out of the stage door._

_Ul._ Heavens! what have I done, aunt?

_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