"
"I don't know that he will make such a great fool of himself. As he
says, his grandfather married an actress, and why should not he?"
"Simply because she won't marry him."
"And how do you know that, sir? You fancy that you understand all the
women's hearts in England, just because you have found out the secret
of managing one little fool."
"Managing her, quotha! Being managed by her, till my quiet house is
turned into a perfect volcano of match-making. Why, I thought he was
to marry Manchestrina."
"He shall marry who he likes; and if Marie changes her mind, and
revenges herself on this American by taking Lord Scoutbush, all I can
say is, it will be a just judgment on him. I have no patience with the
heartless fellow, going off thus, and never even leaving his address."
"And because you have no patience, you think Marie will have none?"
"What do you know about women's hearts? Leave us to mind our own
matters."
"Mr. Bowie will kill you outright, if your plot succeeds."
"No, he won't. I know who Bowie wants to marry; and if he is not good,
he shan't have her. Besides, it will be such fun to spite old Lady
Knockdown, who always turns up her nose at me. How mad she will be!
Here we are at home. Now, I shall go and prepare Marie."
An hour after, Scoutbush was pleading his cause with Marie; and had
been met, of course, at starting, with the simple rejoinder,--
"But, my lord, you would not surely have me marry where I do not
love?"
"Oh, of course not; but, you see, people very often get love after
they are married:--and I am sure I would do all to make you love me.
Pages:
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329