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fhall I crave your ear for a moment ? The captain politely replies, Your commands, good Mr. Fungus? then we walk fide by fide-Come here, Mrs, Mechlin.-[They walk up and down]for fome time as civil as can be. Mind brother Ifaac.

I. Fun. I do, I do.

Z. Fun. Hey-no, t'other fide, Mrs. Mech. lin.that's right-I hear, captain Wilkins→→→ I. Fun. I knew it was Wilkins.

Z. Fun. Zounds! Ifaac, be quiet-Wilkins, that you have taken fome liberties about and concerning of me, which damme, I don't under ftand

1. Fun. Don't fwear, brother Zachary.

Z. Fun. Did ever mortal hear the like of this fellow !

I. Fun. But you are grown fuch a reprobate fince you went to the wars

Z. Fun. Mrs. Mechlin, ftop the tongue of that blockhead; why, dunce, I am speaking by rule, and Mrs. Mechlin can tell you that duels and damme's go always together.

Mrs. Mech. Oh, always.

Z. Fun. Which, damme, I don't underftand. Liberties with you, cries the captain, where, when, and in what manner? Laft Friday night in company at the St. Alban's, you called me a buck, and moreover faid that my horns were exalted. Now, fir, I know very well what was your meaning by that, and therefore demand fatisfaction. That, fir, is what I never deny to a gentleman; but as to you, Mr. Fungus. I can't confent to give you that rank. How, fir, do you deny my gentility! Oh, that affront muft be answered this inftant-Draw, fir. Now push, Mrs. Mechlin.[They

[They fence.]—There I parry tierce, there I parry carte, there I parry-Hold, hold, have a care, zooks, Mrs. Mechlin.

I. Fun. Ha, ha, ha! I think you have met with your match; well pufhed, Mrs. Mechlin.

Z. Fun. Ay, but instead of pufhing in tierce, The pushed me in carte, and came fo thick with her thrufts, that it was not in nature to parry them.

1. Fun. Well, well, I am fully convinced of your skill; but I think, brother Zac. you hinted an intention of marrying, is that your defign? Z. Fun. Undoubtedly.

I. Fun. And when?

Z. Fun. Why this evening.

I. Fun. So fudden? and pray is it a fecret to whom?

Z. Fun. A fecret, no, I am proud of the match; fhe brings me all that I want, her veins full of good blood; fuch a family! fuch an alliance! zooks, fhe has a pedigree as long as the Mall, brother Ifaac, with large trees on each fide, and all the boughs loaded with lords.

I. Fun. But has the lady no name?

Z. Fun. Name! ay, fuch a name, lord, we have nothing like it in London: none of your ftunted little dwarfish words of one fyllable; your Watts, and your Potts, and your Trotts; this rumbles through the throat like a cart with broad wheels. Mrs. Mechlin, you can pronounce it better than

me.

Mrs. Mech. Lady Sachariffa Mackirkincroft.

Z. Fun. Kirkincroft! there are a mouthful of fyllables for you. Lineally defcended from Hercules Alexander Charlemagne Hannibal, Earl of Glendowery,

Glendowery, prime minifter to king Malcolm the first.

I. Fun. And are all the parties agreed?

Z. Fun. I can't fay quite all; for the right honourable peer that is to be my papa, (who by the bye) is as proud as the devil, has flatly renounced the alliance, calls me here in his letter Plebeian, and fays if we have any children, they will turn out very little better than pye balls.

I. Fun. And what does the gentlewoman fay? Z. Fun. The gentlewoman! Oh, the gentlewoman, who (between ourselves) is pretty near as high as her father; but, however, my perfon has proved too hard for her pride, and I take the affair to be as good as concluded.

I. Fun. It is refolved?

Z. Fun. Fixed.

I. Fun. I am forry for it.

Z. Fun. Why fo? come, come, brother Ifaac, don't be uneafy, I have a fhrewd guess at your grievance; but though you may not be fuffered to fee lady Sachariffa at firft, yet who knows before long I may have intereft enough with her to bring it about; and in the mean time you may dine when you will with the steward.

I. Fun. You are exceedingly kind.

Z. Fun. Mrs. Mechlin, you don't think my lady will gainsay it?

Mrs. Mech. By no means; it is wonderful confidering her rank, how mild and condefcending fhe is why, but yefterday, fays her ladyship to me, Though, Mrs. Mechlin, it can't be fuppofed that I fhould admit any of the Fungus family into my prefence

Z. Fun. No, no, to be fure; not at first, as I said.

Mrs.

Mrs. Mech. Yet his brother or any other relation, may dine with the fervants every day.

Z. Fun. Do you hear, Ifaac, there's your true, inherent nobility, fo humble and affable; but people of real rank never have any pride; that is only for upftarts.

I. Fun. Wonderfully gracious; but here, brother Zac. you mistake me, it is not for myself I am forry.

Z. Fun. Whom then?

1. Fun. For you.

wife will defpife you?

Z. Fun. No.

Don't you think that your

I. Fun. Can you fuppofe that you will live together a month?

Z. Fun. Yes.

I. Fun. Why, can you bear to walk about your own houfe like a paltry dependant ?

Z. Fun. No.

I. Fun. To have yourself and your temned by your fervants?

Z. Fun. No.

orders con

I. Fun. To fee your property devoured by your lady's beggarly coufins, who, notwithstanding, won't vouchfafe you a nod?

Z. Fun. No.

1. Fun. Can you be blind at her bidding, run at her fending, come at her calling, dine by yourfelf when fhe has bettermoft company, and fleep fix nights a week in the garret ?

Z. Fun. No.

I. Fun. Why, will you dare to difobey, have the impudence to difpute the fovereign will and pleasure of a lady like her?

Z. Fun. Ay, marry will I.

1. Fun. And don't you expect a whole clan of

[blocks in formation]

Andrew Ferraros, with their naked points at your throat?

Z. Fun. No.

1. Fun. Then you don't know half you will have to go through.

Z. Fun. Look you, brother, I know what you would be at; you don't mean I should marry at all.

I. Fun. Indeed, brother Zachary, you wrong me; I fhould with pleasure fee you equally matched, that is, to one of your own rank and

condition.

Z. Fun. You would? I don't doubt it, but that is a pleasure you never will have. Look you, Ifaac, I have made up my mind; it is a lady I like, and a lady I will have; and if you say any more, I'll not be contented with that, for damme, I'll marry a duchefs.

Enter LA FLEUR.

La Fleur. Le Maitre pour donner d'eloquence. Z. Fun. What does the puppy fay, Mrs. Mechlin? for you know I can't parler vous.

Mrs. Mech. The gentleman from the city, that is to make you a speaker.

Z. Fun. Odzooks! a fpecial fine fellow, let's have him.

Mrs. Mech. Faites l'entrer.

[Exit La Fleur. I Fun. Brother, as you are bufy, I will take. another

Z. Fun. No, no, this is the finest fellow of all, it is he that is to make me a man; and hark ye, brother, if I fhould chance to rife in the ftate, no more words, your bufinefs is done.

I Fun. What, I reckon fome member of parliament.

Z. Fun.

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