Lover's Vows Part 8

AMELIA. I will not marry.

ANHALT. You mean to say, you will not fall in love.

AMELIA. Oh no! [ashamed] I am in love.

ANHALT. Are in love! [starting] And with the Count?

AMELIA. I wish I was.

ANHALT. Why so?

AMELIA. Because _he_ would, perhaps, love me again.

ANHALT [warmly]. Who is there that would not?

AMELIA. Would you?

ANHALT. I--I--me--I--I am out of the question.

AMELIA. No; you are the very person to whom I have put the question.

ANHALT. What do you mean?

AMELIA. I am glad you don't understand me. I was afraid I had spoken too plain. [in confusion].

ANHALT. Understand you!--As to that--I am not dull.

AMELIA. I know you are not--And as you have for a long time instructed me, why should not I now begin to teach you?

ANHALT. Teach me what?

AMELIA. Whatever I know, and you don't.

ANHALT. There are some things I had rather never know.

AMELIA. So you may remember I said when You began to teach me mathematics. I said I had rather not know it--But now I have learnt it gives me a great deal of pleasure--and [hesitating] perhaps, who can tell, but that I might teach something as pleasant to you, as resolving a problem is to me.

ANHALT. Woman herself is a problem.

AMELIA. And I'll teach you to make her out.

ANHALT. _You_ teach?

AMELIA. Why not? none but a woman can teach the science of herself: and though I own I am very young, a young woman may be as agreeable for a tutoress as an old one.--I am sure I always learnt faster from you than from the old clergyman who taught me before you came.

ANHALT. This is nothing to the subject.

AMELIA. What is the subject?

ANHALT. ---- Love.

AMELIA [going up to him]. Come, then, teach it me--teach it me as you taught me geography, languages, and other important things

ANHALT [turning from her] Pshaw!

AMELIA. Ah! you won't--You know you have already taught me that, and you won't begin again.

ANHALT. You misconstrue--you misconceive every thing I say or do. The subject I came to you upon was marriage.

AMELIA. A very proper subject from the man who has taught me love, and I accept the proposal [curtsying].

ANHALT. Again you misconceive and confound me.

AMELIA. Ay, I see how it is--You have no inclination to experience with me "the good part of matrimony:" I am not the female with whom you would like to go "hand in hand up hills, and through labyrinths"--with whom you would like to "root up thorns; and with whom you would delight to plant lilies and roses." No, you had rather call out, "O liberty, dear liberty."

ANHALT. Why do you force from me, what it is villanous to own?--I love you more than life--Oh, Amelia! had we lived in those golden times, which the poet's picture, no one but you ---- But as the world is changed, your birth and fortune make our union impossible--To preserve the character, and more the feelings of an honest man, I would not marry you without the consent of your father--And could I, dare I propose it to him.

AMELIA. He has commanded me never to conceal or disguise the truth. I will propose it to him. The subject of the Count will force me to speak plainly, and this will be the most proper time, while he can compare the merit of you both.

ANHALT. I conjure you not to think of exposing yourself and me to his resentment.

AMELIA. It is my father's will that I should marry--It is my father's wish to see me happy--If then you love me as you say, I will marry; and will be happy--but only with you.--I will tell him this.--At first he will start; then grow angry; then be in a pa.s.sion--In his pa.s.sion he will call me "undutiful:" but he will soon recollect himself, and resume his usual smiles, saying "Well, well, if he love you, and you love him, in the name of heaven, let it be."--Then I shall hug him round the neck, kiss his hands, run away from him, and fly to you; it will soon be known that I am your bride, the whole village will come to wish me joy, and heaven's blessing will follow.

Enter Verdun, the BUTLER.

AMELIA [discontented]. Ah! is it you?

BUTLER. Without vanity, I have taken the liberty to enter this apartment the moment the good news reached my ears.

AMELIA. What news?

BUTLER. Pardon an old servant, your father's old butler, gracious lady, who has had the honour to carry the baron in his arms--and afterwards with humble submission to receive many a box o' the ear from you--if he thinks it his duty to make his congratulations with due reverence on this happy day, and to join with the muses in harmonious tunes on the lyre.

AMELIA. Oh! my good butler, I am not in a humour to listen to the muses, and your lyre.

BUTLER. There has never been a birth-day, nor wedding-day, nor christening-day, celebrated in your family, in which I have not joined with the muses in full chorus.--In forty-six years, three hundred and ninety-seven congratulations on different occasions have dropped from my pen. To-day, the three hundred and ninety-eighth is coming forth;--for heaven has protected our n.o.ble master, who has been in great danger.

AMELIA. Danger! My father in danger! What do you mean?

BUTLER. One of the gamekeepers has returned to inform the whole castle of a base and knavish trick, of which the world will talk, and my poetry hand down to posterity.

AMELIA. What, what is all this.

BUTLER. The baron, my lord and master, in company with the strange Count, had not been gone a mile beyond the lawn, when one of them ----

AMELIA. What happened? Speak for heaven's sake.

BUTLER. My verse shall tell you.