The Conscious Lovers

behaviour, or appearance, I shall soon be let into what I may fear or hope for. John Bevil Sir, I am very confident there can be nothing inquired into relating to my son, that will not, upon being understood, turn to his advantage. Mr. Sealand I hope that as sincerely as you believe it.⁠—Sir John Bevil, when I am satisfied, in this great point, if your son’s conduct answers the character you give him, I shall wish your alliance more than that of any gentleman in Great Britain; and so your servant. Exit. John Bevil He is gone in a way but barely civil; but his great wealth, and the merit of his only child, the heiress of it, are not to be lost for a little peevishness. Enter Humphry. Oh! Humphry, you are come in a seasonable minute. I want to talk to thee, and to tell thee that my head and heart are on the rack about my son. Humphry Sir, you may trust his discretion; I am sure you may. John Bevil Why, I do believe I may, and yet I’m in a thousand fears when I lay this vast wealth before me; when I consider his prepossessions, either generous to a folly, in an honourable love, or abandoned, past redemption, in a vicious one; and, from the one or the other, his insensibility to the fairest prospect towards doubling our estate: a father, who knows how useful wealth is, and how necessary, even to those who despise it⁠—I say a father, Humphry, a father cannot bear it. Humphry Be not transported, sir; you will grow incapable of taking any resolution in your perplexity. John Bevil Yet, as angry as I am with him, I would not have him surprised in anything. This mercantile rough man may go grossly into the examination of this matter, and talk to the gentlewoman so as to⁠— Humphry No, I hope, not in an abrupt manner. John Bevil No, I hope not! Why, dost thou know anything of her, or of him, or of anything of it, or all of it? Humphry My dear master, I know so much that I told him this very day you had reason to be secretly out of humour about her. John Bevil Did you go so far? Well, what said he to that? Humphry His words were, looking upon me steadfastly: “Humphry,” says he, “that woman is a woman of honour.” John Bevil How! Do you think he is married to her, or designs to marry her? Humphry I can say nothing to the latter; but he says he can marry no one without your consent while you are living. John Bevil If he said so much, I know he scorns to break his word with me. Humphry I am sure of that. John Bevil You are sure of that⁠—well! that’s some comfort. Then I have nothing to do but to see the bottom of this matter during this present ruffle⁠—Oh, Humphry⁠— Humphry You are not ill, I hope, sir. John Bevil Yes, a man is very ill that’s in a very ill-humour. To be a father is to be in care for one whom you oftener disoblige than please by that very care⁠—Oh! that sons could know the duty to a father before they themselves are fathers⁠—But, perhaps, you’ll say now that I am one of the happiest fathers in the world; but, I assure you, that of the very happiest is not a condition to be envied. Humphry Sir, your pain arises, not from the thing itself, but your particular sense of it. You are overfond, nay, give me leave to say, you are unjustly apprehensive from your fondness. My master Bevil never disobliged you, and he will, I know he will, do everything you ought to expect. John Bevil He won’t take all this money with this girl⁠—For ought I know, he will, forsooth, have so much moderation as to think he ought not to force his liking for any consideration. Humphry He is to marry her, not you; he is to live with her, not you, sir. John Bevil I know not what to think. But, I know, nothing can be more miserable than to be in this doubt⁠—Follow me; I must come to some resolution. Exeunt.

Scene III. Bevil Jr.’s Lodgings.

	Enter Tom and Phillis.
Tom	Well, madam, if you must speak with Mr. Myrtle, you shall; he is now with my master in the library.
Phillis	But you must leave me alone with him, for he can’t make me a present, nor I so handsomely take anything from him before you; it would not be decent.
Tom	It will be very decent, indeed, for me to retire, and leave my mistress with another man.
Phillis	He is a gentleman, and will treat one properly.
Tom	I believe so; but, however, I won’t be far off, and therefore will venture to trust you. I’ll call him to you.
	Exit Tom.
Phillis	What a deal of pother and sputter here is between my mistress and Mr. Myrtle from mere punctilio! I could, any hour of the day, get her to her lover, and would do it⁠—but she, forsooth, will allow no plot to get him; but, if he can come to her, I know she would be glad of it. I must, therefore, do her an acceptable violence, and surprise her into his arms. I am sure I go by the best rule imaginable. If she were my maid, I should think her the best servant in the world for doing so by me.
	Enter Myrtle and Tom.
	Oh sir! You and Mr. Bevil are fine gentlemen to let a lady remain under such difficulties as my poor mistress, and no attempt to set her at liberty, or release her from the danger of being instantly married to Cimberton.
Myrtle	Tom has been telling⁠—But what is to be done?
Phillis	What is to be done⁠—when a man can’t come at his mistress! Why, can’t you fire our house, or the next house to us, to make us run out, and you take us?
Myrtle	How,