Chapter 2

_An Antichamber in Wintersen Castle._

_Enter SUSAN, meeting Footmen with table and chairs._

_Susan._ Why, George! Harry! where have you been loitering? Put down these things. Mrs. Haller has been calling for you this half hour.

_Geo._ Well, here I am then. What does she want with me?

_Susan._ That she will tell you herself. Here she comes.

_Enter MRS. HALLER, (with a letter, a MAID following._

_Mrs. H._ Very well; if those things are done, let the drawing room be made ready immediately.--[_Exit MAIDS._] And, George, run immediately into the park, and tell Mr. Solomon I wish to speak with him. [_Exit FOOTMAN._] I cannot understand this. I do not learn whether their coming to this place be but the whim of a moment, or a plan for a longer stay: if the latter, farewell, solitude! farewell, study!--farewell!--Yes, I must make room for gaiety, and mere frivolity. Yet could I willingly submit to all; but, should the Countess give me new proofs of her attachment, perhaps of her respect, Oh! how will my conscience upbraid me! Or--I shudder at the thought! if this seat be visited by company, and chance should conduct hither any of my former acquaintance--Alas! alas! how wretched is the being who fears the sight of any one fellow-creature! But, oh! superior misery! to dread still more the presence of a former friend!--Who's there?

_Enter PETER._

_Pet._ Nobody. It's only me.

_Mrs. H._ So soon returned?

_Pet._ Sharp lad, a'n't I? On the road I've had a bit of talk too, and--

_Mrs. H._ But you have observed my directions!

_Pet._ Oh, yes, yes:--I told old Tobias as how he would never know as long as he lived that the money came from you.

_Mrs. H._ You found him quite recovered, I hope?

_Pet._ Ay, sure did I. He's coming out to-day for the first time.

_Mrs. H._ I rejoice to hear it.

_Pet._ He said that he was obliged to you for all; and before dinner would crawl up to thank you.

_Mrs. H._ Good Peter, do me another service.

_Pet._ Ay, a hundred, if you'll only let me have a good long stare at you.

_Mrs. H._ With all my heart! Observe when old Tobias comes, and send him away. Tell him I am busy, or asleep, or unwell, or what you please.

_Pet._ I will, I will.

_Sol._ [_Without._] There, there, go to the post-office.

_Mrs. H._ Oh! here comes Mr. Solomon.

_Pet._ What! Father?--Ay, so there is. Father's a main clever man: he knows what's going on all over the world.

_Mrs. H._ No wonder; for you know he receives as many letters as a prime minister and all his secretaries.

_Enter SOLOMON._

_Sol._ Good morning, good morning to you, Mrs. Haller. It gives me infinite pleasure to see you look so charmingly well. You have had the goodness to send for your humble servant. Any news from the Great City? There are very weighty matters in agitation. I have my letters too.

_Mrs. H._ [_Smiling._] I think, Mr. Solomon, you must correspond with the four quarters of the globe.

_Sol._ Beg pardon, not with the whole world, Mrs. Haller: but [_Consequentially._] to be sure I have correspondents, on whom I can rely, in the chief cities of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

_Mrs. H._ And yet I have my doubts whether you know what is to happen this very day at this very place.

_Sol._ At this very place! Nothing material. We meant to have sown a little barley to-day, but the ground is too dry; and the sheep-shearing is not to be till to-morrow.

_Pet._ No, nor the bull-baiting till--

_Sol._ Hold your tongue, blockhead! Get about your business.

_Pet._ Blockhead! There again! I suppose I'm not to open my mouth. [_To MRS. HALLER._] Good bye! [_Exit._

_Mrs. H._ The Count will be here to-day.

_Sol._ How! What!

_Mrs. H._ With his lady, and his brother-in-law, Baron Steinfort.

_Sol._ My letters say nothing of this. You are laughing at your humble servant.

_Mrs. H._ You know, sir, I'm not much given to jesting.

_Sol._ Peter!--Good lack-a-day!--His Right Honourable Excellency Count Wintersen, and her Right Honourable Excellency the Countess Wintersen, and his Honourable Lordship Baron Steinfort--And, Lord have mercy! nothing in proper order!--Here, Peter! Peter!

_Enter PETER._

_Pet._ Well, now; what's the matter again?

_Sol._ Call all the house together directly! Send to the game keeper; tell him to bring some venison. Tell Rebecca to uncase the furniture, and take the covering from the Venetian looking glasses, that her Right Honourable Ladyship the Countess may look at her gracious countenance: and tell the cook to let me see him without loss of time: and tell John to catch a brace or two of carp. And tell--and tell--and tell--tell Frederick to friz my Sunday wig.--Mercy on us!--Tell--There--Go!-- [_Exit PETER._] Heavens and earth! so little of the new furnishing of this old castle is completed!--Where are we to put his Honourable Lordship the Baron?

_Mrs. H._ Let him have the little chamber at the head of the stairs; it is a neat room, and commands a beautiful prospect.

_Sol._ Very right, very right. But that room has always been occupied by the Count's private secretary. Suppose!--Hold, I have it. You know the little lodge at the end of the park: we can thrust the secretary into that.

_Mrs. H._ You forget, Mr. Solomon; you told me that the Stranger lived there.

_Sol._ Pshaw! What have we to do with the Stranger?--Who told him to live there?--He must turn out.

_Mrs. H._ That would be unjust; for you said, that you let the dwelling to him, and by your own account he pays well for it.

_Sol._ He does, he does. But nobody knows who he is. The devil himself can't make him out. To be sure, I lately received a letter from Spain, which informed me that a spy had taken up his abode in this country, and from the description--

_Mrs. H._ A spy! Ridiculous! Every thing I have heard bespeaks him to be a man, who may be allowed to dwell any where. His life is solitude and silence.

_Sol._ So it is.

_Mrs. H._ You tell me too he does much good.

_Sol._ That he does.

_Mrs. H._ He hurts nothing; not the worm in his way.

_Sol._ That he does not.

_Mrs. H._ He troubles no one.

_Sol._ True! true!

_Mrs. H._ Well, what do you want more?

_Sol._ I want to know who he is. If the man would only converse a little, one might have an opportunity of _pumping_; but if one meets him in the lime walk, or by the river, it is nothing but--"Good morrow;"--and off he marches. Once or twice I have contrived to edge in a word--"Fine day."--"Yes."--"Taking a little exercise, I perceive."--"Yes:"--and off again like a shot. The devil take such close fellows, say I. And, like master like man; not a syllable do I know of that mumps his servant, except that his name is Francis.

_Mrs. H._ You are putting yourself into a passion, and quite forget who are expected.

_Sol._ So I do--Mercy on us!--There now, you see what misfortunes arise from not knowing people.

_Mrs. H._ 'Tis near twelve o'clock already! If his lordship has stolen an hour from his usual sleep, the family must soon be here. I go to my duty; you will attend to yours, Mr. Solomon. [_Exit._

_Sol._ Yes, I'll look after my duty, never fear. There goes another of the same class. Nobody knows who she is again. However, thus much I do know of her, that her Right Honourable Ladyship the Countess, all at once, popped her into the house, like a blot of ink upon a sheet of paper. But why, wherefore, or for what reason, not a soul can tell.--"She is to manage the family within doors." She to manage! Fire and faggots! Haven't I managed every thing within and without, most reputably, these twenty years? I must own I grow a little old, and she does take a deal of pains: but all this she learned of me. When she first came here--Mercy on us! she didn't know that linen was made of flax. But what was to be expected from one who has no foreign correspondence. [_Exit._

ACT THE SECOND.