Mrs. Pinch. Ay, I warrant you.

Pinch. Why, you do not, I hope?

Mrs. Pinch. No, no, bud. But why have we no playermen in the country?

Pinch. Ha!—Mrs. Minx, ask me no more to go to a play.

Mrs. Pinch. Nay, why, love? I did not care for going: but when you forbid me, you make me, as ’twere, desire it.

Alith. So ’twill be in other things, I warrant.

[Aside.

Mrs. Pinch. Pray let me go to a play, dear.

Pinch. Hold your peace, I wo’ not.

Mrs. Pinch. Why, love?

Pinch. Why, I’ll tell you.

Alith. Nay, if he tell her, she’ll give him more cause to forbid her that place.

[Aside.

Mrs. Pinch. Pray why, dear?

Pinch. First, you like the actors; and the gallants may like you.

Mrs. Pinch. What, a homely country girl! No, bud, nobody will like me.

Pinch. I tell you yes, they may.

Mrs. Pinch. No, no, you jest—I won’t believe you: I will go.

Pinch. I tell you then, that one of the lewdest fellows in town, who saw you there, told me he was in love with you.

Mrs. Pinch. Indeed! who, who, pray who was’t?

Pinch. I’ve gone too far, and slipped before I was aware; how overjoyed she is!

[Aside.

Mrs. Pinch. Was it any Hampshire gallant, any of our neighbours? I promise you, I am beholden to him.

Pinch. I promise you, you lie; for he would but ruin you, as he has done hundreds. He has no other love for women but that; such as he look upon women, like basilisks, but to destroy ’em.

Mrs. Pinch. Ay, but if he loves me, why should he ruin me? answer me to that. Methinks he should not, I would do him no harm.

Alith. Ha! ha! ha!

Pinch. ’Tis very well; but I’ll keep him from doing you any harm, or me either. But here comes company; get you in. get you in.