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MENTEITH。 Yes； madam； indeed； In these distinguished circles；
life is but a slavery。 None of the best set would relish
Tunbridge without Mr。 George； Tunbridge and Mr。 George （if you'll
excuse my plainness； madam） are in a manner of speaking
identified； and indeed it was the Dook's desire alone that
brought us here。
BARBARA。 What？ the Duke？ O dear！ was it for that？
MENTEITH。 Though； to be sure； madam； Mr。 George would always be
charmed to find himself （BOWING） among so many admired members of
his own set。
MISS FOSTER。 Upon my word； Menteith； Mr。 Austin is as fortunate
in his servant as his reputation。
MENTEITH。 Quite so； madam。 But let me observe that the
opportunities I have had of acquiring a knowledge of Mr。 George's
character have been positively unrivalled。 Nobody knows Mr。
George like his old attendant。 The goodness of that gentleman …
but； madam； you will soon be equally fortunate； if； as I
understand； it is to be a match。
MISS FOSTER。 I hope； Menteith； you are not taking leave of your
senses。 Is it possible you mean my niece？
MENTEITH。 Madam； I have the honour to congratulate you。 I put a
second curl in Mr。 George's hair on purpose。
SCENE II
TO THESE； AUSTIN。 MENTEITH FALLS BACK； AND AUSTIN TAKES HIS
PLACE IN FRONT OF MISS FOSTER； HIS ATTITUDE A COUNTERPART OF
MENTEITH'S。
AUSTIN。 Madam； I hasten to present my homage。
MISS FOSTER。 A truce to compliments！ Menteith； your charming
fellow there； has set me positively crazy。 Dear George Austin；
is it true？ can it be true？
AUSTIN。 Madam； if he has been praising your niece he has been
well inspired。 If he was speaking； as I spoke an hour ago
myself； I wish； Miss Foster； that he had held his tongue。 I have
indeed offered myself to Miss Dorothy； and she； with the most
excellent reason； has refused me。
MISS FOSTER。 Is it possible？ why； my dear George Austin 。 。 。 。
then I suppose it is John Fenwick after all！
AUSTIN。 Not one of us is worthy。
MISS FOSTER。 This is the most amazing circumstance。 You take my
breath away。 My niece refuse George Austin？ why； I give you my
word； I thought she had adored you。 A perfect scandal： it
positively must not get abroad。
AUSTIN。 Madam； for that young lady I have a singular regard。
Judge me as tenderly as you can； and set it down； if you must； to
an old man's vanity … for； Evelina； we are no longer in the
heyday of our youth … judge me as you will： I should prefer to
have it known。
MISS FOSTER。 Can you？ George Austin； you？ My youth was
nothing； I was a failure； but for you？ no； George； you never can；
you never must be old。 You are the triumph of my generation；
George； and of our old friendship too。 Think of my first dance
and my first partner。 And to have this story … no； I could not
bear to have it told of you。
AUSTIN。 Madam； there are some ladies over whom it is a boast to
have prevailed； there are others whom it is a glory to have
loved。 And I am so vain； dear Evelina； that even thus I am proud
to link my name with that of Dorothy Musgrave。
MISS FOSTER。 George； you are changed。 I would not know you。
AUSTIN。 I scarce know myself。 But pardon me； dear friend
（TAKING HIS WATCH）； in less than four minutes our illustrious
guest will descend amongst us； and I observe Mr。 Fenwick； with
whom I have a pressing business。 Suffer me； dear Evelina！ …
SCENE III
To these； FENWICK。 MISS FOSTER remains seated； L。 AUSTIN goes
R。 to FENWICK； whom he salutes with great respect
AUSTIN。 Mr。 Fenwick； I have played and lost。 That noble lady；
justly incensed at my misconduct； has condemned me。 Under the
burden of such a loss； may I console myself with the esteem of
Mr。 Fenwick？
FENWICK。 She refused you？ Pardon me； sir； but was the fault not
yours？
AUSTIN。 Perhaps to my shame； I am no novice； Mr。 Fenwick； but I
have never felt nor striven as to…day。 I went upon your errand；
but； you may trust me； sir； before I had done I found it was my
own。 Until to…day I never rightly valued her； sure； she is fit
to be a queen。 I have a remorse here at my heart to which I am a
stranger。 Oh！ that was a brave life； that was a great heart that
I have ruined。
FENWICK。 Ay； sir； indeed。
AUSTIN。 But； sir； it is not to lament the irretrievable that I
intrude myself upon your leisure。 There is something to be done；
to save； at least to spare； that lady。 You did not fail to
observe the brother？
FENWICK。 No； sir； he knows all； and being both intemperate and
ignorant …
AUSTIN。 Surely。 I know。 I have to ask you then to find what
friends you can among this company； and if you have none； to make
them。 Let everybody hear the news。 Tell it （if I may offer the
suggestion） with humour： how Mr。 Austin； somewhat upon the wane；
but still filled with sufficiency； gloriously presumed and was
most ingloriously set down by a young lady from the north： the
lady's name a secret； which you will permit to be divined。 The
laugh … the position of the hero … will make it circulate； … you
perceive I am in earnest； … and in this way I believe our young
friend will find himself forestalled。
FENWICK。 Mr。 Austin； I would not have dared to ask so much of
you； I will go further： were the positions changed； I should
fear to follow your example。
AUSTIN。 Child； child； you could not afford it。
SCENE IV
To there； the ROYAL DUKE； C。； then； immediately； ANTHONY； L。
FENWICK crosses to MISS FOSTER； R。 AUSTIN accosts the DUKE； C。；
in dumb show； the muted strings take up a new air； Mozart's
'Anglaise'； couples passing under the limes； and forming a group
behind AUSTIN and the DUKE。 ANTHONY in front； L。； watches
AUSTIN； who； as he turns from the DUKE； sees him； and comes
forward with extended hand。
AUSTIN。 Dear child； let me present you to his Royal Highness。
ANTHONY （WITH NECKLACE）。 Mr。 Austin； do you recognise the bribe
you gave my sister's maid？
AUSTIN。 Hush； sir； hush！ you forget the presence of the Duke。
ANTHONY。 Mr。 Austin； you are a coward and a scoundrel。
AUSTIN。 My child； you will regret these words： I refuse your
quarrel。
ANTHONY。 You do？ Take that。 （HE STRIKES AUSTIN ON THE MOUTH。
AT THE MOMENT OF THE BLOW …）
SCENE V
TO THESE； DOROTHY； L。 U。 E。 DOROTHY； UNSEEN BY AUSTIN； SHRIEKS。
SENSATION。 MUSIC STOPS。 TABLEAU
AUSTIN （RECOVERING HIS COMPOSURE）。 Your Royal Highness； suffer
me to excuse the disrespect of this young gentleman。 He has so
much apology； and I have； I hope； so good a credit； as incline me
to accept this blow。 But I must beg of your Highness； and；
gentlemen； all of you here present； to bear with me while I will
explain what is too capable of misconstruction。 I am the
rejected suitor of this young gentleman's sister； of Miss Dorothy
Musgrave： a lady whom I singularly honour and esteem； a word
from whom （if I could hope that word） would fill my life with
happiness。 I was not worthy of that lady； when I was defeated in
fair field； I presumed to make advances through her maid。 See in
how laughable a manner fate repaid me！ The waiting…girl derided；
the mistress denied； and now comes in this