Mrs. MALAPROP Ay, and the properest way, o' my conscience!--nothing is so conciliating to young people as severity.--Well, Sir Anthony, I shall give Mr. Acres his discharge, and prepare Lydia to receive your son's invocations;--and I hope you will represent her to the captain as an object not altogether illegible. Sir ANTHONY Madam, I will handle the subject prudently.--Well, I must leave you; and let me beg you, Mrs. Malaprop, to enforce this matter roundly to the girl.--Take my advice--keep a tight hand: if she rejects this proposal, clap her under lock and key; and if you were just to let the servants forget to bring her dinner for three or four days, you can't conceive how she'd come about. [Exit.] Mrs. MALAPROP Well, at any rate, I shall be glad to get her from under my intuition. She has somehow discovered my partiality for Sir Lucius O'Trigger--sure, Lucy can't have betrayed me!--No, the girl is such a simpleton, I should have made her confess it.--Lucy!--Lucy!--[Calls.] Had she been one of your artificial ones, I should never have trusted her. [Re-enter LUCY.] LUCY Did you call, ma'am? Mrs. MALAPROP Yes, girl.--Did you see Sir Lucius while you was out? LUCY No, indeed, ma'am, not a glimpse of him. Mrs. MALAPROP You are sure, Lucy, that you never mentioned---- LUCY Oh gemini! I'd sooner cut my tongue out. Mrs. MALAPROP Well, don't let your simplicity be imposed on. LUCY No, ma'am. Mrs. MALAPROP So, come to me presently, and I'll give you another letter to Sir Lucius; but mind, Lucy--if ever you betray what you are entrusted with (unless it be other people's secrets to me), you forfeit my malevolence for ever; and your being a simpleton shall be no excuse for your locality. [Exit.]