: may go to Arch. Convey him into the cellar: there bind him take the pistol, and, if he offers to resist, shoot him through the head-and come back to us with all the speed you can. Scrub. Ay, ay; come, doctor, do you hold him fast, and I'll guard him. [Exeunt. Mrs Sul. But how came the doctor? Arch. In short, madam-[Shrieking without.] Sdeath! the rogues are at work with the other ladies; I'm vexed I parted with the pistol; but I must fly to their assistance-Will you stay here, madam, or venture yourself with me? Mrs Sul. Oh, dear sir, with you. [Takes him by the arm, and excunt. SCENE III.—Changes to another apartment in the house. Enter ARCHER and MRS SULLEN. Arch. Hold, hold, my lord! every man his bird, pray. [They engage man to man; the rogues are thrown down, and disarmed.] Shall we kill the rogues? ter. Aim. No, no, we'll bind them. Aim. And pray, carry these gentlemen to reap the benefit of the controversy. [Delivers the prisoners to SCRUB, who leads them out. Mrs Sul. Pray, sister, how came my lord here? Dor. And, pray, how came that gentleman here? Mrs Sul. I'll tell you the greatest piece of villainy. [They talk apart. Aim. I fancy, Archer, you have been more successful in your adventures than the housebreakers. Arch. No matter for my adventure, yours is the principal-Press her this minute to marry you-now while she's hurried between the palpitation of her fear, and the joy of her deliverance; now while the tide of her spirits is at high floodthrow yourself at her feet, speak some romantic nonsense or other-confound her senses, bear down her reason, and away with her-The priest is now in the cellar, and dares not refuse to do the work. Aim. But how shall I get off without being observed? Arch. You a lover, and not find a way to get off! Let me see. Aim. You bleed, Archer. Arch. 'Sdeath, I'm glad on't; this wound will do the business. I'll amuse the old lady and Mrs Sullen, about dressing my wound, while you carry off Dorinda. Enter LADY Bountiful. Lady Boun. Gentlemen, could we understand how you would be gratified for the servicesArch. Come, come, my lady, this is no time for compliments; I'm wounded, madam. Lady Boun. and Mrs Sul. How, wounded! [Makes love in dumb shew. Lady Boun. Let me see your arm, sir-I must have some powder-sugar to stop the bloodO me !-an ugly gash; upon my word, sir, yo must go to bed. Arch. Ay, my lady, a bed would do very well Arch. Ay, ay; here, madam, lend me your gar--Madam [To MRS SULLEN] will you do me the favour to conduct me to a chamber. Lady Boun. Do, do, daughter, while I get the lint, and the probe, and the plaster ready. [To MRS SULLEN, who stands by him. Mrs Sul. The devil's in this fellow; he fights, loves, and banters, all in a breath. Here's a cord, that the rogues brought with them, I suppose. Arch. Right, right; the rogue's destiny; a rope to hang himself—Come, come, my lord, this is but a scandalous sort of an office. [Binding the rogues together.] If our adventures should end in this sort of hangman work-but I hope there is something in prospect that Enter SCRUB. Well, Scrub, have you secured your Tartar? Scrub. Yes, sir, I left the priest and him disputing about religion. [Runs out one way, Aм. carries off DoR. another.] Arch. Come, madam, why don't you obey your mother's commands? Mrs Sul. How can you, after what is past, have the confidence to ask me? Arch. And, if you go to that, how can you, after what is past, have the confidence to deny me?-Was not this blood shed in your defence, and my life exposed for your protection? Look'e, madam, I'm none of your romantic fools that fight giants and monsters for nothing; my valour is downright Swiss; I am a soldier of fortune, and must be paid. Mrs Sul. "Tis ungenerous in you, sir, to upbraid me with your services. Arch. 'Tis ungenerous in you, madam, not to reward them. Mrs Sul. How! at the expence of my honour? Arch. Honour! Can honour consist with ingratitude? If you would deal like a woman of honour, do like a man of honour. D'ye think I would deny you in such a case? Enter GIPSEY. Gip. Madam, my lady ordered me to tell you, that your brother is below at the gate. Mrs Sul. My brother! Heavens be praised! -Sir, he shall thank you for your services; he has it in his power. Arch. Who is your brother, madam? Mrs Sul. Sir Charles Freeman. You'll excuse me, sir; I must go and receive him. [Exit MRS SUL. Arch. Sir Charles Freeman! 