"What can I do? I try every thing in my power to please you. Emma, give me my scissors. But since you will not hear reason—"
"Reason!" cried Edmund fiercely, seizing her arm, and then letting it go again; "If you talk of reason you will drive me distracted!"
"You quite terrify me with your violence, Edmund," said Elvira, rising, and preparing to quit the room.
"Oh stay! stay, my adored Elvira!" exclaimed Lord Edmund, throwing himself upon his knees and catching her hand; "for Heaven's sake, stay! pardon my impetuosity—frown upon me, treat me with coldness, disdain, or contempt, but do not, do not leave me."
"I do not know what you wish; I have repeatedly told you I am ready to become your wife whenever our parents think fit; and that I will do every thing in my power to make you happy. Do you call that coldness?"
"I do—I do indeed: freezing, insulting coldness. Oh, Elvira! I would rather see you spurn me—hear you declare you hated me, or know that you doomed me to destruction, than hear you speak of our marriage in that calm, unvaried tone."
"How unreasonable you are!" said Elvira, smiling. "Hear him, Emma; is he not a singular being? And if I find it so difficult to please him now, what must I expect when I become his wife?"
"Tormenting girl!" exclaimed Edmund, "you know your power but too well."
"What ridiculous creatures these lords of the creation are!" said Elvira, playfully holding out her hand to Edmund, though she still affected to address Emma; "I really don't think any of them know what they would have; and I believe the only way to manage them is to make one's-self perfectly disagreeable."
"That you can never do," cried Edmund, rapturously kissing her hand.