ND. He, he, he, wilt thou, poor fool? Then I will go, I won't be
dealous. Poor Cocky, kiss Nykin, kiss Nykin, ee, ee, ee. Here will be
the good man anon, to talk to Cocky and teach her how a wife ought to
behave herself.

LAET. [_Aside_.] I hope to have one that will show me how a husband
ought to behave himself. I shall be glad to learn, to please my jewel.
[_Kiss_.]

FOND. That's my good dear. Come, kiss Nykin once more, and then get you
in. So--get you in, get you in. Bye, bye.

LAET. Bye, Nykin.

FOND. Bye, Cocky.

LAET. Bye, Nykin.

FOND. Bye, Cocky, bye, bye.

SCENE V.

VAINLOVE, SHARPER.

SHARP. How! Araminta lost!

VAIN. To confirm what I have said, read this. [_Gives a letter_.]

SHARP. [_Reads_.] Hum, hum! And what then appeared a fault, upon
reflection seems only an effect of a too powerful passion. I'm afraid I
give too great a proof of my own at this time. I am in disorder for what
I have written. But something, I know not what, forced me. I only beg a
favourable censure of this and your ARAMINTA.

SHARP. Lost! Pray heaven thou hast not lost thy wits. Here, here,
she's thy own, man, signed and sealed too. To her, man--a delicious
melon, pure and consenting ripe, and only waits thy cutting up: she has
been breeding love to thee all this while, and just now she's delivered
of it.

VAIN. 'Tis an untimely fruit, and she has miscarried of her love.

SHARP. Never leave this damned ill-natured whimsey, Frank? Thou hast a
sickly, peevish appetite; only chew love and cannot digest it.

VAIN. Yes, when I feed myself. But I hate to be crammed. By heaven,
there's not a woman will give a man the pleasure of a chase: my sport is
always balked or cut short. I stumble over the game I would pursue. 'Tis
dull and unnatural to have a hare run full in the hounds' mouth, and
would distaste the keenest hunter. I would have overtaken, not have met,
my game.

SHARP. However, I hope you don't mean to forsake it; that will be but a
kind of mongrel cur's trick. Well, are you for the Mall?

VAIN. No; she will be there this evening. Yes, I will go too, and she
shall see her error in--

SHARP. In her choice, I-gad. But thou canst not be so great a brute as
to slight her.

VAIN. I should disappoint her if I did not. By her management I should
think she expects it.

All naturally fly what does pursue:
'Tis fit men should be coy when women woo.

SCENE VI