Monologue

Percival Monologue from Misalliance

From Misalliance by Bernard Shaw

male · defiant · 1:17 min

As a gentleman, I do not kiss and tell. As a mere man: a mere cad, if you like, I say that I did so at Miss Tarleton's own suggestion. (HYPATIA: Beast!) I dont deny that I enjoyed it. But I did not initiate it. And I began by running away. (TARLETON: So Patsy can run faster than you, can she?) Yes, when she is in pursuit of me. She runs faster and faster. I run slower and slower. And these woods of yours are full of magic. There was a confounded fern owl. Did you ever hear the churr of a fern owl? Did you ever hear it create a sudden silence by ceasing? Did you ever hear it call its mate by striking its wings together twice and whistling that single note that no nightingale can imitate? That is what happened in the woods when I was running away. So I turned; and the pursuer became the pursued.

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