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door.] We're interrupted [Knocking repeated]—go to the door [Julia goes to the door, returns with a letter, opens it, shrieks, and runs into her father's arms]. What means this frantic joy? Bank-notes! a letter! ah, from Tangent! [Reads.] "While I entreat you will do me the honour of employing these notes, it gives me great pleasure to enclose you a letter, which at once exposes the villany of your agents, and restores you to prosperity and happiness." [Looks over the letter, then fulls on his knee.] Omnipotent Providence! humbled with the dust, behold a repentant wretch! But thou art slow to punish, and thy mercies are infinite. Here, too, let me ask pardon-my child! —But where is thy deliverer, the preserver of thy honour -thy life? Within! has Mr. Tangent left the prison?

Enter GAOLER, L.

Gạo. (L.) Oh no, sir! [Aside.] Then they don't know that he's a prisoner.

[Exit, L. Fau. (R. C.) Then fly to him, my child: he is the legitimate son of honour-I, the base-born slave of pride. Bring him to me, that I may kneel and bless him. Jul. My father-I'm dizzy with my happiness. kiss of rapture, and I am gone.

One

[Exeunt Faulkner, R., Julia, L.

SCENE III.-Another Part of the Prison.

Enter GAOLER, followed by TANGENT (fettered), L. U. E. Gao. Oh, how they become him! I'm sure your leg was made for them. I'll be hanged if I flatter you. Tan. [Sighs.] Indeed, you do not. Certainly, a very neat appendage to a gentleman-heigho!

Guo. I declare, it gives me pleasure to see you in them. Tan. You have all the pleasure to yourself. Heigho! I feel devilish queer. Retire!

Gao. A card from the gentlemen of our club. [Exit, L.

Enter SOLICITOR and UNDERTAKER, L. U. E.

Tan. Your club! [Reads.] "The gentlemen prisoners inform Mr. Tangent they have elected him a member of the Select Club, and solicit the honour of his company to a turbot, haunch, claret, and chicken hazard.-The club, to prevent accidents, meet on Sunday, Monday being hangingday." Hanging day!-'tis alarming, very-what do you want?

Sol. I'm a Newgate solicitor, and, for 501., will undertake to prevent gibbeting, at least.

Tan, Gibbeting! Begone, you croaking-[Drives him off, L. U. E.] And what will you undertake? (R.)

Und. Sir, I'm an undertaker, and, if you are not engaged, would be proud to inter

Tan. Go to the devil! [Drives him off, L. U. E.] Leave the room, you infernal-Gibbet! undertaker! Heigho! Pugh! I can't have killed the fellow-his skull must have been thinner than mine, to crack with such a paltry blow.-How has my letter sped with Faulkner!-that's nearest my heart-Oh, Julia! [Rises.

Gao. [Without, L.] You'll find Mr. Tangent in the next room, ma'am.

Tan. Heavens! 'tis Julia-'tis herself; and joy brightens her lovely countenance. Oh, let me meet her! Damn these things! 'Sdeath! how shall I conceal my disgrace? What can I do to

Enter JULIA, L.-Tangent holds his handkerchief befort his fetters.

Jul. (L. c.) Sir, with a heart oppressed with gratitude, let me kneel[Kneels. Tan. (R. c.) Loveliest creature, rise! Allow me to[Is about to raise her, when he recollects his fetters.] Pray rise, ma'am; you distress me.

Jul. [Rises.] Why should benevolence shrink from praise?

Tan. Angelic excellence! call it love, adoration-I'm your slave-upon my soul, I'm in chains-I beg pardon --but my love is pure as your own thoughts.

Jul. Sir, I believe you noble-above base concealment, Tan. By Heaven, I would not conceal anything; that is, not anything that-that

Jul. Sir, my father is anxious to see you.

Tan. Happy tidings!

Jul. Will you favour him with your company?
Tan. Instantly.

Jul. This way,

then.

[Going

Tan. Yes, ma'am [Recollecting himself.]—that is, presently-I'll come presently to-to-to his house.

Jul. Farewell! Oh, sir! my feelings would be unwor thy, could I express them-but these tears of joy

Tan. Dry them, lovely creature. By Heaven, they affect me to that-[Raises his handkerchief to his eyes,

recollects himself, then pulls a chair towards him, and gets behind it, leans over it, and wipes his eyes.

Jul. [Hears his chains.] What noise was that?

Tan. I did not hear any noise.

Jul. The clank of fetters. I dread to meet those mi. serable beings-perhaps some horrid murderer.

Tan. Very likely, ma'am.

Jul. Yet I must pity them.

Tan. 'Tis very kind of you, ma'am.
Jul. Poor wretches!

Tan. Ah, poor devils!

