I

↑ Albina. (Smiling.) Oh! did you say this, Mr. Howard?

Howard. You have heard my determination. I will not be teased with interrogatories.

Albina. (Going up to him.) Nay: don't be so hasty, Mr. Howard. Consider, if Sir Solomon has deceived me-

. Howard. 'Tis now too late, Sir. Your visit; her partiality for her perfidious governess; and her neglect of a too-liberal parent, are all-all so disgraceful, that, if ever I love again,' depend on't Albina won't be the object.

Albina. (Sharply.) She won't!-Who will then, Sir?

› Howard. Who, Sir?

Albina. Ay: who, Sir?-Will this little, toarse, insensible peasant?

Howard. Insensible! Look him in the face, Cicely (taking her hand.): tell him you would die to serve your father; and ask him if Albina would shed a tear to save hers.

Albina. He presses her hand! -Let it go, Sir!— If you value your life, take away your hand, Sir! Howard. Why? She deserves it as much as your cousin!

Albina. I can't bear it! Take it away! Then say your prayers, for you hav'n't a moment to live.(Poking at him with her sword.)

Howard. Keep off, Sir-You see I've no arms. Albina. No arms! That's a poor evasion, coward!

Howard. Coward! Oh! that I could find a weapon! Is there no poker-no knife-no-Ha! what do I see?—A sword! Now, villain! --Cicely. Hear me, Sir Don't touch it, for Heaven's sake!

Albina. Hear her, Sir-Don't touch it, for Heaven's sake.

Howard. Thus I expose folly and deception! (Pulls out the sword that supports the curtain-it falls, and Sir Solomon is discovered sitting on one truss of straw, with others around him.)

Howard. Expose folly and deception, indeed! Albina. He's innocent! he's innocent!-Oh! Howard!

Howard. What! the old woman-hater turned poacher! Ha! ha! ha!-Why, uncle!

Albina. Why, man of straw! Ha! ha! ha!Look-how the old fox squats in the stubble ! Come! (Handing him out.) What have you to say? Sir Sol. Nothing. I'll go home, and read Paradise Lost!

Howard. And curse Cupid and Mark Antony. And now, Sir! (To Albina.) what have you to say?

Albina. That I sincerely ask your pardon: that I see you have been slandered-cruelly slandered!— and if Albina was before partial to you, she shall now esteem you more than ever. Will you forgive me, Sir? I'll tell her all that has passedevery thing. No: I won't tell her you called her Becky. You don't call her Becky now, do you? Mrs. Rigid. (Without.) Mr. Herbert! Mr. Herbert!

Albina. You hear I'm called, Sir-Do we part friends?

Howard. We do: I'm satisfied.

Albina. And I needn't mention Becky?
Howard. No! no!

Albina. Then, let my governess say what she will, Howard is the husband for Albina! (Aside.)Farewell, Sir! we shall meet again. - Cicely,

there's money for you. And, Sir Solomon-the next time a game-keeper catches one of your hares, don't snare one of his daughters, and make him starve for it into the bargain! And also, to cover your own poaching practices, don't slander an innocent gentleman. If you do, I'll chain you to your bed of straw, depend on't. Adieu! Mr. Howard!

"Lash'd to the helm, should seas o'erwhelm,

I'll think on thee, my Love!"

[Exit.

Sir Sol. Sir, you may smile, and chuckle, and triumph; but I'll be revenged on you and Mr. Mandeville vet. I know he is in that room.. I saw him sneak in there; and while Realize secures him, Veritas shall secure Albina. I'll overtake Mrs. Rigid- the match shall take place this very night; and then, Sir

Howard. Nay; why should you fret? Upon my soul, I think you're a very lucky fellow - If you had not been in the straw, somebody else might! You understand?

Sir Sol. I do and I've plague enough with nephews, without wishing for children to torment me. Let me go let me follow Mrs. Rigid (Cicely stops him.) Out of the way, jilt! sorceress ! jezabel! or to sum up all in one emphatic wordOut of the way, Woman!

[Exit.

Mand. (Peeping.) Is the coast clear? Howard opens the door, and enter MANDEVILLE. Howard. Well! have you heard what has passed?

Mand. I have. I perceive this is no longer a place of safety; and what's worse, that Albina's marriage is to take place this very night! Is there no way to break it off? Consider, for her

own sake, for yours, for mine, we should prevent it, if we can.

Howard. Prevent it! How?

Mand. Have you no influence over the tutor? Has he no sense of honor?

Howard. Why, if it be true, that "wine draws forth the natural disposition of the heart," Veritas has still some virtue; for over a bottle I've seen him display most excellent qualities. I'll go to him; I'll try to delay, if not break off, the marriage! In the mean time, you shall take refuge in the uninhabited part of the castle.

Mand. Why there?

Howard. Because it is supposed to be haunted; and Realize and his followers won't come there, for fear of eeing the devil before their time, you know. Come! While I go to the tutor, Cicely shall show you the place. Oh, you little gleaner! If I had known that straw contained such weighty heads of corn amongst it, how I would have thresh'd it! I'd have laid my flail about its ears till I had beat every grain of prejudice out of it, and made the old woman-hater acknowledge

That, let us rail at women, scorn, and flout them,
We may live with, but cannot live without them.

END OF THE THIRD ACT.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE-A modern Apartment in the Castle.

Enter HOWARD and VERITAS.

HOWARD.

WHAT! Veritas turned flincher! Come, one more bottle, my boy!

Veritas. I tell you, I've had enough. I'm going to be married; and would you have me get drunk before the ceremony's performed?

Howard. To be sure: would a man marry in his sober senses? Come, though we're rivals, don't let us be enemies; though you've cut me out with Albina, I bear you no ill will-Do let us part friends. Come, one more bottle.

Veritas. I would, but you know my failing, George: wine makes me so cruelly sentimental; it overflows my heart with sympathy, runs out of my eyes in streams of sensibility; and when I'm no longer myself, I'm so moral, and so honest.

Howard. So you are. When you're not yourself, you're a damn'd good sort of fellow!

Veritas. Granted: I'm never so upright in my conduct, as when I can't stand on my legs! Then wine always makes me speak truth; and if I don't take care, I shall tell you at this moment, that I am a scoundrel-that the governess is anotherand that Albina- Good night, George. After the wedding's over, I'll reform, and be a six-bottle man!-But now, spare and pity me.

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