_Coun._ What have you not done? And till you're wife to Ravensburg this and the adjoining chamber shall be your prison--it shall! for even if the great young count Roland were to offer marriage, who knows but you might write to him about "humble sphere," and "early education." Write! nonsense! Why here I am who never wrote a letter in my life. _Ul._ This my prison! Aunt, my dear aunt, if I have long sickened at this scene of splendid misery, and sighed for your sister's calm cottage in Franconia, what must I now, when poor Agnes, and this frightful tribunal---- _Coun._ My sister's cottage! _Ul._ And my cousin Christopher---- _Coun._ How's again! again insult me with this low relationship! I'm gone, madam (_Christopher re-enters behind, smiles, rubs his hands, and stops at the door, and listens_)--gone to prepare for your marriage with a man of my own rank, madam. And once more take notice, I disclaim, I disown the whole Franconia family; and if any poor cousin, niece, or nephew attempt to hang on me, depend on't they shall hang on something more substantial. Oh! by way of example, only let me catch one of them--just that this frightful tribunal may catch, rack, and torture him into confession of his own and your presumption. [_Exit at the stage door, banging and locking it after her._ _Chris._ (_groaning loudly_) Oh! h! h! _Ul._ (_half turning round._) A man! a strange--help! _Chris._ (_advancing and trying to stop her mouth_) Don't! _Ul._ (_breaking from him without seeing his face_) Aunt! come back, aunt! _Coun._ (_without_) Not I, I promise you. _Chris._ Thank ye, thank ye kindly, aunt! (_fanning himself with his hat_)--and if this be your style of providing for your family, thank you also for disowning the relationship; but you, cousin, though you are going to be married to a man of rank, won't you take pity on your old play-fellow, Christopher, who having heard of aunt's promotion, came, in hopes of getting into high life; and who certainly will get into high life (_pulling up his collar_) if you don't keep him from being caught, racked, and tortured by----Oh! Lord! _Ul._ Christopher! cousin, Christopher! and come to see his aunt, the countess! Very well, sir; you didn't come to see Ulrica, then! _Chris._ Eh! _Ul._ You didn't come to see her who is already caught, locked up, because she don't choose an unequal marriage; and who, notwithstanding her dress and appearance, is the same simple-hearted creature you left her, sir; but since you're altered, sir, since you forgot your former humble---- _Chris._ (_half crying_) I don't--I'm as simple as ever. And if I thought you were not joking--but you are--(_looking close in her face_)--yes--no--(_Ulrica smiles_)--she's the same kind-hearted-- _Ul._ I am; and were we but in our native village, Christopher---- _Chris._ We'd send for a priest, buy a little land, make money, make love, and have such a happy fire-side! DUET--_Christopher_, _Ulrica._