Enter CROAKER.

Croak. Well, while my friend Honeywood is upon the post of danger at the bar, it must be my business to have an eye about me here. I think I know an incendiary's look; for, wherever the devil makes a purchase, he never fails to set his mark. Ha! who have we here? my son and daughter! What can they be doing here!

Landl. I tell you, madam, it will do you good; I think I know by this time what's good for the north road. It's a raw night, madam.-Sir

Leon. Not a drop more, good madam. I should now take it as a greater favour if you hasten the horses; for I am afraid to be seen myself.

Landl. That shall be done. What, Solomon! are you all dead there? What, Solomon, I say.

[Exit bawling. Olivia. Well, I dread lest an expedition begun in fear should end in repentance.-Every moment we stay increases our danger, and adds to my apprehensions.

Leon. There's no danger, trust me, my dear; there can be none: if Honeywood has acted with honour, and kept my father, as he promised, in employment till we are out of danger, nothing can interrupt our journey.

Olivia. I have no doubt of Mr. Honeywood's sincerity, and even his desires to serve us. My fears are from your father's suspicions. A mind so disposed to be alarmed without a cause, will be but too ready when there's a reason.

Leon. Why, let him, when we are out of his power. But, believe me, Olivia, you have no great reason to dread his resentment. His repining temper, as it does no manner of injury to himself, so will it never do harm to others. He only frets to keep himself employed, and scolds for his private amusement.

Olivia. I don't know that; but I'm sure, on some occasions, it makes him look most shockingly. Croak. [Discovering himself.] How does he look now? How does he look now?

Olivia. Ah!

Leon. Undone.

Croak. How do I look now? Sir, I am your very humble servant. Madam, I am yours. What, you are going off, are you? Then, first, if you please, take a word or two from me with you before you go. Tell me first where you are going? and when you have told me that, perhaps, I shall know as little as I did before.

Leon. If that be so, our answer might but increase your displeasure, without adding to your information.

Croak. I want no information from you, puppy: and you too, good madam, what answer have you got? Eh, [A cry without, Stop him!] I think I heard a noise. My friend, Honeywood, without-has he seized the incendiary? Ah, no, for now I hear no more on't.

Leon. Honeywood without! Then, sir, it was Mr. Honeywood that directed you hither?

Croak. No, sir, it was Mr. Honeywood conducted me hither.

Leon. Is it possible?

Croak. Possible! Why, he's in the house now, sir. More anxious about me than my own son, sir. Leon. Then, sir, he's a villain.

Croak. How, sirrah! a villain, because he takes most care of your father? I'll not bear it. I tell you I'll not bear it. Honeywood is a friend to the family, and I'll have him treated as such.

Leon. I shall study to repay his friendship as it de

serves.

Croak. Ah, rogue, if you knew how earnestly he entered into my griefs, and pointed out the means to detect them, you would love him as I do. [4 cry without,

4

Stop him!]-Fire and fury! they have seized the incendiary: they have the villain, the incendiary in view. Stop him! Stop an incendiary, a murderer! Stop him! [Exit.

Olivia. Oh, my terrors! What can this new tumult

mean?

Leon. Some new mark, I suppose, of Mr. Honeywood's sincerity. But we shall have satisfaction: he shall give me instant satisfaction.

Olivia. It must not be, my Leontine, if you value my esteem, or my happiness. Whatever be our fate, let us not add guilt to our misfortunes. We may yet be mistaken.

Enter POSTBOY, dragging in JARVIS: HONEYWOOD entering soon after.

Post. Ay, master, we have him fast enough. Here is the incendiary dog. I'm entitled to the reward; I'll take my oath I heard him ask for the money at the bar, and then run for it,

Mr. H. Coine, bring him along. Let us see him. Let him learn to blush for his crimes. [Discovering his Mistake.] Death! what's here! Jarvis, Leontine, Olivia! What can all this mean?

Jarvis. Why, I'll tell you what it means that I was an old fool, and that you are my master-that's all.

Mr. H. Confusion!

Leon. Yes, sir, I find you have kept your word with me. After such baseness, I wonder how you

can venture to see the man you have injured. Mr. H. My dear Leontine, by my life, my ho

nour

Leon. Peace, peace, for shame; and do not continue to aggravate baseness by hypocrisy. I know you, sir, I know you.

Mr. H. Why, won't you hear me! By all that's just, I knew not

Leon. Hear you, sir! to what purpose? I now see through all your low arts; your ever complying with every opinion; your never refusing any request; all these things, sir, have long been contemptible to the world, and are now perfectly so to me.

Mr. H. Ha! contemptible to the world! That reaches me! [Aside.

Enter CROAKER, out of Breath.

Croak. Where is the villain? Where is the incendiary? [Seizing the POSTBOY.] Hold him fast, the dog; he has the gallows in his face. Come, you dog, confess all, and hang yourself.

Postboy. Zounds! master, what do you throttle me for?

Croak. [Beating him.] Dog, do you resist? do you resist?

Postboy. Zounds! master, I'm not he; there's the man, that we thought was the rogue, and turns out to be one of the company!

Croak. How!

Mr. H. Mr. Croaker, we have all been under a strange mistake here; I find there is nobody guilty; it was all an error; entirely an error of our own.

Croak. And I say, sir, that you're in an error; for there's guilt and double guilt, a plot, a damned jesuitical pestilential plot, and I must have proof of it. Mr. H. Do but hear me.

Croak. What, you intend to bring them off, I suppose; I'll hear nothing.

Mr. H. Madam, you seem at least calm enough to hear reason.

Olivia. Excuse me.

Mr. H. Good Jarvis, let me then explain it to you. Jarvis. What signifies explanations, when the thing is done?

Mr. H. Will nobody hear me? Was there ever such a set, so blinded by passion and prejudice! [Ta

the POSTBOY.] My good friend, I believe you'll be surprised when I assure you

Postboy. Sure me nothing-I'm sure of nothing but a good beating.

Croak. Come then, you, madam, if you ever hope for any favour or forgiveness, tell me sincerely all you know of this affair.

Olivia. Unhappily, sir, I'm but too much the cause of your suspicions: you sec before you, sir, one that, with false pretences, has stepped into your family to betray it: not your daughter

Croak. Not my daughter!

Olivia. Not your daughter-but a mean deceiverwho-support me, I cannot

Mr. H. Help! she's going-give her air.

Croak. Ay, ay, take the young woman to the air; I would not hurt a hair of her head, whose ever daughter she may be-not so bad as that neither. [Exeunt all but CROAKER.] Yes, yes, all's out; I now see the whole affair-my son is either married, or going to be so, to this lady, whom he imposed upon me as his sister. Ay, certainly so; and yet I don't find it afflicts me so much as one would think. There's the advantage of fretting away our misfortunes beforehand; we never feel them, when they

come.

Enter Miss RICHLAND and SIR WILLIAM.

Sir W. But how do you know, madam, that my nephew intends setting off from this place?

Miss R. My maid assured me he was come to this. inn, and my own knowledge of his intending to leave the kingdom, suggested the rest. But what do I see, my guardian here before us! Who, my dear sir, could have expected meeting you here! to what accident do we owe this pleasure?

Croak. To a fool, I believe.