this works well; and yet my conscience smites me! Why does it
smite me? Because 'tis heavily laden. With what? This secret. Then must
I unburthen myself of it; and as, till lately, I have confessed to one
Don Gaspar, I will now confess to one Don Felix. The former refused me
absolution--the latter offers me a purse. I was right when I gave
warning to my old confessor; the new one is more suited to me. Here come
my ten plagues of Egypt in one.

_Enter Beppa._

_Bep._ Well, Antonio, you have lost no time, I hope. What have you
collected? You often quote the proverb, "Service is no inheritance."

_Ant._ Service _is_ no inheritance; yet you would that I constituted
myself my master's heir. I cannot do it, Beppa--I dare not! There's
something tells me it is wrong to rob so good a master; I am more honest
than you take me to be.

_Bep._ Then is the devil turned saint! Think not that you deceive me.
There's nought but cowardice that will prevent your knavery. Now tell
me, how long have you been thus scrupulous?

_Ant._ Ever since I found out that my master was not dead.

_Bep._ Not dead?

_Ant._ Don Perez 'twas who fell.

_Bep._ A holy friar who shrived the dying man told me the name of him
who fell was Gaspar.

_Ant._ He was a holy friar, said you? I see it all (_aside_).

_Bep._ He said he had a scarf to give to Donna Serafina, at the request
of him who died.

_Ant._ Hath he delivered it?

_Bep._ No; and Donna Serafina in frantic grief awaits his coming.

_Ant._ (_aside_). She'll wait till doomsday; I understand it all.
(_Aloud._) Beppa! Don Gaspar now will soon be here; go and console your
mistress.

_Bep._ Then it must have been a plan of Don Gaspar's to rid himself of
my mistress. I do not understand it, but believe you _do_. When master
and man are so much alike, they cannot deceive each other. I'll to Donna
Serafina, and tell her of this base stratagem, which, with his wooing of
another, will make her cease to grieve for the treacherous villain, and
turn her ardent love to deadly hate. [_Exit Beppa._

_Ant._ As I have mine for you, I was about to say; only I do not
recollect that I ever loved you. I think I married her to keep myself
from starving: but I forget why exactly, 'tis so long ago. What a fool
is a man who marries--but a double fool is he who, like me, am
doubly----I can't bear to mention it. [_Exit Antonio._

_Scene II._

_Donna Serafina's Chamber.--Donna Serafina discovered._

_Ser.