I dare say it is very pleasant; but it seems to give so much trouble
that I fear the exertion would be too much for me.
MARIONETTA
Shall I teach you a compendious method of courtship, that will give
you no trouble whatever?
THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS
You will confer on me an inexpressible obligation. I am all impatience
to learn it.
MARIONETTA
Sit with your back to the lady and read Dante; only be sure to begin
in the middle, and turn over three or four pages at once--backwards
as well as forwards, and she will immediately perceive that you are
desperately in love with her--desperately.
_(The Honourable Mr Listless sitting between Scythrop and Marionetta,
and fixing all his attention on the beautiful speaker, did not observe
Scythrop, who was doing as she described.)_
THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS
You are pleased to be facetious, Miss O'Carroll. The lady would
infallibly conclude that I was the greatest brute in town.
MARIONETTA
Far from it. She would say, perhaps, some people have odd methods of
showing their affection.
THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS
But I should think, with submission--
MR FLOSKY (_joining them from another part of the room_)
Did I not hear Mr Listless observe that Dante is becoming fashionable?
THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS
I did hazard a remark to that effect, Mr Flosky, though I speak on
such subjects with a consciousness of my own nothingness, in the
presence of so great a man as Mr Flosky.
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