_Har._ Not for your Life. That would infallibly ruin us. Let my Lady and Canker still imagine you are fond of my Sister. You and she have dissembled it so well hitherto, that they are convinced of it; let them continue in their Error, for if Canker gets the least Suspicion of your Tendre for me, so inveterate is his Envy, that he would though he loved another, infallibly make me his Choice. _Heart._ I am convinced. _Har._ The Wretch loves me, his Behaviour at least makes me think so; if he does, I will probe his Heart and raise such a Conflict in it between Love and Envy as shall soon decide which is his most predominant Passion. See here [he] comes; be gone. [_Exit Heartly_] He must not see us together. (_Enter_ CANKER) _Har._ O Mr. Canker, your Servant; we are infinitely obliged to you for your Company at the New Play. _Cank._ Madam, I beg a Million of Pardons for disappointing you. I had an intolerable Head Ache which rendered me incapable of the Happiness of waiting on you. _Har._ Nay that won't pass for an Excuse; being there would have cured your Head Ache; the clapping and laughing would have diverted and drove it away. _Cank._ Yes into my Heart. (_Aside_) Madam, I have often tried and found that kind of Noise increased my Disorder. _Har._ I fancy, Mr. Canker, because you are sure of my Aunt's Consent that you begin to exert the Husband already and are ashamed to be seen with me in Publick. _Cank._ Madam, you wrong me; the Husband shall be lost in the Lover. My Heart knows no Sensation but from your heavenly Image. _Har._ O dear Mr. Canker, you had better keep this Poetic Nonsense 'till you write a Tragedy--It may pass then--But in such a Scene as ours your Brother Criticks will certainly laugh at it; besides, you have said all these fine things to me a thousand times; it is now time to drop them, and instead of Fustian speak plain Common Sense. My Aunt has promised and vowed in my Name, and this Night by Contract resolved to make up a Conjugal Match between you and I, but before we play for so large a Stake as Matrimony, is it not proper to have a good Opinion and a thorough Knowledge of the Skill and Integrity of our Partners that we are to play with? _Cank._ Sure Madam, you cannot doubt the sincerity of my Heart? _Har._ Um--why you Men are a kind of Sharpers in Love; you lose trifles to us in Courtship in order to make us the greater Bubbles in Marriage; therefore, like fair Gamesters, let us play upon the Square by letting each other know what they have to trust to. _Cank._ Madam, my Heart is open to your Dictates; write your own Laws in it. _Har._ If you will let me write them in my Marriage Articles, Sir, I shall think my Obligation to you much greater. _Cank._ With all my Heart, Madam. Name your own Conditions; I will subscribe to them.