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Show r A 162 The Provoked Wife. Conft. Pray why ? La. B. Becaufe if you expe&ed more from it, y0u have a worfe Opinion of m y Underftanding than I defire you fhould have'. Conft. afide.] I comprehend her: She would have m e fet a Value upon her Chaftity, that I might think my felf the more oblig'd to her when fhe makes m e a Pre-fent of it. To her.] I beg you will believe I did but rally, Ma-dam ; I know you judge too well of Right and Wrong, to be deceiv'd by Arguments like thofe. I hope you'll have fo favourable an Opinion of m y Underftanding too, to believe the thing call'd Virtue has worth enough with m e , to pafs for an eternal Obligation where'er 'tis facrific'd. La. B. It is, I think, Co great a one, as nothing can repay. Conft. Yes; the making the Man you love your ever-lafting Debtor. La B. W h e n Debtors once have borrow'd all we have to lend, they are very apt to grow fhy of their Creditors Company. Conft. That, Madam, is only when they are forc'd to borrow of Ufurers, and not of a generous Friend. Let us chufe our Creditors, and we are feldom fo ungrateful to fhun 'em. La. B. What think you of Sir John, Sir ? I was his free Choice. Conft. I think he's married, Madam. La. B. Does Marriage then exclude Men from your Rule of Conftancy ? Conft. It does. Conftancy's a brave, free, haughty, generous Agent, that cannot buckle to the Chains of Wedlock. There's a poor fordid Slavery in Marriage, that turns the flowing Tide of Honour, and finks us to the loweft Ebb of Infamy. 'Tis a corrupted Soil; ill? Nature, Avarice, Sloth, Cowardice, and Dirt are all its Product. La.E. Have you no Exceptions to this general Rule, as well as to t'other ? . Conft. The ProvoPd Wife. 163 Conft. Yes; I,would (after all) be an Exception to it m y felf, if you were free in Power and Will to make mefo. La. B. Compliments are well plac'd, where 'tis impoffible to lay hold on 'em. Conft. I wou'd to Heaven 'twere poftible for you to lay hold on mine, that you might fee it is no Compliment at all. But fince you are already difpos'd of beyond Redemption, to one w h o does not know the Value of the Jewel you have put into his hands, I hope you wou'd not think him greatly wrong'd, tho it fhould fometimes be look'd on by a Friend, who knows h ow to efteem it as he ought. La. J?. If looking on't alone would ferve his turn, the wrong perhaps might not be very great. Conft. W h y , what if he fhould wear it n o w and then a day, fo he gave good Security to bring it home again at night ? La. B. Small Security I fancy might ferve for that. One might venture to take his word. Conft. Then where's the Injury to the Owner ? La. B. 'Tis Injury to him if he think it one. For if Happinefs be feated in the Mind, Unhappinefs muft be fo too. Conft. Here 1 clofe with you, Madam, and draw my concluflve Argument from your o w n Pofition ; If the Injury lie in the Fancy, there needs nothing but Secrecy to prevent the Wrong. La. B. [going.] A furer way to prevent it, is to hear no more Arguments in its behalf. Conft. [following her.] But, Madam La. B. But, Sir, 'tis m y turn to be difcreet now, and not fuffer too long a Vifit. Conft. [catching her Hand.] By Heaven you fhall not ftir, till you give m e hopes that I fhall fee you a-gain at fome more convenient Time and Place, La. B. I give you juft hopes enough [breaking from him] to get loofe from you j and that's all I can afford you at this time. [Exit running. Conftant i |