Vil. Yes, sir; I let him in.

[Pertly. D. Man. Did you so? Ha! then, if you please, madam, I'll let you go out-go-go-get a sheet of brown paper, pack up your things, and let me never see that damned ugly face of thine as long as 1 live.

Vil. Bless me! sir, you are in a strange humour, that you won't know when a servant docs as she should do.

sir.

D. Man. Thou art strangely impudent.
Vil. Only the farthest from it in the world,

D. Man. Then I am strangely mistaken; didst not thou own just now thou lettest him in?

Vil. Yes-but 'twas in disguise-for I did not design you should see him, because I know you did not care my mistress should see him.

D. Man. Ha!

Vil. And I knew, at the same time, she had a mind to see him.

D. Man. Ha!

Vil. And you know, sir, that the sin of loving him had lain upon her conscience a great while; so I thought it high time she should come to a thorough confession,

D. Man. Ha!

Vil. So upon this, sir, as you see—I—I-I let him in, that's all.

D. Man. Nay, if it be so as thou sayest, he was a proper confessor, indeed.

Vil. Ay, sir, for you know this was not a spiritual father's business.

D. Man. No, no; this matter was utterly carnal.

Vil, Well, sir, and judge you now if my mistress is not beholden to me?

D. Man. Oh! extremely; but you'll go to hell, my dear, for all this-though, perhaps, you'll chuse that place: I think you never much cared for your husband's company; and, if I don't mistake, you sent him to heaven in the old road. Hark! what noise is that? [Noise without. Vil. So, Octavio's pushing his fortune-he'll have a wife or a halter, that's positive-I'll go 【Exit VILETTA.

see,

[Exit DON MANUEI.

Enter HYPOLITA and FLORA, putting up their swords, OCTAVIO in the Alguazil's hands, and TRAPPANTI.

Hyp. Bring him along-This is such an insolence! damn it! at this rate, no gentleman can walk the streets.

Flo. I suppose, sir, your business was more with our pockets than our persons. things safe?

Are our

Trap. Ay, sir, I secured them as soon as ever I saw his sword out; I guessed his design, and scoured off with the portmanteau.

Hyp, I'll know now who set you on, sir. Oct. Prithee, young man, don't be troublesome; but thank the rascal, that knocked me down, for your escape.

Hyp. Sir, I'd have you know, if you had not been knocked down, I should have owed my escape to the same arm you would have owed the reward for your insolence. Pray, sir, what are you? who knows you?

Oct. I'm glad, at least, to find it is not Don Philip that's my rival. [Aside. Ser. Sir, my master knows the gentleman very well; he belongs to the army.

Hyp. Then, sir, if you'd have me use you like a gentleman, I desire your meaning of those familiar questions you asked me at the coach-side.

Oct. Faith, young gentleman, I'll be very short: I love the lady you are to marry, and if you don't quit your pretences in two hours, it will entail perpetual danger upon you and your family.

Hyp. Sir, if you please, the danger's equalfor, rot me, if I am not as fond of cutting your throat, as you can be of mine!

Oct. If I were out of these gentlemen's hands, on my word, sir, you should not want an opportunity.

Hyp. O, sir! these gentlemen shall protect neither of us; my friend and I will be your bail from them.

Flo. Ay, sir, we'll bail you; and, if you please sir, bring your friend, I'm his. Damn me! what! d'ye think you have boys to deal with?

Oct. Sir, I ask your pardon, and shall desire to kiss your hands, about an hour hence, at— [Whispers,

Flo. Very well, sir, we'll meet you. Hyp. Release the gentleman. Ser. Sir, we dare not, without my master's order. Here he is, sir.

Enter DoN MANUEL,

D. Man. How now, bully confessor? What! in limbo?

Hyp. Sir, Don Ferdinando de las Torres, whom I am proud to call my father, commanded me to deliver this into the hands of his most dear and

D. Man. Sir, you are thrice welcome; let me embrace ye. I'm overjoyed to see you-Your friend, sir?

Hyp. Don Pedro Velada, my near relation, who has done me the honour of his company from Seville, sir, to assist at the solemnity of his friend's happiness.

D. Man. Sir, you are welcome; I shall be proud to know you,

Flo. You do me honour, sir.

D. Man. I hope you are not hurt, gentlemen. Hyp. Not at all, sir; thanks to a little skill in the sword.

D. Man. I am glad of it; however, give me leave to interrupt our business for a moment, till I have done you justice on the person that offered you this insolence at my gate.

Hyp. Your pardon, sir; I understand he is a gentleman, and beg you would not let my honour suffer, by receiving a lame reparation from the law.

