Part 11 (1/2)

PHOEBE. Aunt Susan, do not be angry with your Livvy--your Livvy, Aunt Susan. This gentleman says he is the das.h.i.+ng Mr. Brown, he has cards for us for the ball, Auntie. Of course we cannot go--we dare not go.

Oh, Auntie, hasten into your bombazine.

MISS SUSAN (_staggered_). Phoebe----

PHOEBE. Aunt Phoebe wants me to go. If I say she does you know she does!

MISS SUSAN. But my dear, my dear.

PHOEBE. Oh, Auntie, why do you talk so much. Come, come.

VALENTINE. I shall see to it, Miss Susan, that your niece has a charming ball.

PHOEBE. He means he will find me sweet partners.

VALENTINE. Nay, ma'am, I mean _I_ shall be your partner.

PHOEBE (_who is not an angel_). Aunt Susan, he still dances!

VALENTINE. _Still_, ma'am?

PHOEBE. Oh, sir, you are indeed das.h.i.+ng. Nay, sir, please not to scowl, I could not avoid noticing them.

VALENTINE. Noticing what, Miss Livvy?

PHOEBE. The grey hairs, sir.

VALENTINE. I vow, ma'am, there is not one in my head.

PHOEBE. He is such a quiz. I so love a quiz.

VALENTINE. Then, ma'am, I shall do nothing but quiz you at the ball.

Miss Susan, I beg you--

MISS SUSAN. Oh, sir, dissuade her.

VALENTINE. Nay, I entreat.

PHOEBE. Auntie!

MISS SUSAN. Think, my dear, think, we dare not.

PHOEBE (_shuddering_). No, we dare not, I cannot go.

VALENTINE. Indeed, ma'am.

PHOEBE. 'Tis impossible.

(_She really means it, and had not the music here taken an unfair advantage of her it is certain that_ MISS PHOEBE _would never have gone to the ball. In after years she and_ MISS SUSAN _would have talked together of the monstrous evening when she nearly lost her head, but regained it before it could fall off. But suddenly the music swells so alluringly that it is a thousand fingers beckoning her to all the b.a.l.l.s she has missed, and in a transport she whirls_ MISS SUSAN _from the blue and white room to the bed-chamber where is the bombazine_.

VALENTINE _awaits their return like a conqueror, until_ MISS LIVVY'S _words about his hair return to trouble him. He is stooping, gazing intently into a small mirror, extracting the grey hairs one by one, when_ PATTY _ushers in the sisters_ WILLOUGHBY _and_ MISS HENRIETTA.