Jul. Farewell, sir. We shall see you soon. [Exit, L. Tan. I'll follow you and fly-Egad! that's the only way I can follow. Heigho! but away with melancholy. Julia Faulkner is happy; and can I be otherwise? [Sits down, c.

Enter CAUSTIC cautiously, L. U. E.

Cau. There he sits, the picture of despair, poor fellow! this lesson has cured him.

Tan. These decorations are not exactly the thing, to be sure, ha, ha!

Cau. How mournfully he looks down on his disgraceful fetters!

Tan. Julia is happy-the thought is ecstacy! [Rises. Cau. How lucky that I came! His despair might have made him kill himself.

Tan. I could sing-dance for joy. Dance! I remember seeing a man at the playhouse dance a hornpipe in a pair of these things, and did it devilish well, too-Let me see somehow--Tol de rol lol lol! [Sings and dances, not seeing Caustic.] My uncle! Confusion!

Cau. (c.) I shall go mad' [After a struggle for breath.] Oh you I can't speak-dancing! But you'll have but one dance more, and that will be upon nothing-you--the wounded man is dead.

Tan. Dead! Heaven forbid !

Cau. Most certain, sir.

Tan. Am I, then, a murderer? Shall I never see Julia Faulkner more?

Enter NED (with a patch on his forehead,) and Gaoler, L.

Ned. (L.) Sir, I must go home-so will thank you for the five guineas you promised.

Cau. (L. C.) Go along, you scoundrel!

[Endeavouring to conceal him. Tan. (c.) Never to behold-Eh! [Seeing Ned.] Oh, my dear fellow, how glad I am to see you! [Turns to him and embraces him.] Here, take off these things, will you? [Ned and Gaoler take off the fetters.] I thought such a head as this could not be easily cracked, ha, ha, ha! [Exulting.] Now to my Julia! Farewell, uncle! Here's cash for you both. [Gives money to Ned and Goaler. Cau. Then I must kill the dog myself. [Grasps his cane.] Nephew, come here-will you only listen to me? Tan. Sir, I'll listen to you for a month. [Exit, L. Cau. I'll murder him! stop that villain! [Exit, pursuing.

END OF ACT IV.

ACT V.

SCENE 1.-A Room at Allspice's House.

Enter DASHALL, with an unopened letter.

Das. Now, this is not fair play. What a rascally shame! What the devil does Fortune mean by it? Zounds! to be bankrupt my name in the Gazette at this moment, when I was doing them all in such a capital style! And then to lose the nice girl-I suppose I shall have that fellow, Tangent, demanding satisfaction. Oh! my smashing will fly about like wildfire. If I can't in one hour humbug old Allspice, and marry his daughter, I must scud. Fortune, be but kind-damn her! she's a jade-I'll not invoke her; but thou, genius of swindling, oh! stick by me now, and I'll never forsake thee. She's propitious; for here comes one flat.

Enter ALLSPICE, r.

Well, Toby, what are you thinking about?

All. (R. C.) London; I never was there. You must show me the sights-the lions at the Tower, and the bulls and bears at the Stock Exchange; the parliamenthouse, and the wax-work; the bench of bishops, and the maids of honour;-and, my dear friend, you'll show me the King's Bench.

Das. (c.) Ay, that I will,

All. And, I say, the pretty girls.

Das. True, my dear fellow, but about the trifle of

money

All. Trifle! Oh, the half-crown that I lost to you at all fours.

Das. No, no; the five thousand.

All. Oh dear, that's an enormous sum.

Das. My letters from Petersburgh say, the frost has set in there devilish hard; that furs will be any price. All. Indeed! I have the money in my pocket.

Das. Have you? Give it me directly.

All. Friendly creature, how anxious you are! Das. I am.--Upon my soul, I feel just as if I were going to receive it for my own advantage.

All. Good soul! Well, here it is.

Das. Now I touch.

Enter Shopman, R.

Sho. Mr. Caustic, sir, wishes to speak with you.
All. Very well.-I'll come to him.

[Puts up the money-exit Shopman, R. Das. Confound Mr. Caustic! My bankruptcy will be blown, and then

[Aside. All. Though 'tis for my own advantage, I can't bear to part with my dear notes.

Das. If I have not the money directly, 'tis all up, I

assure you.

All. That would be a pity.

Das. It would, indeed.

All. [Taking out the notes again.] Why, then, there they are-but let me take leave of them--my pretty ones, good by to you; and be sure, now, you come again, with each of you a companion. One hug, and then we part.

Das. Now I touch to a certainty.

All. Now, hold your hand.

Enter Shopman, R.

Sho. The gazette, sir.

[Exit, R.

Das. Oh, the devil!

All. Stop! [Returns the notes again into his pocket.

Das. Never mind the gazette.

All. We'll just take a peep at the bankrupts.

Das. Here's luck again!

[Aside,

All. Ah! [Taking out his glasses.] Here they are.

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