this meeting-the Earl supposes we arrived togetherhush! [Sits with Rural, R.

Enter LORD POMPION and Toм COKE, L., LADY POMPION, Rocket, LADY ALICE HAWTHORN, R., dressed for dinner, followed at a distance by ROEBUCK and Miss

ROCKET.

Lord P. Your observations, Mr. Coke, are full of justice and originality.

Lady A. Hardly adapted for the House, then, my lord
Rock. In the army, Mr. Coke?

Tom. Nay, sir, I'm it yeomanry, if that'll do, though a trust I shall never require ta know ma duty.

Rock. How, sir, you are nervous?

Tom. Nay, not so; it requires courage to tak the life o' an enemy, but it wants more than that to be called on to strike at the heart of a neighbour-I confess, I look with more pity than pride on the ranks of brave fellows, marked out for slaughter, with red on their backs, like my sheep.

Lord P. Necessity, Mr. Coke.

Tom. Not the less sad for that, my lord.

Rock. Who would not die in defence of such a city as London? How did it strike you?

Tom. As big-but not enough to hold the evil done in't.
Lord P. But you admired its buildings?

Tom. Yes-Whitehall, the Nelson Pillar, the Fire Offices, the Duke of York's Pillar, the National Galleries, and the triumphal arches.

Lord P. Ah, sir, an immense sum they cost.

Tom. But what puzzled me was, no one seemed to know who lived in any of 'em.

Lord A. Why, you see-a-nobody lives in them.

Tom. Then I have no hesitation in saying "nobody" is the best housed man in the country.

Lady A. (c.) Surely, sir, you consider our streets are splendid?

Tom. Yes, but not as glorious as the heaven they shut out. Since I came into this city I haven't seen a fair inch of blue sky, or a blade of green grass. Stop-I did, though yes, I did see a puir sickly plot penned up in a place they called a square, looking as if they'd put nature in a bound for straying into town.

Lady A. Ha! ha! sir, yours will be a distinguished voice in the house.

Tom. And yours is the most musical and honest one I've heard since I left Yorkshire.

Lady A. Here's a hand belonging to it

Lit. [Aside.] By Heaven, can she be smitten with him already?

Enter BUTLEr, c.

But. Dinner, my lady.

Lord P. Colonel Rocket, her ladyship-permit me. [Leads the way, followed by Rocket and Lady Pompion, c.

Tom. [To Lady Alice.] You'll favour me.

[Offers his arm to her on her L. Lit. [Starting up.] Lady Alice, my arm is at your ser[Offers on the other side.

vice.

Tom. Ha!-it-it-must be ! Lady A. [Looking surprisedly from one to the other.] Your-brother, I believe.

Tom. Here-and I-dom it-I canna help it! [Affectionately.] Yes, it is my brother.

[Offering his hand, Littleton bows coldly. Lit. I fear, your ladyship, they wait for us

Lady A. [Looking with reproof on him.] True-they do. [Takes Tom's arm and goes up with him.-Exeunt, c. Lit. My brother and my rival! be it so!

[Walks violently up and down, followed by Rural.

Rur. Don't be violent, my dear boy

Lit. Yes-I will not let her see how she can wound me -and him-'twould be too deeply gratifying. [Rural takes his arm.] I will go-yes.

Rur. That's right.

[Coke takes fierce strides, Rural running to keep up with him he suddenly stops.

Let. Yet can I endure without betraya —I must.

[Exit rapidly with Rural, c.

END OF ACT II.

ACT III.

SCENE I.—The Drawing-Room in Lady Pompion's House Arch, c., draperied and surmounted with a rich Cornice, discovering an inner Drawing-Room with a fireplace in c. F.-Fireplace and fire, R. T. E., Windows, R. S. E. and L., draperied in rich crimson damask and gilded va lences.-The Room is decorated in white and gold, with a bouquet pattern, a brilliant chandelier, branches between the windows, and divans and consols R., and L., mirrors and chandelier in the inner room.

LADY ALICE is discovered playing at a Piano, L. U. E., TOM COKE leaning over it-RURAL is seated, L., on a prideux, reading a pamphlet.-LORD POMPION ana COLONEL ROCKET are walking up and down, from L. to R. corner of the inner room, while LADY POMPION is lying on a sofa opposite the fire, a SERVANT is offering her coffee on a salver, while another SERVANT waits with liqueurs. LITTLETON COKE is playing with her Spaniel, but watching Lady Alice and Tom. ROEBUCK and MISS ROCKET are seated on a flirting vis-à-vis, pretending to play ecarte on a small ornamental table.

