_Dor._ Yes, a princess's shoes may be worn after her, because they keep their fashion, by being so very little used; but generally a married man is the creature of the world the most out of fashion: his behaviour is dumpish; his discourse, his wife and family; his habit so much neglected, it looks as if that were married too; his hat is married, his peruke is married, his breeches are married,--and, if we could look within his breeches, we should find him married there too. _Pala._ Am I then to be discarded for ever? pray do but mark how that word sounds: for ever! it has a very damn'd sound, Doralice. _Dor._ Ay, for ever! it sounds as hellishly to me, as it can do to you, but there's no help for it. _Pala._ Yet, if we had but once enjoyed one another!--but then once only, is worse than not at all: It leaves a man with such a lingering after it. _Dor._ For aught I know, 'tis better that we have not; we might upon trial have liked each other less, as many a man and woman, that have loved as desperately as we, and yet, when they came to possession, have sighed and cried to themselves, Is this all? _Pala._ That is only, if the servant were not found a man of this world; but if, upon trial, we had not liked each other, we had certainly left loving; and faith, that's the greater happiness of the two. _Dor._ 'Tis better as 'tis; we have drawn off already as much of our love as would run clear; after possessing, the rest is but jealousies, and disquiets, and quarrelling, and piecing. _Pala._ Nay, after one great quarrel, there's never any sound piecing; the love is apt to break in the same place again. _Dor._ I declare I would never renew a love; that's like him, who trims an old coach for ten years together; he might buy a new one better cheap. _Pala._ Well, madam, I am convinced, that 'tis best for us not to have enjoyed; but, gad, the strongest reason is, because I can't help it. _Dor._ The only way to keep us new to one another is never to enjoy, as they keep grapes, by hanging them upon a line; they must touch nothing, if you would preserve them fresh. _Pala._ But then they wither, and grow dry in the very keeping; however, I shall have a warmth for you, and an eagerness, every time I see you; and, if I chance to out-live Melantha-- _Dor._ And if I chance to out-live Rhodophil-- _Pala._ Well, I'll cherish my body as much as I can, upon that hope. 'Tis true, I would not directly murder the wife of my bosom; but, to kill her civilly, by the way of kindness, I'll put as fair as another man: I'll begin to-morrow night, and be very wrathful with her; that's resolved on. _Dor._ Well, Palamede, here's my hand, I'll venture to be your second wife, for all your threatenings. _Pala._ In the mean time I'll watch you hourly, as I would the ripeness of a melon; and I hope you'll give me leave now and then to look on you, and to see if you are not ready to be cut yet.