Moo. 'Sdeath, she will discover herself yet in spite madam, and sleep if you can; for to-morrow, you know, I must visit you early with a canonical of me. gentleman. Good night, dear Harcourt-remember to send your brother. [Exit. Har. You may depend upon me. Madam, I hope you will not refuse my visit to-morrow, if it should be earlier, with a canonical gentleman, than Mr. Sparkish? Moo. This gentlewoman is yet under my care, therefore you must yet forbear your freedom with her. Har. Must, sir? Moo. Yes, sir, she is my sister. Har. 'Tis well she is, sir; for I must be her servant, sir.-Madam Moo. Come away, sister; we had been gone if it had not been for you, and so avoided these lewd rake-hells, who seem to haunt us. Har. I see a little time in the country makes a man turn wild and unsociable, and only fit to converse with his horses, dogs, and his herds. Moo. I have business, sir, and must mind it: your business is pleasure; therefore you and I must go different ways. Har. Well, you may go on; but this pretty young gentleman [Takes hold of PEGGY.] shall stay with us; for I suppose his business is the same with ours, pleasure. Moo. 'Sdeath, he knows her, she carries it so sillily; yet if he does not, I should be more silly to discover it first. [Aside.] Come, come. Har. Had you not rather stay with us? To PEGGY.] Pr'ythee who is this pretty young fellow ? [To MOODY. Moo. One to whom I am guardian.-I wish I could keep her out of your hands. Aside. Har. Who is he? I never saw any thing so pretty in all my life. Moo. Pshaw, do not look upon him so much; he's a poor, bashful youth; you'll put him out of counte[Offers to take her away. Har. Here, nephew, let me introduce this young gentleman to your acquaintance. You are very Like, and of the same age, and should know one another. Salute him, Dick, à la Françoise. nance. [BELVILLE kisses her. Moo. I hate French fashions. Men kiss one another! [Endeavours to take hold of her. Peg. I am out of my wits. [Aside.] What do you kiss me for? I am no woman. Har. But you are ten times handsomer. Peg. Nay, now you jeer one; and pray don't jeer me. Har. Kiss him again, Dick. Moo. No, no, no;-come away, come away. [To PEGGY. Har. Why, what haste you are in! Why won't you let me talk with him? Moo. Because you'll debauch him; he's yet young and innocent.-How she gazes upon him! The devil! [Aside.] Come, pray let him go; I cannot stay fooling any longer: I tell you my wife stays upper for us. Har. Does she? Come then, we'll all go sup with Bel. And mine too, sir. Har. Pray give her this kiss for me. (Ande [Kine PEGGY Moo. O heavens! What do I suffer? and exeunt. Moo. O the idiot!-Now 'tis out. Ten thousand cankers gnaw away their lips! [Ande.] Come, come, driveller. [MOODY, PEGGY and ALiThea gu out and return.] So, they are gone at last.-Sister, stay with Peggy, till I find my servant. Don't let her stir an inch: I'll be back directly. La Re-enter HARCOURT and BELVILLE. Har. What, not gone yet? Nephew, show the young gentlemen Rosamond's pond, while I speak another word to this lady. [Exeunt BELVILLE and PEGGY; ALITHEA and Ali. My brother will go distracted. Moo. Where? how ?-What's become of gune! -whither? Ali. In the next walk only, brother. Moo. Only-only-where-where? [Erit hastily. Har. What's the matter with him? Why so much concerned?-But, dearest madam Re-enter MOODY. Moo. Gone, gone-not to be found-quite gne ten thousand plagues go with 'em!-Which way went they? Ali. But in t'other walk, brother. Moo. T'other walk! t'other devil. Where are they, I say? Ali. You are too abusive, brother. Moo. You know where they are, you infamous wretch, eternal shame of your family; which you do not dishonour enough yourself, you think, but you must help her to do it too, thou legion of— Ali. Good brotherMoo. Damn'd, damn'd sister! SCENE II. Another part of the Park. Enter BELVILLE and PEGGY. Bel. No disguise could conceal you from my heart I pretended not to know you, that I might deceive the dragon that continually watches over you; but now he's asleep, let us fly from misery to happiness. Peg. Indeed, Mr. Belville, as well as I like you, I can't think of going away with you so; and as much as I hate my guardian, I must take leave of him a little handsomely, or he will kill me, so be will. Bel. But, dear miss Peggy, think of your sitetion; if we don't make the best use of this oppor tunity, we never may have another. Peg. Ay but, Mr. Belville, I am as good as married already; my guardian has contracted me, and there wants nothing but the church ceremony to make us one: I call him husband, and he calls married in church long ago, if the writings could wife already he made me do so. and we had been have been finished. Bel. That's his deceit, my sweet creature-Ha pretends to have married you, for fear of your like Peg. These are fine sayings, to be sure, Mr. Belville; but how shall we get my fortune out of bud's clutches? We must be a little cunning; 'tis worth trying for. We can at any time run away without it. Bel. I see by your fears, my dear Peggy, that you live in awe of this brutal guardian; and if he has you once more in his possession, both you and your fortune are secured to him for ever. Peg. Ay, but it shan't though; I thank him for that. Bel. If you marry without his consent, he can but seize upon half your fortune.