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English city fashion, content to a degree. Now, here in Spain, child, we have such things as back rooms, barred windows, hard fare, poison, daggers, bolts, chains, and so forth.

Ros. Ay, sir; and there are such things as bribes, plots, shams, letters, lies, walls, ladders, keys, confidants, and so forth.

Hyp. Hey! a very complete regiment indeed! what a world of service might these do in a quarter of an hour, with a woman's courage at the head of them! Really, madam, your dress and humour have the prettiest loose French air, something so quality, that, let me die, madam, I believe in a month I should be apt to poison ye. Ros. So, it takes! [Aside.] And, let me die, sir, I believe I should be apt to deserve it of ye. Hyp. I shall certainly do it.

might have been suspected: your shewing me what a man of sense should hate, convinces me you know, too, what he ought to love; and she, that's once so well acquainted with the charms of virtue, never can forsake it. I both admire and love you now; you have made, what only was my interest, my happiness. At my first view, I woo'd you only to secure a sordid fortune, which now I, overjoyed, could part with, nay, with my life, with any thing, to purchase your unrivalled heart.

Ros. Now I am plunged indeed! [Aside.] Well, sir, I own you have discovered me; and, since you have obliged me to be serious, I now, from my sincerity, protest my heart's already given, from whence no power nor interest shall recall it.

Ros. It must be in my breakfast, then for I should certainly run away before the wedding-power or title, but to love. dinner came up.

Hyp. I hate my interest, and would owe no

Hyp. That's over-acted; but I'll startle her. [Aside.] Then I must tell you, madam, a Spanish husband may be provoked as well as a wife.

Ros. My life on't, his revenge is not half so sweet! and if she's provoked, 'tis a thousand to one but she licks her lips before she's nailed in her coffin !

Hyp. You are very gay, madam.

Ros. I see nothing to fright me, sir, for I cannot believe you'll marry me now- -I have told you my humour: if you like it, you have a good stomach.

Hyp. Why, truly, you may probably lie a little heavy upon it, but I can better digest you than poverty: As for your inclination, I'll keep your body honest, however; that shall be locked up; and if you don't love me, then-I'll stab you.

Ros. With what? your words? it must be those you say after the priest, then-You'll be able to do very little that will reach my heart, I assure ye.

Hyp. Well, well, madam, you need not give yourself half this trouble; I am heartily convinced you will make the damned'st wife that ever poor dog of a husband wished at the devil: but really, madam, you are very unfortunate; for, notwithstanding all the mighty pains you have taken, you have met with a positive coxcomb, that's still just fool and stout enough to marry

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Ros. If, as you say, you think I find a charm in virtue, you'll know, too, there's a charm in constancy. You ought to scorn me, should I flatter you with hope, since now you are assured I must be false before I can be yours. If what I have said seems cold, or too neglectful of your merit, call it not ingratitude or scorn, but faith unmoved, and justice to the man I love.

Hyp. Death! I have fooled away my hopes: she must consent, and soon, or yet I'm lost.

[4side.

Ros. He seems a little thoughtful; if he has honour, there may yet be hopes.

[Aside.

Hyp. It must-it can be only so; that way I make her sure, and serve my brother, too. [Aside.] Well, madam, to let you see I'm a friend to love, though love's an enemy to me, give me but a seeming proof that Octavio is the undisputed master of your heart, and I'll forego the power your father's obligations give me, and throw my hopes into his arms with you.

Ros. Sir, you confound me with this goodness! A proof! is it possible? will that content ye? Command me to what proof you please; or, if you'll trust to my sincerity, let these tears of joy convince you. Here, on my knees, by all my hopes of peace, I swear———

Hyp. Hold! swear never to make a husband, but Octavio.

Ros. I swear, and Heaven befriend me as I keep this vow inviolate!

Hyp. Rise, madam; and now receive a secret which I need not charge you to be careful of, since, as well your quiet as my own depends upon it. A little common prudence between us, in all probability, before night, may make us happy in our secret wishes.

Ros. What mean you, sir? sure you are some angel sent to my deliverance.

