following\n account of\nher visit:\n\n\n She found my poor father in great agitation.", "She immediately informed\n him of\nthe occasion of her so speedy return, and of her suspicions of the\nwoman who had pretended to convey to him his child.", "Interrupting her\nwith quickness, he said he had just sent her from his presence; that\nthe certainty I carried in my countenance of my real birth, made him,\nthe moment he had recovered from a surprise which had almost deprived\nhim of reason, suspect, himself, the imposition she mentioned.", "He\nhad therefore sent for the woman, and questioned her with the utmost\nausterity; she turned pale, and was extremely embarrassed; but still\nshe persisted in affirming, that she had really brought him the\ndaughter of Lady Belmont.", "His perplexity, he said, almost distracted\nhim: he had always observed, that his daughter bore no resemblance\nto either of her parents; but, as he had never doubted the veracity\nof the nurse, this circumstance did not give birth to any suspicion.", "At Mrs. Selwyn's desire, the woman was again called, and interrogated\n with\nequal art and severity; her confusion was evident, and her answers\noften contradictory; yet she still declared she was no impostor.", "\"We\nwill see that in a minute,\" said Mrs. Selwyn; and then desired\nMrs. Clinton might be called up stairs.", "The poor wretch, changing\ncolour, would have escaped out of the room; but, being prevented,\ndropt on her knees, and implored forgiveness.", "A confession of the\nwhole affair was then extorted from her.", "Doubtless, my dear Sir, you must remember Dame Green, who was my\n first nurse.", "The deceit she has practised was suggested, she says, by a conversation\nshe overheard; in which my unhappy mother besought you, that, if her\nchild survived her, you would take the sole care of its education;\nand, in particular, if it should be a female, you would by no means\npart with her in early life.", "You not only consented, she says, but\nassured her you would even retire abroad with me yourself, if my\nfather should importunately demand me.", "Her own child, she said,\nwas then in her arms; and she could not forbear wishing it were\npossible to give her the fortune which seemed so little valued for\nme.", "This wish once raised was not easily suppressed; on the contrary,\nwhat at first appeared a mere idle desire, in a short time seemed\na feasible scheme.", "Her husband was dead, and she had little regard\nfor any body but her child; and, in short, having saved money for\nthe journey, she contrived to enquire a direction to my father;\nand, telling her neighbours she was going to settle in Devonshire,\nshe set out on her expedition.", "When Mrs. Selwyn asked her how she dared perpetrate such a fraud, she\nprotested she had no ill designs; but that, as Miss would be never\nthe worse for it, she thought it pity nobody should be the better.", "Her success we are already acquainted with.", "Indeed everything\n seemed to\ncontribute towards it: my father had no correspondent at Berry Hill;\nthe child was instantly sent to France; where, being brought up in\nas much retirement as myself, nothing but accident could discover\nthe fraud.", "And here let me indulge myself in observing, and rejoicing to\n observe, that\nthe total neglect I thought I met with was not the effect of\ninsensibility or unkindness, but of imposition and error; and that,\nat the very time we concluded I was unnaturally rejected, my deluded\nfather meant to show me most favour and protection.", "He acknowledges that Lady Howard's letter flung him into some\n perplexity: he\nimmediately communicated it to Dame Green, who confessed it was\nthe greatest shock she had ever received in her life; yet she had\nthe art and boldness to assert, that Lady Howard must herself have\nbeen deceived: and as she had, from the beginning of her enterprise,\ndeclared she had stolen away the child without your knowledge, he\nconcluded that some deceit was then intended him; and this thought\noccasioned his abrupt answer.", "Dame Green owned, that, from the moment the journey to England\n was settled,\nshe gave herself up for lost.", "All her hope was to have had her\ndaughter married before it took place; for which reason she had so\nmuch promoted Mr. Macartney's addresses; for though such a match was\ninadequate to the pretensions of Miss Belmont, she well knew it was\nfar superior to those her daughter could form after the discovery of\nher birth.", "My first enquiry was, if this innocent daughter was yet acquainted\n with the\naffair?", "\"No,\" Mrs. Selwyn said; nor was any plan settled how to divulge\nit to her.", "Poor unfortunate girl!", "how hard is her fate!", "She is entitled\nto my kindest offices, and I shall always consider her as my sister.", "I then asked whether my father would again allow me to see him!", "\"Why, no, my dear, not yet,\" answered she; \"he declares the sight\n of you is\ntoo much for him: however, we are to settle everything concerning\nyou to-morrow; for this woman took up all our time to-day.\"", "This morning, therefore, she is again gone to the Hot Wells.", "I am\n waiting in\nall impatience for her return; but, as I know you will be anxious\nfor the account this letter contains, I will not delay sending it.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXIX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "October 9th.", "HOW agitated, my dear Sir, is the present life of your Evelina!", "every\n day\nseems important, and one event only a prelude to another.", "Mrs. Selwyn, upon her return this morning from the Hot Wells,\n entering my\nroom very abruptly, said, \"Oh, my dear, I have terrible news for you!\"", "\"For me, Ma'am!-Good God!", "what now?\"", "\"Arm yourself,\" cried she, \"with all your Berry Hill philosophy;-con\n over\nevery lesson of fortitude or resignation you ever learnt in your\nlife;-for know,-you are next week to be married to Lord Orville!\"", "Doubt, astonishment, and a kind of perturbation I cannot describe,\n made this\nabrupt communication alarm me extremely; and, almost breathless,\nI could only exclaim, \"Good God, Madam, what do you tell me!\"", "\"You may well be frightened, my dear,\" said she, ironically;\n \"for really\nthere is something mighty terrific in becoming, at once, the wife of\nthe man you adore,-and a Countess!\"", "I entreated her to spare her raillery, and tell me her real\n meaning.", "She\ncould not prevail with herself to grant the first request, though\nshe readily complied with the second.", "My poor father, she said, was still in the utmost uneasiness: he\n entered upon\nhis affairs with great openness, and told her, he was equally\ndisturbed how to dispose either of the daughter he had discovered,\nor the daughter he was now to give up; the former he dreaded to trust\nhimself with again beholding, and the latter he knew not how to shock\nwith the intelligence of her disgrace.", "Mrs. Selwyn then acquainted\nhim with my situation in regard to Lord Orville: this delighted him\nextremely; and, when he heard of his Lordship's eagerness, he said he\nwas himself of opinion, the sooner the union took place the better;\nand, in return, he informed her of the affair of Mr. Macartney.", "\"And,\nafter a very long conversation,\" continued Mrs. Selwyn, \"we agreed,\nthat the most eligible scheme for all parties would be, to have both\nthe real and the fictitious daughter married without delay.", "Therefore,\nif either of you have any inclination to pull caps for the title of\nMiss Belmont, you must do it with all speed, as next week will take\nfrom both of you all pretensions to it.\"", "\"Next week!-dear Madam, what a strange plan!-without my being\nconsulted,-without applying to Mr. Villars,-without even the\nconcurrence of Lord Orville!\"", "\"As to consulting you, my dear, it was out of all question;\n because, you\nknow, young ladies' hearts and hands are always to be given with\nreluctance;-as to Mr. Villars, it is sufficient we know him for your\nfriend;-and as for Lord Orville, he is a party concerned.\"", "\"A party concerned!-you amaze me!\"", "\"Why, yes; for, as I found our consultation likely to redound to his\nadvantage, I persuaded Sir John to send for him.\"", "\"Send for him!-Good God!\"", "\"Yes; and Sir John agreed.", "I told the servant, that if he could not\n hear of\nhis Lordship in the house, he might be pretty certain of encountering\nhim in the arbour.-Why do you colour, my dear?-Well, he was with us in\na moment: I introduced him to Sir John; and we proceeded to business.\"", "\"I am very, very sorry for it!-Lord Orville must himself think\n this conduct\nstrangely precipitate.\"", "\"No, my dear, you are mistaken; Lord Orville has too much good sense.", "Everything was then discussed in a rational manner.", "You are to be\nmarried privately, though not secretly, and then go to one of his\nLordship's country seats: and poor little Miss Green and your brother,\nwho have no house of their own, must go to one of Sir John's.\"", "\"But why, my dear Madam, why all this haste?", "why may we not be\n allowed a\nlittle longer time?\"", "\"I could give you a thousand reasons,\" answered she, \"but that I\n am tolerably\ncertain two or three will be more than you can controvert, even with\nall the logic of genuine coquetry.", "In the first place, you doubtless\nwish to quit the house of Mrs. Beaumont: to whose, then, can you with\nsuch propriety remove as to Lord Orville's?\"", "\"Surely, Madam,\" cried I, \"I am not more destitute now than when\n I thought\nmyself an orphan.\"", "\"Your father, my dear,\" answered she, \"is willing to save the\n little impostor\nas much of the mortification of her disgrace as is in his power;\nnow, if you immediately take her place, according to your right,\nas Miss Belmont, why, not all that either of you can do for her,\nwill prevent her being eternally stigmatized as the bantling of Dame\nGreen, wash-woman and wet nurse, of Berry Hill, Dorsetshire.", "Now such\na genealogy will not be very flattering, even to Mr. Macartney, who,\nall-dismal as he is, you will find by no means wanting in pride and\nself-consequence.\"", "\"For the universe,\" interrupted I, \"I would not be accessary to the\ndegradation you mention; but surely, Madam, I may return to Berry\nHill?\"", "\"By no means,\" said she; \"for though compassion may make us wish to\n save the\npoor girl the confusion of an immediate and public fall, yet justice\ndemands you should appear henceforward in no other light than that\nof Sir John Belmont's daughter.", "Besides, between friends, I, who know\nthe world, can see that half this prodigious delicacy for the little\nusurper is the mere result of self-interest; for, while her affairs\nare hushed up, Sir John's, you know, are kept from being brought\nfurther to light.", "Now the double marriage we have projected obviates\nall rational objections.", "Sir John will give you immediately L.30,000;\nall settlements, and so forth, will be made for you in the name of\nEvelina Belmont:-Mr. Macartney will at the same time take poor Polly\nGreen; and yet, at first, it will only be generally known that a\ndaughter of Sir John Belmont is married.\"", "In this manner, though she did not convince me, yet the quickness\n of her\narguments silenced and perplexed me.", "I enquired, however, if I might\nnot be permitted to again see my father, or whether I must regard\nmyself as banished his presence for ever?", "\"My dear,\" said she, \"he does not know you: he concludes that you\n have been\nbrought up to detest him; and therefore he is rather prepared to\ndread than to love you.\"", "This answer made me very unhappy: I wished, most impatiently, to\n remove his\nprejudice, and endeavour, by dutiful assiduity, to engage his kindness;\nyet knew not how to propose seeing him, while conscious he wished to\navoid me.", "This evening, as soon as the company was engaged with cards,\n Lord Orville\nexerted his utmost eloquence to reconcile me to this hasty plan;\nbut how was I startled when he told me that next Tuesday was the day\nappointed by my father to be the most important of my life!", "\"Next Tuesday!\"", "repeated I, quite out of breath, \"Oh, my Lord!-\"\n\n\n \"My sweet Evelina,\" said he, \"the day which will make me the\n happiest of\nmortals, would probably appear awful to you, were it to be deferred\na twelvemonth.", "Mrs. Selwyn has, doubtless, acquainted you with the\nmany motives which, independent of my eagerness, require it to be\nspeedy; suffer, therefore, its acceleration, and generously complete\nmy felicity, by endeavouring to suffer it without repugnance.\"", "\"Indeed, my Lord, I would not wilfully raise objections, nor do I\n desire to\nappear insensible of the honour of your good opinion;-but\nthere is something in this plan-so very hasty-so unreasonably\nprecipitate:-besides, I shall have no time to hear from Berry\nHill;-and believe me, my Lord, I should be for ever miserable,\nwere I, in an affair so important, to act without the sanction of\nMr. Villars's advice.\"", "He offered to wait on you himself: but I told him I had rather write\n to you.", "And then he proposed, that, instead of my immediately accompanying him\nto Lincolnshire, we should first pass a month at my native Berry Hill.", "This was, indeed, a grateful proposal to me, and I listened to it with\nundisguised pleasure.", "And, in short, I was obliged to consent to\na compromise in merely deferring the day till Thursday!", "He readily\nundertook to engage my father's concurrence in this little delay;\nand I besought him, at the same time, to make use of his influence\nto obtain me a second interview, and to represent the deep concern\nI felt in being thus banished his sight.", "He would then have spoken of settlements; but I assured him I\n was almost\nignorant of the word.", "And now, my dearest Sir, what is your opinion of these hasty\n proceedings?", "Believe me, I half regret the simple facility with which I have\nsuffered myself to be hurried into compliance; and, should you start\nbut the smallest objection, I will yet insist upon being allowed\nmore time.", "I must now write a concise account of the state of my affairs\n to Howard\nGrove, and to Madame Duval.", "Adieu, dearest and most honoured Sir!", "everything at present depends\n upon your\nsingle decision; to which, though I yield in trembling, I yield\nimplicitly.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXX.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Oct. 11th.", "YESTERDAY morning, as soon as breakfast was over, Lord Orville went\n to the\nHot Wells, to wait upon my father with my double petition.", "Mrs. Beaumont then, in general terms, proposed a walk in the\n garden.", "Mrs.\nSelwyn said she had letters to write; but Lady Louisa rose to\naccompany Mrs. Beaumont.", "I had had some reason to imagine, from the notice with which her\n Ladyship had\nhonoured me during breakfast, that her brother had acquainted her with\nmy present situation: and her behaviour now confirmed my conjectures:\nfor, when I would have gone up stairs, instead of suffering me,\nas usual, to pass disregarded, she called after me with an affected\nsurprise, \"Miss Anville, don't you walk with us?\"", "There seemed something so little-minded in this sudden change\n of conduct,\nthat, from an involuntary motion of contempt, I thanked her with a\ncoldness like her own, and declined her offer.", "Yet, observing that\nshe blushed extremely at my refusal, and recollecting she was sister\nto Lord Orville, my indignation subsided; and, upon Mrs. Beaumont\nrepeating the invitation, I accepted it.", "Our walk proved extremely dull: Mrs. Beaumont, who never says much,\n was more\nsilent than usual; Lady Louisa strove in vain to lay aside the\nrestraint and distance she has hitherto preserved; and, as to me, I\nwas too conscious of the circumstances to which I owed their attention,\nto feel either pride or pleasure from receiving it.", "Lord Orville was not long absent: he joined us in the garden with\n a look of\ngaiety and good humour that revived us all.", "\"You are just the party,\"\nsaid he, \"I wished to see together.", "Will you, Madam (taking my hand),\nallow me the honour of introducing you, by your real name, to two of\nmy nearest relations?", "Mrs. Beaumont, give me leave to present to\nyou the daughter of Sir John Belmont, a young lady who, I am sure,\nmust long since have engaged your esteem and admiration, though you\nwere a stranger to her birth.\"", "\"My Lord,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, graciously saluting me, \"the young\n lady's rank\nin life, your Lordship's recommendation, or her own merit, would, any\none of them, have been sufficient to have entitled her to my regard;\nand I hope she has always met with that respect in my house which is\nso much her due; though, had I been sooner made acquainted with her\nfamily, I should doubtless have better known how to have secured it.\"", "\"Miss Belmont,\" said Lord Orville, \"can receive no lustre from family,\nwhatever she may give to it.", "Louisa, you will, I am sure, be happy to\nmake yourself an interest in the friendship of Miss Belmont, whom I\nhope shortly (kissing my hand, and joining it with her Ladyship's)\nto have the happiness of presenting to you by yet another name,\nand by the most endearing of all titles.