SCENE IV.-A Room in the Miller's House. Enter GILES, followed by PATTY and THEODOSIA. AIR. Giles. Women's tongues are like mill clappers, And from thence they learn the knack, Of for ever sounding clack. Why, what the plague's the matter with you? what do you scold at me for? I am sure I did not say an uncivil word, as I do know of! I'll be judged by the young lady if I did. Pat. 'Tis very well, Farmer; all I desire is, that you will leave the house: you see my father is not at home at present; when he is, if you have any thing to say, you know where to come. Giles. Enough said; I don't want to stay in the house, not I; and I don't much care if I had never come into it. The. For shame, farmer! down on your knees, and beg Miss Fairfield's pardon, for the outrage you have been guilty of. Giles. Beg pardon, miss! for what?--Icod that's well enough; why I am my own master ben't I?-If I have no mind to marry, there's no harm in that, I hope; 'tis only changing hands. -This morning she would not have me; and now I won't have she. Pat. Was ever unfortunate creature pursued as I am, by distresses and vexations. The. My dear Patty !-See, farmer, you have thrown her into tears-Pray be comforted. AIR. Pat. Oh leave me, in pity! The falsehood I scorn; For slander the bosom untainted de fies: But rudeness and insult are not to be borne, Though offer'd by wretches we've sense to despise. Of Woman defenceless, how cruel the fate! Pass ever so cautious, so blameless her way, Nature and envy, lurk always in wait, And innocence falls to their furg a prey. [Exeunt PATTY and GILES. Enter MERVIN. The. You are a pretty gentleman, are not you, to suffer a lady to be at a rendezvous before you. Mer. Difficulties, my dear, and dangersNone of the company had two suits of apparel; so I was obliged to purchase a rag of one, and a tatter from another, at the expense of ten times the sum they would fetch at the paper mill. The. Well, where are they? Mer. Here in this bundle -and, though I say it, a very decent habiliment, if you have art enough to stick the parts together; I've been watching till the coast was clear to bring them to you. Pat. Have you! Heaven and earth! do you think, then, 'tis the missing of you, that gives me concern? No: I would prefer a state of beggary a thousand times beyond any thing I could enThe. Let me see- -I'll slip into this closet joy with you! and be assured, if ever I was and equip myself—All here is in such confuseemingly consenting to such a sacrifice, nothing|sion, there will no notice be taken. should have compelled me to it, but the cruelty of my situation. Giles. Oh, as for that I believes you; but you see the gudgeon would not bite, as I told you a bit agone, you know; we farmers never like to reap what we don't sow. Pat. You brutish fellow, how dare you talk? Giles. So, now she's in her tantrums again, and all for no manner of yearthly thing! Pat. But, be assured my lord will punish you severely for daring to make free with his name. Giles. Who made free with it? did I ever mention my lord? 'Tis a cursed lie! The. Bless me! farmer! Giles. Why it is, miss-and I'll make her prove her words-Then what does she mean by being punished? I am not afraid of nobody, nor beholden to nobody, that I know of: while I pays my rent, my money, I believe, is as good as another's: egad, if it goes there, I think there be those deserve to be punished more than I. Mer. Do, so; I'll take care nobody shall interupt you in the progress of your metamorpho sis [She goes in.]—and if you are not tecious, we may walk off without being seen by any one. The. Ha, ha, ha!- -What a concourse of atoms are here! though as I live, they are a great deal better than I expected. Mer. Well, pray make haste; and don't imsgine yourself at your toilette now, where mode prescribes two hours, for what reason would scarce allow three minutes. The. Have patience; the outward garment is on already; and I'll assure you a very good stud only a little the worse for the mending. Mer. Imagine it embroidery, and'consider it your wedding suit.Come, how far are you got. The. Stay, you don't consider there's some contrivance necessary.- -Here goes the spron-flounced and furbelowed with a witness! -Alas! alas! it has no strings! what shail I 1 Mer. Plague, here's somebody coming! Fair. As to the past, Farmer, 'tis past; I bear no malice for any thing thou hast said. Giles. Why, Master Fairfield, you know I had a great regard for Miss Patty; but when I come to consider all in all, I finds as how it is not adviseable to change my condition yet awhile. Fair. Friend Giles, thou art in the right; marriage is a serious point, and can't be considered too warily. Ha! who have we here? shall I never keep my house clear of these vermin? Look to the goods, there, and give me a horsewhipby the lord Harry, I'll make an example Come here, Lady Light fingers! let me see what thou hast stolen. Mer. Hold, miller, hold! Fair. O gracious goodness! Sure Iknow this face-Miss-Young madam Sycamore-Mercy heart, here's a disguise. The. Discovered! Mer. Miller, let me speak to