FANTOM E. Dear Mrs. Nabby, I have overheard all that has been faid, and find thou haft manag'd this thing fo well, that I could take thee in my arms, and kifs thee Drum did not stand in my way. ABIGA L. if my Well, O' my confcience, you are the merrieft ghoft! and the very Picture of Sir George Truman. FANTOM E. There you flatter me, Mrs. Abigal: Sir George had that freshness in his looks, that we Men of the town cannot come up to. ABIGA L. Oh! Death may have alter'd you, you know-befides, you must confider, you loft a great deal of blood in the battle. FANTO M E. Ay, that's right; let me look never fo pale, this cut erofs my forehead will keep me in countenance. ABIGA L. "Tis just fuch a one as my Master receiv'd from a curfed French trooper, as my Lady's Letter inform'd her. FANTOM E. It happens luckily that this fuit of cloaths of Sir George's fits me fo well, I think I can't fail hitting the air of a Man with whom I was fo long acquainted. ABIGAL. You are the very Man I vow I almost start when I look upon you. FANTO ME. But what good will this do me, if I must remain in vifible? ABIGA L. Pray what good did your being vifible do you? The air Mr. Fantome thought no Woman cou'd withstand But when you were feen by my Lady in your im proper proper Perfon, after the bad taken a full furvey of you, and heard all the pretty things you could fay, the very civilly dismiss'd you for the sake of this empty, noisy creature Tinfel. She fancies you have been gone from hence this fortnight, AZ FANTOM E. Why really I love thy Lady fo well, that tho' I had mo hopes of gaining her for myfelf, I cou'd not bear to fee her given to another, especially such a wretch as Tinfel. ABIGAL. " Well, tell me truly, Mr. Fantome, have you not a great opinion of my fidelity to my dear Lady, that I would not fuffer her to be deluded in this manner, for lefs than a thousand pound? FANTO ME. Thou art always remembring me of my promise thou shalt have it, if thou canst bring our project to bear; doft not know that stories of ghofts and apparitions generally end in a pot of money? ABIGA L. Why, truly now Mr. Fantome, I fhou'd think myself a very bad Woman, if I had done what I do, for a farthing lefs. FANTOM E. Dear Abigal, how I admire thy virtue! ABIGA L. No, no, Mr. Fantome, I defy the worst of my enemies to fay I love mischief for mischief fake. FANTO ME. But is thy Lady perfuaded that I am the ghost of her deceased hufband? A ABIGAL. I endeavour to make her believe fo, and tell her every time your Drum rattles, that her husband is chiding her for entertaining this new lover. FAN FANTOM E. Pr'ythee make ufe of all thy art, for I am tir'd to death with ftrolling round this wide old houfe like a Rat behind a wainscot. ABIGA L. Did not I tell you, 'twas the pureft place in the world for you to play your tricks in? there's none of the family that knows every hole and corner in it, befides myfelf. FANTOM E. Ah Mrs. Abigal! you have had your intrigues- For you must know, when I was a romping young girl, I was a mighty lover of bide and feek. FANTOM E. . I believe, by this time, I am as well acquainted with the house as yourself. A BIG AL. You are very much mistaken, Mr. Fantome; but no matter for that; here is to be your station to-night. This is the place unknown to any one living befides myself, fince the death of the Joiner; who, you must understand, being a lover of mine, contriv'd the wainfcot to move to and fro, in the manner that you find it. I defign'd it for a wardrobe for my Lady's caft cloaths. Oh! the ftomachers, ftays, petticoats, commodes, lac'd shoes, and good things I have had in it-pray take care you don't break the cherry-brandy bottle that stands up in the corner.. FANTOM E. Well, Mrs. Abigal, I hire your closet of you but for this one night a thousand pound you know is a very good rent. ABIGA L. Well, get you gone; you have fuch a way with you, there's no denying you any thing! FAN FANTOM E. I'm a thinking how Tinfel will ftare when he fees me come out of the wall: for I'm refolv'd to make my appearance to-night." ABIGA L. Get you in, get you in, my Lady's at the door. Pray take care she does not keep me up fo late as she did last night, or depend upon it I'll beat the Tattoo. ABIGA L. I'm undone! I'm undone - [As he is going in.] Mr. Fantome, Mr. Fantome, you have put the thousand pound bond into my brother's hands. FANTOM E. Thou shalt have it, I tell thee, thou shalt have it. [Fantome goes in ABIGA L. No more words-vanish, vanish. Enter LADY. ABIGAL, [opening the door.] Oh, dear Madam, was it you that made fuch a knocking? my heart does fo beat- I vow you have fright ed me to death I thought verily it had been the Drummer. LADY. I have been showing the garden to Mr. Tinfel; he's most insufferably witty upon us about the ftory of the Drum. ABIG AL. Indeed, Madam, he's a very loose man! I'm afraid 'tis he that hinders my poor master from refting in his grave. LADY. Well! an Infidel is fuch a novelty in the country, that that I am refolv'd to divert myself a day or two at leaft with the oddness of his conversation. ABIGA L. Ah, Madam! the Drum began to beat in the house as foon as ever this creature was admitted to vifit you. All the while Mr. Fantome made his addreffes to you, there was not a mouse stirring in the family more than us'd to be LADY. This baggage has fome design upon me, more than I can yet difcover. [Afide.] Mr. Fantome was al ways thy favourite. ABIGA L.. Ay, and should have been yours too, by my confent! Mr. Fantome was not fuch a flight fantastic thing as this is. Mr. Fantome was the beft-built Man one fhou'd fee in a fummer's day! Mr. Fantome was a Man of Honour, and lov'd you! Poor Soul! how he figh'd when he has talk'd to me of my hard-hearted Lady. - Well! I had as lief as a thousand pounds you would marry Mr. Fantome! LADY. To tell thee truly, I lov'd him well enough till I found he lov'd me fo much. But Mr. Tinfel makes his Court to me with fo much Neglect and Indifference, and with such an agreeable Saucinefs Not that I fay I'll marry him. ABIGA L. Marry him, quoth-a! no, if you fhould, you'll be awaken'd fooner than marry'd Couples generally areYou'll quickly have a Drum at your window. LADY I'll hide my contempt of Tinsel for once, if it be but to see what this Wench drives at. ABIG AL. [Afide. Why, fuppofe your Husband, after this fair Warning he |