
Sweethearts
'Sweethearts' Summary
Act I – 1844
A stiff Victorian youth, "Harry" Spreadbrow, has been suddenly called away to India and must leave immediately. He visits his childhood friend, a delicate if spirited young woman, "Jenny" Northcott, who is busy in her garden. He has long loved her. Harry summons the courage to declare his love propose marriage to her, but Jenny is flirtatious and capricious, and frustrates his every overture, letting him believe that she does not care for him. He asks her to plant a sapling near the window that would remind her of him, and they plant it together, despite her protest that it would eventually block the view. He also asks her to give him a flower to remember her by, and he gives her a flower in return, which she puts to one side without seeming to care about it. At last, dejected, he leaves, but then she bursts into tears.
Act II – 1874
30 years later, Jane, still single, lives in the same house with her nephew, though the garden has grown much in thirty years. Harry, now Sir Henry Spreadbrow, also single, returns; he has just retired from his career and returned from India. When they meet again, the full nature of the irony reveals itself: Jane has remained faithful to him all those years and remembers their last meeting in every detail. But Henry had recovered from his passion for her within the month and has forgotten most of the details of their meeting. The sapling that they had planted together has grown into a large tree, and Henry is astonished that Jane would have such a big tree blocking the view. Jane has kept the flower he gave her, while Henry had long ago lost the flower she gave him. "How like a woman!" says Sir Henry, to throw aside the flower and then keep it for thirty years; "How like a man!" Jane retorts, to swear undying love and then forget almost immediately. Henry makes it clear, however, that their romance is only just beginning.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1874Authors

W. S. Gilbert
England
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most f...
Books by W. S. GilbertDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

Parlor Matches by Walter Ben Hare
Parlor Matches revolves around Mrs. Seltoon, a matchmaking matriarch determined to find suitable partners for her daughters and ward, Gail. When she s...

Dozen Ways of Love by Lily Dougall
This collection of short stories explores a variety of romantic experiences. Through engaging narratives, readers journey through different types of l...

Miss Mink's Soldier and Other Stories by Alice Hegan Rice
This collection of short stories by Alice Hegan Rice explores themes of love, loneliness, and human connection set against the backdrop of the America...

Belfry Pigeon by Nathaniel Parker Willis
The story follows the unfolding romance of the protagonist, a young man named Harry, and his beloved, Isabel. Set in a quaint New England town, the na...

Crimson Patch by Augusta Huiell Seaman
Crimson Patch tells the story of a young girl who finds herself befriending another girl during a stay at a hotel. The new friend, while initially war...

Mrs. Armytage, or Female Domination by Catherine Grace Frances Gore
In the heart of Victorian society, where social class and appearances reign supreme, Mrs. Armytage stands as a formidable matriarch, wielding her infl...

Chrissy's Endeavor by Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden)
Embark on a journey of heart and determination with "Chrissy's Endeavor" by Pansy. In a world where challenges abound, a single soul can ignite a chai...

The Guest of Quesnay by Booth Tarkington
A mysterious stranger arrives at a French chateau, and soon the lives of the people there are turned upside down. The Guest of Quesnay is a novel by...

Aunt Hannah and Martha and John by Pansy (Isabella Macdonald Alden)
This novel, set in a rural community, revolves around John, a young man who defies his Aunt Hannah's wishes to marry a local girl and take over the fa...

Lucky Piece: A Story of the North Woods by Albert Bigelow Paine
In the enchanting Adirondack Mountains, a simple act of kindness sets in motion a web of interwoven destinies. A young man, devoid of funds, offers hi...
Reviews for Sweethearts
No reviews posted or approved, yet...