_Ger._ But does she enjoin you to this severe penance?--such I am sure it is to you. _Mons._ No, no: 'tis by the compulsion of the starched fop her father, who is so arrant a Spaniard, he would kill you and his daughter, if he knew who you were: therefore have a special care to dissemble well. [_Draws him aside._ _Ger._ I warrant you. _Mons._ Dear Gerrard--Go, little master, and call my cousin: tell her her dancing-master is here. [_Exit the_ Black]--I say, dear Gerrard, faith, I'm obliged to you for the trouble you have had. When I sent you, I intended a jest indeed; but did not think it would have been so dangerous a jest: therefore pray forgive me. _Ger._ I do, do heartily forgive you. _Mons._ But can you forgive me for sending you at first, like a fool as I was? 'Twas ill done of me: can you forgive me? _Ger._ Yes, yes, I do forgive you. _Mons._ Well, thou art a generous man, I vow and swear, to come and take upon you all this trouble, danger, and shame, to be thought a paltry dancing-master; and all this to preserve a lady's honour and life, who intended to abuse you. But I take the obligation upon me. _Ger._ Pish! pish! you are not obliged to me at all. _Mons._ Faith, but I am strangely obliged to you. _Ger._ Faith, but you are not. _Mons._ I vow and swear but I am. _Ger._ I swear you are not. _Mons._ Nay, thou art so generous a dancing-master, ha! ha! ha! _Re-enter_ Don DIEGO, HIPPOLITA, Mrs. CAUTION, _and_ PRUE. _Don._ You shall not come in, sister. _Mrs. Caut._ I will come in. _Don._ You will not be civil. _Mrs. Caut._ I'm sure they will not be civil, if I do not come in:--I must, I will. _Don._ Well, honest friend, you are very punctual, which is a rare virtue in a dancing-master; I take notice of it, and will remember it; I will, look you. _Mons._ So, silly, damned, politic Spanish uncle!--ha! ha! ha! [_Aside._ _Ger._ My fine scholar, sir, there, shall never have reason, as I have told you, sir, to say I am not a punctual man; for I am more her servant than to any scholar I ever had. _Mons._ Well said, i'faith!--[_Aside._] Thou dost make a pretty fool of him, I vow and swear. But I wonder people can be made such fools of:--ha! ha! ha! _Hip._ Well, master, I thank you; and I hope I shall be a grateful, kind scholar to you. _Mons._ Ha! ha! ha! cunning little jilt, what a fool she makes of him too! I wonder people can be made such fools of, I vow and swear:--ha! ha! ha! [_Aside._ _Hip._ Indeed, it shall go hard but I'll be a grateful, kind scholar to you. _Mrs. Caut._ As kind as ever your mother was to your father, I warrant. _Don._ How! again with your senseless suspicions. _Mons._ Pish! pish! aunt--[_Aside._] Ha! ha! ha! she's a fool another way: she thinks she loves him, ha! ha! ha! Lord! that people should be such fools! _Mrs. Caut._ Come, come, I cannot but speak: I tell you, beware in time; for he is no dancing-master, but some debauched person who will mump you of your daughter.