MISS NEVILLE. What better could be expected from being connected with
such a stupid fool,--and after all the nods and signs I made him?

TONY. By the laws, miss, it was your own cleverness, and not my
stupidity, that did your business. You were so nice and so busy with

your Shake-bags and Goose-greens, that I thought you could never be
making believe.

Enter HASTINGS.
HASTINGS. So, sir, I find by my servant, that you have shown my

letter, and betrayed us. Was this well done, young gentleman?
TONY. Here's another. Ask miss there, who betrayed you. Ecod, it was

her doing, not mine.
Enter MARLOW.

MARLOW. So I have been finely used here among you. Rendered
contemptible, driven into ill manners, despised, insulted, laughed at.

TONY. Here's another. We shall have old Bedlam broke loose
presently.

MISS NEVILLE. And there, sir, is the gentleman to whom we all owe
every obligation.

MARLOW. What can I say to him, a mere boy, an idiot, whose ignorance
and age are a protection?

HASTINGS. A poor contemptible booby, that would but disgrace
correction.

MISS NEVILLE. Yet with cunning and malice enough to make himself
merry with all our embarrassments.

HASTINGS. An insensible cub.
MARLOW. Replete with tricks and mischief.

TONY. Baw! damme, but I'll fight you both, one after the
other----with baskets.

MARLOW. As for him, he's below resentment. But your conduct, Mr.
Hastings, requires an explanation. You knew of my mistakes, yet would

not undeceive me.
HASTINGS. Tortured as I am with my own disappointments, is this a time

for explanations? It is not friendly, Mr. Marlow.
MARLOW. But, sir----

MISS NEVILLE. Mr. Marlow, we never kept on your mistake till it was
too late to undeceive you.

Enter Servant.
SERVANT. My mistress desires you'll get ready immediately, madam. The

horses are putting to. Your hat and things are in the next room. We
are to go thirty miles before morning. [Exit Servant.]

MISS NEVILLE. Well, well: I'll come presently.
MARLOW. (To HASTINGS.) Was it well done, sir, to assist in rendering

me ridiculous? To hang me out for the scorn of all my acquaintance?
Depend upon it, sir, I shall expect an explanation.

HASTINGS. Was it well done, sir, if you're upon that subject, to
deliver what I entrusted to yourself, to the care of another sir?

MISS NEVILLE. Mr. Hastings! Mr. Marlow! Why will you increase my
distress by this groundless dispute? I implore, I entreat you----

Enter Servant.
SERVANT. Your cloak, madam. My mistress is impatient. [Exit

Servant.]
MISS NEVILLE. I come. Pray be pacified. If I leave you thus, I

shall die with apprehension.
Enter Servant.

SERVANT. Your fan, muff, and gloves, madam. The horses are waiting.
MISS NEVILLE. O, Mr. Marlow! if you knew what a scene of constraint

and ill-nature lies before me, I'm sure it would convert your
resentment into pity.

MARLOW. I'm so distracted with a variety of passions, that I don't
know what I do. Forgive me, madam. George, forgive me. You know my

hasty temper, and should not exasperate it.
HASTINGS. The torture of my situation is my only excuse.

MISS NEVILLE. Well, my dear Hastings, if you have that esteem for me
that I think, that I am sure you have, your constancy for three years

will but increase the happiness of our future connexion. If----
MRS. HARDCASTLE. (Within.) Miss Neville. Constance, why Constance, I

say.
MISS NEVILLE. I'm coming. Well, constancy, remember, constancy is the

word. [Exit.]
HASTINGS. My heart! how can I support this? To be so near happiness,

and such happiness!
MARLOW. (To Tony.) You see now, young gentleman, the effects of your

folly. What might be amusement to you, is here disappointment, and
even distress.

TONY. (From a reverie.) Ecod, I have hit it. It's here. Your
hands. Yours and yours, my poor Sulky!--My boots there, ho!--Meet me

two hours hence at the bottom of the garden; and if you don't find Tony
Lumpkin a more good-natured fellow than you thought for, I'll give you

leave to take my best horse, and Bet Bouncer into the bargain. Come
along. My boots, ho! [Exeunt.]

ACT THE FIFTH.
(SCENE continued.)

Enter HASTINGS and Servant.
HASTINGS. You saw the old lady and Miss Neville drive off, you say?

SERVANT. Yes, your honour. They went off in a post-coach, and the
young 'squire went on horseback. They're thirty miles off by this

time.
HASTINGS. Then all my hopes are over.

SERVANT. Yes, sir. Old Sir Charles has arrived. He and the old
gentleman of the house have been laughing at Mr. Marlow's mistake this

half hour. They are coming this way.
HASTINGS. Then I must not be seen. So now to my fruitless

appointment at the bottom of the garden. This is about the time.
[Exit.]

Enter SIR CHARLES and HARDCASTLE.
HARDCASTLE. Ha! ha! ha! The peremptory tone in which he sent forth

his sublime commands!
SIR CHARLES. And the reserve with which I suppose he treated all your

advances.
HARDCASTLE. And yet he might have seen something in me above a common

innkeeper, too.
SIR CHARLES. Yes, Dick, but be mistook you for an uncommon innkeeper,

ha! ha! ha!
HARDCASTLE. Well, I'm in too good spirits to think of anything but

joy. Yes, my dear friend, this union of our families will make our
personal friendships hereditary; and though my daughter's fortune is

but small--
SIR CHARLES. Why, Dick, will you talk of fortune to ME? My son is

possessed of more than a competence already, and can want nothing but a
good and virtuous girl to share his happiness and increase it. If they

like each other, as you say they do--
HARDCASTLE. IF, man! I tell you they DO like each other. My

daughter as good as told me so.
SIR CHARLES. But girls are apt to flatter themselves, you know.

HARDCASTLE. I saw him grasp her hand in the warmest manner myself; and
here he comes to put you out of your IFS, I warrant him.

Enter MARLOW.
MARLOW. I come, sir, once more, to ask pardon for my strange conduct.

I can scarcereflect on my insolence without confusion.
HARDCASTLE. Tut, boy, a trifle! You take it too gravely. An hour or

two's laughing with my daughter will set all to rights again. She'll
never like you the worse for it.

MARLOW. Sir, I shall be always proud of her approbation.
HARDCASTLE. Approbation is but a cold word, Mr. Marlow; if I am not