Dav. Oons! he's out of sight! and I'm out of breath for my part! O Sir Anthony, why didn't you stop him? why didn't you stop him?

Sir Anth. Zounds! the fellow's mad!-Stop whom? stop Jack?

Dav. Ay, the captain, sir!-there's murder and slaughter-
Sir Anth. Murder!

Dav. Ay, please you, Sir Anthony, there's all kinds of murder, all sorts of slaughter to be seen in the fields: there's fighting going on, sir-bloody sword-and-gun fighting!

Sir Anth. Who are going to fight, dunce?

Dav. Everybody that I know of, Sir Anthony :-everybody is going to fight, my poor master, Sir Lucius O'Trigger, your son, the captain

Sir Anth. Oh, the dog! I see his tricks.-Do you know the place?

Dav. King's-Mead-Fields.

Sir Anth. You know the way?

Dav. Not an inch; but I'll call the mayor-aldermen— constables-churchwardens-and beadles-we can't be too many to part them.

Sir Anth. Come along-give me your shoulder! we'll get assistance as we go-the lying villain !-Well, I shall be in such a frenzy!-So-this was the history of his trinkets! I'll bauble him! [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-King's-Mead-Fields.

Enter Sir LUCIUS O'TRIGGER and ACRES, with pistols. Acres. By my valour! then, Sir Lucius, forty yards is a good distance. Odds levels and aims!-I say it is a good distance. Sir Luc. Is it for muskets or small field-pieces? Upon my conscience, Mr. Acres, you must leave those things to me.Stay now I'll show you.-[Measures paces along the stage.] There now, that is a very pretty distance-a pretty gentleman's distance.

Acres. Zounds! we might as well fight in a sentry-box! I tell you, Sir Lucius, the farther he is off, the cooler I shall take my aim.

Sir Luc. Faith! then I suppose you would aim at him best of all if he was out of sight!

Acres. No, Sir Lucius; but I should think forty or eight and thirty yards

Sir Luc. Pho! pho! nonsense! three or four feet between the mouths of your pistols is as good as a mile.

Acres. Odds bullets, no !-by my valour! there is no merit in killing him so near: do, my dear Sir Lucius, let me bring him down at a long shot :—a long shot, Sir Lucius, if you love me.

Sir Luc. Well, the gentleman's friend and I must settle that. -But tell me now, Mr. Acres, in case of an accident, is there any little will or commission I could execute for you?

Acres. I am much obliged to you, Sir Lucius-but I don't understand

Sir Luc. Why, you may think there's no being shot at without a little risk—and if an unlucky bullet should carry a quietus with it-I say it will be no time then to be bothering you about family matters.

Acres. A quietus !

Sir Luc. For instance, now-if that should be the casewould you choose to be pickled and sent home?—or would it be the same to you to lie here in the Abbey ?—I'm told there is very snug lying in the Abbey.

Acres. Pickled!-Snug lying in the Abbey !-Odds tremors ! Sir Lucius, don't talk so!

Sir Luc. I suppose, Mr. Acres, you never were engaged in an affair of this kind before?

Acres. No, Sir Lucius, never before.

Sir Luc. Ah! that's a pity-there's nothing like being used to a thing.-Pray now, how would you receive the gentleman's shot?

Acres. Odds files !-I've practised that-there, Sir Luciusthere.-[Puts himself in an attitude.] A side-front, hey? Odd! I'll make myself small enough: I'll stand edgeways.

aim

Sir Luc. Now-you're quite out-for if you stand so when I take my [Levelling at him. Acres. Zounds! Sir Lucius-are you sure it is not cocked? Sir Luc. Never fear.

Acres. But-but--you don't know-it may go off of its own head!

Sir Luc. Pho! be easy.-Well, now if I hit you in the body, my bullet has a double chance-for if it misses a vital part of your right side-'twill be very hard if it don't succeed on the left! Acres. A vital part!

Sir Luc. But, there-fix yourself so-[Placing him—let him see the broad-side of your full front-there-now a ball or two may pass clean through your body, and never do any harm at all.

Acres. Clean through me!-a ball or two clean through me! Sir Luc. Ay-may they-and it is much the genteelest attitude into the bargain.

Acres. Look'ee! Sir Lucius-I'd just as lieve be shot in an awkward posture as a genteel one; so, by my valour! I will stand edgeways.

Sir Luc. [Looking at his watch.] Sure they don't mean to disappoint us-Hah!-no, faith--I think I see them coming. Acre. Hey!-what!-coming!—

Sir Luc. Ay.-Who are those yonder getting over the stile? Acres. There are two of them indeed!-well-let them come -hey, Sir Lucius !—we-we-we-we-won't run.

Sir Luc. Run!

Acres. No-I say—we won't run, by my valour !

Sir Luc. What the devil's the matter with you?

Acres. Nothing-nothing-my dear friend-my dear Sir Lucius-but I-I-I don't feel quite so bold, somehow, as I did. Sir Luc. O fy!-consider your honour.

Acres. Ay-true-my honour. Do, Sir Lucius, edge in a word or two every now and then about my honour. Sir Luc. Well, here they're coming.

[Looking. Acres. Sir Lucius-if I wa'n't with you, I should almost think I was afraid.—If my valour should leave me !—Valour will come and go.

Sir Luc. Then pray keep it fast, while you have it.

