_Bred_. Your Pardon, Sir, I had forgot my self.
--But time is short--what’s to be done in this?
_Bea_. Done! I’ll enter the House with Fire and Sword, d’ye see, not
that I care this--but I’ll not be fob’d off--what, do they take me for
a Fool--an Ass?
_Bred_. Madam, dare you run the risk of your Father’s Displeasure, and
run away with the Man you love?
_Dia_. With all my Soul--
_Bea_. That’s hearty--and we’ll do it--_Ned_ and I here--and I love an
Amour with an Adventure in’t like _Amadis de Gaul_--Harkye, _Ned_, get a
Coach and six ready to night when ‘tis dark, at the back Gate--
_Bred_. And I’ll get a Parson ready in my Lodging, to which I have a Key
through the Garden, by which we may pass unseen.
_Bea_. Good--Mun, here’s Company--
_Enter_ Gayman _with his Hat and Money in’t, Sir_ Cautious
_in a rage, Sir_ Feeble, _Lady_ Fulbank, Leticia, _Captain_
Noisey, Bellmour.
Sir _Cau_. A hundred Pound lost already! Oh Coxcomb, old Coxcomb, and
a wise Coxcomb--to turn Prodigal at my Years, why, I was bewitcht!
Sir _Feeb_. Shaw, ‘twas a Frolick, Sir, I have lost a hundred Pound as
well as you. My Lady has lost, and your Lady has lost, and the rest--
what, old Cows will kick sometimes, what’s a hundred Pound?
Sir _Cau_. A hundred Pound! why, ‘tis a sum, Sir--a sum--why, what the
Devil did I do with a Box and Dice!
L. _Ful_. Why, you made a shift to lose, Sir? And where’s the harm of
that? We have lost, and he has won; anon it may be your Fortune.
Sir _Cau_. Ay, but he could never do it fairly, that’s certain. Three
hundred Pound! why, how came you to win so unmercifully, Sir?
_Gay_. Oh, the Devil will not lose a Gamester of me, you see, Sir.
Sir _Cau_. The Devil!--mark that, Gentlemen--
_Bea_. The Rogue has damn’d luck sure, he has got a Fly--
Sir _Cau_. And can you have the Conscience to carry away all our Money,
Sir?
_Gay_. Most assuredly, unless you have the courage to retrieve it. I’ll
set it at a Throw, or any way: what say you, Gentlemen?
Sir _Feeb_. Ods bobs, you young Fellows are too hard for us every way,
and I’m engag’d at an old Game with a new Gamester here, who will
require all an old Man’s stock.
L. _Ful_. Come, Cousin, will you venture a Guinea? Come, Mr. _Bredwel_.
_Gay_. Well, if no body dare venture on me, I’ll send away my Cash--
[_They all go to play at the Table, but Sir_ Cau.
_Sir_ Feeb. _and_ Gay.
Sir _Cau_. Hum--must it all go?--a rare sum, if a Man were but sure the
Devil wou’d but stand Neuter now-- [Aside.
--Sir, I wish I had any thing but ready Money to stake: three hundred
Pound--a fine Sum!
_Gay_. You have Moveables, Sir, Goods--Commodities--
Sir _Cau_. That’s all one, Sir; that’s Money’s worth, Sir: but if I had
any thing that were worth nothing--
_Gay_. You wou’d venture it,--I thank you, Sir,--I wou’d your Lady were
worth nothing--
Sir _Cau_. Why, so, Sir?
_Gay_. Then I wou’d set all this against that Nothing.
Sir _Cau_. What, set it against my Wife?
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