D. Man. A pretty mettled fellow, faith!-I must not let him fight though. [Aside,] But, sir, you don't know, perhaps, how deeply this man is

your enemy.

Hyp. Sir, I know more of his spleen and folly than you imagine, which, if you please to discharge him, I'll acquaint you with.

D. Man. Discharge him! Pray consider, sir— [They seem to talk. Enter VILETTA, and slips a note into OCTAVIO's hand.

Vil. Send your answer to me. [Exit VIL. Oct. [Aside.] Now for a beam of hope in a tempest! [Reads.] I charge you, don't hazard my ruin and your own, by the madness of a quarrel: the closet window, where I am, is but a step to the ground: be at the back-door of the garden exactly at the close of the evening, where you will certainly find one that may put you in the best way of getting rid of a rival.' Dear, kind creature! Now if my little don's fit of honour does but hold out to bail me, I am the happiest dog in the universe.

D. Man. Well, sir, since I find your honour is dipt so deep in the matter-here-release the gentleman.

Flo. So, sir, you have your freedom; you may depend upon us.

Hyp. You will find us punctual.Sir, your

servant,

D. Man. What can this sudden turn of civility mean? I'm afraid 'tis but a cloak to some new roguery he has in his head.

Hyp. I don't know how old it may be, but my servant here has discovered a piece of villainy of his that exceeds any other he can be capable of. D. Man. Is it possible? Why would you let him go, then?

sir.

Hyp. Because I'm sure he can do me no harm,

D. Man. Pray, be plain, sir; what is it? Hyp. This fellow can inform you-for, to say truth, he's much better at a lie. [Aside. D. Man. Come hither, friend; pray, what is this business?

Hyp. Ay, what was that you overheard between Octavio aud another gentleman at the inn where we alighted?

Trap. Why, sir, as I was unbuckling my portmanteau in the yard there, I observed Octavio and another spark very familiar with your honour's name; upon which, sir, I pricked up the ears of my curiosity, and took in all their dis

[Aside.

Aside.

Hyp. Poor Don Philip! Trap. Says one of them, says he, No, damn him, the old rogue (meaning you, sir) will never let you have her by fair means; however, says Octavio, I'll try soft words; but, if those won't do, bully him, says t'other.

D. Man. Ah, poor dog! but that would not do neither, sir; he has tried them both to-day to no purpose.

Trap. Say you so, sir! then you'll find what I say is all of a piece. Well, and if neither of these will do, says he, you must e'en tilt the young prig, your rival, (meaning you, then, sir).

[To HYP. D. Man. Ha, ha! that, I perceive, my spark did not greatly care for.

Trap. No, sir; that, he found, was catching a Tartar. 'Sbud! my master fought like a lion, sir.

Hyp. Truly, I did not spare him.

Flo. No, faith-after he was knocked down.

[Aside, Trap. But now, sir, comes the cream of the

Hyp. Pray observe, sir.

Trap. Well, says Slylooks, and if all these fail, I have a rare trick in my head, that will certainly defer the marriage for three or four days at least, and, in that time, the devil's in't if you don't find an opportunity to run away with her.

D. Man. Would you so, Mr Dog? but he'll be hanged.

Hyp. O, sir, you'll find we were mighty fortunate in this discovery.

D. Man. Pray, sir, let's hear: what was this trick to be, friend?

Trap. Why, sir, to alarm you, that my master was an impostor, and that Slylooks was the true Don Philip, sent by his father, from Seville, to marry your daughter; upon which (says he) the old put (meaning you again, sir), will be so bamboozled, that

D. Man. But pray, sir, how did young Mr Coxcomb conclude that the old put was to believe all this? Had they no sham proofs that they proposed to bamboozle me with, as you call it?

Trap. You shall hear, sir; (the plot was pretty well laid, too) I'll pretend, says he, that the rascal, your rival, (meaning you, then, sir), has robbed me of my portmanteau, where I had put all my jewels, money, and letters of recommendation from my father: we are neither of us known in Madrid, says he, so that a little impudence, and a grave face, will certainly set those dogs a snarling, while you run away with the bone. That's all, sir.

D. Man. Impudent rogue!

Hyp. What think ye, sir? Was not this business pretty handsomely laid?

Flo. Faith, it might have wrought a very ridiculous consequence.

D. Man. Why, truly, if we had not been forearmed by this discovery, for aught I know, Mr Dog might have ran away with the bone indeed; but, if you please, sir, since these ingenious gentlemen are so pert upon the matter, we'll e'en let them see, that you and I have wit enough to do our business, and e'en clap up the wedding tomorrow morning.

Hyp. Sir, you are too obliging-but will your daughter, think ye, be prevailed with?

