DR. ROSY.
All things are as they were, my Alexander; the justice is as violent as ever: I felt his pulse on the matter again, and, thinking his rage began to intermit, I wanted to throw in the bark of good advice, but it would not do. He says you and your cut-throats have a plot upon his life, and swears he had rather see his daughter in a scarlet fever than in the arms of a soldier.
LIEUTENANT O’CONNOR.
Upon my word the army is very much obliged to him. Well, then, I must marry the girl first, and ask his consent afterwards.
DR. ROSY.
So, then, the case of her fortune is desperate, hey?
LIEUTENANT O’CONNOR.
Oh, hang fortune,—let that take its chance; there is a beauty in Lauretta’s simplicity, so pure a bloom upon her charms.
DR. ROSY.
So there is, so there is. You are for beauty as nature made her, hey! No artificial graces, no cosmetic varnish, no beauty in grey, hey!
LIEUTENANT O’CONNOR.
Upon my word, doctor, you are right; the London ladies were always too handsome for me; then they are so defended, such a circumvallation of hoop, with a breastwork of whale-bone that would turn a pistol-bullet, much less Cupid’s arrows,—then turret on turret on top, with stores of concealed weapons, under pretence of black pins,—and above all, a standard of feathers that would do honour to a knight of the Bath. Upon my conscience, I could as soon embrace an Amazon, armed at all points.
DR. ROSY.
Right, right, my Alexander! my taste to a tittle.
LIEUTENANT O’CONNOR.
Then, doctor, though I admire modesty in women, I like to see their faces. I am for the changeable rose; but with one of these quality Amazons, if their midnight dissipations had left them blood enough to raise a blush, they have not room enough in their cheeks to show it. To be sure, bashfulness is a very pretty thing; but, in my mind, there is nothing on earth so impudent as an everlasting blush.
DR. ROSY.
My taste, my taste!—Well, Lauretta is none of these. Ah! I never see her but she put me in mind of my poor dear wife.
LIEUTENANT O’CONNOR.
[Aside.] Ay, faith; in my opinion she can’t do a worse thing. Now he is going to bother me about an old hag that has been dead these six years.