side._

HARRIET. And you have seen the amiable Miss Airy, sir.

LOVEYET. Forgive me, honour and veracity. [_Aside._]--Yes, Miss Trueman;
and not without a deep sense of her uncommon worth and beauty.

HARRIET. I admire your discernment, sir;--Mr. Frankton, too, is a very nice
judge of female merit; and he cannot evince his judgment better, than by
praising my friend Maria.

LOVEYET. Pardon me, madam: with submission to your friend's merit, I think
his panegyric would better apply to you.

HARRIET. That compliment is too great, to be meant, I fancy.

LOVEYET. I rather think, you value the author of it so little, that you
would as soon he should withhold it, madam.

HARRIET. Certainly, sir, when I have reason to think there is another who
has a better right to it, and for whom it is secretly intended.

LOVEYET. You wrong me much, madam:--some tattling gossip or designing
knave, has whispered some falsehood to my prejudice;--probably my
_rival_,--Mr. Worthnought.

HARRIET. If you have come here with a design to use me ill, sir, I beg you
will tell me so, and then I shall act accordingly.

LOVEYET. Your actions accord very illy with your _professions_, I think,
madam.

HARRIET. _Your_ duplicity, sir, both in word and action, justifies my
retorting that ungenerous accusation.

LOVEYET. I entreat you to believe me, Miss Harriet, when I say, I am
unconscious of having done anything I ought to be ashamed of, since my
arrival: I am so confident of this, that the circulation of a malicious
rumour, however dishonourable to me, would give me little disquiet, did I
not reflect, that it is the object of Harriet's credulity;--a reflection,
that is the source of real unhappiness to me:--be kind then, Harriet, and
tell me wherein I am guilty;--obscurity in a matter so interesting, gives
more torture to the mind, than the most unwelcome truth.

HARRIET. He must be sincere. [_Aside._]--Your request shall be comply'd
with, sir.--The principal offence you are charged with, is your having been
smitten by the lady, on whom you have bestowed such liberal
commendation;--be that as it may, I heard Mr. Loveyet talk of such a
match:--I believe it will require a more able advocate than yourself, to
defend _this_ cause.

LOVEYET. Suppose I assure you, on the sacred honour of a gentleman, that
what you have heard is false;--suppose I add the more important sanction of
an oath, to seal the truth.

HARRIET. I will save you that troubl