rtain
people would fear to stop here. Men like us must live on people of all
kinds.

SIR WILLIAM.

Do not fear; only conduct me to the room which Waitwell has ordered for
me; I come here for an honourable purpose.

LANDLORD.

I have no wish to know your secrets, my lord! Curiosity is by no means
a fault of mine. I might for instance have known long ago, who the
stranger is, on whom you want to keep a watch, but I have no wish to
know. This much however I have discovered, that he must have eloped
with the young lady. The poor little wife--or whatever she may
be!--remains the whole day long locked up in her room, and cries.

SIR WILLIAM.

And cries?

LANDLORD.

Yes, and cries; but, my lord, why do your tears fall? The young lady
must interest you deeply. Surely you are not----

WAITWELL.

Do not detain him any longer!

LANDLORD.

Come, come! One wall only will separate you from the lady in whom you
are so much interested, and who may be----

WAITWELL.

You mean then at any cost to know, who----

LANDLORD.

No, Waitwell! I have no wish to know anything.

WAITWELL.

Make haste, then, and take us to our rooms, before the whole house
begins to stir.

LANDLORD.

Will you please follow me, then, my lord? (_Exeunt_.)

Scene III.--Mellefont's _room_.

Mellefont, Norton.

MELLEFONT (_in dressing-gown, sitting in an easy chair_).

Another night, which I could not have spent more cruelly on the
rack!--(_calls_) Norton!--I must make haste to get sight of a face or
two. If I remained alone with my thoughts any longer, they might carry
me too far. Hey, Norton! He is still asleep. But is not it cruel of me,
not to let the poor devil sleep? How happy he is! However, I do not
wish any one about me to be happy! Norton!

NORTON (coming).

Sir!

MELLEFONT.

Dress me!--Oh, no sour looks please! When I shall be able to sleep
longer myself I will let you do the same. If you wish to do your duty,
at least have pity on me.

NORTON.

Pity, sir! Pity on you? I k