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youth again, and I really did have a scamper-yes-but[Staggers.] Ah! these old limbs-these old limbs.

[Sits on a garden chair, c

Re-enter LORD POMPION from house, R.

Lord P. Oh !-at last-I have found you, sir!

COLONEL ROCKET rushes down from the house, r. Rock. Aha! Here you are, are you?

Rur. Yes, my dear friends, here I am.

Rock. Let me contain myself, and respect his age and his profession. Harkye, sir, are you not ashamed of yourself?

Rur. [Aside.] Oh, here come the reproaches.—Yes;— La! ha!-I am-I am.

Lord P. To connive at the abduction of a young lady by her own groom.

Rur. Ha! ha!—[Aside.] He told me not to heed his anger-that he would assume it for policy-I won't.— [Aloud, and in Lord Pompion's face.] Ha! ha! ha!

Lord P. And by what authority did you marry my son, sir?

Rur. [Aside.] Ha! ha! ha! and he told me to do it— oh, the hypocrite.-[Aloud.] Ha! ha! ha!

Rock. I respect your position, sir, but—

Rur. Ha ha! ha!

Lord P. Mr. Rural, this is indecent.

Rur. Ha! ha! ha! ha! [Retires up, L., with Lord P. Rock. If I remain, I shall forget myself.

Enter LADY ALICE HAWTHORN, LITTLETON COKE, MISS ROCKET, and ROEBUCK, R. U. E.

Rur. Aha! at last, they are here, my blest ones, and I am free-give me your hands. [Crosses to Roebuck. Roe. When you have severed our hearts for ever? Rur. Eh?

Kate. Oh, sir, you have destroyed the only hope of my

existence.

Rur. What!

Lady A. What could have actuated you to such a deed? or did you betray us to the Earl and the Colonel, and agree to compromise us into obedience.

Rur. Bless me-Littleton

Lit. Do not look to me for help.

Rur. I-ah-[Aside,] the rascal is keeping up the joke, because the old people are here.

Lady A. Exonerate yourself, sir.

Rur. Ha!

Roe. What excuse can you→
Rur. Ha! ha!

Kate. You could not have mistaken.
Rur. Ha! ha! ha!

Lit. Can you not see, sir, this is reality?
Rur. Ha! ha!-[Chokes a laugh,] ha!
Lat. Is my ruin a subject for your mirth?
Rur. Ha! ha!

[In wonder, but continuing to laugh. Jady A. It is inhuman!

Rur. Ha ha! ha!

Lit. Or have you—yes, her suspicions are true, and you have betrayed me.

Rur. Ha! ha! ha!

Lit. And over such a deed, you can laugh-farewell for ever!

[Rural bursts into a paroxysm of hysterical and convulsive laughter, Lady Alice Hawthorn runs to Rural on one side, Miss Rocket on the other, while Roebuck and Littleton Coke walk up and down on opposite sides.

Lady A. Don't weep, it was no fault of your's—you would have aided our love if our foolish young hearts had not puzzled your kind old head.

Rur. He's gone! he's gone!

Lit. No, my dear friend, [Littleton goes to Rural and embraces him,] pardon my cruelty to you: I have slighted your affection, [Looking at Lady A.] and for what? Rur. Bless my heart! but I have ruined you.

Lit. No!

Rur. I have, I know I have.-I have ruined my child -my-oh, forgive me, will you, Littleton ?

Lit. How shall I forgive myself; come, we will leave this place. [Rural gets up and clings to him.] Lady Alice, one word, before I go.

Lady A. You shall not, till you have forgiven me.
Lit. Forgiven!

Kate. Charles, I do repent my cruelty.

[Rural goes up with Littleton, Roebuck, and Miss Rocket, R., Colonel Rocket and the Earl speak, R.

Enter Toм COKE from the house, R.

Rock. 1 trust, my lord, you do not suspect I had any hand in this affair?

Lord P. Let us make the best of it. I have reasons for wishing that the particulars should not be investigated. Rock. There, Kate, I don't forgive you for outflanking your old father; but, [Whispers,] damme, girl, you're right, he's a dashing fellow.

[Crosses to Kate, and goes up, c. Tom. May I beg a moment of your ladyship's attention ?

Lady A. Certainly. [They advance, the rest retire a little. Tom. A'm-a-a man of few words, and I don't think you loike me less for being honest. A've none of the ways that the gay young fellows about town cultivate to win women's hearts with-because I never in my life intended to win but one, and I meant that should be my wife's.

Lady A. I believe

you.