\"", "I believe it would be difficult to say whose cheeks were, at that\n moment, of\nthe deepest dye, Lady Louisa's or my own; for the conscious pride\nwith which she has hitherto slighted me, gave to her an embarrassment\nwhich equalled the confusion that an introduction so unexpected\ngave to me.", "She saluted me, however; and, with a faint smile said,\n\"I shall esteem myself very happy to profit by the honour of Miss\nBelmont's acquaintance.\"", "I only courtsied, and we walked on; but it was evident, from the\n little\nsurprise they expressed, that they had been already informed of the\nstate of the affair.", "We were soon after joined by more company: and Lord Orville then,\n in a low\nvoice, took an opportunity to tell me the success of his visit.", "In the\nfirst place, Thursday was agreed to; and, in the second, my father,\nhe said, was much concerned to hear of my uneasiness; sent me his\nblessing; and complied with my request of seeing him, with the same\nreadiness he should agree to any other I could make.", "Lord Orville,\ntherefore, settled that I should wait upon him in the evening, and,\nat his particular request, unaccompanied by Mrs. Selwyn.", "This kind message, and the prospect of so soon seeing him, gave\n me sensations\nof mixed pleasure and pain, which wholly occupied my mind till the\ntime of my going to the Hot Wells.", "Mrs. Beaumont lent me her chariot, and Lord Orville absolutely\n insisted upon\nattending me.", "\"If you go alone,\" said he, \"Mrs. Selwyn will certainly\nbe offended; but if you allow me to conduct you, though she may give\nthe freer scope to her raillery, she cannot possibly be affronted:\nand we had much better suffer her laughter, than provoke her satire.\"", "Indeed, I must own, I had no reason to regret being so accompanied;\n for his\nconversation supported my spirits from drooping, and made the ride\nseem so short, that we actually stopped at my father's door, before\nI knew we had proceeded ten yards.", "He handed me from the carriage, and conducted me to the parlour,\n at the door\nof which I was met by Mr. Macartney.", "\"Ah, my dear brother,\" cried I,\n\"how happy am I to see you here!\"", "He bowed, and thanked me.", "Lord Orville, then, holding out his hand,\n said,\n\"Mr. Macartney, I hope we shall be better acquainted; I promise myself\nmuch pleasure from cultivating your friendship.\"", "\"Your Lordship does me but too much honour,\" answered Mr. Macartney.", "\"But where,\" cried I, \"is my sister?", "for so I must already call,\n and always\nconsider her:-I am afraid she avoids me;-you must endeavour, my\ndear brother, to prepossess her in my favour, and reconcile her to\nowning me.\"", "\"Oh, Madam,\" cried he, \"you are all goodness and benevolence!", "but\n at present\nI hope you will excuse her, for I fear she has hardly fortitude\nsufficient to see you: in a short time perhaps-\"\n\n\n \"In a very short time, then,\" said Lord Orville, \"I hope you will\n yourself\nintroduce her, and that we shall have the pleasure of wishing you both\njoy:-allow me, my Evelina, to say we, and permit me, in your name,\nas well as my own, to entreat that the first guests we shall have\nthe happiness of receiving may be Mr. and Mrs.", "Macartney.\"", "A servant then came to beg I would walk up stairs.", "I besought Lord Orville to accompany me; but he feared the displeasure\n of Sir\nJohn, who had desired to see me alone.", "He led me, however, to the\nfoot of the stairs, and made the kindest efforts to give me courage:\nbut indeed he did not succeed; for the interview appeared to me in\nall its terrors, and left me no feeling but apprehension.", "The moment I reached the landing-place, the drawing-room door was\n opened: and\nmy father, with a voice of kindness, called out, \"My child, is it you?\"", "\"Yes, Sir,\" cried I, springing forward, and kneeling at his feet,\n \"it is your\nchild, if you will own her!\"", "He knelt by my side, and, folding me in his arms, \"Own thee,\"\n repeated he,\n\"yes, my poor girl, and Heaven knows with what bitter\ncontrition!\"", "Then, raising both himself and me, he brought me into the\ndrawing-room, shut the door, and took me to the window; where, looking\nat me with great earnestness, \"Poor unhappy Caroline!\"", "cried he; and,\nto my inexpressible concern, he burst into tears.", "Need I tell you,\nmy dear Sir, how mine flowed at the sight?", "I would again have embraced his knees; but, hurrying from me, he flung\nhimself upon a sofa, and, leaning his face on his arms, seemed for\nsome time absorbed in bitterness of grief.", "I ventured not to interrupt a sorrow I so much respected; but\n waited in\nsilence, and at a distance, till he recovered from its violence.", "But\nthen it seemed in a moment to give way to a kind of frantic fury;\nfor starting suddenly, with a sternness which at once surprised and\nfrightened me, \"Child,\" cried he, \"hast thou yet sufficiently humbled\nthy father?-if thou hast, be contented with this proof of my weakness,\nand no longer force thyself into my presence!\"", "Thunderstruck by a command so unexpected, I stood still and\n speechless, and\ndoubted whether my own ears did not deceive me.", "\"Oh go, go!\"", "cried he, passionately; \"in pity-in compassion,-if\n thou valuest my senses, leave me,-and for ever!\"", "\"I will, I will,\" cried I, greatly terrified; and I moved hastily\n towards the\ndoor: yet, stopping when I reached it, and, almost involuntarily,\ndropping on my knees, \"Vouchsafe,\" cried I, \"Oh, Sir, vouchsafe\nbut once to bless your daughter, and her sight shall never more\noffend you!\"", "\"Alas,\" cried he, in a softened voice, \"I am not worthy to bless\n thee!-I am\nnot worthy to call thee daughter!-I am not worthy that the fair\nlight of Heaven should visit my eyes!-Oh God!", "that I could but call\nback the time ere thou wast born,-or else bury its remembrance in\neternal oblivion!\"", "\"Would to Heaven,\" cried I, \"that the sight of me were less terrible\n to you!", "that, instead of irritating, I could soothe your sorrows!-Oh Sir, how\nthankfully would I then prove my duty, even at the hazard of my life!\"", "\"Are you so kind?\"", "cried he, gently; \"come hither, child;-rise,\nEvelina:-Alas, it is for me to kneel,-not you;-and I would kneel,-I\nwould crawl upon the earth,-I would kiss the dust,-could I, by such\nsubmission, obtain the forgiveness of the representative of the most\ninjured of women!\"", "\"Oh, Sir,\" exclaimed I, \"that you could but read my heart!-that you\n could but\nsee the filial tenderness and concern with which it overflows!-you\nwould not then talk thus,-you would not then banish me your presence,\nand exclude me from your affection!\"", "\"Good God,\" cried he, \"is it then possible that you do not hate\n me?-Can the\nchild of the wronged Caroline look at,-and not execrate me?", "Wast thou\nnot born to abhor, and bred to curse me?", "Did not thy mother bequeath\nthee her blessing on condition that thou should'st detest and avoid\nme ?\"", "\"Oh no, no, no!\"", "cried I; \"think not so unkindly of her, nor so\n hardly of\nme.\"", "I then took from my pocketbook her last letter; and, pressing\nit to my lips, with a trembling hand, and still upon my knees, I held\nit out to him.", "Hastily snatching it from me, \"Great Heaven!\"", "cried he, \"'tis her\nwriting-Whence comes this?-who gave it you-why had I it not sooner?\"", "I made no answer; his vehemence intimidated me, and I ventured not\n to move\nfrom the suppliant posture in which I had put myself.", "He went from me to the window, where his eyes were for some time\n rivetted\nupon the direction of the letter, though his hand shook so violently\nhe could hardly hold it.", "Then, bringing it to me, \"Open it,\"-cried\nhe,-\"for I cannot!\"", "I had myself hardly strength to obey him: but when I had, he took\n it back,\nand walked hastily up and down the room, as if dreading to read it.", "At\nlength, turning to me, \"Do you know,\" cried he, \"its contents?\"", "\"No, Sir,\" answered I, \"it has never been unsealed.\"", "He then again went to the window, and began reading.", "Having hastily\n run it\nover, he cast up his eyes with a look of desperation; the letter fell\nfrom his hand, and he exclaimed, \"Yes!", "thou art sainted!-thou art\nblessed!-and I am cursed for ever!\"", "He continued some time fixed in\nthis melancholy position; after which, casting himself with violence\nupon the ground, \"Oh wretch,\" cried he, \"unworthy life and light,\nin what dungeon canst thou hide thy head?\"", "I could restrain myself no longer; I rose and went to him; I did\n not dare\nspeak; but, with pity and concern unutterable, I wept and hung\nover him.", "Soon after, starting up, he again seized the letter, exclaiming,\n \"Acknowledge\nthee, Caroline!-yes, with my heart's best blood would I acknowledge\nthee!-Oh that thou could'st witness the agony of my soul!-Ten thousand\ndaggers could not have wounded me like this letter!\"", "Then, after again reading it, \"Evelina,\" he cried, \"she charges me\n to receive\nthee;-wilt thou, in obedience to her will, own for thy father the\ndestroyer of thy mother?\"", "What a dreadful question!-I shuddered, but could not speak.", "\"To clear her fame, and receive her child,\" continued he, looking\n stedfastly\nat the letter, \"are the conditions upon which she leaves me her\nforgiveness: her fame I have already cleared;-and Oh, how willingly\nwould I take her child to my bosom, fold her to my heart,-call upon\nher to mitigate my anguish, and pour the balm of comfort on my wounds,\nwere I not conscious I deserve not to receive it, and that all my\naffliction is the result of my own guilt!\"", "It was in vain I attempted to speak; horror and grief took from me\n all power\nof utterance.", "He then read aloud from the letter, \"Look not like thy unfortunate\n mother!\"", "\"Sweet soul, with what bitterness of spirit hast thou written!-Come\nhither, Evelina: Gracious Heaven!", "(looking earnestly at me) never\nwas likeness more striking!-the eyes-the face-the form-Oh, my child,\nmy child!\"", "Imagine, Sir,-for I can never describe my feelings, when\nI saw him sink upon his knees before me!", "\"Oh, dear resemblance of\nthy murdered mother!-Oh, all that remains of the most injured of\nwomen!", "behold thy father at thy feet!-bending thus lowly to implore\nyou would not hate him.-Oh, then, thou representative of my departed\nwife, speak to me in her name, and say that the remorse which tears\nmy soul tortures me not in vain!\"", "\"Oh, rise, rise, my beloved father,\" cried I, attempting to assist\n him; \"I\ncannot bear to see you thus; reverse not the law of nature; rise\nyourself, and bless your kneeling daughter!\"", "\"May Heaven bless thee, my child!-\"cried he, \"for I dare not.\"", "He\n then rose;\nand, embracing me most affectionately, added, \"I see, I see that thou\nart all kindness, softness, and tenderness; I need not have feared\nthee, thou art all the fondest father could wish, and I will try to\nframe my mind to less painful sensations at thy sight.", "Perhaps the\ntime may come, when I may know the comfort of such a daughter;-at\npresent I am only fit to be alone: dreadful as are my reflections,\nthey ought merely to torment myself.-Adieu, my child;-be not angry,-I\ncannot stay with thee;-Oh, Evelina!", "thy countenance is a dagger to\nmy heart!-just so thy mother looked,-just so-\"\n\n\n Tears and sighs seemed to choak him;-and, waving his hand, he would\n have left\nme;-but, clinging to him, \"Oh, Sir,\" cried I, \"will you so soon\nabandon me?-am I again an orphan!-Oh, my dear, my long-lost father,\nleave me not, I beseech you!", "take pity on your child, and rob her\nnot of the parent she so fondly hoped would cherish her!\"", "\"You know not what you ask,\" cried he; \"the emotions which now rend\n my soul\nare more than my reason can endure; suffer me then, to leave\nyou;-impute it not to unkindness, but think of me as well as thou\ncanst.", "Lord Orville has behaved nobly;-I believe he will make thee\nhappy.\"", "Then, again embracing me, \"God bless thee, my dear child,\"\ncried he, \"God bless thee, my Evelina!-endeavour to love,-at least\nnot to hate me,-and to make me an interest in thy filial bosom,\nby thinking of me as thy father.\"", "I could not speak; I kissed his hands on my knees: and then, with\n yet more\nemotion, he again blessed me, and hurried out of the room,-leaving\nme almost drowned in tears.", "Oh, Sir, all goodness as you are, how much will you feel for your\n Evelina,\nduring a scene of such agitation!", "I pray Heaven to accept the tribute\nof his remorse, and restore him to tranquillity!", "When I was sufficiently composed to return to the parlour, I\n found Lord\nOrville waiting for me with the utmost anxiety:-and then a new scene of\nemotion, though of a far different nature, awaited me; for I learned\nby Mr. Macartney, that this noblest of men had insisted the so-long\nsupposed Miss Belmont should be considered, indeed, as my sister,\nand as the co-heiress of my father; though not in law, in justice, he\nsays, she ought ever to be treated as the daughter of Sir John Belmont.", "Oh!", "Lord Orville!-it shall be the sole study of my happy life,\n to express,\nbetter than by words, the sense I have of your exalted benevolence\nand greatness of mind!", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXXI.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Oct. 12th.", "THIS morning, early, I received the following letter from Sir Clement\nWilloughby:\n\n\n \"To Miss Anville.", "\"I HAVE this moment received intelligence that preparations\n are actually making for your marriage with Lord Orville.", "\"Imagine not that I write with the imbecile idea of\n rendering those\n preparations abortive.", "No, I am not so mad.", "My sole view is\n to explain the motive of my conduct in a particular instance,\n and to obviate the accusation of treachery which may be laid\n to my charge.", "\"My unguarded behaviour, when I last saw you, has, probably,\n already\n acquainted you, that the letter I then saw you reading was\n written by myself.", "For your further satisfaction, let me have\n the honour of informing you, that the letter you had designed\n for Lord Orville, had fallen into my hands.", "\"However I may have been urged on by a passion the most\n violent that\n ever warmed the heart of man, I can by no means calmly submit\n to be stigmatized for an action seemingly so dishonourable;\n and it is for this reason that I trouble you with this\n justification.", "\"Lord Orville,-the happy Orville, whom you are so ready to\n bless,-had made me believe he loved you not;-nay, that he\n held you in contempt.", "\"Such were my thoughts of his sentiments of you, when I got\n possession of the letter you meant to send him.", "I pretend\n not to vindicate either the means I used to obtain it, or\n the action of breaking the seal; but I was impelled, by an\n impetuous curiosity, to discover the terms upon which you\n wrote to him.", "\"The letter, however, was wholly unintelligible to me,\n and the\n perusal of it only added to my perplexity.", "\"A tame suspense I was not born to endure, and I determined\n to clear\n my doubts at all hazards and events.", "\"I answered it, therefore, in Orville's name.", "\"The views which I am now going to acknowledge, must,\n infallibly,\n incur your displeasure;-yet I scorn all palliation.", "\"Briefly, then, I concealed your letter to prevent a\n discovery of\n your capacity; and I wrote you an answer, which I hoped would\n prevent your wishing for any other.", "\"I am well aware of every thing which can be said upon\n this subject.", "Lord Orville will, possibly, think himself ill-used; but I am\n extremely indifferent as to his opinion; nor do I now write\n by way of offering any apology to him, but merely to make\n known to yourself the reasons by which I have been governed.", "\"I intend to set off next week for the Continent.", "Should his\n Lordship have any commands for me in the mean time, I shall\n be glad to receive them.", "I say not this by way of defiance,-I\n should blush to be suspected of so doing through an indirect\n channel; but simply that, if you show him this letter, he\n may know I dare defend, as well as excuse, my conduct.", "\"CLEMENT WILLOUGHBY.\"", "What a strange letter!", "how proud and how piqued does its writer\n appear!", "To\nwhat alternate meanness and rashness do the passions lead, when reason\nand self-denial do not oppose them!", "Sir Clement is conscious he has\nacted dishonourably; yet the same unbridled vehemence, which urged\nhim to gratify a blameable curiosity, will sooner prompt him to risk\nhis life, than, confess his misconduct.", "The rudeness of his manner of\nwriting to me, springs, from the same cause: the proof which he has\nreceived of my indifference to him, has stung him to the soul, and he\nhas neither the delicacy nor forbearance to disguise his displeasure.", "I determined not to show this letter to Lord Orville, and thought\n it most\nprudent to let Sir Clement know I should not.", "I therefore wrote the\nfollowing note:\n\n\n \"To Sir Clement Willoughby.", "\"SIR,\n\n\n \"The letter you have been pleased to address to me, is\n so little\n calculated to afford Lord Orville any satisfaction, that you\n may depend upon my carefully keeping it from his sight.", "I will\n bear you no resentment for what is past; but I most earnestly\n intreat, nay implore, that you will not write again, while in\n your present frame of mind, by any channel, direct or indirect.", "\"I hope you will have much pleasure in your promised\n expedition; and\n I beg leave to assure you of my good wishes.