Squeez. (Aside.) A bank bill of 60007.? never before heard of a bill to so large an amount. Spark. Oh! Lord sir! I dare say Mr, Modish has many larger, but if you doubt my honour Squeez. Oh! dear, no, sir! Spark. If my bill doesn't satisfy you— Squeez. Oh! sir, it will more than satisfy me. (They exchange their Bills.) Squeez. (Reading.) "To Samuel Sparkle-?" Spark. (Reading) "Account between Solomon Squeez'em, and"-Pray, sir, what am I to do with this? Squeez. Discharge it, if you please. Spark. Zounds! sir, I expect you to do that for mine. Squeez. Come, come! Mr. Latitat— Spark. Latitat? why, you're Mr. Latitat? Spark. Then who the devil are you? Squeez. Why, Solomon Squeez'em the money broker! Spark. A bite, by this light! Look'ee sir, I'm Mr. Modish's creditor, and I fancy you are the same. Squeez. What, you too a creditor?-A cheat! an impostor! Spark. A swindling—cringing— (Ringing the bell violently, R.H.) Spark. That's right, Mr. Squeez'em, ring away, and I'll help you!— (Ringing the bell, L.H.) QUARTETTO.-SPARK. SQUEEZ. JOHN, and SEc. Squeez. & Take the bells more loudly jingle. Spar. Tingle! Jingle! Ting-a-ting! Enter JOHN, L.H. MRS. SECRET, R.H. Mercy on us, what a riot! Sure, he means to break the bell: He's gone out. Where's your mistress? She's gone out. Squeez. & } Not this week ? Oh ! fire and fury ! Spark. John & ~Squeez. & Spark. John & Sec. } How he swears!-he's mad, it's plain! You shall think so, I'll assure ye, [Exeunt John and Mrs. Secret, R.H., Sparkle END OF ACT I. ACT II. SCENE I.-A room at Mrs. Ormond's.-Table and two chairs. Enter MRS. ORMOND and ANNE, R.H. Mrs. O. Nay, Anne, it must be so; I must part with him. Anne. Part with Frank, madam? why you'll never persuade him to go, that's certain; Oh! here he comes ! Mrs. O. Leave us. [Exit Anne, L.H. Enter FRANK, L.H. Frank. Anne said, madam, that you had orders for Mrs. O. I have, Frank; and I give you orders for the last time. Frank. (Starting.) Ma-madam ! Mrs. O. It grieves me to say it, my good fellow, but we must part. Frank. Part, madam !-Part? Mrs. O. Even so; there is unfortunately no remedy. What is due to you?— (Taking out her purse.) Frank. And you really turn me away? Mrs. O. Turn you away? No; but I'm constrained to dismiss you. Frank. Dismiss me ?-very well!-do it!—but I won't go! Mrs. O. Nay, but, Frank— Frank. And you can be cruel enough to turn me away? In Mr. Ormond's family have I lived forty years, man and boy, and now all of a sudden you turn me away. Mrs. O. But hear me, my good fellow ! I am unable longer either to maintain or pay you Frank. I don't want to be paid! I don't want to be maintained! I ask but to see you every morning, and be assured you are in health; I ask but to see my young master grow up the image of his father; carry him in my arms while he's a child, and when he's a man to die in his service! I ask but this, and you refuse me! Yet you cannot surely be so cruel; you could never really mean to drive me away.-(Kneeling.)-Dear good lady, comfort me! say you did this but to try me, say you never really meant to part with your poor and faithful Frank ! Mrs. O. (Affected.) Rise, rise, my good fellow! Yes, you shall remain with me! Rather will I endure any inconvenience, than pain a heart so feeling! Frank. Inconvenience? Lord bless you, madam, I shall rather relieve you than occasion any. I am yet strong and hearty; I can labour, can work my fingers to the bones in your service; and rather than you or yours should want wherewithal to eat, heaven forgive me if I wouldn't consent to your eating me! [Exit, L.H. Mrs. O. Noble heart! Re-enter FRANK, followed by Rivers, L.H. Frank. This way, sir !-A gentleman to wait on [Exit, L.H. you, madam. Rio. When I left England, madam, you were so young that probably no trace remains in my cousin Emily's remembrance Mrs. O. Is it possible? Surely, sir, I now speak to Mr. Rivers. Riv. Even so; but if you recollect my story as well as my features, I fear you are not prejudiced in my favour my juvenile follies Mrs. O. (Eagerly.) Sir, my father loved you; his friends can never be judged harshly by me. Riv. (Aside.) What a contrast! Mrs. O. But pray inform me, I fear your expedi tion to the East Rio. The East, my dear lady, was sufficiently kind; but on my return, a tempest swept in one moment away the gains of eighteen painful years. Mrs. O. I feel for your disappointment most sincerely. Rio. And now were it not presumptuous- si Mrs. O. Alas! Mr. Rivers, my husband's nature, generous and benevolent to excess, ultimately proved our ruin. He was compelled to part with his estate, and we retired to an humble retreat, where my beloved Ormond expired. This avowal must excuse my not offering you that assistance, which I should afford you most willing, and which I much fear, you greatly want. But doubtless, on applying to my brother Riv. I have applied. Mrs. O. And the result was Riv. Coldness and scorn. Mrs. O. Indeed!-Oh, George !-Well, well; we will not despond: in my poverty, I have still some friends, I trust, both able and willing to oblige me: to these will I recommend you; and, as you may already have contracted some little debts, pray make use of this trifle to discharge them :-if not sufficient, only say it, and the sum shall be encreased. (Offers him money.) Riv. Madam-cousin-Emily!-Nay, now my heart must burst! Mrs. O. Let not such a trifle Riv. Forgive me, dearest Emily, forgive me!— Here! take it, take it, and heaven make you as happy with it as you deserve to be. (Giving her a pocket-book, which she opens.) Mrs. O. How?-notes! and to a large amount?— What can this mean? Riv. It means that I deserve to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, for giving one moment's uneasiness to such a heart. I am rich, Emily, rich!-Yet, I lie; for all that was mine is now yours. Mrs. O. Amazement!-Čan this be real? Riv. A few hours shall convince you of its truth; nor can you feel better pleased to be heiress of my riches, than I feel at finding an heiress who deserves them. Mrs. O. Your heiress?—I heard that you were married, that you had a daughter |