are those, were standing about your door when I came in? They want your master too, I suppose.
SHARP. Hum! yes, they are waiting for him. -- They are some of his tenants out of the country that
| want to pay him some money. | 200 |
KITTY. Tenants! what, do you let his tenants stand in the street?
SHARP. They choose it; as they seldom come to town, they are willing to see as much of it as they
| can, when they do; they are raw, ignorant, hon | 205 |
KITTY. Well, I must run home, farewell! --But do you hear? Get something substantial for us in the kitchen--a ham, a turkey, or what you will --
| we'll be very merry; and, be sure remove the | 210 |
| you soon. Exit KITTY. | 215 |
SHARP. And without any compliment, I pray heaven you may!
Enter GAYLESS.
(They look for some time sorrowful at each other.)
GAY. O Sharp!
SHARP. O master!
| GAY. We are certainly undone! | 220 |
SHARP. That's no news to me.
GAY. Eight or ten couple of dancers--ten or a dozen little nice dishes, with some fruit--my Lord Stately's servants, ham and turkey!
| SHARP. Say no more, the very sound creates | 225 |
GAY. Cursed misfortune! what can we do?
SHARP. Hang ourselves; I see no other remedy;
| except you have a receipt to give a ball and a | 230 |
GAY. Melissa has certainly heard of my bad circumstances, and has invented this scheme to distress me, and break off the match.
| SHARP. I don't believe it, sir; begging your | 235 |
GAY. No? why did her maid then make so strict an enquiry into my fortune and affairs?
SHARP. For two very substantial reasons: the
| first, to satisfy a curiosity, natural to her as a | 240 |
GAY. Prithee be more serious: is not our all at
| stake? | 245 |
SHARP. Yes, sir: and yet that all of ours is of so little consequence, that a man, with a very small share of philosophy may part from it without much pain or uneasiness. However, sir, I'll convince you
| in half an hour, that Mrs. Melissa knows noth | 250 |
GAY. How, how, dear Sharp!
| SHARP. 'Tis here, here, sir! warm, warm, | 255 |
Would you succeed, a faithful friend depute,
| Whose head can plan, and front can execute. | 260 |
GAY. Indeed I don't. Prithee be gone.
SHARP. I fly. Exeunt.
MELISSA'S lodgings.
Enter MELISSAand KITTY.
MEL. You surprise me, Kitty! the master not at home! the man in confusion! no furniture in the house! and ill-looking fellows about the doors! 'Tis all a riddle.
| KITTY. But very easy to be explained. | 5 |
MEL. Prithee explain it then, nor keep me longer in suspense.
KITTY. The affair is this, madam: Mr. Gayless is over head and ears in debt; you are over head and
| ears in love; you'll marry him tomorrow, the | 10 |
MEL. I cannot think him base.
| KITTY. But I know they are all base--you | 15 |
| parcel of barbarous, perjured, deluding, be | 20 |
MEL. The low wretches you have had to do with may answer the character you give 'em; but Mr. Gayless --
| KITTY. Is a man, madam. | 25 |
MEL. I hope so, Kitty, or I would have nothing to do with him.
KITTY. With all my heart -- I have given you my sentiments upon the occasion, and shall leave
| you to your own inclinations. | 30 |
MEL. Oh, madam, I am much obliged to you for your great condescension, ha, ha, ha! However, I
____________________-635-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: British Dramatists from Dryden to Sheridan.
Contributors: George Henry Nettleton - Editor, Arthur Eillicot Case - Editor.
Publisher: Boston ; Houghton Mifflin company,..
Place of publication: Boston; New York.
Publication year: 1939.
Page number: 635.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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