# Dramas (Baillie)/Enthusiasm/Act 2

ACT II.
SCENE I.—The House of Colonel Frankland. He enters, with a letter in his hand, leaning on Paterson. Sits down in an easy chair, and sets about arranging books and papers on a table at the bottom of the Stage.
COLONEL FRANKLAND (after looking at the letter).
PATERSON (advancing from the bottom).
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
PATERSON.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
PATERSON.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
PATERSON.
COLONEL FRANKLAND (sighing deeply).
PATERSON.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
PATERSON.
Enter Sir John Crofton, and Paterson retires.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
Enter Miss Frankland.
SIR JOHN (going eagerly up to her).
MISS FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN (still endeavouring to detain her).
MISS FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
[Exit hastily.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN (conceitedly).
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
SIR JOHN.
[Exit, Colonel Frankland bowing coldly to him.
COLONEL FRANKLAND (alone).
Re-enter Miss Frankland.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND (with emotion).
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
[A pause, during which he looks earnestly in her face.]
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND (in a hurried manner).
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
COLONEL FRANKLAND.
MISS FRANKLAND.
SCENE II.
Lady Shrewdly's Garden: the House seen in the side Scene.
Enter from a walk, at the bottom of the Stage, Lady Worrymore and Clermont, speaking as they enter.
LADY WORRYMORE.
"Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she."
O how fine!—You are silent: don't you think so?
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
"Two of the fairest stars in all the heavens,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
Which, if her eyes were there, they in her head,
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp: her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright.
That birds would sing, and think it were not night!
Is not that impassioned? Is not that sublime?
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
"O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!"
LADY WORRYMORE (in a drawling voice).
CLERMONT.
[Exeunt, disappearing among the bushes, as Lady Shrewdly and Miss Frankland enter from the house.]
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY.
MISS FRANKLAND.
Re-enter Clermont from the shrubbery, and bows to Miss Frankland without speaking.
LADY SHREWDLY.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY (putting her hand playfully to the lips of Miss Frankland).
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
CLERMONT.
[Exit by the garden. ​
SCENE III.
The private Closet of Lord Worrymore.
Enter his Lordship, with papers in his hand, followed by an Amanuensis.
LORD WORRYMORE.
AMANUENSIS.
LORD WORRYMORE.
AMANUENSIS.
LORD WORRYMORE.
Enter Blount.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE (sighing).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE (with affected modesty).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT (aside).
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE (chuckling with delight).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE (with affected modesty).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE (spreading his right arm, and assuming dignity, as before).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY (looking round her).
LORD WORRYMORE.
I assure your Ladyship we get on famously. I think our plot sure of success. None of the finer parts of the speech are lost upon this young man. He has a native taste, though uncultivated: he will do justice to them all.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE (preventing her).
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
[Exit hastily, while he looks round in alarm.
LORD WORRYMORE (listening).
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
AMANUENSIS.
LORD WORRYMORE.
AMANUENSIS.
LORD WORRYMORE (examining the papers).
[Exit into the library.
BLOUNT (aside, looking at the Amanuensis).
LORD WORRYMORE (calling behind the scenes, from the library).
Bring light here: I can see nothing. [Exit Amanuensis, carrying a light, and Blount following. ​
SCENE IV.
A narrow Ante-room or Hall; Servants seen crossing the Stage from opposite sides.
FIRST SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
FIRST SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
(Blount's voice heard without.)
FIRST SERVANT (listening).
SECOND SERVANT.
FIRST SERVANT.
Enter a Third Servant.
THIRD SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
FIRST SERVANT.
THIRD SERVANT.
FIRST SERVANT.
THIRD SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
THIRD SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
THIRD SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
(Blount's voice heard as before.)
THIRD SERVANT.
SECOND SERVANT.
SCENE V.
The grand Library; Blount is discovered standing on a platform, with a table before him and his MS. oration in his hand, surrounded by Lord and Lady Worrymore, Lady Shrewdly, Miss Frankland, Clermont, &c, &c., while a general murmur of applause is heard, as the scene opens.
BLOUNT (in a low voice, as if much exhausted).
LADY WORRYMORE (running about from one person to another).
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN CROFTON.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE (going up to them, rubbing his hands and chuckling).
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE (laying his hand soothingly on Clermont's arm).
LADY SHREWDLY (aside, pulling his sleeve).
LORD WORRYMORE (aside to Lady Shrewdly).
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT (after having sipped the water and rubbed his forehead with an affected languor, takes up his paper and proceeds).
LADY WORRYMORE (to Clermont).
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
O that word satisfy! I'll speak no more to you. (Running eagerly to Blount as he descends from the platform.) O my dear Mr. O'Honikin! you have laid us under eternal obligations. I shall now know what the ancient orators of Greece would have been, had they lived in our own times.
SIR JOHN CROFTON.
LORD WORRYMORE (with great pleasure and vivacity).
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
Very right; I find no fault with you for that, my Lady; it is right to be enchanted with a clever thing, let others feel as they may. Is it not, Miss Frankland? Is it not, Lady Tweedle? (Clapping Blount's shoulder.) O, my dear Orator! you have done your part to admiration: you have given such expression to my thoughts.
LADY WORRYMORE (to Blount).
BLOUNT.
LADY WORRYMORE (contemptuously, and in a low voice to Blount).
BLOUNT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY WORRYMORE (aside).
LADY SHREWDLY (aside to Lord Worrymore).
LORD WORRYMORE (aside to Lady Shrewdly).
LADY SHREWDLY.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE (taking a packet from her reticule).
This most prized and precious packet. (Opening it and holding out a paper to Clermont.) Pray, dear Sir, do you now occupy the seat of Mr. O'Honikin, and emparadise our souls with the effusions of your divine muse. ​
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
BLOUNT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE (eagerly).
BLOUNT (receiving the paper from Lady Worrymore: returns to the platform, and reads affectedly as before).
SONNET TO A YOUNG LADY.
The pretty gadfly, sporting in the rays
 Of Sol's bright beams, is heedless of the pain
 The noble steed doth from its sting sustain.
On his arch'd neck and sleeky sides it plays,
Darting now here, now there, its pointed sting;
While he, impatient of the frequent smart,
Doth bound, and paw, and rear, and wince, and start,  And scours across the plain.—But nought doth bring
Relief to his sharp torment;—So do I,
 Poor luckless wight! by Love's keen arrows gall'd,
From thee, my little pretty teazer-fly.
But, ah! in vain! there is in me no power
 To shake thee off; nor art thou ever pall'd
With this thy cruel sport, in ball-room, bank, or bower.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
CLERMONT.
LORD WORRYMORE (aside to Clermont).
LADY SHREWDLY {aside to Lord Worrymore).
Let me speak to him, my Lord, and do you enjoy your secret triumph. (Draws Clermont away to a corner where she continues speaking to him in dumb show.)
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN CROFTON.
He blushed deeply, indeed: and, methinks, (fixing his eyes on Miss Frankland) he has a fair friend here who sympathises with his modesty, if one may judge from the colour of her cheeks. Ah! when shall I receive such proofs of sympathy?
MISS FRANKLAND.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY WORRYMORE (impatiently).
ALL THE LADIES (Miss Frankland excepted).
BLOUNT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
"The pretty gadfly, sporting in the rays
Of Sol's bright beams"—
steeping, as it were, the brightness of the sun in his own brightness. This is what may be called supererogation or opulence of language.
LADY WORRYMORE.
LORD WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN CROFTON.
Enter a Servant, announcing something in dumb show.
LORD WORRYMORE.