\"", "Not knowing by what name to sign, I was obliged to send it without any.", "The preparations which Sir Clement mentions, go on just as if your\nconsent were arrived: it is in vain that I expostulate; Lord Orville\nsays, should any objections be raised, all shall be given up; but\nthat, as his hopes forbid him to expect any, he must proceed as if\nalready assured of your concurrence.", "We have had, this afternoon, a most interesting conversation, in\nwhich we have traced our sentiments of each other from our first\nacquaintance.", "I have made him confess how ill he thought of me upon\nmy foolish giddiness at Mrs. Stanley's ball; but he flatters me\nwith assurances, that every succeeding time he saw me, I appeared to\nsomething less and less disadvantage.", "When I expressed my amazement that he could honour with his choice a\ngirl who seemed so infinitely, in every respect, beneath his alliance,\nhe frankly owned, that he had fully intended making more minute\ninquiries into my family and connections; particularly concerning\nthose people he saw me with at Marybone, before he acknowledged his\nprepossession in my favour: but seeing me again, put him quite off\nhis guard; and, \"divesting him of prudence, left him nothing but\nlove.\"", "These were his words; and yet, he has repeatedly assured me,\nthat his partiality has known no bounds from the time of my residing\nat Clifton.", "* * * * * *\n\n\nMr. Macartney has just been with me, on an embassy from my father.", "He\nhas sent me his kindest love and assurances of favour; and desired\nto know if I am happy in the prospect of changing my situation,\nand if there is any thing I can name which he can do for me.", "And, at\nthe same time, Mr. Macartney delivered to me a draught on my father's\nbanker for a thousand pounds, which he insisted that I should receive\nentirely for my own use, and expend in equipping myself properly for\nthe new rank of life to which I seem destined.", "I am sure I need not say how much I was penetrated by this goodness:\nI wrote my thanks, and acknowledged, frankly, that if I could see\nhim restored to tranquillity, my heart would be without a wish.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXXII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Oct. 13th.", "THE time approaches now when I hope we shall meet;-yet I cannot\nsleep;-great joy is a restless as sorrow,-and therefore I will continue\nmy journal.", "As I had never had an opportunity of seeing Bath, a party was formed\nlast night for showing me that celebrated city; and this morning, after\nbreakfast, we set out in three phaetons.", "Lady Louisa and Mrs. Beaumont\nwith Lord Merton; Mr. Coverley, Mr. Lovel, and Mrs. Selwyn; and myself\nwith Lord Orville.", "We had hardly proceeded half a mile, when a gentleman from the\npost-chaise which came gallopping after us, called out to the\nservants, \"Holla, my lads!-pray, is one Miss Anville in any of them\nthing-em-bobs?\"", "I immediately recollected the voice of Captain Mirvan; and Lord\nOrville stopped the phaeton.", "He was out of the chaise, and with us\nin a moment.", "\"So, Miss Anville,\" cried he, \"how do you do?", "So I hear\nyou're Miss Belmont now;-pray, how does old Madame French do?\"", "\"Madame Duval,\" said I, \"is, I believe, very well.\"", "\"I hope she is in good case,\" said he, winking significantly, \"and\nwon't flinch at seeing service: she has laid by long enough to refit\nand be made tight.", "And pray how does poor Monseer Doleful do?", "Is he\nas lank-jawed as ever?\"", "\"They are neither of them,\" said I, \"in Bristol.\"", "\"No!\"", "cried he, with a look of disappointment; \"but surely the old\ndowager intends coming to the wedding!", "'twill be a most excellent\nopportunity to show off her best Lyons silk.", "Besides, I purpose to\ndance a new fashioned jig with her.", "Don't you know when she'll come?\"", "\"I have no reason to expect her at all.\"", "\"No!-'Fore George, this here's the worst news I'd wish to hear!-why\nI've thought of nothing all the way, but what trick I should serve\nher.\"", "\"You have been very obliging!\"", "said I, laughing.", "\"O, I promise you,\" cried he, \"our Moll would never have wheedled\nme into this jaunt, if I'd known she was not here; for, to let you\ninto the secret, I fully intended to have treated the old buck with\nanother frolic.\"", "\"Did Miss Mirvan, then, persuade you to this journey?\"", "\"Yes, and we've been travelling all night.\"", "\"We!\"", "cried I: \"Is Miss Mirvan, then, with you?\"", "\"What, Molly?-yes, she's in that there chaise.\"", "\"Good God, Sir, why did you not tell me sooner?\"", "cried I; and\nimmediately, with Lord Orville's assistance, I jumped out of the\nphaeton, and ran to the dear girl.", "Lord Orville opened the chaise\ndoor; and I am sure I need not tell you what unfeigned joy accompanied\nour meeting.", "We both begged we might not be parted during the ride; and Lord\nOrville was so good as to invite Captain Mirvan into his phaeton.", "I think I was hardly ever more rejoiced than at this so seasonable\nvisit from my dear Maria; who had no sooner heard the situation of\nmy affairs, than with the assistance of Lady Howard, and her kind\nmother, she besought her father with such earnestness to consent\nto the journey, that he had not been able to withstand their united\nintreaties; though she owned that, had he not expected to have met with\nMadame Duval, she believes he would not so readily have yielded.", "They\narrived at Mrs. Beaumont's but a few minutes after we were out of\nsight, and overtook us without much difficulty.", "I say nothing of our conversation, because you may so well suppose\nboth the subjects we chose, and our manner of discussing them.", "We all stopped at a great hotel, where we were obliged to enquire for\na room, as Lady Louisa, fatigued to death, desired to take something\nbefore we began our rambles.", "As soon as the party was assembled, the Captain, abruptly saluting me,\nsaid, \"So, Miss Belmont, I wish you joy; so I hear you've quarrelled\nwith your new name already?\"", "\"Me!-no, indeed, Sir.\"", "\"Then please for to tell me the reason you're in such a hurry to\nchange it?\"", "\"Miss Belmont!\"", "cried Mr. Lovel.", "Looking around him with the utmost\nastonishment: \"I beg pardon;-but, if it is not impertinent,-I must\nbeg leave to say I always understood that lady's name was Anville.\"", "\"'Fore George,\" cried the Captain, \"it runs in my head, I've seen you\nsomewhere before!", "And now I think on't, pray a'n't you the person\nI saw at the play one night, and who didn't know, all the time,\nwhether it was a tragedy or a comedy, or a concert of fiddlers?\"", "\"I believe, Sir,\" said Mr. Lovel, stammering, \"I, had once,-I think-the\npleasure of seeing you last spring.\"", "\"Aye, and if I live an hundred springs,\" answered he, \"I shall never\nforget it; by Jingo, it has served me for a most excellent good joke\never since.", "Well, howsomever, I'm glad to see you still in the land\nof the living,\" (shaking him roughly by the hand.)", "\"Pray, if a body\nmay be so bold, how much a night may you give at present to keep the\nundertakers aloof?\"", "\"Me, Sir!\"", "said Mr. Lovel, very much discomposed; \"I protest I never\nthought myself in such imminent danger as to-really, Sir, I don't\nunderstand you.\"", "\"O, you don't!", "why then I'll make free for to explain myself.", "Gentlemen\nand Ladies, I'll tell you what; do you know this here gentleman,\nsimple as he sits there, pays five shillings a-night to let his\nfriends know he's alive!\"", "\"And very cheap too,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"if we consider the value of\nthe intelligence.\"", "Lady Louisa being now refreshed, we proceeded upon our expedition.", "The charming city of Bath answered all my expectations.", "The\nCrescent, the prospect from it, and the elegant symmetry of the\nCircus, delighted me.", "The Parades, I own, rather disappointed me;\none of them is scarce preferable to some of the best paved streets\nin London; and the other, though it affords a beautiful prospect,\na charming view of Prior Park and of the Avon, yet wanted something\nin itself of more striking elegance than a mere broad pavement,\nto satisfy the ideas I had formed of it.", "At the pump-room, I was amazed at the public exhibition of the ladies\nin the bath; it is true, their heads are covered with bonnets; but\nthe very idea of being seen, in such a situation, by whoever pleases\nto look, is indelicate.", "\"'Fore George,\" said the Captain, looking into the bath, \"this would\nbe a most excellent place for old Madame French to dance a fandango\nin!", "By Jingo, I wou'dn't wish for better sport than to swing her\nround this here pond!\"", "\"She would be very much obliged to you,\" said Lord Orville, \"for so\nextraordinary a mark of your favour.\"", "\"Why, to let you know,\" answered the Captain, \"she hit my fancy\nmightily; I never took so much to an old tabby before.\"", "\"Really now,\" cried Mr. Lovel, looking also into the bath, \"I must\nconfess it is, to me, very incomprehensible why the ladies choose\nthat frightful unbecoming dress to bathe in!", "I have often pondered\nvery seriously upon the subject, but could never hit upon the reason.\"", "\"Well, I declare,\" said Lady Louisa, \"I should like of all things\nto set something new a-going; I always hated bathing, because one\ncan get no pretty dress for it!", "now do, there's a good creature,\ntry to help me to something.\"", "\"Who, me!-O, dear Ma'am,\" said he, simpering, \"I can't pretend to\nassist a person of your Ladyship's tastes; besides, I have not the\nleast head for fashions.-I really don't think I ever invented above\nthree in my life!", "But I never had the least turn for dress,-never\nany notion of fancy or elegance.\"", "\"O fie, Mr. Lovel!", "how can you talk so?-don't we all know that you\nlead the ton in the beau monde?", "I declare, I think you dress better\nthan any body.\"", "\"O, dear Ma'am, you confuse me to the last degree!", "I dress well!-I\nprotest I don't think I'm ever fit to be seen!", "I'm often shocked to\ndeath to think what a figure I go.", "If your Ladyship will believe me,\nI was full half an hour this morning thinking what I should put on!\"", "\"Odds my life,\" cried the Captain, \"I wish I'd been near you!", "I warrant\nI'd have quickened your motions a little; Half an hour thinking what\nyou'd put on; and who the deuce do you think cares the snuff of a\ncandle whether you've any thing on or not?\"", "\"O pray, Captain,\" cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"don't be angry with the\ngentleman for thinking, whatever be the cause, for I assure you he\nmakes no common practice of offending in that way.\"", "\"Really, Ma'am, you're prodigiously kind,\" said Mr. Lovel, angrily.", "\"Pray now,\" said the Captain, \"did you ever get a ducking in that\nthere place yourself?\"", "\"A ducking, Sir!\"", "repeated Mr. Lovel: \"I protest I think that's rather\nan odd term!-but if you mean a bathing, it is an honour I have had\nmany times.\"", "\"And pray, if a body may be so bold, what do you do with that\nfrizle-frize top of your own?", "Why, I'll lay you what you will, there\nis fat and grease enough on your crown to buoy you up, if you were\nto go in head downwards.\"", "\"And I don't know,\" cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"but that might be the easiest\nway; for I'm sure it would be the lightest.\"", "\"For the matter of that there,\" said the Captain, \"you must make\nhim a soldier, before you can tell which is lightest, head or\nheels.", "Howsomever, I'd lay ten pounds to a shilling, I could whisk\nhim so dexterously over into the pool, that he should light plump\nupon his foretop and turn round like a tetotum.\"", "\"Done!\"", "cried Lord Merton; \"I take your odds.\"", "\"Will you?\"", "returned he; \"why, then, 'fore George, I'd do it as soon\nas say Jack Robinson.\"", "\"He, he!\"", "faintly laughed Mr. Lovel, as he moved abruptly from the\nwindow; \"'pon honour, this is pleasant enough; but I don't see what\nright any body has to lay wagers about one without one's consent.\"", "\"There, Lovel, you are out,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"any man may lay\nwhat wager about you he will; your consent is nothing to the purpose:\nhe may lay that your nose is a sky-blue, if he pleases.\"", "\"Ay,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"or that your mind is more adorned than your\nperson;-or any absurdity whatsoever.\"", "\"I protest,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"I think it's a very disagreeable\nprivilege, and I must beg that nobody may take such a liberty with me.\"", "\"Like enough you may,\" cried the Captain;\" but what's that to the\npurpose?", "Suppose I've a mind to lay that you've never a tooth in\nyour head-pray, how will you hinder me?\"", "\"You'll allow me, at least, Sir, to take the liberty of asking how\nyou'll prove it?\"", "\"How?-why, by knocking them all down your throat.\"", "\"Knocking them all down my throat, Sir!\"", "repeated Mr. Lovel, with a\nlook of horror; \"I protest I never heard any thing so shocking in my\nlife!", "And I must beg leave to observe, that no wager, in my opinion,\ncould justify such a barbarous action.\"", "Here Lord Orville interfered, and hurried us to our carriages.", "We returned in the same order we came.", "Mrs. Beaumont invited all\nthe party to dinner, and has been so obliging as to beg Miss Mirvan\nmay continue at her house during her stay.", "The Captain will lodge at\nthe Wells.", "The first half-hour after our return was devoted to hearing Mr. Lovel's\napologies for dining in his riding-dress.", "Mrs. Beaumont then, addressing herself to Miss Mirvan and me, inquired\nhow we liked Bath?", "\"I hope,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"the ladies do not call this seeing Bath.\"", "\"No!-what should ail 'em?\"", "cried the Captain, \"do you suppose they\nput their eyes in their pockets?\"", "\"No, Sir; but I fancy you will find no person-that is-no person of\nany condition-call going about a few places in a morning seeing Bath.\"", "\"Mayhap, then,\" said the literal Captain, \"you think we should see\nit better by going about at midnight?\"", "\"No, Sir, no,\" said Mr. Lovel, with a supercilious smile, \"I perceive\nyou don't understand me;-we should never call it seeing Bath, without\ngoing at the right season.\"", "\"Why, what a plague, then,\" demanded he, \"can you only see at one\nseason of the year?\"", "Mr. Lovel again smiled; but seemed superior to making any answer.", "\"The Bath amusements,\" said Lord Orville, \"have a sameness in them,\nwhich, after a short time, renders them rather insipid; but the\ngreatest objection that can be made to the place, is the encouragement\nit gives to gamesters.\"", "\"Why, I hope, my Lord, you would not think of abolishing gaming,\"\ncried Lord Merton, \"'tis the very zest of life!", "Devil take me if I\ncould live without it.\"", "\"I am sorry for it,\" said Lord Orville, gravely, and looking at\nLady Louisa.", "\"Your Lordship is no judge of this subject,\" continued the other;\n\"but if once we could get you to a gaming-table, you'd never be happy\naway from it!\"", "\"I hope, my Lord,\" cried Lady Louisa, \"that nobody here ever occasions\nyour quitting it.\"", "\"Your Ladyship,\" said Lord Merton, recollecting himself, \"has power\nto make me quit any thing.\"", "\"Except herself,\" said Mr. Coverley.", "\"Egad, my Lord, I think I've\nhelpt you out there!\"", "\"You men of wit, Jack,\" answered his Lordship, \"are always ready;-for\nmy part, I don't pretend to any talents that way.\"", "\"Really, my Lord?\"", "asked the sarcastic Mrs. Selwyn; \"well, that is\nwonderful, considering success would be so much in your power.\"", "\"Pray, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Lovel to Lady Louisa, \"has your Ladyship\nheard the news?\"", "\"News!-what news?\"", "\"Why, the report circulating at the Wells concerning a certain person.\"", "\"O Lord, no: pray tell me what it is?\"", "\"O no, Ma'am, I beg your La'ship will excuse me; 'tis a profound\nsecret, and I would not have mentioned it, if I had not thought you\nknew it.\"", "\"Lord, now, how can you be so monstrous?", "I declare, now, you're a\nprovoking creature!", "But come, I know you'll tell me;-won't you now?\"", "\"Your La'ship knows I am but too happy to obey you; but, 'pon honour,\nI can't speak a word, if you won't all promise me the most inviolable\nsecrecy.\"", "\"I wish you'd wait for that from me,\" said the Captain, \"and I'll\ngive you my word you'd be dumb for one while.", "Secrecy, quoth-a!