"). ▁On ▁her ▁entrance , ▁Joseph ▁for s we ars ▁any ▁interest ▁in ▁Maria , ▁and ▁fl ir ts ▁in ▁earnest ▁with ▁Lady ▁Te az le , ▁per vers ely ▁suggesting ▁that ▁she ▁should ▁make ▁a ▁" f aux ▁pas " ▁for ▁the ▁benefit ▁of ▁her ▁reputation . ▁The ▁servant ▁returns ▁to ▁announ ce ▁Sir ▁Peter , ▁and ▁Lady ▁Te az le ▁h ides ▁in ▁pan ic ▁behind ▁the ▁screen . ▁Sir ▁Peter ▁enters ▁and ▁tells ▁Joseph ▁that ▁he ▁suspect s ▁an ▁affair ▁between ▁Charles ▁and ▁Lady ▁Te az le ▁( due ▁to ▁the ▁rum ours ▁spread ▁by ▁Joseph ▁and ▁Lady ▁S ne er well ). ▁Joseph ▁hyp oc rit ically ▁prof esses ▁confidence ▁in ▁Charles ' ▁and ▁Lady ▁Te az le ' s ▁honour . ▁Sir ▁Peter ▁conf ides ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁give ▁his ▁wife ▁a ▁gener ous ▁separate ▁maintenance ▁during ▁his ▁life ▁and ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁his ▁fortune ▁on ▁his ▁dem ise . ▁He ▁also ▁ur ges ▁Joseph ▁to ▁purs ue ▁his ▁suit ▁with ▁Maria ▁( m uch ▁to ▁Joseph ' s ▁anno y ance , ▁as ▁Lady ▁Te az le ▁is ▁listening ▁behind ▁the ▁screen ). ▁ ▁Charles ' s ▁arrival ▁is ▁announced . ▁Sir ▁Peter ▁dec ides ▁to ▁hide , ▁and ▁have ▁Joseph ▁sound ▁Charles ▁out ▁about ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁Lady ▁Te az le . ▁He ▁starts ▁behind ▁the ▁screen , ▁but ▁sees ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁Lady ▁Te az le ' s ▁p ett ico at ▁there ▁already . ▁Joseph ▁" conf esses " ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁not ▁as