Misalliance

Excerpt: ... are evidently not warriors and statesmen, or they wouldnt do that. TARLETON. Well, then, who the devil are they? LORD SUMMERHAYS. I think I know. The last time I saw that lady, she did something I should not have thought possible. TARLETON. What was that? LORD SUMMERHAYS. Well, she walked backwards along a taut wire without a balancing pole and turned a somersault in the middle. I remember that her name was Lina, and that the other name was foreign; though I dont recollect it. TARLETON. Szcz! You couldnt have forgotten that if youd heard it. LORD SUMMERHAYS. I didnt hear it: I only saw it on a program. But it's clear shes an acrobat. It explains how she saved Percival. And it accounts for her family pride. TARLETON. An acrobat, eh? Good, good, good! Summerhays: that brings her within reach. Thats better than a princess. I steeled this evergreen heart of mine when I thought she was a princess. Now I shall let it be touched. She is accessible. Good. LORD SUMMERHAYS. I hope you are not serious. Remember: you have a family. You have a position. You are not in your first youth. TARLETON. No matter. Theres magic in the night When the heart is young. My heart is young. Besides, I'm a married man, not a widower like you. A married man can do anything he likes if his wife dont mind. A widower cant be too careful. Not that I would have you think me an unprincipled man or a bad husband. I'm not. But Ive a superabundance of vitality. Read Pepys' Diary. LORD SUMMERHAYS. The woman is your guest, Tarleton. TARLETON. Well, is she? A woman I bring into my house is my guest. A woman you bring into my house is my guest. But a woman who drops bang down out of the sky into my greenhouse and smashes every blessed pane of glass in it must take her chance. LORD SUMMERHAYS. Still, you know that my name must not be associated with any scandal. Youll be careful, wont you? TARLETON. Oh Lord, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I was only joking, of course. Mrs Tarleton comes back...