SCENE.—AGarden.

scene.—agarden.

mr.selby.mrs.frampton.

selby

iamnotsoillaguesser,mrs.frampton,

nottoconjecture,thatsomepassages

inyourunfinishedstory,rightlyinterpreted,

glancedatmybosom'speace;

youknewmywife?

mrs.frampton

evenfromherearliestschool-days.—whatofthat?

orhowissheconcernedinmyfineriddles,

framedforthehour'samusement?

selby

bymyhopes

ofmynewinterestconceivedinyou,

andbythehonestpassionofmyheart,

whichnotobliquelyitoyoudidhint;

comefromthecloudsofmistyallegory,

andinplainlanguageletmeheartheworst.

standidisgracedorno?

mrs.frampton

then,bymyhopes

ofmynewinterestconceiv'dinyou,

andbythekindlingpassioninmybreast,

whichthroughmyriddlesyouhadalmostread,

adjuredsostrongly,iwilltellyouall.

inherschoolyears,thenborderingonfifteen,

orhaplynotmuchpast,shelovedayouth—

selby

mymostingenuouswidow—

mrs.frampton

methimoft

bystealth,whereistillofthepartywas—

selby

primeconfidanttoalltheschool,iwarrant,

andgeneralgo-between—

[aside.]

mrs.frampton

onemornhecame

inbreathlesshaste."theshipwasundersail,

orinfewhourswouldbe,thatmustconvey

himandhisdestiniestobarbarousshores,

where,shouldheperishbyinglorioushands,

itwouldbeconsolationinhisdeath

tohavecall'dhiskatherinehis."

selby

thusfarthestory

tallieswithwhatihoped.

[aside.]

mrs.frampton