_Charles._ O, sir, if the bare avowal of my affection so displease you, what will you say when I confess to you that—but here comes my father. (_Aside._) Where shall I conceal my dear Harriet? _Poly._ Be composed; he must not observe our agitation. _Charles._ Remember your promise, or I’ll keep mine. Pop! _Poly._ My dear boy I’ll not betray you, I—Oh! _Enter_ OLD EUSTACE, _followed by_ ROBIN, _to whom he gives his great-coat, hat and whip_. _Eustace._ Charles, my boy, I’m glad to see you. Mr. Polyglot, my worthy friend, your hand. You did not expect to see me so soon. _Poly._ No, sir, we—we didn’t expect you till last week. _Eustace._ Till next week, you mean. The truth is, I was willing to take you by surprise, and see how things had been managed during my absence; but I might have spared myself the trouble. You, Mr. Polyglot, have the superintendance of my servants, and are accountable for their conduct;— _Robin._ Don’t tell about Molly and me, sir. (_Aside to Polyglot._) _Eustace._ My son is under your especial care and observance;— _Charles._ Remember! (_Aside to Polyglot._) _Eustace._ And so perfect is my reliance on your attention, prudence, and wisdom, that I am persuaded you have nothing to relate of what has passed in the house that will not receive my fullest approbation. _Poly._ Yes—no—certainly. _Eustace._ Well, Charles, my arrival must not interrupt your studies; retire to your own room till supper is ready. Mr. Polyglot, I have something of importance to communicate to you. Robin, desire the cook to be expeditious; my ride has given me an appetite: and do you put lights into my study: after supper, I shall be occupied there for an hour or two. _Charles._ (_Stops Robin as he is going off._) What, sir! the pavilion at the end of the garden? _Eustace._ Ay, I have no other. _Charles._ You had better not go there to-night, sir; ’tis damp, and— _Eustace._ Damp? nonsense! Robin, do as I desire. _Charles._ (_Aside._) ’Tis there I have concealed her. There is not a moment to be lost. [_Exit._ _Robin._ (_Whispers to Polyglot._) Be kind to poor Molly, and forgive her, sir. _Poly._ (_Lost in thought._) No, Molly—yes, Robin, yes. _Robin._ Thankye, sir; it shall never happen again. [_Exit._ _Eustace._ Why, what is the meaning of all this? Tell me, Mr. Polyglot, what is the matter here? This confusion, and whispering!—Surely my sudden arrival cannot have occasioned any inconvenience. I expected to see you all delighted, and you receive me with faces as long as my arm. _Poly._ Uncommonly long! uncommonly long! _Eustace._ (_Aside._) I perceive: the philosopher is in one of his fits of abstraction.—But there is an air of restraint about Charles, for which I am at a loss to account. Has he done any thing to provoke your displeasure?