Lydia. [Aside.] I wonder I ha'nt heard my aunt exclaim yet! sure she can't have looked at him! perhaps their regimentals are alike, and she is something blind.

Sir Anth. I say, sir, I won't stir a foot yet.

Mrs. M. I am sorry to say, Sir Anthony, that my affluence over my niece is very small. Turn round, Lydia, I blush for you! [Aside to her.

Sir Anth. May I not flatter myself, that Miss Languish will assign what cause of dislike she can have to my son why don't you begin, Jack?-Speak, you puppy-speak! [Aside to him.

Mrs. M. It is impossible, Sir Anthony, she can have any. She will not say she has.-Answer, hussy! why don't you answer? [Aside to her.

Sir Anth. Then, madam, I trust that a childish and hasty predilection will be no bar to Jack's happiness.Z-ds! sirrah! why don't you speak? [Aside to him.

Lydia. [Aside.] I think my lover seems as little inclined to conversation as myself.-How strangely blind my aunt must be !

Capt. Abs. Hem! hem! Madam-hem! [ABSOLUTE attempts to speak, then returns to SIR ANTHONY]-'Faith! sir, I am so confounded!-and so-so-confused!-I told you I should be so, sir,-I knew it.-The-thetremor of my passion entirely takes away my presence of mind.

Sir Anth. But it don't take away your voice, fool, does it?-Go up, and speak to her directly!

[ABSOLUTE makes signs to MRS. MALAPROP, to leave them together.

Mrs. M. Sir Anthony, shall we leave them together?

-Ah!

you stubborn little vixen!

[Aside to her. Sir Anth. Not yet, ma'am, not yet!-what the devil are you at? unlock your jaws, sirrah, or

Aside to him.

Capt. Abs. [Draws near LYDIA.] Now heav'n send

she may be too sullen to look round!-I must disguise my voice. [Aside.-Speaks in a low hoarse tone.]-Will not Miss Languish lend an ear to the mild accents of true love?-Will not

Sir Anth. What the devil ails the fellow?-Why don't you speak out?—not stand croaking like a frog in a quinsey!

Capt. Abs. The-the-excess of my awe, and mymy-my modesty, quite choak me!

Sir Anth. Ah! your modesty again!—I'll tell you what, Jack; if you don't speak out directly, and glibly too, I shall be in such a rage!—Mrs. Malaprop, I wish the lady would favour us with something more than a side-front. [MRS. MALAPROP seems to chide LYDIA.

Capt. Abs. So!-all will out, I see!

[Goes up to LYDIA, speaks softly. Be not surprised, my Lydia, suppress all suprise at present.

Lydia. [Aside.] Heav'ns! 'tis Beverley's voice !— Sure he can't have imposed on Sir Anthony too!

[Looks round by degrees, then starts up. Is this possible!-my Beverley!-how can this be?my Beverley?

Capt. Abs. Ah! 'tis all over!

[Aside.

Sir Anth. Beverley!-the devil-Beverley !-What can the girl mean?-This is my son, Jack Absolute.

Mrs. M. For shame, hussy! for shame!-your head runs so on that fellow, that you have him always in your eyes!--beg Captain Absolute's pardon directly. Lydia. I see no Captain Absolute, but my loved Beverley !

Sir Anth. Z-ds! the girl's mad!-her brain's turned by reading!

Mrs. M. O' my conscience, I believe so!-what do you mean by Beverley, hussy?-You saw Captain Absolute before to-day; there he is your husband, that shall be.

Iydia. With all my soul, maʼan—when I refuse my Beverley

*

Sirnth. Oh! she's as mad as Bedlam !—or has this fellow been playing us a rogue's trick!-Come here, sirrah, who the devil are you?

Capt. Abs. 'Faith, sir, I am not quite clear myself; but I'll endeavour to recollect.

Sir Anth. Are you my son or not?-answer for your mother, you dog, if you won't for me.

Mrs. M. Ay, sir, who are you? O mercy! I begin to suspect!

Capt. Abs. Ye powers of impudence, befriend me! [Aside.] Sir Anthony, most assuredly I am your wife's son; and that I sincerely believe myself to be yours also, I hope my duty has always shown. Mrs. Malaprop, I am your most respectful admirer-and shall be proud to add affectionate nephew.-I need not tell my Lydia, that she sees her faithful Beverley, who, knowing the singular generosity of her temper, assumed that name, and a station, which has proved a test of the most disinterested love, which he now hopes to enjoy in a more elevated character.

