8

about every little, trifling-shocking! Nay, I positively insist on it, that he who has the presumption to style himself a lover, has nothing to do with reason.

Belo. Faith, Madam, I begin to think you right; and the attachment which I have shewn towards you, after repeated ill-usage, will no doubt convince you that I am totally deprived of mine.

Ara. O, by no means:-for the continually subjecting me to your petulance and ill-humour is surely a proof of your having recovered it.

Belv. Merely my lucid intervals, Madam.

Bel. Admirably rallied, Mr. Belville.

Ara. Yes, he's a pleasant creature, to be sure. (disconcerted.)

Belv. Provoking and deceitful woman! (walks agitated.)

Ara. Wherefore those epithets, Sir? When an enemy yields, ill treatment is ungenerous. Spare your reproaches, Belville, we are on the point of parting, endeavour then to forget me-for your forgiveness I cannot sue.

Belv. Transporting woman! Do you then coufess you've done me wrong? (running to take her hand.)

Ara. Done you wrong! Is the man mad? Really, actually, absolutely mad? I positively do not understand you, Belville.

Belv. Did you not this very moment insinuate that it would be a virtue in me to endeavour to forget, what you very justly imagined I could not forgive?

Ara. Did I, Belinda?

Bel. You did, my dear.

Ara. Lord, how shocking!-I hardly know how to think I could be so ridiculous. Well, Sir, I sincerely ask your pardon, for I certainly must have been thinking of something else. (with seeming indifference)

Belv. This is not any longer to be borne. Now, Madam, if it is in your sex's wiles to bring me back, I will acknowledge myself the most abject slave on earth (going)

Ara. O, Belinda! (leans on Belinda, seemingly ready to swoon.)

Bel. (aside) Surely that is unaffected. My Arabella! speak to me, my love.

Ara. (recovering, and with the same indifferent air as before) Belville here still!-I thought you had been gone. Belo. Gone! could you imagine me so insensible, Arabella, as to have left you in that state when I was myself the cause?

Ara. Yourself the cause! inimitable! And had you vanity enough to imagine that I was actually about to

swoon?

Belv. Henceforward I shall not give credit to my own
Belinda, your most obedient.

senses.

[Exit.

Ara. Ha! Not so much as an adieu. Bel. You have shot, I fear, the arrow beyond the mark. If you should lose him, sister?

Ara. Lose him! No, no, I have too fast hold of his heart, depend upon it.

Bel. You are pretty confident, my dear. But what in the name of wonder could induce you to make him believe your emotion but pretended, when you were really so sensibly affected?

Ara. I would not have had him thought otherwise for the universe. He has deserved this treatment; all, and infinitely more. You wouldn't advise me, I suppose, to fly into the arms of that man whose own foolish conduct has been the occasion of all our uneasiness? No, no, it must not be.

Bel. Well; but supposing he should return, do you ever intend to marry him?

Ara. What a question! Lord, my dear, how can I possibly tell you what I dont know myself.

Bel. If you are undetermined with respect to Belville, what do you think of Modely?

Ara. Um-nothing particular. He is an agreeable, lively sort of fellow, and therefore I like his company. Liberty of speech, you know, I grant him.

Bel. And he makes pretty good use of it. There's Witling too, how d'ye like him i

Ara. O, he is quite out of the question in a serious way: a perfect Narcissus; little better than a fool. Modely, indeed, has somewhat of the fop in his compo sition; but he is really a man of sense..

Bel. There is Lovemore likewise.

Ara. Aye, there indeed I am puzzled how to act.

The wretch is eternally pestering me with his love. He thinks I hate Belville. The only way to free myself from his importunities will be by undeceiving him in that particular.

Bel. What, you mean to undeceive him then by immediately marrying Belville?

Ara. Lord, my dear, you have the strangest notions→→→ Bel. Why, Sir Peter has insisted on it.

Ara. And therefore it is the less likely to take place; for whatever Sir Peter has to offer, my Lady will assuredly oppose it; thus I gam time, which is all I have to wish. I shall teaze this Belville out of his follies I warrant. A little of your assistance, however, may be neces sary. But see, Sir Peter is coming this way, arguing with my Lady most determinately. They are bickering and snapping at each other, every step they come. Let us avoid them; at least till I can disclose my scheme for managing Belville.

Mark me, Belinda, study well my plan,

So shall you humble proud, imperious man. [Exeunt.
Enter SIR PETER and LADY POSITIVE.

