_Lewis._ Then she would still more readily overlook such a trifle. _Augusta._ Your lightness must grieve her. _Lewis_ [laughing]. Then hers would be quite an old-fashioned love. _Augusta_ [surprised]. Old-fashioned! What am I to understand by that? _Lewis._ I mean, [with affected seriousness] a love, such as does not now exist; a true, sincere love. _Augusta._ Have you any reason to doubt the existence of such a love? _Lewis._ Too many. _Augusta._ You have been deceived then? _Lewis._ Oh, a thousand times--and undoubtedly shall again. _Augusta._ You exaggerate. _Lewis._ No, no. With the first object of my passion, I was up to the ears in love. My goddess, to reward my cruel sufferings, allowed me only a place by her chair, and the honour of being marked as her most obedient slave; I sighed, languished, complained, despaired: saw at last, what she meant, and was cured--forever, as I presumed; but, alas! I soon trusted another. Well; there I was made use of to excite the jealousy of her inconstant favourite. _Augusta._ You misrepresent, Mr. Brook. _Lewis._ Another bright angel then delighted to have an attendant to hand her to her carriage, to accompany her wherever she thought proper; there again I was--but I tire you with all these melancholy instances of my delusion. _Augusta._ If all this be true, I pity you. _Lewis._ Once, indeed, I got a dangerous illness by my folly; but it cured me effectually. _Augusta._ And now you chuse the way of retaliation? _Lewis._ Why not? _Augusta._ But did you ever reflect how many an innocent breast you robbed of its peace? _Lewis._ I cannot reproach myself with that. _Augusta._ How many you have plunged in sorrow? _Lewis_ [goodnaturedly]. Not a single one. As for protestations of love, extravagant praises of their beauty, and so forth, they are mere words of course; ladies know that very well from their childhood--a woman of sense never trusts them. _Augusta._ Yet how unfortunate must she be, who loves sincerely! _Lewis._ Why so? _Augusta._ Who loves only one, and, if deceived, can never love another? _Lewis._ Why, indeed, true love holds for ever, and is not dependant upon circumstances. A man may be obliged to marry against his inclination, to make his fortune: but this is a cold prudential bargain, with which love has nothing to do. True love is ever the same; and----But what is the matter with you? _Augusta_ [with difficulty holding herself upright]. Nothing of consequence. _Lewis._ But---- _Augusta._ You put me in mind of one of my friends. She was deceived so, and now---- _Lewis._ Well? _Augusta._ She is unhappy for ever. [Exit Augusta. _Lewis._ Bless me! how deeply in love! Such tenderness I have never before met with. When I remember my other coquette sweetheart, I have almost a mind to run after her----but liberty, dear liberty--no, I dare not. Enter DRAVE.