d silence for a
penance.

_Gom._ A novice, quotha! you would make a novice of me, too, if you
could. But what was his business here? answer me that, gentlewoman,
answer me that.

_Elv._ What should it be, but to give me some spiritual instructions.

_Gom._ Very good; and you are like to edify much from a dumb preacher.
This will not pass, I must examine the contents of him a little
closer.--O thou confessor, confess who thou art, or thou art no friar
of this world!--[_He comes to_ LORENZO, _who struggles with him; his
Habit flies open, and discovers a Sword;_ GOMEZ _starts back._]--As I
live, this is a manifest member of the church militant.

_Lor._ [_Aside._] I am discovered; now, impudence be my refuge.--Yes,
faith, 'tis I, honest Gomez; thou seest I use thee like a friend; this
is a familiar visit.

_Gom._ What! colonel Hernando turned a friar! who could have suspected
you of so much godliness?

_Lor._ Even as thou seest, I make bold here.

_Gom._ A very frank manner of proceeding; but I do not wonder at your
visit, after so friendly an invitation as I made you. Marry, I hope
you will excuse the blunderbusses for not being in readiness to salute
you; but let me know your hour, and all shall be mended another time.

_Lor._ Hang it, I hate such ripping up of old unkindness: I was upon
the frolic this evening, and came to visit thee in masquerade.

_Gom._ Very likely; and not finding me at home, you were forced to toy
away an hour with my wife, or so.

_Lor._ Right; thou speak'st my very soul.

_Gom._ Why, am not I a friend, then, to help thee out? you would have
been fumbling half an hour for this excuse. But, as I remember, you
promised to storm my citadel, and bring your regiment of red locusts
upon me for free quarters: I find, colonel, by your habit, there are
black locusts in the world, as well as red.

_Elv._ When comes my share of the reckoning to be called for?
[_Aside._

_Lor._ Give me thy hand; thou art the honestest, kind man!--I was
resolved I would not out of thy house till I had seen thee.

_Gom._ No, in my conscience, if I had staid abroad till midnight. But,
colonel, you and I shall talk in another tone hereafter; I mean, in
cold friendship, at a bar before a judge, by the way of plaintiff and
defendant. Your excuses want some grains to make them current: Hum,
and ha, will not do the business.--There's a modest lady of your
a