_Poly._ (_Aside._) I dare not inform him.—No, no—a trifle. _Eustace._ You are right to be severe with him: he is now arrived at an age when the strictest watchfulness over his conduct is necessary. Ah! Mr. Polyglot, your example has made him what he is; your vigilance must keep him so. _Poly._ I—you flatter me. _Eustace._ I will now, in few words, confide to you the object of the journey from which I have just returned: it was to make arrangements for the marriage of my son. _Poly._ His marriage! _Eustace._ I anticipate your objection, and will answer it. _Poly._ I have no objection to offer. (_Aside._) Then it turns out as it should be. Charles is already in love; so the marriage comes opportunely. _Eustace._ No objection! Why, till now, you have always held that no man ought to marry till he’s sixty; that is to say, till he has finished his education, and seen a little of the world. _Poly._ You make a slight mistake; I always said, at least I meant to say, four-and-twenty. _Eustace._ Well, I’m glad it is so; for, to say the truth, although I am of your opinion, that it is not prudent to marry whilst a mere baby, yet I always thought sixty somewhat of the latest. _Poly._ Ay, ay, for a young man it is, but—(_Aside_) What a relief is this to my mind! How happy this will make my dear boy! _Eustace._ I’m delighted to find you are of my opinion. Next week I’ll take Charles to town with me; he shall see the young lady; I do not mean to control his choice; but if he like her, and she like him, they shall marry instantly. _Poly._ Like her! my dear sir, I’m happy to tell you that he is already in—(_Aside._) My oath—_per Jovem!_ _Eustace._ Come, Mr. Polyglot, follow me to the supper room; we’ll talk further of this. I can never repay you, my good friend, for your care of my son. As I said before, your example has made him what he is: for his virtues he is indebted to you; and, were it possible he could be guilty of any crime or folly, so completely is he under your guidance, that I should hold you more to blame than him. [_Exit._ _Poly._ What a fortunate turn has this affair taken! Since he is in love, he must naturally be anxious to marry. Yet he did not tell me with whom he is in love. I do not pretend to understand those matters; but I presume that, being in love, he wants a wife, and—Oh! there can’t be a doubt of it; so long as he get a wife, surely it can’t signify who. He comes; I’ll communicate the joyful tidings to him. _Enter_ CHARLES, _in violent agitation_. _Charles._ I have been anxiously waiting the departure of my father. _Poly._ My dear boy, quiet your apprehensions; ’tis all right. _Charles._ ’Tis all wrong, and fifty times worse than before. _Poly._ What mean you? _Charles._ The unexpected arrival of my father has thrown me into a difficulty scarcely surmountable. Alas! you know but half my unhappy story.