The Heiress Part 19

_Sir C._ Miss Alscrip, your--

[_As he is beginning to say your humble Servant,_

_Enter BLANDISH out of Breath._

_Blandish._ The duel's over.

_Sir C._ And the parties unhurt--You are too late in your intelligence by some minutes. But I know you must rejoice [_Ironically._] from your attachment to all parties.--Miss Alscrip, your very--

_Miss Als._ Duel!--Pray let us hear the particulars--As there is no mischief, I shall not faint.

[_Ironically._

_Sir C._ I guess it has been of the common-place kind.--Hats over the brows--glum silence--thrust--parry--and riposte----Explain and shake hands: Your man of honour never sets his friend right, till he has exchanged a shot--or a thrust: Oh, a little steel recipe is a morning whet to the temper: It carries off all qualms, and leaves the digestion free for any thing that is presented to it.

_Miss Als._ Dear, how fortunate! Considering the pills some folks have to swallow.

_Sir C._ Blandish, see if the door of Clifford's room is yet unlocked, there is a person within you little expect to find, and whom it may be proper for this lady and me to interrogate together.

[_The Door opens, and_

_Enter LADY EMILY._

_Blandish._ Lady Emily!

_Sir C._ Inexplicable, with a vengeance.

_Miss Als._ [_Aside._] Lady Emily, shut up in Clifford's apartment!

Beyond my expectation, indeed.

[_With a malicious Air._

[_LADY EMILY seems pleased._

_Sir C._ [_Dryly._] Lady Emily, I know you were always cautious whom you visited, and never gave a better proof of your discernment.

_Lady E._ Never. Oh! my poor dear uncle, you little think what is going to befall you.

_Sir C._ Not a disappointment in love, I hope.

_Lady E._ No, but in something much nearer your heart--your system is threatened with a blow, that I think, and from my soul I hope, it never will recover: would you guess that the sagacious observations of your whole life are upon the point of being confounded by the production--

_Sir C._ Of what?

_Lady E._ A woman of ingenuous discretion, and a man of unaffected integrity.

_Sir C._ Hah!

_Mrs. Blandish._ What can she mean?

_Miss Als._ Nothing good--she looks so pleasant.

_Lady E._ Come forth, my injured friend. Our personal acquaintance has been short, but our hearts were intimate from the first sight.

[_Presenting her._] Your prisoner, sir, is Miss Harriet Clifford.

_Sir C._ Clifford's sister!

_Miss Als._ What, the run-away Alton, turned into a sprig of quality.

_Lady E._ [_Disdainfully to MISS ALSCRIP._] The humble dependent of Alscrip house--The wanton--the paragon of fraud--the only female that can equal Clifford. [_Tauntingly to SIR CLEMENT._] She is indeed!

[_With Emphasis and Affection._

_Blandish._ [_Aside._] Oh, rot the source of the family fondness--I see I have no card left in my favour--but the heiress. [_Goes to her and pays Court--During this Conversation, aside, LADY EMILY seems encouraging MISS CLIFFORD.--SIR CLEMENT musing, and by Turns examining her._]

_Sir C._ [_To himself._] "Ingenuous discretion!"

_Enter CLIFFORD, and runs to his Sister._

_Cliff._ My dearest Harriet! the joy I purposed in presenting you here, is anticipated: but, my blameless fugitive! when your story is known, my pride in you will not be a wonder.--Miss Clifford, behold your persecutor and your convert.

_Enter LORD GAYVILLE._

_Lord G._ [_With Rapture._] Her persecutor and her convert. Her virtues, which no humility could conceal, and every trial made more resplendent, discovered, disgraced, and reclaimed a libertine.--

_Miss Cliff._ How am I distressed!--what ought I to answer?

_Lord G._ Impressed sentiment upon desire, gave honour to passion, and drew from my soul a vow, which Heaven chastise me when I violate, to obtain her by a legal, sacred claim, or renounce fortune, family and friends, and become a self-devoted outcast of the world.

_Miss Cliff._ Oh! brother, interpose.

_Sir C._ My lord, your fortune, family and friends are much obliged to you. Your part is perfect--Mr. Clifford, you are called upon. Miss, in strict propriety, throws the business upon her relations--Come, finish the comedy, join one of her hands to the gallant's, while, with the other, she covers her blushes--and he in rapture delivers the moral.

All for Love, or, the World well lost.

[_MISS CLIFFORD still appears agitated._

_Cliff._ Be patient, my Harriet, this is the school for prejudice, and the lesson of its shame is near.

_Miss Als._ I vow these singular circumstances give me quite a confusion of pleasure. The astonishing good fortune of my late protegee, in finding so impassioned a friendship in her brother's bed-chamber; the captivating eloquence of Lord Gayville, in winding up an eclaircissement which I admire--not for the first time--to-day--and the superlative joy Sir Clement must feel at an union, founded upon the purity of the passions,--are subjects of such different congratulation, that I hardly know where to begin.

_Lady E._ [_Aside_] Charming! her insolence will justify what so seldom occurs to one--a severe retort, without a possible sense of compunction.

_Miss Als._ But in point of fortune--don't imagine, Sir Clement, I would insinuate that the lady is destitute--oh Lord, far from it. Her musical talents are a portion--

_ALSCRIP and RIGHTLY without._

_Alscrip._ Why, stop a moment--

Chapter end