strings! what shall I do? Come, no matter, a couple of pins will serve —And now the cap—oh, mercy! here's a hole in the crown of it large enough to thrust my head through. Mer. That you'll hide with your straw-hat; or, if you should not-What, not ready yet? 35° The. Only one minute more-Yes, now the work's accomplish'd. AIR. Who'll buy good luck, who'll buy, who'll buy The gipsey's favours ? Here am I! Through the village, through the town, Young and old, and grave, and gay, 360 SCENE VII. MERVIN, THEODOSIA, FAIRFIELD, GILES. Mer. Plague, here's somebody coming. Fai. As to the past, farmer, 'tis past; I bear no malice for any thing thou hast said. I Giles. Why, Master Fairfield, you do know I had a great regard for Miss Patty; but when I came to consider all in all, I finds as how it is not adviseable to change my condition yet awhile. ვნი Fai. Friend Giles, thou art in the right; marriage is a serious point, and can't be considered too warily. -Ha, who have we here!-Shall I never keep my house clear of these vermin ?-Look to the goods there, and give me a horse-whip-by the Lord Harry, I'll make an example-Come here, Lady Lightfingers, let me see what thou hast stolen. Mer. Hold, miller, hold! Fai. O gracious goodness! sure I know this faceMiss young Madam Sycamore-Mercy heart, here's a disguise! The. Discover'd! Mer. Miller, let me speak to you. The. What ill fortune is this! 380 Giles. Ill fortune- -Miss! I think there be nothing but crosses and misfortuness of one kind or other. Fai. Money to me, sir! not for the world; you want no friends but what you have already-Lack-aday, lack-a-day-see how luckily I came in: I believe you are the gentleman to whom I am charged to give this, on the part of my lord Aimworth-Bless, you, dear sir, go up to his honour, with my young lady-There is a chaise waiting at the door to carry you- -I and my daughter will take another way. SCENE VIII. MERVIN, THEODOSIA, GILES. Mer. Pr'ythee read this letter," and tell me what think of it." you The. Heavens, 'tis a letter from lord Aimworth !— We are betrayed. Mer. By what means I know not. 399 The. I am so frighted and flurried, that I have scarce strength enough to read it. "SIR, "It is with the greatest concern I find, that I "have been unhappily the occasion of giving some ❝ uneasiness to you and Miss Sycamore: be assured, "had I been apprized of your prior pretensions, and "the young lady's disposition in your favour, I "should have been the last person to interrupt your "felicity. I beg, sir, you will do me the favour to "come up to my house, where I have already so far "settled matters, as to be able to assure you, that every thing will go entirely to your satisfaction." Mer. Well! what do you think of it!-Shall we go to the castle ? "Well! "The. Well! "Mer. What do you think of it? "The. Nay, what do you think of it? "Mer. Egad, I can't very well tell—However, << on the whole, I believe it would be wrong of us to proceed any further in our design of running away, " even if the thing was practicable. 422 "The. I am entirely of your opinion. I swear this "lord Aimworth is a charming man: I fancy 'tis "lucky for you I had not been long enough acquaint"ed with him to find out all his good qualities."But how the deuce came he to hear "Mer. No matter; after this, there can be nothing "to apprehend.— -What do you say, shall we go 430 up to the castle ?" The. By all means! and in this very trim; to show what we were capable of doing, if my father and mother had not come to reason. “ But, perhaps, "the difficulties being removed, may lessen your pen❝chant: you men are such unaccountable mortals.— "Do you love me well enough to marry me, without "making a frolic of it? "Mer. Do I love you !-- AIR. "Who upon the oozy beech, "Can count the num❜rous sands that lie ; "Or distinctly reckon each "Transparent orb that studs the sky? 440 "As their multitude betray, "And frustrate all attempts to tell: "So 'tis impossible to say "How much I love, I love so well." But hark you, Mervin, will you take after my father, and be a very husband now ?—Or don't you think I shall take after my mother, and be a commanding wife! Mer. Oh, I'll trust you. The. But you may pay for your confidence. 552 SCENE IX. [Exeunt. GILES. So, there goes a couple! Icod, I believe Old Nick has got among the people in these parts. This is as queer a thing as ever I heard of.-Master Fairfield, and Miss Patty, it seems, are gone to the castle too; where by what I larns from Ralph in the mill, my lord has promised to get her a husband among the servants. Now set in case the wind sets in that corner, I have been thinking with myself who the plague it can be there are no unmarried men in the family, that I do know of, excepting little Bob, the postillion, and master Jonathan, the butler; and he's a matter of sixty or seventy years old. I'll be shot if it be❜nt |