Page images
PDF
EPUB

Miss Vor. Certainly not, my dear Nabob, out I may recommend; I'm sure no physician would object to your taking advice. Ah! does Ellen love you as I do?--will she listen to your speech as I intend to do?-would she throw away thousands for you in a night, as I do?

Vor. Very true! very true!

[Exeunt, L.

SCENE III-A Pleasure Ground, and a view of an ancient
Castle.

Enter four SERVANTS, dressed in old-fashioned liveries,
SIR HUBERT STANLEY and HEARTLEY, L. U. E.

then

Sir Hub. (R.) Good Heartley, is all prepared for my boy's reception, his favourite study on the southern battlement? Are his dogs trained his hunters well conditioned ?

Hea. (L.) To say truth, Sir Hubert, the castle has been all day in quarrel, each servant claiming the right of exclusive attendance on his dear young master.

Sir Hub. I thank their honest loves. He writes me he is well, good Heartley; quite well.-Ha! the village bells proclaim my boy's arrival.-Dost thou hear the people's shouts ?

Hea. Aye, and it revives my old heart.

Sir Hub. These welcomes are the genuine effusions of love and gratitude.-Spite of this Nabob's arts, you see how my loving neighbours respect me.

Where is my boy?

Enter JAMES, L.

Ja. Not yet arrived, sir.

Sir Hub. No!

Ja. These rejoicings are for the Nabob's daughter, who is just come from London.

Sir Hub. Indeed! (Peevishly.) Well, well.

Ja. (L.) My young master will alight privately at Oatland's farm, and walk through the park.

[Exit James at Gate. Sir Hub. (R.) The Nabob's daughter! Well, let it pass. Heartley, what said Farmer Oatland?

Hea. (c.) Nothing but what profligacy and insolence dictated he defied your power, and sent to the Nabob. Sir Hub. Ungrateful man! let a distress be issued.Hold! no, no.

Hea. Indeed, Sir Hubert, he is undeserving your lenity. Besides, sir, your mortgagee, Mr. Rapid, the wealthy tai

lor, will be here to-day-the interest on the mortgage must be paid-some of your election bills remain unliquidated, and I fear without a further mortgage—

Sir Hub. Don't torture. Pardon me, good old man.

Hea. Truly, Sir Hubert; what might have been effected with five thousand pounds some years ago, will now require ten-you must retrench your hospitable benevolenee.

Sir Hub. My worthy steward, my head has long acknowledged the truth of your arithmetic-but my head could never teach it to my heart.

Hea. And, sir, you may raise your rents.

[ocr errors]

Sir Hub. Never, Heartley never. What! shall the many suffer that I may be at ease!-But away with carethis is a moment devoted to extasy-this is the hour a doating father is to clasp an only child, who, after combating with disease and death, returns triumphant to his arms in lusty health and manhood.-Ah! he approaches ;· [Crosses, L.] 'tis my boy-Dost thou not see him in the beechen avenue.-Dull old man, advance thine hand thus. [Putting his hand over his forehead.] See how his eyes wander with delight, and renovate the pictures of his youth.-Ah! now he sees his father, and flies like lightning.

Enter CHARLES STANLEY, L. [Kneels.]

Cha. (L.) My honour'd, my lov'd father!

Sir Hub. (c.) Rise to my heart. Stand off, and let my eyes gloat upon thee-thou art well. Thy arm, good Heartley. Nay, do not weep, old honesty, 'twill infect me.

Cha. [Crosses to Heartley.] Ah! my excellent old friend-in health, I hope?

Hea. (R.) Aye, good master; and this day will make me young again.

Cha. Dear father, already must I become a suitor to you. Passing Oatland's farm, I found his lovely daughter Jessy in tears, occasioned by her father's inability to pay his rent. I dried them with a promise.-[Heartley shakes his head, and Sir Hubert averts his face.]-Ha! your brow is clouded with unhappiness: pray, sir

Sir Hub. (L.) Good Heartley, leave us.-| -[Exeunt, Heartley and Servants, R.]—Charles, so mixed is the cup of life, that this day, the happiest thy old father can e'er hope to see, is dash'd with bitterness and sorrow, boy. I have been a very unthrift to thee.

Cha. (R.) Oh, sir.

Sir Hub. Listen to me.-You have heard how my father kept alive the benevolent hospitality that once distinguished Old England; and I, not finding in modern ethics aught likely to improve either the morals or happiness of mankind, determined to persevere in the ways of my fathers. Soon after you went abroad, the adjoining estate was purchased by an East-Indian, groaning under wealth produced by groans. Like the viper, after collecting in the warm sunshine his bag of venom, he came to the abode of peace and innocence, and disseminated his poison. Riot, contention, indolence, and vice, suceeeded. I struggled against this mischief, which spurr'd him on to oppose me in my election. This contest, (I trust, Charles, you think the dignity of our family demanded it,)—this contest, I say, obliged me to mortgage my estate, to a considerable amount; and, I fear, boy, even that will not suffice. Dost thou not blame thy father?

