both! for my wife's relations are always welcome to her husband.

Carl. [Aside.] Wife! husband!

Chris. What's the matter, Carlitz? you seem dull! What! nothing to say, after three years' absence? How does all go on in our village? Do your affairs prosper? Your sweethearts in the village, how are they all? hey? Carl. [Sulkily.] All goes on well enough-well enough, miss.

Rons. Miss You don't call my wife a miss!.

Carl. Beg pardon, madam. [Aside.] Zounds, that word kills my heart. [Staggers against the table, L. Chris. What ails you, Carlitz? a'n't you well?

[Crosses to him. Carl. "Nothing. I'm only a little somehow-" Chris. "Won't you take something?"

Rons. "He"? why he's just done breakfast: he didn't "eat as if he was on the sick list-he's well enough; "he'll walk it off in a minute, and get on his road jol"lily. Come, stir, lad, and you'll not want the doc❝ tor."

Chris. "What! don't" you mean to stop with us a few days?

Rons. Not he: "he has business;" he's a great man. Carl. Ay, ay, 'twere better I should be off. Christine, I should only wish to say a word or two about family affairs before I go.

Rons. [Sitting down, R.] ceremony: we'll hear you. Carl. Yes; but then

Well, lad, talk away. No

Chris. Perhaps he would rather it should only be between us alone.

Rons, [Aside to her.] I'd rather stay.

Chris. [Aside.] Yes, but I wouldn't like he should go and say I had a husband that wasn't accommodating. Rons. [Aside.] Oh, for that-so then, husbands

must

Chris. Yes.

Rons. [Aside.] Oh! [Rises and bows.] Since I am in that regiment, I must mind the countersigns. I'm off.

[RONSLAUS goes up the stage. CARLITZ, who has been standing by the table, L., with his back to CHRISTINE, turns, ill-humouredly, and exclaims with emphasis]

Carl. As you were married, miss, for what reason-: [RONSLAUS starts, returns, looks at him, walks to CHRISTINE, and says, low.]

Rons. I leave you without fear, Christine, because. I-have your promise you'll be mine, or' you'll be no other man's without my leave: so I'm easy: for a moment, then, adieu !

[Looks sternly at CARLITZ again, and then exit, R. U. E.]

Chris. We're by ourselves, now. Well, Carlitz, and these family affairs you had to speak about

Carl. There's no family affairs. I only wanted to make you my compliments on your constancy, and didn't dare before him.

Chris. What do you mean by my constancy? Was I bound to stay single all my lifetime, because it pleased my gentleman not to answer my letter?

Carl. Who could have guess'd you'd have been in such a hurry? and you must have been in a devilish hurry, to have taken such a fellow for a husband.

Chris. And pray, sir, what is there about him so bad?

Carl. You needn't bawl so.-Every body knows what soldiers are; and this fellow is a jealous dog, and a brute into the bargain.

Chris. Brute or no brute, he loves me, and he is right; for I return it, and heartily, too-heartily-yes, Mr. Carlitz, I love him-I adore him, and I'm never happy without him. So, sir, there! [Crosses to R.

But

Carl. Wow, wow, wow! It's all very well! exceedingly well! "I'm sure nobody prevents you. I "wouldn't keep you away from him-no, no, not I." -Don't fancy I'm jealous. I might have cared, indeed, if it had been any decent, well-manner'd, man. [with a vexed laugh] for such a spitfire! ha, ha!-a fellow that drinks and smokes-a fellow that, I'm sure, will make you miserable, Ha, ha, ha! that's all right! that's as it should be! Yes, miserable! that's what will please me. Then, then, at least, I shall-I shall-ha, ha, ha!-I shall be revenged.

Chris. Revenged!

Carl. I shall be revenged!

Chris. What, Carlitz! Revenged! What harm did I ever do you? Is it my fault that you refused me?you, to whom, as soon as I got a little fortune, I offered my heart and hand,-you?. We sha'n't be just

66

at first very rich,' said I to myself; but then we'll work hard, and be very saving; and Carlitz, who always had lofty notions, will be pleased to find himself master of the head inn of the province; and he'll think how much better it is to command in his own house, than to be commanded in another man's.' We'll work hard all day, and have little parties of our friends in the evening, and perhaps see our dear little "ones frolicking about us," and hear the neighbours, as we pass along to church in our best clothes, on Sunday, saying to one another, with a smile, There goes honest Carlitz and his happy wife, Christine.' This, Carlitz, is the plan of happiness I had formed for you; and it is for this, Carlitz, that you now wish to be revenged!

Carl, Oh! [thumping his hand on the table] what a poor unhappy devil I am! what I've lost! oh, what I've lost! But perhaps you couldn't wait any longer! Oh, I hate him more than ever, for having robbed me of the treasure of such a heart as yours.

Chris. Didn't you refuse it? only a moment ago, didn't you write to refuse it? That very letter

Carl. That letter! what of that letter? Come now, if you knew all-if you could guess-my-my-secretChris. Hey! what! a secret! Have you a secret? Carl. Yes-but I mustn't tell it to you.-You're married.

