your eyes and hold your tongue: I'll have no scandal raised by you.

BARBARA. I do hope, sir, you won't use me against Miss Dorothy.

ANTHONY. That's my affair; your business is to hold your tongue. Miss
Dorothy has made her bed and must lie on it. Here's Jack Fenwick. You
can go.

SCENE V

ANTHONY, FENWICK

ANTHONY. Jack Fenwick, is that you? Come here, my boy. Jack, you've
given me many a thrashing, and I deserved 'em; and I'll not see you made
a fool of now. George Austin is a damned villain, and Dorothy Musgrave
is no girl for you to marry: God help me that I should have to say it.

FENWICK. Good God, who told _you_?

ANTHONY. Ay, Jack; it's hard on me, Jack. But you'll stand my friend in
spite of this, and you'll take my message to the man, won't you? For
it's got to come to blood, Jack: there's no way out of that. And perhaps
your poor friend will fall, Jack; think of that: like Villiers. And all
for an unworthy sister.

FENWICK. Now, Anthony Musgrave, I give you fair warning; see you take
it: one more word against your sister, and we quarrel.

ANTHONY. You let it slip yourself, Jack: you know yourself she's not a
virtuous girl.

FENWICK. What do you know of virtue, whose whole boast is to be vicious?
How dare you draw conclusions? Dolt and puppy! you can no more
comprehend that angel's excellences than she can stoop to believe in
your vices. And you talk morality? Anthony, I'm a man who has been
somewhat roughly tried: take care.

ANTHONY. You don't seem able to grasp the situation, Jack. It's very
remarkable; I'm the girl's natural protector; and you should buckle-to
and help, like a friend of the family. And instead of that, begad! you
turn on me like all the rest.

FENWICK. Now mark me fairly: Mr. Austin follows at my heels; he comes to
offer marriage to your sister--that is all you know, and all you shall
know; and if by any misplaced insolence of yours this marriage should
miscarry, you have to answer, not to Mr. Austin only, but to me.

ANTHONY. It's all a most discreditable business, and I don't see how you
propose to better it by cutting my throat. Of course, if he's going to
marry her, it's a different thing, but I don't believe he is, or he'd
have asked me. You think me a fool? Well, see they marry, or they'll
find me a dangerous fool.

SCENE VI

_To these, AUSTIN, BARBARA announcing_

BARBARA. Mr. Austin. (_She shows AUSTIN in, and retires._)

AUSTIN. You will do me th