tears flow; my heart bleeds. Already had I apparently overcome my chagrin: already had I at least assumed that easy gaiety once so natural to me, when the sight of this child in an instant overpowered me. When the Countess called him Williain-Oh! she knew not that she plunged a poniard in my heart. I have a William too, who must be as tall as this, if he be still alive. Ah! yes if he be still alive. His little sister, too! Why, fancy, dost thou rack me thus? Why dost thou image my poor children, fainting in sickness, and crying to their mother? To the mother who has abandoned them? [Weeps.] What a wretched outcast am 1! And that just to-day I should be doomed to feel these horrible emotions! Just to-day, when disguise was so necessary.

Enter CHARLOTTE, R.

Char. [Entering.] Very pretty, very pretty, indeed! Better send me to the garret at once. Your servant, Mrs. Haller. I beg, inadam, I may have a room fit for a respectable person.

Mrs. H. The chamber into which you have been shown is, I think, a very neat one.

Char. A very neat one, is it? Up the back stairs, and over the laundry! I should never be able to close my eyes.

Mrs. H. [Very mildly] I slept there a whole year.

Char. Did you? Then I advise you to remove into it again, and the sooner the better. I'd have you to know, madan, there is a material difference between certain persons and certain persons. Much depends upon the manner in which one has been educated. I think, madam, it would only be proper if you resigned your room to me.

Mrs H. If the Countess desires it, certainly.

Char. The Countess! Very pretty, indeed! Would you have me think of plaguing her ladyship with such trifles? I shall order my trunk to be carried wherever I please.

Mrs. H. Certainly; only not into my chamber.

Char. Provoking creature! But how could I expect to find breeding among creatures born of one knows not whom, and coming one knows not whence?

Mrs. H. The remark is very just.

Enter PETER, in haste, L.

Pet. Oh lud! Oh lud! Oh lud! Oh lud?
Mrs. H. What's the matter?

His

Pet. The young Count has fallen into the river!

ittle Excellency is drowned

Mrs. H. Who? What?

Pet. His honour, my young master!

Mrs. H. Drowned ?

Pet. Yes.

Mrs. H. Dead?

Pet. No; he's not dead.

Mrs. H. Well, well, then softly;-you will alarm the Countess.

Bar. What is the matter? Why all this noise?
Pet. Noise? Why-

Mrs. H. Be not alarmed, my lord. Whatever may have happened, the dear child is now at least safe. . You said so, I think, master Peter ?

Pet. Why, to be sure, his little Excellency is not hurt but he's very wet though: and the Count is taking him by the garden door to the house.

Bar. Right, that the Countess may not be alarmed. But how could it happen? Pray tell us, young man ? Pet. What, from beginning to end?

[Crossing to the Baron.

Mrs. H. Never mind particulars.

dear child?

Pet. True.

Mrs. H. Into the park?

Pet. True.

You attended the

Mrs. H. And then you went to the river?

Pet. True.-Why, rabbit it, I believe you're a witch. Mrs. H. Well, and what happened further?

Pet. Why, you see, his dear little Excellency would see the bridge that father built out of the old summer house; and the streamers, and the boat, and all that. I only turned my head round for a moment, to look after a magpie Crush! Down went the bridge with his little Excellency; and oh, how I was scared to see him carried down the river!

Bur. And you drew him out again directly?

Pet. No, I didn't.

Mrs. H. No; your father did?

Pet. No, he didn't.

Mrs. H. Why, you did not leave him in the water?

Pet. Yes, we did!-But we bawled as lond as we could! You might have heard us down to the village.

Mrs. H. Ay-and so the people came immediately to his assistance?

Pet. No, they did'nt : but the Stranger came, that lives yonder, close to old Toby, and never speaks a syllable. Odsbodikins! What a devil of a fellow it is! With a single spring bounce he slaps into the torrent; sails and dives about and about like a duck; gets me hold of the little angel's hair, and, Heaven bless him! pulls him safe and sound to dry land again,-Ha! ha! ha!

"Bar. Is the Stranger with them?

Pet. Oh, lud! no. He ran away. His Excellency wanted to thank him, and all that; but he was off; vanquished-like a ghost. [Crosses to R.

Enter SOLOMON, L.

