_Falk._ I. You have seen me hitherto a poor man and oppressed me; you see me now rich and powerful, and well prepared to punish your villany; and thus, in every instance, may oppression recoil on the oppressor. _Lord A._ Then I am indeed undone! _O'Ded._ Shall I call the officers now, my lord? Mr. Austencourt, I should say; I ask pardon for the blunder: and now, ladies and gentlemen, be pleased to hear me speak. This extraordinary discovery is just exactly what I _did not_ expect. It is true I had a bit of a discovery of my own to make: for I find that the habits of my profession though they haven't led me to commit acts of knavery, have too often induced me to _wink_ at them. Therefore as his quandam lordship has now _certainly_ lost Miss Helen, I hope he'll have no objection to do justice in another quarter. [_Exit._ _Sir R._ Oh, Charles! my much injured nephew! how shall I ever dare to look upon you more? _Charles._ Nay, nay, sir, I am too brimful of joy at my opening prospects here (_taking Helen's hand_) to cherish any other feeling than forgiveness and good humour. Here is my hand, sir, and with it I pledge myself to oblivion of _all_ the past, except the acts of kindness I have received from you. _Sir W._ That's a noble generous young dog--My lady Worret, I wonder whether he'll offer to marry Helen now? _Lady W._ Of course, after what has passed, you'll think it decent to refuse for a short time: but you are the best judge, sir Willoughby, and your will shall in future be mine-- _Sir W._ Shall it--that's kind--then I _will_ refuse him to please you: for when you're so reasonable, how can I do otherwise than oblige you. _Lady W._ (_aside._) Leave me alone to manage him still. _Enter_ O'Dedimus, _introducing_ Fanny. _Lord A._ (_seeing Fanny._) Ah, traitor! _O'Ded._ Traitor back again into your teeth, my master! and since you've neither pity for the poor innocent, nor compassion for the little blunt gentleman her father, 'tis time to spake out and to tell you that instead of a sham priest and a sham license for your deceitful marriage as you bid me, _I_ have sarved the cause of innocence and my own soul, by procuring a _real_ priest and a _real_ license, and by St. Patrick you are as much _one_ as any _two_ people in England, Ireland, or Scotland! _Fanny._ Merciful powers! there is still justice for the unfortunate! _Lord A._ (_after a conflict of passion._) And is this really so? _O'Ded._ You're _man_ and _wife_, sure enough. We've decent proof of this, too, sir. _Lord A._ You no doubt expect this intelligence will exasperate me. 'Tis the reverse. By heaven it lifts a load of guilty wretchedness from my heart. _Fanny._ Oh, my lord! my husband! _Falk._ Can this be genuine? Sudden reformation is ever doubtful.