ACRES That she has indeed--then she is so accomplished--so sweet a voice--so expert at her harpsichord--such a mistress of flat and sharp, squallante, rumblante, and quiverante!--There was this time month--odds minims and crotchets! how she did chirrup at Mrs. Piano's concert! FAULKLAND There again, what say you to this? you see she has been all mirth and song--not a thought of me! ABSOLUTE Pho! man, is not music the food of love? FAULKLAND Well, well, it may be so.--Pray, Mr.--, what's his damned name?--Do you remember what songs Miss Melville sung? ACRES Not I indeed. ABSOLUTE Stay, now, they were some pretty melancholy purling-stream airs, I warrant; perhaps you may recollect;--did she sing, _When absent from my soul's delight_? ACRES No, that wa'n't it. ABSOLUTE Or, _Go, gentle gales_! [Sings.] ACRES Oh, no! nothing like it. Odds! now I recollect one of them--_My heart's my own, my will is free_. [Sings.] FAULKLAND Fool! fool that I am! to fix all my happiness on such a trifler! 'Sdeath! to make herself the pipe and ballad-monger of a circle! to soothe her light heart with catches and glees!--What can you say to this, sir? ABSOLUTE Why, that I should be glad to hear my mistress had been so merry, sir. FAULKLAND Nay, nay, nay--I'm not sorry that she has been happy--no, no, I am glad of that--I would not have had her sad or sick--yet surely a sympathetic heart would have shown itself even in the choice of a song--she might have been temperately healthy, and somehow, plaintively gay;--but she has been dancing too, I doubt not! ACRES What does the gentleman say about dancing? ABSOLUTE He says the lady we speak of dances as well as she sings. ACRES Ay, truly, does she--there was at our last race ball---- FAULKLAND Hell and the devil! There!--there--I told you so! I told you so! Oh! she thrives in my absence!--Dancing! but her whole feelings have been in opposition with mine;--I have been anxious, silent, pensive, sedentary--my days have been hours of care, my nights of watchfulness.--She has been all health! spirit! laugh! song! dance!--Oh! damned, damned levity! ABSOLUTE For Heaven's sake, Faulkland, don't expose yourself so!--Suppose she has danced, what then?--does not the ceremony of society often oblige ---- FAULKLAND Well, well, I'll contain myself--perhaps as you say--for form sake.--What, Mr. Acres, you were praising Miss Melville's manner of dancing a minuet--hey? ACRES Oh, I dare insure her for that--but what I was going to speak of was her country-dancing. Odds swimmings! she has such an air with her!