Hyp. Truly, madam, I have been often told so; but, like most angels of my kind, there is a mortal man in the world, who, I have a great mind should know that I am-but a woman.

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Ros. A woman! are not you Don Philip? Hyp. His shadow, madam, no more; I just run before him-nay, and after him, too.

Ros. I am confounded-a woman!

Hyp. As arrant a woman, from top to toe, as ever man run mad for.

Ros. Nay, then, you are an angel.

Hyp. Perhaps, you'll think me little a kin to one at least. Octavio, madam, your lover, is my brother; my name Hypolita; my story you shall know at leisure.

Ros. Hypolita! nay, then, from what you've said, and what I have heard Octavio say of you, I guess your story: but this was so extravagant a thought.

Hyp. That's true, madam, it—it—it was a little round about, indeed; I might have found a nearer way to Don Philip; but these men are such testy things, they can never stay one's time; always in haste, just as they please; now we are to look kind, then grave; now soft, then sincere-Fiddlestick! when, may be, a woman has a new suit of knots on her head-so, if we happen not to be in their humour, forsooth, then we coquette, and are proud and vain, and then they are to turn to fools, and tell us so; then, one pouts and the other huffs; and you see there is such a plague, that—I don't know-one does not care to be rid of them neither.

Ros. A very generous confession!

Hyp. Well, mada:n, now you know me thoroughly, I hope you'll think me as fit for a husband as another woman.

Ros. Then I must marry ye?

Hyp. Aye, and speedily, too; for I expect Don Philip every moment, and, if we don't look about us, he will be apt to forbid the banns.

Ros. If he comes, what shall we do?

Hyp. I am provided for him-Here comes your father he's secure. Come, put on a dumb, consenting air, and leave the rest to me.

Ros. Well, this getting the better of my wise papa won't be the least part of my satisfaction.

Enter DON MANUEL.

D. Man. So, son, how does the battle go now? Have you cannonaded stoutly? Does she cry_quarter?

Hyp. My dear father! let me embrace your knecs; my life's too poor to make you a return; you have given me an empire, sir; I would not change to be grand signior.

D. Man. Ah, rogue! he has done it, he has done it; he has her! ha! is't not so, my little champion?

Hyp. Victoria, sir! the town's my own. Look here! and here, sir! thus have I been plundering this half hour; and thus, and thus, and thus, till my lips ache again. [Kisses her. D. Man. Ah! give me the great chair- -I cannot bear my joy--You rampant rogue!

could not ye give the poor girl a quarter of an hour's warning?

Hyp. My charmer! [Embracing Rosara.

D. Man. Ah, my cares are over!

Hyp. Oh, I told you, sir; hearts and towns are never too strong for a surprise.

D. Man. Prithee, be quiet, I hate the sight of ye-Rosara! come hither, you wicked thing; come hither, I say.

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Ros. I am glad to see you well pleased, sir. D. Man. Oh, I cannot live- I cannot live it; pours upon me like a torrent; I am as full as a bumper-it runs over at my eyes; I shall choke- -Answer me two questions, and kill me outright.

Ros Any thing that will make you more pleased, sir.

D. Man. Are you positively resolved to marry this gentleman?

Ros. Sir, I am convinced 'tis the first match that can make me happy.

D. Man. I am the miserablest dog aliveand I warrant you are willing to marry him tomorrow morning, if I should ask you?

Ros. Sooner, sir, if you think it necessary. D. Man. Oh, this malicious jade has a mind to destroy me all at once- -Ye cursed toad! how did you do to get in with her so?

[TO HYPOLITA. Ros. Come, sir, take heart; your joy won't be always so troublesome.

D. Man. You lie, hussy, I shall be plagued with it as long as I live.

Hyp. You must not live above two hours, then.

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D. Man. Very likely.

Enter TRAPPANTI.

Trap. Sir, sir-News, news!

D. Man. Aye, this fellow has a good merry face, now I like him. Well, what dost thou say, lad? -But, hold, sirrah! has any body told thee how it is with me? Trap. Sir?

D. Man. Do you know, puppy, that I am ready to cry?

Trap. Cry, sir! for what?

