The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume IV Part 61

_(Betty retires to the window to read the letter, Mr. Pendulous enters.)_

MISS FLYN My dear Pendulous!

PENDULOUS Maria!--nay, shun the embraces of a disgraced man, who comes but to tell you that you must renounce his society for ever.

MISS FLYN Nay, Pendulous, avoid me not.

PENDULOUS _(Aside.)_ That was tender. I may be mistaken. Whilst I stood on honourable terms, Maria might have met my caresses without a blush.

_(Betty, who has not attended to the entrance of Pendulous, through her eagerness to read the letter, comes forward.)_

BETTY Ha! ha! ha! What a funny story, madam; and is this all you make such a fuss about? I should not care if twenty of my lovers had been---- (_seeing Pendulous_)--Lord, Sir, I ask pardon.

PENDULOUS Are we not alone, then?

MISS FLYN 'Tis only Betty--my old servant. You remember Betty?

PENDULOUS What letter is that?

MISS FLYN O! something from her sweetheart, I suppose.

BETTY Yes, ma'am, that is all. I shall die of laughing.

PENDULOUS You have not surely been shewing her----

MISS FLYN I must be ingenuous. You must know, then, that I was just giving Betty a hint--as you came in.

PENDULOUS A hint!

MISS FLYN Yes, of our unfortunate embarra.s.sment.

PENDULOUS My letter!

MISS FLYN I thought it as well that she should know it at first.

PENDULOUS 'Tis mighty well, madam. 'Tis as it should be. I was ordained to be a wretched laughing-stock to all the world; and it is fit that our drabs and our servant wenches should have their share of the amus.e.m.e.nt.

BETTY Marry come up! Drabs and servant wenches! and this from a person in his circ.u.mstances!

_(Betty flings herself out of the room, muttering.)_

MISS FLYN I understand not this language. I was prepared to give my Pendulous a tender meeting. To a.s.sure him, that however, in the eyes of the superficial and the censorious, he may have incurred a partial degradation, in the esteem of one, at least, he stood as high as ever.

That it was not in the power of a ridiculous _accident,_ involving no guilt, no shadow of imputation, to separate two hearts, cemented by holiest vows, as ours have been. This untimely repulse to my affections may awaken scruples in me, which hitherto, in tenderness to you, I have suppressed.

PENDULOUS I very well understand what you call tenderness, madam; but in some situations, pity--pity--is the greatest insult.

MISS FLYN I can endure no longer. When you are in a calmer mood, you will be sorry that you have wrung my heart so. _[Exit.]_

PENDULOUS Maria! She is gone--in tears. Yet it seems she has had her scruples. She said she had tried to smother them. Mermaid Betty intimated as much.

_Re-enter Betty._

BETTY Never mind Retty, sir; depend upon it she will never 'peach.

PENDULOUS 'Peach!

BETTY Lord, sir, these scruples will blow over. Go to her again, when she is in a better humour. You know we must stand off a little at first, to save appearances.

PENDULOUS Appearances! _we!_

BETTY It will be decent to let some time elapse.

PENDULOUS Time elapse!

Lost, wretched Pendulous! to scorn betrayed, The scoff alike of mistress and of maid!

What now remains for thee, forsaken man, But to complete thy fate's abortive plan, And finish what the feeble law began?

[_Exeunt._]

_Re-enter Miss Flyn, with Marian._

MISS FLYN Now both our lovers are gone, I hope my friend will have less reserve.

You must consider this apartment as yours while you stay here. 'Tis larger and more commodious than your own.

MARIAN You are kind, Maria. My sad story I have troubled you with. I have some jewels here, which I unintentionally brought away. I have only to beg, that you will take the trouble to restore them to my father; and, without disclosing my present situation, to tell him, that my next step--with or without the concurrence of Mr. Davenport--shall be to throw myself at his feet, and beg to be forgiven. I dare not see him till you have explored the way for me. I am convinced I was tricked into this elopement.

MISS FLYN Your commands shall be obeyed implicitly.

MARIAN You are good (_agitated_).

MISS FLYN Moderate your apprehensions, my sweet friend. I too have known my sorrows--(_smiling_).--You have heard of the ridiculous affair.

MARIAN Between Mr. Pendulous and you? Davenport informed me of it, and we both took the liberty of blaming the over-niceness of your scruples.

MISS FLYN You mistake. The refinement is entirely on the part of my lover. He thinks me not nice enough. I am obliged to feign a little reluctance, that he may not take quite a distaste to me. Will you believe it, that he turns my very constancy into a reproach, and declares, that a woman must be devoid of all delicacy, that, after a thing of that sort, could endure the sight of her husband in----

MARIAN In what?

MISS FLYN The sight of a man at all in----

MARIAN I comprehend you not.

MISS FLYN In--in a--_(whispers)_--night cap, my dear; and now the mischief is out.

MARIAN Is there no way to cure him?

MISS FLYN None, unless I were to try the experiment, by placing myself in the hands of justice for a little while, how far an equality in misfortune might breed a sympathy in sentiment. Our reputations would be both upon a level, then, you know. What think you of a little innocent shop-lifting, in sport?

MARIAN And by that contrivance to be taken before a magistrate? the project sounds oddly.