The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
My young man had not till now heard me speak, and, though he did, he
could not distinguish me by my voice, so great a difference was there in
my habit, from my ordinary dress, that he did not so much as suspect it,
but, hearing me speak with so much affection for Mistris _Mary_; he
replyed; that since I was so much a friend to her, he was the better
satisfyed in what he had desired; and, he wanted nothing to content him,
so much, as her presence. Well, said our _Matrona_, if that be all, you
may have that satisfaction quickly: nay, and you have it already; for
she is in this Room: He hearing her, looked earnestly about; and though
he gazed much in my face, yet he could not discover me; but my greatest
business being now done, our _Matrona_ could no longer forbear, but fell
into a very great fit of laughter, and so did the rest of the company;
neither did this make him sensible of the matter, till our _Madona_,
taking him by the hand, caused him to take me by mine; and told him,
that if he desired Mistris _Maryes_ company there, he had it; for she
was the same party with that Lady, and had only put on that habit to
give him the content and satisfaction he desired.
Although at first he could not credit what she said, yet looking again
earnestly upon me, he discovered the matter; and then he said, _Ah
Madam, I did not imagine that you could be guilty of so pleasing a
fallacy; but I am very well satisfied therein, and am now more glad that
you have found out this way to please me, than if I enjoyed the very
party her self_.
To this I answered, _That I hoped I should as well satisfie his desire
in enjoying that_ Princess _whom I represented, as if he had in his
Company the same person who acted that part at the Theatre; for, said I,
it is only her habit that makes her appear so like a_ Princess; _and I,
being now in the same dress, may as well pass as she; and as for face,
and other parts, I shall not give her any preheminence, neither, I hope,
will you, if you look on me with an impartial eye_.
My friend was very well satisfyed in what I had done and said, and now
coming more near to me, we fell to our Collation with much freedom. I
was attended by several whom I had appointed to that purpose, and
demeaned my self so Majestically, that as they all told me, I might very
well pass for the very person whom I did represent; and my Gentleman was
so extremely well pleased, that I thought he would have lost his eyes in
gazing at me. Our Collation being ended, I and my attendants danced, and
spent much time in such kind of divertisements; but I saw that my friend
was impatient till bed time came, that he might have me, his beloved
_Princess_, in his arms: we were waited on with all manner of state, and
had Musick attending us, not only all the time we were up, but also when
we were in bed: they being placed in the Chamber adjoyning to our
lodgings, where they played for two hours space after we were retired.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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