L's. Ha, brother; give me thy hand, boy.

Gibby. Na se fast, se ye me. Brether me ne brethers; I scorn a lee as muckle as a thief, se ye now; and ye must gang intul this house with me, and justify to Donna Violante's face, that she was the lady that gang'd in here this morn, see ye me, or the deel ha my saul, sir, but ye and I shall be two folks.

Lis. Justify it to Donna Violante's face, quotha! for what? Sure, you don't know what you say.

Gibby. Troth, de I, sir, as weel as ye de; therefore, come along, and make no mair words about it.

Lis. Why, what the devil do you mean? Don't you consider you are in Portugal? Is the fellow

mad?

Gibby. Fellow! Ise none of yer fellow, sir: and gin the place were hell, I'd gar ye de me justice. (Lissardo going.) Nay, the deel a feet ye gang. (Lays hold of him, and knocks at the door.) Lis. Ha! Don Pedro himself; I wish I were fairly off. (Aside.) Ped. How now? What makes you knock so loud? Gibby. Gin this be Don Pedro's house, sir, I would speak with Donna Violante, his daughter. Ped. Ha! What is it you want with my daughter, pray?

Enter DON PEDRO.

Gibby. An she be your daughter, and lik yer honour, command her to come out, and answer for herself, and either justify or disprove what this cheeld told me this morn.

Lis. So, here will be a fine piece of work. (Aside.) Ped. Why, what did he tell you, ha?

Gibby. By my sol, sir, Ise tell you aw the truth; my master got a pratty lady upon the how-de-call't Passa, here, at five this morn, and he gar me watch her heam: and, in truth, I lodged her here; and meeting this ill-favoured thief, see ye me, I speered who she was, and he told me her name was Donna Violante, Don Pedro de Mendoza's daughter.

Ped. Ha! My daughter with a man abroad at five in the morning! Death, hell, and furies! By St. Anthony, I'm undone.

Gibby. Wounds, sir! ye put her saint intul bony company.

Ped. Who is your master, you dog you? Gibby. You dog you! 'Sbleed, sir! don't call names. I won't tell you who my master is, se ye

me now.

Ped. And who are you, rascal, that know my daughter so well? Ha! (To Lissardo, and holding up his cane.)

Lis. What shall I say to make him give this Scotch dog a good beating? (Aside.) I know your daughter, seignior? Not I; I never saw your daughter in all my life.

Gibby. (Knocks him down with his fist.) Deel ha my saul, sar, gin ye get no your carich for that lee

now.

Ped. What, hoa! Where are all my servants? Enter COLONEL BRITON, FELIX, ISABELLA, and VIOLANTE.

Raise the house in pursuit of my daughter.
Col. B. Hey-day! What's here to do?
Gibby. This is the loon-like tik, an lik yer honour,
that sent me hame with a lee this morn.

Fel. This is a day of jubilee, Lissardo; no quarrelling with him this day.

Enter DON LOPEZ.

Lop. So, have I found you, daughter? Then you have not hanged yourself yet, I see. Col. B. But she is married, my lord. Lop. Married! Zounds! To whom?

Col. B. Even to your humble servant, my lord. If you please to give us your blessing. (Kreels.) Lop. Why, harkye, mistress, are you really mar ried. (To Isabella.)

Isa. Really so, my lord. Lop. And who are you, sir? (To Colonel Briton.) Col. B. An honest North Briton, by birth, and a colonel, by commission, my lord.

Lop. An heretic! the devil! (Holds up his hands.) Ped. She has played you a slippery trick, indeed, my lord. Well, my girl, thou hast been to see thy friend married. Next week thou shalt have a better husband, my dear. (To Violante.)

Fl. Next week is a little too soon, sir; I hope to live longer than that.

Ped. What do you mean, sir? You have not made a rib of my daughter too, have you?

Vio. Indeed, but he has, sir, I know not how; but he took me in an unguarded minute; when my thoughts were not over-strong for a nunnery, father.

