I have given him the
slip in sheer desperation; but the man is at his shrewdest when he is
left to guess at my heels. Tell him I am anywhere but here. Tell him I
ran away to get a sense of freshness in seeing him again. Let me have one
day of liberty, or, upon my word, I shall do deeds; I shall console young
Arden: I shall fly to Paris and set my cap at presidents and foreign
princes. Anything rather than be eaten up every minute, as I am. May no
woman of my acquaintance marry a man of twenty years her senior! She
marries a gigantic limpet. At that period of his life a man becomes too
voraciously constant.
HOMEWARE: Cupid clipped of wing is a destructive parasite.
LYRA: I am in dead earnest, uncle, and I will have a respite, or else let
decorum beware!
(Arden returns.)
ARDEN: The ladies are on their way.
LYRA: I must get Astraea to myself.
HOMEWARE: My library is a virgin fortress, Mr. Arden. Its gates are open
to you on other topics than the coupling of inebriates.
(He enters the house--LYRA disappears in the garden--Spiral's
audience reappear without him.
Pages:
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648