Trap. And, when he's down, I have a trick to keep him so.

Flo. The devil's in it, if we don't maul this rascal among us.

D. Man. A son of a whore-I am sorry we let him go so soon, faith.

Flo. We might as well have held him a little. Hyp. Really, sir, upon second thoughts, I wish we had-his excusing the challenge so abruptly, makes me fancy he is in hopes of carrying his point some other way-did not you observe your daughter's woman whisper him!

D. Man. Humh!

Flo. They seem very busy, that's certain. Hyp. I cannot say about what-but it will be worth our while to be upon our guard. D. Man. I am alarmed.

Hyp. Where is your daughter at this time? D. Man. I think she's pretty safe-but I'll go make her sure.

Flo. 'Twill be no harm to look about ye, sir. Where's her woman?

D. Man. I'll be upon her presently--she shall be searched for intelligence-you'll excuse me, gentlemen.

Hyp. Sir, the occasion presses you.

D. Man. If I find all safe, I'll return immediately; and then, if you please, we'll run over some old stories of my good friend Fernando.Your servant.

[Exit DON MANUEL.

Hyp. Sir, your most humble servant-Trappanti, thou art a rare fellow! thou hast an admirable face, and, when thou diest, I'll have thy whole statue cast all in the same metal.

Flo. 'Twere pity the rogue was not bred to the law.

Trap. So 'tis, indeed, sir-a man should not praise himself; but if I had been bred to the gown, I dare venture to say I become a lie as well as any man that wears it.

Hyp. Nay, now, thou art modest-but, sirrah, we have more work for ye: you must get in with the servants, attack the lady's woman; there, there's ammunition, rogue!-[Gives him money.] -Now, try if you can make a breach into the secrets of the family.

more than a barrel of gun-powder: the French charge all their cannon with them; the only weapon in the world, sir. I remember my old master's father used to say, the best thing in the Greek grammar was- -Arguriois lonchusy machou, kai panta crateseis.

[Exit TRAPPANTI. Hyp. Well, dear Flora, let me kiss thee: thou hast done thy part to a miracle.

Flo. 'Egad, I think so: didn't I bear up briskly? Now, if Don Philip should come while my blood's up, let him look to himself.

Hyp. We shall find him a little tough, I believe: for, poor gentleman! he is like to meet with a very odd reception from his father-inlaw.

Flo. Nay, we have done his business there, I believe.

Hyp. How glibly the old gentleman swallowed Trappanti's lie!

Flo. And how rarely the rogue told it!

Hyp. And how soon it worked with him! for, if you please, says he, we'll let him see that we have wit enough to do our business, and clap up the wedding to-morrow morning.

Flo. Ah, we have it all the way-well, what must we do next?

Hyp. Why, now for the lady-I'll be a little brisk upon her, and thenFlo. Victoria! [Exeunt.

SCENE I.-Continued.

Enter VILETTA hastily, DON MANUEL, and TRAPPANTI behind, observing her.

Vil. So, with much ado, I have given the old Don the slip; he has dangled with me through every room in the house, high and low, up stairs and down, as close to my tail as a great boy hankering after one of his mother's maids. Wellnow we will see what monsieur Octavio says.

[Takes a letter from her bosom. Trap. Hist! there she is, and alone. When the devil has any thing to do with a woman, sir, that's his time to take her. Stand close.

D. Man. Ah, he's at work already-there's a letter.

Trap. Leave her to me, sir; I'll read it. Vil. Ha, two pistoles! well, I'll say that for him, the man knows his business; his letters always come post-paid.

[While she is reading, TRAPPANTI steals behind, and looks over her shoulder.] 'Dear Viletta, convey the inclosed immediately to your mistress, and, as you prize my life, all possible means to keep the old gentleman from the closet, till you are sure she is safe out of the window. Your real friend.' Trap. Octavio!

use

Vil. Ah!

[Reading. [Shrieking. Trap. Madam, your ladyship's most humble

servant.

Vil. You're very impertinent, methinks, to look over other people's letters.

Trap. Why, I never read a letter in my life without looking it over.

Vil. I don't know any business you had to look upon this

Trap. There's the thing-your not knowing that, has put you into this passion.

Vil. You may chance to have your bones broke, Mr Coxcomb.

Trap. Sweet honeycomb! don't be so waspish; or, if I keep your counsel, d'ye see, I don't know why my bones may'nt keep their places; but if I peach, whose bones will pay for it, then?

Vil. Ha! the fool says true; I had better wheedle him.

[Aside.

Trap. My dear queen! don't be frighted-I come as a friend; now, be serious.

