_Ger._ In jest, certainly; but it begins to be troublesome. _Hip._ But, sir, you could believe I was in earnest in the morning, when I but seemed to be ready to go with you; and why won't you believe me now when I declare to the contrary?--I take it unkindly, that the longer I am acquainted with you, you should have the less confidence in me. _Ger._ For Heaven's sake, miss, lose no more time thus; your father will come in upon us, as he did-- _Hip._ Let him if he will. _Ger._ He'll hinder our design. _Hip._ No, he will not; for mine is to stay here now. _Ger._ Are you in earnest? _Hip._ You'll find it so. _Ger._ How! why, you confessed but now you would have gone with me in the morning. _Hip._ I was in the humour then. _Ger._ And I hope you are in the same still; you cannot change so soon. _Hip._ Why, is it not a whole day ago? _Ger._ What! are you not a day in the same humour? _Hip._ Lord! that you who know the town, they say, should think any woman could be a whole day together in a humour!--ha! ha! ha! _Ger._ Hey! this begins to be pleasant.--What! won't you go with me then after all? _Hip._ No indeed, sir, I desire to be excused. _Ger._ Then you have abused me all this while? _Hip._ It may be so. _Ger._ Could all that so natural innocency be dissembled?--faith, it could not, dearest miss. _Hip._ Faith, it was, dear master. _Ger._ Was it, faith? _Hip._ Methinks you might believe me without an oath. You saw I could dissemble with my father, why should you think I could not with you? _Ger._ So young a wheedle! _Hip._ Ay, a mere damned jade I am. _Ger._ And I have been abused, you say? _Hip._ 'Tis well you can believe it at last. _Ger._ And I must never hope for you? _Hip._ Would you have me abuse you again? _Ger._ Then you will not go with me? _Hip._ No: but, for your comfort, your loss will not be great; and that you may not resent it, for once I'll be ingenuous, and disabuse you.--I am no heiress, as I told you, to twelve hundred pounds a-year; I was only a lying jade then.--Now will you part with me willingly, I doubt not. _Ger._ I wish I could. [_Sighs._ _Hip._ Come, now I find 'tis your turn to dissemble:--but men use to dissemble for money; will you dissemble for nothing? _Ger._ 'Tis too late for me to dissemble. _Hip._ Don't you dissemble, faith? _Ger._ Nay, this is too cruel. _Hip._ What! would you take me without the twelve hundred pounds a-year? would you be such a fool as to steal a woman with nothing? _Ger._ I'll convince you; for you shall go with me:--and since you are twelve hundred pounds a-year the lighter, you'll be the easier carried away. [_He takes her in his arms, she struggles._ _Prue._ What! he takes her way against her will:--I find I must knock for my master then. [_She knocks._ _Re-enter_ Don DIEGO _and_ Mrs. CAUTION. _Hip._ My father! my father is here! _Ger._ Prevented again! [GERRARD _sets her down again._