Scene I. Bevil Jr.’s Lodgings. + 

Bevil Jr., with a letter in his hand; followed by Tom. + 

Tom + 

Upon my life, sir, I know nothing of the matter. I never opened my lips to Mr. Myrtle about anything of your honour’s letter to Madam Lucinda. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

What’s the fool in such a fright for? I don’t suppose you did. What I would know is, whether Mr. Myrtle shows any suspicion, or asked you any questions, to lead you to say casually that you had carried any such letter for me this morning. + 

Tom + 

Why, sir, if he did ask me any questions, how could I help it? + 

Bevil Jr. + 

I don’t say you could, oaf! I am not questioning you, but him. What did he say to you? + 

Tom + 

Why, sir, when I came to his chambers, to be dressed for the lawyer’s part your honour was pleased to put me upon, he asked me if I had been at Mr. Sealand’s this morning? So I told him, sir, I often went thither⁠—because, sir, if I had not said that he might have thought there was something more in my going now than at another time. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Very well!⁠—The fellow’s caution, I find, has given him this jealousy. Aside.⁠—Did he ask you no other questions? + 

Tom + 

Yes, sir; now I remember, as we came away in the hackney coach from Mr. Sealand’s, Tom, says he, as I came in to your master this morning, he bade you go for an answer to a letter he had sent. Pray did you bring him any? says he. Ah! says I, sir, your honour is pleased to joke with me; you have a mind to know whether I can keep a secret or no? + 

Bevil Jr. + 

And so, by showing him you could, you told him you had one? + 

Tom + 

Sir⁠—Confused. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

What mean actions does jealousy make a man stoop to! How poorly has he used art with a servant to make him betray his master!⁠—Well! and when did he give you this letter for me? + 

Tom + 

Sir, he writ it before he pulled off his lawyer’s gown, at his own chambers. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Very well; and what did he say when you brought him my answer to it? + 

Tom + 

He looked a little out of humour, sir, and said it was very well. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

I knew he would be grave upon’t; wait without. + 

Tom + 

Hum! ’gad, I don’t like this; I am afraid we are all in the wrong box here. + 

Exit Tom. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

I put on a serenity while my fellow was present; but I have never been more thoroughly disturbed. This hot man! to write me a challenge, on supposed artificial dealing, when I professed myself his friend! I can live contented without glory; but I cannot suffer shame. What’s to be done? But first let me consider Lucinda’s letter again. Reads. + 

“Sir, + 

“I hope it is consistent with the laws a woman ought to impose upon herself, to acknowledge that your manner of declining a treaty of marriage in our family, and desiring the refusal may come from me, has something more engaging in it than the courtship of him who, I fear, will fall to my lot, except your friend exerts himself for our common safety and happiness. I have reasons for desiring Mr. Myrtle may not know of this letter till hereafter, and am your most obliged humble servant, + 

Well, but the postscript⁠—Reads. + 

Thus has this lady made me her friend and confident, and put herself, in a kind, under my protection. I cannot tell him immediately the purport of her letter, except I could cure him of the violent and untractable passion of jealousy, and so serve him, and her, by disobeying her, in the article of secrecy, more than I should by complying with her directions.⁠—But then this duelling, which custom has imposed upon every man who would live with reputation and honour in the world⁠—how must I preserve myself from imputations there? He’ll, forsooth, call it or think it fear, if I explain without fighting.⁠—But his letter⁠—I’ll read it again⁠— + 

“Sir, + 

“You have used me basely in corresponding and carrying on a treaty where you told me you were indifferent. I have changed my sword since I saw you; which advertisement I thought proper to send you against the next meeting between you and the injured + 

Enter Tom. + 

Tom + 

Mr. Myrtle, sir. Would your honour please to see him? + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Why, you stupid creature! Let Mr. Myrtle wait at my lodgings! Show him up. + 

Exit Tom. + 

Well! I am resolved upon my carriage to him. He is in love, and in every circumstance of life a little distrustful, which I must allow for⁠—but here he is. + 

Enter Tom, introducing Myrtle. + 

Sir, I am extremely obliged to you for this honour.⁠—To Tom. But, sir, you, with your very discerning face, leave the room. + 

Exit Tom. + 

—Well, Mr. Myrtle, your commands with me? + 

Myrtle + 

The time, the place, our long acquaintance, and many other circumstances which affect me on this occasion, oblige me, without farther ceremony or conference, to desire you would not only, as you already have, acknowledge the receipt of my letter, but also comply with the request in it. I must have farther notice taken of my message than these half lines⁠—“I have yours,” “I shall be at home.” + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Sir, I own I have received a letter from you in a very unusual style; but as I design everything in this matter shall be your own action, your own seeking, I shall understand nothing but what you are pleased to confirm face to face, and I have already forgot the contents of your epistle. + 

Myrtle + 

This cool manner is very agreeable to the abuse you have already made of my simplicity and frankness; and I see your moderation tends to your own advantage and not mine⁠—to your own safety, not consideration of your friend. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

My own safety, Mr. Myrtle? + 

Myrtle + 

Your own safety, Mr. Bevil. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Look you, Mr. Myrtle, there’s no disguising that I understand what you would be at; but, sir, you know I have often dared to disapprove of the decisions a tyrant custom has introduced, to the breach of all laws, both divine and human. + 

