reverence on this happy day, and to join with the muses in harmonious
tunes on the lyre.

AMELIA. Oh! my good butler, I am not in a humour to listen to the
muses, and your lyre.

BUTLER. There has never been a birth-day, nor wedding-day, nor
christening-day, celebrated in your family, in which I have not joined
with the muses in full chorus.--In forty-six years, three hundred and
ninety-seven congratulations on different occasions have dropped from
my pen. To-day, the three hundred and ninety-eighth is coming
forth;--for heaven has protected our noble master, who has been in
great danger.

AMELIA. Danger! My father in danger! What do you mean?

BUTLER. One of the gamekeepers has returned to inform the whole castle
of a base and knavish trick, of which the world will talk, and my
poetry hand down to posterity.

AMELIA. What, what is all this.

BUTLER. The baron, my lord and master, in company with the strange
Count, had not been gone a mile beyond the lawn, when one of them ----

AMELIA. What happened? Speak for heaven's sake.

BUTLER. My verse shall tell you.

AMELIA. No, no; tell us in prose.