Mrs. Townly:
He's got more wealth than you deserve.
Angelica:
Hey, mother, I beg you—
Mrs. Townly: Shut up! I know all your tricks. The lawyer told me everything. You wanted to betray me. To expose me to the will of a husband! To punish you I will make you sign the contract you drew up against me. Only, I'm going to fill in the name of Richly.
(Exit Mrs. Townly)
Edward: No, Madam, I will never sign. I prefer to die rather than marry your daughter.
Angelica: (imitating him) I prefer to die rather than marry your daughter— You say it very naturally.
Edward:
As I feel it, ingrate.
Angelica: And as I wished it. For if you had done it to persuade my mother it wouldn't have worked for it wouldn't have sounded right. You could not have deceived her if you hadn't been deceived yourself.
Edward:
Explain yourself.
Angelica: To make my mother agree to what I want it was also necessary to deceive my father. He tried to trick her naturally enough, and when I saw how they were working for Mr. Nelson, by pretending the contrary, I sent her an anonymous letter explaining what they were up to. And it did the trick. Seeing all the world against you, she has taken your part—and wishes to make us marry to contradict them—and you, too.