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Barbara Ridley I was； and Barbara Ridley I am； and I don't do
with fashionable ways … I can't do with them； and indeed； Miss
Evelina； I do sometimes wish we were all back again on Edenside；
and Mr。 Anthony a boy again； and dear Miss Dorothy her old self；
galloping the bay mare along the moor； and taking care of all of
us as if she was our mother； bless her heart！
MISS FOSTER。 Miss Dorothy herself； child？ Well； now you mention
it； Tunbridge of late has scarcely seemed to suit her
constitution。 She falls away； has not a word to throw at a dog；
and is ridiculously pale。 Well； now Mr。 Austin has returned；
after six months of infidelity to the dear Wells； we shall all； I
hope； be brightened up。 Has the mail come？
BARBARA。 That it has； madam； and the sight of Mr。 Menteith put
it clean out of my head。 （WITH LETTERS。） Four for you； Miss
Evelina； two for me； and only one for Miss Dorothy。 Miss Dorothy
seems quite neglected； does she not？ Six months ago； it was a
different story。
MISS FOSTER。 Well； and that's true； Barbara； and I had not
remarked it。 I must take her seriously to task。 No young lady
in her position should neglect her correspondence。 （OPENING A
LETTER。） Here's from that dear ridiculous boy； the Cornet；
announcing his arrival for to…day。
BARBARA。 O madam； will he come in his red coat？
MISS FOSTER。 I could not conceive him missing such a chance。
Youth； child； is always vain； and Mr。 Anthony is unusually young。
BARBARA。 La； madam； he can't help that。
MISS FOSTER。 My child； I am not so sure。 Mr。 Anthony is a great
concern to me。 He was orphaned； to be sure； at ten years old；
and ever since he has been only as it were his sister's son。
Dorothy did everything for him： more indeed than I thought quite
ladylike； but I suppose I begin to be old…fashioned。 See how she
worked and slaved … yes； slaved！ … for him： teaching him
herself； with what pains and patience she only could reveal； and
learning that she might be able； and see what he is now： a
gentleman； of course； but； to be frank； a very commonplace one：
not what I had hoped of Dorothy's brother； not what I had dreamed
of the heir of two families … Musgrave and Foster； child！ Well；
he may now meet Mr。Austin。 He requires a Mr。 Austin to embellish
and correct his manners。 （OPENING ANOTHER LETTER。） Why；
Barbara； Mr。 John Scrope and Miss Kate Dacre are to be married！
BARBARA。 La； madam； how nice！
MISS FOSTER。 They are： As I'm a sinful woman。 And when will
you be married； Barbara？ and when dear Dorothy？ I hate to see
old maids a…making。
BARBARA。 La； Miss Evelina； there's no harm in an old maid。
MISS FOSTER。 You speak like a fool； child： sour grapes are all
very well but it's a woman's business to be married。 As for
Dorothy； she is five…and…twenty； and she breaks my heart。 Such a
match； too！ Ten thousand to her fortune； the best blood in the
north； a most advantageous person； all the graces； the finest
sensibility； excellent judgment； the Foster walk； and all these
to go positively a…begging！ The men seem stricken with
blindness。 Why； child； when I came out （and I was the dear
girl's image！） I had more swains at my feet in a fortnight than
our Dorothy in … O； I cannot fathom it： it must be the girl's
own fault。
BARBARA。 Why； madam； I did think it was a case with Mr。 Austin。
MISS FOSTER。 With Mr。 Austin？ why； how very rustic！ The
attentions of a gentleman like Mr。 Austin； child； are not
supposed to lead to matrimony。 He is a feature of society： an
ornament： a personage： a private gentleman by birth； but a kind
of king by habit and reputation。 What woman could he marry？
Those to whom he might properly aspire are all too far below him。
I have known George Austin too long； child； and I understand that
the very greatness of his success condemns him to remain
unmarried。
BARBARA。 Sure； madam； that must be tiresome for him。
MISS FOSTER。 Some day； child； you will know better than to think
so。 George Austin； as I conceive him； and as he is regarded by
the world； is one of the triumphs of the other sex。 I walked my
first minuet with him： I wouldn't tell you the year； child； for
worlds； but it was soon after his famous rencounter with Colonel
Villiers。 He had killed his man； he wore pink and silver； was
most elegantly pale； and the most ravishing creature！
BARBARA。 Well； madam； I believe that： he is the most beautiful
gentleman still。
SCENE II
To these； DOROTHY； L。
DOROTHY （ENTERING）。 Good…morning； aunt！ Is there anything for