'Sdeath and hell! my old acquaintance. Now, unless Aimwell has made good use of his time, all our fair machine goes souse into the sea like the Edistone. [Exit. SCENE IV.-Changes to the gallery in the same house. Enter AIMWELL and DORINDA. Dor. Well, well, my lord, you have conquered. Your late generous action will, I hope, plead for my easy yielding; though, I must own, your lordship had a friend in the fort before. Aim. The sweets of Hybla dwell upon her tongue-Here, doctor Enter FOIGARD, with a book. Dor. I'm ready: but first, my lord, one wordI have a frightful example of a hasty marriage in my own family; when I reflect upon't, it shocks me. Pray, my lord, consider a littleAim. Consider! Do you doubt my honour, or my love? Dor. Forbid it, Heaven! A counterfeit ! Aim. I am no lord, but a poor needy man, come with a mean and scandalous design, to prey upon your fortune-but the beauties of your mind and person have so won me from myself, that, like a trusty servant, I prefer the interest of my mistress to my own. Dor. Sure I have had the dream of some poor mariner: a sleeping image of a welcome port, and wake involved in storms-Pray, sir, who are you? Aim. Brother to the man whose title I usurped, but stranger to his honour or fortune. Dor. Matchless honesty!-Once I was proud, sir, of your wealth and title; but now, am prouder that you want it. Now I can shew my love was justly levelled, and had no aim but love. Doctor, come in. Enter FOIGARD at one door, GIPSEY at another, who whispers Dorinda. Your pardon, sir; we sha'nt want you now, sir. You must excuse me-I'll wait on you presently. [Exit with GIPSEY. Foig. Upon my shoul, now, dis is foolish. [Exit. Aim. Gone! and bid the priest depart—It has an ominous look. Aim. I have discovered myself. Arch. Discovered! and without my consent! What! have I embarked my small remains in the same bottom with yours, and you dispose of all without my partnership? Aim. O, Archer, I own my fault. Arch. After conviction-Tis then too late for pardon--You may remember, Mr Aimwell, that you proposed this folly-As you begun, so end it-Henceforth, I'll hunt my fortune single. So farewell. Aim. Stay, my dear Archer, but a minute! Dor. Neither. I do believe you equally just as brave-And were your whole sex drawn out for me to choose, I should not cast a look upon Arch. Stay! What, to be despised, exposed, the multitude, if you were absent-But, my lord, and laughed at! No, I would sooner change conI'm a woman: colours, concealments, may hide a ditions with the worst of the rogues we just now thousand faults in me--Therefore, know me bet-bound, than bear one scornful smile from the ter first; I hardly dare affirm I know myself in any thing except my love. Aim. Such goodness who could injure? I find myself unequal to the task of villain. She has gained my soul, and made it honest like her own --I cannot hurt her. [Aside.] Doctor, retire. [Exit FOIGARD.] Madam, behold your lover and your proselyte, and judge of my passion by my conversion-I'm all a lie, nor dare I give a fiction to your arms; I'm all a counterfeit, except my passion. proud knight that once I treated as my equal. Aim. What knight? Arch. Sir Charles Freeman, brother to the lady that I had almost- -But no matter for that; 'tis a cursed night's work, and so I leave you to make the best on't. Aim. Freeman !— -One word, Archer. Still I have hopes; methought, she received my confession with pleasure. Arch. 