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Mrs. For. Well, if you should, Mr. Tattle, you'll have a world to answer for: remember, I wash my hands of it; I'm thoroughly innocent.

[Exeunt Mrs. Frail and Mrs. Foresight.

Miss P. What makes them go away, Mr. Tattle?— What do they mean, do you know?

Tatt. Yes, my dear—I think I can guess-but hang me if I know the reason of it.

Miss P. Come, must not we go too?

Tatt. No, no; they don't mean that.

Miss P. No! what then? What shall you and I do together?

Tatt. I must make love to you, pretty miss; will you let me make love to you?

Miss P Yes, if you please. Tatt. Frank, egad, at least. Foresight mean by this civility?

What a pox does Mrs.

Is it to make a fool

of me or does she leave us together out of good morality, and do as she would be done by? Egad, I'll understand it so.

[Aside.

Miss P. Well, and how will you make love to me? -Come, I long to have you begin.—Must I make love too? You must tell me how.

Tatt. You must let me speak, miss; you must not speak first. I must ask you que ons, and you must

answer.

Miss P. What, is it like the catechism?-Come then, ask me.

Tatt. D'ye think you can love me?

Miss P. Yes.

Tatt. Pooh, pox, you must not say yes already. I shan't care a farthing for you then, in a twinkling. Miss P. What must I say then?

Tatt. Why you must say no; or, believe not; or, you can't tell.

Miss P. Why, must I tell a lie then?

All well-bred

Tatt. Yes, if you'd be well-bred. persons lie-Besides, you are a woman; you must never speak what you think: your words must contradict your thoughts; but your actions may contradict your words. So, when I ask you, if you can love me, you must say no; but you must love me too.— If I tell you you are handsome, you must deny it, and say, I flatter you. But you must think yourself more charming than I speak you-and like me for the beauty which I say you have, as much as if I had it myself. If I ask you to kiss me, you must be angry; but you must not refuse me. If I ask you for more, you must be more angry, but more complying; and as soon as ever I make you say, you'll cry out, you must be sure to hold your tongue.

Miss P. O Lord, I swear this is pure !-I like it better than our old-fashioned country way of speaking one's mind. And must not you lie too?

Tatt. Hum!-Yes, but you must believe I speak truth. Miss P. O Gemini! Well, I always had a great mind to tell lies-but they frighted me, and said it was a sin.

Tatt. Well, my pretty creature, will you make me happy by giving me a kiss?

Miss P. No, indeed; I'm angry at you!

[Runs and kisses him. Tatt. Hold, hold, that's pretty well-but you should not have given it me, but have suffered me to have taken it.

Miss P. Well, we'll do it again.

Tatt. With all my heart.-Now, then, my little angel! [Kisses her.

Miss P. Pish!

Tatt. That's right. Again, my charmer! [Kisses again. Miss P. O fie! nay, now I can't abide you.

Tatt. Admirable ! That was as well as if you had been born and bred in Covent-garden.-And won't you shew me, pretty miss, where your bed-chamber is ? Miss P. No, indeed won't I; but I'll run there, and hide myself from you behind the curtains.

Tatt. I'll follow you.

Miss P. Ah, but I will hold the door with both hands, and be angry; and you shall push me down before you come in.

Tatt. No, I'll come in first, and push you down afterwards.

Miss P. Will you? then I'll be more angry, and more complying.

Tatt. Then I'll make you cry it.

Miss P. O but you shan't, for I'll hold my tongue. Tatt. Oh, my dear apt scholar!

Miss P. Well, now I'll run, and make more haste than you.

Tatt. You shall not fly so fast as I'll pursue. [Exeunt.

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ACT III. SCENE I.

NURSE alone.

Miss, miss, miss Prue !-Mercy on me, marry, and amen !-Why, what's become of the child Why, miss, miss Foresight!-Sure she has lockt herself up in her chamber, and gone to sleep, or to prayers!Miss, miss I hear her.-Come to your father, child. Open the door.-Open the door, miss.—I hear you cry husht.-O Lord, who's there? [Peeps.] -What's here to do?-O the Father! a man with her! Why, miss, I say; God's my life, here's fine doings towards'— O Lord, we're all undone !—O you young harlotry!—[ Knocks.]—Ods my life! won't you open the door? I'll come in the back way.

Enter TATTLE and Miss PRUE.

[Exit.

Miss P. O Lord, she's coming-and she'll tell my father. What shall I do now?

Tatt. Pox take her! if she had staid two minutes loner, I should have wished for her coming.

Miss P. O dear, what shall I say? tell me, Mr. Tattle, tell me a lie

Tatt. There's no occasion for a lie; I could never tell a lie to no purpose-But, since we have done nothing, we must say nothing, I think. I hear her -I'll leave you together, and come off as you can.

[Thrusts her in, and shuts the door.

Enter VALENTINE, SCANDAL, and ANGELICA.

Ang. You can't accuse me of inconstancy; I never told you that I loved you.

Val. But I can accuse you of uncertainty, for not telling me whether you did or not.

Ang. You mistake indifference for uncertainty; I never had concern enough to ask myself the question. Scand. Nor good-nature enough to answer him that did ask you: I'll say that for you, madam.

Ang. What, are you setting up for good-nature? Scand. Only for the affectation of it, as the women do for ill-nature.

Ang. Persuade your friend that it is all affectation. Scand. I shall receive no benefit from the opinion: for I know no effectual difference between continued affectation and reality.

"Tatt. [Coming up.] Scandal, are you in private "discourse? Any thing of secrecy? [Aside to Scandal. "Scand. Yes, but I dare trust you. We were talk"ing of Angelica's love to Valentine; you won't "speak of it.

"Tatt. No, no, not a syllable-I know that's a “secret, for it is whispered every where.

"Scand. Ha, ha, ha!

"Ang. What is, Mr. Tattle? I heard you say "something was whispered every where.

"Scand. Your love for Valentine.

"Ang. How !

"Tatt. No madam; his love for your ladyship

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