-The other half, and a younger brother's fortune, with a treasure of love, are your own.-Take it, my sweetest Peggy, and this moment, or we shall be divided for ever. [Kneels, and presses her hand. Peg. I'fackins, but we won't.-Your fine talk has bewitched me. Bel. [Rising.] 'Tis you have bewitch'd me, thou dear, enchanting, sweet simplicity!-Let us fly with the wings of love to my house there, and we shall be safe for ever. Peg. And so we will then.-There, squeeze my hand again.-Now run away with me; and if my guardy follows us, the devil take the hindmost, I [Going. say. Enter MOODY hastily, and meets them. Moo. O! there's my stray'd sheep, and the wolf again in sheep's clothing!-Now I have recovered her, I shall come to my senses again. [Aside.] Where have you been, you puppy? Peg. Been, bud?-We have been hunting all over the Park to find you. Bel. From one end to t'other, sir. [Confusedly. Moo. But not where I was to be found, you young devil, you!-Why did you start when you saw me? Peg. I'm always frighten'd when I see you; and if I did not love you so well, I should run away from you, so I should.' [Pouts. Moo. But I'll take care you don't. Peg. This gentleman has a favour to beg of you, bud? [BELVILLE makes signs of dislike. Moo. I am not in a humour to grant favours to young gentlemen, though you may. What have you been doing with this young lady-gentleman, I would say? Peg. Fie, bud, you have told all. Bel. I have been as civil as I could to the young stranger; and if you'll permit me, I will take the trouble off your hands, and show the young spark Rosamond's pond; for he has not seen it yet.Come, pretty youth, will you go with me? [Goes to her. Peg. As my guardian pleases. Moo. No, no, it does not please me. Whatever I think he ought to see, I shall show him myself. You may visit Rosamond's pond, if you will; and the bottom of it, if you will.-And so, sir, your servant. [Erit MOODY, with PEGGY under his arm, and BELVILLE. ACT IV. SCENE I.-Moody's House. Enter Lucy and ALITHEA. Ali. Hold your peace. Lucy. Nay, madam, I will ask you the reason why you would banish poor Mr. Harcourt for ever from your sight? How could you be so hardhearted. Ali. 'Twas because I was not hard-hearted. Lucy. No, no; 'twas stark love and madness, I warrant. I Ali. It was so; I would see him no more, because love him. Lucy. Hey-day! a very pretty reason. Lucy. I wish you may yourself. Ali. I was engaged to marry, you see, another man, whom my justice will not suffer me to deceive or injure. Lucy. Can there be a greater cheat or wrong done to a man, than to give him your person without your heart? I should make a conscience of it. Ali. Hold your tongue. Lucy. That you know I can't do, madam; and upon this occasion, I will talk for ever. What, give yourself away to one, that poor I, your maid, would not accept of. Ali. How, Lucy? Lucy. I would not, upon my honour, madam. 'Tis never too late to repent. Take a man, and give up your coxcomb, I say. Enter a Servant. Serv. Mr. Sparkish, with company, madam, attends you below. Ali. will wait upon 'em. [Erit Servant.] My heart begins to fail me, but I must go through with it. Go with me, Lucy. Exit. Lucy. Not I indeed, madam.-If you will leap the precipice, you shall fall by yourself. What excellent advice have I thrown away!-So I'll e'en take it where it will be more welcome.-Miss Peggy is bent upon mischief against her guardian, and she can't have a better privy counsellor than myselfI must be busy one way or another. [Exit. SCENE II.-Another Chamber in Moody's House. Enter MOODY and PEGGY. Moo. I saw him kiss your hand before you saw me. This pretence of liking my sister was all a blind-the young abandon'd hypocrite! [Aside.] Tell me, I say-for I know he likes you, and was hurrying you to his house-tell me, I say Peg. Lord, han't I told it a hundred times over? Moo. I would try if, in the repetition of the ungrateful tale, I could find her altering it in the least circumstance; for if her story is false, she is so, too. -Aside.] Come, how was't, baggage? Peg. Lord what pleasure you take to hear it, sure. Moo. No, you take more in telling it, I find; but speak, how was't? No lies: I saw him kiss you; he kiss'd you before my face. Peg Nay, you need not be so angry with him neither; for, to say the truth, he has the sweetest breath I ever knew. Moo. The devil! You were satisfied with it then, and would do it again? Peg. Not unless he should force me. Moo. Force you, changeling? Peg. If I had struggled too much, you know, he would