TATTLE, MISS PRUE.

MISS. O Lord, she's coming, and she'll tell my father; what shall I
do now?

TATT. Pox take her; if she had stayed two minutes longer, I should
have wished for her coming.

MISS. O dear, what shall I say? Tell me, Mr Tattle, tell me a lie.

TATT. There's no occasion for a lie; I could never tell a lie to no
purpose. But since we have done nothing, we must say nothing, I
think. I hear her,--I'll leave you together, and come off as you
can. [Thrusts her in, and shuts the door.]


SCENE III.


TATTLE, VALENTINE, SCANDAL, ANGELICA.

ANG. You can't accuse me of inconstancy; I never told you that I
loved you.

VAL. But I can accuse you of uncertainty, for not telling me
whether you did or not.

ANG. You mistake indifference for uncertainty; I never had concern
enough to ask myself the question.