-'Fore\nGeorge, I wonder you an't ashamed to mention such a word, when you\ntalk of telling it to a woman.", "Though, for the matter of that, I'd\nas lieve blab it to the whole sex at once, as to go for to tell it\nto such a thing as you.\"", "\"Such a thing as me, Sir!\"", "said Mr. Lovel, letting fall his knife\nand fork, and looking very important; \"I really have not the honour\nto understand your expression.\"", "\"It's all one for that,\" said the Captain; \"you may have it explained\nwhenever you like it.\"", "\"'Pon honour, Sir,\" returned Mr. Lovel, \"I must take the liberty to\ntell you, that I should be extremely offended, but that I suppose\nit to be some sea-phrase; and therefore I'll let it pass without\nfurther notice.\"", "Lord Orville, then, to change the discourse, asked Miss Mirvan if\nshe should spend the ensuing winter in London?", "\"No, to be sure,\" said the Captain, \"what should she for?", "She saw\nall that was to be seen before.\"", "\"Is London, then,\" said Mr. Lovel, smiling at Lady Louisa, \"only to\nbe regarded as a sight?\"", "\"Why, pray, Mr. Wiseacre, how are you pleased for to regard it\nyourself?-Answer me to that.\"", "\"O Sir, my opinion, I fancy, you would hardly find intelligible.", "I\ndon't understand sea-phrases enough to define it to your\ncomprehension.", "Does not your La'ship think the task would be rather\ndifficult?\"", "\"O Lard, yes,\" cried Lady Louisa; \"I declare I'd as soon teach my\nparrot to talk Welsh.\"", "\"Ha!", "ha!", "ha!", "Admirable;-'Pon honour, your La'ship's quite in luck\nto-day; but that, indeed, your La'ship is every day.", "Though, to be\nsure, it is but candid to acknowledge, that the gentlemen of the ocean\nhave a set of ideas, as well as a dialect, so opposite to our's, that\nit is by no means surprising they should regard London as a mere show,\nthat may be seen by being looked at.", "Ha!", "ha!", "ha!\"", "\"Ha!", "ha!\"", "echoed Lady Louisa; \"Well, I declare you are the drollest\ncreature.\"", "\"He!", "he!", "'Pon honour, I can't help laughing at the conceit of seeing\nLondon in a few weeks!\"", "\"And what a plague should hinder you?\"", "cried the Captain; \"do you\nwant to spend a day in every street?\"", "Here again Lady Louisa and Mr. Lovel interchanged smiles.", "\"Why, I warrant you, if I had the showing it, I'd haul you from\nSt. James's to Wapping the very first morning.\"", "The smiles were now, with added contempt, repeated; which the Captain\nobserving, looked very fiercely at Mr. Lovel, and said, \"Hark'ee my\nspark, none of your grinning!-'tis a lingo I don't understand; and\nif you give me any more of it, I shall go near to lend you a box o'\nthe ear.\"", "\"I protest, Sir,\" said Mr. Lovel, turning extremely pale, \"I think\nit's taking a very particular liberty with a person, to talk to one\nin such a style as this!\"", "\"It's like you may,\" returned the Captain: \"but give a good gulp, and\nI'll warrant you'll swallow it.\"", "Then, calling for a glass of ale, with\na very provoking and significant nod, he drank to his easy digestion.", "Mr. Lovel made no answer, but looked extremely sullen; and, soon after,\nwe left the gentlemen to themselves.", "I had then two letters delivered to me; one from Lady Howard and\nMrs. Mirvan, which contained the kindest congratulations; and the\nother from Madame Duval;-but not a word from you,-to my no small\nsurprise and concern.", "Madame Duval seems greatly rejoiced at my late intelligence: a violent\ncold, she says, prevents her coming to Bristol.", "The Branghtons, she\ntells me, are all well; Miss Polly is soon to be married to Mr. Brown;\nbut Mr. Smith has changed his lodgings, \"which,\" she adds, \"has made\nthe house extremely dull.", "However, that's not the worst news; pardi,\nI wish it was!", "but I've been used like nobody,-for Monsieur Du Bois\nhas had the baseness to go back to France without me.\"", "In conclusion,\nshe assures me, as you prognosticated she would, that I shall be sole\nheiress of all she is worth, when Lady Orville.", "At tea-time, we were joined by all the gentlemen but Captain Mirvan,\nwho went to the hotel where he was to sleep, and made his daughter\naccompany him, to separate her trumpery, as he called it, from his\nclothes.", "As soon as they were gone, Mr. Lovel, who still appeared extremely\nsulky, said, \"I protest, I never saw such a vulgar, abusive fellow\nin my life, as that Captain: 'pon honour, I believe he came here for\nno purpose in the world but to pick a quarrel; however, for my part,\nI vow I wo'n't humour him.\"", "\"I declare,\" cried Lady Louisa, \"he put me in a monstrous fright;-I\nnever heard any body talk so shocking in my life!\"", "\"I think,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, with great solemnity, \"he threatened to\nbox your ears, Mr. Lovel;-did not he?\"", "\"Really, Ma'am,\" said Mr. Lovel, colouring, \"if one was to mind every\nthing those low kind of people say, one should never be at rest for\none impertinence or other; so I think the best way is to be above\ntaking any notice of them.\"", "\"What,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, with the same gravity, \"and so receive the\nblow in silence!\"", "During this discourse, I heard the Captain's chaise stop at the door,\nand ran downstairs to meet Maria.", "She was alone, and told me that\nher father, who, she was sure, had some scheme in agitation against\nMr. Lovel, had sent her on before him.", "We continued in the parlour\ntill his return, and were joined by Lord Orville, who begged me not to\ninsist on a patience so unnatural, as submitting to be excluded our\nsociety.", "And let me, my dear Sir, with a grateful heart let me own,\nI never before passed half an hour in such perfect felicity.", "I believe we were all sorry when the Captain returned; yet his\ninward satisfaction, from however different a cause, did not seem\ninferior to what our's had been.", "He chucked Maria under the chin,\nrubbed his hands, and was scarce able to contain the fullness of his\nglee.", "We all attended him to the drawing room; where, having composed\nhis countenance, without any previous attention to Mrs. Beaumont,\nhe marched up to Mr. Lovel, and abruptly said, \"Pray, have you e'er\na brother in these here parts?\"", "\"Me, Sir?-no, thank Heaven, I'm free from all encumbrances of that\nsort.\"", "\"Well,\" cried the Captain, \"I met a person just now so like you,\nI could have sworn he had been your twin brother.\"", "\"It would have been a most singular pleasure to me,\" said Mr. Lovel,\n\"if I also could have seen him; for, really, I have not the least\nnotion what sort of a person I am, and I have a prodigious curiosity\nto know.\"", "Just then the Captain's servant, opening the door, said, \"A little\ngentleman below desires to see one Mr.", "Lovel.\"", "\"Beg him to walk up stairs,\" said Mrs. Beaumont.", "\"But, pray what is\nthe reason William is out of the way?\"", "The man shut the door without any answer.", "\"I can't imagine who it is,\" said Mr. Lovel: \"I recollect no little\ngentleman of my acquaintance now at Bristol,-except, indeed the Marquis\nof Charlton;-but I don't much fancy it can be him.", "Let me see, who\nelse is there so very little?\"", "A confused noise among the servants now drew all eyes towards the\ndoor: the impatient Captain hastened to open it; and then, clapping\nhis hands, called out, \"'Fore George, 'tis the same person I took\nfor your relation!\"", "And then, to the utter astonishment of every body but himself, he\nhauled into the room a monkey, full-dressed, and extravagantly -e;\nla mode!", "The dismay of the company was almost general.", "Poor Mr. Lovel seemed\nthunderstruck with indignation and surprise: Lady Louisa began a\nscream, which for some time was incessant; Miss Mirvan and I jumped\ninvoluntarily upon the seats of our chairs; Mrs. Beaumont herself\nfollowed our example; Lord Orville placed himself before me as a guard;\nand Mrs. Selwyn, Lord Merton, and Mr. Coverley, burst into a loud,\nimmoderate, ungovernable fit of laughter, in which they were joined by\nthe Captain, till, unable to support himself, he rolled on the floor.", "The first voice which made its way through this general noise was that\nof Lady Louisa, which her fright and screaming rendered extremely\nshrill.", "\"Take it away!\"", "cried she, \"take the monster away;-I shall\nfaint, I shall faint if you don't!\"", "Mr. Lovel, irritated beyond endurance, angrily demanded of the Captain\nwhat he meant?", "\"Mean?\"", "cried the Captain, as soon as he was able to speak; \"why\nonly to shew you in your proper colours.\"", "Then rising, and pointing\nto the monkey, \"Why now, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be judged by you\nall!-Did you ever see any thing more like?-Odds my life, if it wasn't\nfor this here tail, you wouldn't know one from t'other.\"", "\"Sir,\" cried Mr. Lovel, stamping, \"I shall take a time to make you\nfeel my wrath.\"", "\"Come now,\" continued the regardless Captain, \"just for the fun's sake,\ndoff your coat and waistcoat, and swop with Monseer Grinagain here;\nand I'll warrant you'll not know yourself which is which.\"", "\"Not know myself from a monkey!-I assure you, Sir, I'm not to be used\nin this manner, and I won't bear it-curse me if I will!\"", "\"Why, hey-day!\"", "cried the Captain, \"what, is master in a passion?-well,\ndon't be angry:-come, he shan't hurt you;-here, shake a paw with\nhim:-why, he'll do you no harm, man!-come, kiss and be friends!\"", "\"Who, I?\"", "cried Mr. Lovel, almost mad with vexation; \"as I'm a living\ncreature, I would not touch him for a thousand worlds!\"", "\"Send him a challenge,\" cried Mr. Coverley, \"and I'll be your second.\"", "\"Ay, do,\" said the Captain; \"and I'll be second to my friend, Monseer\nClapperclaw here.", "Come to it at once!-tooth and nail!\"", "\"God forbid!\"", "cried Mr. Lovel, retreating, \"I would sooner trust my\nperson with a mad bull!\"", "\"I don't like the look of him myself,\" said Lord Merton, \"for he\ngrins most horribly.\"", "\"Oh, I'm frightened out of my senses!\"", "cried Lady Louisa, \"take him\naway, or I shall die!\"", "\"Captain,\" said Lord Orville, \"the ladies are alarmed; and I must\nbeg you would send the monkey away.\"", "\"Why, where can be the mighty harm of one monkey more than\nanother?\"", "answered the Captain: \"howsomever, if its agreeable to the\nladies, suppose we turn them out together?\"", "\"What do you mean by that, Sir?\"", "cried Mr. Lovel, lifting up his cane.", "\"What do you mean?\"", "cried the Captain, fiercely, \"be so good as to\ndown with your cane.\"", "Poor Mr. Lovel, too much intimidated to stand his ground, yet too\nmuch enraged to submit, turned hastily round, and, forgetful of\nconsequences, vented his passion by giving a furious blow to the\nmonkey.", "The creature darting forwards, sprung instantly upon him; and,\nclinging round his neck, fastened his teeth to one of his ears.", "I was really sorry for the poor man; who, though an egregious fop,\nhad committed no offence that merited such chastisement.", "It was impossible now to distinguish whose screams were loudest,\nthose of Mr. Lovel, or of the terrified Lady Louisa, who I believe,\nthought her own turn was approaching: but the unrelenting Captain\nroared with joy.", "Not so Lord Orville: ever humane, generous, and benevolent he quitted\nhis charge, who he saw was wholly out of danger, and seizing the monkey\nby the collar, made him loosen the ear; and then with a sudden swing,\nflung him out of the room, and shut the door.", "Poor Mr. Lovel, almost fainting with terror, sunk upon the floor,\ncrying out, \"Oh, I shall die, I shall die!-Oh, I'm bit to death!\"", "\"Captain Mirvan,\" said Mrs. Beaumont, with no little indignation,\n\"I must own I don't perceive the wit of this action; and I am sorry\nto have such cruelty practised in my house.\"", "\"Why Lord, Ma'am,\" said the Captain, when his rapture abated\nsufficiently for speech, \"how could I tell they'd fall out so?-By\njingo, I brought him to be a messmate for t'other.\"", "\"Egad,\" said Mr. Coverley, \"I would not have been served so for a\nthousand pounds.\"", "\"Why, then, there's the odds of it,\" said the Captain; \"for you\nsee he is served so for nothing.", "But come,\" turning to Mr. Lovel,\n\"be of good heart, all may end well yet, and you and Monseer Longtail\nbe as good friends as ever.\"", "\"I'm surprised, Mrs. Beaumont,\" cried Mr. Lovel, starting up, \"that\nyou can suffer a person under your roof to be treated so inhumanly.\"", "\"What argufies so many words?\"", "said the unfeeling Captain; \"it is but\na slit of the ear; it only looks as if you had been in the pillory.\"", "\"Very true,\" added Mrs. Selwyn; \"and who knows but it may acquire\nyou the credit of being an anti-ministerial writer?\"", "\"I protest,\" cried Mr. Lovel, looking ruefully at his dress, \"my new\nriding suit's all over blood!\"", "\"Ha, ha, ha,\" cried the Captain, \"see what comes of studying for an\nhour what you shall put on!\"", "Mr. Lovel then walked to the glass; and, looking at the place,\nexclaimed, \"Oh heaven, what a monstrous wound!", "my ear will never be\nfit to be seen again!\"", "\"Why then,\" said the Captain, \"you must hide it;-'tis but wearing\na wig.\"", "\"A wig!\"", "repeated the affrighted Mr. Lovel; \"I wear a wig?-no, not\nif you would give me a thousand pounds an hour!\"", "\"I declare,\" said Lady Louisa, \"I never heard such a shocking proposal\nin my life!\"", "Lord Orville, then, seeing no prospect that the altercation would\ncease, proposed to the Captain to walk.", "He assented; and having given\nMr. Lovel a nod of exultation, accompanied his Lordship down stairs.", "\"'Pon honour,\" said Mr. Lovel, the moment the door was shut, \"that\nfellow is the greatest brute in nature!", "he ought not to be admitted\ninto a civilized society.\"", "\"Lovel,\" said Mr. Coverley, affecting to whisper, \"you must certainly\npink him: you must not put up with such an affront.\"", "\"Sir,\" said Mr. Lovel, \"with any common person I should not deliberate\nan instant; but really with a fellow who has done nothing but fight\nall his life, 'pon honour, Sir, I can't think of it!\"", "\"Lovel,\" said Lord Merton, in the same voice, \"you must call him\nto account.\"", "\"Every man,\" said he, pettishly, \"is the best judge of his own affairs;\nand I don't ask the honour of any person's advice.\"", "\"Egad, Lovel,\" said Mr. Coverley, \"you're in for it!-you can't possibly\nbe off!\"", "\"Sir,\" cried he, very impatiently, \"upon any proper occasion I should\nbe as ready to show my courage as any body; but as to fighting for\nsuch a trifle as this-I protest I should blush to think of it!\"", "\"A trifle!\"", "cried Mrs. Selwyn, \"good Heaven!", "and have you made this\nastonishing riot about a trifle?\"", "\"Ma'am,\" answered the poor wretch, in great confusion, \"I did not\nknow at first but that my cheek might have been bit; but as 'tis no\nworse, why, it does not a great deal signify.", "Mrs. Beaumont, I have\nthe honour to wish you a good evening; I'm sure my carriage must be\nwaiting.\"", "And then, very abruptly, he left the room.", "What a commotion has this mischief-loving Captain raised!", "Were I\nto remain here long, even the society of my dear Maria could scarce\ncompensate for the disturbances which he excites.", "When he returned, and heard of the quiet exit of Mr. Lovel, his triumph\nwas intolerable.", "\"I think, I think,\" he cried, \"I have peppered him\nwell!", "I'll warrant he won't give an hour tomorrow morning to settling\nwhat he shall put on; why, his coat,\" turning to me, \"would be a most\nexcellent match for old Madame Furbelow's best Lyons silk!", "'Fore\nGeorge, I'd desire no better sport than to have that there old cat\nhere to go her snacks!\"", "All the company the, Lord Orville, Miss Mirvan, and myself excepted,\nplayed at cards; and we -oh, how much better did we pass our time!", "While we were engaged in a most delightful conversation, a servant\nbrought me a letter, which he told me had by some accident been\nmislaid.", "Judge of my feelings when I saw, my dearest Sir, your revered\nhand-writing!", "My emotions soon betrayed to Lord Orville whom the\nletter was from; the importance of the contents he well knew; and,\nassuring me I should not be seen by the card-players, he besought me\nto open it without delay.", "Open it, indeed, I did-but read it I could not;-the willing, yet\nawful consent you have granted-the tenderness of your expressions-the\ncertainty that no obstacle remained to my eternal union with the loved\nowner of my heart, gave me sensations too various, and, though joyful,\ntoo little placid for observation.", "Finding myself unable to proceed,\nand blinded by the tears of gratitude and delight, which started into\nmy eyes, I gave over the attempt of reading till I retired to my own\nroom; and, having no voice to answer the enquiries of Lord Orville,\nI put the letter into his hands, and left it to speak both for me\nand itself.", "Lord Orville was himself affected by your kindness: he kissed the\nletter as he returned it; and, pressing my hand affectionately to\nhis heart, \"Your are now,\" said he, in a low voice, \"all my own!", "Oh,\nmy Evelina, how will my soul find room for its happiness?