[Enter RIMALDO.]

Rim. Beg pardon, Sir, for making you call so often, but I was trying to coax the cook out of a nice mutton chop, which she'd got on the gridiron, and was in hopes 1 had succeeded, when your honor summoned me away, and obliged me to leave the kitchen as hungry as I went into it. For three whole days has my stomach been a stranger to those excellent things called beef and porter, and I'm afraid it will soon entirely forget what they are.

Fab. Not so, my worthy son of Phoebus. You must assist our vengeance on Mr. Clermont, and your recompense will be such as to silence the complainings of your internal grumbler.

Rim. Then I can tell your honor it must not be a small

one.

Fab. Attend. In order to accomplish our purpose, you must quit for a moment the livery of Apollo, and assume that of the valet of a fair lady.

Rim. The character of a valet! Ye muses nine, and thou all resplendent Phoebus, pardon your favorite son this momentary degradation; 'tis but to procure the means of serving you in future with the more unwearied ardor.

Fab. Even so;-haste then and equip thyself in thy new garb.

Rim. That's easily said; but the garb must first be procured.

Fab. True, and you must get one at your return to

town.

Rim. I can arrange the matter with less trouble. I know an honest broker in this neighbourhood, of whom 1 can hire a handsome livery, and a horse too, if necessary: I shall not be quite so well mounted as on Pegasus; however, on any horse, and with a decent coat on my back, I shall be effectually disguised; no one, I am sure, will recognise Rimaldo.

Sir J. Certainly, if the coat you now wear be your usual one: ha! ha! ha!

Kim. But, gentlemen, you must make the necessary advances. Brokee, though a very honest and liberalminded fellow, won't let me have either the coat, or nag,

without a deposit; besides, I must dine before I mount my steed, that I may not make a meagre and shabby ap

pearance.

Fab. Very true; and as the profit will be principally to Sir James, I have no doubt that he will pay you handsomely.

Sir J. Certainly. But I must request of you, Fab., for the moment, to make the advance; it happens unluckily that I am not so well provided with money as usual: my purse, you see, is not weighty.

Fab. Oh, there's enough to answer the present purpose. Sir J. But you know I am to spend the day at Mr. Harley's, and as we shall probably play at cards in the evening, I should make a very ridiculous figure with no money to produce.

Fab. You forget your pocket book; you were looking it over as I came in, and it seemed full of notes.

Sir J. [aside.] I swear there's no getting out of his clutches. [To Fabricio.] Bless my soul, how stupid I am! I had indeed forgot my pocket-book; but that is poorly furnished; no more than two five-pound notes; 'pon honor, no more.

Fab. That will be sufficient for the present, won't it, Rimaldo?

Rim. Oh quite, I don't desire more, your honor.

Sir J. [aside.] I suppose they must be sacrificed. [He takes out his pocket-book and gives the notes to Fabricio.] Well, take them; I only hope that I may'nt want 'em myself.

Fab. [To Rimaldo.] Here, my good poet, Sir James presents you. [He gives one of the notes into his left hand, and with his right gives the other to Rimaldo.]

Rim. [Perceiving what he has done.] I am infinitely obliged to Sir James. Your hand, my dear Mr. Fabricio. [Fabricio gives him the empty hand.] The other hand, if you please; friends cannot shake hands too often.

Fab. [Shifts the note and gives the other hand.] No more trifling, my good Rimaldo. I must away to Mr. Harley's, get your dinner here, and I will contrive to remit you your instructions.

Rim. I shall certainly obey one part of the command at least with pleasure. But as we have shaken each hand NO. I. N. Br. Th.

VOL. I.

G

separately, do let us, before we part, shake both together.

Fab. With all my heart, [He slides the note up within his coat sleeve, and then gives both hands to Rimaldo. The latter endeavours to withdraw the note, but does not succeed.] And now farewell for the present. Sir James, you will accompany me, and we'll talk farther of our affairs, as we go to Mr. Harley's. Rimaldo, good morning.

Rim. Good morning, my worthy friend. Sir James, I am your most grateful humble servant. [To Fabricio, in a half whisper, as he and Sir James go out.] Mr. Jesuit, this is a most infamous plagiarism. [Exeunt Sir James and Fabricio.] And do not flatter yourself that it shall pass unpunished. [Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE I. The Saloon at MR. HARLEY'S.
Enter MR. HARLEY, with a letter in his hand.
MR. HARLEY.

