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Show 54 The RELAPSE; or, Ber. Why do you fmile then ? Wor. Becaufe the Weather's hot. Ber. You'll never leave roguing, I fee that. Wor. Putting his Finger to his Nofe.) You 11 never leave 1 fee that. Ber. Well, I can't imagine what you drive at. Pray tell m e what you mean ? »frr. D o you tell m e , it's the fame thing. Ber. I can't. Z^ijr. Guefs ! Ber. I mall guefs wrong. Wor. Indeed you wont. Ber. Pflia ! either tell, or let it alone. Wor. Nay, rather than let it alone, I will tell. Bii! firfl I muft put you in mind, That after what has pad 'twfrt you and I, very few things ought to be Secrets between us. . &r. Why, what Secrets do we hide ? I know of none. ' , .., f Wor. Yes, there are two ; one I have hid from you, and t'other vou wou'd hide from me. You are fond of Lovelefs, which 1 have difcover'd ; and I a m fond ofhir Wife * Ber. Which I have difcover'd. Wor. Very well, n o w I confefs your Difcovery to V true : What' do you fey to mine ? Ber. W h y , 1 confefs- I wou'd fwear 'rweri falfe, if 1 thought you were Fool enough to believi me. Wor. N o w am I almoft in love with you again,. Nay I don't know but 1 might be quite fo, had I mai! one fhort Campaign with Amanda. Therefore, if yes, find'twou'd tickle your Vanity, to bring m e down one: more to your Lure, e'en help m e quickly to difpatcU her Bufinefs, that I may have nothing elfe to do, bui to apply m y felf-to yours. Ber.'Do you then think,'"Sir, I a m old enough I be a Bawd ? Wor. No, but I think you are wife enough t o - - Ber. T o do what ? Wttr Virtue in Danger. $5 Wor. T o "hoodwink Amanda with a Gallant, that fhe mayn't fee wrho is her Husband's Miftrefs. Ber. afide.] H e has reafon: The Hint's a good one. Wor. Well, Madam, what think you on't ? Ber. I think you are fo much a deeper Politician in thefe Affairs than I a m , that I ought to have a very great regard to your Advice. Wor. Then give m e leave to put you in mind, that the moft eafy, fafe, and pleafant Situation for your o wn .Amour, is the Houfe in which you now are-, provided you keep Amanda from any fort of Sufpicion. That : the way to do that, is to engage her in an Intrigue of , her own, making your felf her Confident. And the way to bring her to intrigue, is to make her jealous ot her Husband in a wrong place *, which the more you foment, the lefs you'll be fufpected. This is m y Scheme, in fhort ; which if you follow as you fhou'd do (my dear Berinthia) w e may all four pafs the Winter very pleafantly. Ber. Well, I cou'd be glad to have no body's Sins to , anfwer for but m y own. But where there is a necef-flty Wor. Right, as you fay, where there is a necefTity, a Chriftian is bound to help his Neighbour. So, good Berinthia, lofe no time^ but let us begin the Dance as faft as w e can. Ber. Not till the Fiddles are in Tune, pray Sir. Your Ladies Strings will be very apt to fly, I can tell you that, I if they are wound up too haftily. But if you'll have patience to skrew 'em to a pitch by degrees, 1 don't doubt but fhe may endure to be play'd upon. Wor. Ay, and will make admirable Muflck too, or I'm miftaken ; but have you had no private Clofet Dif-courfe with her yet about Males and Females, and fo forth, which may give you hopes in her Conftitution ? for 1 know her Morals ai'e the Devil againft us. Ber. I have had fo much Difcourfe with her, that I believe were fhe once cur'd of her Fondnefs to her Huf- D 4 band, |
