soul, and life-blood of Gomez;
pawns in abundance, old gold of widows, and new gold of prodigals, and
pearls and diamonds of court ladies, till the next bribe helps their
husbands to redeem them.

_Dom._ They are the spoils of the wicked, and the church endows you
with them.

_Lor._ And, faith, we'll drink the church's health out of them. But
all this while I stand on thorns. Pr'ythee, dear, look out, and see if
the coast be free for our escape; for I dare not peep, for fear of
being known. [ELVIRA _goes to look, and_ GOMEZ _comes
running in upon her: She shrieks out._

_Gom._ Thanks to my stars, I have recovered my own territories.--What
do I see? I'm ruined! I'm undone! I'm betrayed!

_Dom._ [_Aside._] What a hopeful enterprise is here spoiled!

_Gom._ O, colonel are you there?--and you, friar? nay, then I find how
the world goes.

_Lor._ Cheer up, man, thou art out of jeopardy; I heard thee crying
out just now, and came running in full speed, with the wings of an
eagle, and the feet of a tiger, to thy rescue.

_Gom._ Ay, you are always at hand to do me a courtesy, with your
eagle's feet, and your tiger's wings.--And what were you here for,
friar?

_Dom._ To interpose my spiritual authority in your behalf.

_Gom._ And why did you shriek out, gentlewoman?

_Elv._ 'Twas for joy at your return.

_Gom._ And that casket under your arm, for what end and purpose?

_Elv._ Only to preserve it from the thieves.

_Gom._ And you came running out of doors--

_Elv._ Only to meet you, sweet husband.

_Gom._ A fine evidence summed up among you; thank you heartily, you
are all my friends. The colonel was walking by accidentally, and
hearing my voice, came in to save me; the friar, who was hobbling the
same way too, accidentally again, and not knowing of the colonel, I
warrant you, he comes in to pray for me; and my faithful wife runs out
of doors to meet me, with all my jewels under her arm, and shrieks out
for joy at my return. But if my father-in-law had not met your
soldiers, colonel, and delivered me in the nick, I should neither have
found a friend nor a friar here, and might have shrieked out for joy
myself, for the loss of my jewels and my wife.

_Dom._ Art thou an infidel? Wilt thou not believe us?

_Gom._ Such churchmen as you would make any man an infidel.--Get you
into your kennel, gentlewoman; I shall thank you within doors for your
safe custody of my je