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Show ! 84 The Provoked Wife. Re-enter Heartfree. Belinda runs to him% and fhewshtr Face. Heartf, O Heavens! M y dear Creature, ftand there a little. Conft. Pull him off, Ju^. Heart j. Hold, mighty M a n ; look you, Sir, we did but jeft with you. Thefe are Ladies of our Acquaintance, that w e had a mind to frighten a little, but now you muft leave us. Sir J. Oons, I won't leave yon, not I. Heartf, Nay, but you muft though • and therefore make no words on't. Sir J. Then you are a couple'of damn'd uncivil Fellows. And 1 hope your Punks will give you fauceto your Mutton. [Exit Sir John. La. B, Oh, I fhall never come to m y felf again, I'm fo frightned. Conft. T w a s a narrow 'fcape indeed. Bel, W o m e n muft needs have Frolicks, you fee, whatever they coft 'em. Heartf. This might have prov'd a dear one tho. La. B. You are the more oblig'd to us, for the Rifque w e run upon your accounts. Conft. And I hope you'll acknowledge fomething due to our Knight-Errantry, Ladies. This is a fecond time w e have deliver'd you. La. B. 'Tis true >, and fince w e fee Fate has defign'd you for our Guardians, 'twill make us the more willing to truft our felves in your lftffigrt But you muft riot have the worfe Opinion of us for our innocent Frolick. Heartf. Ladies, you may command our Opinions in every thing that is to your advantage. Bel. Then, Sir, 1 command you to be of Opinion, That W o m e n are fometimes better than they appear to he. [Lady Brute and Conftant talk afart, Heartf. Madam, you have made a Convert of nie in every thfng. I'm grown a Fool: I cou'd be fond of a W o m a n. Bel. I thank you, Sir, in the N a m e of the whole Sex. Hwr//. ^^BK The ProvoPd Wife^^ i 8 5 Heartf. Which Sex nothing but your felf cou'd ever have aton d for. Bel. N o w has m y Vanity a devilifh Itch, to know in what m y Merit confifts. Heartf. In your Humility, Madam, that keeps you ignorant it confifts at all. D Bel. O n e other Compliment, with that ferious Face and I hate you for ever after. Heartf. S o m e W o m e n love to be abus'd : Is that it you w7ou'd be at ? Bel. N o , not that neither : but I'd have Men talk plainly what's fit for W o m e n to hear^ without putting 'em either to a real, or an affected Blufh. Heartf. W h y then, in as plain Terms as I can find to exprefs m y felf] I cou'd love you even to- Matrimony it felf a-rnoft, I-gad. Bel. Juft as Sir John did her Ladyfhip there. What think you ? Don't you believe one Month's time might bring you down to the fame Indifference, only clad in a little better Manners, perhaps ? Well, you Men are unaccountable things, mad till you have your Miftrefles, and then ftark mad till you are rid of 'em again. Tell me, honeftly, is not your Patience put to a much feverer Trial after Pone (lion, than before ? Heartf. With a great many, I muft confefs, it is, to our eternal Scandal 5 but I. dear Creature, do but try m e . Bel. That's the fureft way indeed, to know, but not the fafeft. To Lady B.] Madam, are not you for taking a turn in the Great Walk ? It's almoft dark, no body will know us. La. B. really I find m y felf fomething idle, Belinda; hefides, I dote upon this little odd private Corner, But don't let m y lazy Fancy confine you. Conft. afide.] So, fhe wou'd be left alone with m e, that's well. Bel. Well, we'll take one turn, and come to you again. To |