passion they'll fire a house, or burn themselves in it, rather then not be revenged. Enter CANTON in a night-gown and flippers. Cant. Eh, diable! vat is de raison of dis great noise, this tintamarre ? Ster. Ask those ladies, Sir; 'tis of their making. Lord OGLEBY [calls within.] Brush! Brush!-Canton! where are you? What's the matter? [rings a bell.] Where are you? Ster. 'Tis my lords call, Mr Canton. Cant. I com, my lor!—[Exit Canton.- Lord Ogleby Serjeant FLOWER [calls within.] still rings. A light! a light here!-where are the servants? Bring a light for me, and my brothers. Sier. Lights here! lights for the gentlemen! [Exit Ster. Mrs Heidel. My brother feels, I see-your sister's turn will come next. Miss Ster. Ay, ay, let it go round, Madam; it is the only comfort I have left. Re-enter STERLING with lights, before Serjeant FLOWER (with one boot and a flipper) und TRAVERSE. Sterl. This way, Sir; this way, gentlemen Serj. Flor. Well, but, Mr Sterling, nodanger I hope.--Have they made a burglarious entry ?-Are you prepared to repulse them ?—I am very much alarmed about thieves at circuit-time. They would be particularly severe with us gentlemen of the bar? Trav. No danger, Mr Sterling!-No trespass hope? I Ster. None, gentlemen, but of those ladies making. Mrs Heidel. You'll be asham'd to know, gentlemen, that all your labours and studies about this young lady are thrown away-Sir John Melvil is at this moment lock'd up with this lady's younger sister. Serj. Flow. The thing is a little extraordinary, to be sure -but why were we to be frighten'd out of out beds for this? Could not we have try'd this cause to-morrow mornIng? Miss Ster. But, Sir, by to-morrow morning, perhaps, even your assistance would not have been of any servicethe birds now in that cage would have flown away. Enter Lord OGLEBY [in his robe de chambre, nightcape, etc-leaning on CANTON. L Ogle. I had rather lose a limb than my night's restwhat's the matter with you all ? Sterl. Ay, ay, 'tis all over!-Here's my lord too. L Ogle. What's all this shrieking and screaming?— Where's my angelic Fanny? She's safe, I hope. Mrs Heidel. Your angelic Fanny, my lord, is lock'd up with your angelic nephew in that chamber. L Ogle. My nephew! then will I be excommunicated. Mrs Heidel. Your nephew, my lord, has been plotting to run away with the younger sister; and the younger sister has been plotting to run away with your nephew: and if we had not watch'd them, and call'd up the fammaly, they had been upon the scamper at Scotland by this time. L Ogle. Look'ee, ladies;-I know that Sir John has conceived a violent passion for Miss Fanny; and I know too that Miss Fanny has conceived a violent passion for another person; and I'm so well convinced of the rectitude of her affections, that I will support them with my fortune, my honour, and my life.-Eh, shan't I, Mr. Sterling? [smiling] what say you? Sterl. [sulkily.] To be sure, my lord -The bawling women have been the ruin of every thing. [Aside. L Ogle. But come, I'll end this business in a trice-if you, ladies, will compose yourselves, and Mr Sterling will ensure Miss Fanny from violence, I will engage to draw her from her pillow with a whisper through the keyhole. Mrs Heidel. The horrid creatures !-1 say, my lord, break the door open. L Ogle. Let me beg of your delicacy not to be too precipitate!-Now to our experiment! [advancing towards the door Miss Ster. Now, what will they do?-my heart will beat thro' my bosom. VOL. III Enter Enter BETTY, with the key. Bet. There's no occasion for breaking open doors, my lord; we have done nothing that we ought to be asham'd of, and my mistress shall face her enemies. [going to unlock the door. Mrs Heidel. There's impudence. L Og.e. The mystery thickens. Lady of the bed-chamber! [to Betty.] open the door, and intreat Sir John Melvil (for these ladies will have it that he is there,) to appear and answer to high crimes and misdemeanors.