have known I had been a woman; so I was quiet, for fear of being found out. Moo. If you had been in petticoats, you would have knock'd him down. Peg. With what, bud? I could not help myself; besides, he did it so modestly, and blush'd so, that I almost thought him a girl in men's clothes, and upon his mummery too as well as me; and, if so, there was no harm done, you know. Moo. This is worse and worse. So, 'tis plain she loves him, yet she has not love enough to make her conceal it from me; but the sight of him will increase her aversion for me, and love for him; and that love instruct her how to deceive me, and satisfy him, all idiot as she is. Love; 'twas he gave wo men first their craft, their art of deluding. I must strangle that little monster whilst I can deal with him. [Aside.] Go; fetch pen, ink, and paper, out of the next room. Peg. Yes, I will, bud. Peg. I'm going. Moo. Why don't you go then? [Erit. Moo. This young fellow loves her, and she loves him; the rest is all hypocrisy. How the young modest villain endeavoured to deceive me! But I'll crush this mischief in the shell. Why should women have more invention in love than men? It can only be because they have more desire, more soliciting passions, more of the devil. Re-enter PEGGY, with pen, ink, and Come, minx, sit down and write. paper. Peg. Ay, dear, dear bud; but I can't do't very well. Moo. I wish you could not at all. Peg. But what should I write for? Moo. I'll have you write a letter to this young man. Peg. O lord! to the young gentleman a letter? Peg. Lord, you do but jeer; sure, you jest. Peg. What, do you think I am a fool? Moo. She's afraid I would not dictate my love to him, therefore she's unwilling. [Aside.] But you had best begin. Peg. Indeed, and indeed, but I won't, so I won't. Peg. Because he's in town. You may send for him here, if you will. Moo. Very well; you would have him brought to you? Is it come to this? I say, take the pen and ink, and write, or you'll provoke me. Peg. Lord! what do you make a fool of me for? Don't I know that letters are never writ but from the country to London, and from London into the country? Now he's in town, and I'm in town too; therefore I can't write to him, you know. Moo. So, I'm glad it's no worse; she is innocent [ACT IV enough yet. Aside.] Yes, you may, wien ya husband bids, write letters to people that are u town. Peg. O, may I so? Then I am satisfied. Peg. Sha'n't I say Dear sir? You know one w always something more than bare Sir up in a corac Moo. Write as I bid you, or I will write something with this penknife in your face. Peg. Sir [Write Moo. Though I suffered last night your nauw, ( loath'd kisses and embracesWrite! Peg. Nay, why should I say so? you know, I Peg. Let me put out loath'd. Moo. Let me see what you have writ. [he Though I suffered last night your kisses and emoran thou impudent creature, where is nauseous loath'd? Peg. I can't abide to write such filthy words. Moo. Once more write as I'd have you, or I will spoil your writing with this; I will stab out those eyes that cause my mischief. [Holds up the peninife. Peg. O Lord! I will. [Wries, Moo. So, so, let's see now: though I suffered lan night your nauseous, loath'd kisses and embracer-go on-yet I would not have you presume that you shai ever repeat them. So[PEGGY writes. Peg. I have writ it. Moo. O then-I then conceal'd myself from your knowledge, to avoid your insolencies- PEGGY ETUSE Peg. To avoid Moo. Your insolencies- Moo. The same reason, now I am out of your hands Peg. So[Writes 1 Moo. Makes me own to you my unfortunate, though innocent frolic, in being in boy's clothes. Moo. Evermore cease to pursue her, who hates and detests you[PEGGY ST Peg. So Moo. What do you sigh for? Detests you, as mach as she loves her husband and her honour. Sigh Peg. I vow, husband, he'll never believe I should write such a letter. Moo. What, he'd expect a kinder one from you? Come, now your name only. Peg. What, sha'n't I say-Your most faithful humble servant till death? Moo. No, tormenting fiend. PEGGY writes. Her style, I find, would be very soft. [Ande.] Comme, wrap it up now, whilst I go fetch wax and a cardie, and write on the outside-For Mr. Belville. En Peg. [Writes. For Mr. Belville. So; I am glad he is gone. Hark! I hear a noise. Moo. [Within.] Well, well; but can't you call again? Well, walk in then. Peg. I'fack, there's folks with him. come to him. Why should I send dear Mr. Belville such a letter! SCENE III. not to have your qualms. I have known several bold gentlemen not able to draw their swords, when a challenge has come too quick upon 'em. Bel. I assure you, Mrs. Lucy, that I am no bully in love; and Miss Peggy will meet with her match, come when she will. Lucy. Ay, so you all say; but talking does no business. Stay at home till you hear from us. Bel. Blessings on thee, Lucy, for the thought. Moo. [Without.] But I must and will see him, let him have what company he will. should write a letter, and wrap it up like this, and write upon it too? Ay; but then my guardian would see't. I don't know what to do. But yet y'vads I'll try, so I will; for I will not send this letter to poor Mr. Belville, come what will on't.