-it seems\nalready bursting!\"", "I could make no reply, indeed I hardly spoke\nanother word the rest of the evening; so little talkative is the\nfulness of contentment.", "O, my dearest Sir, the thankfulness of my heart I must pour forth at\nour meeting, when, at your feet, my happiness receives its confirmation\nfrom your blessing; and when my noble-minded, my beloved Lord Orville,\npresents to you the highly-honoured, and thrice-happy Evelina.", "A few lines I will endeavour to write on Thursday, which shall be\nsent off express, to give you, should nothing intervene, yet more\ncertain assurance of our meeting.", "Now then, therefore, for the first-and probably the last time I\nshall ever own the name, permit me to sign myself, Most dear Sir,\nyour gratefully affectionate, EVELINA BELMONT.", "Lady Louisa, at her own particular desire, will be present at the\nceremony, as well as Miss Mirvan and Mrs. Selwyn: Mr. Macartney will,\nthe same morning, be united to my foster-sister; and my father himself\nwill give us both away.", "</CHAPTER>\n\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXXIII.", "MR. VILLARS TO EVELINA.", "EVERY wish of my soul is now fulfilled-for the felicity of my Evelina\nis equal to her worthiness!", "Yes, my child, thy happiness is engraved in golden characters upon\nthe tablets of my heart; and their impression is indelible: for,\nshould the rude and deep-searching hand of Misfortune attempt to\npluck them from their repository, the fleeting fabric of life would\ngive way; and in tearing from my vitals the nourishment by which they\nare supported, she would but grasp at a shadow insensible to her touch.", "Give thee my consent?-Oh thou joy, comfort, and pride of my life, how\ncold is that word to express the fervency of my approbation!", "Yes, I do\nindeed give thee my consent; and so thankfully, that, with the humblest\ngratitude to Providence, I would seal it with the remnant of my days.", "Hasten then, my love, to bless me with thy presence, and to receive\nthe blessings with which my fond heart overflows!-And oh, my Evelina,\nhear and assist in one only, humble, but ardent prayer, which yet\nanimates my devotions: That the height of bliss to which thou art\nrising may not render thee giddy, but that the purity of thy mind may\nform the brightest splendour of thy prosperity!-and that the weak\nand aged frame of thy almost idolizing parent, nearly worn out by\ntime, past afflictions, and infirmities, may yet be able to sustain\na meeting with all its better part holds dear; and then, that all the\nwounds which the former severity of fortune inflicted, may be healed\nand purified by the ultimate consolation of pouring forth my dying\nwords in blessings on my child!-closing these joy-streaming eyes in\nher presence, and breathing my last faint sighs in her loved arms!", "Grieve not, oh child of my care!", "Grieve not at the inevitable\nmoment!", "but may thy own end be equally propitious!", "Oh, may'st thou,\nwhen full of days, and full of honour, sink down as gently to rest!-be\nloved as kindly, watched as tenderly, as thy happy father!", "And mayest\nthou, when thy glass is run, be sweetly, but not bitterly, mourned by\nsome remaining darling of thy affections-some yet surviving Evelina!", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXXIV.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "ALL is over, my dearest Sir; and the fate of your Evelina is\ndecided!", "This morning, with fearful joy and trembling gratitude,\nshe united herself for ever with the object of her dearest, her\neternal affection.", "I have time for no more; the chaise now waits which is to conduct\nme to dear Berry Hill, and to the arms of the best of men.", "EVELINA.", "THE END.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "Mrs. Selwyn, upon her return this morning from the Hot Wells,\n entering my\nroom very abruptly, said, \"Oh, my dear, I have terrible news for you!\"", "\"Why, yes; for, as I found our consultation likely to redound to his\nadvantage, I persuaded Sir John to send for him.\"", "cried he, gently; \"come hither, child;-rise,\nEvelina:-Alas, it is for me to kneel,-not you;-and I would kneel,-I\nwould crawl upon the earth,-I would kiss the dust,-could I, by such\nsubmission, obtain the forgiveness of the representative of the most\ninjured of women!\"", "(looking earnestly at me) never\nwas likeness more striking!-the eyes-the face-the form-Oh, my child,\nmy child!\"", "These were his words; and yet, he has repeatedly assured me,\nthat his partiality has known no bounds from the time of my residing\nat Clifton.", "\"And very cheap too,\" said Mrs. Selwyn, \"if we consider the value of\nthe intelligence.\"", "Mrs. Beaumont invited all\nthe party to dinner, and has been so obliging as to beg Miss Mirvan\nmay continue at her house during her stay.", "\"Egad, my Lord, I think I've\nhelpt you out there!\"", "She was alone, and told me that\nher father, who, she was sure, had some scheme in agitation against\nMr. Lovel, had sent her on before him.", "I could make no reply, indeed I hardly spoke\nanother word the rest of the evening; so little talkative is the\nfulness of contentment." ]

[ "Indeed, I must own, I had no reason to regret being so accompanied;\n for his\nconversation supported my spirits from drooping, and made the ride\nseem so short, that we actually stopped at my father's door, before\nI knew we had proceeded ten yards.", "\"Oh, forbear, forbear,\" cried I, \"is this language proper for a\nsister?", "What a question!", "my cheeks glowed with indignation, and I felt too\nproud to make any answer.", "\"Prithee, Jack,\" said Lord Merton, \"don't you pretend to talk about\nblushes, that never knew what they were in your life.\"", "Clifton, Oct. 7th.", "Then, with a violence almost frantic, he ran up stairs.", "said Mr. Lovel, letting fall his knife\nand fork, and looking very important; \"I really have not the honour\nto understand your expression.\"", "\"Mayhap, then,\" said the literal Captain, \"you think we should see\nit better by going about at midnight?\"", "He led me, however, to the\nfoot of the stairs, and made the kindest efforts to give me courage:\nbut indeed he did not succeed; for the interview appeared to me in\nall its terrors, and left me no feeling but apprehension." ]

[ "for so I must already call,\n and always\nconsider her:-I am afraid she avoids me;-you must endeavour, my\ndear brother, to prepossess her in my favour, and reconcile her to\nowning me.\"", "\"Oh, Madam,\" cried he, \"you are all goodness and benevolence!", "but\n at present\nI hope you will excuse her, for I fear she has hardly fortitude\nsufficient to see you: in a short time perhaps-\"\n\n\n \"In a very short time, then,\" said Lord Orville, \"I hope you will\n yourself\nintroduce her, and that we shall have the pleasure of wishing you both\njoy:-allow me, my Evelina, to say we, and permit me, in your name,\nas well as my own, to entreat that the first guests we shall have\nthe happiness of receiving may be Mr. and Mrs.", "Macartney.\"", "A servant then came to beg I would walk up stairs.", "I besought Lord Orville to accompany me; but he feared the displeasure\n of Sir\nJohn, who had desired to see me alone.", "He led me, however, to the\nfoot of the stairs, and made the kindest efforts to give me courage:\nbut indeed he did not succeed; for the interview appeared to me in\nall its terrors, and left me no feeling but apprehension.", "The moment I reached the landing-place, the drawing-room door was\n opened: and\nmy father, with a voice of kindness, called out, \"My child, is it you?\"", "\"Yes, Sir,\" cried I, springing forward, and kneeling at his feet,\n \"it is your\nchild, if you will own her!\"", "He knelt by my side, and, folding me in his arms, \"Own thee,\"\n repeated he,\n\"yes, my poor girl, and Heaven knows with what bitter\ncontrition!\"", "Then, raising both himself and me, he brought me into the\ndrawing-room, shut the door, and took me to the window; where, looking\nat me with great earnestness, \"Poor unhappy Caroline!\"" ]

[ "<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXVII.", "EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.", "Clifton, Oct. 7th.", "YOU will see, my dear Sir, that I was mistaken in supposing I should\nwrite no more from this place, where my residence now seems more\nuncertain than ever.", "This morning, during breakfast, Lord Orville took an opportunity to\nbeg me, in a low voice, to allow him a moment's conversation before\nI left Clifton; \"May I hope,\" added he, \"that you will stroll into\nthe garden after breakfast?\"", "I made no answer, but I believe my looks gave no denial; for, indeed,\nI much wished to be satisfied concerning the letter.", "The moment,\ntherefore, that I could quit the parlour, I ran up stairs for my\ncalash; but, before I reached my room, Mrs. Selwyn called after me,\n\"If you are going to walk, Miss Anville, be so good as to bid Jenny\nbring down my hat, and I'll accompany you.\"", "Very much disconcerted, I turned into the drawing-room, without making\nany answer, and there I hoped to wait unseen, till she had otherwise\ndisposed of herself.", "But, in a few minutes, the door opened, and Sir\nClement Willoughby entered.", "Starting at the sight of him, in rising hastily, I let drop the letter\nwhich I had brought for Lord Orville's inspection, and, before I could\nrecover it, Sir Clement, springing forward, had it in his hand.", "ARTHUR VILLARS.", "</CHAPTER>\n<CHAPTER>\nLETTER LXXXIV.", "EVELINA TO THE REV.", "MR. VILLARS.", "ALL is over, my dearest Sir; and the fate of your Evelina is\ndecided!", "This morning, with fearful joy and trembling gratitude,\nshe united herself for ever with the object of her dearest, her\neternal affection.", "I have time for no more; the chaise now waits which is to conduct\nme to dear Berry Hill, and to the arms of the best of men.", "EVELINA.", "THE END.", "</CHAPTER>" ]

[ "Sicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS\n\n ARCHIDAMUS.", "If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on\nthe\n like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall\nsee,\n as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your\n Sicilia.", "CAMILLO.", "I think this coming summer the King of Sicilia means\nto\n pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "Wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be\n justified in our loves; for indeed-\n CAMILLO.", "Beseech you-\n ARCHIDAMUS.", "Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge:\nwe\n cannot with such magnificence, in so rare- I know not what to\n say.", "We will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses,\n unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot\n praise us, as little accuse us.", "CAMILLO.", "You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely.", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs\nme\n and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.", "CAMILLO.", "Sicilia cannot show himself overkind to Bohemia.", "They\nwere\n train'd together in their childhoods; and there rooted\nbetwixt\n them then such an affection which cannot choose but branch\nnow.", "Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made\n separation of their society, their encounters, though not\n personal, have been royally attorneyed with interchange of\ngifts,\n letters, loving embassies; that they have seem'd to be\ntogether,\n though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and embrac'd as\nit\n were from the ends of opposed winds.", "The heavens continue\ntheir\n loves!", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "I think there is not in the world either malice or\n matter to alter it.", "You have an unspeakable comfort of your\nyoung\n Prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise\nthat\n ever came into my note.", "CAMILLO.", "I very well agree with you in the hopes of him.", "It is\na\n gallant child; one that indeed physics the subject, makes old\n hearts fresh; they that went on crutches ere he was born\ndesire\n yet their life to see him a man.", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "Would they else be content to die?", "CAMILLO.", "Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should\ndesire\n to live.", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "If the King had no son, they would desire to live\non\n crutches till he had one.", "Exeunt\n\n\n\n\n\nSicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, CAMILLO, and\nATTENDANTS\n\n POLIXENES.", "Nine changes of the wat'ry star hath been\n The shepherd's note since we have left our throne\n Without a burden.", "Time as long again\n Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks;\n And yet we should for perpetuity\n Go hence in debt.", "And therefore, like a cipher,\n Yet standing in rich place, I multiply\n With one 'We thank you' many thousands moe\n That go before it.", "LEONTES.", "Stay your thanks a while,\n And pay them when you part.", "POLIXENES.", "Sir, that's to-morrow.", "I am question'd by my fears of what may chance\n Or breed upon our absence, that may blow\n No sneaping winds at home, to make us say\n 'This is put forth too truly.'", "Besides, I have stay'd\n To tire your royalty.", "LEONTES.", "We are tougher, brother,\n Than you can put us to't.", "POLIXENES.", "No longer stay.", "LEONTES.", "One sev'night longer.", "POLIXENES.", "Very sooth, to-morrow.", "LEONTES.", "We'll part the time between's then; and in that\n I'll no gainsaying.", "POLIXENES.", "Press me not, beseech you, so.", "There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' th' world,\n So soon as yours could win me.", "So it should now,\n Were there necessity in your request, although\n 'Twere needful I denied it.", "My affairs\n Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder\n Were in your love a whip to me; my stay\n To you a charge and trouble.", "To save both,\n Farewell, our brother.", "LEONTES.", "Tongue-tied, our Queen?", "Speak you.", "HERMIONE.", "I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until\n You had drawn oaths from him not to stay.", "You, sir,\n Charge him too coldly.", "Tell him you are sure\n All in Bohemia's well- this satisfaction\n The by-gone day proclaim'd.", "Say this to him,\n He's beat from his best ward.", "LEONTES.", "Well said, Hermione.", "HERMIONE.", "To tell he longs to see his son were strong;\n But let him say so then, and let him go;\n But let him swear so, and he shall not stay;\n We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.", "[To POLIXENES] Yet of your royal presence I'll\n adventure the borrow of a week.", "When at Bohemia\n You take my lord, I'll give him my commission\n To let him there a month behind the gest\n Prefix'd for's parting.- Yet, good deed, Leontes,\n I love thee not a jar o' th' clock behind\n What lady she her lord.- You'll stay?", "POLIXENES.", "No, madam.", "HERMIONE.", "Nay, but you will?", "POLIXENES.", "I may not, verily.", "HERMIONE.", "Verily!", "You put me off with limber vows; but I,\n Though you would seek t' unsphere the stars with oaths,\n Should yet say 'Sir, no going.'", "Verily,\n You shall not go; a lady's 'verily' is\n As potent as a lord's.", "Will go yet?", "Force me to keep you as a prisoner,\n Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees\n When you depart, and save your thanks.", "How say you?", "My prisoner or my guest?", "By your dread 'verily,'\n One of them you shall be.", "POLIXENES.", "Your guest, then, madam:\n To be your prisoner should import offending;\n Which is for me less easy to commit\n Than you to punish.", "HERMIONE.", "Not your gaoler then,\n But your kind.", "hostess.", "Come, I'll question you\n Of my lord's tricks and yours when you were boys.", "You were pretty lordings then!", "POLIXENES.", "We were, fair Queen,\n Two lads that thought there was no more behind\n But such a day to-morrow as to-day,\n And to be boy eternal.", "HERMIONE.", "Was not my lord\n The verier wag o' th' two?", "POLIXENES.", "We were as twinn'd lambs that did frisk i' th' sun\n And bleat the one at th' other.", "What we chang'd\n Was innocence for innocence; we knew not\n The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd\n That any did.", "Had we pursu'd that life,\n And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd\n With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven\n Boldly 'Not guilty,' the imposition clear'd\n Hereditary ours.", "HERMIONE.", "By this we gather\n You have tripp'd since.", "POLIXENES.", "O my most sacred lady,\n Temptations have since then been born to 's, for\n In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl;\n Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes\n Of my young playfellow.", "HERMIONE.", "Grace to boot!", "Of this make no conclusion, lest you say\n Your queen and I are devils.", "Yet, go on;\n Th' offences we have made you do we'll answer,\n If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us\n You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not\n With any but with us.", "LEONTES.", "Is he won yet?", "HERMIONE.", "He'll stay, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "At my request he would not.", "Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st\n To better purpose.", "HERMIONE.", "Never?", "LEONTES.", "Never but once.", "HERMIONE.", "What!", "Have I twice said well?", "When was't before?", "I prithee tell me; cram's with praise, and make's\n As fat as tame things.", "One good deed dying tongueless\n Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that.", "Our praises are our wages; you may ride's\n With one soft kiss a thousand furlongs ere\n With spur we heat an acre.", "But to th' goal:\n My last good deed was to entreat his stay;\n What was my first?", "It has an elder sister,\n Or I mistake you.", "O, would her name were Grace!", "But once before I spoke to th' purpose- When?", "Nay, let me have't; I long.", "LEONTES.", "Why, that was when\n Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death,\n Ere I could make thee open thy white hand\n And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter\n 'I am yours for ever.'", "HERMIONE.", "'Tis Grace indeed.", "Why, lo you now, I have spoke to th' purpose twice:\n The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;\n Th' other for some while a friend.", "[Giving her hand to POLIXENES]\n LEONTES.", "[Aside] Too hot, too hot!", "To mingle friendship far is mingling bloods.", "I have tremor cordis on me; my heart dances,\n But not for joy, not joy.", "This entertainment\n May a free face put on; derive a liberty\n From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom,\n And well become the agent.", "'T may, I grant;\n But to be paddling palms and pinching fingers,\n As now they are, and making practis'd smiles\n As in a looking-glass; and then to sigh, as 'twere\n The mort o' th' deer.", "O, that is entertainment\n My bosom likes not, nor my brows!", "Mamillius,\n Art thou my boy?", "MAMILLIUS.", "Ay, my good lord.", "LEONTES.", "I' fecks!", "Why, that's my bawcock.", "What!", "hast smutch'd thy nose?", "They say it is a copy out of mine.", "Come, Captain,\n We must be neat- not neat, but cleanly, Captain.", "And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf,\n Are all call'd neat.