Foig. Upon my shoul, and so is myshelf. Arch. What's the matter now, Madam? Dor. Lookye 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 be match, let his lordship marry me in the face of the may gone; if my lord is now pleased with the Your pardon, Sir, we sha'n't want you now, Sir. 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? fault. Aim. O, Archer, I own my Arch. After conviction-'Tis then too late for pardon. You may remember, Mr. Aimwell, that you proposed this folly-As you began, so end it. -Henceforth I'll hunt my fortune singly-So, farewell. Aim. Stay, my dear Archer, but a minute. Arch. Stay! What, to be despised, exposed, and laughed at! No, I would sooner change conditions with the worst of the rogues we just now bound, than bear one scornful smile from the proud knight that once I treated as my equal. Aim. What knight? Aim. Archer, what does she mean? Enter SIR CHARLES and MRS. SULLEN. Sir C. 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. Harkye, Sir knight, don't you banter now? Sir C. '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 joy. My lady, I wish you joy-'Egad, Sir Charles, you're the honestest fellow living-'Sdeath, I'm grown strangely airy upon this matter-My lord, how d'ye do ?-A word, my lord. Don't you remember something of a previous agreement that entitles me to the moiety of this lady's fortune, which, I think, will amount to ten thousand pounds? Aim. Not a penny, Archer. You would ha' cut my throat just now, because I would not de Arch. Sir Charles Freeman, brother to the lady that I had almost-But no matter for that;ceive this lady. 'tis a cursed night's work, and so I leave 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 still I dare believe she will be just. Arch. To herself, I warrant her, as you should have been. Aim. By all my hopes she comes, and smiling comes. Enter DORINDA, gaily. Arch. Ay, and Ill 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, no, Madam, his lordship knows very well that I'll take the money; I leave you to his lordship, and so we're both provided for. Enter FOIGARD. Foig. Arrah fait, de people do say you be all impa-robbed, joy. Dor. Come, my dear lord-I fly with tience to your arms-The minutes of my absence were a tedious year. Where's the priest? Enter FOIGARD. Arch. Oons, a brave girl. Dor. I suppose, my lord, this gentleman is privy to our affairs? Arch. Yes, yes, Madam, I'm to be your father. 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 wont. Aim. I'm confounded. Aim. The ladies have been in some danger, Foig. Upon my shoul, our inn be robbed too. Foig. Upon my shalvation, our landlord has Foig. Ay fait! and me too, of a hundred pounds. Arch. Robbed you of a hundred pounds! Arch. Rot the money, my wench is gone Sir C. 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. S. Truly, spouse, I was pretty near ithad not these two gentlemen interposed. Sul. How came these gentlemen here? Mrs. S. That's his way for returning thanks, you must know. Foig. Ay, but upon my conscience de question be a-propos for all dat. Sir C. 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?-Sir, you shall deliver her-In short, Sir, we have saved you and your family; and if you are not civil, we'll unbind the rogues, join with 'em, and set fire to your house-What does the man mean? Not part with his wife. Foig. Arrah, not part wid your wife! Upon my shoul, de man does not understand common shivility. Mrs. S. 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 between us. Sul. Let me know, first, who are to be our judges. Pray, Sir, who are you? Sir C. I am Sir Charles Freeman, come to take away your wife. Sul. And you, good Sir? Sul. South; as far as the poles asunder. Foig. Amen! Upon my shoul, a very pretty sheremony. Sir C. Now, Mr. Sullen, there wants only my sister's fortune to make us easy. Sul. Sir Charles, you love your sister, and I love her fortune; every one to his fancy. Arch. Then you wont refund? Sul. Not a stiver. Arch. What is her portion? Sir C. Twenty thousand pounds, Sir. Aim. Thomas Viscount Aimwell, come to take enabled me. This night's adventure has proved away your sister. Sul. And you, pray, Sir? Arch. Francis Archer, Esq. come strangely lucky to us all-for Captain Gibbet in his walk has made bold, Mr. Sullen, with your study and escritoir, and has taken out all the with your lady, bills, bonds, leases, and receipts, to an infinite value; I took 'em from him, and will deliver them to Sir Charles. Sul. To take away my mother, I hope-Gen-writings of your estate; all the articles of marriage tlemen, you're heartily welcome. I never met with three more obliging people since I was born -And now, my dear, if you please, you shall have the first word. Arch. And the last, for five pounds. [Aside. Mrs. S. How long have you been married? Sul. By the almanack fourteen months;-but by my account, fourteen years. Mrs. S. 'Tis thereabout by my reckoning. Foig. Upon my conscience, deir accounts vil agree. Mrs. S. Pray, spouse, what did you marry for? Arch. The condition fails on his side-Pray, Madam, what did you marry for? Mrs. S. To support the weakness of my sex by the strength of his, and to enjoy the pleasures of an agreeable society. [Gives him a parcel of papers and parchments. Sul. How, my writings! my head aches consumedly. Well, gentlemen, you shall have her fortune, but I can't talk. If you have a mind, Sir Charles, to be merry, and celebrate my sister's wedding, and my divorce, you may command my house! but my head aches consumedly-Scrub, bring me a dram. [Exit. Foig. And, Scrub, put a little drop on the top for me! [Exit. Arch. 'Twould be hard to guess which of these parties are the better pleased, the couple joined, or the couple parted: the one rejoicing in hopes of an untasted happiness, and the other in their deliverance from an experienced misery. Both happy in their several states we find; These parted by consent, and those conjoin'd: Consent, if mutual, saves the lawyer's fee, Consent is law enough to set you free. END OF VOL. I. |