to
be taken.

_Jel._ Very true, sir. (_Whispers to Gumarabic._)

_Gum._ Ah! yes;--very proper. (_Going to Mr Cadaverous._) My dear sir, I
have done my best; nevertheless, you are ill,--very ill,--which is
odd,--very odd! It is not pleasant,--I may say, very unpleasant,--but if
you have any little worldly affairs to settle,--will to make,--or a
codicil to add, in favour of your good nurse, your doctor, or so on,--it
might be as well to send for your lawyer;--there is no saying, but,
during my practice, I have sometimes found that people die. After all
the physic you have taken, it certainly is odd--very odd--very odd,
indeed;--but you might die to-morrow.

_Cad._ Oh dear!--I'm very ill.

_Jel._ (_sobbing._) Oh dear! oh dear!--he's very ill.

_Gum._ (_comes forward, shrugging up his shoulders._) Yes; he is
ill--very ill;--to-morrow, dead as mutton! At all events he has not died
for WANT of physic. We must throw in some more draughts immediately;--no
time to be lost. Life is short,--but my bill will be long--very long!
[_Exit as scene closes._

_Act II. Scene I._

_Enter Clementina, with a letter in her hand._

_Clem._ I have just received a letter from my dear Edward: he knows of
my uncle's danger, and is anxious to see me. I expect him immediately. I
hope he will not be seen by Mrs Jellybags as he comes in, for she would
try to make more mischief than she has already. Dear Edward! how he
loves me! (_Kisses the letter._)

_Enter Edward._

_Edw._ My lovely, my beautiful, my adored Clementina! I have called upon
Mr Gumarabic, who tells me that your uncle cannot live through the
twenty-four hours, and I have flown here, my sweetest, dearest,
to--to----

_Clem._ To see me, Edward: surely there needs no excuse for coming?

_Edw._ To reiterate my ardent, pure, and unchangeable affection, my
dearest Clementina; to assure you, that in sickness or in health, for
richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, as they say in the
marriage ceremony, I am yours till death us do part.

_Clem._ I accept the vow, dearest Edward. You know too well my heart for
me to say more.

_Edw._ I do know your heart, Clementina, as it is,--nor do I think it
possible that you could change;--still, sometimes--that is for a moment
when I call to mind that, by your uncle's death, as his favourite niece,
living with him for so many years, you may soon find yourself in the
possession of thousands,--and that titled men may lay their c