friendship warrants them, need no excufe-therefore I

make noce.

Mrs B. What mean you, Sir? and where is your friend ?

Stu Men may have fecrets, Madam, which their best friends are not admitted to. We departed in the morning, not foon to meet again:

Mrs. B You mean to leave us then; to leave your country too. I am no stranger to your reafon, and pity your misfortunes.

Stu. Your pity has undone you

Could Beverly do

this? that letter was a falfe one; a mean contrivance to

rob you of your jewels. I wrote it not.

Mrs B Impoffible! Whence came it then?

Stu. Wrong'd as I am, Madam, I muft fpeak plainly. Mrs. B Do fo, and cafe me.

Your hints have troub

led me. Reports you say are stirring-reports of whom? You wished me not to credit them. What, Sir, are these reports ?

Stu I thought them flander, Madam, and cautioned you in friendship, left from officious tongues the tale had reached you with double aggravation.

Mrs. B. Proceed, ≥ir.

Stu. It is a debt due to my fame; due to an injured wife too-We are both injured.

Mrs. B. How injured ? and who has injured as ?
Stu. My friend, your husband.

Mrs B. You wou'd refent for both then; but know, Sir, my injuries are my own, and do no need a champior. Stu. Be not too hafty, Madam. I come not in re fentment, but for acquittance. You thought me poor, and to the feigned diftreffes of a friend gave up your jewels. Mrs. B. I gave them to a husband.

Stu. Who gave them to a

Mrs. B. What! To whom did he give them?

Stu. A miftrefs.

Mrs. B. No; on my life he did not.

Stu. Himfelf confeffed it.

Mrs. B. I'll not believe it—he has no mistress; if he has, why is it told me?

Stu. To guard you against infults. He told me, that

to move you to compliance, he forged that letter, pre tending I was ruined; ruined by him too. The fraud fucceeded; and what a trufting wife beftowed in pity, was lavifhed on a wanton.

Mrs. B. Then I am loft indeed! and my afflictions are too powerful for me. His follies I have borne with out upbraiding, and faw the approach of poverty without a tear. My affections, my strong affections, fupported me through every trial.

Stu. Be patient, Madam.
Mrs. B. Patient !

The barbarous, ungrateful man! And does he think that the tenderness of my heart is his beft fecurity for wounding it? But he fhall find injuries, fuch as thefe, can arm my weakness for vengeance and redress.

Stu. Ha! then I may fucceed. (Afide.) Redress is in

your power.

Mrs. B. What redress?

Stu. Forgive me, Madam, if in my zeal to ferve you, I hazard your displeasure. Think of your wretched ftate. Already want furrounds you. Is it in patience to bear that ? To fee your helpless little one robbed of his birthright? A filter, too with unavailing tears la menting her loft fortune? No comfort left you, but in effectual pity from the few, outweighed by infults from

the many.

Mrs. B. Am I fo loft a creature ?—Well, Sir, my redrefs?

Stu. To be refolved is to fecure it. The marriage vow once violated is, in the fight of Heaven, diffolvedStart not, but hear me. 'Tis now the fummer of your youth; time has not cropt the rofes from your cheekthen ufe your beauty wifely, and freel by injuries, fly from the crueleft of men, for fhelter with the kindeft. Mrs. B. And who is he?

a bold one too,

Stu. A friend to the unfortunate; who, while the ftorm is bursting on your brow, and lightning flashing from your eyes, dares tell you that he loves

you.

Mrs. B. Would that thefe eyes had Heaven's own lightning, and with a look, thus I might blaft thee, monfter! Am I fallen fo low? Has poverty fo humbled me,

that I fhould listen to a vilian's offer, and fell my foul for bread? O villain! villain-But now I know thee, and thank thee for the knowledge.

Stu. If you are wife you fhall have caufe to thank me. Mrs. B. An injured husband to shall thank thee.

Stu. Yet know, proud woman, I have a heart as tubborn as your own; as haughty and imperious; and as it Toves, fo can it hate.

Mrs. B. Mean, despicable villain! I scorn thee, and thy threats. Was it for this that Beverly was false? that his too credulous wife fhould, in defpair and vengeance, give up her honour to a wretch? But he fhall know it, and vengeance fhall be his.

CHAPTER CXIII.
Explanation.

Lewson the friend of Mrs. Beverly's sister Charlotte, being ins formed of the insults offered to her by Stukely, resolves to be re vonged on him for his infamous proposals.

Stu.

SCENE

W

ill manners.

Stukely's Lodgings.

STUKELY AND LEW SON..