D. Man. Joy! joy! you whelp; my cares

are over; madam's to marry your master, sirrah, and I am as wet with joy as if I had been thrown into a sea full of good-luck. Why don't you cry, dog?

Trap. Uh! Well, sir, I do-But now, if you please, let me tell you my business.

D. Man. Well, what's the matter, sirrah? Trap. Nay, no great matter, sir; onlySlylooks is come, that's all.

D. Man. Slylooks! what, the bamboozler!— ha, ha!

Trap. He, sir, he.

D. Man. I'm glad of it, faith-now I shall have a little diversion to moderate my joy-I'll wait on the gentleman myself-Don't you be out of the way, son; I'll be with ye presently- -Oh my jaws! this fit will carry me off. Ye dear toad! good-bye. [Exit. Hyp. Ha, ha, ha! the old gentleman's as merry as a fiddle; how he'll start when a string snaps in the middle of his tune!

Ros. At least, we shall make him change it, I believe.

Hyp. That we shall; and here comes one that's to play upon him.

Enter FLORA, hastily.

Flo. Don Philip, where are you? I must needs speak with ye. Begging your ladyship's pardon, madam. [Whispers HYPOLITA.] Stand to your arms; the enemy's at the gate, faithbut I've just thought of a sure card to win the lady into our party.

Ros. Who can this youth be she is so familiar with? he must certainly know her business here, and she is reduced to trust him. What odd things we women are! never to know our own

SCENE I.-Continues.

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Ros. Troth, I think it's a pity you should either of you ever part with your swords: I never saw a prettier couple of adroit cavaliers in my life.

Flo. Egad, I don't know how it is, madam; but, methinks, these breeches give me such a mettled air, I cannot help fancying but that I left my sex at home in my petticoats.

Hyp. Why, faith, for aught I know, hadst thou been born to breeches instead of a fille de chambre, fortune might have made thee a beau garçon at the head of a regiment-But hush! there's Don Philip and the old gentleman: we must not be seen yet. If you please to retire, madam, l'il tell you how we intend to deal with them. Ros. With all my heart-Come, ladiesGentlemen--I beg your pardon.

ACT IV.

Enter DoN MANUEL and DON PHILIP. D. Man. WELL, sir; and so you were robbed of your portmanteau, you say, at Toledo, in which are all your letters and writings relating to your marriage with my daughter, and that's the reason you are come without them.

D. Phi. I thought, sir, you might reasonably take it ill I should have lain a week or two in town, without paying you my duty. I was not robbed of the regard I owe my father's friend; that, sir, I have brought with me, and 'twould have been ill manners not to have paid it at my first arrival.

D. Man. Ah, how smooth the spark is![Aside.] Well, sir, I am pretty considerably glad to see you; but, I hope, you'll excuse me if, in a matter of this consequence, I seem a little cautious.

[Exeunt.

D. Phi. Sir, I sha'nt propose any immediate progress in my affair, till you receive fresh advice from my father; in the mean time, I shall think myself obliged by the bare freedom of your house, and such entertainment as you'd, at least, afford a common stranger.

D. Man. Impudent rogue! the freedom of my house! yes, that he may be always at hand to secure the main chance for my friend Octavio-But now I'll have a touch of the bamboozle with him. [Aside.] Look ye, sir, while I see nothing to contradict what you say you are, d'ye see, you shall find me a gentleman.

D. Phi. So my father told me, sir.

D. Man. But, then, on the other hand, d'ye see, a man's honesty is not always written in his face; and (begging your pardon) if you should prove a damned rogue now, d'ye see?

D. Phi. Sir, I cannot, in reason, take any thing ill, that proceeds only from your caution. D. Man. Civil rascal! [Aside.] No, no, as

you say, I hope you won't take it ill neither; for how do I know, you know, but what you tell me (begging your pardon again, sir,) may be all a lie!

D. Phi. Another man, indeed, might say the same to you; but I shall take it kindly, sir, if you suppose me a villain no oftener than you have occasion to suspect me.

