Ah, Major! Have you seen my
daughter?
_Enter_ LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH.
LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH. Sir, sir, do you not know that Rose has
clandestinely been introduced into the presence of Armstrong--
ELSWORTH. No! has she, though? You d-o-n-t say so! Let me whisper a
word, Master Harry--a beautiful joke--it was Bridget--
LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH. No, sir, it was Rose herself.
CLEVELAND. The young man is right.
ELSWORTH. How! What do you say?
CLEVELAND. Simply, sir, by the richest scheme in the world, this
rebel's union with your daughter is rendered impossible. I told you
the marriage was a jest--a sham. It was not--quite the contrary.
ELSWORTH. Do I understand you to say, sir, that you have really
tricked Captain Armstrong into a marriage with--
CLEVELAND. To be sure, sir. It will be the sport of the whole army.
The disgrace you feared cannot now occur. Miss Elsworth can never be
that rustic's wife--thanks, sir, to my splendid idea. Aha, it was a
glorious thought, glorious!
ELSWORTH. Now, damn all respect for the red-coats.
CLEVELAND. Ha!
ELSWORTH. Sir, you have been guilty of a vile scheme. You have put
my house to a dishonourable use. You have betrayed one of my guests
infamously. Oh! that one of His Majesty's officers could lend himself
to a scheme like this.
CLEVELAND. Why, sir, I thought--
_Enter _ROSE _and_ WALTER, _back_.
ELSWORTH. That I would sanction such a plot.
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