Lop. Your daughter has played you a slippery trick too, seignior.

Ped. But your son shall never be the better for it, my lord; her twenty thousand pounds were left on certain conditions, and I'll not part with a shilling.

Lop. But we have a certain thing called law, shall make you do justice, sir.

Ped. Well, we'll try that: my lord, much good may it do you with your daughter-in-law. Lop. I wish you much joy of your rib.

[Exeunt Pedro and Lopez. Enter FREDERICK. Fel. Frederick, welcome! I sent for thee to be partaker of my happiness; and pray give me leave to introduce you to the cause of it.

Fred. Your messenger has told me all, and I sincerely share in all your happiness. Col. B. To the right-about, Frederick: wish thy friend joy.

Fred. I do, with all my soul; and, madam, I congratulate your deliverance. (To Isabella.) Your suspicions are cleared now, I hope, Felix?

Fel. They are; and I heartily ask the Colonel pardon, and wish him happy with my sister; for love has taught me to know, that every man's happiness consists in choosing for herself.

Lis. After that rule, I fix here. (To Flora.) Flora. That's your mistake; I prefer my lady's service, and turn you over to her that pleaded right and title to you to-day.

Lis. Choose, proud fool; I shan't ask you twice.

Gibby. What say ye now, lass; will ye ge yer hand to poor Gibby? (To Inis.) Inis. That I may not leave my lady, I take you at your word. And though our wooing has been short, I'll, by her example, love you dearly.

Fel. Now, my Violante, I shall proclaim thy virtues to the world.

Let us no more thy sex's conduct blame,
Since thou'rt a proof to thy eternal fame,
That man has no advantage but the name.

[Exeunt

ACT I.

FOOTMAN.
MRS. BELMONT.
ROSINA.

No; 'tis past, and silence reigns;
Pensive, still, I mourn his fate:
In his tower he still remains;
Here, alas! in vain I wait.
Evening's shadows now appear,
All is hush'd and calm around-
Hark! again his voice I hear;

Yes, I've caught the well-known sound. BLINVAL, in a red hussar jacket, his hair dishevelled, and his whole appearance neglected, appears at the grated window of the prison.

DUET.-BLINVAL and ROSINA.
Blin. Hark! again that heavenly voice.
Ros. Yes, 'tis he; why throbs my heart?
By turns I sigh, by turns rejoice;
I'm fix'd, though reason says depart.

Ger. Are you all dead? Rub down my hack, and let me have a spanking supper, for I'm confoundedly sharp set.

Ros. Pray, where do you suppose yourself, that you're so much at home? This is no inn.

Ger. (Looking up, and taking off his hat.) Bumpers and Burgundy! there's a rogue's eye! (Aside.) Inn! Oh, no; Lord love your pretty face! the Widow Belmont would be quite shocked if I went to an Inn.

Ros. Indeed! And who are you?

Ger. One of king Cupid's corps diplomatique; ambassador of love; courier of Hymen; the faithful follower, though I precede my master, of Count Murville, captain in the death's head hussars, et cetera-Germain, at your service. (Bowing.) Ros. Oh from our cousin Murville. Well, I'll inform mamma. Provoking puppy!-at this moment-he has chosen this time, [Aside, and exit.

SCENE II-A Drawing-room at the Widow Belmont's.

Enter the Footman and GERMAIN.

Foot. My mistress is at the Governor's, and you must wait, She will speak with you here. (Going.) Ger. But, sir, respected sir, (bowing) if you are pleased to take your own sweet company away, can't you send me an omelet and a salad, with a few of your half-emptied flasks? You understand? and I don't think, without offence, I should lament your absence.