D. Man. Sir, you speak like a man of honour, it is confessed; but (begging your pardon again, sir,) so may a rascal too, sometimes.

D. Phi. But a man of honour, sir, can never speak like a rascal.

D. Man. Why, then, with your honour's leave, sir, is there nobody here in Madrid that knows you?

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Trap. Bless me, sir! is it you? Sir, this is my old master I lived with at Seville.

D. Phi. I remember thee; thy name's Trappanti; thou wert my servant when I first went to travel.

Trap. Ay, sir, and about twenty months after you came home, too.

D. Phi. You see, sir, this fellow knows me. D. Man. Oh, I never questioned it in the least, sir! Prithee, what's this worthy gentleman's name, friend?

Trap. Sir, your honour has heard me talk of D. Phi. Sir, I never saw Madrid till within him a thousand times; his name, sir-his name these two hours, though there is a gentleman in is Guzman: his father, sir, old Don Guzman, is town that knew me intimately at Seville. I met the most eminent lawyer in Seville, was the very him by accident at the inn where I alighted; he's person that drew up the settlement and articles known here; if it will give you any present satis-of my master's marriage with your honour's faction, I believe I could easily produce him to vouch for me.

D. Man. At the inn, say ye, did you meet this gentleman? What's his name, pray?

D. Phi. Octavio Cruzado.

D. Man. Ha, my bully confessor! this agrees word for word with honest Trappanti's intelligence [Aside.]-Well, sir, and pray what does he give you for this job? D. Phi. Job, sir!

D. Man. Ay, that is, do you undertake it out of good fellowship, or are you to have a sort of fellow-feeling in the matter?

D. Phi. Sir, if you believe me to be the son of Don Fernando, I must tell ye, your manner of receiving me is what you ought not to suppose can please him, or I can thank you for; if you think me an impostor, I'll case you of the trouble of suspecting me, and leave your house, till I can bring better proofs who I

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daughter: this gentleman knows all the particulars as well as if he had drawn them up himself: but, sir, I hope there's no mistake in them that may defer the marriage.

D. Phi. Confusion!

D. Man. Now, sir, what sort of answer d'ye think fit to make me?

D. Phi. Now, sir? that I'm obliged, in honour, not to leave your house till I at least have seen the villain that calls himself Don Philip, that has robbed me of my portmanteau, and would you, sir, of your honour and your daughter-As for this rascal

Trap. Sir, I demand protection.

[Runs behind DON MANUEL. D. Man. Hold, sir; since you are so brisk, and in my own house, too-call your master, friend: you'll find we have swords within cau match you.

Trap. Ay, sir, I may chance to send you one will take down your courage.

[Exit TRAPPANTI.

D. Phi. I ask your pardon, sir; I must confess the villany I saw designed against my father's friend had transported me beyond good manners; but be assured, sir, use me henceforward as you please, I will detect it though I lose my life. Nothing shall affront me, now, till I have proved myself your friend indeed, and Don Fernando's son.

D. Man. Nay, look yc, sir, I will be very civil, too-I won't say a word-you shall c'en squabble it out by yourselves; not but, at the same time, thou art to me the merriest fellow that ever I saw in my life.

Enter HYPOLITA, FLORA, and TRAPPANTI. Hyp. Who's this that dares usurp my name, and calls himself Don Philip de las Torres ? D. Phi. Ha! this is a young competitor indeed!

[Aside.

Flo. Is this the gentleman, sir?

D. Phi. Very well, sir; I may have better when I see you next.

D. Man. Yes, yes; that's he: ha, ha! D. Phi. Yes, sir, I'm the man who, but this Hyp. Look ye, sir, since your undertaking morning, lost that name upon the road. I'm in- (though you designed it otherwise) has promoted formed an impudent young rascal has picked it my happiness, thus far I pass it by; though I out of some writings in the portmanteau he rob-question if a man, that stoops to do such base inbed me of, and has brought it hither before me.juries, dares defend them with his sword: howD'ye know any such, sir? ever, now at least you're warned; but be assured, your next attempt

Flo. The fellow really does it very well, sir. D. Man. Oh, to a miracle! [Aside. Hyp. Prithee, friend, how long dost thou expect thy impudence will keep thee out of gaol? Could not the coxcomb, that put thee upon this, inform thee, too, that this gentleman was a magistrate?

