Cecily: You
silly boy! Why, we have been engaged for the last three months it will
be
exactly
three months on Thursday. Ever since dear Uncle Jack first
confessed
to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and
bad,
you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between
myself
and Miss Prism. And of course a man who is much talked about is
always
very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after
all.
I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest
on
the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my
existence,
I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a
long
struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here.
The
next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little
bangle
with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear. 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.]
You
need hardly remind me that you never wrote, Ernest. I remember only too
well
that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times
a
week, and sometimes oftener. I couldn't possibly let you read them .
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.
Our
engagement was broken off on the 22nd 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.' 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. I don't think I could break it off again, now that I have
actually met you.
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