'Sdeath! who doubts it? Aim. She consented after to the match; and | entitles me to the moiety of this lady's fortune, still I dare believe she will be just. which, I think, will amount to ten thousand pounds! Arch. To herself, I warrant her, as you should have been. Aim. By all my hopes, she comes, and smiling comes ! Enter DORINDA, mighty gay. Dor. Come, my dear lord-I fly with impapatience to your armsThe minutes of my absence were a tedious year. Where's this priest? Enter FOIGARD. Arch. Oons, a brave girl! Aim. Not a penny, Archer. You would have cut my throat just now, because I would not deceive this lady. Arch. Ay, and I'll cut your throat still, if you should deceive her now. Aim. That's what I expect; and, to end the dispute, the lady's fortune is twenty thousand pounds; we'll divide stakes; take the twenty thousand pounds, or the lady! Dor. How! Is your lordship so indifferent? Arch. No, no, madam; his lordship knows Dor. I suppose, my lord, this gentleman is very well that I'll take the money; I leave you to privy to our affairs? his lordship, and so we're both provided for. Enter FOIGARD. your father. Årch, Yes, yes, madam, I'm to be Dor. Come, priest, do your office. Arch. Make haste, make haste; couple them any way. [Takes AIMWELL'S hand.] Come, madam, I'm to give you Dor. My mind's altered; I won't. Arch. Eh Aim. I confounded. Foig. Upon my shoul, and so is myshelf. Arch. What's the matter now, madam? Dor. Look'e, sir, one generous action deserves another- -This gentleman's honour obliged him to hide nothing from me; my justice engages me to conceal nothing from him; in short, sir, you are the person that you thought you counterfeited; you are the true lord viscount Aimwell, and I wish your lordship joy. Now, priest, you may be gone; if my lord is now pleased with the match, let his lordship marry me in the face of the world. Aim. Archer, what does she mean? Enter SIR CHARLES and MRS SULLEN. Sir Cha. My dear lord Aimwell, I wish you joy. Aim. Of what? Sir Cha. Of your honour and estate. Your brother died the day before I left London; and all your friends have writ after you to Brussels; among the rest I did myself the honour. Arch. Hark'e, sir knight, don't you banter now? Sir Cha. Tis truth, upon my honour. Aim. Thanks to the pregnant stars that formed this accident. Arch. Thanks to the womb of time that brought it forth; away with it! Aim. Thanks to my guardian angel that led me to the prize [Taking DORINDA's hand. Arch. And double thanks to the noble sir Charles Freeman. My lord, I wish you joyMy lady, I wish you joy- 'Sdeath, I'm grown strangely airy upon this matter-My lord, how d'ye?-A word, my lord. Don't you remember something of a previous agreement that Foig. Arra fait, de people do say you be all robbed, joy. Aim. The ladies have been in some danger, sir, as you saw. Foig. Upon my shoul, our inn be robbed, too. Aim. Our inn! By whom? Foig. Upon my shalvation, our landlord has robbed himself, and run away wid de money. Arch. Robbed himself? Foig. Ay, fait! and me, too, of a hundred pounds! Arch. Robbed you of a hundred pounds! Forg. Yes, fait, honey! that I did owe to him. Aim. Our money's gone, Frank. Arch. Rot the money, my wench is goneSçavez vous quelquechose de Mademoiselle Cherry? Enter a fellow, with a strong box and letter. Fel. Is there one Martin here! Arch. Ay, ay-who wants him? Fel. I have a box here, and a letter, for him. Arch. [Taking the bor.] Ha, ha, ha! what's here? Legerdemain! By this light, my lord, our money again! But this unfolds the riddle. [Opening the letter, reads.] Hum, hum, hum--0, 'tis for the public good, and must be communicated to the company. "MR MARTIN, 'My father, being afraid of an impeachment by the rogues that are taken to-night, is gone 'off; but if you can procure him a pardon, he'll 'make great discoveries, that may be useful to 'the country. Could I have met you, instead of your master, to-night, I would have delivered myself into your hands, with a sum that much 'exceeds that in your strong box, which I have 'sent you, with an assurance to my dear Martin, 'that I shall ever be his most faithful friend, till ' death, CHERRY BONIFACE. There's a billet-doux for you!As for the father, I think he ought to be encouraged; and for the daughter-pray, my lord, persuade your bride to take her into her service instead of Gipsey. FARQUHAR.] Aim. I can assure you, madam, your deliverance was owing to her discovery. Dor. Your command, my lord, will do without the obligation. I'll take care of her. Sir Cha. This good company meets opportunely in favour of a design I have in behalf of my unfortunate sister. I intend to part her from her husband-Gentlemen, will you assist me? Arch. Assist you! 