Sir Per. Will you give me your honour of that?

Eger. Most solemnly, sir.

Sir Per. Enough.—­I am satisfied,—­You make me young again.—­Your prudence has brought tears of joy fra my very vitals.—­I was afraid you were fascinated with the charms of a crack.—­Do you ken this hand?

Eger. Mighty well, sir.

Sir Per. And you, madam.

Lady Mac. As well as I do my own, sir.—­It is Constantia’s.

Sir Per. It is so; and a better evidence it is than any that can be given by the human tongue.  Here is a warm, rapturous, lascivious letter under the hypocritical syren’s ain hand—­her ain hand, sir.

Eger. Pray, sir, let us hear it.

Sir Per. Ay, ay;—­here—­take and read it yourself.—­Eloisa never writ a warmer nor a ranker to her Abelard—­but judge yourselves.

Eger. [Reads.] ’I have only time to tell you, that the family came down sooner than I expected, and that I cannot bless my eyes with the sight of you till the evening.—­The notes, and jewels, which the bearer of this will deliver to you, were presented to me, since I saw you, by the son of my benefactor’—­

Sir Per. [Interrupts him by his remarks.] Now mark.

Eger. [Reads.] ’All which I beg you will convert to your immediate use’—­

Sir Per. Mark, I say.

Eger. [Reads.] ’For my heart has no room for any wish or fortune, but what contributes to your relief and happiness’—­

Sir Per. Oh!  Charles, Charles, do you see, sir, what a dupe she makes of you?  But mark what follows.

Eger. [Reads.] ’O! how I long to throw myself into your dear, dear arms; to sooth your fears, your apprehensions, and your sorrows’—­

Sir Per. I suppose the spark has heard of your offering to marry her, and is jealous of you.

Eger. Sir, I can only say I am astonished.

Lady Mac. It is incredible.

Sir Per. Stay, stay, read it out—­read it out, pray:  ah! she is a subtle devil.

Eger. [Reads.] ’I have something to tell you of the utmost moment, but will reserve it till we meet this evening in the dark walk’—­

Sir Per. In the dark walk—­in the dark walk—­ah! an evil-eyed curse upon her! yes, yes! she has been often in the dark walk, I believe:—­But, read on.

Eger. [Reads.] ’In the mean time banish all fears, and hope the best from fortune, and your ever dutiful CONSTANTIA HARRINGTON.’

Sir Per. There—­there’s a warm epistle for you! in short, the hussy, you must know, is married till the fellow.

Eger. Not unlikely, sir.

Lady Mac. Indeed, by her letter, I believe she is.

Sir Per. Nay, I know she is:  but look at the hand—­peruse it—­convince yourselves.