Tom. A-ahem.-[Aside.] This wants more than honesty, I find. [Pauses-at last loud and bluntly.] A've two estates in Yorkshire-a've twenty coal pits, and an iron hole-a've-a've four thousand honest pounds a-year to spend, and a've a true English heart, very much at your ladyship's service-and a've-a've—that's all—[A pause,] coom-don't hesitate-be honest, as I am-say yes-or

-or-no.

Lady A. Honestly-I must say—no.

Tom. Well-a-that-is-at-least-bonest.

Yes

it is-it is-[He is affected,] and [Huskily,] may I ask you a straightforward question?

Lady A. Yes.

Tom. Do you love another?

Lady A. I do.

Tom. That's honest, too-oh, I loike it-and--ahem, that other

Lady A. Is your brother.

Tom. Littleton ?

Lady A. Yes.

Tom Thank you-I-that is-thank you [She retires,]

wi' my brother-wi-very well-and-yes-I'll do't-I -will-I oul. [Calls.] Brother Littleton. [Coke advances R.] You-love-a—that lady?

Lit. Yes.

Tom. Am not surprised at it—and a suppose you know that she loves you-she told me so-but would you, for her sake, quit gay London ?-would you live for her only? Lit. I would, and will.

Tom. She's worthy of a prince's throne. Brother, oh give her, then, an honest heart, love her as I—as she― loves you, ahem! [Pauses.] I-Littleton, here is every paper you ever signed to me; 'ave never counted them, for they sickened me to look at. A brought them doon here thinking to restore them to you on my—but—no matter, turn a foolish vanity and-[Becomes abstracted, after a pause, passes his hand across his eyes,]-'tis past-take them, Littleton, take back my father's gift-no-I'll buy no brother's birthright wi' a mess of pottage; and besides, it wouldn't do for you to go to your rich wife a beggar, and-and-Littleton, I-[Chokedly and whispering.] God bless you! [Shakes his hand.

Lit. Tom-brother-my friends, I

Tom. Seizing his hand.] Hush !-h-[Points to the paper, between ourselves, not a word, not even to minister; such things should be sacred, as our mother's grave -not a word. [They go up affectionately. Lord P. I'll hear no more. I disapprove of the match -the young man is a pauper, and possesses no rank to entitle him.

Lit. My lord!

Tom. Not quite a pauper either-my lord, since he possesses nigh two thousand pounds a-year-and is, and ever will be, my only heir to twice as much again.

Enter BOB, L.

[Shouts without, L.

Bob. They're waiting to chair the member.

Lord P. Lord Charles-make haste!

Bob. Not at all. [Loud shouts outside—" Hurrah for Coke! Coke !"

Bob. Do you hear?

Lord P. Impossible! what's the state of the poll? Bub. Here it is, at the close, Coke, 218, Roebuck, 2.

Lord P. I've been-[Aside,] stop, I may gain over the new member.-[Aloud.] Mr. Coke, my hasty expressionRoe. How's this, not married yet?

Lord P. Ha! Can it be possible? then I may save him Colonel, things have assumed an aspect, which

yet.

Enter LADY POMPION from house.

Lady P. What is all this?

Bob. [Aside to Roebuck.] All right, my lord; [Crosses to the Earl, see, settle the Earl.-Aloud.] If your lordship will allow me to explain our interview last evening

to the countess.

Lord P. Not a word.

Bob. The boy, Robert

Lord P. I beseech-my dear children, may heaven bless your felicitous union.

Rur. May I unite 'em, may I come here, [Calls Lady Alice R., and Miss Rocket, L., takes them under his arms,] bless your young faces, your smiles fall like sunshine on my old heart; this is a delicious moment![Turns round, thereby bringing Miss Rocket to R., and Lady Alice L., pushes them towards their wrong lovers; then he turns to the audience.] There! bless you! may heaven shower its blessings on you, as it now does on me. [Roebuck and Littleton Coke exchange Miss Rocket and Lady Alice behind Rural's back.] Here's a feast of joy! look at this happiness! [Turns round to Roebuck, L., sees him embracing Miss Rocket.] Hollo! bless me! [Turns round, R., and sees Littleton Coke embracing Lady Alice.] Good gracious me! ha! what, have I mistaken?—and—youah! I see- -old heads and young hearts! well, no matter -bless you that way. [To audience.] I see many young hearts before me, I hope you're all in love-I do-and that I could unite you all. Well, I bequeath you to the conduct of the old heads; and to them I would say, did you ever see a little child leading an old blind man ?— how can age best repay such a charity? why, by guiding the blindness of youth, which is love: this is the last debt due from an old head to a young heart.

DISPOSITION OF THE CHARACTERS AT THE FALL OF
THE CURTAIN.

TOM. LADY P. LORD P. LIT. LADY A. RURAL. KATE. PE.
L.]

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THE END.

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