Lady Fid. Ay, he’s a base fellow for’t. But affectation makes not a woman more odious to them than virtue.

Horn. Because your virtue is your greatest affectation, madam.

Lady Fid. How, you saucy fellow! would you wrong my honour?

Horn. If I could.

Lady Fid. How d’ye mean, sir?

Sir Jasp. Ha! ha! ha! no, he can’t wrong your ladyship’s honour, upon my honour. He, poor man—hark you in your ear—a mere eunuch.

[Whispers.

Lady Fid. O filthy French beast! foh! foh! why do we stay? let’s be gone: I can’t endure the sight of him.

Sir Jasp. Stay but till the chairs come; they’ll be here presently.

Lady Fid. No.

Sir Jasp. Nor can I stay longer. ’Tis, let me see, a quarter and half quarter of a minute past eleven. The council will be sat; I must away. Business must be preferred always before love and ceremony with the wise, Mr. Horner.

Horn. And the impotent, Sir Jasper.

Sir Jasp. Ay, ay, the impotent, Master Horner; hah! hah! hah!

Lady Fid. What, leave us with a filthy man alone in his lodgings?

Sir Jasp. He’s an innocent man now, you know. Pray stay, I’ll hasten the chairs to you.—Mr. Horner, your servant; I should be glad to see you at my house. Pray come and dine with me, and play at cards with my wife after dinner; you are fit for women at that game yet, ha! ha!—[Aside.] ’Tis as much a husband’s prudence to provide innocent diversion for a wife as to hinder her unlawful pleasures; and he had better employ her than let her employ herself.—[Aloud.] Farewell.

Horn. Your servant, Sir Jasper.

[Exit Sir Jasper.

Lady Fid. I will not stay with him, foh!—

Horn. Nay, madam, I beseech you stay, if it be but to see I can be as civil to ladies yet as they would desire.

Lady Fid. No, no, foh! you cannot be civil to ladies.

Mrs. Dain. You as civil as ladies would desire?

Lady Fid. No, no, no, foh! foh! foh!

[Exeunt Lady Fidget and Mrs. Dainty Fidget.

Quack. Now, I think, I, or you yourself, rather, have done your business with the women.