SCENE II. Colonel OLDBOY, HARMAN. Col, Hey-day! what's the meaning of this? Who is it went out of the room, there? Have you and my daughter been in conference, Mr. Harman? Har. Yes, faith, Sir, she has been taking me to task here very severely, with regard to this affair ; and she has said so much against it, and put it into such a strange light 62 Col. A busy, impertinent baggage; egad I wish I had catched her meddling, and after I ordered her not but you have sent to the girl, and you say she is ready to go with you; you must not disappoint her now. Har. No, no, Colonel; I always have politeness enough to hear a lady's reasons; but constancy enough to keep a will of my own. 69 Col. Very well-now let me ask you,-don't you think it would be proper, upon this occasion, to have a letter ready writ for the father, to let him know who has got his daughter, and so forth? Har. Certainly, Sir; and I'll write it directly. Col. You write it! you be damn'd! I won't trust you with it; I tell you, Harman, you'll commit some cursed blunder, if you don't leave the management of this whole affair to me: I have writ the letter for you myself. Har. Have you, Sir? 80 Col. Ay-here, read it; I think it's the thing: however, you are welcome to make any alteration. Har. "Sir, I have loved your daughter a great while, secretly; she assures me there is no hope of your consenting to our marriage; I therefore take her without it. I am a gentleman who will use her well: and, when you consider the matter, I dare swear you will be willing to give her a fortune. If not, you shall find I dare behave myself like a manA word to the wise-You must expect to hear from me in another stile." 91 Col. Now, Sir, I will tell you what you must do with this letter: as soon as you have got off with the girl, Sir, send your servant back to leave it at the house, with orders to have it delivered to the old gentleman. Har. Upon my honour, I will, Colonel. Col. But, upon my honour, I don't believe you'll get the girl: come, Harman, I'll bet you a buck, and six dozen of Burgundy, that you won't have spirit enough to bring this affair to a crisis. Har. And, I say done first, Colonel. 101 Col. Then look into the court there, Sir; a chaise with four of the prettiest bay geldings in England, with two boys in scarlet and silver jackets, that will whisk you along. Har. Boys! Colonel? Little cupids, to transport me to the summit of my desires. 108 Col. Ay, but for all that, it mayn't be amiss for me to talk to them a little out of the window for you. Dick, come hither; you are to go with this gentleman, and do whatever he bids you; and take into the chaise whoever he pleases; and, drive like devils, do you hear; but be kind to the dumb beasts. Har. Leave that to me, Sir-And so, my dear Colonel AIR. To fear a stranger, Behold the soldier arm; He knows no danger, When honour sounds the alarm; 120 Out dauntless goes, Among his foes. In Cupid's militia, And, as you see, Arm'd cap-a-pie, Resolve on death or victory. 127 SCENE 111. Colonel OLDBOY, Lady MARY, and then JENNY. Lady M. Mr Oldboy, here is a note from Sir John Flowerdale, it is addressed to me, intreating my son to come over there again this morning. A maid brought it: she is in the anti-chamber-We had better speak to her-Child, child, why don't you come in? Jen. I chuse to stay where I am, if your ladyship pleases. Lady M. Stay where you are! why so? Jen. I am afraid of the old gentleman there. Lady M. Pray, Colonel, have patience-AfraidHere is something at the bottom of this-What did you mean by that expression, child? 141 Jen. Why, the Colonel knows very well, Madam, he wanted to be rude with me yesterday. Lady M. Oh Mr. Oldboy! Col. Lady Mary, don't provoke me, but let me talk to the girl about her business. How came you to bring this note here? Jen. Why, Sir John gave it to me, to deliver to my uncle Jenkins, and I took it down to his house; but while we were talking together, he remembered that he had some business with Sir John, so he desired me to bring it, because he said it was not proper to be sent by any of the common servants. 153 Lady M. Colonel, look in my face, and help blushing if you can. Col. What the plague's the matter, my Lady! I have not been wronging you, now, as you call it. Jen. Indeed, Madam, he offer'd to make me his kept Madam: I am sure his usage of me put me into such a twitter, that I did not know what I was doing all the day after. 161 Lady M. I don't doubt it, though I so lately forgave him: but, as the poet says, his sex is all deceit. Read Pamela, child, and resist temptation. Jen. Yes, Madam, I will. Col. Why, I tell you, my Lady, it was all a joke. Jen. No, Sir, it was no joke, you made me a prof. fer of money, so you did, whereby I told you, you had a lady of your own, and that though she was old, you had no right to despise her. 170 Lady M. And how dare you, mistress, make use of my name? Is it for such trollops as you to talk of persons of distinction behind their backs? Jen. Why, Madam, I only said you was in years. Lady M. Sir John Flowerdale shall be inform'd of your impertinence, and you shall be turned out of the family; I see you are a confident creature, and I believe you are no better than you should be. Jen. I scorn your words, Madam. Lady M. Get out of the room; how dare you stay in this room to talk impudently to me? 181 Jen. Very well, Madam, I shall let my Lady know how you have us'd me? but, I shan't be turn'd out of my place, Madam, nor at a loss, if I am; and if you are angry with every one that won't say you are young, I believe, there is very few you will keep friends with. |