Sir _Fran._ Why, so we did----and all as merry as grigs----I'cod! my heart was so open, that I toss'd another hundred into her apron, to go out early this morning with----but the cloth was no sooner taken away, than in comes my Lady _Townly_ here, (----who between you and I----mum! has had the devil to pay yonder----) with another rantipole dame of quality, and out they must have her, they said, to introduce her at my Lady _Noble_'s assembly forsooth----a few words, you may be sure, made the bargain----so, bawnce! and away they drive as if the devil had got into the coach box--so about four or five in the morning----home comes Madam, with her eyes a foot deep in her head----and my poor hundred pound left behind her at the hazard-table. _Man._ All lost at dice! Sir _Fran._ Every shilling----among a parcel of pig-tail puppies, and pale fac'd women of quality. _Man._ But pray, Sir _Francis_, how came you, after you found her so ill an housewife of one sum, so soon to trust her with another? Sir _Fran._ Why truly I mun say that was partly my own fault: for if I had not been a blab of my tongue, I believe that last hundred might have been sav'd. _Man._ How so? Sir _Fran._ Why, like an owl as I was, out of goodwill, forsooth, partly to keep her in humour, I must needs tell her of the thousand pound a year, I had just got the promise of--I'cod! she lays her claws upon it that moment----said it was all owing to her advice, and truly she would have her share on't. _Man._ What, before you had it yourself? Sir _Fran._ Why ay! that's what I told her----My dear, said I, mayhap I mayn't receive the first quarter on't this half year. _Man._ Sir _Francis_, I have heard you with a great deal of patience, and I really feel compassion for you. Sir _Fran._ Truly and well you may cousin, for I don't see that my wife's goodness is a bit the better, for bringing to _London_. _Man._ If you remember I gave you a hint of it. Sir _Fran._ Why ay, it's true you did so: but the devil himself could not have believ'd she would have rid post to him. _Man._ Sir, if you stay but a fortnight in this town you will every day see hundreds as fast upon the gallop, as she is. Sir _Fran._ Ah! this _London_ is a base place indeed----waunds, if things should happen to go wrong with me at _Westminster_, at this rate, how the devil shall I keep out of jail! _Man._ Why truly, there seems to me but one way to avoid it. Sir _Fran._ Ah! wou'd you could tell me that, cousin. _Man._ The way lies plain before you, Sir; the same road that brought you hither will carry you safe home again. Sir _Fran._ Ods-flesh! cousin, what! and leave a thousand pound a year behind me? _Man._ Pooh! pooh! leave any thing behind you, but your family, and you are a saver by it. Sir _Fran._ Ay, but consider, cousin, what a scurvy figure I shall make in the country, if I come dawn withawt it! _Man._ You will make a much more lamentable figure in jail without it.