- Still virginalling\n Upon his palm?- How now, you wanton calf,\n Art thou my calf?", "MAMILLIUS.", "Yes, if you will, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "Thou want'st a rough pash and the shoots that I have,\n To be full like me; yet they say we are\n Almost as like as eggs.", "Women say so,\n That will say anything.", "But were they false\n As o'er-dy'd blacks, as wind, as waters- false\n As dice are to be wish'd by one that fixes\n No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true\n To say this boy were like me.", "Come, sir page,\n Look on me with your welkin eye.", "Sweet villain!", "Most dear'st!", "my collop!", "Can thy dam?- may't be?", "Affection!", "thy intention stabs the centre.", "Thou dost make possible things not so held,\n Communicat'st with dreams- how can this be?-\n With what's unreal thou coactive art,\n And fellow'st nothing.", "Then 'tis very credent\n Thou mayst co-join with something; and thou dost-\n And that beyond commission; and I find it,\n And that to the infection of my brains\n And hard'ning of my brows.", "POLIXENES.", "What means Sicilia?", "HERMIONE.", "He something seems unsettled.", "POLIXENES.", "How, my lord!", "What cheer?", "How is't with you, best brother?", "HERMIONE.", "You look\n As if you held a brow of much distraction.", "Are you mov'd, my lord?", "LEONTES.", "No, in good earnest.", "How sometimes nature will betray its folly,\n Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime\n To harder bosoms!", "Looking on the lines\n Of my boy's face, methoughts I did recoil\n Twenty-three years; and saw myself unbreech'd,\n In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzl'd,\n Lest it should bite its master and so prove,\n As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.", "How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,\n This squash, this gentleman.", "Mine honest friend,\n Will you take eggs for money?", "MAMILLIUS.", "No, my lord, I'll fight.", "LEONTES.", "You will?", "Why, happy man be's dole!", "My brother,\n Are you so fond of your young prince as we\n Do seem to be of ours?", "POLIXENES.", "If at home, sir,\n He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter;\n Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;\n My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all.", "He makes a July's day short as December,\n And with his varying childness cures in me\n Thoughts that would thick my blood.", "LEONTES.", "So stands this squire\n Offic'd with me.", "We two will walk, my lord,\n And leave you to your graver steps.", "Hermione,\n How thou lov'st us show in our brother's welcome;\n Let what is dear in Sicily be cheap;\n Next to thyself and my young rover, he's\n Apparent to my heart.", "HERMIONE.", "If you would seek us,\n We are yours i' th' garden.", "Shall's attend you there?", "LEONTES.", "To your own bents dispose you; you'll be found,\n Be you beneath the sky.", "[Aside] I am angling now,\n Though you perceive me not how I give line.", "Go to, go to!", "How she holds up the neb, the bill to him!", "And arms her with the boldness of a wife\n To her allowing husband!", "Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and ATTENDANTS\n\n Gone already!", "Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one!", "Go, play, boy, play; thy mother plays, and I\n Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue\n Will hiss me to my grave.", "Contempt and clamour\n Will be my knell.", "Go, play, boy, play.", "There have been,\n Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now;\n And many a man there is, even at this present,\n Now while I speak this, holds his wife by th' arm\n That little thinks she has been sluic'd in's absence,\n And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by\n Sir Smile, his neighbour.", "Nay, there's comfort in't,\n Whiles other men have gates and those gates open'd,\n As mine, against their will.", "Should all despair\n That hath revolted wives, the tenth of mankind\n Would hang themselves.", "Physic for't there's none;\n It is a bawdy planet, that will strike\n Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis pow'rfull, think it,\n From east, west, north, and south.", "Be it concluded,\n No barricado for a belly.", "Know't,\n It will let in and out the enemy\n With bag and baggage.", "Many thousand on's\n Have the disease, and feel't not.", "How now, boy!", "MAMILLIUS.", "I am like you, they say.", "LEONTES.", "Why, that's some comfort.", "What!", "Camillo there?", "CAMILLO.", "Ay, my good lord.", "LEONTES.", "Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest man.", "Exit MAMILLIUS\n Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer.", "CAMILLO.", "You had much ado to make his anchor hold;\n When you cast out, it still came home.", "LEONTES.", "Didst note it?", "CAMILLO.", "He would not stay at your petitions; made\n His business more material.", "LEONTES.", "Didst perceive it?", "[Aside] They're here with me already; whisp'ring, rounding,\n 'Sicilia is a so-forth.'", "'Tis far gone\n When I shall gust it last.- How came't, Camillo,\n That he did stay?", "CAMILLO.", "At the good Queen's entreaty.", "LEONTES.", "'At the Queen's' be't.", "'Good' should be pertinent;\n But so it is, it is not.", "Was this taken\n By any understanding pate but thine?", "For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in\n More than the common blocks.", "Not noted, is't,\n But of the finer natures, by some severals\n Of head-piece extraordinary?", "Lower messes\n Perchance are to this business purblind?", "Say.", "CAMILLO.", "Business, my lord?", "I think most understand\n Bohemia stays here longer.", "LEONTES.", "Ha?", "CAMILLO.", "Stays here longer.", "LEONTES.", "Ay, but why?", "CAMILLO.", "To satisfy your Highness, and the entreaties\n Of our most gracious mistress.", "LEONTES.", "Satisfy\n Th' entreaties of your mistress!", "Satisfy!", "Let that suffice.", "I have trusted thee, Camillo,\n With all the nearest things to my heart, as well\n My chamber-councils, wherein, priest-like, thou\n Hast cleans'd my bosom- I from thee departed\n Thy penitent reform'd; but we have been\n Deceiv'd in thy integrity, deceiv'd\n In that which seems so.", "CAMILLO.", "Be it forbid, my lord!", "LEONTES.", "To bide upon't: thou art not honest; or,\n If thou inclin'st that way, thou art a coward,\n Which hoxes honesty behind, restraining\n From course requir'd; or else thou must be counted\n A servant grafted in my serious trust,\n And therein negligent; or else a fool\n That seest a game play'd home, the rich stake drawn,\n And tak'st it all for jest.", "CAMILLO.", "My gracious lord,\n I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful:\n In every one of these no man is free\n But that his negligence, his folly, fear,\n Among the infinite doings of the world,\n Sometime puts forth.", "In your affairs, my lord,\n If ever I were wilfull-negligent,\n It was my folly; if industriously\n I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,\n Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful\n To do a thing where I the issue doubted,\n Whereof the execution did cry out\n Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear\n Which oft infects the wisest.", "These, my lord,\n Are such allow'd infirmities that honesty\n Is never free of.", "But, beseech your Grace,\n Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass\n By its own visage; if I then deny it,\n 'Tis none of mine.", "LEONTES.", "Ha' not you seen, Camillo-\n But that's past doubt; you have, or your eye-glass\n Is thicker than a cuckold's horn- or heard-\n For to a vision so apparent rumour\n Cannot be mute- or thought- for cogitation\n Resides not in that man that does not think-\n My wife is slippery?", "If thou wilt confess-\n Or else be impudently negative,\n To have nor eyes nor ears nor thought- then say\n My wife's a hobby-horse, deserves a name\n As rank as any flax-wench that puts to\n Before her troth-plight.", "Say't and justify't.", "CAMILLO.", "I would not be a stander-by to hear\n My sovereign mistress clouded so, without\n My present vengeance taken.", "Shrew my heart!", "You never spoke what did become you less\n Than this; which to reiterate were sin\n As deep as that, though true.", "LEONTES.", "Is whispering nothing?", "Is leaning cheek to cheek?", "Is meeting noses?", "Kissing with inside lip?", "Stopping the career\n Of laughter with a sigh?- a note infallible\n Of breaking honesty.", "Horsing foot on foot?", "Skulking in corners?", "Wishing clocks more swift;\n Hours, minutes; noon, midnight?", "And all eyes\n Blind with the pin and web but theirs, theirs only,\n That would unseen be wicked- is this nothing?", "Why, then the world and all that's in't is nothing;\n The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing;\n My is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings,\n If this be nothing.", "CAMILLO.", "Good my lord, be cur'd\n Of this diseas'd opinion, and betimes;\n For 'tis most dangerous.", "LEONTES.", "Say it be, 'tis true.", "CAMILLO.", "No, no, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "It is; you lie, you lie.", "I say thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee;\n Pronounce thee a gross lout, a mindless slave,\n Or else a hovering temporizer that\n Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil,\n Inclining to them both.", "Were my wife's liver\n Infected as her life, she would not live\n The running of one glass.", "CAMILLO.", "Who does her?", "LEONTES.", "Why, he that wears her like her medal, hanging\n About his neck, Bohemia; who- if I\n Had servants true about me that bare eyes\n To see alike mine honour as their profits,\n Their own particular thrifts, they would do that\n Which should undo more doing.", "Ay, and thou,\n His cupbearer- whom I from meaner form\n Have bench'd and rear'd to worship; who mayst see,\n Plainly as heaven sees earth and earth sees heaven,\n How I am gall'd- mightst bespice a cup\n To give mine enemy a lasting wink;\n Which draught to me were cordial.", "CAMILLO.", "Sir, my lord,\n I could do this; and that with no rash potion,\n But with a ling'ring dram that should not work\n Maliciously like poison.", "But I cannot\n Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,\n So sovereignly being honourable.", "I have lov'd thee-\n LEONTES.", "Make that thy question, and go rot!", "Dost think I am so muddy, so unsettled,\n To appoint myself in this vexation; sully\n The purity and whiteness of my sheets-\n Which to preserve is sleep, which being spotted\n Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps;\n Give scandal to the blood o' th' Prince, my son-\n Who I do think is mine, and love as mine-\n Without ripe moving to 't?", "Would I do this?", "Could man so blench?", "CAMILLO.", "I must believe you, sir.", "I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't;\n Provided that, when he's remov'd, your Highness\n Will take again your queen as yours at first,\n Even for your son's sake; and thereby for sealing\n The injury of tongues in courts and kingdoms\n Known and allied to yours.", "LEONTES.", "Thou dost advise me\n Even so as I mine own course have set down.", "I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.", "CAMILLO.", "My lord,\n Go then; and with a countenance as clear\n As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohemia\n And with your queen.", "I am his cupbearer;\n If from me he have wholesome beverage,\n Account me not your servant.", "LEONTES.", "This is all:\n Do't, and thou hast the one half of my heart;\n Do't not, thou split'st thine own.", "CAMILLO.", "I'll do't, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd me.", "Exit\n CAMILLO.", "O miserable lady!", "But, for me,\n What case stand I in?", "I must be the poisoner\n Of good Polixenes; and my ground to do't\n Is the obedience to a master; one\n Who, in rebellion with himself, will have\n All that are his so too.", "To do this deed,\n Promotion follows.", "If I could find example\n Of thousands that had struck anointed kings\n And flourish'd after, I'd not do't; but since\n Nor brass, nor stone, nor parchment, bears not one,\n Let villainy itself forswear't.", "I must\n Forsake the court.", "To do't, or no, is certain\n To me a break-neck.", "Happy star reign now!", "Here comes Bohemia.", "Enter POLIXENES\n\n POLIXENES.", "This is strange.", "Methinks\n My favour here begins to warp.", "Not speak?", "Good day, Camillo.", "CAMILLO.", "Hail, most royal sir!", "POLIXENES.", "What is the news i' th' court?", "CAMILLO.", "None rare, my lord.", "POLIXENES.", "The King hath on him such a countenance\n As he had lost some province, and a region\n Lov'd as he loves himself; even now I met him\n With customary compliment, when he,\n Wafting his eyes to th' contrary and falling\n A lip of much contempt, speeds from me;\n So leaves me to consider what is breeding\n That changes thus his manners.", "CAMILLO.", "I dare not know, my lord.", "POLIXENES.", "How, dare not!", "Do not.", "Do you know, and dare not\n Be intelligent to me?", "'Tis thereabouts;\n For, to yourself, what you do know, you must,\n And cannot say you dare not.", "Good Camillo,\n Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror\n Which shows me mine chang'd too; for I must be\n A party in this alteration, finding\n Myself thus alter'd with't.", "CAMILLO.", "There is a sickness\n Which puts some of us in distemper; but\n I cannot name the disease; and it is caught\n Of you that yet are well.", "POLIXENES.", "How!", "caught of me?", "Make me not sighted like the basilisk;\n I have look'd on thousands who have sped the better\n By my regard, but kill'd none so.", "Camillo-\n As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto\n Clerk-like experienc'd, which no less adorns\n Our gentry than our parents' noble names,\n In whose success we are gentle- I beseech you,\n If you know aught which does behove my knowledge\n Thereof to be inform'd, imprison't not\n In ignorant concealment.", "CAMILLO.", "I may not answer.", "POLIXENES.", "A sickness caught of me, and yet I well?", "I must be answer'd.", "Dost thou hear, Camillo?", "I conjure thee, by all the parts of man\n Which honour does acknowledge, whereof the least\n Is not this suit of mine, that thou declare\n What incidency thou dost guess of harm\n Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near;\n Which way to be prevented, if to be;\n If not, how best to bear it.", "CAMILLO.", "Sir, I will tell you;\n Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him\n That I think honourable.", "Therefore mark my counsel,\n Which must be ev'n as swiftly followed as\n I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me\n Cry lost, and so goodnight.", "POLIXENES.", "On, good Camillo.", "CAMILLO.", "I am appointed him to murder you.", "POLIXENES.", "By whom, Camillo?", "CAMILLO.", "By the King.", "POLIXENES.", "For what?", "CAMILLO.", "He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears,\n As he had seen 't or been an instrument\n To vice you to't, that you have touch'd his queen\n Forbiddenly.", "POLIXENES.", "O, then my best blood turn\n To an infected jelly, and my name\n Be yok'd with his that did betray the Best!", "Turn then my freshest reputation to\n A savour that may strike the dullest nostril\n Where I arrive, and my approach be shunn'd,\n Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection\n That e'er was heard or read!", "CAMILLO.", "Swear his thought over\n By each particular star in heaven and\n By all their influences, you may as well\n Forbid the sea for to obey the moon\n As or by oath remove or counsel shake\n The fabric of his folly, whose foundation\n Is pil'd upon his faith and will continue\n The standing of his body.", "POLIXENES.", "How should this grow?", "CAMILLO.", "I know not; but I am sure 'tis safer to\n Avoid what's grown than question how 'tis born.", "If therefore you dare trust my honesty,\n That lies enclosed in this trunk which you\n Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night.", "Your followers I will whisper to the business;\n And will, by twos and threes, at several posterns,\n Clear them o' th' city.", "For myself, I'll put\n My fortunes to your service, which are here\n By this discovery lost.", "Be not uncertain,\n For, by the honour of my parents, I\n Have utt'red truth; which if you seek to prove,\n I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer\n Than one condemn'd by the King's own mouth, thereon\n His execution sworn.", "POLIXENES.", "I do believe thee:\n I saw his heart in's face.", "Give me thy hand;\n Be pilot to me, and thy places shall\n Still neighbour mine.", "My ships are ready, and\n My people did expect my hence departure\n Two days ago.", "This jealousy\n Is for a precious creature; as she's rare,\n Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,\n Must it be violent; and as he does conceive\n He is dishonour'd by a man which ever\n Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must\n In that be made more bitter.", "Fear o'ershades me.", "Good expedition be my friend, and comfort\n The gracious Queen, part of this theme, but nothing\n Of his ill-ta'en suspicion!", "Come, Camillo;\n I will respect thee as a father, if\n Thou bear'st my life off hence.", "Let us avoid.", "CAMILLO.", "It is in mine authority to command\n The keys of all the posterns.", "Please your Highness\n To take the urgent hour.", "Come, sir, away.", "Exeunt" ]

