MRS. S. (_reading_) "----But as the presence of a handsome, dashing young man like Captain Ratcliffe, under your roof in the middle of the night will necessarily afford materials for all the scandal mongers in the neighbourhood, I reluctantly tear your image from my heart, and bid you farewell for ever." RAT. Then you are free--free to bestow your heart, your hand! MRS. S. Nay, sir, what if my heart were no longer at my disposal? (_RATCLIFFE starts_) What if it had long since been given to one who once preserved my life at the peril of his own, and whose letters faithfully preserved (_slowly and with emotion drawing forth a packet of letters from her bosom, and looking down_) enabled me to recognise his handwriting. RAT. Can it be possible? (_with rapture_) MRS. S. That I have been taking my revenge on you for the last half hour without your perceiving it! (_holding out her hand_) RAT. Oh, madam! (_kissing her hand_) MRS. S. Hark! (_noise without_) DAVID. (_without_) Bring him along--if he won't come agreeable, drag him in by the hair of his head. _Enter DAVID, running, L. C., and dragging in POSTLETHWAITE, his dress disordered, DAVID carries a green wide-awake in his hand--PEGGY following._ DAV. Here, missus, we've got the robber. MRS. S. (_holding RATCLIFFE'S hand_) So have I! DAVID. Here be the desperate villain, ma'am, and here be his desperate green wide-awake; (_shewing hat_) and what's more, we won't let him go. MRS. S. No more will I! (_seeing POSTLE._) Cousin Postlethwaite! PEGGY. (_running forward_) Lawks! yes--so it be. Oh, Master Percy! (_throwing her arms round POSTLETHWAITE_) POS. (_throwing her off_) Don't be a fool, Peggy. As I said before, it rumples one's front. MRS. S. (_making a sign, all come forward and surround her_) My good friends, you need give yourselves no further trouble, I have recovered my property. My fifteen thousand pounds are here. (_shows pocket book_) POS. You don't mean that! (_very tenderly_) Oh, my ever beloved cousin! (_aside to RATCLIFFE_) Where's my letter? (_again to MRS. SOMERTON, and still more tenderly_) I repeat--oh, my ever beloved cousin! (_again aside to RATCLIFFE_) Where's my letter? RAT. (_aside to him_) I gave it to Mrs. Somerton--it's all right. POS. All right! I'm horribly afraid it's all wrong! MRS. S. Yes, cousin, I've read your cruel words, and as it seems you won't have me---- (_with affected grief_) POS. But I will. (_very tenderly_) Dry your tears ever-beloved one--I _will_ have you. MRS. S. What, in spite of the presence of a fine dashing young man under my roof in the middle of the night--eh, cousin? POS. (_still very tenderly_) What of that? I'm not so very particular. MRS. S. But think of the scandal mongers of the neighbourhood--eh, cousin? POS. Never mind--I'm desperate! MRS. S. So am I--and, therefore, as the only means of preserving my reputation, I gave my hand to him who has compromised it. (_giving her hand to RATCLIFFE._)