* See Otway's Orphan.
Lord M. So we ought, Colonel! and so we do!--and pray let every one do
as he ought!--and no more than he ought; and you, Colonel, let me tell
you, will not be so hasty.
Lovel. (coolly) Come, come, Col. Morden, don't let this dispute, whatever
you intend to make of it, go farther than with you and me. You
deliver yourself in very high terms. Higher than ever I was talked to in
my life. But here, beneath this roof, 'twould be inexcusable for me to
take that notice of it which, perhaps, it would become me to take
elsewhere.
Col. That is spoken as I wish the man to speak whom I should be pleased
to call my friend, if all his actions were of a piece; and as I would
have the man speak whom I would think it worth my while to call my foe.
I love a man of spirit, as I love my soul. But, Mr. Lovelace, as my Lord
thinks we aim at one mark, let me say, that were we permitted to be alone
for six minutes, I dare say, we should soon understand one another
perfectly well.--And he moved to the door.
Lovel. I am entirely of your opinion, Sir; and will attend you.
My Lord rung, and stept between us: Colonel, return, I beseech you
return, said he: for he had stept out of the room while my Lord held me--
Nephew, you shall not go out.
The bell and my Lord's raised voice brought in Mowbray, and Clements, my
Lord's gentleman; the former in his careless way, with his hands behind
him, What's the matter, Bobby? What's the matter, my Lord?
Only, only, only, stammered the agitated peer, these young gentlemen are,
are, are--are young gentlemen, that's all.--Pray, Colonel Morden, [who
again entered the room with a sedater aspect,] let this cause have a fair
trial, I beseech you.
Col. With all my heart, my Lord.
Mowbray whispered me, What is the cause, Bobby?--Shall I take the
gentleman to task for thee, my boy?
Not for the world, whispered I. The Colonel is a gentleman, and I desire
you'll not say one word.
Well, well, well, Bobby, I have done. I can turn thee loose to the best
man upon God's earth; that's all, Bobby; strutting off to the other end
of the room.
Col. I am sorry, my Lord, I should give your Lordship the least
uneasiness. I came not with such a design.
Lord M. Indeed, Colonel, I thought you did, by your taking fire so
quickly. I am glad to hear you say you did not. How soon a little spark
kindles into a flame; especially when it meets with such combustible
spirits!
Col. If I had had the least thought of proceeding to extremities, I am
sure Mr. Lovelace would have given me the honour of a meeting where I
should have been less an intruder: but I came with an amicable intention;
to reconcile differences rather than to widen them.
Lovel. Well then, Colonel Morden, let us enter upon the subject in your
own way. I don't know the man I should sooner choose to be upon terms
with than one whom Miss Clarissa Harlowe so much respects. But I cannot
bear to be treated, either in word or accent, in a menacing way.
Lord M. Well, well, well, well, gentlemen, this is somewhat like.
Angry men make to themselves beds of nettles, and, when they lie down in
them, are uneasy with every body. But I hope you are friends. Let me
hear you say you are. I am persuaded, Colonel, that you don't know all
this unhappy story. You don't know how desirous my kinsman is, as well
as all of us, to have this matter end happily. You don't know, do you,
Colonel, that Mr. Lovelace, at all our requests, is disposed to marry the
lady?
Col. At all your requests, my Lord?--I should have hoped that Mr.
Lovelace was disposed to do justice for the sake of justice; and when at
the same time the doing of justice was doing himself the highest honour.
Mowbray lifted up his before half-closed eyes to the Colonel, and glanced
them upon me.
Lovel. This is in very high language, Colonel.
Mowbr. By my soul, I thought so.
Col. High language, Mr. Lovelace? Is it not just language?
Lovel. It is, Colonel. And I think, the man that does honour to Miss
Clarissa Harlowe, does me honour. But, nevertheless, there is a manner
in speaking, that may be liable to exception, where the words, without
that manner, can bear none.
Col. Your observation in the general is undoubtedly just: but, if you
have the value for my cousin that you say you have, you must needs think
--
Lovel. You must allow me, Sir, to interrupt you--IF I have the value I
say I have--I hope, Sir, when I say I have that value, there is no room
for that if, pronounced as you pronounced it with an emphasis.
Col. You have broken in upon me twice, Mr. Lovelace. I am as little
accustomed to be broken in upon, as you are to be repeated upon.
Lord M. Two barrels of gunpowder, by my conscience! What a devil will
it signify talking, if thus you are to blow one another up at every word?
Lovel. No man of honour, my Lord, will be easy to have his veracity
called into question, though but by implication.
Col. Had you heard me out, Mr. Lovelace, you would have found, that my
if was rather an if of inference, than of doubt. But 'tis, really a
strange liberty gentlemen of free principles take; who at the same time
that they would resent unto death the imputation of being capable of
telling an untruth to a man, will not scruple to break through the most
solemn oaths and promises to a woman. I must assure you, Mr. Lovelace,
that I always made a conscience of my vows and promises.
Lovel. You did right, Colonel. But let me tell you, Sir, that you know
not the man you talk to, if you imagine he is not able to rise to a
proper resentment, when he sees his generous confessions taken for a mark
of base-spiritedness.
Col. (warmly, and with a sneer,) Far be it from me, Mr. Lovelace, to
impute to you the baseness of spirit you speak of; for what would that be
but to imagine that a man, who has done a very flagrant injury, is not
ready to show his bravery in defending it--
Mowbr. This is d----d severe, Colonel. It is, by Jove. I could not
take so much at the hands of any man breathing as Mr. Lovelace before
this took at your's.
Col. Who are you, Sir? What pretence have you to interpose in a cause
where there is an acknowledged guilt on one side, and the honour of a
considerable family wounded in the tenderest part by that guilt on the
other?
