vate your sister to my--nuptial bed. (_Captain Mertoun shakes his
cane, and makes signs to Captain Etheridge to thrash him._)

_Capt. Eth._ I can bear no more. (_Beats Peter round the stage._)

_Peter._ Oh! oh! My stars again. Why don't you help me, sir?

_Capt. Mer._ You are not down yet, Peter. (_Captain Etheridge continues
striking._)

_Peter_ (_throwing himself down, and panting_). Now I am.

_Capt. Mer._ Yes, and now I may help you up. Then you may go at it
again.

_Peter._ What! am I to have more of it if I am up?

_Capt. Mer._ I rather suspect so.

_Peter._ Then I prefer lying here. You need not wait, Captain Bargrove.
I sha'n't get up this half-hour. (_Rubbing his shoulders._)

_Capt. Eth._ You observe, Peter, I told you your fortune correctly. The
stars would have it so. I hope, when next we meet, you will be a little
more reasonable, and also a little more respectful. If not, I hold your
fortune in my hands. (_Holding up his cane._)

_Peter._ Didn't I tell you that you did? Why don't you return it like an
honest man? As I said before, I'll make you an allowance.

_Capt. Eth._ That's more than I will for you, if I have any more
impertinence. Come, Mertoun, he'll not come to time, that's clear.

_Capt. Mer._ No, nor to his fortune or title either, I'm afraid. Good
morning, Peter. Ha! ha! ha!

_Capt. Eth._ Farewell, Sir Peter! Ha! ha! ha! [_Exeunt Captains Mertoun
and Etheridge._

_Peter_ (_sitting up_). _Come to time_--nor to my title and fortune.
Well, I hope they'll both come to the gallows. I thought of that as a
repartee when they were here, but it was too good to be thrown away upon
them. (_Rises._) It _is_ very odd that nobody will believe me when the
facts are so plain. As Shakespeare says, the "ladder of my ambition is
so hard to climb." I presume these are all the sticks I am to get up by.
I'm almost tired of it already; but, however, after two misses comes a
hit; and I'll try the last. Now to Lady Etheridge, discover myself to
her, sob upon her bosom, as the gipsy foretold I should; and then if she
is but on my side, why I defy all the men in the family. [_Exit._

_Scene III._

_A parlour in the homestead._

_Enter Old Bargrove and Mrs Bargrove._

_Old Bar._ Why, dame, I can make nothing out of it. I have questioned
Lucy as closely as possible, and it appears that it was a gipsy woman
who told their fortunes. But still, as Lucy told me the story, there is
something very strange