_ Thou art an honest fellow, Sir Pertinax, upon honour.

_Sir Per._ O! my lord, it is my duty to oblige your lordship to the utmost
stretch of my abeelity.

_Enter_ TOMLINS.

_Tom._ Colonel Toper presents his compliments to you, sir, and having no
family down with him in the country, he and Captain Hardbottle, if not
inconvenient, will do themselves the honour of taking a family dinner with
you.

_Sir Per._ They are two of our militia officers--does your lordship know
them?

_LordLum._ By sight only.

_Sir Per._ I am afraid, my lord, they will interrupt our business.

_Lord Lum._ Not at all: I should be glad to be acquainted with Toper; they
say he's a damned jolly fellow.

_Sir Per._ O! devilish jolly--devilish jolly: he and the captain are the
two hardest drinkers in the county.

_Lord Lum._ So I have heard; let us have them by all means, Mac: they will
enliven the scene. How far are they from you?

_Sir Per._ Just across the meadows--not half a mile, my lord: a step, a
step.

_LordLum._ O! let us have the jolly dogs, by all means.

_Sir Per._ My compliments--I shall be proud of their company.
[_Exit_ Tom.] Guif ye please, my lord, we will gang and chat a bit with
the women: I have not seen Lady Rodolpha since she returned fra the Bath.
I long to have a little news from her about the company there.

_Lord Lum._ O! she'll give you an account of them, I warrant you.
[_A very loud laugh without_.

_Lady Rodolpha._ [_Without._] Ha, ha, ha! weel I vow, cousin Egerton, you
have a vast deal of shrewd humour.--But Lady Macsycophant, which way is
Sir Pertinax?

_Lady Mac._ [Without._] Strait forward, madam.

_Lord Lum_. Here the hairbrain comes: it must be her, by the noise,

_Lady Rod_. [_Without._] Allons--gude folks--follow me--sans ceremonie.

_Enter Lady_ RODOLPHA, _Lady_ MACSYCOPHANT, EGERTON, _and_ SIDNEY.

_Lady Rod_. [_Running up to Sir_ Per.] Sir Pertinax, your most devoted,
most obsequious, and most obedient vassal. [_Curtsies very low_.

_Sir Per_. [_Bowing ridiculously low._] Lady Rodolpha, down till the
ground, my congratulations and duty attend you, and I should rejoice to
kiss your ladyship's footsteps.

_Lady Rod_. [_Curtsying very low._] O! Sir Pertinax, your humeelity is
most sublimely complaisant:--at present, unanswerable;--but I shall
intensely study to return it--fyfty fald.

_Sir Per_. Your ladyship does me singular honour:--weel,