The Convenient Marriage PDF
Preview The Convenient Marriage
Horatia was looking at her cousin with interest. 'Why do you say "only c-conceive of Rule paying his addresses to one"? I thought he was quite old.' 'Old?' said Mrs Maulfrey. 'Rule? Nothing of the sort, my dear! Not a day above thirty-five, I'll stake my reputation. And what a leg! What an air! The most engaging smile!'
42115-Nov-12 8:51:20 PMThe Earl took her hand, as she rose, and bowed deeply over it. He said, looking down at her with a laugh in his eyes: 'Madam, may I keep this little hand?' Lady Winwood heaved a tremulous sigh, and wiped away a sympathetic tear with her handkerchief. 'P-prettyl' approved Horatia. 'Indeed you m-may, sir. It is very handsome of you to give me the p-pleasure of having you p-propose for me.'
61316-Nov-12 8:05:34 AM'But consider how uncertain is human life, Crosby! You yourself said it a moment back. I might at any moment be thrown from a curricle.' 'I am sure I did not in the least mean—' 'Or,' continued Rule pensively, 'fall a victim to one of the cut-throat thieves with which I am told the town abounds.' 'Certainly,' said Mr Drelincourt a little stiffly. 'But I don't anticipate—' 'Highwaymen too,' mused his lordship. 'Think of poor Layton with a bullet in his shoulder on Hounslow Heath not a month ago. It might have been me, Crosby. It may still be me.'
62016-Nov-12 8:06:12 AM'My dear Crosby, why not say a very young lady? I feel sure you know her age.' Mr Drelincourt sniffed. 'I scarcely credited it, cousin, I confess. A schoolroom miss, and you well above thirty! I wish you may not live to regret it.' 'Are you sure,' said his lordship, 'that you won't have some of this excellent beef?'
65716-Nov-12 8:08:25 AM'Rule, have you gone mad? You told me positively you had offered for Elizabeth!' 'My shocking memory for names!' mourned his lordship.
66416-Nov-12 8:09:31 AM'Either you are out of your senses, or I am!' declared Lady Louisa with resignation. 'I don't know what you're talking about, and how you can mean to marry Horatia, who must be still in the schoolroom, for I'm sure I have never clapped eyes on her - in place of that divinely beautiful Elizabeth—' 'Ah, but I am going to grow used to the eyebrows,' interrupted Rule. 'And she has the Nose.' 'Rule,' said her ladyship with dangerous quiet, 'do not goad me too far! Where have you seen this child?'
67116-Nov-12 8:10:07 AM'Do you tell me, Marcus, the girl asked you to marry her?' said Lady Louisa sarcastically. 'Instead of Elizabeth,' nodded his lordship. 'Elizabeth, you see, is going to marry Mr Heron.' 'Who in the world is Mr Heron?' cried Lady Louisa. 'I declare, I never heard such a farrago! Confess, you are trying to take me in.'
67916-Nov-12 8:11:02 AM'Don't she wish to marry you?' The Earl's eyes gleamed. 'Well, I am rather old, you know, though no one would think it to look at me. But she assures me she would quite like to marry me. If my memory serves me, she prophesied that we should deal famously together.'
71716-Nov-12 8:14:30 AM'You see,' she said, mock-solemn, 'I thought you loved me - only me!' 'What in the world,' inquired his lordship, 'has that to do with my marriage? I am entirely at your feet, my dear. Quite the prettiest feet I ever remember to have seen.' 'And you've seen many, I apprehend,' she said with a certain dryness. 'Dozens,' said his lordship cheerfully.
78816-Nov-12 8:19:41 AMbonhomie
131416-Nov-12 6:29:51 PMvirtuosi,
136716-Nov-12 6:35:06 PMYou may give me your arm back to my box, if it's strong enough to support me.'
138816-Nov-12 6:36:34 PM'I must confess that I can discover nothing to entertain or elevate the mind in the spectacle of noble horses performing the steps of a minuet, and I cannot conceal from you, Horatia, that I find something singularly repugnant in the notion that the Brute Creation should be obliged to imitate the actions of Humanity.'
154516-Nov-12 6:46:42 PMMr Fox whispered urgently: 'Let it alone now, Pel! You can't fight over your sister's name without starting a scandal.' 'Be damned to you, Charles!' said the Viscount. 'I'll manage it my way. I don't like the fellow's hat!' Mr Drelincourt fell back a pace; someone gave a snort of laughter, and Sir Roland said wisely: 'That's reasonable enough. You don't like his hat. That's devilish neat, 'pon my soul it is! Now you come to mention it, ecod, I don't like it either!' 'No, I don't like it!' declared the Viscount, rolling a fiery eye at the offending structure. 'Pink roses, egad, above that complexion! Damme, it offends me, so it does!'
158716-Nov-12 6:48:27 PM'I was drunk,' said the Viscount, 'and I took a dislike to Crosby's hat— Damn it, what's he want with pink roses in his hat? Answer me that!' 'Just what I said myself,' agreed Sir Roland. 'Fellow can wear a hat at Almack's if he likes. Do it myself sometimes. But pink roses - no.'
236417-Nov-12 1:38:13 AM'But when I look at you, Horry, why, I forget revenge, and desire you for yourself alone.' 'You c-can't imagine how flattered I am,' said Horatia politely.
242917-Nov-12 1:41:36 AM'She walked home,' explained Sir Roland. 'We were walking home, weren't we? Very well, then. She walked home. Passed Lethbridge's house. Went in. Hit him on the head with the poker. Came out. Met us in the street. There you are. Plain as a pikestaff.' 'Well, I don't know,' said the Viscount. 'Seems queer to me.'
243317-Nov-12 1:41:56 AMThe Viscount said abruptly: 'Did you say it was a fine night?' 'I may have,' said Sir Roland cautiously. 'Well, I think it's raining,' announced the Viscount. 'It is raining, and my f-feathers will be ruined!' said Horatia. 'Oh, now what is it, Pel?' The Viscount had stopped. 'Forgotten something,' he said. 'Meant to go and see whether that fellow Lethbridge was dead.'
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