Enter Drugget.

Drug. Hey! how! what's the matter, Dimity? What am I called down stairs for?

Dim. Why, there's two people of fashion

(stifles a laugh). Drug. Why, you malapert hussey 1)! explain this moment.

Dim. The fond couple have been together by the ears this half hour. Are you satisfied now?

Drug. Ay! what, have they quarrelled? what was it about? Dim. Something too nice and fine for my comprehension, and yours too, I believe. People in high life understand their own forms best. And here comes one that can unriddle the whole affair. (exit.)

Enter Sir Charles.

Sir C. (to the people within). I say, let the horses be put to 2) this moment. So, Mr. Drugget!

Drug. Sir Charles, here's a terrible bustle. I did not expect this. What can be the matter?

Sir C. I have been used by your daughter in so base, so contemptuous, so vile a manner, that I am determined not to stay in this house to-night.

Drug. This is a thunderbolt to me! after seeing how elegantly and fashionably you lived together, to find now all sunshine vanished! Do, Sir Charles, let me heal this breach, if possible.

Sir C. Sir, it is impossible. I'll not live with her an hour longer. Drug. Nay, nay, don't be too hasty. Let me intreat you, go to bed and sleep upon it. In the morning, when you are cool Sir C. Oh, sir, I am very cool, I assure you. Ha ha! it is not in her power, sir, to а -a to disturb the serenity of my temper. Don't imagine that I'm in a passion. I am not so easily ruffled 3) as you imagine. But, quietly and deliberately, I can repay the injury done me by a false, ungrateful, deceitful woman.

Drug. The injuries done you by a false, ungrateful! 'My daughter, I hope, sir

Sir C. Her character is now fully known to me. I understand her perfectly. She is a vile woman! that's all I have to say, sir!

Drug. Hey! how! a vile woman! what has she done?

Sir C. I shall enter into no detail, Mr. Drugget. See if the horses are put to.

Drug. Mercy on me! in my old days to hear this.

Enter Mrs. Drugget.

Mrs. D. Deliver me! I am all over in such a tremble. Sir, Charles,

I shall break my heart if there is any thing amiss.

Sir C. Madam, I am very sorry, for your sake; but to live with her

is impossible.

Mrs. D. My poor dear girl! what can she have done?

Sir C. What all her sex can do: it needs no explanation: the very spirit of them all.

Drug. Ay! I see how it is. She is bringing foul disgrace upon us. This comes of her marrying a man of fashion.

Sir C. Fashion, sir, that should have instructed her better.

She

1) Malapert hussey, naseweises Mensch. 2) To be put to, angespannt wer

den. 3) Aus der Fassung bringen.

might have been sensible of her happiness. Whatever you may think of the fortune you gave her, my rank in life claims respect; claims obedience, attention, and truth.

Drug. And, let me tell you, however you may estimate your quality, my daughter is dear to me.

Sir C. And, sir, my character is dear to me. her power to expose me.

Drug. Yet you must give me leave to tell you.
Sir C. I won't hear a word.

Drug. Not in behalf of my own daughter?

It shall never be in

Mrs. D. Don't be so hasty, my love; have some respect for Sir Charles's rank; don't be violent with a man of his fashion.

Drug. Hold your tongue, woman, I say: hold your tongue. You are not a person of fashion, at least. My daughter was ever a good girl. Sir C. I have found her out 1).

Drug. Oh! then it's all over, and it does not signify arguing about it. Mrs. D. That ever I should live to see this hour! How the unfortunate girl could take such wickedness in her head, I can't imagine. I'll go and speak to the unhappy creature this moment. (exit.) Sir C. She stands detected now: detected in her truest colours. Drug. Well, grievous as it may be, let me hear the circumstances of this unhappy business.

Sir C. Mr. Drugget, I have not leisure now. Her behaviour has been so exasperating, that I shall make the best of my way to town. My mind is fixed. She sees me no more, and so, your servant, sir. (exit.) Drug. What a calamity has here befallen us! A good girl, and so well disposed! But the evil communication of high life, and fashionable 2) vices, turned her heart to folly.

(exit.)

Enter Lady Rackett, Mrs. Drugget, and Dimity. Lady R. A cruel, barbarous man, to quarrel in this unaccountable manner; to alarm the whole house, and to expose me and himself too.