Lydia. So-there will be no elopement after all !

[Sullenly. Sir Anth. Upon my soul, Jack, thou art a very impudent fellow! To do you justice, I think I never saw a piece of more consummate assurance!

Capt. Abs. Oh, you flatter me, sir,-you compliment -'tis my modesty you know, sir-my modesty, that has stood in my way.

Sir Anth. Well, I am glad you are not the dull, insensible varlet you pretended to be, however!-I'm glad you have made a fool of your father, you dog→ I am -So this was your penitence, your duty, and obedience! I thought it was d-n'd sudden-You never heard their names before, not you !-What, the Languishes of Worcestershire, hey?-if you could

please me in the affair, 'twas all you desired!-Ah! you dissembling villain!-What! [Pointing to LYDIA.] she squints, don't she?—a little red-haired girl!-hey? -Why, you hypocritical young rascal—I wonder you a'n't ashamed to hold up your head!

Capt. Abs. 'Tis with difficulty, sir-I am confused— very much confused, as you must perceive.

Mrs. M. O lud! Sir Anthony !-a new light breaks in upon me! hey!-how! what! Captain, did you write the letters, then?-What!—am I to thank you for the elegant compilation of "an old weather-beaten she-dragon"-hey?-O mercy!—was it you that reflected on my parts of speech?

Capt. Abs. Dear sir! my modesty will be overpowered at last, if you don't assist me.-I shall certainly not be able to stand it!

Sir Anth. Come, come, Mrs. Malaprop, we must forget and forgive; odds life! matters have taken so clever a turn all of a sudden, that I could find in my heart, to be so good-humoured! and so gallant!-hey! Mrs. Malaprop!

Mrs. M. Well, Sir Anthony, since you desire it, we will not anticipate the past ;-so mind, young peopleour retrospection will now be all to the future.

Sir Anth. Come, we must leave them together; Mrs. Malaprop, they long to fly into each other's arms, I warrant!-Jack-isn't the cheek as I said, hey?—and the eye, you rogue !-and the lip-hey? Come, Mrs. Malaprop, we'll not disturb their tenderness-theirs is the time of life for happiness!"Youth's the season

made for joy"-[Sings.]-hey !-Odds 'life! I'm in such spirits, I don't know what I could not do!-Permit me, ma'am [Gives his hand to MRS. MALA PROP; [Sings.] Tol-de-rol-'gad I should like to have a little fooling myself Tol-de-rol! de-rol!

[Exit singing, and handing MRS. MALAPROP.

LYDIA sits sullenly in the chair.

Capt. Abs. So much thought bodes me no good [Aside.]-So grave, Lydia!

Lydia. Sir!

Capt. Abs. So! egad! I thought as much!-that d-ned monosyllable has froze me! [Aside.]—What, Lydia, now that we are as happy in our friends' consent, as in our mutual vows

Lydia. Friends' consent, indeed!

[Peevishly.

Capt. bs. Come, come, we must lay aside some of our romance—a little wealth and comfort may be endured after all. And for your fortune, the lawyers shall make such settlements as

Lydia. Lawyers! I hate lawyers!

Capt. Abs. Nay, then, we will not wait for their lingering forms, but instantly procure the license, and

Lydia. The license!—I hate license!

Capt. Abs. Oh, my love! be not so unkind!—thus let me entreat

[Kneeling. Lydia. Pshaw!-what signifies kneeling, when you know I must have you?

Capt. Abs. [Rising.] Nay, madam, there shall be no constraint upon your inclinations, I promise you.-If I have lost your heart, I resign the rest.-'Gad, I must try what a little spirit will do.

[Aside.

Lydia. [Rising.] Then, sir, let me tell you, the interest you had there was acquired by a mean, unmanly, imposition, and deserves the punishment of fraud.What, you have been treating me like a child !— humouring my romance! and laughing, I suppose, at your success!

Capt. Abs. You wrong me, Lydia, you wrong meonly hear

Lydia. So, while I fondly imagined we were deceiving my. relations, and flattered myself that I should outwit and incense them all-behold my hopes are to be crushed at once, by my aunt's consent and approba