Vil. Well, what would you have? Trap. Don't you love money above any thing in the world-except one?

Vil. I except nothing.

Trap. Very good-and pray, how

many letters do you expect to be paid for when Octavio has married your mistress, and has no occasion to write to her? Look you, child, though you are of counsel for him, use him like a lawyer; make difficulties where there are none, that he may fee you where he needs not. Dispatch is out of practice; delay makes long bills: stick to it; once get him his cause, there's no more advice to be paid for.

Vil. What do you mean?

Trap. Why, that, for the same reason, I have no mind to put an end to my own fees by marrying my master: while they are lovers, they will always have occasion for a confidant and a pimp; but when they marry-serviteur-good night vails; our harvest is over. What d'ye think of me, now?

Vil. Why, I like what you say very well; but I don't know, my friend-to me that same face of yours looks like the title-page to a whole volume of roguery-what is it you drive at ?

Trap. Money, money, money! Don't you let your mistress marry Octavio: I'll do my best to hinder my master. Let you and I lay our heads together to keep them asunder, and so make a penny of them all three.

Vil. Look you, seignior, I'll meet you half way, and confess to you I had made a rough draught of this project myself: but say I should agree with you to go on upon't, what security can you give me for performance of articles?

Trap. More than bond or judgment—my person in custody.

Vil. Ah, that won't do.

Trap. No, my love! why, there's many a sweet bit in it-taste it.

[Offering to kiss her, she puts him away. Vil. No. Trap. Faith, you must give me one.

Vil. Well, now get you gone; I have a letter

D. Man. And would the same sum make thee surely one as t'other?

Vil. That I cannot say, neither; one must be heavier than t'other, or else the scale cannot turn.

D. Man. Say it be so, would that turn thee into my interest?

Vil. The very minute you turn into mine, sir:

I'll come t'ye presently.

Trap. Ist from Octavio ?
Vil. Pshaw! begone, I say.

Trap. Hist!

[Snatches the letter.

[TRAPPANTI beckons DON MANUEL, who goes softly behind.

Vil. Madam! madam! ha!

D. Man. Now, strumpet, give me the other letter, or I'll murder you.

Vil. Ah lud! oh lud! there!

[Draws.

[Squeaking. D. Man. Now, we shall sec what my gentleman would be at-[Reads.]- My dear angel!' -Ha! soft and impudent!- Depend upon me ' at the garden door, by seven this evening: pity my impatience, and believe you can never come too soon to the arms of your

'OCTAVIO.' Ah! now would this rampant rogue make no more of debauching my gentlewoman, than the gentlewoman would of him, if he were to debauch her. Hold-let's sce; what does he say here-um-um !

[Reads to himself. Vil. What a sot was I to believe this old tool durst do me any harm! but a fright's the devil. Would I had my letters again!-though 'tis no great matter: for, as my friend Trappanti says, delaying Octavio's business is doing my own.

D. Man. [Reading.] Um-um! sure she is safe out of the window. Oh, there the mine is to be sprung, then! The gentleman makes a warm siege on't, in troth, and, one would think, was in a fair way of carrying the place, while he has such an admirable spy in the middle of the town. Now, were I to act like a true Spaniard, I ought to rip up this jade for more intelligence; but I'll be wise; a bribe and a lie will do my business a great deal better. Now, gentlewoman, what do ye think, in your conscience, I ought to do to ye?

Vil. What I think in my conscience, you'll not

ter, and two pieces to give it to my mistress—there stand you with a hem! and four pieceswi:ere would the letter go, d'ye think?

D. Man. There needs no more-I'm convinced, and will trust thee-there's to encourage thee before-hand, and, when thou bringest me a letter of Octavio's, I'll double the sum.

Vil. Sir, I'll do it-and will take care he shall write presently.

[Aside. D. Man. Now, as you expect I should believe you, begone, and take no notice of what I have discovered.

Enter ROSARA.

Ros. Did you call me, sir?

D. Man. Ay, child. Come, be cheerful; what I have to say to you, I'm sure ought to make you so.

Ros. He has certainly made some discovery; Viletta did not cry out for nothing-What shall I do--dissemble?" [Aside.

D. Man. In one word, set your heart at rest, for you shall marry Don Philip this very evening.

Ros. That's but short warning for the gentleman, as well as myself; for I don't know that we ever saw one another. How are you sure he will like me?

D. Man. Oh, as for that matter, he shall see you presently; and I have made it his interest to like you-but if you are still positively resolved upon Octavio, I'll make but few words-pull off your clothes, and go to him.

Ros. My clothes, sir!

D. Man. Ay, for the gentleman shan't have a rag with you.

Ros. I am not in haste to be starved, sir.