But you are not a woman.
ASC. What I said to you I said in the character of a woman, and you
ought to take it so.
VAL. Thus I ought not to imagine you like me, Ascanio, unless Heaven
works a miracle in you. Therefore, as you are not a woman, I bid
farewell to your affection; you do not care in the least for me.
ASC. My feelings are far more nice than people imagine, and the smallest
misgiving shocks me when love is in the case. But I am sincere; I will
not promise to aid you, Valere, unless you assure me that you entertain
precisely the same sentiments for me; that you feel the same warmth of
friendship for me as I feel for you; and that if I were a woman you
would love no one better than me.
VAL. I never before heard of such a jealous scruple, but though quite
unexpected, this affection obliges me to make some return for it; I here
promise you all you require of me.
ASC. But sincerely?
VAL. Yes, sincerely.
ASC. If this be true, I promise you that henceforth your interests shall
be mine.
VAL. I have a secret of the utmost consequence to reveal to you by and
by, and then I shall remind you of your words.
ASC. And I have likewise a secret to discover to you, wherein your
affection for me may show itself.
Pages:
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39