was privy to their marriage.

_O'Ded._ Bless ye, the man's mad!

_Sir Row._ Ha! you said you had a secret respecting my nephew.

_O'Ded._ Sir, if you go on so, you'll bother me!

_Sir Row._ The fellow must be silenced--can you not contrive some means
to rid us of his insolence?

_O'Ded._ Sir, I shall do my duty, as my duty should be done, by
Cornelius O'Dedimus, attorney at law.

_Sir Row._ My nephew must not hear of this accursed loss--be secret on
that head, I charge you! but in regard to this man's bold assertion, I
must consult him instantly--haste and follow me to his house.

_O'Ded._ Take me wid ye, sir; for this is such a dirty business, that
I'll never be able to go through it unless you show me the way.
[_Exeunt._

_End of act I._

ACT II.

SCENE I.--_A library at_ Sir Willoughby's. _Enter_ Helen _with_ Servant.

_Helen._ Lord Austencourt--true--this is his hour for persecuting
me--very well, desire lord Austencourt to come in. (_exit servant_) I
won't marry. They all say I shall. Some girls, now, would sit down and
sigh, and moan, as if that would mend the matter--that will never suit
me! Some indeed would run away with the man they liked better--but then
the only man I ever liked well enough to marry--is--I believe, run away
from _me_. Well! that won't do!--so I'll e'en laugh it off as well as I
can; and though I wont marry his lordship, I'll teaze him as heartily as
if I had been his wife these twenty years.

_Enter_ lord Austencourt.

_Lord A._ Helen! too lovely Helen! once more behold before you to
supplicate for your love and pity, the man whom the world calls proud,
but whom your beauty alone has humbled.

_Helen._ They say, my lord, that pride always has a fall some time or
other. I hope the fall of your lordship's hasn't hurt you.

_Lord A._ Is it possible that the amiable Helen, so famed for gentleness
and goodness, can see the victim of her charms thus dejected stand
before her.

_Helen._ Certainly not, my lord--so pray sit down.

_Lord A._ Will you never be for one moment serious?

_Helen._ Oh, yes, my lord! I am never otherwise when _I think_ of your
lordship's proposals--but when you are making love and fine speeches to
me in person, 'tis with amazing difficulty I can help laughing.

_Lord A._ Insolent vixin. (_aside_) I had indulged a hope, madam, that
the generosity and disinterested love I have evinced--

_Helen._ Why as to your lordship's generosity in cond