_Mrs. F._ Some widows, sir, Hearing you talk so wildly, would be apt To put strange misconstruction on your words, As aiming at a Turkish liberty, Where the free husband hath his several mates, His Penseroso, his Allegro wife, To suit his sober or his frolic fit. _Selby_. How judge you of that latitude? _Mrs. F._ As one, In European customs bred, must judge. Had I Been born a native of the liberal East, I might have thought as they do. Yet I knew A married man that took a second wife, And (the man's circumstances duly weigh'd, With all their bearings) the considerate world Nor much approved, nor much condemn'd the deed. _Selby_. You move my wonder strangely. Pray, proceed. _Mrs. F._ An eye of wanton liking he had placed Upon a Widow, who liked him again, But stood on terms of honorable love, And scrupled wronging his most virtuous wife-- When to their ears a lucky rumor ran, That this demure and saintly-seeming wife Had a first husband living; with the which Being question'd, she but faintly could deny. "A priest indeed there was; some words had pass'd, But scarce amounting to a marriage rite. Her friend was absent; she supposed him dead; And, seven years parted, both were free to choose." _Selby_. What did the indignant husband? Did he not With violent handlings stigmatize the cheek Of the deceiving wife, who had entail'd Shame on their innocent babe? _Mrs. F._ He neither tore His wife's locks nor his own; but wisely weighing His own offence with hers in equal poise, And woman's weakness 'gainst the strength of man, Came to a calm and witty compromise. He coolly took his gay-faced widow home, Made her his second wife; and still the first Lost few or none of her prerogatives. The servants call'd her mistress still; she kept The keys, and had the total ordering Of the house affairs; and, some slight toys excepted, Was all a moderate wife would wish to be. _Selby_. A tale full of dramatic incident!-- And if a man should put it in a play, How should he name the parties? _Mrs. F._ The man's name Through time I have forgot--the widow's too;-- But his first wife's first name, her maiden one, Was--not unlike to _that_ your Katherine bore, Before she took the honor'd style of Selby. _Selby_. A dangerous meaning in your riddle lurks. One knot is yet unsolved; that told, this strange And most mysterious drama ends. The name Of that first husband-- _Enter_ LUCY. _Mrs. F._ Sir, your pardon-- The allegory fits your private ear. Some half hour hence, in the garden's secret walk, We shall have leisure. [_Exit_. _Selby_. Sister, whence come you?