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Racine: Phaedra

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446<br />

GOLDSMITH<br />

Hardcastf^e. Who gone?<br />

Mrs. Hardcastle. My dutiful niece and her gentleman, Mr.<br />

Hastings, from town—he who came down with our modest<br />

visitor, here.<br />

Sir Charles. Who, my honest George Hastings? As worthy<br />

a fellow as lives, and the girl could not have made a more<br />

prudent choice.<br />

Hardcastle. Then, by the hand of my body, I'm proud of the<br />

connection.<br />

Mrs. Hardcastle. Well, if he has taken away the lady, he has<br />

not taken her fortune ; that remains in this family to con-<br />

sole us for her loss.<br />

Hardcastle. Sure, Dorothy, you would not be so mercenary ?<br />

Mrs. Hardcastle. Ay, that's my affair, not yours. But you<br />

know, if your son, when of age, refuses to marry his cousin,<br />

her whole fortune is then at her own disposal.<br />

Hardcastle. Ay, but he's not of age, and she has not thought<br />

proper to wait for his refusal.<br />

Enter Hastings and Miss Neville.<br />

Mrs. Hardcastle [aside] . What ! returned so soon ? I begin<br />

not to like it.<br />

Hastings [to Hardcastle]. For my late attempt to fly off with<br />

your niece, let my present confusion be my punishment.<br />

We are now come back, to appeal from your justice to your<br />

humanity. By her father's consent, I first paid her my ad-<br />

dresses, and our passions were first founded in duty.<br />

Miss Neville. Since his death, I have been obliged to stoop<br />

to dissimulation to avoid oppression. In an hour of levity,<br />

I was ready even to give up my fortune to secure my choice.<br />

But I'm now recovered from the delusion, and hope from<br />

your tenderness what is denied me from a nearer connec-<br />

tion.<br />

Mrs. Hardcastle. Pshaw, pshaw! this is all but the whining<br />

end of a modern novel.<br />

Hardcastle. Be it what it will, I'm glad they're come back to<br />

reclaim their due. Come hither, Tony, boy. Do you refuse<br />

this lady's hand whom I now offer you?<br />

Tony. What signifies my refusing? You know I can't refuse<br />

her till I'm of age, father.

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