with honour and prudence.

_Pon._ Sir, I _have_ kept it. Nobody knows of it, that I know of, except
a few of your friends, many of your enemies, most travelling strangers,
and all your neighbours.

_Char._ Why, zounds! you don't mean to say that any body, except
yourself, suspects me to be in love.

_Pon._ Suspects! no, sir; _suspicion_ is out of the question; it is
taken as a proved fact in all society, a bill found by every grand jury
in the county.

_Char._ The devil it is! Zounds! I shall never be able to show my
face--this will never do--my boasted disdain of ever bowing to the power
of love--how ridiculous will it now render me--while the mystery and
sacred secrecy of this attachment constituted the chief delight it gave
to the refinement of my feelings--O! I'll off to sea again--I won't stay
here--order a post-chaise--no--yes--a chaise and four, d'ye hear?

_Pon._ Yes, sir; but I'm thinking--

_Char._ What?

_Pon._ That it is possible you may alter your mind.

_Char._ No such thing, sir; I'll set off this moment; order the chaise,
I say.

_Pon._ Think of it again, sir.

_Char._ Will you obey my orders, or not?

_Pon._ I think I will. (_aside_) Poor gentleman! now could I blow him up
into a blaze in a minute, by telling him that his mistress is just on
the point of marriage with his cousin, but though they say "ill news
travels apace," they shall never say that I rode postillion on the
occasion. [_Exit into inn._

_Char._ Here's a discovery! all my delicate management destroyed! known
all over the country! I'm off! and yet to have travelled so far, and not
to have one glimpse of her! but then to be pointed at as a poor devil in
love, a silly inconsistent boaster! no, that wont do--but then I may see
her--yes, I'll see her once--just once--for three minutes, or three
minutes and a half at most--no longer positively--Ponder, Ponder!
(_enter Ponder_) Ponder, I say--

_Pon._ I wish you wouldn't interrupt me, for I'm thinking--

_Char._ Damn your thinking, sir!

_Pon._ I was only thinking that you may have altered your mind already.

_Char._ I have not altered my mind: but since I _am_ here, I should be
wanting in duty not to pay my respects to my father; so march on with
the trunk, sir.

_Pon._ Yes, sir: but if that's all you want to do, sir, you may spare
yourself the trouble of going further, for, most fortunately, here he
comes; and your noble cousin, lord Austencourt, with him--

_Char._ Th