Mrs. D. Oh, child! I never thought it would have come to this. Your shame will not end here; it will be all over St. James's parish by to morrow morning.

Lady R. Well, if it must be so, there is one comfort still; the story will tell more to his disgrace than mine.

Dim. As I'm a sinner, and so it will, madam. He deserves what he has met with.

Mrs. D. Dimity, don't you encourage her. You shock me to hear you speak so. I did not think you had been so hardened 3).

Lady R. Hardened do you call it? I have lived in the world to very little purpose, if such trifles as these are to disturb my rest.

Mrs. D. You wicked girl! do you call it a trifle to be guilty of falsehood 4) to your husband?

Lady R. How!

(turns short, and stares at her.) Well, I protest and vow I don't comprehend all this. Has Sir Charles accused me of any impropriety in my conduct?

Mrs. D. Oh! too true, he has: he has found you out, and you have behaved basely, he says.

Lady R. Madam!

1) To find out, kennen lernen (heißt auch: ertappen). 2) Vornehm. 3) To be hardened, verstockt sein. 4) Treulosigkeit.

Mrs. D. You have fallen into frailty, like many of your sex, he says; and he is resolved to come to a separation directly.

Lady R. Why then, if he is so base a wretch as to dishonour me in that manner, his heart shall ache before I live with him again.

Dim. Hold to that, ma'am, and let his head ache into the bargain 1). Mrs. D. Your poor father heard it as well as I.

Lady R. Then let your doors be open for him this very moment; let him return to London. If he does not, I'll lock myself up, and the false one shan't approach me, though he were to whine on his knees at my very door. A base, injurious man!

(exit.)

Mrs. D. Dimity, do let us follow, and hear what she has to say for herself. (exit.)

Dim. She has excuse enough I warrant her. What a noise is here, indeed. I have lived in polite families, where there was no such bustle made about nothing. (exit.)

Enter Sir Charles and Drugget.

Sir C. It is all in vain, sir, my resolution is taken.

Drug. Well; but consider, I am her father. Indulge me only till we

hear what the girl has to say in her defence.

Sir C. She can have nothing to say; no excuse can palliate such behaviour.

Drug. Don't be too positive: there may be some mistake.

Sir C. No, sir, no; there can be no mistake. Did not I see her, hear her myself?

Drug. Lack-a-day! then I am an unfortunate man.

Sir C. She will be unfortunate too: with all my heart. She may thank herself. She might have been happy, had she been so disposed. Drug. Why truly, I think she might.

Enter Mrs. Drugget.

Mrs. D. I wish you would moderate your anger a little, and let us talk over this affair with temper. My daughter denies every title of your charge.

Sir C. Denies it! denies it!

Mrs. D. She does, indeed.

Sir C. And that aggravates her fault.

Mrs. D. She vows that you never found her out in any thing that was wrong.

Sir C. She does not allow it to be wrong then?

Madam, I tell you again, I know her thoroughly. I have found her out: I am now acquainted with her character. I am to be deceived no more.

Mrs. D. Then you are in opposite stories 2). She swears, my dear Mr. Drugget, the poor girl swears, she never was guilty of the smallest infidelity in her born days.

Sir C. And what then? What if she does say so?

Mrs. D. And if she says truly, it is hard her character should be blown upon) without just cause.

Sir C. And is she therefore to behave ill in other respects? I never charged her with infidelity to me, madam; there I allow her innocent. Drug. And did not you charge her then?

1) Into the bargain, obenein. 2) In Widerspruch. 3) To be blown upon, berührt werden, verleumdet werden.

Sir C. No, sir, I never dreamt of such a thing.

Drug. Why then, if she is innocent, let me tell you, you are a scandalous person.

Mrs. D. Prithee, my dear

Drug. Be quiet; though he is a man of quality, I will tell him of it. Did not I fine for sheriff 1)? Yes, you are a scandalous person to de

fame an honest man's daughter.

Sir C. What have you taken into your head now?
Drug. You charged her with falsehood.

Sir C. No, never, never.

Drug. I say, you did.

Sir C. And I say no, no.

Mrs. D. Yes, lovey, I am witness.

Sir C. Absurd! I said no such thing.

