HARRY.  This way, sir; I myself will conduct you to a chamber.

[Exeunt CLEVELAND and HARRY.

ELSWORTH.  This is a situation, indeed, for a royalist gentleman!  My house filled with the King’s officers, and a proscribed rebel concealed above.  If discovered, I tremble to think of the consequences. [Exit.

Enter ROSE.

ROSE.  Thank heaven; I am rid of them.  Now to Walter, and learn his full danger.

[Enter ARMSTRONG.]

Are you mad?  What are you here for?  Back to your hiding place at once.

WALTER.  No, Rose; I shall not go.

ROSE.  Why—­what—­

WALTER.  Hear me, Rose.  Ask yourself if it is an honourable course for me, a proscribed and hunted rebel, to suffer myself to be concealed in your father’s house when my discovery would involve him in terrible consequences.  I cannot consent to expose him to those consequences.  I would rather openly deliver myself into the hands of Major Cleveland.

ROSE.  Foolish man!  You are ruining all.  Walter, for my sake go back again.  This is a ridiculous and false sense of honour.

WALTER.  No, Rose, I am resolved—­

ROSE.  Walter, I implore you—­

[Enter MAJOR CLEVELAND.]

[Aside.] Ha!  Lost! [Aloud.] Oh, Major Cleveland, how opportune.  Pray let me make you acquainted with Captain Fuller.  A friend of my father’s, sir—­a neighbour.  Captain Fuller, Major Cleveland.  Allow me to commend you, gentlemen, to each other’s better acquaintance.

CLEVELAND.  A rebel officer.  This is very extraordinary.

ROSE.  Let me see you shake hands, gentlemen, for here, you know, you must be friends.  If you like to cut each other’s throats elsewhere, so be it; but, of course, you sheathe your swords, and swear peace in the presence of a lady.

CLEVELAND.  Miss Elsworth well rebukes us.  Captain Fuller, for the time being, the red and the blue rejoice under a common auspices—­Miss Elsworth smiles.

[They shake hands ceremoniously.

ROSE.  Now, gentlemen, sit down.  You, Major, shall have a seat upon the sofa by my side.  Captain Fuller, please, take the chair near you. [The gentlemen seat themselves.] Now, you see, I am between you, and shall prevent warfare.  I here proclaim a truce.  The Captain, Major, wants to join our ball to-night.  I have promised him my hand the next after yours.

CLEVELAND. [Scrutinizing WALTER closely.] I’m quite ready, Miss Elsworth, to laugh at a joke, but really I cannot understand—­

ROSE.  Why two gentlemen cannot meet under my father’s roof, as his guests, and not fall to tearing each other to pieces?  Is it the modern way to make war in parlours, instead of the field?

CLEVELAND.  Strange, very strange.  Your pardon, Captain Fuller, but I cannot help remarking that you closely resemble a description I have received of one Captain Armstrong.