'You surprize me!' cries Mrs. Ellison. 'Sure, you are not in earnest?'
'Indeed, madam,' returned he, 'I am seriously in earnest. And, what is more, I am convinced she would of her own accord refuse to go.'
'Now, madam,' said Mrs. Ellison, 'you are to answer for yourself: and I will for your husband, that, if you have a desire to go, he will not refuse you.'
'I hope, madam,' answered Amelia with great gravity, 'I shall never desire to go to any place contrary to Mr. Booth's inclinations.'
'Did ever mortal hear the like?' said Mrs. Ellison; 'you are enough to spoil the best husband in the universe. Inclinations! what, is a woman to be governed then by her husband's inclinations, though they are never so unreasonable?'
'Pardon me, madam,' said Amelia; 'I will not suppose Mr. Booth's inclinations ever can be unreasonable. I am very much obliged to you for the offer you have made me; but I beg you will not mention it any more; for, after what Mr. Booth hath declared, if Ranelagh was a heaven upon earth, I would refuse to go to it.'
'I thank you, my dear,' cries Booth; 'I do assure you, you oblige me beyond my power of expression by what you say; but I will endeavour to shew you, both my sensibility of such goodness, and my lasting gratitude to it.'
'And pray, sir,' cries Mrs. Ellison, 'what can be your objection to your lady's going to a place which, I will venture to say, is as reputable as any about town, and which is frequented by the best company?'
'Pardon me, good Mrs. Ellison,' said Booth: 'as my wife is so good to acquiesce without knowing my reasons, I am not, I think, obliged to assign them to any other person.'
'Well,' cries Mrs. Ellison, 'if I had been told this, I would not have believed it. What, refuse your lady an innocent diversion, and that too when you have not the pretence to say it would cost you a farthing?'
'Why will you say any more on this subject, dear madam?' cries Amelia. 'All diversions are to me matters of such indifference, that the bare inclinations of any one for whom I have the least value would at all times turn the balance of mine. I am sure then, after what Mr. Booth hath said--'
'My dear,' cries he, taking her up hastily, 'I sincerely ask your pardon; I spoke inadvertently, and in a passion. I never once thought of controuling you, nor ever would. Nay, I said in the same breath you would not go; and, upon my honour, I meant nothing more.'
'My dear,' said she, 'you have no need of making any apology. I am not in the least offended, and am convinced you will never deny me what I shall desire.'
'Try him, try him, madam,' cries Mrs. Ellison; 'I will be judged by all the women in town if it is possible for a wife to ask her husband anything more reasonable. You can't conceive what a sweet, charming, elegant, delicious place it is. Paradise itself can hardly be equal to it.'
'I beg you will excuse me, madam,' said Amelia; 'nay, I entreat you will ask me no more; for be assured I must and will refuse. Do let me desire you to give the ticket to poor Mrs. Bennet. I believe it would greatly oblige her.'
'Pardon me, madam,' said Mrs. Ellison; 'if you will not accept of it, I am not so distressed for want of company as to go to such a public place with all sort of people neither. I am always very glad to see Mrs. Bennet at my own house, because I look upon her as a very good sort of woman; but I don't chuse to be seen with such people in public places.'
Amelia exprest some little indignation at this last speech, which she declared to be entirely beyond her comprehension; and soon after, Mrs. Ellison, finding all her efforts to prevail on Amelia were ineffectual, took her leave, giving Mr. Booth two or three sarcastical words, and a much more sarcastical look, at her departure.
