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Книга довольно хорошо написана в виде рассказов старого человека молодому парню, основанных на событиях его реальной жизни, охватывающей период с нача...
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Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honour
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Год написания книги
2017
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I never admit even to myself that a well-dressed woman is mistaken.
Lady Frederick
So you started post-haste, bent upon protecting your nephew, and were infinitely surprised to learn that the designing female was no other than your humble servant.
Fouldes
You'd be irresistible, Lady Frederick, if you didn't know you were so clever.
Lady Frederick
And now what are you going to do?
Fouldes
My dear lady, I'm not a police officer, but a very harmless, inoffensive old bachelor.
Lady Frederick
With more wiles than the mother of many daughters and the subtlety of a company promoter.
Fouldes
Maud seems to think that as I've racketted about a little in my time, I'm just the sort of man to deal with you. Set a thief to catch a thief, don't you know? She's rather fond of proverbs.
Lady Frederick
She should have thought rather of: When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. I hear Lady Mereston has been saying the most agreeable things about me.
Fouldes
Ah, that's women's fault; they always show their hand. You're the only woman I ever knew who didn't.
Lady Frederick
[With a brogue.] You should have avoided the Blarney Stone when you went to Ireland.
Fouldes
Look here, d'you want to marry Charlie?
Lady Frederick
Why should I?
Fouldes
Because he's got fifty thousand a year, and you're head over ears in debt. You've got to raise something like four thousand pounds at once, or you go under. You've got yourself a good deal talked about during the last ten years, but people have stood you because you had plenty of money. If you go broke they'll drop you like a hot potato. And I daresay it wouldn't be inconvenient to change Lady Frederick Berolles into Lady Mereston. My sister has always led me to believe that it is rather attractive to be a Marchioness.
Lady Frederick
Unlike a duchess, its cheap without being gaudy.
Fouldes
You asked me why you might want to marry a boy from ten to fifteen years younger than yourself, and I've told you.
Lady Frederick
And now perhaps you'll tell me why you're going to interfere in my private concerns?
Fouldes
Well, you see his mother happens to be my sister, and I'm rather fond of her. It's true her husband was the most sanctimonious prig I've ever met in my life.
Lady Frederick
I remember him well. He was president of the Broad Church Union and wore side-whiskers.
Fouldes
But she stuck to me through thick and thin. I've been in some pretty tight places in my day, and she's always given me a leg up when I wanted it. I've got an idea it would just about break her heart if Charlie married you.
Lady Frederick
Thanks.
Fouldes
You know, I don't want to be offensive, but I think it would be a pity myself. And besides, unless I'm much mistaken, I've got a little score of my own that I want to pay off.
Lady Frederick
Have you?
Fouldes
You've got a good enough memory not to have forgotten that you made a blithering fool of me once. I swore I'd get even with you, and by George, I mean to do it.
Lady Frederick
[Laughing.] And how do you propose to stop me if I make up my mind that I'm going to accept Charlie?
Fouldes
Well, he's not proposed yet, has he?
Lady Frederick
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Книга довольно хорошо написана в виде рассказов старого человека молодому парню, основанных на событиях его реальной жизни, охватывающей период с нача...
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