Mrs. Can. From one immediately. But here comes Lady Sneerwell; perhaps she knows the whole affair.

Enter Lady Sneerwell.

Lady Sneer. So, my dear Mrs. Candour, here’s a sad affair of our friend Lady Teazle!

Mrs. Can. Ay, my dear friend, who would have thought—

Lady Sneer. Well, there is no trusting to appearances; though indeed, she was always too lively for me.

Mrs. Can. To be sure, her manners were a little too free; but then she was so young!

Lady Sneer. And had, indeed, some good qualities.

Mrs. Can. So she had, indeed. But have you heard the particulars?

Lady Sneer. No; but everybody says that Mr. Surface—

Sir Ben. Ay, there; I told you Mr. Surface was the man.

Mrs. Can. No, no: indeed the assignation was with Charles.

Lady Sneer. With Charles! You alarm me, Mrs. Candour!

Mrs. Can. Yes, yes: he was the lover. Mr. Surface, to do him justice, was only the informer.

Sir Ben. Well, I’ll not dispute with you, Mrs. Candour; but, be it which it may, I hope that Sir Peter’s wound will not—

Mrs. Can. Sir Peter’s wound! Oh, mercy! I didn’t hear a word of their fighting.

Lady Sneer. Nor I, a syllable.

Sir Ben. No! what, no mention of the duel?

Mrs. Can. Not a word.

Sir Ben. Oh, yes: they fought before they left the room.

Lady Sneer. Pray let us hear.

Mrs. Can. Ay, do oblige us with the duel.

Sir Ben. “Sir,” says Sir Peter, immediately after the discovery, “you are a most ungrateful fellow.”

Mrs. Can. Ay, to Charles—

Sir Ben. No, no—to Mr. Surface—“a most ungrateful fellow; and old as I am, sir,” says he, “l insist on immediate satisfaction.”

Mrs. Can. Ay, that must have been to Charles; for ’tis very unlikely Mr. Surface should fight in his own house.

Sir Ben. Gad’s life, ma’am, not at all—“giving me immediate satisfaction.”—On this, ma’am, Lady Teazle, seeing Sir Peter in such danger, ran out of the room in strong hysterics, and Charles after her, calling out for hartshorn and water; then madam, they began to fight with swords—

Enter Crabtree.