The powerful should be merciful. Ah! I fear you
have no heart."
These words had no sooner burst from Mr. Vane, than he was conscious of
the strange liberty he had taken, and, indeed, the bad taste he had been
guilty of; and this feeling was not lessened when he saw Mrs. Woffington
color up to the temples. Her eyes, too, glittered like basilisks; but she
said nothing, which was remarkable in her, whose tongue was the sword of
a _maitre d'armes._
Sir Charles eyed his friend in a sly, satirical manner; he then said,
laughingly: "In two months _she married a third!_ don't waste your
sympathy," and turned the talk into another channel; and soon after, Mrs.
Woffington's maid appearing at the door, she courtesied to both gentlemen
and left the theater. Sir Charles Pomander accompanied Mr. Vane a little
way.
"What becomes of her innocence?" was his first word.
"One loses sight of it in her immense talent," said the lover.
"She certainly is clever in all that bears upon her business," was the
reply; "but I noticed you were a little shocked with her indelicacy in
telling us that story, and still more in having it to tell."
"Indelicacy? No!" said Vane; "the little brute deserved it. Good Heavens!
to think that 'a little brute' might have married that angel, and
actually broke faith to lose her; it is incredible, the crime is diluted
by the absurdity.
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