I tell you flatly, Lavinia, if Quin plays the part of Captain Macheath he'll be laughed at and so shall we, and the piece will be damned." Lavinia thought so too.

She had, as Mrs.Squeamish in Wycherley's play, once acted with Quin on the occasion of his benefit and she well remembered his stiff, stilted style and how he domineered over everybody.

She felt rather dismayed but she could only resign herself to the situation.

There was the consolation that the opera was not likely to be staged for some time and things might alter.

In the theatre any sudden change was possible.
For weeks, indeed to Christmas, Lavinia remained one of the "lasses" in "The Rape of Proserpine," but she was quite contented, for Lancelot Vane was permanently in London in his new post and they were constantly together.