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ing that, as I am a bachelor, I couldn't do better than marry a good, pretty girl like you, whose character aud temper I have watched the growth of from an infant.

Ger. You-you, Mynheer Swyzel, marry me?

Swy. Why not-why not?-if you have no objection. I'm only fifty-five, and a hale, hearty man for that age. I have saved some money in the service, and—

Ger. But I haven't a doit in the world!

Swy. Nay; nay!—you are richer than you think for! Ger. Eh?

Swy. In charms-in youth and beauty!

Ger. [Aside.] So-so! here's a real, downright sweetheart at last!-and old Swyzel, too, of all men in the world! I shall die of laughing!

Swy. [Aside. She's silent!-she hesitates! thousand crowns are mine!

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The two

Ger. Aside.] Here's Peter coming back. If I could manage-[Aloud.] Besides, that isn't the way to swear you love a body-you should go down on your knees!

Swy. There!-there, then! [Kneels.] Charming Gertrude, on my knees I swear eternal love and constancy! Enter PETER, l

Pet. Halloo!-why, Mynheer Swyzel, what are you doing there?

Swy. [Scrambling up.] Confusion! [Aloud.] I--nothing-only kneeling to-[Aside to Gertrude.] Don't say anything to that fool. Come to my room as soon as you've got rid of him. [Exit, R.

Ger. You here again, Peter?

Pet. Here again!-I believe I am, too; and just as I went away. Would you believe it?-Captain Amersfort

won't let me have the farm after all!

Ger. Dear me !—you don't

say so ?

Pet. He wouldn't hear a word; and, to make matters worse, old Widow Stein, who saw me talking to him, waited to hear the upshot; and, when I told her, she as good as gave me to understand that I wasn't match enough for her daughter, and that Anne herself liked Groot, the miller, much better than she did me! A coquette!-you said she was a coquette !—and you were quite right. I don't know how it is, but you're always right!-you've got more sense than all of 'em put together; and, for the matter of looks, why, there's the captain's vows-and, talking of vows, what was old Swyzel about on his knees? I do believe he was vowing, too!

Ger. Between you and me, he was vowing all sorts of love to me!—and he wants me to marry him!

Pet. Marry him!-marry old Swyzel!-and will you ? Ger. I don't know!-what do you think? Would you

like me to marry him, Peter?

Pet. Not at all! I don't know how it is, but I can't fancy your marrying anybody--that is, I never thought of your marrying anybody; and, now I do think of it, I think— Ger. Well-What?

Enter DELVE, with a note, R.

Del. Oh, Gertrude, here you are; here's a note for you. It's very particular-they gave me a florin to run all the way!

Ger. A note for me?-who is it from ?

Del. The clerk at Van Nickem's, the lawyer's. I took a letter there for the captain, and, as his master wasn't at home, the clerk opened it, and wrote this answer to the captain, and then scribbled that for you, and begged me to give you yours first-and so I have: and now I must find the captain.

[Exit, R.

Ger A note for me? Nobody ever wrote to me before; and, if they had, it would have been no use, for I can't read written hand. You can, Peter; so pray open it, and let's hear what it's all about.

Pet. [Opening and reading.] "Mamzelle." Mamzelle, to you!

Ger. Go on- -go on.

Pet. "I have loved you above all earthly beings!"

Ger. Bless us, and save us!

Pet. "I dared not disclose my passion; but, believe me, my affection was equal to my silence."

Ger. Then it was great indeed!

Pet. "I have at length summoned courage to address you, and if the offer of my hand and fortune"-another proposal!-who is the fellow that writes this?

Ger. Van Nickem's clerk, Delve told you.

Pet. Yes; here's his ugly name, sure enough, at the bottom of it-Simon Sneek!

Ger. Ah! if I recollect, he's rather a good-looking young man!

Pet. Why, you don't mean to

Ger. Surely, he's better than old Swyzel!

Pet. Well! but what does it all mean? Everybody wants to marry you?

Ger. I can't help that-can I? But I shan't be in a hurry; I shall do as you do-look about me; perhaps somebody may offer that I should like better. [Clock strikes.] Hark! that's two o'clock! [Crosses, L.]—and I promised to meet the captain at the sun-dial yonder. Good bye, Peter; and mind, if you can find me a husband that I should like better than any of these, I'll make you a present the day I'm married, and you shall dance at the wedding. [Runs out, L.

