Volume Ii Part 86 (2/2)

_Mar_. A too forward Maid, _Cornelia_, hurts her own Fame, and that of all her s.e.x.

_Cor_. Her s.e.x! a pretty consideration, by my Youth; an Oath I shall not violate this dozen years: my s.e.x shou'd excuse me, if to preserve their Fame they expected I should ruin my own Quiet; in chasing an ill-favour'd Husband, such as _Octavio_, before a young handsome Lover, such as you say _Fillamour_ is.

_Mar_. I wou'd fain persuade my self to be of thy mind,--but the World, _Cornelia_--

_Cor_. Hang the malicious World--

_Mar_. And there's such Charms in Wealth and Honour too.

_Cor_. None half so powerful as Love, in my opinion; 'slife, Sister, thou art beautiful, and hast a Fortune too, which before I wou'd lay out upon so shameful a purchase as such a Bedfellow for life as _Octavio_, I wou'd turn errant keeping Curtezan, and buy my better Fortune.

_Mar_. That Word too startles me.

_Cor_. What, Curtezan! why, 'tis a n.o.ble t.i.tle, and has more Votaries than Religion; there's no Merchandize like ours, that of Love, my Sister:--and can you be frighted with the Vizor, which you your self put on?

_Mar_. 'Twas the only Disguise that cou'd secure us from the search of my Uncle and _Octavio_. Our Brother _Julio_ is by this too arriv'd, and I know they'll all be diligent,--and some Honour I was content to sacrifice to my eternal Repose.

_Cor_. Spoke like my Sister! a little impertinent Honour, we may chance to lose, 'tis true; but our down-right Honesty I perceive you are resolv'd we shall maintain through all the dangers of Love and Gallantry; though to say truth, I find enough to do, to defend my Heart against some of those Members that nightly serenade us, and daily show themselves before our Window, gay as young Bridegrooms, and as full of expectation.

_Mar_. But is't not wondrous, that amongst all these Crouds we should not once see _Fillamour_? I thought the Charms of a fair young Curtezan might have oblig'd him to some Curiosity at least.

_Cor_. Ay! and an _English_ Cavalier too, a Nation so fond of all new Faces.

_Mar_. Heaven, if I should never see him, and I frequent all publick Places to meet him! or if he be gone from _Rome_, if he have forgot me, or some other Beauty have employ'd his Thoughts!

_Cor_. Why; if all these if's and or's come to pa.s.s, we have no more to do than to advance in this same glorious Profession, of which now we only seem to be--in which, to give it its due, there are a thousand Satisfactions to be found, more than in a dull virtuous Life: Oh, the world of Dark-Lanthorn-Men we should have! the Serenades, the Songs, the Sighs, the Vows, the Presents, the Quarrels, and all for a Look or a Smile, which you have been hitherto so covetous of, that _Petro_ swears our Lovers begin to suspect us for some honest Jilts; which by some is accounted much the leuder scandal of the two:--therefore I think, faith, we must e'en be kind a little to redeem our Reputations.

_Mar_. However we may railly, certainly there's nothing so hard to Woman, as to expose her self to villainous Man.

_Cor_. Faith, Sister, if 'twere but as easy to satisfy the nice scruples of Religion and Honour, I should find no great Difficulty in the rest-- Besides, another Argument I have, our Mony's all gone, and without a Miracle can hold out no longer honestly.

_Mar_. Then we must sell our Jewels.

_Cor_. When they are gone, what Jewel will you part with next?

_Mar_. Then we must--

_Cor_. What, go home to _Viterbo_, ask the old Gentleman pardon, and be receiv'd to Grace again, you to the Embraces of the amiable _Octavio_, and I to St. _Teresa's_, to whistle through a Grate like a Bird in a Cage,--for I shall have little heart to sing.--But come, let's leave This sad talk, here's Men--let's walk and gain new Conquest, I love it dearly-- [_Walk down the Garden_.

_Enter_ Gall. Fill, _and_ Jul. _see the Women_.

_Gal_. Women! and by their garb for our purpose too--they're Curtezans, let's follow 'em.

_Fil_. What shall we get by gazing but Disquiet? If they are fair and honest, we look, and perhaps may sigh in vain; if beautiful and loose, they are not worth regarding.

_Gal_. Dear notional Knight, leave your satirical Fopperies, and be at least good-humour'd, and let's follow them.

_Jul_. I'll leave you in the Pursuit, and take this Opportunity to write my Uncle word of my Arrival; and wait on you here anon.

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