_Cam._ My lord, her sister, who now is mine, will immediately send her hither. But be yourself: Charge her bravely. I wish she were a cannon, an eighteen-pounder, for your sake. Then I know, were there occasion, you'd be in the mouth of her. _Ld. H._ I long, yet fear to see her. I know I am unable to utter myself. _Cam._ Come, retire here till she appears. [_They go back to the door._ _Enter_ LADY SHARLOT. _L. Sh._ Now is the tender moment now approaching. [_Aside._] There he is. [_They approach and salute each other trembling._] Your lordship will please to sit. [_After a very long pause, stolen glances, and irresolute gesture._] Your lordship, I think, has travelled those parts of Italy where the armies are. _Ld. H._ Yes, madam. _L. Sh._ I think I have letters from you, dated Mantua. _Ld. H._ I hope you have, madam, and that their purpose---- _L. Sh._ My lord? [_Looking serious and confused._ _Ld. H._ Was not your ladyship going to say something? _L. Sh._ I only attended to what your lordship was going to say--That is, my lord--But you were, I believe, going to say something of that garden of the world, Italy. I am very sorry your misfortunes in England are such as make you justly regret your leaving that place. _Ld. H._ There is a person in England may make those losses insensible to me. _L. Sh._ Indeed, my lord, there have so very few of quality attended his Majesty in the war, that your birth and merit may well hope for his favour. _Ld. H._ I have, indeed, all the zeal in the world for his Majesty's service, and most grateful affection for his person, but did not then mean him. _L. Sh._ But can you indeed impartially say that our island is really preferable to the rest of the world, or is it an arrogance only in us to think so? _Ld. H._ I profess, madam, that little I have seen has but more endeared England to me; for that medley of humours which perhaps distracts our public affairs, does, methinks, improve our private lives, and makes conversation more various, and consequently more pleasing. Everywhere else both men and things have the same countenance. In France you meet much civility and little friendship; in Holland, deep attention, but little reflection; in Italy, all pleasure, but no mirth. But here with us, where you have everywhere pretenders or masters in everything, you can't fall into company wherein you shall not be instructed or diverted. _L. Sh._ I never had an account of anything from you, my lord, but I mourned the loss of my brother; you would have been so happy a companion for him, with that right sense of yours. My lord, you need not bow so obsequiously, for I do you but justice. But you sent me word of your seeing a lady in Italy very like me. Did you visit her often? _Ld. H._ Once or twice, but I observed her so loose a creature, that I could have killed her for having your person.