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I have seen good actresses fail in...
Posted on 2010-Feb-10 at 11:31
I have seen good actresses fail in the
partSimplicity, indeed, is beyond the reach of almost every actress
by professionIt requires a delicacy of feeling which they have not
It requires a gentlewoman?a Julia BertramYou will undertake it,
I hope?? turning to her with a look of anxious entreaty, which softened
her a little; but while she hesitated what to say, her brother
again interposed with Miss Crawford?s better claim
?No, no, Julia must not be AmeliaIt is not at all the part for her
She would not like itShe would not do wellShe is too tall and
robustAmelia should be a small, light, girlish, skipping figureIt is
fit for Miss Crawford, and Miss Crawford onlyShe looks the part,
and I am persuaded will do it admirably
Without attending to this, Henry Crawford continued his supplication
?You must oblige us,? said he, ?indeed you mustWhen
you have studied the character, I am sure you will feel it suit you
Tragedy may be your choice, but it will certainly appear that comedy
chuses youYou will be to visit me in prison with a basket of
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provisions; you will not refuse to visit me in prison? I think I see
you coming in with your basket?
The influence of his voice was feltJulia wavered; but was he only
trying to soothe and pacify her, and make her overlook the previous
affront? She distrusted himThe slight had been most pasha cartier watches blue face determined
He was, perhaps, but at treacherous play with herShe looked suspiciously
at her sister; Maria?s countenance was to decide it: if she
were vexed and alarmed?but Maria looked all serenity and satisfaction,
and Julia well knew that on this ground Maria could not be
happy but at her expenseWith hasty indignation, therefore, and a
tremulous voice, she said to him, ?You do not seem afraid of not
keeping your countenance when I come in with a basket of provisions?
though one might have supposed?but it is only as Agatha
that I was to be so overpowering!? She stopped?Henry Crawford
looked rather foolish, and as if he did not know what to sayTom
Bertram began again?
?Miss Crawford must be AmeliaShe will be an excellent Amelia
?Do not be afraid of my wanting the character,? cried Julia, with
angry quickness: ?I am not to be Agatha, and I am sure I will do
nothing else; and as to Amelia, it is of all parts in the world the most
disgusting to meAn odious, little, pert, unnatural,
impudent girlI have always protested against comedy, and this
is comedy in its worst form And so saying, she walked hastily out
of the room, leaving awkward feelings to more than one, but exciting
small compassion in any except Fanny, who had been a quiet
auditor of the whole, and who could not think of her as under the
agitations of jealousy without great pity
A pink gucci bag short silence succeeded her leaving them; but her brother soon
returned to business and Lovers? Vows, and was eagerly looking over
the play, with MrYates?s help, to ascertain what scenery would be
necessary?while Maria and Henry Crawford conversed together
in an under-voice, and the declaration with which she began of, ?I
am sure I would give up the part to Julia most willingly, but that
though I shall probably do it very ill, I feel persuaded she would do
it worse,? was doubtless receiving all the compliments it called for
When this had lasted some time, the division of the party was
completed by Tom Bertram and MrYates walking off together to
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consult farther in the room now beginning to be called the Theatre,
and Miss Bertram?s resolving to go down to the Parsonage herself
with the offer of Amelia to Miss Crawford; and Fanny remained
alone
The first use she made of her solitude was to take up the volume
which had been left on the table, and begin to acquaint herself with
the play of which she had heard so muchHer curiosity was all
awake, and she ran through it with an eagerness which was suspended
only by intervals of astonishment, that it could be chosen in
the present instance, that it could be proposed and accepted in a
private theatre! Agatha and Amelia appeared to her in their different
ways so totally hermes replica improper for home representation?the situation
of one, and the language of the other, so unfit to be expressed
by any woman of modesty, that she could hardly suppose her cousins
could be aware of what they were engaging in; and longed to
have them roused as soon as possible by the remonstrance which
Edmund would certainly make
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CHAPTER XV
MISS CRAWFORD accepted the part very readily; and soon after Miss
Bertram?s return from the Parsonage, MrRushworth arrived, and
another character was consequently castHe had the offer of Count
Cassel and Anhalt, and at first did not know which to chuse, and
wanted Miss Bertram to direct him; but upon being made to understand
the different style of the characters, and which was which,
and recollecting that he had once seen the play in London, and had
thought Anhalt a very stupid fellow, he soon decided for the Count
Miss Bertram approved the decision, for the less he had to learn the
better; and though she could not sympathise in his wish that the
Count and Agatha might be to act together, nor wait very patiently
while he was slowly turning over the leaves with the hope of still
discovering such a scene, she very kindly took his part in hand, and
curtailed every speech that admitted being shortened; besides pointing
out the necessity of his being very much dressed, and chusing
his montre cartier extra plate coloursRushworth liked the idea of his finery very well,
though affecting to despise it; and was too much engaged with what
his own appearance would be to think of the others, or draw any of
those conclusions, or feel any of that displeasure which Maria had
been half prepared for
Thus much was settled before Edmund, who had been out all the
morning, knew anything of the matter; but when he entered the
drawing-room before dinner, the buzz of discussion was high between
Tom, Maria, and MrRushworth stepped forward
with great alacrity to tell him the agreeable news
?We have got a play,? said he?It is to be Lovers? Vows; and I am
to be Count Cassel, and am to come in first with a blue dress and a
pink satin cloak, and afterwards am to have another fine fancy suit,
by way of a shooting-dressI do not know how I shall like it
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Fanny?s eyes followed Edmund, and her heart beat for him as she
heard this speech, and saw his look, and felt what his sensations
must be
?Lovers? Vows!? in a tone of the greatest amazement, was his only
reply to MrRushworth, and he turned towards his brother and sisters
as if hardly doubting a contradiction?After all our debatings and difficulties, we
find there is nothing that will suit us altogether so well, nothing so
unexceptionable, as Lovers? VowsThe wonder is that it should not
have been thought of louis vuitton speedy bag on sale be
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