Speed the Plough Part 13

SCENE III.

_An Apartment in the Castle._

_Enter_ EVERGREEN.

_Everg._ Was ever any thing so unlucky! Henry to come to the Castle and meet Sir Philip! He should have consulted me; I shall be blamed--but, thank Heaven, I am innocent.

[SIR ABEL _and_ LADY HANDY _without._]

_Lady H._ I will be treated with respect.

_Sir Abel._ You shall, my dear. [_They enter._

_Lady H._ But how! but how, Sir Abel? I repeat it--

_Sir Philip._ [_Aside._] For the fiftieth time.

_Lady H._ Your son conducts himself with an insolence I won't endure; but you are ruled by him, you have no will of your own.

_Sir Abel._ I have not, indeed.

_Lady H._ How contemptible!

_Sir Abel._ Why, my dear, this is the case--I am like the a.s.s in the fable; and if I am doomed to carry a packsaddle, it is not much matter who drives me.

_Lady H._ To yield your power to those the law allows you to govern!--

_Sir Abel._ Is very weak, indeed.

_Everg._ Lady Handy, your very humble servant; I heartily congratulate you, madam, on your marriage with this worthy gentleman--Sir, I give you joy.

_Sir Abel._ [_Aside._] Not before 'tis wanted.

_Everg._ Aye, my lady, this match makes up for the imprudence of your first.

_Lady H._ Hem!

_Sir Abel._ Eh! What!--what's that--Eh! what do you mean?

_Everg._ I mean, sir--that Lady Handy's former husband--

_Sir Abel._ Former husband!--Why, my dear, I never knew--Eh!

_Lady H._ A mumbling old blockhead!--Didn't you, Sir Abel? Yes; I was rather married many years ago; but my husband went abroad and died.

_Sir Abel._ Died, did he?

_Everg._ Yes, sir, he was a servant in the Castle.

_Sir Abel._ Indeed! So he died--poor fellow!

_Lady H._ Yes.

_Sir Abel._ What, you are sure he died, are you?

_Lady H._ Don't you hear?

_Sir Abel._ Poor fellow! neglected perhaps--had I known it, he should have had the best advice money could have got.

_Lady H._ You seem sorry.

_Sir Abel._ Why, you would not have me pleased at the death of your husband, would you?--a good kind of man?

_Everg._ Yes; a faithful fellow--rather ruled his wife too severely.

_Sir Abel._ Did he! [_Apart to_ EVERGREEN.] Pray do you happen to recollect his manner!--Could you just give a hint of the way he had?

_Lady H._ Do you want to tyrannize over my poor tender heart?--'Tis too much!

_Everg._ Bless me! Lady Handy is ill--Salts! salts!

_Sir Abel._ [_Producing an essence box._] Here are salts, or aromatic vinegar, or essence of--

_Everg._ Any--any.

_Sir Abel._ Bless me, I can't find the key!

_Everg._ Pick the lock.

_Sir Abel._ It can't be picked, it is a patent lock.

_Everg._ Then break it open, sir.

_Sir Abel._ It can't be broke open--it is a contrivance of my own--you see, here comes a horizontal bolt, which acts upon a spring, therefore--

_Lady H._ I may die, while you are describing a horizontal bolt. Do you think you shall close your eyes for a week for this?

_Enter_ SIR PHILIP BLANDFORD.

_Sir Philip._ What has occasioned this disturbance?

_Lady H._ Ask that gentleman.

_Sir Abel._ Sir, I am accused--

_Lady H._ Convicted! convicted!

_Sir Abel._ Well, I will not argue with you about words--because I must bow to your superior practice--But, Sir--