LETITIA And will you pretend to say now, Mr. Dimple, that you propose to break with Maria? Are not the banns published? Are not the clothes purchased? Are not the friends invited? In short, is it not a done affair? DIMPLE Believe me, my dear Letitia, I would not marry her. LETITIA Why have you not broke with her before this, as you all along deluded me by saying you would? DIMPLE Because I was in hopes she would, ere this, have broke with me. LETITIA You could not expect it. DIMPLE Nay, but be calm a moment; 'twas from my regard to you that I did not discard her. LETITIA Regard to me! DIMPLE Yes; I have done everything in my power to break with her, but the foolish girl is so fond of me that nothing can accomplish it. Besides, how can I offer her my hand when my heart is indissolubly engaged to you? LETITIA There may be reason in this; but why so attentive to Miss Manly? DIMPLE Attentive to Miss Manly! For heaven's sake, if you have no better opinion of my constancy, pay not so ill a compliment to my taste. LETITIA Did I not see you whisper her to-day? DIMPLE Possibly I might--but something of so very trifling a nature that I have already forgot what it was. LETITIA I believe she has not forgot it. DIMPLE My dear creature, how can you for a moment suppose I should have any serious thoughts of that trifling, gay, flighty coquette, that disagreeable-- Enter CHARLOTTE. DIMPLE My dear Miss Manly, I rejoice to see you; there is a charm in your conversation that always marks your entrance into company as fortunate. LETITIA Where have you been, my dear? CHARLOTTE Why, I have been about to twenty shops, turning over pretty things, and so have left twenty visits unpaid. I wish you would step into the carriage and whisk round, make my apology, and leave my cards where our friends are not at home; that, you know, will serve as a visit. Come, do go. LETITIA So anxious to get me out! but I'll watch you. [Aside.] Oh! yes, I'll go; I want a little exercise. Positively [Dimple offering to accompany her], Mr. Dimple, you shall not go; why, half my visits are cake and caudle visits; it won't do, you know, for you to go. [Exit, but returns to the door in the back scene and listens.] DIMPLE This attachment of your brother to Maria is fortunate. CHARLOTTE How did you come to the knowledge of it? DIMPLE I read it in their eyes. CHARLOTTE And I had it from her mouth. It would have amused you to have seen her! She, that thought it so great an impropriety to praise a gentleman that she could not bring out one word in your favour, found a redundancy to praise him. DIMPLE I have done everything in my power to assist his passion there: your delicacy, my dearest girl, would be shocked at half the instances of neglect and misbehaviour. CHARLOTTE I don't know how I should bear neglect; but Mr. Dimple must misbehave himself indeed, to forfeit my good opinion. DIMPLE