The pun turned back
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— Devéras!... declaro-te desde já, que não estou disposta a ouvir tuas liberdades.
— Really!... I declare to you here and now that I am not disposed to hear your liberties.
Isaura's sharpest stroke in the exchange is a pun. André offered to talk 'em liberdade,' in freedom; she throws back 'tuas liberdades,' your liberties — the same word turned to mean impertinences, presumptuous advances. In one word she names his 'freedom' for what it is and shuts the door on it. It is wit as self-defence, the weapon of someone with no other.
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