Mowbr. (whispering to the Colonel) My dear child, you will oblige me
highly if you will give me the opportunity of answering your question.
And was going out.
The Colonel was held in by my Lord. And I brought in Mowbray.
Col. Pray, my good Lord, let me attend this officious gentleman, I
beseech you do. I will wait upon your Lordship in three minutes, depend
upon it.
Lovel. Mowbray, is this acting like a friend by me, to suppose me
incapable of answering for myself? And shall a man of honour and
bravery, as I know Colonel Morden to be, (rash as perhaps in this visit
he has shown himself,) have it to say, that he comes to my Lord M.'s
house, in a manner naked as to attendants and friends, and shall not for
that reason be rather borne with than insulted? This moment, my dear
Mowbray, leave us. You have really no concern in this business; and if
you are my friend, I desire you'll ask the Colonel pardon for interfering
in it in the manner you have done.
Mowbr. Well, well, Bob.; thou shalt be arbiter in this matter; I know I
have no business in it--and, Colonel, (holding out his hand,) I leave you
to one who knows how to defend his own cause as well as any man in
England.
Col. (taking Mowbray's hand, at Lord M.'s request,) You need not tell
me that, Mr. Mowbray. I have no doubt of Mr. Lovelace's ability to
defend his own cause, were it a cause to be defended. And let me tell
you, Mr. Lovelace, that I am astonished to think that a brave man, and a
generous man, as you have appeared to be in two or three instances that
you have given in the little knowledge I have of you, should be capable
of acting as you have done by the most excellent of her sex.
Lord M. Well, but, gentlemen, now Mr. Mowbray is gone, and you have
both shown instances of courage and generosity to boot, let me desire you
to lay your heads together amicably, and think whether there be any thing
to be done to make all end happily for the lady?
Lovel. But hold, my Lord, let me say one thing, now Mowbray is gone;
and that is, that I think a gentleman ought not to put up tamely one or
two severe things that the Colonel has said.
Lord M. What the devil canst thou mean? I thought all had been over.
Why thou hast nothing to do but to confirm to the Colonel that thou art
willing to marry Miss Harlowe, if she will have thee.
Col. Mr. Lovelace will not scruple to say that, I suppose,
notwithstanding all that has passed: but if you think, Mr. Lovelace, I
have said any thing I should not have said, I suppose it is this, that
the man who has shown so little of the thing honour, to a defenceless
unprotected woman, ought not to stand so nicely upon the empty name of
it, with a man who is expostulating with him upon it. I am sorry to have
cause to say this, Mr. Lovelace; but I would, on the same occasion,
repeat it to a king upon his throne, and surrounded by all his guards.
Lord M. But what is all this, but more sacks upon the mill? more coals
upon the fire? You have a mind to quarrel both of you, I see that. Are
you not willing, Nephew, are you not most willing, to marry this lady, if
she can be prevailed upon to have you?
Lovel. D--n me, my Lord, if I'd marry my empress upon such treatment
as this.
Lord M. Why now, Bob., thou art more choleric than the Colonel. It was
his turn just now. And now you see he is cool, you are all gunpowder.
Lovel. I own the Colonel has many advantages over me; but, perhaps,
there is one advantage he has not, if it were put to the trial.
Col. I came not hither, as I said before, to seek the occasion: but if
it were offered me, I won't refuse it--and since we find we disturb my
good Lord M. I'll take my leave, and will go home by the way of St.
Alban's.
Lovel. I'll see you part of the way, with all my heart, Colonel.
Col. I accept your civility very cheerfully, Mr. Lovelace.
Lord M. (interposing again, as we were both for going out,) And what
will this do, gentlemen? Suppose you kill one another, will the matter
be bettered or worsted by that? Will the lady be made happier or
unhappier, do you think, by either or both of your deaths? Your
characters are too well known to make fresh instances of the courage of
either needful. And, I think, if the honour of the lady is your view,
Colonel, it can by no other way so effectually promoted as by marriage.
And, Sir, if you would use your interest with her, it is very probable
that you may succeed, though nobody else can.
Lovel. I think, my Lord, I have said all that a man can say, (since
what is passed cannot be recalled:) and you see Colonel Morden rises in
proportion to my coolness, till it is necessary for me to assert myself,
or even he would despise me.
Lord M. Let me ask you, Colonel, have you any way, any method, that you
think reasonable and honourable to propose, to bring about a
reconciliation with the lady? That is what we all wish for. And I can
tell you, Sir, it is not a little owing to her family, and to their
implacable usage of her, that her resentments are heightened against my
kinsman; who, however, has used her vilely; but is willing to repair her
wrongs.--
Lovel. Not, my Lord, for the sake of her family; nor for this
gentleman's haughty behaviour; but for her own sake, and in full sense of
the wrongs I have done her.
Col. As to my haughty behaviour, as you call it, Sir, I am mistaken if
you would not have gone beyond it in the like case of a relation so
meritorious, and so unworthily injured. And, Sir, let me tell you, that
if your motives are not love, honour, and justice, and if they have the
least tincture of mean compassion for her, or of an uncheerful assent on
your part, I am sure it will neither be desired or accepted by a person
of my cousin's merit and sense; nor shall I wish that it should.
Lovel. Don't think, Colonel, that I am meanly compounding off a debate,
that I should as willingly go through with you as to eat or drink, if I
have the occasion given me for it: but thus much I will tell you, that my
Lord, that Lady Sarah Sadleir, Lady Betty Lawrance, my two cousins
Montague, and myself, have written to her in the most solemn and sincere
manner, to offer her such terms as no one but herself would refuse, and
this long enough before Colonel Morden's arrival was dreamt of.
Col. What reason, Sir, may I ask, does she give, against listening to
so powerful a mediation, and to such offers?