SCENE I.--LORD BRUMPTON'S _House.

_Enter_ TRUSTY _and_ LORD BRUMPTON.

_Tru._ She knows no moderation in her good fortune; she has, out of impatience to see herself in her weeds, ordered her mantua woman to stitch up anything immediately. You may hear her and Tattleaid laugh aloud--she is so wantonly merry.

_Ld. B._ But this of Lady Sharlot is the very utmost of all ill. Pray read--but I must sit; my late fit of the gout makes me act with pain and constraint. Let me see----

_Tru._ She writ it by the page, who brought it me, as I had wheedled him to do all their passages.

_Ld. B._ [_Reads._]

"You must watch the occasion of the servants being gone out of the house with the corpse; Tattleaid shall conduct you to my Lady Sharlot's apartment--away with her--and be sure you bed her----

"Your affectionate Sister,

"MARY BRUMPTON."

Brumpton? The creature! She called as Frank's mother was? Brumpton! The succuba! What a devil incarnate have I had in my bosom? Why, the common abandoned town women would scruple such an action as this. Though they have lost all regard to their own chastity, they would be tender of another's. Why, sure she had no infancy. She never had virginity, to have no compassion through memory of her own former innocence. This is to forget her very humanity--her very sex. Where is my poor boy? Where's Frank? Does not he want? How has he lived all this time? Not a servant, I warrant, to attend him--what company can he keep? What can he say of his father?

_Tru._ Though you made him not your heir, he is still your son, and has all the duty and tenderness in the world for your memory.

_Ld. B._ It is impossible, Trusty; it is impossible. I will not rack myself with the thought, that one I have injured can be so very good--keep me in countenance--tell me he hates my very name, would not assume my title because it descends from me. What's his company?

_Tru._ Young Tom Campley; they are never asunder.

_Ld. B._ I am glad he has my pretty tattler--the cheerful innocent Harriot. I hope he'll be good to her; he's good-natured and well-bred.

_Tru._ But, my lord, she was very punctual in ordering the funeral. She bid Sable be sure to lay you deep enough, she had heard such stories of the wicked sextons taking up people; but I wish, my lord, you would please to hear her and Tattleaid once more----

_Ld. B._ I know to what thy zeal tends; but I tell you, since you cannot be convinced but that I have still a softness for her--I say though I had so, it should never make me transgress that scrupulous honour that becomes a peer of England. If I could forget injuries done myself thus gross, I never will those done my friends. You knew Sharlot's worthy father--No, there's no need of my seeing more of this woman. I behold her now with the same eyes that you do; there's a meanness in all she says or does; she has a great wit but a little mind--something ever wanting to make her appear my Lady Brumpton. She has nothing natively great. You see I love her not; I talk with judgment of her.

_Tru._ I see it, my good lord, with joy I see it, nor care how few things I see more in this world. My satisfaction is complete. Welcome old age; welcome decay; 'tis not decay, but growth to a latter being. [_Exit, leading_ LORD BRUMPTON.

_Re-enter_ TRUSTY, _meeting_ CABINET.

_Tru._ I have your letter, Mr. Cabinet.

_Cab._ I hope, sir, you'll believe it was not in my nature to be guilty of so much baseness; but being born a gentleman, and bred out of all roads of industry in that idle manner too many are, I soon spent a small patrimony; and being debauched by luxury, I fell into the narrow mind to dread no infamy like poverty, which made me guilty, as that paper tells you; and had I not writ to you, I am sure I never could have told you of it.

_Tru._ It is an ingenious, pious penitence in you; my Lord Hardy (to whom this secret is inestimable) is a noble-natured man, and you shall find him such, I give you my word.

_Cab._ I know, sir, your integrity.

_Tru._ But pray be there; all that you have to do is to ask for the gentlewoman at the house at my Lord Hardy's; she'll take care of you. And pray have patience, where she places you, till you see me. [_Exit_ CAB.] My Lord Hardy's being a house where they receive lodgers, has allowed me convenience to place everybody I think necessary to be by at her discovery. This prodigious welcome secret! I see, however impracticable honest actions may appear, we may go on with just hope--

All that is ours is to be justly bent, And Heaven in its own cause will bless the event. [_Exit._