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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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38 ALG Did I give you this? It’s very pretty, isn’t it? CEC Yes, you’ve wonderfully good taste, Ernest. It’s the excuse I’ve always given for your leading such a bad life. And this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters. [Kneels at table, opens box, and produces letters tied up with blue ribbon.] ALG My letters! But my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters. CEC You need hardly remind me of that, Ernest. I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I always wrote three times a week, and sometimes oftener. ALG Oh, do let me read them, Cecily? CEC Oh, I couldn’t possibly. They would make you far too conceited. [Replaces box.] The three you wrote me after I had broken off the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little. ALG But was our engagement ever broken off? CEC Of course it was. On the 22 nd of last March. You can see the entry if you like. [Shows diary.] “To-day I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I feel it is better to do so. The weather still continues charming.” ALG But why on earth did you break it off? What had I done? I had done nothing at all. Cecily, I am very much hurt indeed to hear you broke it off. Particularly when the weather was so charming. CEC It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn’t been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out. ALG [Crossing to her, and kneeling.] What a perfect angel you are, Cecily. CEC You dear romantic boy. [He kisses her, she puts her fingers through his hair.] I hope your hair curls naturally, does it? ALG Yes, darling, with a little help from others. |
