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I fear you are a rogue。
Sir Wil。 O no！
W。 Green。 You are！
Sir Wil。 No； on my honour！ Would you like to hear
The story of the ring？
W。 Green。 Muchvery much。
Sir Wil。 Think'st we may venture draw our chairs apart
A little more from Master Waller？
W。 Green。 Yes。
He'll bring it to a scene！ Deardear Sir William；
How much I am obliged to him！ A scene！
Gods； we shall have a scene！Good Master Waller；
Your leave I pray you for a minute； while
Sir William says a word or two to me。 …
He durst not trust his tongue for jealousy！＇Aside。＇
Now； dear Sir William！
Sir Wil。 You must promise me
You will not think me vain。
W。 Green。 No fear of that。
Sir Wil。 Nor given to boast。
W。 Green。 O！ dear Sir William！
Sir Wil。 Nor
A flirt！
W。 Green。 O！ who would take you for a flirt？
Sir Wil。 How very kind you are！
W。 Green。 Go on； Sir William。
Sir Wil。 Upon my life； I fear you'll think me vain！
I'm covered with confusion at the thought
Of what I've done。 'Twas very； very wrong
To promise you the story of the ring；
Men should not talk of such things。
W。 Green。 Such as what？
As ladies' favours？
Sir Wil。 'Pon my life； I feel
As I were like to sink into the earth。
W。 Green。 A lady then it was gave you the ring？
Sir Wil。 Don't ask me to say yes； but only scan
The inside of the ring。How much she's moved。 ＇Aside。＇
Wal。 They to each other company enough！
I； company for no one but myself。
I'll take my leave； nor trouble them to pay
The compliments of parting。 Lydia！ Lydia！
＇Goes out。＇
W。 Green。 What's here？ 〃Eliza！〃 So it was a lady！ …
How wondrously does Master Waller bear it！
He surely will not hold much longer out。＇Aside。＇
Sir William！ Nay； look up！ What cause to cast
Your eyes upon the ground？ What an it were
A lady？
Sir Wil。 You're not angry？
W。 Green。 No！
Sir Wil。 She is。
I'll take the tone she speaks in 'gainst the word；
For fifty crowns。I have not told you all
About the ring； though I would sooner die
Than play the braggart！yet； as truth is truth；
And told by halves； may from a simple thing；
By misconstruction； to a monster grow；
I'll tell the whole truth！
W。 Green。 Dear Sir William； do！
Sir Wil。 The lady was a maid； and very young；
Nor there in justice to her must I stop；
But say that she was beautiful as young；
And add to that that she was learned too；
Almost enough to win for her that title；
Our sex； in poor conceit of their own merits；
And narrow spirit of monopoly；
And jealousy； which gallantry eschews；
Do give to women who assert their right
To minds as well as we。
W。 Green。 What！ a blue…stocking？
Sir Wil。 I seeshe'll come to calling names at last。＇Aside。＇
I should offend myself to quote the term。
But； to return； for yet I have not done；
And further yet may go； then progress on
That she was young； that she was beautiful。
A wit and learned are naught to what's to come …
She had a heart！ …
W。 Green。 ＇Who during SIR WILLIAM'S speech has turned gradually。＇
What； Master Waller gone！ ＇Aside。＇
Sir Wil。 I say she had a heart …
W。 Green。 ＇Starting upSIR WILLIAM also。＇ A plague upon her！
Sir Wil。 I knew she would break out！ ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 Here； take the ring。 It has ruined me！
Sir Wil。 I vow thou hast no cause
For anger！
W。 Green。 Have I not？ I am undone；
And all about that bauble of a ring。
Sir Wil。 You're right； it is a bauble。
W。 Green。 And the minx
That gave it thee！
Sir Wil。 You're right； she was a minx。
I knew she'd come to calling names at last。 ＇Aside。＇
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove； leave me。
Sir Wil。 Widow Green！ …
W。 Green。 You have undone me； sir！
Sir Wil。 Don't say so！ Don't！
It was a girla child gave me the ring！
W。 Green。 Do you hear me； sir？ I bade you leave me。
Sir Wil。 If
I thought you were so jealous …
W。 Green。 Jealous； sir！
Sir William！ quit my house。
Sir Wil。 A little girl
To make you jealous！
W。 Green。 Sir； you'll drive me mad！
Sir Wil。 A child； a perfect child； not ten years old！
W。 Green。 Sir； I would be alone； sir！
Sir Wil。 Young enough
To dandle still her doll！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！
W。 Green。 I hate you； sir！ Detest you！ Never wish
To see you more！ You have ruined me！ Undone me！
A blighted life I wear； and all through you！
The fairest hopes that ever woman nourished；
You've cankered in the very blowing！ bloom
And sweet destroyed； and nothing left me； but
The melancholy stem。
Sir Wil。 And all about
A little slut I gave a rattle to！ …
Would pester me for gingerbread and comfits！ …
A little roguish feigning！ A love…trick
I played to prove your love！
W。 Green。 Sir William Fondlove！
If of my own house you'll not suffer me
To be the mistress； I will leave it to you！
Sir Wil。 Dear Widow Green！ The ring …
W。 Green。 Confound the ring；
The donor of it； thee； and everything！
＇Goes out。＇
Sir Wil。 She is over head and ears in love with me！
She's mad with love！ There's love and all its signs！
She's jealous of me unto very death！
Poor Widow Green！ I warrant she is now
In tears！ I think I hear her sob！ Poor thing！
Sir William！ Oh； Sir William！ You have raised
A furious tempest！ Set your wits to work
To turn it to a calm。 No question that
She loves me！ None then that she'll take me！ So
I'll have the marriage settlements made out
To…morrow； and a special licence got；
And marry her the next day！ I will make
Quick work of it； and take her by surprise！
Who but a widower a widow's match？
What could she see with else but partial eyes
To guess me only forty？ I'm a wonder！
What shall I pass for in my wedding suit？
I vow I am a puzzle to myself；
As well as all the world besides。 Odd's life！
To win the heart of buxom Widow Green！
＇Goes out。＇
＇WIDOW GREEN re…enters with LYDIA。＇
W。 Green。 At last the dotard's gone！ Fly； Lydia； fly；
This letter bear to Master Waller straight；
Quick； quick； or I'm undone！ He is abused；
And I must undeceive himown my love；
And heart and hand at his disposal lay。
Answer me not； my girlobey me！ Fly。
＇Goes out。＇
Lydia。 Untowardly it falls！I had resolved
This hour to tell her I must quit her service！
Go to his house！ I will not disobey
Her last commands！I'll leave it at the door；
And as it closes on me think I take
One more adieu of him！ Hard destiny！
＇Goes out。＇
SCENE II。A Room in Sir William's。
＇Enter CONSTANCE。＇
Con。 The booby！ He must fall in love； indeed！
And now he's naught but sentimental looks
And sentences； pronounced 'twixt breath and voice！
And attitudes of tender languishment！
Nor can I get from him the name of her
Hath turned him from a stock into a fool。
He hems and haws； now titters； now looks grave！
Begins to speak and halts！ takes off his eyes
To fall in contemplation on a chair；
A table； or the ceiling； wall； or floor！
I'll plague him worse and worse！ O； here he comes！
＇Enter WILDRAKE。＇
Wild。 Despite her spiteful usage I'm resolved
To tell her now。 Dear neighbour Constance！
Con。 Fool！
Accost me like a lady； sir！ I hate
The name of neighbour！