Myrtle + 

Mr. Bevil, Mr. Bevil, it would be a good first principle, in those who have so tender a conscience that way, to have as much abhorrence of doing injuries, as⁠— + 

Bevil Jr. + 

As what? + 

Myrtle + 

As fear of answering for ’em. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

As fear of answering for ’em! But that apprehension is just or blameable according to the object of that fear. I have often told you, in confidence of heart, I abhorred the daring to offend the Author of life, and rushing into his presence⁠—I say, by the very same act, to commit the crime against Him, and immediately to urge on to His tribunal. + 

Myrtle + 

Mr. Bevil, I must tell you, this coolness, this gravity, this show of conscience, shall never cheat me of my mistress. You have, indeed, the best excuse for life, the hopes of possessing Lucinda. But consider, sir, I have as much reason to be weary of it, if I am to lose her; and my first attempt to recover her shall be to let her see the dauntless man who is to be her guardian and protector. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Sir, show me but the least glimpse of argument, that I am authorised, by my own hand, to vindicate any lawless insult of this nature, and I will show thee⁠—to chastise thee hardly deserves the name of courage⁠—slight, inconsiderate man!⁠—There is, Mr. Myrtle, no such terror in quick anger; and you shall, you know not why, be cool, as you have, you know not why, been warm. + 

Myrtle + 

Is the woman one loves so little an occasion of anger? You perhaps, who know not what it is to love, who have your ready, your commodious, your foreign trinket, for your loose hours; and from your fortune, your specious outward carriage, and other lucky circumstances, as easy a way to the possession of a woman of honour; you know nothing of what it is to be alarmed, to be distracted with anxiety and terror of losing more than life. Your marriage, happy man, goes on like common business, and in the interim you have your rambling captive, your Indian princess, for your soft moments of dalliance, your convenient, your ready Indiana. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

You have touched me beyond the patience of a man; and I’m excusable, in the guard of innocence (or from the infirmity of human nature, which can bear no more), to accept your invitation, and observe your letter⁠—Sir, I’ll attend you. + 

Enter Tom. + 

Tom + 

Did you call, sir? I thought you did; I heard you speak aloud. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Yes; go call a coach. + 

Tom + 

Sir⁠—master⁠—Mr. Myrtle⁠—friends⁠—gentlemen⁠—what d’ye mean? I am but a servant, or⁠— + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Call a coach. + 

Exit Tom. + 

—A long pause, walking sullenly by each other.⁠—Aside. Shall I (though provoked to the uttermost) recover myself at the entrance of a third person, and that my servant too, and not have respect enough to all I have ever been receiving from infancy, the obligation to the best of fathers, to an unhappy virgin too, whose life depends on mine? Shutting the door.⁠—To Myrtle. I have, thank Heaven, had time to recollect myself, and shall not, for fear of what such a rash man as you think of me, keep longer unexplained the false appearances under which your infirmity of temper makes you suffer; when perhaps too much regard to a false point of honour makes me prolong that suffering. + 

Myrtle + 

I am sure Mr. Bevil cannot doubt but I had rather have satisfaction from his innocence than his sword. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Why, then, would you ask it first that way? + 

Myrtle + 

Consider, you kept your temper yourself no longer than till I spoke to the disadvantage of her you loved. + 

Bevil Jr. + 

True; but let me tell you, I have saved you from the most exquisite distress, even though you had succeeded in the dispute. I know you so well, that I am sure to have found this letter about a man you had killed would have been worse than death to yourself⁠—Read it.⁠—Aside. When he is thoroughly mortified, and shame has got the better of jealousy, when he has seen himself throughly, he will deserve to be assisted towards obtaining Lucinda. + 

Myrtle + 

With what a superiority has he turned the injury on me, as the aggressor? I begin to fear I have been too far transported⁠—A treaty in our family! is not that saying too much? I shall relapse.⁠—But I find (on the postscript) something like jealousy. With what face can I see my benefactor, my advocate, whom I have treated like a betrayer? Aside.⁠—Oh! Bevil, with what words shall I⁠— + 

Bevil Jr. + 

There needs none; to convince is much more than to conquer. + 

Myrtle + 

But can you⁠— + 

Bevil Jr. + 

You have o’erpaid the inquietude you gave me, in the change I see in you towards me. Alas! what machines are we! thy face is altered to that of another man; to that of my companion, my friend. + 

Myrtle + 

That I could be such a precipitant wretch! + 

Bevil Jr. + 

Pray, no more. + 

Myrtle + 

Let me reflect how many friends have died, by the hands of friends, for want of temper; and you must give me leave to say again, and again, how much I am beholden to that superior spirit you have subdued me with. What had become of one of us, or perhaps both, had you been as weak as I was, and as incapable of reason? + 

Bevil Jr. + 

I congratulate to us both the escape from ourselves, and hope the memory of it will make us dearer friends than ever. + 

Myrtle + 

Dear Bevil, your friendly conduct has convinced me that there is nothing manly but what is conducted by reason, and agreeable to the practice of virtue and justice. And yet how many have been sacrificed to that idol, the unreasonable opinion of men! Nay, they are so ridiculous in it, that they often use their swords against each other with dissembled anger and real fear. + 

Betrayed by honour, and compelled by shame, + 

They hazard being, to preserve a name: + 

Nor dare inquire into the dread mistake, + 

Till plunged in sad eternity they wake. + 

Exeunt. + 