D. Man. Well said, my little champion.

D. Phi. Now, in my opinion, child, that might as well put thee in mind of thy own condition; for, suppose thy wit and impudence should so far succeed, as to let thee ruin this gentleman's family, by really marrying his daughter, thou cans't not but know 'tis impossible thou shouldst enjoy her long; a very few days must unavoidably discover thee: in the mean time, if thou wilt spare me the trouble of exposing thee, and generously confess thy roguery, thus far I'll forgive thee; but, if thou still proceedest upon his credulity to a marriage with the lady, don't flatter thyself that all her fortune shall buy off my evidence; for I'm bound in honour, as well as law, to hang thee for the robbery.

Hyp. Sir, you are extremely kind.
Flo. Very civil, 'egad.

Hyp. But may not I presume, my dear friend, this wheedle was offered as a trial of this gentleman's credulity? Ha, ha, ha!

D. Man. Indeed, my friend, 'tis a very shallow one. Canst thou think I'm such a sot as to believe, that, if he knew 'twere in thy power to hang him, he would not have run away at the first sight of thee?

Trap. Aye, sir, he must be a dull rogue indeed, that would not run away from a halterHa, ha, ha!

[All laugh.

D. Phi. Sir, I ask your pardon; I begin now to be a little sensible of my folly-I perceive this gentleman has done his business with you effectually however, sir, the duty I owe my father obliges me not to leave your cause, though I'll leave your house immediately. When you see me next, you'll know Don Philip from a rascal.

D. Man. Ah, 'twill be the same if I know a rascal from Don Philip! But, if you please, sir, never give yourself any further trouble in this business; for what you have done, d'ye see, is so far from interrupting my daughter's marriage, that, with this gentleman's leave, I'm resolved to finish it this very hour; so that, when you see your friend the politician, you must tell him you had cursed luck; that's all. Ha, ha, ha!

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D. Phi. Will startle you, my spark. I am afraid you'll be a little humbler when you are hand-cuffed, Though you won't take my word against him, sir, perhaps another magistrate may my oath, which, because I see his marriage is in haste, I am obliged to make immediately. If he can outface the law, too, I shall be content to be the coxcomb then you think me.

[Erit DON PHIlip. D. Man. Ah, poor fellow! he's resolved to carry it off with a good face, however. Ha, ha, ha!

Trap. Aye, sir, that's all he has for't, indeed.
Hyp. Trappanti, follow him, and do as I di-

rected.

Trap. I warrant ye, sir.

[Aside to TRAPPANTI.

[Exit TRAPPANTI.

D. Man. Ha! my little champion, let me kiss thee; thou hast carried the day like a hero.| Man, nor woman, nothing can stand before thee. I'll make thee monarch of my daughter immediately.

Hyp. That's the Indies, sir.

D. Man. Well said, my lad-Ah, my heart's going to dance again! Prithee, let's in before it gets the better of me, and give the bride an account of thy victory.

Hyp. Sir, if you please to prepare the way, I'll march after you in form, and lay my laurels at her feet like a conqueror.

D. Man. Say'st thou so, my little soldier? Why, then, I'll send for the priest, and thou shalt be married in triumph.

Hyp. Now, Flora.

[Exit DON MANUEL.

Flo. Aye, now, madam, who says we are not politicians? I'd fain see any turn of state managed with half this dexterity. But pray, what is Trappanti detached for?

Hyp. Only to interrupt the motions of the enemy, girl, till we are safe in our trenches; for, should Don Philip chance to rally upon us with an Alguazil and a warrant, before I am fast tied to the lady, we may be routed, for all this.

Flo. Trappanti knows his business, I hope. Hyp. You'll see presently-but hush! here comes my brother: poor gentleman! he's upon thorns, too; I have made Rosara write him a most provoking letter.

Flo. Nay, you have an admirable genius to mischief. But what has poor Octavio done to you, that he must be plagued, too?

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