Pet. [Stands staring after her, with the note open in his hand. Well, when she talks of Anne Stein always changing her partner-she's off to meet the captain now; and yet she says to me, "if you can find me a husband I should like better!" the idea of Gertrude having a husband!—a little girl, that was only a baby the other day, as it seems to me. I wonder if she'd like me better; because if she would-I want a wife myself-and I don't know why I didn't at first-But there goes that cursed captain, running

like mad to meet her!-'Gad! I begin to feel that I don't like it at all. Why can't he keep to his fine ladies, and let the others alone? I don't go and make love to Mamzelle Ernestine, do I? What business has he to talk a pack of stuff to Gertrude, and turn the poor girl's head? He'd better mind what he's about, though-I can tell him that! If he makes her unhappy, I wouldn't be in his shoes for something, for I should break every bone in my own skin!

Enter DELVE, r.

Del. What's the matter, Master Peter? you don't look pleased.

Pet. Well, I have been pleased better.

Del. Anything in that note?

Pet. This note ?-no. This is the note you brought from Van Nickem's. There's that young rogue, Sneek, wants to marry Gertrude.

Del. To marry Gertrude! well, now, do you know, I think he might do worse.

Pet. Might do worse?—I believe he might, too!

Del. Gertrude's by no means ill-looking.

Pet. Ill-looking ?-she's very-pretty.

Del. Well-yes-I think she is, and very good-tempered.

Pet. The best humoured soul in the world.

Del. Do you know, Master Peter, if I thought there was any chance of our living comfortably together, I shouldn't mind making up to Gertrude myself.

Pet. You!-you be hanged!

Del. Hanged! what for, I should like to know? I question, now, if I couldn't afford to marry as well as young Sneek-he doesn't get much out of Van Nickem's pocket,

I'll swear.

Pet. Well, you needn't trouble your head about it, because you shan't have her.

Del. Why, Farmer Spyk, what have you to do with it? -suppose I choose, and she chooses, you're neither her father nor her mother. If you put my blood up, I'll go and ask her at once.

Pet. And if you do, you'll put my blood up-and then I shall knock you down.

Del. Knock me down! Donner and blitzen! Pet. Don't provoke me! I'm getting desperate-I mean to marry Gertrude myself, if she'll have me, and I'll fight anybody for her, with fists, knives, pistols-anything!

Enter ERNESTine, r.

Ern. Heyday! heyday! what is all this noise about— and threat of fighting?

Del. It's Farmer Spyk here, and please you, Mamzelle, he threatens to knock me down if I go a-courting to Gertrude and all in an honest way, too. I'll be damned if I don't go and ask her right away. [Exit, L. Ern. To Gertrude !-why, how long have you taken this fancy into your head?

Pet. Why, not five minutes, Mamzelle, and he has the impudence to set himself up against me, who have been in love with her-more than half an hour!

Ern. And where is the fair object of your contention ? -what does she say to these sudden passions?

Pet. I'm waiting to know what she'll, say to mine-but she's a plaguy long time with the Captain. He's the only rival I'm afraid of; she seems deuced fond of him-and he raves about her.

Ern. [Alarmed. He does! [Recovering herself. But, of course I desired him.

Pet. You desired him, Mamzelle ?

Ern. Yes; I commanded him to make love to her.

Pet. Well, he won't be broke for disobedience, then— that's all I can say-for he does make love to her most furiously. I caught them myself with his arm round her waist, this morning; and I dare say it's round it now, if the truth was known; but I can't see, for that beastly holly-bush.

Ern. Why, where are they, then?

Pet. She was to meet him at the sun-dial, and I saw him slinking through the trees yonder; and just now I'm almost certain I caught a glimpse of them at the end of that walk.

Ern. [Aside.] I don't like this account: I'm afraid I've acted very silly. I repented of the freak almost as soon as I left them; but my pride would not suffer me to return. The girl's pretty-very pretty; and if Amersfort, enraged at my indifference, should, out of mere spite

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