LEONTINE. How, Sir! Is it poflible to be filent, when fo much obliged! Would you refufe me the pleasure of being grateful! of adding my thanks to my Olivia's of fharing in the tranfports that you have thus occafioned? CROAKER. Lord, Sir, we can be happy enough, without your coming in to make up the party. I don't know what's the matter with the boy all this day; he has got into fuch a rhodomontade manner all this morning! LEONTINE. But, Sir, I that have so large a part in the benefit, is it not my duty to fhew my joy is the being admitted to your favour fo flight an obligation? is the happiness of marrying my Olivia so small a bleffing? CROAKER. Marrying Olivia! marrying Olivia! marrying his own fifter! Sure the boy is out of his fenfes. His own fifter! CROAKER. What does the booby mean? or has he any meaning? Eh, what do you mean, you blockhead you ? LEONTINE. Mean, Sir-why, Sir-only when my fifter is to be married, that I have the pleasure of marrying her, Sir, that is, of giving her away, Sir-I have made a point of it. O, is that all. CROAKER. Give her away. You have made a point of it. Then you had as good make a point of first giving away yourself, as I'm going to prepare the writings between you and Mifs Richland this very minute. What a fuss is here about nothing! Why, what's the matter now? I thought I had made you at least as happy as you could wish. OLIVIA. O! yes, Sir, very happy. CROAKER. Do you forefee any thing, child? You look as if you did. I think if any thing was to be foreseen, I have as sharp a look out as another: and yet I forefee nothing. [Exit. He knows fomething, and yet for my life I can't tell what. OLIVIA. OLIVIA. It can't be the connection between us, I'm pretty certain. LEONTINE. Whatever it be, my dearest, I'm refolved to put it out of fortune's power to repeat our mortification. I'll hafte and prepare for our journey to Scotland this very evening. My friend Honeywood has promised me his advice and affistance. I'll go to him, and repose our diftreffes on his friendly bofom: and I know fo much of his honeft heart, that if he can't relieve our uneafineffes, he will at least share them. ACT THE THIR D. SCENE, Young HONEYWOOD's House. BAILIFF, HONEYWOOD, FOLLOWER. BAILIFF. LOOKEY, Sir, I have arrested as good men as you in my time no difparagement of you neither. Men that would go forty guineas on a game of cribbage. I challenge the town to fhew a man in more genteeler practice than myself. How can you forget what you never knew; he! he! he! HONEYWOOD. May I beg leave to ask your name? BAILIFF. Yes, you may. HONEYWOOD. Then, pray, Sir, what is your name, Sir? BAILIFF. BAILIFF. That I didn't promise to tell you. He! he! he! A joke breaks no bones, as we fay among us that practise the law. HONEYWOOD. You may have reason for keeping it a fecret, perhaps? BAILIFF. The law does nothing without reafon. I'm afham'd to tell my name to no man, Sir. If you can fhew cause, as why, upon a fpecial capus, that I should prove my name- -But, come, Timothy Twitch is my name. And, now you know my name, what have you to say to that? HONEYWOOD. Nothing in the world, good Mr. Twitch, but that I have a favour to ask, that's all. BAILIFF. Ay, favours are more eafily asked than granted, as we fay among us that practise the law. I have taken an oath against granting favours. Would you have me perjure myself? HONEYWood. But my requeft will come recommended in fo ftrong a manner, as, I believe, you'll have no fcruple (pulling out his purfe) The thing is only this: I believe I shall be able to discharge this trifle in two or three days at fartheft; but as I would not have the affair known for the world, I have thoughts of keep E 3 |