Enter MRS. RIGID.

Mrs. Rigid. Cousin, a word-(Takes Veritas aside.) Mandeville is returned from India: he and Howard are now in search of Albina; and if an interview takes place, we are undone. Go; and if you find Mandeville, give notice to Realize, and he'll arrest him instantly. Veritas. Arrest him?

What does the man

Mrs. Rigid. To be sure. stare at? Have you any objection?

Veritas. Why, I think,

-

comes a long journeyMrs. Rigid. Well, Sir?

when a gentleman

Veritas. That a spunging-house is a bad sort of inn to put up at !

Mrs. Rigid. How! are you only half a sinner? -Do you repent our bargain?-Mighty well, Sir! mighty well! A fine girl and five thousand a-year isn't likely long to want a husbandOthers may be found, Sir

Veritas. Granted.-Others may be found; and five thousand a-year is not to be despised. Besides, I shall make amends by making her a good husband. So I'll swallow my scruples, and go directly.-Cousin, your servant!— Miss Albina,

adieu!

[Exit.

Mrs. Rigid. Albina, I beg you will instantly accompany me to the Castle; and, for reasons which I will hereafter explain to you, I must request you to live in private-neither to pay nor receive visits.

Albina. Lord! I know your reasons well enough; you want me not to see Mr. HowardWell! I do love him, that's the truth on't: but if he don't love me, what can I do, you know? --

No! I had rather not see him-'twill remind me of past happiness; and if he be shut out from me, the more private I live the better.—Come, I'll think of him no more.

Mrs. Rigid. Spoke like a girl of proper pride and exalted spirit! Now all's safe! (As they are going, Howard enters.)

Howard. So! I've found you at last, Albina! I called at the Castle, and the servants told me they had orders from Doctor Busby not to admit me I beg pardon, Mrs. Rigid-I didn't allude to you -I didn't mean to call you Doctor Busby.

Mrs. Rigid. None of your insolence, Sir!Albina is no more willing to be troubled with your company than I am.

Howard. Isn't she?

Mrs. Rigid. No:-you may hear your dismissal from her own mouth,-Speak, child; repeat to him what you imparted to me this moment. Albina. I can't. Do you speak for me!

Mrs. Rigid. Repeat it, I tell you; show him you don't care for him: say you are all gaiety and cheerfulnes-Say so, I insist.

Albina. Sir! Sir! I am all gaiety and cheerfulness! I'm so happy that-Oh! Oh! Oh! (Bursts into tears.) I shall break my heart-that's what I shall!

Howard. So! This is a new mode of being cheerful!

Mrs. Rigid. Ideot! baby! call forth your pride: remember your rank-your fortune!

Albina. Fortune! What's the use of it, while another is heiress to his affections? If the gamekeeper's daughter will give me his heart, I'm sure I'll give her my estate. Oh! Mr. Howard! (Going up to him.)

Mrs. Rigid. (Laying hold of her.) This is'nt to be borne! Come with me this moment!-Stand out of the way, Sir! Come, I command you.

Howard. Hold! (Detaining Albina.) It isn't on my own account I thus rudely detain you: 'tis on your father's.

Albina. My father's!

Howard. He is arrived from India, unfor tunate man! — is now in the neighbourhood. Albina. Is he? We'll go to him directly. Come, governess.

Mrs. Rigid. Go to him! Are you mad? Why he'll ask you to pay all his debts.

Albina. No, he wont't: for I'll offer it long before he can ask me.-Come.

Mrs. Rigid. Have a care: don't go near him: I know him to be so unprincipled, and so desperate, that if you refuse to give him up your fortune, I shouldn't be surprised if he threatened nay, actually took away your life.

Albina. Took away my life!-Well! he gave it me, you know, governess; and as to the fortune, that certainly ought to have been his. However, as I never did, nor ever will disobey you, I'll tell you how we'll accommodate matters: Mr. Howard will be kind enough to say that you won't allow me to see him; but that, as to money-Lord! he may have what he likes. Mrs. Rigid. What he likes?

Albina. Ay: bid him draw for a good round sum at once-fifty thousand to begin with; and if that won't do

Howard. Oh! fifty thousand will do very well for a beginning: won't it, Doctor?

Mrs. Rigid. Hear me, Albina. Would you undo yourself, and abandon me? I, who have

nursed you, reared you, doted on you? I, who have been a mother when he proved no father?Go, ungrateful girl! give all to him who forsook you, and leave her who cherished you to starve, and die in a prison.

Albina. Die in a prison!-Leave my kind, good governess to die in a prison?-Oh, Lord! I can't bear the thought of it! (Mrs. Rigid weeps.) Nay: don't cry so-speak to me -pray speakDear! What was it she said, Mr. Howard?

Howard. She said you'd better give me the fifty thousand directly.

Mrs. Rigid. Millions cannot save a man so extravagant as Mr. Mandeville-This was your grandfather's opinion; and he left you the estate solely to prevent his wasting it--And now would you fly in the face of your benefactor?-And for what?-Only because a faithless lover takes the part of a selfish parent, who, till you became affluent, never thought or inquired after you. Albina. That's very true

Howard. It's not! It's false!

Albina. I know better, Sir!-But for this good woman, I might have starved, and I'm bound to fulfill the intentions of my dear grandfather; and therefore Don't take on so, my dear governess, and I'll follow your advice in every thing.

Don't keep twitching me, Mr. Howard!I shall do whatever she orders me..

Howard. You will, will you?

Albina. Yes: I act differently from you, SirI always obey my tutor, and I won't

Howard. And you won't skip a task, or go out of bounds, for fear of being whipped! hah!-Oh! the good child! Oh the pretty Miss Albina! She shall have cakes and toys, and

Look'ye

-give over this childish nonsense, and go with me to the gamekeeper's cottage

Albina. The gamekeeper's cottage?

Howard. (Taking hold of her hand.) There your father is concealed-I left him under the care of Copsley's daughter-one of the kindest, best-disposed

Albina. (Taking away her hand.) Go, Sir!-I'm satisfied, and I hate you-that's what I do-I hate you more than ever I loved you.—Come, governess.

Howard. Why, Albina? - Why?

Sir;

---

Albina. I have as much pride as yourself, and since you treat me with indifference, I shall treat you with scorn-with scorn, Sir! Come, Madam.

Howard. 'Sdeath!-What have I said?

Mrs. Rigid. Quite enough, Sir! Go to your darling rustic-go to your dear Mr. Mandeville; and, by way of consolation, tell him that if ever you possess an estate

Howard. If ever I do, Madam, he shall have it all. And I'll give it him, not so much from motives of benevolence, as of prudence; since I perceive that money can transform the most liberal to the most selfish; and she who, without a fortune, was all innocence, tenderness, and affection, is, in affluence, suspicious, credulous, and unfeeling-Farewell!- Mandeville has a child still; for while you are a slave to your governess, I'll be a son to your father;

Mrs. Rigid. This is your resolution, is it? Howard. It is, most potent, grave, and reverend Doctor!

[Exit. Mrs. Rigid. Now, Albina, look at the advantages of a good education How contemptible was Howard's conduct! How noble yours!-Con