'Sdeath, who would not? Foig. Ay; upon my shoul, we'll all ashist. Enter SULLEN. Sul. What's all this? They tell me, spouse, that you had like to have been robbed. Mrs Sul. Truly, spouse, I was pretty near it, had not these two gentlemen interposed. Sul. How came these gentlemen here? Mrs Sul. That's his way of returning thanks, you must know. Foig. Ay; but upon my conscience, de question be a-propos for all dat. Sir Cha. You promised last night, sir, that you would deliver your lady to me this morning. Sul. Humph. Arch. Humph! What do you mean by humph? -In short, sir, we -Sir, you shall deliver herhave saved you and your family; and, if you are not civil, we'll unbind the rogues, join with them, -What does the man and set fire to your housemean? Not part with his wife! Foig. Arra, not part wid your wife! Upon my shoul, de man dosh not understand common shivility. Mrs Sul. Hold, gentlemen; all things here must move by consent. Compulsion would spoil us. Let my dear and I talk the matter over, and you shall judge it between us. Sul. Let me know first, who are to be our judges. -Pray, sir, who are you? Sir Cha. I am sir Charles Freeman, come to take away your wife. Sul. And you, good sir? Sir Cha. And have you succeeded? Arch. The condition fails of his side--Pray, madam, what did you marry for? Mrs Sul. To support the weakness of my sex, by the strength of his, and to enjoy the pleasures of an agreeable society. Sir Cha. Are your expectations answered? Foig. Arra, honeys! a clear cause, a clear cause! Sir Cha. What are the bars to your mutual contentment? Mrs Sul. In the first place, I can't drink ale with him. Sul. Nor can I drink tea with her. Mrs Sul. Have we not been a perpetual offence to each other——a gnawing vulture at the heart? Sul. A frightful goblin to the sight? Mrs Sul. Is there on earth a thing we can agree in ? Sul. Yes--to part. Mrs Sul. With all my heart. Mrs Sul. Here. Sul. These hands joined us, these shall part us--Away Mrs Sul. East. Mrs Sul. North. Sul. South; far as the poles asunder. Aim. Thomas, viscount Aimwell, come to take my sister's fortune to make us easy. away your sister. Sul. And you, pray, sir? Arch. Francis Archer, esq. come Sul. To take away my mother, I hope-Gentlemen, you're heartily welcome. I never met with three more obliging people since I was born And now, my dear, if you plcase, you shall have the first word. Arch. And the last, for five pounds. [Aside. Mrs Sul. How long have you been married? Sul. By the almanack, fourteen months;-but, by my account, fourteen years. Mrs Sul. 'Tis thereabout, by my reckoning. Foig. Upon my conshience, dere accounts vil agree. Mrs Sul. Pray, spouse, what did you marry for? Sul. Sir Charles, you love your sister, and I Arch. What is her portion? Sir Cha. Twenty thousand pounds, sir. Arch. I'll pay it. My lord, I thank him, has enabled me, and, if the lady pleases, she shall go home with me. This night's adventure has proved strangely lucky to us all-For captain Gibbet, in his walk, has made bold, Mr Sullen, with your study and escritore, and has taken out all the writings of your estate, all the articles of marriage with your lady, bills, bonds, leases, receipts to an infinite value; I took them from him, and will deliver them to sir Charles. [Gives him a parcel of papers and parchments. Sul. How, my writings! my head aches consumedly. Well, gentlemen, you shall have her 3 T fortune, but I can't talk. If you have a mind, of an untasted happiness, and the other in their sir Charles, to be merry, and celebrate my sis-deliverance from an experienced misery. ter's wedding, and my divorce, you may command my house; but my head aches consumedly! Scrub, bring me a dram. Arch. Twould be hard to guess which of these parties is the better pleased, the couple joined, or the couple parted; the one rejoicing in hopes |