380 N H As T. G * T painter 16 THE YOUNG QUAKER. [ACT I. fond hearts, who are resolved to be happy in rain or sunshine. Lady R. Your fortune !-Ay, this is the consequence of your uncle's folly in leaving it to your own disposal! Ara. Oh, bless his memory! he was a dear little old man for that! Lady R. So, then, you are determined to reject Mr. Chronicle? Ara. [Singing.] "Pan is old and musty, stiff and fusty, sour and crusty!" Lady R. And will you listen to this Lieutenant Godfrey? Ara. [Singing.] "Poll is blithe and merry, light and airy, as a fairy!" Lady R. Araminta, I insist upon your staying at home, to entertain Mr. Chronicle ! Ara. [Singing.] tured?" 44 'Mamma, how can you be so ill-na Lady R. Answer me with ridiculous songs!-Is this the duty that's due from a child to a parent? Ara. Madam, my heart was ever swayed by duty; but when you would sacrifice me to age and avarice, I must own duty gives way to inclination; and, while gratitude thanks you for your past care, prudence-prudence bids me be henceforth the guardian of my own happiness! Enter PINK, L. Pink. Miss Araminta, I · [Aside, seeing Lady Roun ceval.] Plague on't! my old lady here! What shall I do? Lady R. Pray, where have you been gadding? what have you been about? Pink. Why, madam, I've been about-about the town, madam. Lady R. About the town, hussy! Ara. But where? Pink. Lord, miss, you know! [Apart to Araminta.] To meet Mr. Godfrey in the park, ma'am. Ara. True; well! Pink. [Apart.] I've given him your letter, ma'am. Lady R. Been with letters, have you? Pink. What letters, my lady? Lady R. Answer me! Ara. Give me the answer. Pink. I've no answer, miss. Lady R. What carried you out? 17 Ara. [Apart to Pink.] Has Mr. Godfrey sent no answer to my letter? Pink. [Apart.] Not a line! Ara. [Aside.] Unkind!-I'll not see him this evening. [To Lady Rounceval.] Madam, upon second thoughts, I believe I shall stay at home; and as you seem to wish it, I've no objections to Mr. Chronicle's company. Lady R. That's my dear, good Araminta !-What a capricious child! [To Pink.] Attend me in my dressingroom, good Mrs. Letter-Carrier! [To Araminta.] Now, child, I beseech you, when Mr. Chronicle comes, receive him with good humour ;-none can be so pleasant as yourself when you please. Ah! that sweet smile—the dimple at the corner of the mouth, recalls-aye, exactly, Sir Ralph Rounceval! [Exit, R. Ara. Send me no answer [Singing.] "Then banish guile from my mind!" Pink. Lord, miss! how could you betray a body so?— Did I think that you'd up and tell my lady that I carried your love-letters? Ara. Betray! dent fortune? -- - Has not my uncle left me an indepen Pink. Yes, ma'am ; but your uncle has left me no independent fortune. Ara. But, tell me, did my Godfrey send no little noteno message-no token of love? Pink. Yes, ma'am, he did give me a token. Ara. Where is it? Pink. [Aside.] I must not tell her it was a kiss. Pink. Ah, ma'am, his man Spatterdash took it from me. Ara. How vexatious !-Impertinent fellow! his master shall cane him. Oh! but, perhaps, in hopes of a reward, he took it from you, that he might give it to me himself. Pink. Give it to you himself! [Laughing.] Ha! ha! ha! Nay, then, his master would cane him in good earnest! — [A bell rings.] Oh, dear! that's my dreadful summons ! [Going, R. Ara. Pink-Pink! what was it? Pink. Why, ma'am, it was- [The bell again rings.]— Bless me! I shall get it on both sides of my ears! [Exit, running, R. Ara. I do long for this token from my dear Godfrey! What can it be? I wish I could see his man ! [ACT I. Spa. Where is this little rogue, Pink? 'Gad! I've ventured after her within the enemy's lines! If Miss Araminta sees me, I come with a message from my master -that's a sure welcome; but if I'm known by Lady Rounceval, I'm tucked up as a spy upon the next tree! Ara. Oh, as I live, here is the very person! [Coming forward.] Sir, I suppose Mr. Godfrey is well? Spa. [Aside.] Godfrey !