Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

Enter Arabella.

Arab. Your mantua-maker, with your new sack, sister.

Mrs. Cad. Is that all? She might have stay'd, I think.

Arab. What? You were better engaged? But don't be angry, I am sorry I interrupted you.

Mrs. Cad. Hey! Now will I be hang'd if she be'nt jealous of Mr. Poet; but I'll listen, and see the end on't, I'm resolved. (Aside and exit.

Arab. Are you concern'd at the interruption too? Cape. It was a very seasonable one, I promise you; had you stay'd a little longer, I don't know what might have been the consequence.

Arab. No danger to your person, I hope.
Cape. Some little attacks upon it.

Arab. Which were as feebly resisted.

Cape. Why, consider, my dear Bell; tho' your sister is a fool, she is a fine woman, and flesh is frail.

Arab. Dear Bell! And flesh is frail! We are grown strangely familiar, I think.

Cape. Heydey! In what corner sits the wind now? Arab. Where it may possibly blow strong enough to overset your hopes.

Cape. That a breeze of your breath can do.
Arab. Affected!

Cape. You are obliging, madam; but pray, what is the meaning of all this?

Arab. Ask your own guilty conscience.

Cape. Were I inclined to flatter myself, this lit

tle passion wou'd be no bad presage.

Arab. You may prove a false prophet. Cape. Let me die, if I know what to- But to descend to a little common sense; what part of my conduct

Arab. Look'e, Mr. Cape, all explanations are unnecessary: I have been lucky enough to discover

your disposition before it is too late; and so you know there's no occasion-but however, I'll not be any impediment to you; my sister will be back immediately; I suppose my presence will only But consider, sir, I have a brother's honour

Cape. Which is as safe from me, as if it was lock'd up in your brother's closet: But surely, madam, you are a little capricious, here; have I done any thing but obey your directions?

Arab. That was founded upon a supposition, that- but no matter.

Cape. That what?

Arab. Why, I was weak enough to believe, what you was wicked enough to protest

Cape. That I loved you; and what reason have I given you to doubt it?

Arab. A pretty situation I found you in at my

entrance.

Cape. An assumed warmth, for the better concealing the fraud.

Mrs. Cad. What's that?

(Aside, listening. Cape. Surely if you doubted my constancy, you must have a better opinion of my understanding. Mrs. Cad. Mighty well.

(Aside. Cape. What an ideot, a driveller! no consideration upon earth, but my paving the way to the possession of you, could have prevail'd upon me to support her folly a minute.

Enter Mrs. Cadwallader.

Mrs. Cad. Soh! Mr. Poet, you are a pretty gentleman, indeed; ecod, I'm glad I have caught you. I'm not such a fool as you think for, man; but here will be Dicky presently, he shall hear of your tricks, he shall; I'll let him know what a pretty person he has got in his house.

Cape. There's no parrying this; had not I better decamp.

Arab. And leave me to the mercy of the enemy:

My brother's temper is so odd, there's no knowing in what light he'll see this.

Mrs. Cad. Oh, he's below, I hear him. Now we shall hear what he'll say to you, madam.

Enter Cadwallader, Governor, Sprightly, and Robin.

Cad. No, pray walk in, Mr. Interpreter, between you and I, I like his royal highness mightily; he's a polite, pretty, well-bred gentleman--but damn his soup.

Gov. Why, sir, you eat as if you lik'd it.

Cad. Lik'd it! hey, egad, I would not eat another mess to be his master's prime minister; as bitter as gall, and as black as my hat; and there have I been sitting these two hours with my legs under me 'till they are both as dead as a herring. Cape. Your dinner displeas'd you?

Cad Displeas'd! hey! Look'e, Mr. Sprightly, I'm mightily obliged to you for the honour; but hold, hold, you shall never persuade me to be a hobblinwisky again, if the great cham of the Calmucks were to come over himself. Hey! and what a dann'd language has he got? Whee, haw, haw! but you speak it very fluently.

Gov. I was long resident in the country.

Cad. May be so, but he seems to speak it better; you have a foreign kind of an accent, you don't sound it through the nose so well as he. Hey! well Becky, what, and how have you entertain'd Mr. Cape.

Mrs. Cad. Oh! here have been fine doings since you have been gone.

Cape. So, now comes on the storm.

Cad. Hey! hold, hold, what has been the matter?

Mrs. Cad. Matter! why the devil is in the poet, I think.

Cad. The devil! hold.

Mrs. Cad. Why here he has been making love to me like bewitch'd.

Cad. How, which way?

Mrs. Cad. Why some on't was out of his poetry I think.

Cad. Hey! hold, hold, egad I believe he's a little mad; this morning he took me for king Turnus, you; now who can tell, but this afternoon he may take you Dido?

for queen Mrs. Cad. And there he told me I was to run, and to double, and quat, and there he was to catch me, and all that.

Cad. Hold, hold, catch you? Mr. Cape, I take it very unkindly; it was, d'ye see, a very unfriendly thing to make love to Becky in my absence. Cape. But, sir.

Cad. And it was the more ungenerous, Mr. Cape, to take this advantage, as you know she is but a foolish woman.

Mrs. Cad. Ay, me; who am but a foolish

woman.

Cape. But hear me.

Cad. A poor ignorant, illiterate, poor Becky! And for a man of your parts to attack

Cape. There's no

Cad. Hold, hold, ecod it is just as if the grand signor, at the head of his janisaries, was to kick a chimney-sweeper.

Mrs. Cad. Hey! what's that you say, Dicky; what, be I like a chimney-sweeper?

Cad. Hey! hold, hold. Zounds! no, Beck; hey! no That's only by way of simile, to let him see I understand your tropes, and figures, as well as himself, egad! and therefore

Spri. Nay, but Mr. Cadwallader

Cad. Don't mention it, Mr. Sprightly; he is the first poet I ever had in my house, except the bellman for a Christmas-box.

Spri. Good sir.

Cad. And hold, hold; I am resolved he shall be the last.

Spri. I have but one way to silence him.
Cad. And let me tell you-

Spri. Nay, sir, if I must tell him; he owes his reception here to my recommendation; any abuse of your goodness, any breach of hospitality here, he is answerable to me for.

Cad. Hey! hold, hold, so he is, ecod; at him; give it him home.

Spri. Ungrateful monster! and is this your return for the open, generous treatment

Mrs. Cad. As good fry'd cow-heel, with a roast fowl and sausages, as ever came to a table. Cad. Hush, Beck, hush!

Spri. And cou'd you find no other object, but Mr. Cadwallader; a man, perhaps, possess'd of a genius superior to your own

Cad. If I had had a university education-
Spri. And of a family as old as the creation.
Čad. Older; Beck, fetch the pedigree.

Spri. Thus far relates to this gentleman; but now, sir, what apology can you make me, who was your passport, your security?

Cad. Zounds, none; fight him.

Spri. Fight him?

Cad. Ay, do; I'd fight him myself, if I had not had the measles last winter; but stay till I get out of the room.

Spri. No, he's sure of a protection here, the presence of the ladies.

Cad. Pshaw, pox! they belong to the family, never mind them.

Spri. Well, sir, are you dumb? No excuse? No pallation?

Cad. Ay, no palliation?

Mrs. Cad. Ay, no tribulation? It's a shame, so it is.

Cape. When I have leave to speak---

« НазадПродовжити »