The Man of the World (1792) | Page 8

in this confusion.
Eger. Dear girl, adieu! and think of love, of happiness, and the man who never can be blest without you. [Exit Constantia.
Enter SAM.
Sam. Sir Pertinax and my lady are come, sir,--and my lady desires to speak with you in her own room:--oh! here she is, sir. [_Exit._
Enter Lady MACSYCOPHANT.
Lady Mac. [_In great confusion and distress._] Dear child, I am glad to see you: why did you not come to town yesterday to attend the levee? your father is incensed to the uttermost at your not being there.
Eger. [_With great warmth._] Madam, it is with extreme regret I tell you, that I can no longer be a slave to his temper, his politics, and his scheme of marrying me to this woman,--therefore you had better consent at once to my going out of the kingdom, and my taking Constantia with me, for without her I never can be happy.
Lady Mac. As you regard my peace, or your own character, I beg you will not be guilty of so rash a step.--You promised me you never would marry her without my consent.--I will open it to your father.--Pray, dear Charles, be ruled:--let me prevail.
Sir PERTINAX. [_Without, in great anger._]
Sir Per. Sir, wull ye do as ye are bid--and haud your gab, you rascal.-- You are so full of gab, you scoundrel.--Take the chesnut gelding, I say, and return to town directly, and see what is become of my Lord Lumbercourt.
Lady Mac. Here he comes.--I will get out of his way.--But I beg, Charles, while he is in this ill humour that you will not oppose him, let him say what he will--when his passion is a little cool, I will return, and try to bring him to reason: but do not thwart him.
Eger. Madam, I will not. [Exit Lady Mac.
Sir Per. [_Witbout._] Here, you Tomlins, where is my son Egerton?
Tom. [_Without._] In the library, sir.
Sir Per. [_Without._] As soon as the lawyers come, be sure bring me word, [_Enters with great haughtiness, and in anger_. EGERTON _bows two or three times most submissively low._] Weel, sir!--vary weel!--vary weel!-- are nat ye a fine spark? are nat ye a fine spark, I say?--ah! you are a-- so you wou'd not come up till the levee?
Eger. Sir, I beg your pardon--but--I was not very well; besides I did not think my presence there was necessary.
Sir Per. [_Snapping him up._] Sir, it was necessary--I tauld you it was necessary--and, sir, I must now tell you, that the whole tenor of your conduct is most offensive.
Eger. I am sorry you think so, sir; I am sure I do not intend to offend you.
Sir Per. I care not what you intend.--Sir, I tell you, you do offend. What is the meaning of this conduct, sir? neglect the levee!--'sdeath, sir, you--what is your reason, I say, for thus neglecting the levee, and disobeying my commands?
Eger. [_With a stifled, filial resentment._] Sir, I am not used to levees: nor do I know how to dispose of myself,--nor what to say, or do, in such a situation.
Sir Per. [_With a proud, angry resentment._] Zounds! sir, do you nat see what others do? gentle and simple,--temporal and spiritual,--lords, members, judges, generals, and bishops,--aw crowding, bustling, and pushing foremost intill the middle of the circle, and there waiting, watching, and striving to catch a look or a smile fra the great mon,-- which they meet--wi' an amicable reesibility of aspect--a modest cadence of body, and a conciliating co-operation of the whole mon,--which expresses an officious promptitude for his service--and indicates, that they luock upon themselves as the suppliant appendages of his power, and the enlisted Swiss of his poleetical fortune;--this, sir, is what you ought to do,--and this, sir, is what I never once omitted for these five and thraty years,--let who would be minister.
Eger. [_Aside._] Contemptible!
Sir Per. What is that you mutter, sir?
Eger. Only a slight reflection, sir, not relative to you.
Sir Per. Sir, your absenting yourself fra the levee at this juncture is suspeecious; it is looked upon as a kind of disaffection,--and aw your countrymen are highly offended at your conduct,----for, sir, they do not look upon you as a friend or a well-wisher either to Scotland or Scotchmen.
Eger. [_With a quick warmth._] Then, sir, they wrong me, I assure you,-- but pray, sir, in what particular can I be charged--either with coldness or offence to my country?
Sir Per. Why, sir, ever since your mother's uncle, Sir Stanly Egerton, left you this three thousand pounds a year, and that you have, in compliance with his will, taken up the name of Egerton, they think you are grown proud;--that you have estranged yourself fra the Macsycophants--have associated with your mother's family--with the opposeetion, and with those who do not wish well till Scotland;----besides, sir, the other day, in