-[Writes, and repeats what she writes.] Dear, dear, dear, sweet Mr. Belville-so-My guardian would have me send you a base, rude letter, but I won't-so-and would have me say I hate you; but I won't-there-for I'm sure, if you and I were in the country, at cards together— so I could not help treading on your toe under the table; so pray keep at home, for I shall be with you as soon as I can; so no more at present from one who am, dear, dear, poor dear Mr. Belville, your loving friend till death do us part, Margaret Thrift. So, now wrap it up just like t'other; so, now write-For Mr. Bel.devil can he want here? Get into this closet till he ville.-But, oh! what shall I do with it? for here is gone. [Puts LUCY into the closet.] Don't you stir, comes my guardian. [Puts it in her bosom. Lucy. I must put the best face upon the matter. Now for it. [Takes a book and reads. Re-enter MOODY, with a candle and sealing-wax. Moo. I have been detained by a sparkish coxcomb, who pretended to visit me; but I fear 'twas to my wife. Aside.] What, have you done? Peg. Ay, ay, bud, just now. opens Moo. Let's see't; what d'ye tremble for? him this. Moo. Come, where's the wax and seali [Snatches the letter from him, changes it for the Peg. So, ha'n't I done it curiously? I think I have: there's my letter going to Mr. Belville, since he'll needs have me send letters to folks. [Aside. Moo. "Tis very well; but I warrant you would not have it go now? Peg. Yes, indeed, but I would, bud, now. Moo. Well, you are a good girl then. Come, let me lock you up in your chamber till I come back; and be sure you come not within three strides of the window when I am gone, for I have a spy in the street. [Puts her into the chamber.] At least 'tis fit she think so: if we do not cheat women, they'll cheat us. Now I have secur'd all within, I'll deal with the foe without, with false intelligence. [Exit. SCENE III.-Belville's Lodgings. Enter Lucy and BELVILLE. Lucy. I run great risks, to be sure, to serve the young lady and you, sir; but I know you are a gentleman of honour, and would scorn to betray a friend who means you well, and is above being mercenary. Lucy. As I hope to be married, Mr. Belville, I hear Mr. Moody's voice. Where shall I hide myself? If he sees me, we are all undone. Bel. This is our cursed luck again. What the Enter MOODY. Moo. You will excuse me, sir, for breaking through forms, and your servant's entreaties, to have the honour-but you are alone, sir-your fellow told me below, that you were with company. Bel. Yes, sir, the best company. [Shews his book.] When I converse with my betters, I choose to have 'em alone. Moo. And I choose to interrupt your conversation: the business of my errand must plead my excuse. Bel. You shall be always welcome to me; but you seem ruffled, sir. What brings you hither, and so seemingly out of humour? Moo. Your impertinency; I beg pardon, your modesty I mean. Bel. My impertinency? Bel. Sir, from the peculiarity of your character, and your intimacy with my uncle, I shall allow you great privileges; but you must consider, youth has its privileges too; and, as I have not the honour of your acquaintance, I am not obliged to bear with your ill humours, or your ill manners. Moo. They who wrong me, young man, must bear with both; and if you had not made too free with me, I should have taken no liberties with you. Bel. could have wished, sir, to have found you a little more civil, the first time I have the honour of a visit from you. Moo. If that is all you want, young gentleman, Bel. What is it? Moo. Even from my wife, sir. think her so. [Aside. Bel. As you are not mercenary, Mrs. Lucy, Idrous kind and civil to you now too? But you'll not ought to be the more generous; give me leave to present you with this trifle; [gives her a ring] not as a reward for your services, but as a small token of friendship. Lucy. Though I scorn to be bribed in any cause, yet I am proud to accept it as a mark of your regard, and as such shall keep it for your sake; and now to business. Bel. But has the dear creature resolved? Lucy. Has she! why, she will run away and marry you, in spite of your teeth, the first moment you can break prison: so you, in your turn, must take care Bel. Ha! is this a trick of his or her's! Moo. The gentleman's surpris'd, I find. you expected a kinder letter? Aside. What, Bel. No, faith, not I. How could I? Moo. Yes, yes, I'm sure you did; a man so young and well made as you are, must needs be disappointed, if the women declare not their passion at the first sight or opportunity. Bel. But what should this mean? It seems he | Asido. knows not what the letter contains. Moo. Come, ne'er wonder at it so much. |