me？ （SHE GOES EAGERLY TO TABLE； AND LOOKS AT LETTERS。）
MISS FOSTER。 Good…morrow； niece。 Breakfast； Barbara。
DOROTHY （WITH LETTER UNOPENED）。 Nothing。
MISS FOSTER。 And what do you call that； my dear？ （SITTING。） Is
John Fenwick nobody？
DOROTHY （LOOKING AT LETTER。） From John？ O yes； so it is。 （LAYS
DOWN LETTER UNOPENED； AND SITS TO BREAKFAST； BARBARA WAITING。）
MISS FOSTER （TO BARBARA； WITH PLATE）。 Thanks； child； now you may
give me some tea。 Dolly； I must insist on your eating a good
breakfast： I cannot away with your pale cheeks and that
Patience…on…a Monument kind of look。 （Toast； Barbara。） At
Edenside you ate and drank and looked like Hebe。 What have you
done with your appetite？
DOROTHY。 I don't know； aunt； I'm sure。
MISS FOSTER。 Then consider； please； and recover it as soon as
you can： to a young lady in your position a good appetite is an
attraction … almost a virtue。 Do you know that your brother
arrives this morning？
DOROTHY。 Dear Anthony！ Where is his letter； Aunt Evelina？ I am
pleased that he should leave London and its perils； if only for a
day。
MISS FOSTER。 My dear； there are moments when you positively
amaze。 （Barbara； some PATE； if you please！） I beg you not to be
a prude。 All women； of course； are virtuous； but a prude is
something I regard with abhorrence。 The Cornet is seeing life；
which is exactly what he wanted。 You brought him up surprisingly
well； I have always admired you for it； but let us admit … as
women of the world； my dear … it was no upbringing for a man。
You and that fine solemn fellow； John Fenwick； led a life that
was positively no better than the Middle Ages； and between the
two of you； poor Anthony （who； I am sure； was a most passive
creature！） was so packed with principle and admonition that I vow
and declare he reminded me of Issachar stooping between his two
burdens。 It washigh time for him to be done with your
apron…string； my dear： he has all his wild oats to sow； and that
is an occupation which it is unwise to defer too long。 By the
bye； have you heard the news？ The Duke of York has done us a
service for which I was unprepared。 （More tea； Barbara！） George
Austin； bringing the prince in his train； is with us once more。
DOROTHY。 I knew he was coming。
MISS FOSTER。 You knew； child？ and did not tell？ You are a
public criminal。
DOROTHY。 I did not think it mattered； Aunt Evelina。
MISS FOSTER。 O do not make…believe。 I am in love with him
myself； and have been any time since Nelson and the Nile。 As for
you； Dolly； since he went away six months ago； you have been
positively in the megrims。 I shall date your loss of appetite
from George Austin's vanishing。 No； my dear； our family require
entertainment： we must have wit about us； and beauty； and the
BEL AIR。
BARBARA。 Well； Miss Dorothy； perhaps it's out of my place： but
I do hope Mr。 Austin will come： I should love to have him see my
necklace on。
DOROTHY。 Necklace？ what necklace？ Did he give you a necklace？
BARBARA。 Yes； indeed； Miss； that he did： the very same day he
drove you in his curricle to Penshurst。 You remember； Miss； I
couldn't go。
DOROTHY。 I remember。
MISS FOSTER。 And so do I。 I had a touch of 。 。 。 Foster in the
blood： the family gout； dears！ 。 。 。 And you； you ungrateful
nymph； had him a whole day to yourself； and not a word to tell me
when you returned。
DOROTHY。 I remember。 （RISING。） Is that the necklace； Barbara？
It does not suit you。 Give it me。
BARBARA。 La； Miss Dorothy； I wouldn't for the world。
DOROTHY。 Come； give it me。 I want it。 Thank you： you shall
have my birthday pearls instead。
MISS FOSTER。 Why； Dolly； I believe you're jealous of the maid。
Foster； Foster： always a Foster trick to wear the willow in
anger。
DOROTHY。 I do not think； madam； that I am of a jealous habit。
MISS FOSTER。 O； the personage is your excuse！ And I can tell
you； child； that when George Austin was playing Florizel to the
Duchess's Perdita； all the maids in England fell a prey to green…
eyed melancholy。 It was the TON； you see： not to pine for that
Sylvander was to resign from good society。
DOROTHY。 Aunt Evelina； stop； I cannot endure to hear you。 What
is he after all but just Beau Austin？ What has he done … with
half a century of good health； what has he done that is either
memorable or worthy？ Diced and danced and set fashions；
vanquished in a drawing…room； fought for a word； what else？ As
if these were the meaning of life！ Do not make me think so
poorly of all of us women。 Sure； we can rise to admire a