Rock. My opinion is, that a submarine battery is attracted to the keel of the vessel, and exploded by concussion. Lord P. Bless me! had Guy Faux lived in these times, what would become of the House of Peers?

Rock. Pooh! vote me a hundred thousand pounds, and I'll undertake to blow up both houses.

Roe. I propose.

[They go up conversing, c.

Kate. I won't let you, I've a beautiful hand.
Roe. I've been admiring it.

Kate. I take your heart.

[Plays.

[Takes a trick.

Roe. I wish you would take my hand with it.

Plays his last card.

Kate. I do, the game's mine ;—what were we playing

for?

Roe. For love

Kate. Exactly-that means for nothing.

[They flirt aside.-Lord Pompion watches them, whils Colonel Rocket joins Lady Alice.

Rur. [To Lady Pompion.] Your ladyship, may I entreat your sympathy and beneficence in favour of a subscription I am raising for a poor creature, a widow with eight chil dren?

Lady P. Widows never appear to have less—have I seen the case in the Morning Post?

Rur. Not that I am aware of.

Lady P. Pray, sir, let me see your list-what people of importance have subscribed? [To Coke.] one gets one's name mixed up with such canaille in these charities. [To Rural.] In whose name, sir, is it raised, pray?

Rur. In that of the most bountiful Dispenser of all Good.

Lady P. Ah! sorry-we are not acquainted.

[Turns away and takes coffee from Servant. Lord P. Colonel Rocket, a word. [They advance. Rock. My lord?

[Lord P. takes him into R. corner and speaks apart. Lady A. [To Tom.] Ha! ha! you strange creature-I declare I will storm Sykes Hall next September.

Lit. [Aside.] This is done to torture me-and succeeds. Tom. We will show you old English sports.

Lady A. Suppose, after my invasion, I should determine to occupy.

Tom. I'd ask no better.

Lit. The devil! [Nearly chokes the Spaniel, who howls. Lady P. Mr. Coke, my poor Bichon! [Snatches it up. Lit. Really, I-[Aside.] Damn the dog! [Coming down.] I can suffer this agony no longer-although she may despise my want of pride in suing her after my exhibition of ill-temper-what would I give to be able to af fect her indifference? No! after all my oaths to bring her to submission first-Here I go!

[Goes up and joins Lady A. Lord P. [Aside to Rock.] In a word, Colonel Rocket, your attentions are thrown away-My dear sir, recollect —the son of a peer!

Rock. My-daughter.

Lord P. With all respect-I have (ther views for him, and, excuse my candour-but the Pompions came over after the Battle of Hastings, and have never yet mingled with anything but Norman blood.

Rock. Damn it, my lord, Kate Rocket need not look up to blood royal-her mother was the Begum of Currypore, princess of the first caste; she was the only one of her family my guns had left alive-I took her in a brisk charge after she had shot two horses under me, no offence, my_lord—but her ladyship don't show such blood as that.

Lord P. No! My Countess is not of a fusileer family -pardon me, I feel my honesty is almost plebeian, but should your daughter's name suffer by contact with my son's, don't blame him. [Goes up, R. Rock. Blame! certainly not, I'll blow his brains out! [Calls.] Kate!

Kate. [Rises.] Colonel!

[Joins him.

Rock. [Aside.] We leave this house to-morrow.
Kate. [Aside.] To-morrow!

[Looks at Roebuck. Rock. Orders given, no appeal-duty-damme-ha! ha! that peer is as proud of-of the Norman puddle that stagnates in his heart, as if his country had ever seen any of it-ha! Battle of Hastings! ha! a pretty affair that must have been, when there's no mention of it in the Army List! ha! damme if I think there ever was such a battle. Roe. [To Lord P., who has been speaking aside to him.] Be careful! wherefore, my lord?

Lord P. [To Roebuck.] I have discovered that all the Government interest he possesses is confined to 3 per cent. on 50007., and he is no more an East India Director than my valet. Need I say more? [Goes up, c. [Littleton leaves Lady Alice, who has been devoting herself to Tom, and advances.

Lit. 'Tis useless. I have yielded up my will, soul, and all to her I cannot escape her torture-struggling wounds me more than patient suffering. Heaven-to what despicable slavery can manhood be reduced!

Rur. [Joining him.] My dear boy, what's the matter? why do you look so darkly at Tom? is he not your bro

ther?

Lit. Is he so?-why then has he crossed me though life--has he not devoured my inheritance-am I not a beggar?

Rur. No-not while a roof and crust are mine. Littleton--listen to me-I left my cure, my people in the country, for the holy purpose of uniting you again: I entered this wilderness to bring back a lost sheep.