The Man of the World (1792) Part 15

_Eger._ Pray, sir, be patient; compose yourself a moment: I will make you any compensation in my power.

_Sir Per._ Then instantly sign the articles of marriage.

_Eger._ The lady, sir, has never yet been consulted; and I have some reason to believe that her heart is engaged to another man.

_Sir Per._ Sir, that is nai business of yours.--I know she will consent and that's aw we are to consider.--O! here comes my lord.

_Enter Lord_ LUMBERCOURT.

_Lord Lum._ Sir Pertinax, ever thing is ready, and the lawyers wait for us.

_Sir Per._ We attend your lordship. Where is Lady Rodolpha?

_Lord Lum._ Giving some female consolation to poor Constantia.--Why, my lady, ha, ha, ha! I hear your vestal has been flirting.

_Sir Per._ Yes, yes, my lord, she is in vary guid order for any man that wants a wife and an heir till his estate intill the bargain.

_Enter_ SAM.

_Sam._ Sir, there is a man below that wants to speak to your honour upon particular business.

_Sir Per._ Sir, I cannot speak till any body now--he must come another time;--hand--stay--what--is he a gentleman?

_Sam._ He looks something like one, sir--a sort of a gentleman--but he seems to be in a kind of a pa.s.sion, for when I asked his name, he answered hastily, it is no matter, friend,--go, tell your master there is a gentleman here that _must_ speak to him directly.

_Sir Per._ Must! ha? vary peremptory indeed; pr'ythee, let's see him for curiosity sake. [_Exit_ Sam.

_Enter Lady_ RODOLPHA.

_Lady Rod._ O! my Lady Macsycophant, I am come an humble advocate for a weeping piece of female frailty, wha begs she may be permitted to speak till your ladyship, before you finally reprobate her.

_Sir Per._ I beg your pardon, Lady Rodolpha, but it must not be: see her she shall not.

_Lady Mac._ Nay, there can be no harm, my dear, in hearing what she has to say for herself.

_Sir Per._ I tell you, it shall not be.

_Lady Mac._ Well, my dear, I have done.

_Enter_ SAM _and_ MELVILLE.

_Sam._ Sir, that is my master.

_Sir Per._ Weel, sir, what is your urgent business with me?

_Mel._ To shun disgrace, and punish baseness.

_Sir Per._ Punish baseness! what does the fellow mean? Wha are you, sir?

_Mel._ A man, sir--and one, whose fortune once bore as proud a sway as any within this county's limits.

_Lord Lum._ You seem to be a soldier, sir.

_Mel._ I was, sir; and have the soldier's certificate to prove my service--rags and scars. In my heart, for ten long years in India's parching clime I bore my country's cause; and in n.o.blest dangers sustained it with my sword: at length ungrateful peace has laid me down where welcome war first took me up,--in poverty, and the dread of cruel creditors.--Paternal affection brought me to my native land, in quest of an only child:--I found her, as I thought, amiable as parental fondness could desire; but l.u.s.t and foul seduction have s.n.a.t.c.hed her from me, and hither am I come, fraught with a father's anger, and a soldier's honour, to seek the seducer and glut revenge.

_Lady Mac._ Pray, sir, who is your daughter?

_Mel._ I blush to own her--but--Constantia.

_Eger._ Is Constantia your daughter, sir?

_Mel._ She is; and was the only comfort that nature, fortune, or my own extravagance had left me.

_Sir Per._ Guid traith, then, I fancy you will find but vary little comfort fra her, for she is nai better than she shou'd be.--She has had nai damage in this mansion. I am told she is with bairn, but you may gang till Hadley, till one farmer Hodges's, and there you may learn the whole story, and wha the father of the bairn is, fra a cheeld they call Melville.

_Mel._ Melville!

_Sir Per._ Yes, sir, Melville.

_Mel._ O! would to heaven she had no crime to answer, but her commerce with Melville.--No, sir, he is not the man; it is your son, your Egerton, that has seduced her; and here, sir, are the evidence of his seduction.

_Eger._ Of my seduction!

_Mel._ Of yours, sir, if your name be Egerton.

_Eger._ I am that man, sir; but pray, what is your evidence?

_Mel._ These bills, and these gorgeous jewels, not to be had in her menial state, but at the price of chast.i.ty.--Not an hour since she sent them-- impudently sent them--by a servant of this house--contagious infamy started from their touch.

_Eger._ Sir, perhaps you may be mistaken concerning the terms on which she received them.--Do you but clear her conduct with Melville, and I will instantly satisfy your fears concerning the jewels and her virtue.

_Mel._ Sir, you give me new life: you are my better angel. I believe in your words--your looks:--know then, I am that Melville.

_Sir Per._ How, sir! you that Melville, that was at farmer Hodges's?

_Mel._ The same, sir: it was he brought my Constantia to my arms; lodged and secreted me--once my lowly tenant--now my only friend. The fear of inexorable creditors made me change my name from Harrington to Melville, till I could see and consult some who once called themselves my friends.

_Eger._ Sir, suspend your fears and anger but for a few minutes; I will keep my word with you religiously, and bring your Constantia to your arms, as virtuous, and as happy as you could wish her. [_Exit with Lady_ Mac.

_Sir Per._ The clearing up of this wench's virtue is d.a.m.ned unlucky: I am afraid it will ruin aw our affairs again:--However, I have one stroke still in my head that will secure the bargain with my lord, let matters gang as they will. [_Aside._] But I wonder, Maister Melville, that you did nai pick up some little matter of siller in the Indies; ah! there have been bonny fortunes snapt up there, of late years, by some of the military blades.

_Mel._ It is very true, sir: but it is an observation among soldiers, that there are some men who never meet with any thing in the service but blows and ill fortune.--I was one of those, even to a proverb.

_Sir Per._ Ah! 'tis pity, sir, a great pity now, that you did nai get a Mogul, or some sic an animal, intill your clutches. Ah! I should like to have the strangling of a Nabob, the rummaging of his gold dust, his jewel closet, and aw his magazines of bars and ingots. Ha, ha, ha!--guid traith naw, sic an a fellow would be a bonny cheeld to bring till this town, and to exhibit him riding on an elephant: upon honour, a man might raise a poll-tax by him, that would gang near to pay the debts of the nation.

_Enter_ EGERTON, CONSTANTIA, _Lady_ MACSYCOPHANT, _and_ SIDNEY.

_Eger._ Sir, I promised to satisfy your fears concerning your daughter's virtue; and my best proof to you, and all the world, that I think her not only the most chaste, but the most deserving of her s.e.x, is, that I have made her the partner of my heart, and the tender guardian of my earthly happiness for life.