Cha. Blame, sir? my fortune-nay, my life is held but to promote your happiness.

Sir Hub. Glorious boy! then all will be well again-thy estate restor❜d, thy wealth enlarg❜d.

Cha. How?

Sir Hub. By marriage, Charles.

[Charles averts his face with dejection. Cha. Marriage, sir!-To conceal the passion that triumphs here were but to deceive a father, and injure the bright excellence I love. When I was ill at Spa, the votaries of pleasure avoided me as the harbinger of melancholy, and I was despised as a thing passing into oblivion by all but one fair creature. I obtained an opportunity to thank her for the charitable pity her eye had beamed on me. Love soon kindled his torch at pity's altar, for I found in Miss Vortex such excellence

Sir Hub. Who?

Cha. Miss Vortex, sir.

Sir Hub. From India?

Cha. The same.

Sir Hub. She that is now proposed for your alliance ?
Cha. Is it possible?

Sir Hub. And awaits your arrival in the neighbourhood. Cha. Oh! let me haste to her. [Crosses to L.] Yet hold! Frank Oakland attends to hear your determination.

Sir H. At present, Charles, I cannot grant your suit. [Charles beckons in Frank.] Young man, tell your father,

the law must take its course. When I see in him symptoms of contrition and amendment, I may restore him. Fra. (L.) Thank ye-thank ye, sur.

Cha. (c.) How came this distress to fall on him.

Fra. Why, sur, he went on farmering pretty tightish, didn't he, sur? till he keept company wi' Nabob's sarvants; then all of a sudden, he took to the gentleman line. I conceats, sur, he didn't much understand the trim on't, for the gentleman line didn't answer at all. I hope your honour bean't angry wi' I for speaking to young 'squire; your worship do know I were a bit of a playfellow wi' un, and we followed our studies together.

Sir H. [R.] Indeed

Fra. Ees, sur, we went through our letters and a-b, ab-e-b, eb-there somehow I stuck, and 'squire went clean away into abreviation and abomination; and then, I never could take much to your pens, they be so cruel small; now a pitchfork do fit my hand so desperate kindly as

never was.

ment.

Sir H. Ha! ha! Come, my boy, you'll want refresh[Exit R. Frank bows and is going L. Cha. What, honest Frank, will you not walk with me to the castle ?

Fra. If your honour be so gracious.

Cha. Nay, wear your hat.

Fra. O dear! O dear! what a pity nobody do see I.

Cha. Come, brother student, your hand.

Fra. My hand! Lord dong it, only think o' I.

[Exeunt, hand in hand, R.

END OF ACT I.

ACT II.

SCENE I-A Room in an Inn. Table and two Chairs. Enter L. WAITER, with a Portmanteau, meeting BRONZE, R. Wai. (L.) Coming, sir.

Y. Rap. [Without, L.] Zounds, why don't you come ? Why don't all of you come, eh?

Bro. Waiter, who are these people?

Wai. I don't know, Mr. Bronze. The young one seems a queer one he jumped out of the mail, ran into the

kitchen, whipped the turnspit into a gallop, and bade him keep moving; and though not a minute in the house, he had been in every room from the garret to the cellar. Father and son, I understand. The name on the luggage, I see, is Rapid.

Bro. Rapid! [Aside.] Perhaps it is my old master, the great tailor, and his harum-scarum son-P'll observe. Wai. Here he comes full dash, and the old man trotting after him like a terrier. [Exeunt R.

Enter Old and Young RAPID, L.

Y. Rap. Come along, dad-push on, my dear dad. Well, here we are-keep moving.

O. Rap. Moving! Zounds, haven't I been moving all night in the mail-coach, to please you?

Y. Rap. Mail! famous thing, isn't it? Je up! whip over counties in a hop, step, and jump-dash along.

0. Rap. Od rot such hurry-scurry doings, I say. Here have I ground my old bones all night in the mail, to be eight hours before my appointment with Sir Hubert Stanley; and now I must sit biting my fingers.

X Rap. Biting your fingers! No, no, I'll find you something to do. Come, we'll keep moving!

[Takes his father by the arm, who resists.

Enter LANDLORD, R.

Land. (R.) Gentlemen, I beg leave

Y. Rap. No prosing-to the point.

0. Rap. For shame-don't interrupt the gentleman. Y. Rap. Gently, dad,-dash away, sir.

Land. A servant of Sir Hubert Stanley has been inquiring for Mr. Rapid.

Y. Rap. Push on !

Land. And expects him at the castle.

Y. Rap. That will do-push off-brush-run! [Exit Landlord, running, R.] That's the thing-keep moving. I say, dad!

O. Rup. What do you say, Neddy?

Y. Rap. Neddy! damn it, don't call me Neddy. I hate to be called Neddy.

O. Rap. Well, I won't.

Y. Rap. That's settled-I say what's your business with Sir Hubert?-some secret, eh?

O. Rap. [Aside.] I won't tell you. Oh, no-a bill he owes me for making his clothes and liveries.

C

« PreviousContinue »