Charlotte has some books; and this is what I believe she calls her little library.[Enters a closet.
Enter DIMPLE leading LETITIA.
LETITIA
And will you pretend to say now, Mr.Dimple, that you propose to break with Maria? Are not the banns published? Are not the clothes purchased? Are not the friends invited? In short, is it not a done affair?
DIMPLE
Believe me, my dear Letitia, I would not marry her.
LETITIA
Why have you not broke with her before this, as you all along deluded me by saying you would?
DIMPLE
Because I was in hopes she would, ere this, have broke with me.
LETITIA
You could not expect it.
DIMPLE
Nay, but be calm a moment; 'twas from my regard to you that I did not discard her.
LETITIA
Regard to me!
DIMPLE
Yes; I have done everything in my power to break with her, but the foolish girl is so fond of me that nothing can accomplish it.Besides, how can I offer her my hand when my heart is indissolubly engaged to you?
LETITIA
There may be reason in this; but why so attentive to Miss Manly?
DIMPLE
Attentive to Miss Manly! For heaven's sake, if you have no better opinion of my constancy, pay not so ill a compliment to my taste.
LETITIA
Did I not see you whisper her to-day?
DIMPLE
Possibly I might--but something of so very trifling a nature that I have already forgot what it was.
LETITIA
I believe she has not forgot it.
DIMPLE
My dear creature, how can you for a moment sup-pose I should have any serious thoughts of that trifling, gay, flighty coquette, that disagreeable--Enter CHARLOTTE.
DIMPLE
My dear Miss Manly, I rejoice to see you; there is a charm in your conversation that always marks your entrance into company as fortunate.
LETITIA
Where have you been, my dear?
CHARLOTTE
Why, I have been about to twenty shops, turning over pretty things, and so have left twenty visits unpaid.
I wish you would step into the carriage and whisk round, make my apology, and leave my cards where our friends are not at home; that, you know, will serve as a visit.Come, do go.
LETITIA
So anxious to get me out! but I'll watch you.
[Aside.] Oh! yes, I'll go; I want a little exercise.
Positively [Dimple offering to accompany her], Mr.
Dimple, you shall not go; why, half my visits are cake and caudle visits; it won't do, you know, for you to go.[Exit, but returns to the door in the back scene and listens.]
DIMPLE
This attachment of your brother to Maria is fortunate.
CHARLOTTE
How did you come to the knowledge of it?
DIMPLE
I read it in their eyes.
CHARLOTTE
And I had it from her mouth.It would have amused you to have seen her! She, that thought it so great an impropriety to praise a gentleman that she could not bring out one word in your favour, found a redundancy to praise him.
DIMPLE
I have done everything in my power to assist his passion there: your delicacy, my dearest girl, would be shocked at half the instances of neglect and mis-behaviour.
CHARLOTTE
I don't know how I should bear neglect; but Mr.
Dimple must misbehave himself indeed, to forfeit my good opinion.
DIMPLE
Your good opinion, my angel, is the pride and pleas-ure of my heart; and if the most respectful tenderness for you, and an utter indifference for all your *** besides, can make me worthy of your esteem, I shall richly merit it.
CHARLOTTE
All my *** besides, Mr.Dimple!--you forgot your tete-a-tete with Letitia.
DIMPLE
How can you, my lovely angel, cast a thought on that insipid, wry-mouthed, ugly creature!
CHARLOTTE
But her fortune may have charms?
DIMPLE
Not to a heart like mine.The man, who has been blessed with the good opinion of my Charlotte, must despise the allurements of fortune.
CHARLOTTE
I am satisfied.
DIMPLE
Let us think no more on the odious subject, but devote the present hour to happiness.
CHARLOTTE
Can I be happy when I see the man I prefer going to be married to another?
DIMPLE
Have I not already satisfied my charming angel, that I can never think of marrying the puling Maria?
But, even if it were so, could that be any bar to our happiness? for, as the poet sings, "Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies."Come, then, my charming angel! why delay our bliss?
The present moment is ours; the next is in the hand of fate.[Kissing her.]
CHARLOTTE
Begone, Sir! By your delusions you had almost lulled my honour asleep.
DIMPLE
Let me lull the demon to sleep again with kisses.
[He struggles with her; she screams.]
Enter MANLY.
MANLY
Turn, villain! and defend yourself.--[Draws.]
[VAN ROUGH enters and beats down their swords.]
VAN ROUGH
Is the devil in you? are you going to murder one another? [Holding Dimple.]
DIMPLE
Hold him, hold him,--I can command my passion.
Enter JONATHAN.
JONATHAN
What the rattle ails you? Is the old one in you?
Let the colonel alone, can't you? I feel chock-full of fight,--do you want to kill the colonel?--MANLY
Be still, Jonathan; the gentleman does not want to hurt me.
JONATHAN
Gor! I--I wish he did; I'd shew him Yankee boys play, pretty quick.--Don't you see you have frightened the young woman into the hystrikes?
VAN ROUGH
Pray, some of you explain this; what has been the occasion of all this racket?
MANLY
That gentleman can explain it to you; it will be a very diverting story for an intended father-in-law to hear.
VAN ROUGH
How was this matter, Mr.Van Dumpling?
DIMPLE
Sir,--upon my honour,--all I know is, that I was talking to this young lady, and this gentleman broke in on us in a very extraordinary manner.
VAN ROUGH
Why, all this is nothing to the purpose; can you explain it, Miss? [To Charlotte.]
Enter LETITIA through the back scene.
LETITIA
