Re-enter MISS HOYDEN and NURSE. How do you do, good Mrs. Nurse? I desired your young lady would give me leave to see you, that I might thank you for your extraordinary care and kind conduct in her education: pray accept this small acknowledgment for it at present, and depend upon my further kindness when I shall be that happy thing, her husband. [Gives her money.]
NURSE.
[Aside.] Gold, by the maakins!—[Aloud.] Your honour’s goodness is too great. Alas! all I can boast of is, I gave her pure and good milk, and so your honour would have said, an you had seen how the poor thing thrived, and how it would look up in my face, and crow and laugh, it would.
MISS HOYDEN.
[To NURSE, taking her angrily aside.] Pray, one word with you. Pr’ythee, nurse, don’t stand ripping up old stories, to make one ashamed before one’s love. Do you think such a fine proper gentleman as he is cares for a fiddlecome tale of a child? If you have a mind to make him have a good opinion of a woman, don’t tell him what one did then, tell him what one can do now.—[To Tom FASHION.] I hope your honour will excuse my mis-manners to whisper before you. It was only to give some orders about the family.
TOM FASHION.
Oh, everything, madam, is to give way to business; besides, good housewifery is a very commendable quality in a young lady.
MISS HOYDEN.
Pray, sir, are young ladies good housewives at London-town? Do they darn their own linen?
TOM FASHION.
Oh no, they study how to spend money, not to save.
MISS HOYDEN.
Ecod, I don’t know but that may be better sport, eh, nurse?
TOM FASHION.
Well, you have your choice, when you come there.
MISS HOYDEN.
Shall I? then, by my troth, I’ll get there as fast as I can.—[To NURSE.] His honour desires you’ll be so kind as to let us be married tomorrow.
NURSE.
Tomorrow, my dear madam?