you. The. What ill fortune is this! Giles. Ill fortune, miss! I think there be nothing but crosses and misfortunes of one kind or other. Fair. Money to me, sir! not for the world; you want no friends but what you have already -Lack-a-day, lack-a-day! see how luckily I came in I believe you are the gentleman, to whom I am charged to give this, on the part of my lord Aimworth-Bless you, dear sir, go up to his honour, with my young lady-There is a chaise waiting at the door to carry you--I and my daughter will take another way. [Exit FAIRFIELD. Mer. Pr'ythee, read this letter, and tell me what you think of it. The. Heaven's, 'tis a letter from lord Aimworth! We are betraved! Mer. By what means I know not. The. I am so frighted and flurried, that I have scarce strength enough to read it. SIR, 'It is with the greatest concern I find, that I have been unhappily the occasion of giving some uneasiness to you and Miss Sycamore: be assured, had I been apprized of your prior pretensions, and the young lady's disposition in your favour, I should have been the last person to interrupt your felicity. 1 beg, sir, you will do me the favour to come up to my house, where I have already so far settled matters, as to be able to assure you, that every thing will go entirely to your satisfaction. Mer. Well! What do you think of it! Shall we go to the castle? Well! The. Well! Mer. What do you think of it? The. Nay, what do you think of it? Mer. Egad, I can't very well tell-However, on the whole, I believe it would be wrong of us to proceed any further in our design of running away, even if the thing was practicable. The. I am entirely of your opinion. I swear this lord Aimworth is a charming man! I fancy 'tis lucky for you I had not been long enough acquainted with him, to find out all his good qualities. But how the deuce came he to hear Mer. No matter; after this, there can be nothing to apprehend. What do you say? shall we go up to the castle? The. By all means! and in this very trim; to show what we were capable of doing, if my father and mother had not come to reason. But, perhaps, the difficulties being removed may lessen your penchant, you men are such unaccountable mortals. Do you love me well enough to marry me, without making a frolic of it? Mer. Do I love you! The. Ay; and to what degree? AIR. Who upon the oozy beach, Can count the num'rous sands that lie ? Or distinctly reckon each Transparent orb that studs the sky? As their multitude betray, And frustrate all attempts to tell : So 'tis impossible to say How much I love, I love so well. The. But, hark you, Mervin ? will you take after my father, and be a very husband now? Or don't you think I shall take after my mother, and be a commanding wife? Mer. Oh, I'll trust you. The. But you may pay for your confidence. [Exeunt MER. and. THE. Giles. So, there goes a couple! Icod, I believe Old Nick has got among the people in these parts! This is as queer a thing as ever I heard of. Master Fairfield and Miss Patty, it seems, are gone to the castle, too; where, by what I larns from Raph in the mill, my lord has promised to get her a husband among the servants. Now set in case the wind sets in that corner, I liave been thinking with myself who the plague it can be: there are no unmarried men in the family, that I do know of excepting little Bob, the postillion, and master Jonathan, the butler; and he's a matter of sixty or seventy years old. I'll be shot if it ben't little Bob ! cod, I'll take the way to the castle, as well as the rest; for I'd fain see how the nail do drive. It is well I had w.t enough to discern things, and a friend to advise with, or else she would have fallen to my lot. But I have got a surfeit of going a courting, and burn me if I won't live a bachelor! for when all comes to all, I see nothing but ill blood and quarrels among folk when they are married. AIR. Then hey for a frolicsome life! Plague on it! men are but asses, Had we been together buckled, 'Twould have proved a fine affair ; Dogs would bave barked at the cuckold, And boys, pointing, cried-Look there! [Exit GILES. SCENE III.-An Apartment in LORD AIMWORTH'S House, opening to a view of the garden. Enter LORD AIMWORTH, FAIRFIELD, Patty, and RALPH. Lord Aim. Thus, Master Fairfield, I hope I have fully satisfied you with regard to the falsity of the imputation thrown upon your daughter and me. Fair. My lord, I am very well content; pray do not give yourself the trouble of saying any more. Ralph. No, my lord, you need not say any more. Fair. Hold your tongue, sirrah. Lord Aim. I am sorry, Patty, you have had this mortification. Pat. Iam sorry, my lord, you have been troubled about it; but really, it was against my con sent. Lord Aim. Why, yes, Master Fairfield, I have a word or two still to say to you-In short, though you are satisfied in this affair, I am not; and you seem to forget the promise I made to you, that, since I had been the means of losing your daugh ter one husband, I would find her another. Fair. Your honour is to do as you please. Lord Aim. What say you, Patty, will you accept of a husband of my