[ "Besides, I have stay'd\n To tire your royalty.", "My affairs\n Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder\n Were in your love a whip to me; my stay\n To you a charge and trouble.", "Well said, Hermione.", "O, that is entertainment\n My bosom likes not, nor my brows!", "LEONTES.", "Satisfy!", "Make that thy question, and go rot!", "CAMILLO.", "CAMILLO.", "Come, Camillo;\n I will respect thee as a father, if\n Thou bear'st my life off hence." ]

[ "Yes, if you will, my lord.", "Hail, most royal sir!", "POLIXENES.", "LEONTES.", "Tongue-tied, our Queen?", "Most dear'st!", "CAMILLO.", "CAMILLO.", "Could man so blench?", "O, then my best blood turn\n To an infected jelly, and my name\n Be yok'd with his that did betray the Best!" ]

[ "[Aside] I am angling now,\n Though you perceive me not how I give line.", "Go to, go to!", "How she holds up the neb, the bill to him!", "And arms her with the boldness of a wife\n To her allowing husband!", "Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and ATTENDANTS\n\n Gone already!", "Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one!", "Go, play, boy, play; thy mother plays, and I\n Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue\n Will hiss me to my grave.", "Contempt and clamour\n Will be my knell.", "Go, play, boy, play.", "There have been,\n Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now;\n And many a man there is, even at this present,\n Now while I speak this, holds his wife by th' arm\n That little thinks she has been sluic'd in's absence,\n And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by\n Sir Smile, his neighbour.", "Nay, there's comfort in't,\n Whiles other men have gates and those gates open'd,\n As mine, against their will." ]

[ "Sicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS\n\n ARCHIDAMUS.", "If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on\nthe\n like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall\nsee,\n as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your\n Sicilia.", "CAMILLO.", "I think this coming summer the King of Sicilia means\nto\n pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.", "ARCHIDAMUS.", "Wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be\n justified in our loves; for indeed-\n CAMILLO.", "Beseech you-\n ARCHIDAMUS.", "Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge:\nwe\n cannot with such magnificence, in so rare- I know not what to\n say.", "We will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses,\n unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot\n praise us, as little accuse us.", "This jealousy\n Is for a precious creature; as she's rare,\n Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,\n Must it be violent; and as he does conceive\n He is dishonour'd by a man which ever\n Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must\n In that be made more bitter.", "Fear o'ershades me.", "Good expedition be my friend, and comfort\n The gracious Queen, part of this theme, but nothing\n Of his ill-ta'en suspicion!", "Come, Camillo;\n I will respect thee as a father, if\n Thou bear'st my life off hence.", "Let us avoid.", "CAMILLO.", "It is in mine authority to command\n The keys of all the posterns.", "Please your Highness\n To take the urgent hour.", "Come, sir, away.", "Exeunt" ]

[ "Sicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and LADIES\n\n HERMIONE.", "Take the boy to you; he so troubles me,\n 'Tis past enduring.", "FIRST LADY.", "Come, my gracious lord,\n Shall I be your playfellow?", "MAMILLIUS.", "No, I'll none of you.", "FIRST LADY.", "Why, my sweet lord?", "MAMILLIUS.", "You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if\n I were a baby still.", "I love you better.", "SECOND LADY.", "And why so, my lord?", "MAMILLIUS.", "Not for because\n Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,\n Become some women best; so that there be not\n Too much hair there, but in a semicircle\n Or a half-moon made with a pen.", "SECOND LADY.", "Who taught't this?", "MAMILLIUS.", "I learn'd it out of women's faces.", "Pray now,\n What colour are your eyebrows?", "FIRST LADY.", "Blue, my lord.", "MAMILLIUS.", "Nay, that's a mock.", "I have seen a lady's nose\n That has been blue, but not her eyebrows.", "FIRST LADY.", "Hark ye:\n The Queen your mother rounds apace.", "We shall\n Present our services to a fine new prince\n One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us,\n If we would have you.", "SECOND LADY.", "She is spread of late\n Into a goodly bulk.", "Good time encounter her!", "HERMIONE.", "What wisdom stirs amongst you?", "Come, sir, now\n I am for you again.", "Pray you sit by us,\n And tell's a tale.", "MAMILLIUS.", "Merry or sad shall't be?", "HERMIONE.", "As merry as you will.", "MAMILLIUS.", "A sad tale's best for winter.", "I have one\n Of sprites and goblins.", "HERMIONE.", "Let's have that, good sir.", "Come on, sit down; come on, and do your best\n To fright me with your sprites; you're pow'rfull at it.", "MAMILLIUS.", "There was a man-\n HERMIONE.", "Nay, come, sit down; then on.", "MAMILLIUS.", "Dwelt by a churchyard- I will tell it softly;\n Yond crickets shall not hear it.", "HERMIONE.", "Come on then,\n And give't me in mine ear.", "Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, LORDS, and OTHERS\n\n LEONTES.", "he met there?", "his train?", "Camillo with him?", "FIRST LORD.", "Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never\n Saw I men scour so on their way.", "I ey'd them\n Even to their ships.", "LEONTES.", "How blest am I\n In my just censure, in my true opinion!", "Alack, for lesser knowledge!", "How accurs'd\n In being so blest!", "There may be in the cup\n A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,\n And yet partake no venom, for his knowledge\n Is not infected; but if one present\n Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known\n How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,\n With violent hefts.", "I have drunk, and seen the spider.", "Camillo was his help in this, his pander.", "There is a plot against my life, my crown;\n All's true that is mistrusted.", "That false villain\n Whom I employ'd was pre-employ'd by him;\n He has discover'd my design, and I\n Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick\n For them to play at will.", "How came the posterns\n So easily open?", "FIRST LORD.", "By his great authority;\n Which often hath no less prevail'd than so\n On your command.", "LEONTES.", "I know't too well.", "Give me the boy.", "I am glad you did not nurse him;\n Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you\n Have too much blood in him.", "HERMIONE.", "What is this?", "Sport?", "LEONTES.", "Bear the boy hence; he shall not come about her;\n Away with him; and let her sport herself\n [MAMILLIUS is led out]\n With that she's big with- for 'tis Polixenes\n Has made thee swell thus.", "HERMIONE.", "But I'd say he had not,\n And I'll be sworn you would believe my saying,\n Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.", "LEONTES.", "You, my lords,\n Look on her, mark her well; be but about\n To say 'She is a goodly lady' and\n The justice of your hearts will thereto ad\n 'Tis pity she's not honest- honourable.'", "Praise her but for this her without-door form,\n Which on my faith deserves high speech, and straight\n The shrug, the hum or ha, these petty brands\n That calumny doth use- O, I am out!-\n That mercy does, for calumny will sear\n Virtue itself- these shrugs, these hum's and ha's,\n When you have said she's goodly, come between,\n Ere you can say she's honest.", "But be't known,\n From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,\n She's an adultress.", "HERMIONE.", "Should a villain say so,\n The most replenish'd villain in the world,\n He were as much more villain: you, my lord,\n Do but mistake.", "LEONTES.", "You have mistook, my lady,\n Polixenes for Leontes.", "O thou thing!", "Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,\n Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,\n Should a like language use to all degrees\n And mannerly distinguishment leave out\n Betwixt the prince and beggar.", "I have said\n She's an adultress; I have said with whom.", "More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is\n A federary with her, and one that knows\n What she should shame to know herself\n But with her most vile principal- that she's\n A bed-swerver, even as bad as those\n That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy\n To this their late escape.", "HERMIONE.", "No, by my life,\n Privy to none of this.", "How will this grieve you,\n When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that\n You thus have publish'd me!", "Gentle my lord,\n You scarce can right me throughly then to say\n You did mistake.", "LEONTES.", "No; if I mistake\n In those foundations which I build upon,\n The centre is not big enough to bear\n A school-boy's top.", "Away with her to prison.", "He who shall speak for her is afar off guilty\n But that he speaks.", "HERMIONE.", "There's some ill planet reigns.", "I must be patient till the heavens look\n With an aspect more favourable.", "Good my lords,\n I am not prone to weeping, as our sex\n Commonly are- the want of which vain dew\n Perchance shall dry your pities- but I have\n That honourable grief lodg'd here which burns\n Worse than tears drown.", "Beseech you all, my lords,\n With thoughts so qualified as your charities\n Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so\n The King's will be perform'd!", "LEONTES.", "[To the GUARD] Shall I be heard?", "HERMIONE.", "Who is't that goes with me?", "Beseech your highness\n My women may be with me, for you see\n My plight requires it.", "Do not weep, good fools;\n There is no cause; when you shall know your mistress\n Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears\n As I come out: this action I now go on\n Is for my better grace.", "Adieu, my lord.", "I never wish'd to see you sorry; now\n I trust I shall.", "My women, come; you have leave.", "LEONTES.", "Go, do our bidding; hence!", "Exeunt HERMIONE, guarded, and LADIES\n FIRST LORD.", "Beseech your Highness, call the Queen again.", "ANTIGONUS.", "Be certain what you do, sir, lest your justice\n Prove violence, in the which three great ones suffer,\n Yourself, your queen, your son.", "FIRST LORD.", "For her, my lord,\n I dare my life lay down- and will do't, sir,\n Please you t' accept it- that the Queen is spotless\n I' th' eyes of heaven and to you- I mean\n In this which you accuse her.", "ANTIGONUS.", "If it prove\n She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where\n I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her;\n Than when I feel and see her no farther trust her;\n For every inch of woman in the world,\n Ay, every dram of woman's flesh is false,\n If she be.", "LEONTES.", "Hold your peaces.", "FIRST LORD.", "Good my lord-\n ANTIGONUS.", "It is for you we speak, not for ourselves.", "You are abus'd, and by some putter-on\n That will be damn'd for't.", "Would I knew the villain!", "I would land-damn him.", "Be she honour-flaw'd-\n I have three daughters: the eldest is eleven;\n The second and the third, nine and some five;\n If this prove true, they'll pay for 't.", "By mine honour,\n I'll geld 'em all; fourteen they shall not see\n To bring false generations.", "They are co-heirs;\n And I had rather glib myself than they\n Should not produce fair issue.", "LEONTES.", "Cease; no more.", "You smell this business with a sense as cold\n As is a dead man's nose; but I do see't and feel't\n As you feel doing thus; and see withal\n The instruments that feel.", "ANTIGONUS.", "If it be so,\n We need no grave to bury honesty;\n There's not a grain of it the face to sweeten\n Of the whole dungy earth.", "LEONTES.", "What!", "Lack I credit?", "FIRST LORD.", "I had rather you did lack than I, my lord,\n Upon this ground; and more it would content me\n To have her honour true than your suspicion,\n Be blam'd for't how you might.", "LEONTES.", "Why, what need we\n Commune with you of this, but rather follow\n Our forceful instigation?", "Our prerogative\n Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness\n Imparts this; which, if you- or stupified\n Or seeming so in skill- cannot or will not\n Relish a truth like us, inform yourselves\n We need no more of your advice.", "The matter,\n The loss, the gain, the ord'ring on't, is all\n Properly ours.", "ANTIGONUS.", "And I wish, my liege,\n You had only in your silent judgment tried it,\n Without more overture.", "LEONTES.", "How could that be?", "Either thou art most ignorant by age,\n Or thou wert born a fool.", "Camillo's flight,\n Added to their familiarity-\n Which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture,\n That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation\n But only seeing, all other circumstances\n Made up to th' deed- doth push on this proceeding.", "Yet, for a greater confirmation-\n For, in an act of this importance, 'twere\n Most piteous to be wild- I have dispatch'd in post\n To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,\n Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know\n Of stuff'd sufficiency.", "Now, from the oracle\n They will bring all, whose spiritual counsel had,\n Shall stop or spur me.", "Have I done well?", "FIRST LORD.", "Well done, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "Though I am satisfied, and need no more\n Than what I know, yet shall the oracle\n Give rest to th' minds of others such as he\n Whose ignorant credulity will not\n Come up to th' truth.", "So have we thought it good\n From our free person she should be confin'd,\n Lest that the treachery of the two fled hence\n Be left her to perform.", "Come, follow us;\n We are to speak in public; for this business\n Will raise us all.", "ANTIGONUS.", "[Aside] To laughter, as I take it,\n If the good truth were known.", "Exeunt\n\n\n\n\n\nSicilia.", "A prison\n\nEnter PAULINA, a GENTLEMAN, and ATTENDANTS\n\n PAULINA.", "The keeper of the prison- call to him;\n Let him have knowledge who I am.", "Exit GENTLEMAN\n Good lady!", "No court in Europe is too good for thee;\n What dost thou then in prison?", "Re-enter GENTLEMAN with the GAOLER\n\n Now, good sir,\n You know me, do you not?", "GAOLER.", "For a worthy lady,\n And one who much I honour.", "PAULINA.", "Pray you, then,\n Conduct me to the Queen.", "GAOLER.", "I may not, madam;\n To the contrary I have express commandment.", "PAULINA.", "Here's ado, to lock up honesty and honour from\n Th' access of gentle visitors!", "Is't lawful, pray you,\n To see her women- any of them?", "Emilia?", "GAOLER.", "So please you, madam,\n To put apart these your attendants,\n Shall bring Emilia forth.", "PAULINA.", "I pray now, call her.", "Withdraw yourselves.", "Exeunt ATTENDANTS\n GAOLER.", "And, madam,\n I must be present at your conference.", "PAULINA.", "Well, be't so, prithee.", "Exit GAOLER\n Here's such ado to make no