Gripe. [Aside.] My enemies are many, and I shall be a scandal to the faithful, as a laughing-stock to the wicked.—[Aloud.] Go, prepare your engines for my persecution; I'll give you the best security I can.
Land. The instruments are drawing in the other room, if you please to go thither.
Mrs. Cros. Indeed, now I consider, a portion will do my daughter more good than his death. That would but publish her shame; money will cover it—probatum est, as they say. Let me tell you, sir, 'tis a charitable thing to give a young maid a portion. [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.—Lydia's Lodging.
Enter Lydia and Lady Flippant, attended by Leonore.
Lyd. 'Tis as hard for a woman to conceal her indignation from her apostate lover, as to conceal her love from her faithful servant.
L. Flip. Or almost as hard as it is for the prating fellows now-a-days to conceal the favours of obliging ladies.
Lyd. If Ranger should come up, (I saw him just now in the street,) the discovery of my anger to him now would be as mean as the discovery of my love to him before.
L. Flip. Though I did so mean a thing as to love a fellow, I would not do so mean a thing as to confess it, certainly, by my trouble to part with him. If I confessed love, it should be before they left me.
Lyd. So you would deserve to be left, before you were. But could you ever do so mean a thing as to confess love to any?