Chris. Come now, there's only one proof you can give me, that your vows were ever sincere. Tell me the secret.

Carl. Take-read-read! My secret is in that letter; and when you've read it, I go I leave you. I'll walk to the world's end. [Gives the letter.

Chris. [Reading.] 'Loving miss, I look high in the world, but I'm no rascal. An honest chap I've just been talking to hath proven unto me, that if I don't love you any more, I'm, in duty, bound to say so: accordingly, I take up my pen for to tell you, that'-Well! the next lines are scratched out.

Carl. [Sobbing.] Read on. Read on.

Chris. Ah! to tell you that [rapidly] I love you as much as ever; and that I couldn't write the other word for the soul of me, because I feel now 'twould be a horrid lie!'

[CHRISTINE stops and sobs. Read on.

Carl. [Sobbing.] Read on.

6

Chris. [Reading.] Yes, my loving cousin, it is Peter Linski and his bad counsels that have turned me out of the straight road, by promising to make me a great man; but I never stopped loving you, and I always will love you, and I'll marry you as soon as you like. Your loving cousin, and expected husband that is to be, Carlitz.'

[CARLITZ crosses to L., takes up his hat, &c.

Carl. Good bye, good bye.

Chris. What! won't you stop here? Carl. [Stopping short.] How can you have the heart to keep me by you here, after what you've read ? You see, Mrs. Ronslaus, I love you yet-you see that. Good bye, cousin, good bye!

[Going towards the house, meets RONSLAUS, who turns him back.

Chris. Heavens ! Ronslaus here! [Runs out, R. U. E. Rons. Where the devil are you going to, comrade? Carl. Can't you see? I'm going-I'm going.

Rons. It seems you can't see, lad! Where are your eyes?-Your road's that way!

Carl. Right, right. There's something in my eyes that--[Aside.] She's there no longer! I shall never see her again!

Rons. So, lad, you've said 'good bye,' and had your parting kiss.

Carl. No-no.-That-I forgot that.

Rons. It's all one- -I'll take it for you. There's your path. [Pointing to the centre gate.] It's a fine road. Pleasant journey: good bye, kinsman; good bve. What! not gone yet?

Carl. Ay-ay-I was [loitering up, then turns] thinking.-Ah, yes-[runs back]-that drop of brandy you spoke of. You forgot that.

Very

Rons. Zounds! what a memory you have! well: come, here's a merry trudge to you. [CARLITZ puts his bundle, &c., on the table, L., and then sits down in the chair, L.] Oh, there's no need of making a dead set-to. Up, up; drink it standing: 'twill go down the faster. [RONSLAUS fills two glasses, and drinks one.] Well-is it good?

[CARLITZ, without drinking, claps down the gluss, and dashes himself back again into the chair.]

Carl. I can't stand it !

Rons. You can't? I'd stand a bottle of such. So! you've had the farewell cup, and now

Carl. Ay, ay. [Takes up his things, rises, crosses, loiteringly; turns and looks a moment; then runs down eagerly to RONSLAUS, R.] But, before I go, I have a favour to ask.

Rons. What does all this mean? He seems devilish loath to go. [Loud and coarsely.] Well! out with it! I hear you.

Carl. Why-'tis-you see-I was thinking—

Rons. You talk as slow as you drink !—Quick time! Forward!

Carl. [Very quick.] Well! I say, if you'd only have the kindness only just to give me a place in the Inn, only as a waiter, you'd be satisfied with me-I know you'd be satisfied and I only ask my living and my lodging-that's all; and I'll serve you without any wages without any wages.

Rons. [Gloomily.] Indeed! we'll think of thatwe'll see we'll see-ay, you shall come, on trial; and though you offer to come without wages-[Clapping him on the shoulder, CARLITZ trembles.]-you shall have wages-do you hear?-you shall have wages, I promise you.

66

Carl. Thank ye, Mr. Soldier, "thank ye; but you say that with such a tone! I'm sure I wouldn't put you out of the way, not I, to give me wages. And "if the plan don't happen, Mr. Soldier, to suit youRons." It suits me well enough, well enough :”— but I must first see if it suits my wife.

[Going, R. U. e. CARLITZ runs up after him. Carl. Oh "yes-yes-if that's all," 'twill suit her I know I know 'twill suit her.

Rons. [Turns abruptly.] Damnation, sir! how do you know that?

Carl. Oh, she-she herself-she said she'd-like—I'd --stop.

66

Rons. She?-she'd like? ["RONSLAUS follows him "violently to corner, R.; then walks to corner, L., and says apart]-Can Christine mean to play upon me"to deceive me? Fire and thunder! Impossible! Im66 possible! and as for him!-[Looks at him, threat"Jully. CARLITZ casts down his eyes, sheepishly.— "Aloud.] Hear me. [Crosses to him."] I'll see my wife, and come to an understanding with her.-That