house.

_De la Cot._ And may I hope for this?

_Phil._ Yes, if you have courage.

_De la Cot._ I do not want courage; the difficulty lies in the means.

_Phil._ There is no difficulty in the means. Hear my suggestions.
Mademoiselle Costanza must now be at her aunt's. Do what I tell you.
Give up your dinner to-day, as I shall do mine on your account. Go and
find her. If she loves you in earnest, persuade her to show her love
by her actions. If the aunt is favourable to your designs, ask her
protection, and then, if the girl consents, marry her.

_De la Cot._ And if the injured father should threaten to send me to
prison?

_Phil._ Carry her with you into France.

_De la Cot._ With what means? With what money?

_Phil._ Wait a moment. [_Goes and opens a bureau._]

_De la Cot._ [_Aside._] Oh, Heavens! how unconscious is he that he is
encouraging me to an enterprise, of which the injury may fall on his own
head!

_Phil._ Take this. Here are a hundred guineas in gold, and four hundred
more in notes: these five hundred guineas will serve you for some time;
accept them from my friendship. I think I can make the father of the
girl return them to me.

_De la Cot._ Sir, I am full of confusion--

_Phil._ What confuses you? I am astonished at you! you want spirit; you
want courage. Go quickly, and do not lose a moment. In the meantime, I
will observe the movements of Monsieur Riccardo, and if there is any
danger of his surprising you, I will find persons to keep him away. Let
me know what happens, either in person or by note. My dear friend, you
seem already to have recovered your spirits. I rejoice for your sake.
May fortune be propitious to you!--[_Aside._] I am anxious to see
Monsieur Riccardo in a rage--in despair. [_Closes the bureau._]

_De la Cot._ [_Aside._] He gives me counsel, and money to carry it into
effect. What shall I resolve on? what plan shall I follow? Take fortune
on the tide; and he can blame no one but himself, who, contriving a
stratagem against another, falls into his own snare. [_Exit._

Monsieur Philibert, _alone_.

_Phil._ In truth, I feel some remorse of conscience for the advice and
aid I have given. I remember, too, that I have a daughter, and I would
not have such an injury done to me. Nature tells us, and the law commands,
not to do to others what we should not wish done to us. But I am carried
along by several reasons; a certain gentleness of disposition inclining
me to hospit