—Call Sir John Melvil into the court! Enter Sir JOHN MELVIL on the other hide. Sir John. I am he e, my lord, Miss Ster. Astonishment! Sir John. What is all this alarm and confusion? there is nothing but hurry in the house; what is the reason of it? L Ogle. Because you have been in that chamber; have been! nay, you are there at this moment, as these ladies have protested, so don't deny it. Trav. This is the clearest Alibi I ever knew, Mr Serjeant. Flow. Luce clarius. L Ogle. Upon my word, ladies, if you have often these frolics, it would be really entertaining to pass a whole summer with you. But come, [to Betty.] open the door, and intreat your amiable mistress to come forth, and dispel all our doubts with her smiles. Bet. [opening the door] Madam, you are wantd in this [pertly. room. Enter FANNY in great confufion. Miss Ster. You see she's ready dressed-and v hat confusion she's in. Mrs Heidel. Ready to pack off, bag and baggage !-her guilt confounds her! Flow. Silence in the court, ladies! Fan. I am confounded, indeed, Madam ! L Ogle. Don't droop my beauteous lilly; but with your own own peculiar modesty declare your state of mind.-Pour conviction into their ears, and raptures into mine, [smiling. Fan. I am at this moment the most unhappy-nost distrest-the tumult is too much for my heart-and I want the power to reveal a secret, which to conceal has been the misfortune and misery of my-my- [fuints away. L Ogle. She faints; help, help; for the fairest, and best of women! Bet. [running to ber.] O my dear mistress! help, heip, there! Sir John. Ha! let me fly to her assistance. LOVEWELL rushes out from the chamber. Speaking all at once. Love. My Fanny in danger! I can contain no longer. -Prudence were now a crine; all other cares are lost in this!-speak, speak to me, my dearest Fanny !—let me but hear thy voice, open your eyes, and bless me with the smallest sign of life! [during this speech they are all in amazement. Miss Ster. Love well;-1 an easy. Sir John. And I uudone! Fan. [recovering.] O Lovewell;-even supported by thee, I dare not look my father nor his lordship in the face. Ster. What now! did not I send you to London, Sir? L Ogle. Ah!-What!-How's this?-by what right and title have you been half the night in that lady's belchamber? Love. By that right that makes me the happiest of men ; and by a title which I would not forego for any the best af kings could give me. Bet. I could ery my eyes out to hear his mag imity. L Ogle. I am annihilated! Ster. I have been choak'd with rage and wonder; but now I can speak.-Zounds! what have you to say to me? -Lovewell, you are a villain.-You have broke your word with me. Fun. Indeed, Sir, he has not- You forbade him to thin < D 2 think of me, when it was out of his power to obey you; we have been married these four months. Ster. And he shan't stay in the house four hours. What baseness and treachery! As for you, you shall repent this step as long as you live, Madam. Fan Indeed, Sir, it is impossible to conceive the tortures I have already endured in consequence of my disobedience. -My heart has continually upbraided me for it; and tho' I was too weak to struggle with affection, I feel that I must, be miserable for ever withou! your forgiveness. Ster. Lovewell, you shall leave my house directly!and you shall follow him, Madam. [to Fanny. L Ogle. And if they do, I will receive them into mine. Look ye, Mr Sterling, there have been some mistakes which we had all better forget for our own sakes; and the best way to forget them is to forgive the cause of them ; which I do from my soul.-Poor girl! I swore to support her affection with my life and fortune ;—'tis a debt of honour, and must be paid-you swore as much too, Mr Sterling; but your laws in the city will excuse you, I suppose; for you never strike a balance without errors excepted. Ster. I am a father, my lord; but for the sake of all other fathers, I think I ought not to forgive her, for fear of encouraging other silly girls like herself to throw themselves away without the consent of their parents. Love. I hope there will be no danger of that, Sir. Young ladies, with minds like my Fanny's, would startle at the very shadow of vice; and when they know to what uneasines only anin discretion has exposed her, her example, instead of encouraging, will rather serve to deter them. Mrs Heidel. Indesietion, quoth a! a mighty pretty delicate word to express disobedience! L Ogle. For my part, I indulge my own passions too much to tyrannize over those of other people. Poor souls, I pity them. And you must forgive them too. Come, come, melt a little of your flint, Mr Sterling. Ster. Why, why-as to that, my lord-to be sure he is a relation of yours, my lord-what say you sister Heidelberg?. Mrs Heidel. The girl's ruin'd, and I forgive her. well |