_SIR CLEMENT FLINT's House._
_Enter LORD GAYVILLE and SIR CLEMENT._
_Lord G._ I am resolved to see Miss Alscrip no more.
_Sir C._ And I hope you are prepared with arguments to justify the
cause of this breach, to me, and to the world.
_Lord G._ For my reconciliation with you, I hope your former partiality
will return to my aid; and as for the world, I despise it. The
multitude look at happiness through the false glare of wealth and pomp:
I have discovered it, though yet at a distance, through the only true
medium, that of mutual affection.
_Sir C._ No common place book, formed from a whole library of plays
and novels, could furnish a better sentence. Your folly would shame a
school-boy--even of the last age--In the present, he learns the world
with his grammar, and gets a just notion of the worthlessness of the
other sex, before he is of an age to be duped by their attractions.
_Lord G._ Sir, your prejudices----
_Sir C._ My prejudices?--will you appeal to Clifford--here he
comes--your friend--your other self.
_Enter CLIFFORD._
_Lord G._ And will Clifford condemn the choice of the heart?
_Cliff._ Never, my lord, when justly placed--In the case I perceive you
are arguing, I am ready to blush for you--nay, don't look grave--I am
acquainted with your enchantress.
_Lord G._ You acquainted with her?
_Cliff._ Yes; and, if I don't deceive myself, shall make her break her
own spell. I am in correspondence with her.
_Lord G._ You in correspondence with Miss Alton!--when? where? What am
I to think of this?
_Cliff._ My dear lord, that she is the most arrant coquette, the most
accomplished jilt, the most ready trafficker of her charms----
_Lord G._ Phrensy and profanation!
_Sir C._ Come, Gayville, I'll be plain with you; you have sillily let
the girl raise her price upon you--but, if nothing else will satisfy
you, e'en pay it, and have done with her.
_Lord G._ Sir, her price is an unadulterated heart: I am afraid we
cannot pay it betwixt us.
_Enter CHIGNON; he delivers a Letter to CLIFFORD, apart._
_Chignon._ Alerte, monsieur, I repete your word--Mademoiselle Alton be
all your own.
_Sir C._ Come, Clifford, the contents: his lordship braves the trial.
_Lord G._ What is this mighty scheme! and what is that paper to discover?
_Cliff._ [_Breaking open the Letter._] Your lordship shall be informed
word for word. [_Upon first sight of the Contents he shows the utmost
emotion._] Amazement! do I dream! can it be? who wrote this letter?
_Sir C._ Oh! speak out, monsieur, we are all friends.
_Chignon._ De true Mademoiselle Alton, whom you charge me to give your
letter--she open it--she turn pale--den red--den confuse--den kiss your
name--den write, and bid me fly.
_Lord G._ Confusion on confusion, what does all this mean? explain.
_Cliff._ You must pardon me, I am disconcerted--confounded--thunderstruck
--This letter is indeed of a different nature, from that I expected--I am
more interested in Miss Alton's fate than your lordship--my perplexity is
not to be endured; friend, come with me instantly.
[_Exeunt CLIFFORD and CHIGNON._
_Lord G._ Mystery and torture! what am I to collect from this? He
interested in the fate of Miss Alton? he her former acquaintance?
_Sir C._ Why not--and her dupe also?
_Enter a SERVANT._
_Serv._ Is Mr. Clifford gone, sir?
_Lord G._ [_Impatiently._] Who wants him?
_Serv._ A chairman with a letter, he will not deliver to a servant.
_Sir C._ Call the fellow in. [_Exit SERVANT._] Who knows but he may help
us in our difficulties?
_CHAIRMAN brought in, with a Letter in his Hand._
_Lord G._ [_Still impatiently._] Whom did you bring that letter from?
_Chairman._ Please your honour, I don't know; passing through the
square, a sash flew up, and down came this letter and half a crown
upon my head. It could not have fallen better, there's not a fellow in
town more handy than I am, nor, though I say it more cute at private
business--So I resolved to deliver it safely--Is your honour's name
Clifford?
_Lord G._ No, indeed, friend, I am not so happy a man.
_Sir C._ [_Aside._] That letter must not be lost though. Here, my
friend--I'll take charge of your letter. [_Takes the Letter._]
Something for your pains.
_Chairman._ God bless your honour, and if you want to send an answer,
my number is forty-seven in Bond Street--your honour, I am known by the
name of secret Tom.
[_Exit._
_Lord G._ What is the use of this deceit? strong as my suspicion is, a
seal must be sacred.
_Sir C._ Our circumstances make an exception to your rule: when there
is treason in the state, wax gives way. [_Takes the Letter, opens and
reads it._] 'Faith, this is beyond my expectation--though the mystery
is unfathomable, the aptness of it to my purpose is admirable--Gayville--I
wish you joy.
_Lord G._ Of what?
_Sir C._ Of conviction! if this is not plain! only hear. [_Reads._]
_Since my confused lines of a few minutes past, my perplexities
redouble upon my spirits--I am in momentary apprehension of farther
insult from the Alscrip family; I am still more anxious to avoid Lord
Gayville,_ [Pauses and looks at LORD GAYVILLE.] _do not suspect my
sincerity--I have not a thought of him that ought to disturb
you._--Here she is, Gayville, look at her, through the true medium of
mutual affection--_I have not a thought of him that might to disturb
you--Fly to me, secure me, my dearest Henry._
_Lord G._ Dearest Henry!
_Sir C._ [Reads on.] _Dearest Henry--In this call, the danger of your
Harriet unites with the impatience of her affection._
_Lord G._ Hell, and fury! this must be some trick, some forgery.
[_Snatches the Letter._]--No, by all that's perfidious, it is that
exquisite hand, that baffles imitation.
_Sir C._ All, regular, strict, undeviating modern morals--common
property is the first principle of friendship; your horse, your house,
your purse, your mistress--nay, your wife, would be a better example
still of the doctrine of this generous age. Bless fortune, Gayville,
that has brought the fidelity of your friend and your girl to the test
at the same time.
_Lord G._ Sir, I am not in a humour for any spleen but my own. What can
this mean? It must have been a secret attachment for years--but then
the avowal of a correspondence, and the confusion at receiving it--his
coldness in traducing her; the passionate interest he expressed in her
fate; the conviction of his second letter--It is all delirium. I'll
search the matter to the bottom, though I go to Clifford's heart for it.
[_Exit in great anger._
_Sir C._ I'll after the precious fellow too--He is a rogue above my
hopes, and the intricacy of his snares excite my curiosity.
[_Exit._