A C T II.

Enter Mr. Classic and Roger.

Roger.

OLD maister's at a coffee-house next street, and will tarry till you send for 'un.

Class. Bye and bye, in the dusk, bring him up the back stairs. You must be careful that nobody sees him.

Rog. I warrant you.

Class. Let sir John know, that I would wait on him myself, but I don't think it safe to quit the house an instant.

Rog. Ay, ay.

[Exit Roger. Class. I suppose, by this time, matters are pretty well settled within, and my absence only wanted to accomplish the scene; but I shall take care to Oh! Mr. Subtle and his lady.

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Subtle.

Mrs. Sub. Oh! delightfully! Now, my dearest, I hope you will no longer dispute my abilities for forming a female.

Mr. Sub. Never, never: How the baggage leer'd!

Mrs. Sub. And the booby gap'd!

Mr. Sub. So kind, and yet so coy; so free, but then so reserv'd: Oh! she has him!

Mrs. Sub. Ay! ay! the fish is hook'd; but then safely to land him.Is Classic suspicious? Mr. Sub. Not that I observe; but the secret must soon be blaz'd.

Mrs. Sub. Therefore dispatch: I have laid a trap to enflame his affection.

Mrs. Sub. He shall be treated with a display of Lucy's talents; her singing, dancing.

Mr. Sub. Pshaw! her singing and dancing! Mrs. Sub. Ah! you don't know, husband, half the force of these accomplishments in a fashionable figure.

Mr. Sub. I doubt her execution.

Mrs. Sub. You have no reason; she does both well enough to flatter a fool; especially with love for her second: Besides, I have a coup de maitre, a

sure card.

Mrs. Sub. The language-master: He may be easily equipt for the expedition; a second-hand tawdry suit of cloaths will pass him on our countryman for a marquis; and then, to excuse his speaking our language so well, he may have been educated early in England. But hush! the squire approaches; don't seem to observe him.

Enter Buck.

For my part, I never saw any thing so alter'd since I was born: In my conscience, I believe she's in love with him.

Buck. Hush! [Aside.]

Mr. Sub. D'ye think so?

Mrs. Sub. Why, where's the wonder? he's a pretty, good-humour'd, sprightly fellow; and, for the time, such an improvement! Why he wears his cloaths as easily, and moves as genteely, as if he had been at Paris these twenty years.

Mr. Sub. Indeed! How does he dance?

Mrs. Sub. Why he has had but three lessons from Marseil, and he moves already like Dupré. Oh! three months stay here will render him a perfect model for the English court.

Mr. Sub. Gadso! No wonder then, with these qualities, that he has caught the heart of my ward;

but we must take care that the girl does nothing imprudent.

Mrs. Sub. Oh! dismiss your fears; her family, good sense, and more than all, her being educated under my eye, render them unnecessary: Besides, Mr. Buck is too much a man of honour to

[He interrupts them.]

Buck. Damn me, if I an't.

Mrs. Sub. Bless me! sir! you here! I did not expect

Buck. I beg pardon; but all that I heard was, that Mr. Buck was a man of honour. I wanted to have some chat with you, madam, in private.

Mr. Sub. Then I'll withdraw. You see I dare trust you alone with my wife.

Buck. So you may safely; I have other view. Servant, Mr. Subtle.

game in

Mrs. Sub. Now for a puzzling scene; I long to know how he'll begin. Well, Mr. Buck, your commands with me, Sir.

Buck. Why, madam,-I ah-I ah--but let's shut the door: I was, madam,ah! ah! Can't you guess what I want to talk about.

Mrs. Sub. Not I, indeed, Sir.

Buck. Well, but try; upon my soul I'll tell you if you're right.

Mrs. Sub. It will be impossible for me to divine: But come, open a little.

Buck. Why, have you observed nothing?

Mrs. Sub. About who?

Buck. Why, about me!

Mrs. Sub. Yes; you are new dress'd, and your cloaths become you.

Buck. Yes! Pretty well; but it an't that.
Mrs. Sub. What is it?

Buck. Why, ah! ah!Upon my soul, I can't bring it out.

Mrs. Sub. Nay, then it's to no purpose to wait; Write your mind.

Buck. No! No! Stop a moment, and I will tell. Mrs. Sub. Be expeditious, then.

Buck. Why, I wanted to talk about Miss Lucinda.

Mrs. Sub. What of her?

Buck. She's a bloody fine girl; and I should be glad to

Mrs. Sub. To-Bless me! What! Mr. Buck! And in my house! Oh! Mr. Buck, you have deceiv'd me! Little did I think, that, under the appearance of so much honesty, you could go to ruin the poor girl.

Buck. Upon my soul you're mistaken.

Mrs. Sub. A poor orphan too! Deprived in her earliest infancy of a father's prudence, and a mother's care.

Buck. Why I tell you

Mrs. Sub. So sweet, so lovely an innocence; her mind as spotless as her person.

Buck. Hey-day!

Mrs. Sub. And me, Sir! Where had you your thoughts of me? How dar'd you suppose that I would connive at such a

Buck. The woman's bewitch'd!

Mrs. Sub. I whose untainted reputation the blistering tongue of slander never blasted. Full fifteen years, in wedlock's sacred bands, have I liv'd unreproached; and now to

Buck. Odds fury! She's in heroics!

Mrs. Sub. And this from you too, whose fair outside and bewitching tongue had so far lull'd my fears, I dar'd have trusted all my daughters, nay, myself too, singly, with you.

Buck. Upon my soul! and so you might safely. Mrs. Sub. Well, sir, and what have you to urge in your defence?

Buck. Oh! oh! What you are got pretty wel to the end of your line, are you? And now, if you'l

be quiet a bit, we may make a shift to understand one another a little.

Mrs. Sub. Be quick, and ease me of my fears. Buck. Ease you of your fears! I don't know how the devil you got them. All that I wanted to say was, that Miss Lucy was a fine wench; and if she was as willing as me,

Mrs. Sub. Willing! Sir! What demon

Buck. If you are in your airs again, I may as well decamp.

Mrs. Sub. I am calm; go on.

Buck. Why that if she lik'd me, as well as I lik'd her, we might, perhaps, if you lik'd it too, be married together.

Mrs. Sub. Oh! Sir! if that was indeed your drift, I am satisfy'd. But don't indulge your wish too much; there are numerous obstacles; your father's consent, the law of the land,

Buck. What laws?

Mrs. Sub. All clandestine marriages are void in this country.

Buck.

Damn the country: In London now a footman may drive to May-Fair, and in five minutes be tack'd to a countess; but there's no liberty here.

Mrs. Sub. Some inconsiderate couples have indeed gone off post to protestant states; but I hope my ward will have more prudence.

Buck. Well, well, leave that to me. D'ye think she likes me?

Mrs. Sub. Why, to deal candidly with you, she does.

Buck. Does she, by

Mrs. Sub. Calm your transports.

Buck. Well! But how? She did not, did she! Hey! Come now, tell

Mrs. Sub. I hear her coming; this is her hour for music and dancing.