Volume Ii Part 101 (1/2)

Sir _Sig_. Poor Devil, how fearful 'tis of losing me! [_Aside_.

_Gal_. That's some Atonement for thy other Sins,-- Come, break thy Word, and wash it quite away.

Sir _Sig_. That cogging won't do, my good Friend, that won't do.

_Gal_. Thou shall be just and perjur'd, and pay my Heart the debt of Love you owe it.

_Cor_. And wou'd you have the Heart--to make a Wh.o.r.e of me?

_Gal_. With all my Soul, and the Devil's in't if I can give thee a greater proof of my Pa.s.sion.

_Cor_. I rather fear you wou'd debauch me into that dull slave call'd a Wife.

_Gal_. A Wife! have I no Conscience, no Honour in me?

Prithee believe I wou'd not be so wicked-- No,--my Desires are generous, and n.o.ble, To set thee up, that glorious insolent thing, That makes Mankind such Slaves, almighty Curtezan!

--Come, to thy private Chamber let us haste, The sacred Temple of the G.o.d of Love; And consecrate thy Power.

[_Offers to bear her off_.

_Cor_. Stay, do you take me then for what I seem?

_Gal_. I am sure I do, and wou'd not be mistaken for a Kingdom: But if thou art not, I can soon mend that fault, And make thee so.--Come, I'm impatient to begin the Experiment.

[_Offers again to carry her off_.

_Cor_. Nay, then I am in earnest,--hold, mistaken Stranger--I am of n.o.ble Birth; and shou'd I in one hapless loving Minute destroy the Honour of my House, ruin my Youth and Beauty, and all that virtuous Education my hoping Parents gave me?

_Gal_. Pretty dissembled Pride and Innocence! And wounds no less than smiles!--Come, let us in,--where I will give thee leave to frown and jilt; such pretty Frauds advance the Appet.i.te.

[_Offers again_.

_Cor_. By all that's good, I am a Maid of Quality, Blest with a Fortune equal to my Birth.

_Gal_. I do not credit thee; or if I did, For once I wou'd dispense with Quality, And to express my Love, take thee with all these Faults.

_Cor_. And being so, can you expect I'll yield?

_Gal_. The sooner for that reason, if thou'rt wise; The Quality will take away the Scandal.

Do not torment me longer-- [_Offers to lead her again_.

_Cor_. Stay and be undeceiv'd,--I do conjure ye.--

_Gal_. Art thou no Curtezan?

_Cor_. Not on my life, nor do intend to be.

_Gal_. No Prost.i.tute? nor dost intend to be?

_Cor_. By all that's good, I only feign'd to be so.

_Gal_. No Curtezan! hast thou deceiv'd me then?

Tell me, thou wicked honest cozening Beauty, Why didst thou draw me in, with such a fair Pretence, Why such a tempting Preface to invite, And the whole Piece so useless and unedifying?

--Heavens! not a Curtezan!