Giles. Why, Master Fairfield, you do know I had a great regard for Miss Patty; but when I came to consider all in all, I finds as how it is not adviseable to change my condition yet awhile. 369 Fai. Friend Giles, thou art in the right; marriage is a serious point, and can't be considered too warily. -Ha, who have we here!-Shall I never keep my house clear of these vermin ?- -Look to the goods there, and give me a horse-whip-by the Lord Harry, I'll make an example-Come here, Lady Lightfingers, let me see what thou hast stolen. Mer. Hold, miller, hold! Fai. O gracious goodness! sure I know this faceMiss young Madam Sycamore-Mercy heart, here's a disguise! The. Discover'd! Mer. Miller, let me speak to you. The. What ill fortune is this! 380 Giles. Ill fortune-Miss! I think there be nothing but crosses and misfortuness of one kind or other. Fai. Money to me, sir! not for the world; you want no friends but what you have already-Lack-aday, lack-a-day-see how luckily I came in: I believe you are the gentleman to whom I am charged to give this, on the part of my lord Aimworth-Bless, you, dear sir, go up to his honour, with my young lady-There is a chaise waiting at the door to carry you-I and my daughter will take another way. SCENE VIII. MERVIN, THEODOSIA, GILES. Mer. Pr'ythee read this letter, "and tell me what "you think of it." The. Heavens, 'tis a letter from lord Aimworth ! We are betrayed. Mer. By what means I know not. 399 The. I am so frighted and flurried, that I have scarce strength enough to read it. * SIR, "It is with the greatest concern I find, that I "have been unhappily the occasion of giving some "uneasiness to you and Miss Sycamore: be assured, "had I been apprized of your prior pretensions, and "the young lady's disposition in your favour, I should have been the last person to interrupt your "felicity. I beg, sir, you will do me the favour to "come up to my house, where I have already so far -"settled matters, as to be able to assure you, that -C every thing will go entirely to your satisfaction." Mer. Well! what do you think of it!go to the castle ? Well!Ä y The. Well! ye Mer. What do you think of it? The. Nay, what do you think of it? -Shall we Alt itt: "Mer. Egad, I can't very well tell-However, "on the whole, I believe it would be wrong of us to "proceed any further in our design of running away, "even if the thing was practicable. 422 "The. I am entirely of your opinion. I swear this lord Aimworth is a charming man: I fancy tis "lucky for you I had not been long enough acquaint"ed with him to find out all his good qualities."But how the deuce came he to hear "Mer. No matter; after this, there can be nothing "to apprehend.- What do you say, shall we go 66 up to the castle ?” 430 The. By all means! and in this very trim; to show what we were capable of doing, if my father and mother had not come to reason." But, perhaps, "the difficulties being removed, may lessen your pen "chant: you men are such unaccountable mortals."Do you love me well enough to marry me, without "making a frolic of it? "Mer. Do I love you !-- "Can count the num'rous sands that lie "Or distinctly reckon each "Transparent orb that studs the sky? 446 "As their multitude betray, "And frustrate all attempts to tell: "So 'tis impossible to say "How much I love, I love so well." But hark you, Mervin, will you take after my father, and be a very husband now ?-Or don't you think I shall take after my mother, and be a commanding wife ! Mer. Oh, I'll trust you. The. But you may pay for your confidence. 552 SCENE IX. [Exeunt. GILES. So, there goes a couple! Icod, I believe Old Nick has got among the people in these parts. This is as queer a thing as ever I heard of.- -Master Fair field, and Miss Patty, it seems, are gone to the castle too; where by what I larns from Ralph in the mill, my lord has promised to get her a husband among the servants. Now set in case the wind sets in that cor ner, I have been thinking with myself who the plague it can be: there are no unmarried men in the family, that I do know of, excepting little Bob, the postillion, and master Jonathan, the butler; and he's a matter of sixty or seventy years old. I'll be shot if it be'nt little Bob.Icod, I'll take the way to the castle, as well as the rest; for I'd fain see how the nail do drive. It is well I had wit enough to discern things, and a friend to advise with, or else she would have fallen to my lot. But I have got a surfeit of going a courting, and burn me if I won't live a bache lor; for, when all comes to all, I see nothing but ill blood and quarrels among folk when they are married. AIR. Then hey for a frolicksome life! To run after noise and strife. Had we been together buckl'd; 'Twould have prov'd a fine affair : 580 |