_Hip._ Think well again; can you take me without the twelve hundred pounds a-year,--the twelve hundred pounds a-year? _Ger._ Indeed, miss, now you begin to be unkind again, and use me worse than e'er you did. _Hip._ Well, though you are so modest a gentleman as to suffer a wife to be put upon you with nothing, I have more conscience than to do it. I have the twelve hundred pounds a-year out of my father's power, which is yours, and I am sorry it is not the Indies to mend your bargain. _Ger._ Dear miss, you but increase my fears, and not my wealth. Pray let us make haste away; I desire but to be secure of you:--come, what are you thinking of? _Hip._ I am thinking if some little, filching, inquisitive poet should get my story, and represent it to the stage, what those ladies who are never precise but at a play would say of me now;--that I were a confident, coming piece, I warrant, and they would damn the poor poet for libelling the sex. But sure, though I give myself and fortune away frankly, without the consent of my friends, my confidence is less than theirs who stand off only for separate maintenance. _Ger._ They would be widows before their time, have a husband and no husband:--but let us begone, lest fortune should recant my happiness, now you are fixed, my dearest miss. [_He kisses her hand._ _Re-enter_ Monsieur, _coughing, followed by_ Don DIEGO. _Hip._ Oh, here's my father! _Don._ How now, sir!--What, kissing her hand! what means that, friend, ha?--Daughter, ha! do you permit this insolence, ha? _voto á mi honra!_ _Ger._ We are prevented again. [_Aside to_ HIPPOLITA. _Hip._ Ha! ha! ha! you are so full of your Spanish jealousy, father; why, you must know he is a city dancing-master, and they, forsooth, think it fine to kiss the hand at the honour before the corant. _Mons._ Ay, ay, ay, uncle, don't you know that? _Don._ Go to, go to, you are an easy French fool; there's more in it than so, look you. _Mons._ I vow and swear there's nothing more in't, if you'll believe one.--[_Aside to_ HIPPOLITA _and_ GERRARD.] Did not I cough and hawk? a jealous, prudent husband could not cough and hawk louder at the approach of his wife's chamber in visiting time, and yet you would not hear me. He'll make now ado about nothing, and you'll be discovered both. _Don._ Umph, umph,--no, no, I see it plain, he is no dancing-master: now I have found it out, and I think I can see as far into matters as another: I have found it now, look you. _Ger._ My fear was prophetical. [_Aside to_ HIPPOLITA. _Hip._ What shall we do?--nay, pray, sir, do not stir yet. [GERRARD _offers to go out with her._ _Enter_ Mrs. CAUTION. _Mrs. Caut._ What's the matter, brother? what's the matter? _Don._ I have found it out, sister, I have found it out, sister; this villain here is no dancing-master--but a dishonourer of my house and daughter; I caught him kissing her hand.