chusing? Pat. My lord, I have no determination; you are the best judge how I ought to act; whatever you command, I shall obey. Lord Aim. Then, Patty, there is but one person I can offer you-and I wish, for your sake, he was more deserving-Take me. Fat. Sir! Lord Aim. From this moment our interests are one, as our hearts; and no earthly power shail ever divide us. Fair. O the gracious! Patty-my lord-did I hear right! You, sir! you marry a child of mine! Lord Aim. Yes, my honest old man! in me you behold the husband design'd for your daughter; and I am happy, that, by standing in the place of fortune, who has alone been wanting to her, I shall be able to set her merit in a light, where its lustre will be rendered conspicuous. Fair. But, good, noble sir pray consider! don't go to put upon a silly old man! my daughter is unworthy-Patty, child, why don't you speak? Pat. What can I say, father? What answer to such unlooked for, such unmerited, such unbounded generosity. ing. Ralph Down on your knees, and fall a cry Pat. Yes, sir, as my father says, consider your noble friends, your relations-It must not, cannot be. Lord Aim. It must, and shall-Friends! Relations! from henceforth I have none, that will become acquainted with your perfections, those, not acknowledge you: and I am sure, when they whose suffrage I most esteem, will rather admire the justice of my choice, than wonder at its singularity. AIR. Lord Aim. My life, my joy, my blessing. In thee, euch grace possessing, All must my choice approve. Pat. To you my all is owing, Fair. Well, come, children, we will not take Lord Aim. Thus enfolding, up his honour's time any longer; let us be going towards home-Heaven prosper your lordship! the prayers of me and my family shall always Both. attend you. Lord Aim. Miller, come back-Patty, stayFair. Has your lordship any thing further to command us? Thus beholding One to my soul so dear: Can there be pleasure greater! Can there be bliss completer! 'Tis too much to bear. Enter SIR HARRY, LADY SYCAMORE, THEODOSIA, and MERVIN. lordSir Har. Well, we have followed your ship's counsel, and inade the best of a bad market-So, my lord, please to know our son-in-law, that is to be. Lord Aim. You do me a great deal of honour. I wish you joy, sir, with all my heart! And now, Sir Harry, give me leave to introduce to you a new relation of mine- -This, sir, is shortly to be my wife. Sir Har. My lord— Lady Syc. And why so, my lord? to meet with a worse fate. Sir Har. Well, but you are a peer of the realm; you will have all the fleerers Lord Aim. I know very well the ridicule, that may be thrown on a lord's marrying a miller's daughter; and I own, with blushes, it has for some time had too great weight with me: but we should marry to please ourselves, not other people; and, on mature consideration, I can see no reproach justly merited, by raising a deserving woman to a station she is capable of adorning, let her birth be what it will. Sir Har. Why, 'tis very true, my lord. I once knew a gentleman, that married his cook-You remaid: he was a relation of my own-member fat Margery, my lady? She was a very good sort of a woman, indeed she was, and made the best suit dumplings I ever tasted. Lady Syc. Will you never learn, Sir Harry, to guard your expressions? Well, but give me leave, my lord, to say a word to youThere are other ill consequences attending such an alliance. Lord Aim. One of them I suppose is, that I, a peer, should be obliged to call this good old iniller father-in-law? But where's the shame in that? He is as good as any lord, in being a man ; and if we dare suppose a lord, that is not an honest man, he is, in my opinion, the more respectable character. Come, Master Fairfield, give me your hand; from henceforth you have done with working; we will pull down your mill, and build you a house in the place of it; and the noney I intended for the portion of your daughter, shall now be laid out in purchasing a commission for your son. Ralph. What, my lord, will you make me a captain! Lord dim. Ay, a colonel, if you deserve it. Enter GILES. Giles. Ods bobs! where am I running? I beg pardon for my audacity. Ralph. Hip, farmer; come back, mon, come back-Sure my lord's going to marry sister himself; feyther's to have a fine house, and I'm to be a captain. Lord Aim. Ho, Master Giles! pray walk in; here is a lady, who, I dare swear, will be glad to see you, and give orders that you shall always be made welcome. Ralph. Yes, farmer, you'll always be welcome in the kitchen. Lord Aim. What, have you nothing to say to your old acquaintance? Come, pray let the farmer salute you-Nay, a kiss-I insist upon it. Sir Har. Ha, ha, ha!—Hem! Lady Syc. Sir Harry, I am ready to sink at the monstrousness of your behaviour. Lord Aim. Fy, Master Giles! don't look so sheepish; you and I were rivals, but not less friends at present. You have acted in this affair like an honest Englishman, who scorned even the shadow of dishonour, and thou shalt sit rent free for a twelvemonth. Sir Har. Come, shan't we all salute? With your leave, my lord, I'llLady Syc. Sir Harry! |