Sol. Oh! thou careless varlet! I disown you! What an accident might have happened! And how you have terrified his Excellency! [Crosses to Mrs. Haller.] But I beg pardon, [Bows.] His Right Honourable Excellency, the Count, requests your

Bar. We come. [Crosses, and exit with Mrs. Haller, L, Char. [Advances, R.] Ha! ha! ha! Why, Mr. Solomon, you seem to have a hopeful pupil.

Sol. Ah! sirrah!

Char. But Mr. Solomon, why were you not nimble enough to have saved his young lordship?

Sol. Not in time, my sweet Miss. Besides, mercy on us! I should have sunk like a lump of lead and I happened to have a letter of consequence in my pocket, which would have been made totally illegible, a letter from Constantinople, written by Chevalier-What's his name? [Draws a Letter from his pocket, and, putting it up again directly, drops it. Peter takes it up slily and unobserved.] It contains momentous matter, I assure you. The world will be astonished when it comes to light; and not a soul will suppose that old Solomon had a finger in the pye. Char. No, that I believe.

Sol. But I must go and see to the cellar. Miss, your most obedient servant. O sirrah, O!

[Exit, L. Cha. [With pride.] Your servant, Mr. Solomon. Pet. Here's the letter from Co stantinople. I wonder

what it can be about. Now for it!

Char. Aye, let us have it.

[Opens it.

Pet. [Reads.] "If so be you say so, I'll never work for

you, never no more, Considering as how your Sunday waistcoat has been turned three times, it doesn't look amiss, and I've charged as little as any tailor of 'em all. I must pay for the buckram; but I say, I'll be damn'd if I do. So no more from your loving nephew,

You say

TIMOTHY TWIST."

From Constantinople! Why, cousin Tim writ it.
Char. Cousin Tim! Who is he?

Pet. Good lack! Don't you know cousin Tim? Why, he's one of the best tailors in all

Char. A tailor! No, sir, I do not know him. [Crosses, L.] My father was state coachman, and wore his Highness's livery. [Exit, L. Pet. [Mimicking.] "My father was state coachiman, and wore his Highness's livery."-Well, and cousin Tim could have made his Highness's livery, if you go to that. State coachman, indeed! [Exit, L.

END OF ACT II.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-The Skirts of the Park and Lodge, &c. as before. The STRANGER is discovered on a seat, reading.

Fra. Nor I. The heat does take away all appetite.

Fra. You have saved a fellow creature's life.

Stra. Peace!

Fra. Do you know who he was?

Stra. No.

Fra. The only son of Count Wintersen.

Stra. Immaterial.

Fra. A gentleman, by report, worthy and benevolent as yourself.

Stra. [Angry.] Silence! Dare you flatter me?

Fra. As I look to Heaven for mercy, I speak from my heart. When I observe how you are doing good around you, how you are making every individual's wants your own, and are yet yourself unhappy, alas! my heart bleeds

for you.

Stra. I thank you, Francis. [Crosses L.] I can only thank you. Yet share this consolation with me ;-my sufferings are unmerited. [Crosses, R. Fra. My poor master! Stra. Have you forgotten what the old man said this morning? "There is another and a better world!" Oh, 'tis true. Then let us hope with fervency, and yet endure with patience![Charlotte sings without.] What's here? Enter CHARLOTTE, [singing] from the Park Gate, L. U. E.

Char. I presume, sir, you are the strange gentleman that drew my young master out of the water?-[The Stranger reads.] Or [To Francis.] are you he? [Francis makes a wry face.] Are the creatures both dumb? [Looks at them by turns.] Surely, old Solomon has fixed two statues here, by way of ornament; for of any use there is no sign. [Approaches Francis.] No, this is alive, and breathes; yes, and moves its eyes. [Bawls in his ear.] Good friend!

Char. No, nor dumb, I perceive at last.—Is yon lifeless thing your master?

Fra. That honest, silent gentleman, is my master. Char. The same that drew the young Count out of the water?

Fra. The same.

Char. [To the Stranger.] Sir, my master and mistress, the Count and Countess, present their respectful compliments, and request the honour of your company at a family supper this evening.

Stra. I shall not come.

Char. But you'll scarce send such an uncivil answer as this. The Count is overpowered with gratitude. You saved his son's life.

Stra. I did it willingly.