So, now the case is clear. Let me read Warren's letter once more. [He reads.] "My dear Sir-A very singular concurrence of circumstances has led me to a knowledge of the purpose for which Mr. Clermont wanted his money, and I am sorry to say, that it was to purchase the favors of an indigent and beautiful young woman, innocent till she knew him, but now, alas, innocent no more. I must defer particulars till I see you.

Your most obedient humble servant

Alexander Warren." Who then is to be trusted in future? I thought this young man so steady, so discreet, never suspected him of the like propensities, never could have thought of his squandering away such a sum of money; a fifth part of his whole fortune. If I did myself now and then go astray in my youth, nobody can say that any of my indiscretions were so expensive. A hundred pounds at one time. Oh monstrous! [He raises his voice as his anger increases.

[Enter EMILY.]

Em. My dear рара, what can irritate you thus?

Mr. H. And with that cold and serious air of his, who should ever have suspected him of playing these sly tricks

in a corner.

Em. Sly tricks in a corner. What can my papa meau ? Mr. H. [Perceiving Emily.] What do you want, child ? Em. Still angry with Mr. Clermont, papa?

Mr. H. Angry, or not, Miss Emily, what's that to you? Em. Certainly, what Mr. Clermont does is no concern of mine; but I cannot help thinking, papa, that the money in question is devoted to some worthy purpose, and that you are in the wrong to be angry with him.

[Enter LUCY, she stops behind MR. HARLEY.]

Mr. H. I am in the wrong! Heyday! things are come to a fine pass indeed. I am in the wrong! a girl of eighteen tell her father that he is in the wrong! I suppose you and Mrs. Harley will put me on a backstring next. Lu. [Coming forward.] Did you call, Sir?

Mr. H. No, Madam, I did not call, at least not for you, nor do I want your company.

Lu. Certainly, Mr. Clermont is one of the most discreetest, and most best young men in all London. [Aside to Emily.] He's now at the farm. [Going on.] and if he has spent a hundred pounds, 'tis for a good purpose, and they are wrong that are angry with him.

Mr. H. Mrs. Lucy, I'd have you to know, that notwithstanding your being such a favorite with Mrs. Harley and Miss Emily, if your tongue be suffered to run at such a rate, I shall soon let you see who is master in this house, by showing you the way out of it. As to you, Miss Emily, I desire I may never again catch you telling your father that he is in the wrong.

[Enter MR. FRANCIS.]

Mr. F. Why how now, cousin, in wrath with Emily? Em. [Aside to Mr. Francis.] Say he is in the wrong. Lu. [Whispering on the other side.] Say he is in the

wrong.

Mr. F. [Aside to them.] I know nothing of the matter in debate, but I always do as the ladies bid me. [To Mr. Harley.] And after all, cousin, 'tis very likely you are in the wrong.

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Mr. H. 'Sdeath! this is too much. I tell you he has squandered away a hundred pounds at one stroke.

Em. But for some worthy purpose, I have no doubt. Mr. F. O, certainly, for some very worthy purpose. Mr. H. And pray, Sir, who told you that it was for a worthy purpose?

Mr. F. Humph-humph-Miss Emily, cousin.

Mr. H. And pray, Miss Emily, who was your informer?

Em. Humph-humph-Lucy, papa.

Mr. H. And pray, Mrs. Lucy, how came you to be so extremely well informed on this matter?

Lu. Because, as I said before, Sir, Mr. Clermont is one of the most soberest, most discreetest, most prudentest young men in all London; and never makes a bad use of

money.

Em. You see now, papa, that you are clearly in the

wrong.

Lu, Oh! for that matter, certainly in the wrong. Mr. F. 'Tis proved to a demonstration, you are undoubtedly in the wrong.

Mr. H. Sir, Miss, and you, Mrs. Abigail, I bow submissively to your superior judgment, and acknowledge myself in the wrong: and if you want another evidence on your side, here comes one who will readily swear to all that you choose to say, like you, without knowing a single circumstance of the matter. Mrs. Lucy, will you be so good as to favor us with your absence.

aw.

Lu. [Aside to Emily.] I'm going to the farm. Em. [Aside to Lucy.] I'll follow as soon as I can get [Exit Lucy.

[Enter SIR JAMES O'RYAN.] Sir J. Good morning, my dear Mr. Harley. How goes the world with you? Well and hearty, as usual? How does Mrs. Harley? A most charming woman that, I must say, though she is my relation. Mr. Francis, your most obedient. Miss Emily-Oh! shameful, that I should address myself the last to you; but though last, not least in love. I heard of you last night at the play; they say you eclipsed all the belles in the theatre. Indeed, Mr. Harley, I don't know a man so deserving of envy as you are; such a wife, such a daughter.