Acres. Sir Lucius-I doubt it is going-yes-my valour is certainly going!—it is sneaking off!-I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my hands !

Sir Luc. Your honour-your honour.-Here they are.

Acres. O mercy!-now-that I was safe at Clod Hall! or could be shot before I was aware!

Enter FAULKLAND and CAPTAIN ABSOLUTE.

Sir Luc. Gentlemen, your most obedient.-Hah !—what, Captain Absolute !-So, I suppose, sir, you are come here, just like myself to do a kind office, first for your friend-then to proceed to business on your own account.

Acres. What, Jack !--my dear Jack!-my dear friend!
Abs. Hark'ee, Bob, Beverley's at hand.

Sir Luc. Well, Mr. Acres-I don't blame your saluting the gentleman civilly.-[To FAULKLAND.] So, Mr. Beverley, if you'll choose your weapons, the captain and I will measure the ground.

Faulk. My weapons, sir!

Acres. Odds life! Sir Lucius, I'm not going to fight Mr. Faulkland; these are my particular friends.

Sir Luc. What, sir, did you not come here to fight Mr. Acres?

Faulk. Not I, upon my word, sir.

Sir Luc. Well, now, that's mighty provoking! But I hope, Mr. Faulkland, as there are three of us come on purpose for the game, you won't be so cantanckerous as to spoil the party by sitting out.

Abs. O pray, Faulkland, fight to oblige Sir Lucius.

Faulk. Nay, if Mr. Acres is so bent on the matter

Acres. No, no, Mr. Faulkland ;-I'll bear my disappointment like a Christian.-Look'ee, Sir Lucius, there's no occasion at all for me to fight; and if it is the same to you, I'd as lieve let it alone.

Sir Luc. Observe me, Mr. Acres-I must not be trifled with. You have certainly challenged somebody-and you came here to fight him. Now, if that gentleman is willing to represent him-I can't see, for my soul, why it isn't just the same thing.

Acres. Why no-Sir Lucius-I tell you, 'tis one Beverley I've challenged-a fellow, you see, that dare not show his face! -If he were here, I'd make him give up his pretensions directly! Abs. Hold, Bob-let me set you right-there is no such man as Beverley in the case.-The person who assumed that name is before you; and as his pretensions are the same in both characters, he is ready to support them in whatever way you please.

Sir Luc. Well, this is lucky.-Now you have an opportunity— Acres. What, quarrel with my dear friend Jack Absolute ?not if he were fifty Beverleys! Zounds! Sir Lucius, you would not have me so unnatural.

Sir Luc. Upon my conscience, Mr. Acres, your valour has oozed away with a vengeance!

Acres. Not in the least! Odds backs and abettors! I'll be your second with all my heart-and if you should get a quietus, you may command me entirely. I'll get you snug lying in the Abbey here; or pickle you, and send you over to Blunderbusshall, or anything of the kind, with the greatest pleasure.

Sir Luc. Pho! pho! you are little better than a coward. Acres. Mind, gentlemen, he calls me a coward; coward was the word, by my valour!

Sir Luc. Well, sir?

Acres. Look'ee, Sir Lucius, 'tisn't that I mind the word coward-coward may be said in joke-But if you had called me a poltroon, odds daggers and balls

Sir Luc. Well, sir?

Acres. I should have thought you a very ill-bred man.
Sir Luc. Pho! you are beneath my notice.

Abs. Nay, Sir Lucius, you can't have a better second than my friend Acres-He is a most determined dog-called in the country, Fighting Bob.-He generally kills a man a weekdon't you, Bob?

Acres. Ay-at home!

Sir Luc. Well, then, captain, 'tis we must begin-so come out, my little counsellor-[Draws his sword.]-and ask the gentleman, whether he will resign the lady, without forcing you to proceed against him?

Abs. Come on then, sir-[Draws]; since you won't let it be an amicable suit, here's my reply.

Enter SIR ANTHONY ABSOLUTE, DAVID, MRS. MALAPROP, LYDIA, and JULIA.

Dav. Knock 'em all down, sweet Sir Anthony; knock down my master in particular; and bind his hands over to their good behaviour!

Sir Anth. Put up, Jack, put up, or I shall be in a frenzy— how came you in a duel, sir?

Abs. Faith, sir, that gentleman can tell you better than I; 'twas he called on me, and you know, sir, I serve his majesty.

Sir Anth. Here's a pretty fellow; I catch him going to cut a man's throat, and he tells me he serves his majesty !-Zounds! sirrah, then how durst you draw the king's sword against one of his subjects?

Abs. Sir, I tell you! that gentleman called me out, without explaining his reasons.

Sir Anth. Gad! sir, how came you to call my son out, without explaining your reasons?

Sir Luc. Your son, sir, insulted me in a manner which my honour could not brook.

Sir Anth. Zounds! Jack, how durst you insult the gentleman in a manner which his honour could not brook?

Mrs. Mal. Come come, let's have no honour before ladies -Captain Absolute, come here-How could you intimidate us so? Here's Lydia has been terrified to death for you.

Abs. For fear I should be killed, or escape, ma'am?

Mrs. Mal. Nay, no delusions to the past-Lydia is convinced; speak, child.

Sir Luc. With your leave, ma'am, I must put in a word here: I believe I could interpret the young lady's silence. Now

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