SCENE II.----_Courtall_'s.

_Enter_ Courtall, Saville, _and three others, from an Apartment in the back Scene_. (_The last three tipsey._)

_Court._ You shan't go yet:--Another catch, and another bottle!

_First Gent._ May I be a bottle, and an empty bottle, if you catch me at that!--Why, I am going to the Masquerade. Jack----, you know who I mean, is to meet me, and we are to have a leap at the new lustres.

_Second Gent._ And I am going too--a Harlequin--(_hiccups_) Am not I in a pretty pickle to make Harlequinades?----And Tony, here--he is going in the disguise--in the disguise--of a Gentleman!

_First Gent._ We are all very disguised; so bid them draw up--D'ye hear! [_Exeunt the three Gentlemen._

_Sav._ Thy skull, Courtall, is a Lady's thimble:--no, an egg-shell.

_Court._ Nay, then you are gone too; you never aspire to similes, but in your cups.

_Sav._ No, no; I am steady enough--but the fumes of the wine pass directly through thy egg-shell, and leave thy brain as cool as----Hey! I am quite sober; my similes fail me.

_Court._ Then we'll sit down here, and have one sober bottle.--Bring a table and glasses.

_Sav._ I'll not swallow another drop; no, though the juice should be the true Falernian.

_Court._ By the bright eyes of her you love, you shall drink her health.

_Sav._ Ah! (_sitting down_.) Her I loved is gone (_sighing._)--She's married!

_Court._ Then bless your stars you are not her Husband! I would be Husband to no Woman in Europe, who was not dev'lish rich, and dev'lish ugly.

_Sav._ Wherefore ugly?

_Court._ Because she could not have the conscience to exact those attentions that a Pretty Wife expects; or, if she should, her resentments would be perfectly easy to me, nobody would undertake to revenge her cause.

_Sav._ Thou art a most licentious fellow!

_Court._ I should hate my own wife, that's certain; but I have a warm heart for those of other people; and so here's to the prettiest Wife in England--Lady Frances Touchwood.

_Sav._ Lady Frances Touchwood! I rise to drink her. (_drinks_) How the devil came Lady Frances in your head? I never knew you give a Woman of Chastity before.

_Court._ That's odd, for you have heard me give half the Women of Fashion in England.--But, pray now, what do you take a Woman of Chastity to be? (_sneeringly._)

_Sav._ Such a woman as Lady Frances Touchwood, Sir.

_Court._ Oh, you are grave, Sir; I remember you was an Adorer of her's--Why didn't you marry her?

_Sav._ I had not the arrogance to look so high--Had my fortune been worthy of her, she should not have been ignorant of my admiration.

_Court._ Precious fellow! What, I suppose you would not dare tell her now that you admire her?

_Sav._ No, nor you.

_Court._ By the Lord, I have told her so.

_Sav._ Have! Impossible!

_Court._ Ha! ha! ha!--Is it so?

_Sav._ How did she receive the declaration?

_Court._ Why, in the old way; blushed, and frowned, and said she was married.

_Sav._ What amazing things thou art capable of! I could more easily have taken the Pope by the beard, than prophaned her ears with such a declaration.

_Court._ I shall meet her at Lady Brilliant's to-night, where I shall repeat it; and I'll lay my life, under a mask, she'll hear it all without blush, or frown.

_Sav._ (_rising_) 'Tis false, Sir!--She won't.

_Court._ She will! (_rising_) Nay, I'd venture to lay a round sum, that I prevail on her to go out with me----only to taste the fresh air, I mean.

_Sav._ Preposterous vanity! From this moment I suspect that half the victories you have boasted, are false and slanderous, as your pretended influence with Lady Frances.

_Court._ Pretended!--How should such a Fellow as you, now, who never soared beyond a cherry-cheeked Daughter of a Ploughman in Norfolk, judge of the influence of a Man of my Figure and Habits? I could shew thee a list, in which there are names to shake thy faith in the whole sex!--and, to that list I have no doubt of adding the name of Lady----

_Sav._ Hold, Sir! My ears cannot bear the profanation;--you cannot--dare not approach her!--For your soul you dare not mention Love to her! Her look would freeze the word, whilst it hovered on thy licentious lips!

_Court._ Whu! whu! Well, we shall see--this evening, by Jupiter, the trial shall be made--if I fail--I fail.

_Sav._ I think thou darest not!--But my life, my honour on her purity. [_Exit_ Saville.

_Court._ Hot-headed fool! But since he has brought it to this point, by Gad I'll try what can be done with her Ladyship (_musing_)--(_rings_) She's frost-work, and the prejudices of education yet strong: _ergo_, passionate professions will only inflame her pride, and put her on her guard.--For other arts then!

_Enter_ Dick.

Dick, do you know any of the servants at Sir George Touchwood's?

_Dick._ Yes, Sir; I knows the Groom, and one of the House-maids: for the matter-o'-that, she's my own Cousin; and it was my Mother that holp'd her to the place.

_Court._ Do you know Lady Frances's Maid?

_Dick._ I can't say as how I know she.

_Court._ Do you know Sir George's Valet?

_Dick._ No, Sir; but Sally is very thick with Mr. Gibson, Sir George's Gentleman.

_Court._ Then go there directly, and employ Sally to discover whether her Master goes to Lady Brilliant's this evening; and, if he does, the name of the shop that sold his Habit.

_Dick._ Yes, Sir.

_Court._ Be exact in your intelligence, and come to me at Boodle's: [_Exit_ Dick.] If I cannot otherwise succeed, I'll beguile her as Jove did Alcmena, in the shape of her Husband. The possession of so fine a Woman--the triumph over Saville, are each a sufficient motive; and united, they shall be resistless. [_Exit_ Courtall.