SCENE III.—At SIR PETER'S
—ROWLEY and SIR OLIVER—
SIR OLIVER. Ha! ha! ha! and so my old Friend is married, hey?—a young wife out of the country!—ha! ha! that he should have stood Bluff to old Bachelor so long and sink into a Husband at last!
ROWLEY. But you must not rally him on the subject Sir Oliver—'tis a tender Point I assure you though He has been married only seven months.
SIR OLIVER. Ah then he has been just half a year on the stool of Repentance—Poor Peter! But you say he has entirely given up Charles—never sees him, hey?
ROWLEY. His Prejudice against him is astonishing—and I am sure greatly increased by a jealousy of him with Lady Teazle—which he has been industriously led into by a scandalous Society—in the neighbourhood—who have contributed not a little to Charles's ill name. Whereas the truth is[,] I believe[,] if the lady is partial to either of them his Brother is the Favourite.
SIR OLIVER. Aye—I know—there are a set of malicious prating prudent Gossips both male and Female, who murder characters to kill time, and will rob a young Fellow of his good name before He has years to know the value of it. . . but I am not to be prejudiced against my nephew by such I promise you! No! no—if Charles has done nothing false or mean, I shall compound for his extravagance.
ROWLEY. Then my life on't, you will reclaim him. Ah, Sir, it gives me new vigour to find that your heart is not turned against him—and that the son of my good old master has one friend however left—