She Stoops to Conquer

setting out, I come once more to take leave; nor did I, till this moment, know the pain I feel in the separation. Miss Hardcastle In her own natural manner. I believe sufferings cannot be very great, sir, which you can so easily remove. A day or two longer, perhaps, might lessen your uneasiness, by showing the little value of what you now think proper to regret. Marlow Aside. This girl every moment improves upon me. To her. It must not be, madam. I have already trifled too long with my heart. My very pride begins to submit to my passion. The disparity of education and fortune, the anger of a parent, and the contempt of my equals, begin to lose their weight; and nothing can restore me to myself but this painful effort of resolution. Miss Hardcastle Then go, sir; I’ll urge nothing more to detain you. Though my family be as good as hers you came down to visit, and my education, I hope, not inferior, what are these advantages without equal affluence? I must remain contented with the slight approbation of imputed merit; I must have only the mockery of your addresses, while all your serious aims are fixed on fortune. Enter Hardcastle and Sir Charles from behind. Sir Charles Here, behind this screen. Hardcastle Ay, ay; make no noise. I’ll engage my Kate covers him with confusion at last. Marlow By heavens, madam! fortune was ever my smallest consideration. Your beauty at first caught my eye; for who could see that without emotion? But every moment that I converse with you steals in some new grace, heightens the picture, and gives it stronger expression. What at first seemed rustic plainness, now appears refined simplicity. What seemed forward assurance, now strikes me as the result of courageous innocence and conscious virtue. Sir Charles What can it mean? He amazes me! Hardcastle I told you how it would be. Hush! Marlow I am now determined to stay, madam; and I have too good an opinion of my father’s discernment, when he sees you, to doubt his approbation. Miss Hardcastle No, Mr. Marlow, I will not, cannot detain you. Do you think I could suffer a connection in which there is the smallest room for repentance? Do you think I would take the mean advantage of a transient passion, to load you with confusion? Do you think I could ever relish that happiness which was acquired by lessening yours? Marlow By all that’s good, I can have no happiness but what’s in your power to grant me! Nor shall I ever feel repentance but in not having seen your merits before. I will stay even contrary to your wishes; and though you should persist to shun me, I will make my respectful assiduities atone for the levity of my past conduct. Miss Hardcastle Sir, I must entreat you’ll desist. As our acquaintance began, so let it end, in indifference. I might have given an hour or two to levity; but seriously, Mr. Marlow, do you think I could ever submit to a connection where I must appear mercenary, and you imprudent? Do you think I could ever catch at the confident addresses of a secure admirer? Marlow Kneeling. Does this look like security? Does this look like confidence? No, madam, every moment that shows me your merit, only serves to increase my diffidence and confusion. Here let me continue⁠— Sir Charles I can hold it no longer. Charles, Charles, how hast thou deceived me! Is this your indifference, your uninteresting conversation? Hardcastle Your cold contempt; your formal interview! What have you to say now? Marlow That I’m all amazement! What can it mean? Hardcastle It means that you can say and unsay things at pleasure: that you can address a lady in private, and deny it in public: that you have one story for us, and another for my daughter. Marlow Daughter!⁠—This lady your daughter? Hardcastle Yes, sir, my only daughter⁠—my Kate; whose else should she be? Marlow Oh, the devil! Miss Hardcastle Yes, sir, that very identical tall, squinting lady you were pleased to take me for; Curtsying. she that you addressed as the mild, modest, sentimental man of gravity, and the bold, forward, agreeable Rattle of the Ladies’ Club. Ha! ha! ha! Marlow Zounds! there’s no bearing this; it’s worse than death! Miss Hardcastle In which of your characters, sir, will you give us leave to address you? As the faltering gentleman, with looks on the ground, that speaks just to be heard, and hates hypocrisy; or the loud confident creature, that keeps it up with Mrs. Mantrap, and old Miss Biddy Buckskin, till three in the morning? Ha! ha! ha! Marlow O, curse on my noisy head. I never attempted to be impudent yet, that I was not taken down. I must be gone. Hardcastle By the hand of my body, but you shall not. I see it was all a mistake, and I am rejoiced to find it. You shall not, sir, I tell you. I know she’ll forgive you. Won’t you forgive him, Kate? We’ll all forgive you. Take courage, man. They retire, she tormenting him, to the back scene. Enter Mrs. Hardcastle and Tony. Mrs. Hardcastle So, so, they’re gone off. Let them go, I care not. Hardcastle Who gone? Mrs. Hardcastle My dutiful niece and her gentleman, Mr. Hastings, from town. He who came down with our modest visitor here. Sir Charles Who, my honest George Hastings? As worthy a fellow as lives, and the girl could not have made a more prudent choice. Hardcastle Then, by the hand of my body, I’m proud of the connection. Mrs. Hardcastle Well, if he has taken away the lady, he has not taken her fortune; that remains in this family to console us for her loss. Hardcastle Sure, Dorothy, you would not be so mercenary? Mrs. Hardcastle Ay, that’s my affair, not yours. Hardcastle But you know if your son, when of age, refuses to marry his cousin, her whole fortune is then at her own disposal. Mrs. Hardcastle Ay, but he’s not of age, and she has not