The Nephews: A Play, in Five Acts. Part 2

SCENE II.

Apartment in Drave's House.

Mr. DRAVE writing.--Mrs. DRAVE enters.

_Mrs. D._ Good morning, my dear--you have not come down.

_Mr. D._ [gives her his hand, without looking up]. Good morning.

_Mrs. D._ You are busy.

_Mr. D._ I shall have done in a moment.

_Mrs. D._ I'll leave you.

_Mr. D._ [rising]. It is done now.

_Mrs. D._ You seem angry.

_Mr. D._ No wonder--that man----

_Mrs. D._ Who?

_Mr. D._ My hopeful ward Lewis--as I am not always ready to pay his debts, he sets the Chancellor upon me.

_Mrs. D._ Again? Very strange.

_Mr. D._ I am continually pestered with applications for the payment.

_Mrs. D._ And you----

_Mr. D._ With all due respect for these applications, I'll not pay.

_Mrs. D._ Very well: but----

_Mr. D._ And now this Chancellor sends me a letter, desiring me to bring him my accounts, as guardian to Lewis this afternoon that he may overlook them. I'll not do it. [Takes a letter off the table, and gives it to Mrs. Drave--walks angrily up and down while she reads it--takes it back]. What do you think of it?

_Mrs. D._ It is unpleasant--but why send a positive refusal?

_Mr. D._ And why not?

_Mrs. D._ The Chancellor is a very powerful man.

_Mr. D._ I do not fear him.

_Mrs. D._ He takes every opportunity to injure us; his hatred is implacable. What can you oppose to his base intrigues?

_Mr. D._ My heart, and plain dealing.

_Mrs. D._ Do not offend him so sensibly: rather send the accounts.

_Mr. D._ Never! The very sum he now troubles me for is to pay himself.

He lent it to Lewis, through a third person, upon exorbitant interest.

_Mrs. D._ Base enough. But, I repeat it, he is powerful, and will revenge himself.

[Mr. D. seals the letter, rings the bell.--Enter a Servant.]

_Mrs. D._ You will have it so. I wish all may be well.

_Mr. D._ [giving the letter to the Servant]. To the Chancellor's.

[Exit Servant.

_Mrs. D._ Had you only done it in a better manner--You may remember 'twas for your rashness he withdrew the .4000.

_Mr. D._ For my rashness? Oh, no.--To place it out at higher interest somewhere else.--At such an unseasonable time too--there again--thus to undermine good houses, that he may have full scope for his unfair practices.

_Mrs. D._ It may be so--But in regard to Lewis--I wish your behaviour were different: it may have such unpleasant consequences--for I must inform you, he seems to have an attachment to Augusta.

_Mr. D._ [surprised]. So?--and Augusta?

_Mrs. D._ She loves him.

_Mr. D._ Merciful G.o.d!

_Mrs. D._ What is it you mean?

_Mr. D._ Too well have I feared--too well have I guessed at such things. Hence it is that Augusta looks always as if oppressed by conscious guilt--hence her reserve towards me.--Has not this unhappy guardians.h.i.+p given me uneasiness enough? Has not my life been sufficiently embittered? Have I not sacrificed enough of my peace? must I also sacrifice my only child?

_Mrs. D._ I do not see why.

_Mr. D._ No, no, you do not see--if you did, you would not stand there so calmly.

_Mrs. D._ And why are you so terrified? That he is lively--sometimes wild? He is young.

_Mr. D._ Lively? wild? young? No, no.--Immoral, dissolute, hypocritical; that is the character of Lewis Brook.--And shall he the husband of my Augusta? When I quit the world, shall I leave to him the child of my heart? To him? Oh, you have brought me bad news!

_Mrs. D._ You see every thing in such gloomy colours! I agree he is inconsiderate--_very_ inconsiderate; and certainly while he remains as he is, I shall not think of marriage: but love will bring him back.

_Mr. D._ What can you hope from such levity?

_Mrs. D._ More than from the insensibility of his brother.

_Mr. D._ Do you speak of my good Philip thus? Oh, had you told me that she loved _him_--whatever I could spare--my whole fortune--yes, she should have had it all--Then we had been the happiest of parents.

_Mrs. D._ I see no happiness, in our daughter's being shut up with such an eternal grumbler.

_Mr. D._ Oh! but his heart is n.o.ble!