Lady Flut. Very well, sir!If I am not even with you for this!

Enter LORD MEDWAY at another door.

Lord M. Alone, maʼam! (I have been detained longer than I expected.) What is become of Mrs. Knightly and Sir Anthony?

Lady Flut. Both gone, my lord-My uncle broke away in resentment, never, I think, to see her more.

Lord M. So, so!—What have you done with Lady Medway and my daughter?

Lady Flut. They are at their evening meditations, I suppose, my lord. They both came in with me, after we had made a short visit, but, according to custom, retired to my lady's dressing-room.

Lord M. Oh, they read together every evening!— But you seem ruffled, my dear Lady Flutter; what is the matter?

Lady Flut. Sir Harry

Lord M. What of him?

Lady Flut. He has been here since; but so intolerably rude and provoking, positively there's no enduring him any longer. I should be sorry to leave your lordship's house so soon, where I have been so kindly received; but I am determined not to continue under the same roof with Sir Harry.

Lord M. If your departure were to be a punishment only to Sir Harry, I should not oppose it; for I must allow, that he deserves all your resentment. But, my dear Lady Flutter, I could name another, whom you would make infinitely more unhappy by your absence. Lady Flut. Who can that be, my lord?

Lord M. Suppose I were to name myself?

Lady Flut. You are very obliging, my lord; I have not the least doubt of your friendship.

Lord M. Friendship, my dear ma'am, sometimes assumes a tenderer name-When a man entertains it

for a woman, young and charming as you are, what ought it then to be called?

Lady Flut. Why, friendship, to be sure- -what should it be else?

Lord M. Shall I tell you?

Lady Flut. No, I won't be told.

Lord M. Then you guess

Lady Flut. Not I, indeed, my lord.

Lord M. 'Tis love! love!-is not that a sweeter sound?

Lady Flut. 'Tis a sound with which I am very little acquainted. [Sighs. Lord M. Then let me be your tutor, to teach you a science, in which Sir Harry is not worthy to instruct you.

Lady Flut. Oh, my lord, if I had met with you before I was married, and before you were married-But it is too late now

What are marriage

Lord M. You must not say so. ties, if the hearts are not joined? 'Tis that alone which makes the union sacred.

Lady Flut. That is the chief thing, I grant.

Lord M. Oh, it is all in all!-With regard to Lady Medway now! she is a good woman, it is true, and I esteem her as such; but there is no love in the case, so that I consider myself absolutely as a single man. 'Tis just the same with you; there has a ceremony indeed passed between you and Sir Harry; but he slights you, and you very justly despise him: so that, to all intents and purposes you are a single woman.

Lady Flut. I wish I were, I'm sure, my lord.

Lord M. Why so you are, my dear ma'am, if you would consider the thing rightly-If I thought otherwise, though I confess I love you to adoration, I would sooner stab myself to the heart, than endeavour to win your affections.

Lady Flut. Indeed, my lord, I believe you,

Lord M. Then, since we are equally unhappy in wedlock, what crime can there be in our mutual endeavours to console each other?

Ludy Flut. I am sure I don't intend any harm.

Lord M. Then why will you talk of leaving me? You know Sir Harry is too indifferent to be concerned at a separation; the grief, the disappointment, will all be mine.

Lady Flut. Indeed, my lord, I should be very unwilling to make you uneasy, to whom I owe so many obligations.

Lord M. Then speak no more of parting. [He takes her hand.] I have a thousand things to tell you. The delightful subject we are upon is inexhaustible; but I can never get you for half an hour to myself.

Lady Flut. Why, no; Sir Harry is so perpetually whiffling backwards and forwards, one cannot be alone a minute for him.

[LADY MEDWAY comes to the door, and steps back

on seeing LORD MEDWAY and LADY FLUTTER in such familiar conference.

Lord M. I have thought of an expedient, which, if you will agree to, will secure us against all interruptions for the future.

Lady Flut. What is it?

Lord M. You know Lady Lovegrove, who sat in the box with us at the play the other night (a very worthy woman). I am sure she would be glad of your acquaintance. I'll introduce you to her; and there, you know, when you go on an evening to drink tea, I can meet you, and we can enjoy an hour's conversation without being interrupted.

Lady Flut. I protest that will do very well. But we must not let Sir Harry know a word of my acquaintance with her, or may be, some evening, he'll be for thrusting himself in.

Lord M. By no means; he shall never be of our

party.Come, ma'am, I fancy, by this time, the ladies have done with their sober studies. Suppose we were to join them.

Lady Flut. As you will, my

lord.

Lord M. Not a word more of parting, remember. Lady Flut. I'll try what I can do to oblige your lordship. [Exit LORD MEDWAY, leading her out.

LADY MEDWAY comes out.

Lady M. Oh, Lord Medway! this is beyond what I thought you capable of; but I will, if possible, prevent the destruction that you have plann❜d.

[Exit.

ACT III.

Scene I.-Changes to the Widow Knightly's.

Enter COLONEL MEDWAY and Miss RICHLY.

Col. M. I would not have mentioned it at all, if I thought you could have suffered it to make so serious an impression on you.

Miss Rich. It ought not, I confess, knowing as I do the truth and generosity of your heart-and yet I cannot help being alarmed-an immense fortune, and a fine woman, as my sister really is—the temptation is so great, that were it any one but you—--

Col. M. Indeed, my dear Clara, these fears of yours reproach, at the same time that they flatter me. Is it necessary that I should tell you, over and over again, for the thousandth time, that I never can love any woman but yourself?

Miss Rich. I do not want to be convinced-and yet I own I am pleased to hear you repeat even what you

have said a thousand times; but your father's authority -I dread that.

Col. M. Believe me, you have no reason; for, though no son was ever more observant of a father's will than I have always been of his, yet, in the particular concerns of my heart, I must be my own director. This my father knows, and I hope he will never urge me more upon the subject.

Miss Rich. But if he should?

Col. M. Would you have me swear to you?

Miss Rich. Oh, not for the world!-I am ashamed of doubting, and yet I don't know how it is, I am full of apprehensions: the truth is, I am not very happy at home; my sister is, of late, grown cold and peevish to me-I never suspected the cause before, but it is now too plain.

Col. M. Did she ever mention me to you?

Miss Rich. Never but in a careless way-and yet I think, since your father's last visit to her, she has been in better spirits than before, though I am not used one bit the kinder.

Col. M. You shall not long be subject to her tyranny. My father already knows the secret of my love; and I think that, notwithstanding the article of fortune weighs much with him, his regard to my happiness will even out-balance that.

Miss Rich. I wish it maysister.

-Bless me! here's my

Enter MRS. KNIGHTLY; she curtsies gravely to the

COLONEL.

Mrs. Knight. I thought you had been alone, Miss Richly, and came to chat with you; but I see you are engaged.

[Coolly.

Col. M. I hope my being here, ma'am, will not deprive Miss Richly of the pleasure of your company. Miss Rich. I believe, sister, we shall both think our