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Gorget. And why fo? Can there be any thing more natural than to defire the affiftance of the person who loves us? Of my attachment I hope you have no reason to doubt.

Mrs. Air. That, Sir, is the very source of my forrow, and has determined me to support every evil; nay, to apply even to Mr. Aircaftle himfelf, rather than

Gorget. How, madam! then it is plain I have loft your esteem. Fool that I was, to be lulled by the bewitching lines of your letter! I thought that I had detected Love, that fly lurcher, lurking under the mask of confidential-But now I unfortunately find how far I am from your favour. Mrs. Air. Cruel, unjuft colonel Gorget!

Gorget, Ha! am I unjuft? you revive me! you reftore me to-But banish every thought of an obligation to any but me; I fhould be jealous of

Mrs. Air. But really, colonel, the fum is

Gorget. Of no importance at all; a mere trifle; juft nothing: I thall not feel it, believe me. Mrs. Air. How can I be too grateful for fuch a generous proof of your friendship? Sure you

were born to

Enter Toby.

What the deuce has brought that booby back! [Afide. Toby. Father defires you would call in your way, and take him up at the fword-cutler's.

Gorget. How! the young cub? This is lucky beyond expectation!-Here, madam, are the five hundred guineas, which you will be kind enough to pay, with my thanks, to Mr. Aircastle, your husband.

Mrba

Mrs. Air. Finely taken and turned; what infinite wit and contrivance! [afide.]—But would it not be right, colonel, juft to fign a receipt? Gorget. Unneceffary, madam; but just as you please.

Mrs. Air. There is pen and ink in the room over head.

Gorget. Give me leave to conduct you.

[Exeunt Gorget and Mrs. Air. Toby. I don't understand what father and mother's about. Here am I dizened, and skewered, and graced, just like a young colt that is a-breaking: Nay, they were going to advertise me too, as if I was really a horfe; but lawyer Flaw has made them alter their minds, and I am to be difpofed of by private contract, I think. I can't fay that I am over-fond of their ways. Oh, poor Betfy Bloffom! let them match me to whoever they will, I fhall never love any like thee: I believe I fhould have put an end to their project, if I could but have found-Hey! who is this? Mercy on me! fure it must be her ghoft! and yet that can't be; because ghofts, they fay, never comes but at night. Betfy!

Enter Betfy Bloffom.

Betfy. Mafter Toby!

Toby. But is it poffible! can it be you?
Betfy. As you fee.

Toby. Well, and how? Lord, I have ten thoufand questions to ask you. Where hast been? how doft do? how comeft here? Why, you are vaft fine, Betsy, all of a fudden; you be not married?

Betfy. Married! no, no; you have put that out of my power, you know.

Toby.

Toby. Me? how fo, Mrs. Betty?

Betfy. Is that a queftion now to be asked? have you fo foon forgot what has happened be

tween us?

Toby. No, no; I remember fome part pretty well, I believe: But you cannot come for to go for to fay, that we ever went to church together, in that there way you mean.

Betfy. That ceremony, Mr. Toby, you know well, was all that was wanting

Toby. Befides, it could not be, Mrs. Betfy; because why, as father fays, fince the parliamenthoufe interfered, it is against the law to marry for love.

Betfy. How! what, are all your vows, oaths, promifes, forgot? does not this fixpence, broken between us, when we laft met in the grove, stare you full in the face?

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Toby. Yes'; I have t'other half in my pocket. Betfy. Does not your confcience, Mr. Toby, upbraid you? But men are all traitors alike! their whole ftudy is to delude poor innocent maids. Oh! why did I trust that fair face and flattering tongue, and not fufpect the wily serpent that was lurking beneath?

Toby. Nay, Betfy

Betfy. But my prayers, are granted, however; my only with was to fee you once moreToby. My fweet, dear, little Betfy

Betfy. Once more to furvey that sweet form; the business of life is now over! Eyes, take your laft look! open, thou cold earth, to receive meToby. Lord have mercy! if you don't frighten me out of my wits.

Betfy. To thy dreary manfion I come! there

my

my forrows will ceafe, and my fhame, and name be forgot by the unpitying-Oh!

[Faints. Toby. Stop, ftop, deareft Betfy, and take me along with you! Murder, fire, water! Waiter! what, will nobody come to affift her?

Enter Tom.

Tom. Bless me, Sir! what can be the matter? Toby. Why, here is a poor young creature at her laft gafp: Clap her hand, and bend her forward a bit!

Tom: Mifs Betfy? mercy on us! how came this about? It is only a fit; fhe revives, her eyes begin to open a little.

Betfy. Where am I?

Toby. In the fore-room, up one pair of stairs. Tom. Blefs me, Sir, what can be the occafion of this?

Toby. Why, it is a young woman that is breaking her heart.

Tom. Her heart? and for what?

Toby. Why, for love of me, to be fure.

Tom. And can you be fuch a barbarian? why, you must have the heart of a tiger, to ftand un shocked at fuch a horrible scene,

Toby. Nay, I have been fhocked enough, if that is all.

Tom. Then why don't you remove her diftrefs? Toby. Why, fhe wants me to marry her. Tom, And is that all the afks; and can you hefitate for fuch a trifle as that?

Toby. Why, how can I, when father and mother have promifed me to an Indian woman, as rich as a Jew, from beyond fea?

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Betfy. How! and have I a rival? perjured monster! But think not my death shall finally

clofe

clofé our account; my fhade, like Margaret's grimly ghoft, fhall purfue thee, haunt thee in dreams at midnight, fhake thy curtains round thy guilty head, and holloa in thine ear!

Bethink thee, Toby, of thy fault,

Thy pledge and broken oath;

And give me back my maiden vow,
And give me back my troth.

Toby Take it with you, Mrs. Betty, whenever you please,

Betfy [Sings].

For this I'll haunt thy midnight dreams,

And bover round thy bed;

Thy ears I'll fill with barrid fcreams,

Nor leave thee till thou'rt dead.

Toby. Why, you won't go to be fo cruel, I hope! what, is there no amends to be made? Tom. So, Sir, you fee, dead or alive, the is determined to plague you.

Toby. Yes, yes; I fee it well enough. Lord, who could have thought it? the is mightily changed fince her coming to London.

Fom. This town is apt to open the mind.

Toby. Is it? I hope it will thut again, though, when fhe gets into the country. But pray, Mr. What-d'ye-call-em, by what chance did Betfy

come here?

Tom. My Mistress took her in, out of compaffion: It is wonderful how charitable a lady The is! why, we have five or fix more young women here in the fame situation.

Toby. Indeed? The must be the moft goodeft woman on earth: Well, if the don't go to hea ven, what chance has fuch a poor creature as I?

Tom.

!

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