ACT THE FOURTH,

SCENE I.

ALSCRIP'S Room.

CHIGNON alone.

Chignon. Que diable veut dire tout ça- -vat devil, all dis mean?-Monsieur Alscrip enragé— Mademoiselle Alscrip fly about like de dancing fury at de Opera My littel musicienne, shut up, and in de absence of madame, I keep de key of de littel bastille By gad, I vou'd rader have de custody of my pretty prisoniere than the whole college of cardinals- -but vat have we here?

Enter SIR CLEMENT and CLIFFORD.

Sir C. [Speaking to a SERVANT.] Mr. Alscrip not at home, no matter we'll wait his return— -The French valet de chambre [To CLIFFORD.]-It may be of use to make acquaintance with him-Monsieur, how do you like this country?

Chignon. Ver good contrée, sire, by and byewhen you grow a little more poor.

Sir C. Is that a Parisian rule for improvement? Chignon. Yes, sir, and we help you to follow our example-In good times you hang, and you drownIn bad time you will be like us.-Alway poor-alway gay-forget your politics-laugh at your griev

ances-take your snuff, vive la dissipation,-ver good country.

Sir C. Thanks for your kind advice, monsieur, you Frenchmen are so obliging, and so communicative to strangers I hear there is a young lady come into this family--we don't exactly know in what capacity -could not you contrive that she should pass through this room-or-

Chignon. [Aside.] By gar here be one more old rake after de littel musicienne.

Sir C. Only for curiosity, we never saw her, and have particular reasons[Gives Money. Chignon. Ma foi, your reasons be ver expressive— [Aside.]-but vat devil shall I do-open the cage of my little Rosignol-my pretty nightingale-no. Chignon-no-[Looking out.] ah, hah; La TiffanyNow for de politique-be-gar I undertake your business-and make you de dupe of de performance.

[Exit with a sign to SIR CLEMENT.

Sir C. So-Clifford-There goes as disinterested a fellow now as any in Europe. But hark you-Can you yet guess the purpose for which I brought you

here?

Cliff. I profess, sir, I am in the dark. If it concerns Lord Gayville's secret.

Sir C. Namely, that this dulcinea has started up in the shape of Miss Alscrip's musical companion-Her name is Alton. [Leering.] I tell it you, because I am sure you are not acquainted with it.

Cliff. Sir, you will not know me.-

Sir C. Tut, tut, don't do me such injusticeCome, all delicacy being over, by my having made the discovery, will you talk to this girl?

Cliff. For what end, sir?

Sir C. If you state yourself as Lord Gayville's friend, she will converse with you more readily, than she would with me-Try her-find out what she is

really at. If she has

son, I shall be easy.

no hold upon

him but her per

Cliff. Sir, let my compliance convince you how much I wish to oblige you. If I can get a sight of this wonder, I promise to give you my faithful opinion of my friend's danger.

Enter CHIGNON, and makes a sign to SIR CLEMENT, that the Person he inquired after is coming.

Sir C. Leave her with this gentleman-Come, monsieur, you shall show me the new room. [Exit. Chignon. [Aside.] Vid dis gentleman-Vid all my heart-La Tiffany vill answer his purpose, and mine

too.

[Exit [CLIFFORD is looking at the Furniture of the Room*

Enter TIFFANY.

Tiff. What does the Frenchman mean by gentlemen wanting me, and his gibberish of making soft eyes-I hope I know the exercise of my eyes without his instruction-hah! I vow, a clever looking

man.

Cliff. 'Faith, a pretty attracting countenance-but for that apprehensive and timid look-that awe impressing modesty, my friend so forcibly described. [TIFFANY adjusts herself, and pulls up.]—[Aside.] Her silence marks diffidence; deuce take me if I know how to begin, for fear of offending her reserve.

Tiff. [Aside.] I have been told pertness became me -I'll try, I'm resolved. [To him.] I hear, sir, you had something to say to a young person in this housethat-that-[Looking down at the same time archly.] [ could not but take the description to myself-I am ready to hear any thing a gentleman has to say.

Cliff. [Aside.] Thank my stars, my scruples are relieved!

Tiff. Am I mistaken, sir? Pray, whom was you inquiring after?

Cliff. Oh! certainly you, my pretty stranger. A friend of mine has been robbed of his heart, and I see the felony in your looks. Will you confess, or must I arrest you?

Tiff. Innocent, sir, in fact, but not quite so in inclination-I hope your own is safe?

Cliff. And were it not, my smart unconscionable, would you run away with that also?

Tiff. Oh, yes, and a hundred more; and melt them all down together, as the Jews do stolen goods, to prevent their being reclaimed.

Cliff. [Aside.] Astonishing! Have I hit upon the moment when her fancy outruns her art! But are you really the young lady, that's admitted into this family, as companion to Miss Alscrip?

Tiff. Sir, if you mean the young lady, who, however undeservingly, is flatteringly called the flower of this family-who sometimes extracts notice from these windows; and to be sure has been followed home by gentlemen against her inclinations-sir, you are not mistaken.

Cliff. [Aside.] Sure it has been Gayville's madness or amusement then to describe her by contraries.

Tiff. I hope, sir, you are not offended? I would not be impertinent, though I am not so tasteless as to be shy.

Cliff. Offended, my dear? I am quite charmed, I assure you. And so without further shyness on either part, let us be free upon the subject I had to talk over with you. You surely are not looking to lasting connexions ?

Tiff. With airs.] Sir, I don't understand you-I am not what you suppose, I assure you-Connexions indeed-I should never have thought of that-my character-my behaviour; connexions, I don't know what the word signifies.

Sir C. [Without.] Clifford-are you ready?
Cliff. I am at your orders, sir.

Tiff. [Aside.] Deuce take this interruption! Sir Clement. [Without.] I shall not wait for Mr. Alscrip any longer.

Tiff. [Aside.] Lud, lud, he gives me no time to come round again. [Runs up to him confusedly.] It's very true, sir, I would not do such a thing for the world, but you are a man of honour, and I am sure would not give bad advice to a poor girl who is but a novice and so, sir, [Hears SIR CLEMENT entering.] put your proposal in writing, and you may depend [Runs out. on having an answer.

Enter SIR CLEMENT.

Sir C. Well, Clifford, what do you think of her ? Cliff. Make yourself perfectly easy, sir: This girl, when known, can make no impression on lord Gayville's mind; and I doubt not but a silk-gown and a lottery-ticket, had they been offered as an ultimatum, would have purchased her person.

Sir C. [With a dry sneer.] Don't you sometimes Clifford, form erroneous opinions of people's pretensions? Interest and foolish passion inspire strange notions -- as one or the other prevails, we are brought to look so low, or so high

Cliff. [With emotion.] That we are compelled to call reason and honour to our aid

Sir C. And then

Cliff. We lose the intemperance of our inclinations in the sense of what is right.

Sir C. [Aside.] Sententious impostor!-[To him.] But to the point.

Cliff. Sir, I would please you if I could-I am thinking of a scheme to restore Lord Gayville to his senses, without violence or injury to any one of the parties.

Sir C. Let me hear it.

Cliff. Why, the wench being cut short of marketing by word of mouth, desired me to write proposals.