SCENE IV.

Another Apartment.

Enter LADY EMILY.

Lady E. Oh, lud! I could hardly tremble more at opening this man's apartment, were there a possibility of finding him within side. How do people find courage to do a wrong thing, when an innocent discovery cannot be prosecuted without such timidity? [Approaches the Door timidly, and unlocks it.

Enter Miss ALTON.

Amazement! Miss Alton! what is all this?

Miss Alton. Madam, I was brought here, for an hour's concealment; who I really am, I would not, if possible to avoid it, divulge in this house. When you saw me last, you honoured me with a favourable opinion-My story, not explained at full, might, subject me to doubts, that would shake your candour.

Lady E. What shall I do?-She is pale, and ready to faint-I cannot let her be exposed in such a situation.-Retire-you may rely upon me for present security-You know best your pretensions to my future opinion. [Hearing SIR CLEMENT.]—-Begone, or you are discovered.

[Shuts her in, and locks CLIFFORD's Door.

Enter SIR CLEMENT.

Sir C. Oh, the triumph of honour! Oh, the sincerity of friendship! How my opinions are ratifiedhow my system is proved!

H

Lady E. Oh, spirits, spirits, forsake me not!Oh, for a moment's dissimulation!

Sir C. There are some, now, who would feed moroseness and misanthropy with such events: to me they give delight, as convictions and warnings to mankind.

Lady E. Of how superior a quality, my good uncle, must be the benevolence you possess! it rises with the progress of mischief; and is gratified (upon prin. ciples of general good) by finding confidence abused, and esteem misplaced. Am I not right in attributing your joy at present to that sort of refinement ?

Sir C. Hah! and to what sensations, my good niece, shall be attributed the present state of your spirits? To the disgust you took to Clifford almost at first sight. It will not be with indifference, but pleasure, you will hear of his turning out the veriest rascal, the most complete impostor, the most abandoned-but hold, hold !-I must not wrong him by su perlatives he is matched too.

Lady E. Really!-I congratulate you upon such a check of charity.

Sir C. And I wish you joy, my pretty pert one, upon the credit your sex has acquired, in producing this other chef-d'œuvre-such a composition of the highest vices and the lowest-But your goodnature will, I dare say, easily find palliatives for both parties.

Lady E. Come, sir; no more of your sarcasms. I can treat wrong actions with levity, and yet consider them with detestation. Prudes and pretenders condemn with austerity. To the collection of suspicions you are master of, let me add one--In a young lady, of the delicacy and age you have described, always suspect the virtue that does not wear a smile.

Sir C. And the sincerity that wears one awkwardly.

Enter PROMPT, hastily.

Prompt. Joy to your honour; I see you have caught her.

Sir C. Her!--whom?

Prompt. [LADY EMILY turning.] I ask your ladyship's pardon-Having only the glimpse of a petticoat, and knowing the object of my chase was in this house, I confess I mistook you.

Sir C. In this house? Prompt. As sure as we are— -She came in through the garden, under Mr. Clifford's arm-up the other stairs, I suppose.-If my lady had been hereabouts,

she must have seen her.

Lady E. [In confusion.] Yes; but, unluckily, I was quite out of the way.

Sir C. Such audaciousness passes credibility.Emily, what do you think of him?

Lady E. That he is a monster.-[Aside.] How my dilemmas multiply!

Sir C. What, to my house! to his apartment here! I wonder he did not ask for protection in yours.— What should you have said?

Lady E. I don't know; but, had I been so imposed upon as to receive her, I should scorn to betray even the criminal I had engaged to protect,

Sir C. [Tries at the Door, and finds it locked.] Emily, my dear, do ring the bell, to know if the housekeeper has a second key to this lock.

Lady E. What shall I do?

Prompt. She is certainly there, sir, and cannot escape. Where can she better remain, till you can assemble all parties, çonfront them, face to face, and bring every thing that has passed to a full explanation?

Sir C. With all my heart; send and collect every body concerned as fast as possible.-How I long for

so complicated an exhibition of the purity of the human heart; Come with me, Emily, and help to digest my plan.-Friends and lovers, what a scene shall we show you!

[Takes LADY EMILY under the Arm.-Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

An Apartment.

Enter CLIFFORD and MR. RIGHTLY.

Cliff. Your knowledge in the profession, Mr. Rightly, is as unquestionable as your integrity; but there is something so surprising in the recovery of the Charlton estate. If you knew, too, how the value of the acquisition is enhanced, by the opportune moment in which it presents itself—I am in too much emotion to thank you as I ought.

Rightly. Sir, I want neither compliment, nor acknowledgment, for revealing what I should be a party to dishonesty to conceal.

Cliff. You have a right to all my thoughts: but I have an appointment to obey, that admits no time for explanation; favour me for a moment with your pencil, [RIGHTLY takes out a Pencil and Pocketbook.] and a blank page in that memorandum-book. [CLIFFORD writes.

Rightly. My life on't, his head is turned upon some girl not worth a shilling-There is an amiable defect, but a very observable one, in the nature of some men. A good head and heart operate as effectually as vice or folly could do to make them improvident.

Cliff. Mr. Rightly, I contide to your hands a new secret relative to the Charlton estate; do not read it till you return home. [Gives the Book, aside, and going.] There, Gayville, is one reply to your challenge and now for another.

Rightly. One moment, sir-I engage for no secrecy that my own judgment shall not warrant.

Cliff. And the benevolence of your heart approve Those are my conditions.

[Exeunt on opposite Sides.

Enter LORD GAYVILLE impetuously, looking at his Watch.

Lord G. Not here! I am sure I marked the hour as well as the place, precisely in my note. [Walks about.] Had I been told three days ago, that I should have been the appellant in a premeditated duel, I should have thought it an insult upon my principles -That Clifford should be the cause of my transgressing the legal and sacred duties, we have ever both