rant, as sure as the day came, the poor gentlewoman actually died with the conceit.- Come, Dossy, your mama and I are going to take a walk. lady, will you have hold of my arm ? -My 353 L. Syc. No, Sir Harry, I choose to go by myself. Mer. Now, love, assist me-[Turning to the gipsies.] Follow and take all your cues from me- -Nay, but good lady and gentleman, you won't go without remembering the poor gipsies. S. Har. Hey! here is all the gang after us. 360 L. Syc. Come back into the garden; we shall be covered with vermin. Gip. Out of the bowels of your commiseration. L. Syc. They press upon us more and more; yet that girl has no mind to leave them: I shall swoon away. S. Har. Don't be frighten'd, my lady; let me ad vance. AIR. You vile pack of vagabonds, what do you mean? Ye tatter-demallions If one of you come within reach of my cane. Such cursed assurance, 'Tis past all endurance. Nay, nay, pray come away. 370 They're lyars and thieves, And he that believes Their foolish predictions, Will find them but fictions, A bubble that always deceives. 380 SCENE VIII. MERVIN, THEODOSIA, FANNY, GIPSIES. Fan. Oh! mercy, dear-The gentleman is so bold, 'tis well if he does not bring us into trouble. Who knows but this may be a justice of peace! and see, he's following them into the garden! 1st Gip. Well, 'tis all your seeking, Fan. Fan. We shall have warrants to take us up, I'll be hang'd else. We had better run away, the servants will come out with sticks to lick us. Mer. Cursed ill fortune-[Here Mervin returns with gipsies. She's gone, and, perhaps, I shall not have another opportunity-And you, ye blundering blockhead, I won't give you a halfpenny-Why did you not clap too the garden door, when I called to you, before the young lady got in? The key was on the outside, which would have given me some time for an explanation. 396 ed Gip. An please your honour I was dubus. Mer. Dubus! plague choak ye-However, it is some satisfaction that I have been able to let her see me, and know where I am [Turning to the gipsies, who go off]-Go, get you gone, all of you, about your business. 402 The. Disappeared, fled! [Theodosia appears in the pavilion.-Oh, how unlucky this is !-Could he not have patience to wait a moment? Mer. I know not what to resolve on. The. Hem! Mer. I'll go back to the garden-door. Mer. What do I see !-'Tis she, 'tis she herself!Oh, Theodosia ! -Shall I climb the wall and come up to you? 412 The. No; speak softly: Sir Harry and my Lady sit below at the end of the walk-How much am I obliged to you for taking this trouble. Mer. When their happiness is at stake, what is it men will not attempt?-Say but you love me. The. What proof would you have me give you ?--I know but of one: if you please I am willing to go off with you. Mer. Are you !-Would to Heaven I had brought a carriage! 420 The. How did you come ?-Have you not horses? Mer. No; there's another misfortune. To avoid suspicion, there being but one little public-house in the village, I dispatched my servant`with them, about an hour ago, to wait for me at a town twelve miles distant, whither I pretended to go; but alighting a mile off, I equipt myself, and came back as you see: neither can we, nearer than this town, get a postchaise. 331 The. You say you have made a confidant of the miller's son :-return to your place of rendezvous:my father has been asked this moment, by Lord Aimworth, who is in the garden, to take a walk with him down to the mill: they will go before dinner; and it shall be hard if I cannot contrive to be one of the company. Mer. And what then 439 The. Why, in the mean time, you may devise some method to carry me from hence: and I'll take care you shall have an opportunity of communicating it to In pledge of promis'd truth, that's all. No matter what Love grant us grace; The mill's the place: She calls again, I must away. SCENE IX. MERVIN, FANNY. Fan. Please your honour, you were so kind as to say you would remember my fellow-travellers for their trouble : and they think I have gotten the money. 461 Mer. Oh, here; give them this-[Gives her money.] And for you, my dear little pilot, you have brought me so cleverly through my business, that I mustFan. Oh, Lord!-your honour-[Mervin kisses her.] Pray don't-kiss me again. Mer. Again, and again.—There's a thought come into my head.-Theodosia will certainly have no objection to putting on the dress of a sister of mine. -So, and so only we may escape to-night.-This girl, for a little money, will provide us with necessaries. 472 Fan. Dear gracious! I warrant you, now, I am as red as my petticoat: why would you royster and touzle one so ?—If Ralph was to see you, he'd be as jealous as the vengeance. Mer. Hang Ralph! Never mind him.-There's a guinea for thee. Fan. What, a golden guinea? 479 Mer. Yes; and if thou art a good girl, and do as I desire thee, thou shalt have twenty. Fan. Ay, but not all gold. Mer. As good as that is. |