-Hang it! I always forget my master's name! [To Araminta, bowing.] Oh! very well, madam, and at your service to command. Ara. I suppose you came with that Spa. Madam, I Ara. Well, I'm much obliged to you. Spa. [Aside.] Now for what is she obliged to me? Spa. Brought it! Ara. [Aside.] How teazing! [Aloud.] Haven't you something for me? Spa. Madam, I—[Aside.] What does she mean? Ara. I see the perquisite must come first. [Giving him money.] Something for your trouble, sir. Spa. Very much obliged to you, madam, but it's no trouble at all. Ara. It won't be so well if my mamma sees you; so give it me. Spa. What, madam? Ara. Psha !-The token! Spa. What token, miss? Ara. Why, that your master gave my maid, and that you took from her. Spa. Token that I took from Pink! [Aside.] Gad, it must be the kiss she means! Ara. Give it me quick; mamma is coming. Spa. [Aside.] Yes, 'tis the kiss she means! Ara. Come, come-give it me! Spa. Madam, I fear, if I Ara. What's the man afraid of? Let me have it! Ara. How provoking!-Come, come-quick! goes!, SCENE 11.] THE YOUNG QUAKER. Re-enter LADY ROUNCEVAL and PINK, R. Lady R. (R. C.) Heavens! what's the matter? 19 Pink. (R.) [Aside.] I fancy that Spatterdash was going to give her the token ! Lady R. Who is he?-What brought him here?-What did he do? Ara. Do! Lady R. Who are you, man? Spa. (L.) Madam, I am-Oh, Mrs. Pink, there, knows who I am very well. Pink. Me -My lady, I never saw the fellow before in all my life! [Goes up, R. Spa. Never saw me! Ara. [Aside.] She must not know it's Mr. Godfrey's man. [To Lady Rounceval.] Oh, madam, this is Mr. Chronicle's servant. Spa. [Aside.] So, the mistress tells lies as fast as the maid! Pink. [Coming forward, L.-apart to Spatterdash.] Say you belong to Mr. Chronicle, if you have any hopes of forgiveness. Lady R. Mr. Chronicle's servant! But what made you scream, Araminta ? Ara. Madam, everything that belongs to Mr. Chronicle is enough to make one scream. The squirrel, you know, he gave me the other day, I took for a rat. Lady R. Pooh-stuff! Any message from Mr. Chronicle, sir? Spa. Yes, ma'am, his compliments, and-[Apart.] What shall I say, Pink? Pink. [Apart to him.] Give the old lady the tokenshe'll like it! Spa. Curse you! [To Lady Rounceval.] Ma'am, he desires you'll mind the engagement. Pink. For this evening. Spa. Yes, madam, and he expects your company at his house this evening. Pink. [Aside.] Psha! blockhead! Lady R. Expects me at his house!-Why, he's engaged here at my house this evening! Here's some mistake! Spa. Mistake! - Pray, ma'am, an't you Lady Rounceval? 380 Νο Ho As TE Gr * Tl painted 20 THE YOUNG QUAKER. [ACT I. Lady R. Yes; but I mean, you must have mistook your message. Pink. [Apart to Spatterdash.] Insist that you are right. Lady R. Well, this is very strange, I protest; for I expected that we were to have his company this evening, instead of us to visit him. Ara. Well, ma'am, you see it's no such thing. Spa. No, ma'am, you see it's no such thing. Lady R. Well, then, I must orders matters accordingly. Our compliments to your master, and we shall do ourselves the honour of waiting on him. [Exit, R. Ara. Oh, charming! This visit of ours will put the old miser into such a delicious confusion! how I shall enjoy it! Run to Mr. Chronicle, my good man. Heavens ! I forget the fellow's insolent freedom! Spa. [To Pink.] Why don't you explain this affair to your mistress ? Pink. Here's poor Spatterdash, madam; I ask your pardon, but since I must own it, the token the captain gave me was a kiss. Ara. A kiss!Then pray, sir, desire your master to give his tokens himself in future. Spa. I shall, madam. But I hope you won't tell my master. Ara. No, upon my honour! That is, upon conditions. You know Mr. Chronicle's, in Grosvenor Street? Spa. Yes, madam. Ara. Run there; I'll write a card which you shall carry ;-but mind that you say you belong to my mamma. Spa. Madam, I'll belong to the Great Mogul to serve you! [Exit, L. Ara. Come, Pink, attend me to my toilette. This old avaricious hunks, I fancy, will be the first instance of a lover being distressed by a visit from his mistress. [Exit, R. Pink. Yes, madam, but I fear you'll lose a lover by it; for if Mr. Chronicle gives an entertainment to-night, he'll certainly hang himself to-morrow. [Exit, R. END OF ACT I. |