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The Débutante
She’sa—she’sasortofvampire,Ithink—andshecanmakegirlsdowhatshewantsusually—onlyshehatesgirls.
ALEC:Personalityrunsinourfamily.
CECELIA:(Resignedly)Iguessitranoutbeforeitgottome.
ALEC:DoesRosalindbehaveherself?
CECELIA:Notparticularlywell.Oh,she’saverage—smokessometimes,drinkspunch,frequentlykissed—Oh,yes—commonknowledge—oneoftheeffectsofthewar,youknow.
(EmergesMRS.CONNAGE.)
MRS.CONNAGE:Rosalind’salmostfinishedsoIcangodownandmeetyourfriend.
(ALECandhismothergoout.)
ROSALIND:(Outside)Oh,mother—
CECELIA:Mother’sgonedown.
(AndnowROSALINDenters.ROSALINDis—utterlyROSALIND.Sheisoneofthosegirlswhoneednevermaketheslightestefforttohavemenfallinlovewiththem.Twotypesofmenseldomdo:dullmenareusuallyafraidofherclevernessandintellectualmenareusuallyafraidofherbeauty.Allothersarehersbynaturalprerogative.
IfROSALINDcouldbespoiledtheprocesswouldhavebeencompletebythistime,andasamatteroffact,herdispositionisnotallitshouldbe;shewantswhatshewantswhenshewantsitandsheispronetomakeeveryonearoundherprettymiserablewhenshedoesn’tgetit—butinthetruesensesheisnotspoiled.Herfreshenthusiasm,herwilltogrowandlearn,herendlessfaithintheinexhaustibilityofromance,hercourageandfundamentalhonesty—thesethingsarenotspoiled.
Therearelongperiodswhenshecordiallyloathesherwholefamily.