"HY this intrufion?-This houfe is mine,, Sir, and should protect me from infult and

Lew. Guilt has no place of fanctuary; wherever found, 'tis virtue's lawful game: The fox's hole and ty-ger's den are no fecurity against the hunter

Stu. Your business, Sir?

Lew. To tell you that I know you. Why this confufion that look of guilt and terror? is Beverly awake?' or has his wife told tales? The man that dares like you, should have a foul to juftify his deeds, and courage to confront accufers; not with a coward's fear to fhrink be-neath reproof..

Stu Who waits there? (aloud and in confufion.)

Lew. By heaven, he dies who interrupts us. (Shutting the door.) You fhould have weighed your ftrength,, Sir, and then inftead of climbing to high fortune, the

world had marked you for what you are, a little paltry villain.

Stu. You think I fear you.

This is to prove it.

Lew. I know you fear me." (pulls him by the fleeve.) You wanted privacy-A lady's prefence took up your attention. Now we are alone,

Sir. Why what a wre'ch! (flings him from him.) By Heaven, Stukely, the veriest worm that crawls is made of braver spirit than thou art; the vileft infect in creation will turn when trampled on; yet this thing undone a nian-by cunning and mean arts undone him. we have found you, Sir, traced you thro' all your labyrinths. If you would fave yourfelf, fall to confeffion; no mercy will be fhewn eife.

But

Stu. First prove me what you think me-till then your th eatnings are in vain. And for this infult vengeance

may yet be mine.

Lew. Infamous coward! Why take it now, then(draws and Stukely rifes.) Alas, I pity thee! Yet that a wreteh like this fhould overcome a Beverly! It fills me with aftonishment !-A wretch fo mean of foul, that even defperation cannot animate him to look upon an enemy. You should not thus have foared, Sir, unless like others of your black profeffion, you had a fword to keep the fools in awe, your villainy has ruined.

Stu. Villainy! 'Twere beft to curb this licenfe of your tongue; for know, Sir, while there are laws, this outrage on my reputation will not be borne with.

Lew. Laws! Dar'ft thou feek fhelter from the laws, thofe laws which thou and thy infernal crew live in the open violation of? Talk'ft thou of reputation too, when, under friendship's facred name, thou haft betrayed, robbed, deftroyed, and, worfe than all, haft tried to dishonour?

Stu. Ay, rail at gaming; 'tis a rich topic, and affords noble declamation. Go, preach against it in the city; you'll find a congregation in every tavern. If they fhould laugh at you, fly to my lord, and fermonize it there; he'll thank you and reform.

Lew. And will example justify a vice? No, wretch ! the custom of my lord, or of the cit that apes him, can. not excufe a breach of law, or make the gamefter's call. ing reputable.

Su Rail on, I fay-but is this zeal for beggar'd Beverly? Is it for him I am treated thus? No, he and his wife might have groaned in prifon, had but the fitter's for tune efcaped the wreck, to have rewarded the difinterested love of honeft Mr. Lewfon

Lew. How I deteft thee for the thought! But thou art loft to every human feeling. Yet let me tell thee, and may it wring thy heart, that altho' my friend is ruin'd by thy fnares, yet as a brother to poor Beverly, I will pursue the robber that has stripped him, and snatch him from his gripe.

Stu. Then know, imprudent man, he is within my gripe; and should my friendship for him be flandered once again, that hand that has fupplied him fhall fall and crush

him.

Lew. Why, now there's a fpirit in thee! This is indeed to be a villain! But I fhall reach thee yet-Fly where thou wilt, my vengeance fhall pursue thee-And Beverly fhall yet be faved; be faved from thee, thou monster! nor owe his refcue to his wife's difhonour.

Lew. B

CHAPTER CXIV.

LEWSON AND BEVERLY.

EVERLY, well met, I have been busy in your affairs.

Bev. So I have heard, Sir; and now must thank you as

I ught.

Lew To-morrow I may deferve your thanks. Late as it is, I go to Bates. Difcoveries are making that an arch villain trembles at.

at.

Bev. Discoveries are made, Sir, that you shall tremble Where is this boasted spirit, that high demeanor, that was to call me to an account You fay I have wronged my fifter Now fay as much. But first be ready for defence, as I am for refentment. (Draws)

Lew. What mean you? I understand you not.

Bev. The coward's tale acquittance! Who, when he Speaks vile calumay abroad, and dreads juft vengeance on him, cries out, "What mean you? I understand you not." Lew Coward and calumny whence are those words? But I forgive and pity you.