6 He knows no danger, 6 When honour sounds the alarm; But dauntless goes, And, as you see, Exit. Enter Lady Mary, and then JENNY. Lady M. Mr. Oldboy, here is a note from Sir John Flowerdale; it is addressed to me, entreating 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 choose to stay where I am, if your Lady ship pleases. Laily M. Stay where you are !-why so ? Lady M. Pray, Colonel, have patience-Afraid ?Here is something at the bottom of this.—What did you mean by that expression, child ? Jen. Why, the Colonel knows very well, madam, he said to 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 it 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 con mon servants. Lady M. Oh, Colonel Oldboy! Col. What's the matter, my lady! I have not been wronging you now. Jen. Indeed, madam, he offered to make me his kept- . Col. Why, I tell you, my lady, it was all a joke. Jen. No, Sir, it was no joke; you made me a proffer 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. 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 informed 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? Jen. Very well, madam, I shall let my lady know how you have used 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 are very few you will keep friends with. . AIR. • I wonder, I'm sure, why this fuss should be made ; ( For my part I'm neither asham'd nor afraid ' Of what I have done, nor of what I have said. • A servant, I hope, is no slave; 6 And, tho', to their shumes, Some ladies call names, 5 Times are not so bad, Enter JESSAMY... Lady M. I will have a separate maintenance-I will, indeed.—Only a new instance of your father's infidelity: my dear. Then with such low wretches ! Jes. Upon my word, Sir, I am sorry to tell you, that those practices very ill suit the character which you ought to endeavour to support in the world. Lady M. Is this a recompence for my love and regard? Jes. A man of your birth and distinction, should me. thinks have views of a higher nature, than such low, such vulgar libertinism. Lady M. Consider my birth and family, too-Lady Mary Jessamy might have had the best matches in England. Jes. Then, Sir, your grey hairs- Lady M. 1, that have set such an example of conjugal fidelity! Jes. Indeed, Sir, I blush for you. Col. Why, you little effeminate puppy, do you know Enter a SERPANT. Serv. A letter, Sir. Sero. The gentleman's servant, an't please your ho. nour, that left this just now in the post-chaise the gentleman my young lady went away with. Col. Your young lady, sirrah! Your young lady went away with no gentleman, you dog-What gentleman! What young lady, sirrah! Jes. There is some mystery in this.With your leave, Sir, I'll open the letter-I believe it contains no secrets. Col. What are you going to do, you jackanapes ? you shan't open a letter of mine-Dy~Diana- Somebody call my daughter to me there— To John Oldboy, Esq.-Sir, I have loved your daughter a great while secretly....Consenting to our marriage Jes. So so. Col. You pert puppy, you villain, what is it you have brought me here? Sero. Please your honour, if you'll have patience, I'll tell your honour-As I told your honour before, the gentleman's servant that went off just now in the post-chaise, came to the gate, and left it after his master was gone. I saw my young lady go into the chaise with the gentleman. Jes. A very fine joke, indeed-Pray,–Colonel, do you generally write letters to yourself? Why, this is your own hand. Col. Call all the servants in the house let horses be saddled directly-every one take a different road. Serd. Why, your honour, Dick said it was by your own orders. Col. My orders ! you rascal? I thought he was going to run away with another gentleman's daughter-DyDiana Oldboy. Jes. Don't waste your lungs to no purpose, Sir; your daughter is half a dozen miles off by this time. Col. Sirrah, you have been bribed to further the scheme of a pick-pocket here. Jes. Besides, the matter is entirely of your own con. triving, as well as the letter and spirit of this elegant epistle. Col. You are a coxcomb, and I'll disinherit you. Diana, Margaret, my Lady Mary, William, John [Exit. Jes. I am very glad of this prodigiously glad of it, -he! he! he! it will be a jest this hundred years.-• But, what shall I do with myself ?-I can't think of staying here any longer----Fie upon the country-I 6 wish I had never returned to it, with their vulgar trade and liberty- What's the matter now?'-(bells ring violently on both sides.)-0! her ladyship has heard of it, and is at her bell ; and the Colonel answers her. A pretty duet! but a little too much upon the forte, methinks. It would be a diverting thing now, to stand unseen at the old gentleman's elbow. Hist, soft; let's hear how matters go ; But hark, the uproar hither sounds ; Colonel OLDBOY re-enters, with one boot, a great-coat on his arm, &c. followed by several Servants. Col. She's gone, she's off, she's flown; fairly stole away, with that poaching rascal! However, I won't follow her; no, let her go! take my whip and my cap, and my coat, and order my groom to unsaddle the horses; I won't follow her the length of a spur-leather. Come here, you Sir, and pull off my boots-[whistles.] she has made a fool of me once, she shan't do it a second time-not but I'll be revenged, too, for I'll never give her six-pence; the disappointment will put the scoundrel out of temper, and he'll thrash her a dozen times a-day -The thought pleases me; I hope he'll do it. Who 6 would ever have dependance on any thing female? She, that seem'd so well contented in my house, and in the very moment when I was best contented with her, and contriving to make her fortune-But why |