THE DYNASTS ACT vi
that on this occasion people should sit strictly according to their rank, I wouldn't give way. Wfcy the devil did she come like this? Ton my soul, these woraen will be the death o' me!
YARMOUTH (looking cautiously up the stairs)
I can see nothing of her, sir, nor of the Princess either. There is a crowd of idlers up there leaning over the bannisters, and you may have mistaken some others for them.
PRINCE REGENT
O no. They have drawn back their heads. There have been such infernal mistakes made in sending out
the cards that the biggest w------in London might be
here. She's watching Lady Hertford, that's what she's doing. For all their indifference, both of them are as jealous as two cats over one torn.
Somebody whispers that a lady has fainted upstairs.
That's Maria, I'll swear! She's always doing it. Whenever I hear of some lady fainting about upon the furniture at my presence, and sending for a glass of water, I say to myself, There's Maria at it again, by God!
SPIRIT IRONIC Now let him hear their voices once again.
The REGENT starts as he seems to hear from the stairs the tongues of the two ladies growing louder and nearer, the PRINCESS pouring reproaches into one ear, and MRS. FITZHERBERT into the other,
PRINCE REGENT
'Od seize 'em, Yarmouth ; this will drive me mad ! If men of blood must mate with only one Of those dear damned deluders called the Sex, Why has Heaven teased us with the taste for Change ?—
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