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take comfort, madam. [To CHARLOTTE.] There's one without enquiring for you.-Go to him, and lose no time,

Char. O misery! misery!

[Exit. Mrs Bev. Follow her, Jarvis. If it be true, that Lewson's dead, her grief may kill her.

Bates. Jarvis must stay here, madam. I have some questions for him.

Stuke. Rather let him fly. His evidence may crush his master.

Bev. Why ay; this looks like management.

Bates. He found you quarrelling with Lewson in the streets last night. [TO BEVERLEY. Mrs Bev. No; I am sure he did not.

Jar. Or if I did

Mrs Bev. 'Tis false, old man-They had no quarrel; there was no cause for quarrel.

Bev. Let him proceed, I say-Oh! I am sick! sick!-Reach a chair. [He sits down. Mrs Bev. You droop and tremble, love.-Yet, you are innocent! If Lewson's dead, you killed him

not.

Enter DAWSON.

Stuke. Who sent for Dawson?

Bates. 'Twas I-We have a witness too you little think of without there!

Stuke. What witness?

Bates. A right one. Look at him.

Enter LEWSON and CHARLOTTE.

Stuke. Lewson! O villains! villains!

[To BATES and DAWSON.

Mrs Bev. Risen from the dead! Why, this is unexpected happiness!

Char. Or is it his ghost? [To STUKELY.] That sight would please you, sir.

Jar. What riddle's this?

Bev. Be quick and tell it-My minutes are but few.

Mrs Bev. Alas! why so? You shall live long, and happily.

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Lew. While shame and punishment shall rack that viper! [Pointing to STUKELY.] The tale is short→→ I was too busy in his secrets, and therefore doomed to die. Bates, to prevent the murder, undertook it— I kept aloof to give it credit

Char. And gave me pangs unutterable.

Lew. I felt them all, and would have told you But vengeance wanted ripening. The villain's scheme was but half executed. The arrest by Dawson followed the supposed murder-And now, depending on his once wicked associates, he comes to fix the guilt on Beverley.

Mrs Bev, Oh! execrable wretch!

Bates. Dawson and I are witnesses of this.

Lew. And of a thousand frauds. His fortune ruined by sharpers and false dice; and Stukely sole contriver and possessor of all.

Daws. Had he but stopt on this side murder, we had been villains still.

Lew. How does my friend?

[TO BEVERLEY.

Bev. Why, well. Who's he that asks me?

Mrs Bev. 'Tis Lewson, love-Why do you look so at him?

Bev. They told me he was murdered.

Mrs Bev. Ay; but he lives to save us.

[Wildly.

Bev. Lend me your hand-The room turns round. Mrs Bev. O Heaven!

Lew. This villain here disturbs him. Remove him from his sight-And, for your lives, see that you guard him. STUKELY is taken off by DAWSON and BATES.] How is it, sir?

Bev. 'Tis here and here. [Pointing to his Head and Heart.] And now it tears me.

Mrs Bev. You feel convulsed too- -What is't disturbs you?

Bev. A furnace rages in this heart-Down, restless flames! [Laying his Hand on his Heart.] Down to your native hell- -There you shall rack meOh! for a pause from pain!-Where's my wife ?— Can you forgive me, love?

Mrs Bev. Alas! for what?
Bev. For meanly dying.
Mrs Bev. No-do not say it.

-Had

Bev. As truly as my soul must answer it.Jarvis staid this morning all had been well. But, pressed by shame-pent in a prison-tormented with my pangs for you-driven to despair and madnessI took the advantage of his absence, corrupted the poor wretch he left to guard me, and-swallowed poison.

Lew. O, fatal deed!

Bev. Ay, most accursed-And now I go to my account. Bend me, and let me kneel. [Kneels.] I'll pray for you too. Thou power that madest me, hear me! If for a life of frailty, and this too hasty deed of death, thy justice dooms me, here I acquit the sentence; but if, enthroned in mercy where thou sittest, thy pity has beheld me, send me a gleam of hope, that in these last and bitter moments my soul may taste of comfort! and for these mourners here, Oh! let their lives be peaceful, and their deaths happy!Now I die. [They lift him to the Chair. Mrs Bev. Restore him, Heaven! Oh, save him! save him! or let me die too.

-

Bev. No; live, I charge you. We have a little one. Though I have left him, you will not leave him. To Lewson's kindness I bequeath him.-Is not this Charlotte?-We have lived in love, though I have wronged you.-Can you forgive me, Charlotte? Char. Forgive you! Oh, my poor brother!

Bev. Lend me your hand, love-so—raise me—

No 'twill not be! my life is finish'd-Oh! for a
few short moments, to tell you how my heart bleeds
for you-That even now, thus dying as I am, dubious
and fearful of hereafter, my bosom-pang is for your
miseries! Support her, Heaven!-And now I go-
Oh, mercy! mercy!
· [Dies.

Lew. How is it, madam!
Char. Her grief is speechless.

Lew. Remove her from this sight. Some ministering angel bring her peace!

[CHARLOTTE leads her off.

THE END.

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