Drug. But I aver you did.

Sir C. But I tell you, no, positively no.

Drug. and Mrs. D. And I say, yes, positively yes.

Sir C. 'Sdeath, this is all madness.

Drug. You said that she followed the ways of most of her sex.
Sir C. I said so, and what then?

Drug. There, he owns it..

Sir C. I never owned any such thing.

Drug. You owned it even now, now, now.

Mrs. D.

This very moment.

Sir C. No, no; I tell you, no.

Drug. This instant. Prove it; make your words good.

Enter Dimity, in a fit of laughter.

Dim. What do you think it was all about? Ha! ha! the whole secret is come out, ha! ha! It was all about a game of cards. Ho! ho! ho! Drug. A game of cards!

Dim. (laughing). It was all about a club and a diamond.

Drug. And was that all, Sir Charles?

Sir C. And enough too, sir.

(exit, laughing.)

Drug. And was that what you found her out in?

Sir C. I can't bear to be contradicted, when I am clear that I am in the right.

Drug. I never heard of such a heap of nonsense in all my life. Woodley shall marry Nancy.

Mrs. D. Don't be in a hurry, my love, this will all be made up.
Drug. Why does he not go and beg her pardon then?

Sir C. I beg her pardon! I won't debase myself to any of you. I

shan't forgive her, you may rest assured.

(exit.)

Drug. Now, there, there's a pretty fellow for you! Mrs. D. I'll step and prevail on my Lady Rackett to speak to him: all this will be set right.

(exit.) Drug. A ridiculous fop! I am glad it is no worse, however. He must go and talk scandal of himself, as if the town did not abound with people ready enough to take that trouble off his hands.

1) To fine for sheriff, soll hier heißen, war ich nicht zum Sheriff erwählt? Jeder wohlhabende Bürger kann zum Sheriff ernannt werden, aber viele bezahlen eine Summe (to fine), um der lästigen Arbeiten enthoben zu sein.

Nan. How can one help it 1), with all this noise in the house? And you are going to marry me as ill as my sister. I hate Mr. Lovelace. Drug. Why so, child?

Nan. I know these people of quality despise us all out of pride, and would be glad to marry us out of avarice.

Drug. The girl's right.

Nan. They live not orderly. They marry,

themselves.

Drug. And then quarrel about a card.

Nan. I don't want to be a gay lady. I want to be happy.

Drug. And so you shall: don't frighten yourself, child. Step to your sister, bid her make herself easy; go, and comfort her, go.

Nan. Yes, sir.

(exit.)

Drug. I'll step and settle the matter with Mr. Woodley, this mo

ment.

Scene 2.

Another Apartment.

(exit.)

Sir Charles, with a pack of cards, at a table. Sir C. Never was any thing like her behaviour. I can pick out the very cards I had in my hand, and then 'tis as plain as the sun. There there now damn it no there it was

there

now let me

see; they had four by honours 2), and we played for the odd trick, damnation! honours were divided,

ay! honours were divided, and then a trump was led, and the other side had the confusion! this preposterous woman has put it all out of my head (puts the cards into his pocket). Mighty well, madam; I have done with you.

Enter Mrs. Drugget.

Mrs. D. Sir Charles, let me prevail.

Come with me and speak to her.

Sir C. I don't desire to see her face.

Mrs. D. If you were to see her all bath'd in tears, I am sure it would melt your very heart.

Sir C. Madam, it shall be my fault if ever I am treated so again. I'll have nothing to say to her (going, stops). Does she give up the point?

Mrs. D. She does, she agrees to any thing.

Sir C.

Mrs. D.
Sir C.

Mrs. D.
Sir C.

Does she allow that the club was the play?
Just as you please; she is all submission.

Does she own that the club was not the best in the house?
She does; she is willing to own it.

thing in my life.

Then I'll step and speak to her. I never was clearer in any (exit.) Mrs. D. Lord love 'em, they'll make it up now, and then they'll be as happy as ever.

Nan. Well they may talk what they will of taste, and genteel life; I don't think it is natural. Give me Mr. Woodley. La! that odious thing is coming this way.

Enter Lovelace.

Love. My charming little innocent, I have not seen you these three hours.

1) Help it, anders; dafür. 2) Honours, die honneurs, Bilder,