MARL. (_Aside._) By heaven, she weeps. This is the first mark of tenderness I ever had from a modest woman, and it touches me. (_To her._) Excuse me, my lovely girl, you are the only part of the family I leave with reluctance. But to be plain with you, the difference of our birth, fortune, and education, make an honourable connexion impossible; and I can never harbour a thought of bringing ruin upon one, whose only fault was being too lovely. MISS HARD. (_Aside._) Generous man! I now begin to admire him. (_To him._) But I'm sure my family is as good as Miss Hardcastle's; and though I'm poor, that's no great misfortune to a contented mind; and until this moment, I never thought that it was bad to want fortune. MARL. And why now, my pretty simplicity? MISS HARD. Because it puts me a distance from one, that if I had a thousand pound I would give it all too. MARL. (_Aside._) This simplicity bewitches me so that if I stay I'm undone. I must make one bold effort, and leave her. (_To her._) Your partiality in my favour, my dear, touches me most sensibly; and were I to live for myself alone, I could easily fix my choice. But I owe too much to the opinion of the world, too much to the authority of a father, so that—I can scarcely speak it—it affects me. Farewell. _Exit._ MISS HARD. I never knew half his merit till now. He shall not go, if I have power or art to detain him. I'll still preserve the character in which I stooped to conquer; but will undeceive my papa, who, perhaps, may laugh him out of his resolution. _Exit._ _Enter_ TONY, MISS NEVILLE. TONY. Ay, you may steal for yourselves the next time. I have done my duty. She has got the jewels again, that's a sure thing; but she believes it was all a mistake of the servants. MISS NEV. But, my dear cousin, sure you won't forsake us in this distress. If she in the least suspects that I am going off, I shall certainly be locked up, or sent to my aunt Pedigree's, which is ten times worse. TONY. To be sure, aunts of all kinds are damn'd bad things; but what can I do? I have got you a pair of horses that will fly like Whistle-jacket, and I'm sure you can't say but I have courted you nicely before her face. Here she comes, we must court a bit or two more, for fear she should suspect us. _They retire and seem to fondle._ _Enter_ MRS. HARDCASTLE. MRS. HARD. Well, I was greatly fluttered, to be sure. But my son tells me it was all a mistake of the servants. I shan't be easy, however, till they are fairly married, and then let her keep her own fortune. But what do I see? Fondling together, as I'm alive. I never saw Tony so sprightly before. Ah! have I caught you, my pretty doves? What! billing, exchanging stolen glances, and broken murmurs? Ah! TONY. As for murmurs, mother, we grumble a little now and then, to be sure. But there's no love lost between us.