Foot. Oh, sir, your most obedient. But I am never purveyor, except where I'm a guest: you understand? (Exit. Ger. Well, now, as I'm a Christian sinner, that fellow deserves the galleys. I wish my master would appear. Somehow, I'm never respected but for his sake. What can detain him at Naples? Oh, Blinval; that fire-eating, mad rattlecap, who had I have it: the imprisonment of his young friend nearly sabred his own colonel. What a cursed scrape! Death by the articles of war. But he performed such prodigies in the last battle, and saved Count Murville's life, so he'll move heaven, earth, and the minister for his release. Oh! now I recollect, he is in this district, close prisoner in the old castle of Sorrento: if I could speak to him-No, no, poor devil, he is trapped like a rat, and can only be peeped at through his gratings.

Enter BLINVAL, in the red hussar's jacket, without a sword.

Blin. (Looking about, but not perceiving Germain.) This apartment excels the last; am I awake, or is it all a dream?

Ger. (Not seeing him.) He is as wild as a young Tartar, as obstinate as a young devil, but as soundhearted as a young Englishman. Oh! a fine fellow that Blinval.

Blin. (Turning quickly round.) Blinval! who calls me? Ger. (Starting.) Eh! what? it is; it is our mad lieutenant. his neck.)

No, sure-yes, but (Runs and leaps on

Blin. Germain! not hanged yet, but don't

strangle me, man. I'm here, you see, in spite of our old fusty colonel, safe, sound, and hearty, boy. Ger. But by what miracle? I thought you snug in one of the four towers of that d-d castle.

Blin So thinks the governor, heaven help him, at this hour. But tell me, whose is this house? Ger. The Widow Belmont's.

Blin. Has she a daughter?

Ger. Rosina; a great beauty; fresh, blooming, and sixteen.

Blin Huzza! Then I shall bless the day I heard the rusty hinges of Sorrento creak.

Ger. And were I in your place, I should curse it most furiously. But what with hunger, thirst, and curiosity, I'm in a desperate case; pity me, sir, I have a craving appetite for your adventures.

Blin. Shut up in the south tower, I one day saw the daughter of this house at a latticed balcony; woodbines and jessamines were round the wall, but they weren't half so fresh as the sweet little creature who eclipsed them.

Ger. Oh, Lord! oh, Lord! I'm likely to be famished still, if we're to creep through the woodbines.

Blin. To the point, then: she kept her eyes long fixed on me; I tried to move her by croaking in my d-d hoarse voice, some melancholy ditties about captivity and so on. Every day, fresh attentions, fresh songs. This very evening my gaoler called me from a charming interview. I thrust him out, and, in a moment of passion, dashed an old wardrobe in a dark corner of my room to atoms. A folded paper caught my eye, I seized it eagerly; it was directed

Ger. How?

Blin. To the unfortunate who succeeds me."
Ger. And the contents?

Blin. A legacy from a poor devil of a predecessor: he had been shut up in the same part of the tower for ten years; but love had softened the hardships of his captivity. In short, the paper marked a secret avenue leading to the next house. I descended, crept through a subterraneous passage, climbed a cork-screw staircase, reached a small door, and, upon pressing back a spring, jumped into that bedroom.

Ger. And the entrance

Blin. Is concealed by that looking-glass. But tell me now, what brings your rogue's face to Sorrento ?

whistle his soft notes in a foul air and a close

cage.

Blin. They visit me but twice a day; and till tomorrow's noon I'm safe.

Ger. Granted; but will that negligée suit the lover?

Blin. Oh! let me see. (Pauses.) I have been stopped by a banditti.

Ger. Ha, ha, ha! You're never at a loss; always a tale at your tongue's end. But my scruplesBlin. Have, like all other things, their price. (Shaking a purse.) Fifty louis for their repose. Ger. They're hushed. (Taking the purse.) Blin. But if I appear in this identical dress, I shall be known instantly by Rosina, and it would not be prudent to discover myself, even to her, too

Blin. As you perceive, and in no better plight. (Looking at his dress.)

Mrs. B. What has happened?

Blin. Friendship, love, and anxiety, all urged me to hasten here; unfortunately, a bandittiMrs. B. Robbers?

Blin. Stopped me some leagues from this. Ger. Five minutes later, and I had shared his fate. Oh, terrible!

Mrs. B. Robbers!

MONT.