No tender words his heart allure; My tongue thro' spite Some plague bewitch'd me, that's for sure. SCENE V. Changes to a Room in the Miller's House. Enter GILES, followed by PATTY and THEODOSIA. "AIR. "Giles. Women's tongues are like mill-clappers, “And from thence they learn the knack, "Of forever-sounding clack." 259 Giles. Why, what the plague's the matter with you, what do you scold at me for? I am sure I did not say un uncivil word, as I do know of: I'll be judged by the young lady if I did. Pat. 'Tis very well, farmer; all I desire is, that you will leave the house: you see my father is not at home at present; when he is, if you have any thing to say, you know where to come. 260 Giles. Enough said, I don't want to stay in the house, not I; and I don't much care if I had never come into it, The. For shame, farmer, down on your knees and beg Miss Fairfield's pardon for the outrage you have been guilty of. Giles. Beg pardon, miss, for what?-Icod that's well enough; why I am my own master, be'nt I ?— If I have no mind to marry, there's no harm in that, I hope 'tis only changing hands.-This morning she would not have me; and now I won't have she. 272 : Pat. Have you!-Heavens and earth! do you think then 'tis the missing of you that gives me concern?-No: I would prefer a state of beggary a thousand times beyond any thing I could enjoy with you: and be assured, if ever I was seemingly consenting to such a sacrifice, nothing should have compelled me to it, but the cruelty of my situation. Giles. Oh, as for that, I believes you; but you see the gudgeon would not bite as I told you a bit agone you know: we farmers never love to reap what we don't sow. 283 Pat. You brutish fellow, how dare you talkGiles. So, now she's in her tantrums again, and all for no manner of yearthly thing. Pat. But be assured my lord will punish you se verely for daring to make free with his name. Giles. Who made free with it; did I ever mention my lord? 'Tis a cursed lie. Theo. Bless me! farmer! 291 Giles. Why it is, miss-and I'll make her prove her words- Then what does she mean by being punished? I am not afraid of nobody, nor beholding to nobody, that I know of; while I pays my rent, my money, I believe, is as good as another's: egad, if it goes there, I think there be those deserve to be punished more than I. Pat. Was ever unfortunate creature pursued as I am, by distresses and vexations! 300 The. My dear Patty-See, farmer, you have thrown her into tears-Pray be comforted. AIR. Patty. Oh leave me, in pity! The falshood I scorn ; But rudeness and insult are not to be borne, Of woman defenceless, how cruel the fate! And innocence falls to their fury à prey. 310 SCENE VI. MERVIN, THEODOSIA. The. You are a pretty gentleman, are not you, to suffer a lady to be at a rendezvous before you ? Mer. Difficulties, my dear, and dangers-None of the company had two suits of apparel; so I was obliged to purchase a rag of one, and a tatter from another, at the expence of ten times the sum they would fetch at the paper-mill. The. Well, where are they? Mer. Here, in this bundle 318 -and tho' I say it, a very decent habiliment, if you have art enough to stick the parts together: I've been watching till the coast was clear to bring them to you. The. Let me see -I'll slip into this closet and equip myself—All here is in such confusion, there will no notice be taken. Mer. Do so; I'll take care nobody shall interrupt you in the progress of your metamorphosis [she goes in-and if you are not tedious, we may walk off without being seen by any one. 329 The. Ha! ha! ha! -What a concourse of atoms are here? tho', as I live, they are a great deal better than I expected. Mer. Well, pray make haste; and don't imagine yourself at your toilette now, where mode prescribes two hours, for what reason would scarce allow three minutes. The. Have patience; the outward garment is on already; and I'll assure you a very good stuff, only a little the worse for the mending. 839 Mer. Imagine it embroidery, and consider it is your wedding-suit. -Come, how far are you got? The. Stay, you don't consider there's some contrivance necessary.- -Here goes the apron flounced and furbelow'd with a witness-Alas! alas! it has no strings! what shall I do? Come, no matter, a couple of pins will serve-And now the cap-oh, mercy! here's a hole in the crown of it large enough to 1. thrust my head through. Mer. That you'll hide with your straw-hat; or, if you should not—— -What, not ready yet? 350 The. Only one minute more-Yes, now the work's accomplish'd. AIR. Who'll buy good luck, who'll buy, who'll buy The gipsey's favours ? -Here am I! Through the village, through the town, Young and old, and grave, and gay, SCENE VII. MERVIN, THEODOSIA, FAIRFIELD, GILES. 360 Fai. As to the past, farmer, 'tis past; I bear no malice for any thing thou hast said. I |