TATT. Yes, if you’d be well bred. All well bred persons lie.—Besides,
you are a woman, you must never speak what you think: your words must
contradict your thoughts; but your actions may contradict your words. So
when I ask you if you can love me, you must say no, but you must love me
too. If I tell you you are handsome, you must deny it, and say I flatter
you. But you must think yourself more charming than I speak you: and
like me, for the beauty which I say you have, as much as if I had it
myself. If I ask you to kiss me, you must be angry, but you must not
refuse me. If I ask you for more, you must be more angry,—but more
complying; and as soon as ever I make you say you’ll cry out, you must be
sure to hold your tongue.
MISS. O Lord, I swear this is pure. I like it better than our
old-fashioned country way of speaking one’s mind;—and must not you lie
too?
TATT. Hum—yes—but you must believe I speak truth.
MISS. O Gemini! Well, I always had a great mind to tell lies; but they
frighted me, and said it was a sin.
TATT. Well, my pretty creature; will you make me happy by giving me a
kiss?
MISS. No, indeed; I’m angry at you. [_Runs and kisses him_.]
TATT. Hold, hold, that’s pretty well, but you should not have given it
me, but have suffered me to have taken it.
MISS. Well, we’ll do it again.
TATT. With all my heart.—Now then, my little angel. [_Kisses her_.]
MISS. Pish.
TATT. That’s right,—again, my charmer. [_Kisses again_.]
MISS. O fie, nay, now I can’t abide you.
TATT. Admirable! That was as well as if you had been born and bred in
Covent Garden. And won’t you shew me, pretty miss, where your
bed-chamber is?
MISS. No, indeed won’t I; but I’ll run there, and hide myself from you
behind the curtains.
TATT. I’ll follow you.
MISS. Ah, but I’ll hold the door with both hands, and be angry;—and you
shall push me down before you come in.
TATT. No, I’ll come in first, and push you down afterwards.
MISS. Will you? Then I’ll be more angry and more complying.
TATT. Then I’ll make you cry out.
MISS. Oh, but you shan’t, for I’ll hold my tongue.
TATT. O my dear apt scholar!
MISS. Well, now I’ll run and make more haste than you.
TATT. You shall not fly so fast, as I’ll pursue.
ACT III.—SCENE I.
NURSE _alone_.
NURSE. Miss, Miss, Miss Prue! Mercy on me, marry and amen. Why, what’s
become of the child? Why Miss, Miss Foresight! Sure she has locked
herself up in her chamber, and gone to sleep, or to prayers: Miss,
Miss,—I hear her.—Come to your father, child; open the door. Open the
door, Miss. I hear you cry husht. O Lord, who’s there? [_peeps_]
What’s here to do? O the Father! A man with her! Why, miss, I say;
God’s my life, here’s fine doings towards—O Lord, we’re all undone. O
you young harlotry [_knocks_]. Od’s my life, won’t you open the door?
I’ll come in the back way.
SCENE II.
TATTLE, MISS PRUE.
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