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SCENE IV.

The Gallery in the same House.

Enter AIMWELL and DORINDA.

Dor. Well, well, my lord, you have conquered:your late generous action will, I hope, plead for my easy yielding; though, I must own, your lordship had a friend in the fort before.

Aim. The sweets of Hybla dwell upon her tongue -Here, doctor!

Enter FOIGARD, with a Book.

Foig. Are you prepared bote?

Dor. I'm ready. But first, my lord, one word-I have a frightful example of a hasty marriage in my own family; when I reflect upon't, it shocks me.Pray, my lord, consider a little

Aim. Consider! Do you doubt my honour, or my love?

Dor. Neither-I do believe you equally just as brave; and were your whole sex drawn out for me to chuse, I should not cast a look upon the multitude, if you were absent.-But, my lord, I'm a woman; colours, concealments, may hide a thousand faults in me-therefore, know me better first; I hardly dare affirm, I know myself in any thing, except my love.

Aim. Such goodness who could injure! I find myself unequal to the task of villain; she has gained my soul, and made it honest like her own-I cannot hurt her. [Aside.] Doctor, retire. [Exit FOIGARD.] Ma

2 dam, behold your lover, and your proselyte, and judge of my passion by my conversion,-I'm all a lie, nor dare I give a fiction to your arms:-I am all a counterfeit, except my passion.

Dor, Forbid it, Heaven !—A counterfeit!

Aim. I am no lord, but a poor, needy man, come with a mean, a scandalous design, to prey upon your fortune:-But the beauties of your mind and person have so won me from myself, that, like a trusty seryant, I prefer the interest of my mistress to my own. Dor. Pray, sir, who are you?

Aim. Brother to the man, whose title I usurped; but stranger to his honour or his fortune.

Dor. Matchless honesty!-Once I was proud, sir, of your wealth and title, but now am prouder that you want it now I can show, that my love was justly levelled, and had no aim but love.-Doctor, come in.

Enter FOIGARD, at one Door, GIPSEY at another,
who whispers DORINDA,

Your pardon, sir; we shan't want you now, sir. You
must excuse me--I'll wait on you presently.
[Exit with GrPSEY,
Foig. Upon my shoul, now, dis is foolish. [Exit.
Aim. Gone! and bid the priest depart-It has an
ominous look!

Enter ARCHER.

Arch. Courage, Tom-Shall I wish you joy?
Aim. No.

Arch. Oons, man! what ha' you been doing?
Atm. O, Archer, my honesty, I fear, has ruined me.
Arch. How!

Aim. I have discovered himself.

Arch. Discovered! and without my consent?

What! have I embarked my small remains in the same bottom with yours, and you dispose of all without my partnership?

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Aim. O, Archer, I own my fault.

Arch. After conviction-'tis then too late for pardon. You may remember, Mr. Aimwell, that you proposed this folly-As you begun, so end it-Henceforth, I'll hunt my fortune single-so farewell.

Aim. Stay, my dear Archer, but a minute.

Arch. Stay! What, to be despised, exposed, and laughed at -No, I would sooner change conditions with the worst of the rogues we just now bound, than bear one scornful smile from the proud knight, that once I treated as my equal.

Aim. What knight?

Arch. Sir Charles Freeman, brother to the lady that I had almost- -But, no matter for that, 'tis a cursed night's work, and so I leave you to make the best on't.

Aim. Freeman !-One word, Archer-Still I have hopes; methought, she received my confession with pleasure.

Arch. 'Sdeath! who doubts it?

Aim. She consented after to the match; and still I dare believe she will be just.

Arch. To herself, I warrant her; as you should have been.

Aim. By all my hopes, she comes! and smiling

comes.

Enter DORINDA, gaily.

Dor. Come, my dear lord, I fly with impatience to your arms.The minutes of my absence was a tedious year.- -Where's this priest?

Enter FOIGARD.

Arch. Oons! a brave girl!

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Dor. I suppose, my lord, this gentleman is privy to our affairs?

Arch. Yes, yes, madam, I'm to be

your father. Dor. Come, priest, do your office.

Arch. Make haste, make haste! couple them any way. [Takes AIMWELL'S Hand.] Come, madam, I'm to give you

Dor. My mind's altered-I won't.

Arch. Eh!

Aim. I'm confounded!

Foig. Upon my shoul, and so is myshelf!
Arch. What's the matter now, madam?

Dor. Lookye, sir, one generous action deserves another. This gentleman's honour obliged him to hide nothing from me; my justice engages me to conceal nothing from him. In short, sir, you are the person that you thought you counterfeited; you are the true Lord Viscount Aimwell, and I wish your lordship joy. -Now, priest, you may begone ;-if my lord is now pleased with the match, let his lordship marry me in the face of the world.

Aim. Archer, what does she mean?

Dor. Here's a witness for my truth.

Enter SIR CHARLES, and MRS. SULLEN.

Sir C. My dear Lord Aimwell, I wish you joy!
'Aim. Of what?

Sir C. Of your honour and estate. Your brother died the day before I left London; and all your friends have writ after you to Brussels: among the rest, I did myself the honour.

Arch. Harkye, sir knight, don't you banter now?
Sir C. 'Tis truth, upon my honour.

Aim. Thanks to the pregnant stars, that formed this accident.

Arch. Thanks to the womb of time, that brought it forth-away with it.

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the prize.

Aim. Thanks to my guardian angel, that led me to [Taking DORINDA's Hand. Arch. And double thanks to the noble Sir Charles Freeman. My lord, I wish you joy. My lady, I wish you joy.-Egad, Sir Charles, you're the honestest fellow living.-'Sdeath! I'm grown strangely airy upon this matter. My lord, how d’ye?· A word, my lord: Don't you remember something of a previous agreement, that entitles me to the moiety of this lady's fortune, which, I think, will amount to ten thousand pounds?

Aim. Not a penny, Archer: you would have cut my throat just now, because I would not deceive this lady.

Arch. Ay, and I'll cut your throat still, if you should deceive her now.

Aim. That's what I expect; and to end the dispute, the lady's fortune is twenty thousand pounds, we'll divide stakes; take the twenty thousand pounds, or the lady.

Dor. How! is your lordship so indifferent?

Arch. No, no, no, madam! his lordship knows very well, that I'll take the money; I leave you to his lordship, and so we are both provided for.

Enter FOIGARD.

Foig. Arra fait, de people do say, you be all robbed, joy.

Aim. The ladies have been in some danger, sir, az you saw.

Foig. Upon my shoul, our inn be rob too.
Aim. Our inn! By whom?

Foig. Upon my shalvation, our landlord has robbed himself, and run away wid da money.

Arch. Robbed himself!

Foig. Ay, fait! and me too, of a hundred pounds.
Arch. Robbed you of a hundred pounds!

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