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Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

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BECOMING AMERICA<br />

REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE<br />

against Mr. Dimple, <strong>to</strong> justify myself <strong>to</strong> the world? He carries himself so smoothly,<br />

that every one would impute the blame <strong>to</strong> me, and call me capricious.<br />

CHARLOTTE<br />

<strong>An</strong>d call her capricious! Did ever such an objection start in<strong>to</strong> the heart <strong>of</strong> woman?<br />

For my part, I wish I had fty lovers <strong>to</strong> discard, for no other reason than because I<br />

did not fancy them. My dear Maria, you will forgive me; I know your candour and<br />

condence in me; but I have at times, I confess, been led <strong>to</strong> suppose that some<br />

other gentleman was the cause <strong>of</strong> your aversion <strong>to</strong> Mr. Dimple.<br />

MARIA<br />

No, my sweet friend, you may be assured, that though I have seen many gentlemen<br />

I could prefer <strong>to</strong> Mr. Dimple, yet I never saw one that I thought I could give my<br />

hand <strong>to</strong>, until this morning.<br />

This morning!<br />

CHARLOTTE<br />

MARIA<br />

Yes; one <strong>of</strong> the strangest accidents in the world. The odious Dimple, after disgusting<br />

me with his conversation, had just left me, when a gentleman, who, it seems, boards<br />

in the same house with him, saw him coming out <strong>of</strong> our door, and, the houses<br />

looking very much alike, he came in<strong>to</strong> our house instead <strong>of</strong> his lodgings; nor did he<br />

discover his mistake until he got in<strong>to</strong> the parlour, where I was; he then bowed so<br />

gracefully, made such a genteel apology, and looked so manly and noble!—<br />

CHARLOTTE<br />

I see some folks, though it is so great an impropriety, can praise a gentleman, when<br />

he happens <strong>to</strong> be the man <strong>of</strong> their fancy. [Aside.]<br />

MARIA<br />

I don’t know how it was,—I hope he did not think me indelicate,—but I asked him,<br />

I believe, <strong>to</strong> sit down, or pointed <strong>to</strong> a chair. He sat down, and, instead <strong>of</strong> having<br />

recourse <strong>to</strong> observations upon the weather, or hackneyed criticisms upon the<br />

theatre, he entered readily in<strong>to</strong> a conversation worthy a man <strong>of</strong> sense <strong>to</strong> speak,<br />

and a lady <strong>of</strong> delicacy and sentiment <strong>to</strong> hear. He was not strictly handsome, but he<br />

spoke the language <strong>of</strong> sentiment, and his eyes looked tenderness and honour.<br />

CHARLOTTE<br />

Oh! [eagerly] you sentimental, grave girls, when your hearts are once <strong>to</strong>uched, beat<br />

us rattles a bar’s length. <strong>An</strong>d so you are quite in love with this he-angel?<br />

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