he is as old as one of the patriarchs, with his beard down to his breeches; they can never mean him.

Lady Rifc. Poo! that's too abfurd to fuppose: but stay, are there no other distinguishing marks? um, um," Js, clerk of her father's." I own that paffage escaped

me.

Sir Rob. Hey! what did you fay? and me, too, one of my clerks! who can that be? Js, the two letters belonging to a fur

name.

Lady Rifc. So I fhould imagine.

Sir Rob. Zounds! it can never be James. Lady Rifc. James!

Sir Rob. An impudent, eternal, damn'd fon of a bitch! this is the confequence of taking beggars into your bofom.

Lady Rifc. But, Sir Robert

Sir Rob. Don't mention it, Madam; was not he the thirteenth fon of a itary'd Curate in Effex, ragged as their colts, and knew about as much as one of their calves-did not I feed, cloath, take him into my houfe, treat him as if he had been-and, in return, the villian to dishonour my child!

Lady Rife. You are too impatient, Sir Robert; why should you fix all at once upon James? I have obferved the lad's behaviour to be discreet and modeft; nay, indeed, rather fhy and referv'd.

Sir Rob. That is true enough, I muft own. I never remark'd the boy to be prefumptuous and forward, like fome of our pert prigs of the city, but, as your ladyfhip obferves, rather

bashful

bashful and fhy. No, no, it can never be him.

Lady Rife. Not but I have known people with that fpecious outfide appearance, carry minds as malignant and daring

Sir Rob. The curfedeft fly dogs upon earth: hypocrify is the finest veil for a villian. I always fufpected there was fomething bad behind his folemn fanctified look: I don't believe the fcoundrel ever swore an oath fince he came into the house. There is a villian for you, my

dear.

Lady Rifc. Nay, but my dear, let us conclude nothing rafhly. Suppofe you fend for James up, and fift him a little?

Sir Rob. That may'nt be amifs-who's there?

Lady Rifc. Not that I believe he will be ever brought to confefs.

Sir Rob. He! no, no, curfe him. Him! you will never catch him at that: you might as well hope to extract fugar from falt. I may as well let him alone.

Lady Rife. Let us fee him, however.

Enter a Servant.

Sir Rob. True. Let James know that I want him, but don't tell the fellow I am angry, and fo get him to fkulk out of the way.

Ser. I did not know that your worship was angry, 'till you told me your

Sir Rob. I tell you! my dear, did I fay any fuch thing? You prying, impertinentGo, and do as you are bid. [Exit Servant.

Lady Rife. I don't think it unlikely, Sir Robert, but fome idle acquaintance, without con

,fidering

fidering the confequences, may have inferted this malicious article, by way of pleasantry, as a kind of jeft upon James.

Sir Rob. Nothing fo probable, Lady Rifcounter this town fwarms with fuch forward, frivolous puppies.

Enter Servant.

Well, where is James?

Ser. Sir, he is not within.

Sir Rob. What, is the rafcal run off? Lady Rife. No, my dear, perhaps only gone out with fome bills for acceptance.

Sir Rob. Like enough. When will he be back?

Ser. The reft of the clerks have not feen him to-day.

Sir Rob. Not feen him to-day? what are all of them blind then?

Lady Rifc. Nay, Sir Robert, perhaps he has not been in the fhop. Ser. So they fay.

[Exit. Sir Rob. Then they could not fee him, indeed. Not in the fhop? nay, then the bufinets is clear; guilt, guilt, flight is full as bad as confeffion.

Lady Rifc. It does look fufpicious, I own; but then nothing ill can happen without your daughter's concurrence, and you have not the leaft doubt of her.

Sir Rob. Doubt! hey!

Lady Rifc. And, in fact, have nothing to fear.

Sir Rob. Fear! doubt! I hope your Ladyfhip has no more doubts than myself.

Lady

Lady Rife. Why fhould I? how does this affair concern me?

Sir Rob. As it concerns me, Lady Riscounter; do you fuppofe I fhould have been indif ferent, if fuch a charge had fallen on Lucy?

Lady Rifc. Such a charge can never fall upon my daughter Lucy.

Sir Rob. Full as foon as on my daughter Lydia.

Lady Rife. I am not, Sir Robert, fo certain of that.

Sir Rob. Lady Rifcounter, you begin to alarm me; you know more of this matter than you are willing to own.

Lady Rifc. Whatever I know, Sir Robert, I am refolved not to communicate.

Lady Rife. Whatever a mother-in-law fays, the good-natured world always imputes to malice.

Sir Rob. Generally the cafe, I must own. But to me you may, nay, you ought to reveal. Lady Rifc. Since you are fo earnest, I own fome rumours have reach'd me.

Sir Rob. Of what kind?

Lady Rifc. You will pardon me there: if you will examine your daughter's maid, Kitty; he, I am told, can fatisfy all your enquiries.

Sir Rob. An ar:ful baggage, I know. For heaven's fake, my dear, fend her hither directly. Lady Rife. But not the leaft mention of me. [Exit.

Sir Rob. Very well, I never obferv'd the leaft correfpondence between Lydia and James: but what of that? they would take good care, I warrant, to conceal it from me,

Enter

Enter Kitty.

So, I find you were the go-between, the little infamous agent in this curs'd

Kitty. Sir Robert

Sir Rob.

You must have been a volunteer ; I am fure, James was not able to bribe you, for he is as poor as a pillag'd black in Bengal.

Kitty. Really, Sir, I don't understand you. Sir Rob. You mean, huffey, you won't: Come, you may as well tell me all the particulars concerning Lydia and James, with the main article, you fee I am already acquainted.

Kitty. Don't prefs me, pray Sir; I would rather die than fay any thing to hurt my young miftrefs.-(Cries)

Sir Rob. Nay, pr'ythee, Kitty, don't cry, you are a good girl, and love my daughter, I fee.

Kitty. And not without reafon, for fhe has been the kindeft, best——

Sir Rob. Nay, till now, fhe was ever an amiable girl; but here, child, you will do her a capital fervice.

Kitty. Indeed, Sir.

Sir Rob. For if her affections are fix'd upon James, tho' I may lament, I fhall not oppofe him.

Kitty. Since that is the cafe, I can't say, but early one morning, hearing a noise in Mifs Lydia's apartment, I ftepp'd down to fee what was the matter.

Sir Rob. Well?

Kitty. Juft as I got at the foot of the ftairs, her door open'd, and out came Mr. James.