"Never fear; Romney is a lad of spirit, and will never lose a girl for lack of asking."
"Ay, but asking and getting are two different things. There was Captain Spellman. He wooed thee with as much spirit as any woman could wish."
"The presuming coxcomb!"
"There it is. What is a poor man to do, when asking is presumption, and not asking is dulness?"
"Do? Why, hold his tongue and use his eyes, to be sure."
"But, Betty, thou wert never twice alike."
"So shouldst thou have changed too. When I was hot, thou shouldst have been cold. When I was cold, thou shouldst have turned to a furnace."
"Who loves, fears. I played the fool; but, Betty, 'twas the fool who won. Pray Heaven Romney meets as kind a fate."
"But, Humphrey, what can be keeping him?"
"The old refrain; I have heard that question so often I could answer it in my sleep. Thy boy is safe and sound, and will give a good account of his absence, I'll be bound."