Voice and Dialect Scene Lines

First line

Ah! Julia, I have a thousand things to tell you! — But first inform me what has conjur'd you to Bath? — Is Sir Anthony here?

Line 2

Then, before we are interrupted, let me impart to you some of my distress! — I know your gentle nature will sympathize with me, tho' your prudence may condemn me!— My letters have inform'd you of my whole connexion with Beverley; but I have lost him, Julia!— my aunt has discover'd our intercourse by a note she intercepted, and has confin'd me ever since! — Yet, would you believe it? she has fallen absolutely in love with a tall Irish baronet she met one night since we have been here, at Lady Macshuffle's rout.

Line 3

No, upon my word. — She absolutely carries on a kind of correspondence with him, under a feigned name though, till she chuses to be known to him; — but it is a Delia or a Celia, I assure you.

Line 4

Quite the contrary. Since she has discov-red her own frailty she is become more suspicious of mine. Then I must inform you of another plague! That odious Acres is to be in Bath to-day; so that I protest I shall be teased out of all spirits!

Line 5

But you have not heard the worst. Unfor-unately I had quarrell'd with my poor Beverley just before my aunt made the discovery, and I have not seen him since to make it up.

Line 6

Nothing at all! —But, I don't know how it was, as often as we had been together we had never had a quarrel! — And somehow I was afraid he would never give me an opportunity.—So last Thursday I wrote a letter to myself to inform myself that Bev-rly was at that time paying his addresses to another woman. — I sign'd it your Friend unknown, shew'd it to Beverley, charg'd him with his falsehood, put myself in a violent passion, and vow'd I'd never see him more.

Line 7

Twas the next day my aunt found the matter out. I intended only to have teased him three days and a half, and now I've lost him for ever!

Line 8

But you know I lose most of my fortune if I marry without my aunt's consent, till of age; and that is what I have determin'd to do ever since I knew the penalty. — Nor could I love the man who would wish to wait a day for the alternative.

Line 9

What, does Julia tax me with caprice? I thought her lover Faulkland had enured her to it.

Line 10

But a-propos — you have sent to him, I sup-

pose?

Line 11

Well, Julia, you are your own mistress yet have you for this long year been the slave to the ca-price, the whim, the jealousy of this ungrateful Faulkland, who will ever delay assuming the right of a hus-band, while you suffer him to be equally imperious at a lover.

Line 12

Well, I cannot blame you for defending him.bBut tell me candidly, Julia, had he never sav'd your life, do you think you should have been attach'd to him as you are? — Believe me, the rude blast that overset your boat was a prosperous gale of love to him!

Line 13

Obligation! — Why a water-spaniel would have done as much.—Well, I should never think of giving my heart to a man because he could swim!