she stoops to conquer-第8章
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be delighted with your agreeable wild notes； unfeeling monster！
TONY。 Ecod！ mamma； your own notes are the wildest of the two。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Was ever the like？ But I see he wants to break my heart； I see he does。
HASTINGS。 Dear madam； permit me to lecture the young gentleman a little。 I'm certain I can persuade him to his duty。
MRS。 HARDCASTLE。 Well； I must retire。 Come； Constance； my love。 You see； Mr。 Hastings； the wretchedness of my situation： was ever poor woman so plagued with a dear sweet； pretty； provoking； undutiful boy？ ＇Exeunt MRS。 HARDCASTLE and MISS NEVILLE。＇
TONY。 （Singing。） 〃There was a young man riding by； and fain would have his will。 Rang do didlo dee。〃Don't mind her。 Let her cry。 It's the comfort of her heart。 I have seen her and sister cry over a book for an hour together； and they said they liked the book the better the more it made them cry。
HASTINGS。 Then you're no friend to the ladies； I find； my pretty young gentleman？
TONY。 That's as I find 'um。
HASTINGS。 Not to her of your mother's choosing； I dare answer？ And yet she appears to me a pretty well…tempered girl。
TONY。 That's because you don't know her as well as I。 Ecod！ I know every inch about her； and there's not a more bitter cantankerous toad in all Christendom。
HASTINGS。 （Aside。） Pretty encouragement this for a lover！
TONY。 I have seen her since the height of that。 She has as many tricks as a hare in a thicket； or a colt the first day's breaking。
HASTINGS。 To me she appears sensible and silent。
TONY。 Ay； before company。 But when she's with her playmate； she's as loud as a hog in a gate。
HASTINGS。 But there is a meek modesty about her that charms me。
TONY。 Yes； but curb her never so little； she kicks up； and you're flung in a ditch。
HASTINGS。 Well； but you must allow her a little beauty。Yes； you must allow her some beauty。
TONY。 Bandbox！ She's all a made…up thing； mun。 Ah！ could you but see Bet Bouncer of these parts； you might then talk of beauty。 Ecod； she has two eyes as black as sloes； and cheeks as broad and red as a pulpit cushion。 She'd make two of she。
HASTINGS。 Well； what say you to a friend that would take this bitter bargain off your hands？
TONY。 Anon。
HASTINGS。 Would you thank him that would take Miss Neville； and leave you to happiness and your dear Betsy？
TONY。 Ay； but where is there such a friend； for who would take her？
HASTINGS。 I am he。 If you but assist me； I'll engage to whip her off to France； and you shall never hear more of her。
TONY。 Assist you！ Ecod I will； to the last drop of my blood。 I'll clap a pair of horses to your chaise that shall trundle you off in a twinkling； and may be get you a part of her fortin beside； in jewels； that you little dream of。
HASTINGS。 My dear 'squire； this looks like a lad of spirit。
TONY。 Come along； then； and you shall see more of my spirit before you have done with me。
（Singing。） 〃We are the boys That fears no noise Where the thundering cannons roar。〃 ＇Exeunt。＇
ACT THE THIRD。
Enter HARDCASTLE； alone。
HARDCASTLE。 What could my old friend Sir Charles mean by recommending his son as the modestest young man in town？ To me he appears the most impudent piece of brass that ever spoke with a tongue。 He has taken possession of the easy chair by the fire…side already。 He took off his boots in the parlour； and desired me to see them taken care of。 I'm desirous to know how his impudence affects my daughter。 She will certainly be shocked at it。
Enter MISS HARDCASTLE； plainly dressed。
HARDCASTLE。 Well； my Kate； I see you have changed your dress； as I bade you； and yet； I believe； there was no great occasion。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 I find such a pleasure； sir； in obeying your commands； that I take care to observe them without ever debating their propriety。
HARDCASTLE。 And yet； Kate； I sometimes give you some cause； particularly when I recommended my modest gentleman to you as a lover to…day。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 You taught me to expect something extraordinary； and I find the original exceeds the description。
HARDCASTLE。 I was never so surprised in my life！ He has quite confounded all my faculties！
MISS HARDCASTLE。 I never saw anything like it： and a man of the world too！
HARDCASTLE。 Ay； he learned it all abroadwhat a fool was I； to think a young man could learn modesty by travelling。 He might as soon learn wit at a masquerade。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 It seems all natural to him。
HARDCASTLE。 A good deal assisted by bad company and a French dancing…master。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Sure you mistake； papa！ A French dancing…master could never have taught him that timid lookthat awkward addressthat bashful manner
HARDCASTLE。 Whose look？ whose manner； child？
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Mr。 Marlow's： his mauvaise honte； his timidity； struck me at the first sight。
HARDCASTLE。 Then your first sight deceived you； for I think him one of the most brazen first sights that ever astonished my senses。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Sure； sir； you rally！ I never saw any one so modest。
HARDCASTLE。 And can you be serious？ I never saw such a bouncing； swaggering puppy since I was born。 Bully Dawson was but a fool to him。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Surprising！ He met me with a respectful bow； a stammering voice； and a look fixed on the ground。
HARDCASTLE。 He met me with a loud voice； a lordly air； and a familiarity that made my blood freeze again。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 He treated me with diffidence and respect； censured the manners of the age； admired the prudence of girls that never laughed； tired me with apologies for being tiresome； then left the room with a bow； and 〃Madam； I would not for the world detain you。〃
HARDCASTLE。 He spoke to me as if he knew me all his life before； asked twenty questions； and never waited for an answer； interrupted my best remarks with some silly pun； and when I was in my best story of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene； he asked if I had not a good hand at making punch。 Yes； Kate； he asked your father if he was a maker of punch！
MISS HARDCASTLE。 One of us must certainly be mistaken。
HARDCASTLE。 If he be what he has shown himself； I'm determined he shall never have my consent。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 And if he be the sullen thing I take him； he shall never have mine。
HARDCASTLE。 In one thing then we are agreedto reject him。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 Yes： but upon conditions。 For if you should find him less impudent； and I more presumingif you find him more respectful； and I more importunateI don't knowthe fellow is well enough for a manCertainly； we don't meet many such at a horse…race in the country。
HARDCASTLE。 If we should find him soBut that's impossible。 The first appearance has done my business。 I'm seldom deceived in that。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 And yet there may be many good qualities under that first appearance。
HARDCASTLE。 Ay； when a girl finds a fellow's outside to her taste； she then sets about guessing the rest of his furniture。 With her； a smooth face stands for good sense； and a genteel figure for every virtue。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 I hope； sir； a conversation begun with a compliment to my good sense； won't end with a sneer at my understanding？
HARDCASTLE。 Pardon me； Kate。 But if young Mr。 Brazen can find the art of reconciling contradictions； he may please us both； perhaps。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 And as one of us must be mistaken； what if we go to make further discoveries？
HARDCASTLE。 Agreed。 But depend on't I'm in the right。
MISS HARDCASTLE。 And depend on't I'm not much in the wrong。 ＇Exeunt。＇
Enter Tony； running in with a casket。
TONY。 Ecod！ I have got them。 Here they are。 My cousin Con's necklaces； bobs and all。 My mother shan't cheat the poor souls out of their fortin neither。 O！ my genus； is that you？
Enter HASTINGS。
HASTINGS。 My dear friend； how have you managed with your mother？ I hope you have amused her with pretending love for your cousin； and that you are willing to be reconciled at last？ Our horses will be refreshed in a short time； and we shall soon be ready to set off。
TONY。 And here's something to bear your charges by the way （giving th
