MRS. FORE. Nurse, nurse! FORE. Do you think so, Mr. Scandal? SCAN. Yes, yes. I hope this will be gone by morning, taking it in time. FORE. I hope so. SCENE XIII. [_To them_] NURSE. MRS. FORE. Nurse; your master is not well; put him to bed. SCAN. I hope you will be able to see Valentine in the morning. You had best take a little diacodion and cowslip-water, and lie upon your back: maybe you may dream. FORE. I thank you, Mr. Scandal, I will. Nurse, let me have a watch-light, and lay the Crumbs of Comfort by me. NURSE. Yes, sir. FORE. And—hem, hem! I am very faint. SCAN. No, no, you look much better. FORE. Do I? And, d’ye hear, bring me, let me see—within a quarter of twelve, hem—he, hem!—just upon the turning of the tide, bring me the urinal; and I hope, neither the lord of my ascendant, nor the moon will be combust; and then I may do well. SCAN. I hope so. Leave that to me; I will erect a scheme; and I hope I shall find both Sol and Venus in the sixth house. FORE. I thank you, Mr. Scandal, indeed that would be a great comfort to me. Hem, hem! good night. SCENE XIV. SCANDAL, MRS. FORESIGHT. SCAN. Good night, good Mr. Foresight; and I hope Mars and Venus will be in conjunction;—while your wife and I are together. MRS. FORE. Well; and what use do you hope to make of this project? You don’t think that you are ever like to succeed in your design upon me? SCAN. Yes, faith I do; I have a better opinion both of you and myself than to despair. MRS. FORE. Did you ever hear such a toad? Hark’ee, devil: do you think any woman honest? SCAN. Yes, several, very honest; they’ll cheat a little at cards, sometimes, but that’s nothing. MRS. FORE. Pshaw! but virtuous, I mean? SCAN. Yes, faith, I believe some women are virtuous too; but ’tis as I believe some men are valiant, through fear. For why should a man court danger or a woman shun pleasure? MRS. FORE. Oh, monstrous! What are conscience and honour? SCAN. Why, honour is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic thief; and he that would secure his pleasure must pay a tribute to one and go halves with t’other. As for honour, that you have secured, for you have purchased a perpetual opportunity for pleasure. MRS. FORE. An opportunity for pleasure? SCAN. Ay, your husband, a husband is an opportunity for pleasure: so you have taken care of honour, and ’tis the least I can do to take care of conscience. MRS. FORE. And so you think we are free for one another? SCAN. Yes, faith I think so; I love to speak my mind. MRS. FORE. Why, then, I’ll speak my mind. Now as to this affair between you and me. Here you make love to me; why, I’ll confess it does not displease me. Your person is well enough, and your understanding is not amiss. SCAN. I have no great opinion of myself, but I think I’m neither deformed nor a fool.