Lady. Very fine, Sir Peter! very pretty! you and your Lawyer yonder, plotting and caballing against my poor

niece.

Sir P. Why, you are actually distracted, Lady Positive. Have I not given proof of my affection for your niece-am I not desirous of having her happily married? and do you call that plotting against her?

Lady. Certainly, Sir Peter. Don't you perceive that the child has aversion from marriage; an absolute antipathy to the wedded state?

Sir P. Poo, poo, never tell me of antipathies. Why so had 1-1 am sure I had a mortal antipathy to marriage, till you forced me into it.

Ludy. Force you! I force you! You who have been for hours dying (as I thought) at my feet.

Sir P. Aye, aye, I remember once, indeed.

Lady. O, you do! Vowing and protesting.

Sir P. Yes, yes, I cannot deny that. I shall never forget it; the rental of your estate was lying by your side. You were determined to win me, I suppose, and therefore made a full display of all your charnas.

Lady. Thou slanderer! But this, perhaps, is to pass for wit?

Sir P. Nay, my Lady, you succeeded to admiration. Yes, I was prodigiously smitten with your beautiful pair -of title-deeds. The complexion of that skin of parchment was irresistible. What mortal could withstand such wonder-working instruments. Damn it-they conveyed away my heart, as glibly as the lands and tenements of your Ladyship's estate.

Lady. Traitor! And is this the end of all your flattery? Did not you compare my eyes to-to-I forget what, and my cheeks to vermilion ?

Sir P. Well, Lady Positive, and if I did, that was no such flattery. I take it there was pretty nearly as much sincerity in the compliment as the color.

Lady. Malicious wretch! How often have you sworn that you prized me above all the wealth in the universe. Nay, did you not even rail against riches, and call my money dirt?

Sir P. I did so, and rightly too : for almost all your possessions lay in land, you know.

Lady. Vastly well, Sir. This you call raillery, I suppose. You may think to triumph in every thing; but Arabella and I will oppose your precious scheme of wedding her to Mr. Belville, I give you my word.

[Enter ARABELLA and BELINDA.]

Bel. (taking Lady Positive aside) Come, come, my dear aunt, you should sometimes yield a little to Sir Peter.

Ara. (to Sir Peter who appears vexed) But you should certainly allow my Lady an opinion in these matters, Sir Peter.

Sir P. Why so I do. She might always give her opinion, if she would but let me have my own way.

Ara. Your own way! aye, there it is now; but you should occasionally condescend

Sir P. Condescend! Why zounds, so I do. For example now, I condescended to defer your marriage till tomorrow on purpose to oblige her.

Ara. My marriage, Sir?

Sir P. Your marriage! Yes, Madam, your marriage,

Pray what have you to say; what have you to object to that?

Ara. Nay, nothing more, Sir Peter, than that the consent, the agreement of the parties is generally requisite on such occasions.

Sir P. Consent! aye, aye. But you may use your pleasure as to that. We will not quarrel about forms, my dear.

Ara. What a tyrant!-But you will allow me time to consider the matter, Sir Peter.

Sir P. Certainly, certainly. Time! why you'll have all the evening, child, and all night to consider about it. Odsbud, time sufficient, I think, for such a matter. But go-retire with your sister, and remember, my dear, that I a I expect a compliance with my will.

[Exit ARAB. and BELIN. [Servant announces DEMUR.]

Sir P. O, Mr. Demur, you are opportunely come. Now then, since you will oppose me in every thing, Lady Positive, I am determined that the writings shall be immediately produced, and the blanks filled up.

Lady. And I am determined that they shall not, Sir Peter. Perhaps my niece is unwilling to marry the man you have chosen for her; nay, perhaps it is impossible she ever should marry him. Besides, you very well. know, that you have not, in fact, the smallest controul over her.

Sir P. Indeed! I have some controul over my money, however; that will not prove refractory, I believe.

Dem. Well; but my Lady seems to hint at an impossibility. O, if there is any impedimentum, as we say who study the law, that is quite another matter.

Sir P. Impossibility-Why where's the impossibility of a girl of twenty marrying a man of five-and-twenty? But if you can prove it either by law or logic, pray do. Dem. But how am I to act in this business, Sir Peter? Sir P. Why, according to my instructions, to be sure. Dem. Well, then, to fill up the blanks. The lady's name I think is-but I am afraid it will be a nou-suit. What is your opinion, my Lady?

Lady. O, without doubt, Mr. Demur-Luce clarius.