stain a stain\n As passes colouring.", "Re-enter GAOLER, with EMILIA\n\n Dear gentlewoman,\n How fares our gracious lady?", "EMILIA.", "As well as one so great and so forlorn\n May hold together.", "On her frights and griefs,\n Which never tender lady hath borne greater,\n She is, something before her time, deliver'd.", "PAULINA.", "A boy?", "EMILIA.", "A daughter, and a goodly babe,\n Lusty, and like to live.", "The Queen receives\n Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner,\n I am as innocent as you.'", "PAULINA.", "I dare be sworn.", "These dangerous unsafe lunes i' th' King, beshrew them!", "He must be told on't, and he shall.", "The office\n Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me;\n If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister,\n And never to my red-look'd anger be\n The trumpet any more.", "Pray you, Emilia,\n Commend my best obedience to the Queen;\n If she dares trust me with her little babe,\n I'll show't the King, and undertake to be\n Her advocate to th' loud'st.", "We do not know\n How he may soften at the sight o' th' child:\n The silence often of pure innocence\n Persuades when speaking fails.", "EMILIA.", "Most worthy madam,\n Your honour and your goodness is so evident\n That your free undertaking cannot miss\n A thriving issue; there is no lady living\n So meet for this great errand.", "Please your ladyship\n To visit the next room, I'll presently\n Acquaint the Queen of your most noble offer\n Who but to-day hammer'd of this design,\n But durst not tempt a minister of honour,\n Lest she should be denied.", "PAULINA.", "Tell her, Emilia,\n I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't\n As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted\n I shall do good.", "EMILIA.", "Now be you blest for it!", "I'll to the Queen.", "Please you come something nearer.", "GAOLER.", "Madam, if't please the Queen to send the babe,\n I know not what I shall incur to pass it,\n Having no warrant.", "PAULINA.", "You need not fear it, sir.", "This child was prisoner to the womb, and is\n By law and process of great Nature thence\n Freed and enfranchis'd- not a party to\n The anger of the King, nor guilty of,\n If any be, the trespass of the Queen.", "GAOLER.", "I do believe it.", "PAULINA.", "Do not you fear.", "Upon mine honour, I\n Will stand betwixt you and danger.", "Exeunt\n\n\n\n\n\nSicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, LORDS, and SERVANTS\n\n LEONTES.", "Nor night nor day no rest!", "It is but weakness\n To bear the matter thus- mere weakness.", "If\n The cause were not in being- part o' th' cause,\n She, th' adultress; for the harlot king\n Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank\n And level of my brain, plot-proof; but she\n I can hook to me- say that she were gone,\n Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest\n Might come to me again.", "Who's there?", "FIRST SERVANT.", "My lord?", "LEONTES.", "How does the boy?", "FIRST SERVANT.", "He took good rest to-night;\n 'Tis hop'd his sickness is discharg'd.", "LEONTES.", "To see his nobleness!", "Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,\n He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply,\n Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself,\n Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,\n And downright languish'd.", "Leave me solely.", "Go,\n See how he fares.", "[Exit SERVANT] Fie, fie!", "no thought of\nhim!", "The very thought of my revenges that way\n Recoil upon me- in himself too mighty,\n And in his parties, his alliance.", "Let him be,\n Until a time may serve; for present vengeance,\n Take it on her.", "Camillo and Polixenes\n Laugh at me, make their pastime at my sorrow.", "They should not laugh if I could reach them; nor\n Shall she, within my pow'r.", "Enter PAULINA, with a CHILD\n\n FIRST LORD.", "You must not enter.", "PAULINA.", "Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me.", "Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas,\n Than the Queen's life?", "A gracious innocent soul,\n More free than he is jealous.", "ANTIGONUS.", "That's enough.", "SECOND SERVANT.", "Madam, he hath not slept to-night; commanded\n None should come at him.", "PAULINA.", "Not so hot, good sir;\n I come to bring him sleep.", "'Tis such as you,\n That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh\n At each his needless heavings- such as you\n Nourish the cause of his awaking: I\n Do come with words as medicinal as true,\n Honest as either, to purge him of that humour\n That presses him from sleep.", "LEONTES.", "What noise there, ho?", "PAULINA.", "No noise, my lord; but needful conference\n About some gossips for your Highness.", "LEONTES.", "How!", "Away with that audacious lady!", "Antigonus,\n I charg'd thee that she should not come about me;\n I knew she would.", "ANTIGONUS.", "I told her so, my lord,\n On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,\n She should not visit you.", "LEONTES.", "What, canst not rule her?", "PAULINA.", "From all dishonesty he can: in this,\n Unless he take the course that you have done-\n Commit me for committing honour- trust it,\n He shall not rule me.", "ANTIGONUS.", "La you now, you hear!", "When she will take the rein, I let her run;\n But she'll not stumble.", "PAULINA.", "Good my liege, I come-\n And I beseech you hear me, who professes\n Myself your loyal servant, your physician,\n Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dares\n Less appear so, in comforting your evils,\n Than such as most seem yours- I say I come\n From your good Queen.", "LEONTES.", "Good Queen!", "PAULINA.", "Good Queen, my lord, good Queen- I say good Queen;\n And would by combat make her good, so were I\n A man, the worst about you.", "LEONTES.", "Force her hence.", "PAULINA.", "Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes\n First hand me.", "On mine own accord I'll off;\n But first I'll do my errand.", "The good Queen,\n For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter;\n Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing.", "[Laying down the child]\n LEONTES.", "Out!", "A mankind witch!", "Hence with her, out o' door!", "A most intelligencing bawd!", "PAULINA.", "Not so.", "I am as ignorant in that as you\n In so entitling me; and no less honest\n Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant,\n As this world goes, to pass for honest.", "LEONTES.", "Traitors!", "Will you not push her out?", "Give her the bastard.", "[To ANTIGONUS] Thou dotard, thou art woman-tir'd, unroosted\n By thy Dame Partlet here.", "Take up the bastard;\n Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.", "PAULINA.", "For ever\n Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou\n Tak'st up the Princess by that forced baseness\n Which he has put upon't!", "LEONTES.", "He dreads his wife.", "PAULINA.", "So I would you did; then 'twere past all doubt\n You'd call your children yours.", "LEONTES.", "A nest of traitors!", "ANTIGONUS.", "I am none, by this good light.", "PAULINA.", "Nor I; nor any\n But one that's here; and that's himself; for he\n The sacred honour of himself, his Queen's,\n His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander,\n Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not-\n For, as the case now stands, it is a curse\n He cannot be compell'd to 't- once remove\n The root of his opinion, which is rotten\n As ever oak or stone was sound.", "LEONTES.", "A callat\n Of boundless tongue, who late hath beat her husband,\n And now baits me!", "This brat is none of mine;\n It is the issue of Polixenes.", "Hence with it, and together with the dam\n Commit them to the fire.", "PAULINA.", "It is yours.", "And, might we lay th' old proverb to your charge,\n So like you 'tis the worse.", "Behold, my lords,\n Although the print be little, the whole matter\n And copy of the father- eye, nose, lip,\n The trick of's frown, his forehead; nay, the valley,\n The pretty dimples of his chin and cheek; his smiles;\n The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger.", "And thou, good goddess Nature, which hast made it\n So like to him that got it, if thou hast\n The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours\n No yellow in't, lest she suspect, as he does,\n Her children not her husband's!", "LEONTES.", "A gross hag!", "And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd\n That wilt not stay her tongue.", "ANTIGONUS.", "Hang all the husbands\n That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself\n Hardly one subject.", "LEONTES.", "Once more, take her hence.", "PAULINA.", "A most unworthy and unnatural lord\n Can do no more.", "LEONTES.", "I'll ha' thee burnt.", "PAULINA.", "I care not.", "It is an heretic that makes the fire,\n Not she which burns in't.", "I'll not call you tyrant\n But this most cruel usage of your Queen-\n Not able to produce more accusation\n Than your own weak-hing'd fancy- something savours\n Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,\n Yea, scandalous to the world.", "LEONTES.", "On your allegiance,\n Out of the chamber with her!", "Were I a tyrant,\n Where were her life?", "She durst not call me so,\n If she did know me one.", "Away with her!", "PAULINA.", "I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone.", "Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours.", "Jove send her\n A better guiding spirit!", "What needs these hands?", "You that are thus so tender o'er his follies\n Will never do him good, not one of you.", "So, so.", "Farewell; we are gone.", "Exit\n LEONTES.", "Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.", "My child!", "Away with't.", "Even thou, that hast\n A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence,\n And see it instantly consum'd with fire;\n Even thou, and none but thou.", "Take it up straight.", "Within this hour bring me word 'tis done,\n And by good testimony, or I'll seize thy life,\n With that thou else call'st thine.", "If thou refuse,\n And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;\n The bastard brains with these my proper hands\n Shall I dash out.", "Go, take it to the fire;\n For thou set'st on thy wife.", "ANTIGONUS.", "I did not, sir.", "These lords, my noble fellows, if they please,\n Can clear me in't.", "LORDS.", "We can.", "My royal liege,\n He is not guilty of her coming hither.", "LEONTES.", "You're liars all.", "FIRST LORD.", "Beseech your Highness, give us better credit.", "We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech\n So to esteem of us; and on our knees we beg,\n As recompense of our dear services\n Past and to come, that you do change this purpose,\n Which being so horrible, so bloody, must\n Lead on to some foul issue.", "We all kneel.", "LEONTES.", "I am a feather for each wind that blows.", "Shall I live on to see this bastard kneel\n And call me father?", "Better burn it now\n Than curse it then.", "But be it; let it live.", "It shall not neither.", "[To ANTIGONUS] You, Sir, come you\nhither.", "You that have been so tenderly officious\n With Lady Margery, your midwife there,\n To save this bastard's life- for 'tis a bastard,\n So sure as this beard's grey- what will you adventure\n To save this brat's life?", "ANTIGONUS.", "Anything, my lord,\n That my ability may undergo,\n And nobleness impose.", "At least, thus much:\n I'll pawn the little blood which I have left\n To save the innocent- anything possible.", "LEONTES.", "It shall be possible.", "Swear by this sword\n Thou wilt perform my bidding.", "ANTIGONUS.", "I will, my lord.", "LEONTES.", "Mark, and perform it- seest thou?", "For the fail\n Of any point in't shall not only be\n Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife,\n Whom for this time we pardon.", "We enjoin thee,\n As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry\n This female bastard hence; and that thou bear it\n To some remote and desert place, quite out\n Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,\n Without more mercy, to it own protection\n And favour of the climate.", "As by strange fortune\n It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,\n On thy soul's peril and thy body's torture,\n That thou commend it strangely to some place\n Where chance may nurse or end it.", "Take it up.", "ANTIGONUS.", "I swear to do this, though a present death\n Had been more merciful.", "Come on, poor babe.", "Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens\n To be thy nurses!", "Wolves and bears, they say,\n Casting their savageness aside, have done\n Like offices of pity.", "Sir, be prosperous\n In more than this deed does require!", "And blessing\n Against this cruelty fight on thy side,\n Poor thing, condemn'd to loss!", "Exit with the child\n LEONTES.", "No, I'll not rear\n Another's issue.", "Enter a SERVANT\n\n SERVANT.", "Please your Highness, posts\n From those you sent to th' oracle are come\n An hour since.", "Cleomenes and Dion,\n Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed,\n Hasting to th' court.", "FIRST LORD.", "So please you, sir, their speed\n Hath been beyond account.", "LEONTES.", "Twenty-three days\n They have been absent; 'tis good speed; foretells\n The great Apollo suddenly will have\n The truth of this appear.", "Prepare you, lords;\n Summon a session, that we may arraign\n Our most disloyal lady; for, as she hath\n Been publicly accus'd, so shall she have\n A just and open trial.", "While she lives,\n My heart will be a burden to me.", "Leave me;\n And think upon my bidding.", "Exeunt" ]

[ "MAMILLIUS.", "Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never\n Saw I men scour so on their way.", "Away with her to prison.", "Who is't that goes with me?", "Madam, if't please the Queen to send the babe,\n I know not what I shall incur to pass it,\n Having no warrant.", "PAULINA.", "'Tis such as you,\n That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh\n At each his needless heavings- such as you\n Nourish the cause of his awaking: I\n Do come with words as medicinal as true,\n Honest as either, to purge him of that humour\n That presses him from sleep.", "How!", "Go, take it to the fire;\n For thou set'st on thy wife.", "You're liars all." ]

[ "PAULINA.", "On mine own accord I'll off;\n But first I'll do my errand.", "How!", "How will this grieve you,\n When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that\n You thus have publish'd me!", "The very thought of my revenges that way\n Recoil upon me- in himself too mighty,\n And in his parties, his alliance.", "Twenty-three days\n They have been absent; 'tis good speed; foretells\n The great Apollo suddenly will have\n The truth of this appear.", "I do believe it.", "I never wish'd to see you sorry; now\n I trust I shall.", "PAULINA.", "Our prerogative\n Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness\n Imparts this; which, if you- or stupified\n Or seeming so in skill- cannot or will not\n Relish a truth like us, inform yourselves\n We need no more of your advice." ]

[ "I dare be sworn.", "These dangerous unsafe lunes i' th' King, beshrew them!", "He must be told on't, and he shall.", "The office\n Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me;\n If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister,\n And never to my red-look'd anger be\n The trumpet any more.", "Pray you, Emilia,\n Commend my best obedience to the Queen;\n If she dares trust me with her little babe,\n I'll show't the King, and undertake to be\n Her advocate to th' loud'st.", "We do not know\n How he may soften at the sight o' th' child:\n The silence often of pure innocence\n Persuades when speaking fails.", "EMILIA.", "Most worthy madam,\n Your honour and your goodness is so evident\n That your free undertaking cannot miss\n A thriving issue; there is no lady living\n So meet for this great errand.", "Please your ladyship\n To visit the next room, I'll presently\n Acquaint the Queen of your most noble offer\n Who but to-day hammer'd of this design,\n But durst not tempt a minister of honour,\n Lest she should be denied.", "PAULINA.", "Tell her, Emilia,\n I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't\n As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted\n I shall do good." ]

[ "Sicilia.", "The palace of LEONTES\n\nEnter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and LADIES\n\n HERMIONE.", "Take the boy to you; he so troubles me,\n 'Tis past enduring.", "FIRST LADY.", "Come, my gracious lord,\n Shall I be your playfellow?", "MAMILLIUS.", "No, I'll none of you.", "FIRST LADY.", "Why, my sweet lord?", "MAMILLIUS.", "Please your Highness, posts\n From those you sent to th' oracle are come\n An hour since.", "Cleomenes and Dion,\n Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed,\n Hasting to th' court.", "FIRST LORD.", "So please you, sir, their speed\n Hath been beyond account.", "LEONTES.", "Twenty-three days\n They have been absent; 'tis good speed; foretells\n The great Apollo suddenly will have\n The truth of this appear.", "Prepare you, lords;\n Summon a session, that we may arraign\n Our most disloyal lady; for, as she hath\n Been publicly accus'd, so shall she have\n A just and open trial.", "While she lives,\n My heart will be a burden to me.", "Leave me;\n And think upon my bidding.", "Exeunt" ]