cquaintance, she has so much grace to make none at all, but silently
to confess the power of dame Nature working in her body to youthful
appetite.

_Elv._ How he got in I know not, unless it were by virtue of his
habit.

_Gom._ Ay, ay, the virtues of that habit are known abundantly.

_Elv._ I could not hinder his entrance, for he took me unprovided.

_Gom._ To resist him.

_Elv._ I'm sure he has not been here above a quarter of an hour.

_Gom._ And a quarter of that time would have served the turn. O thou
epitome of thy virtuous sex! Madam Messalina the second, retire to thy
apartment: I have an assignation there to make with thee.

_Elv._ I am all obedience. [_Exit_ ELVIRA.

_Lor._ I find, Gomez, you are not the man I thought you. We may meet
before we come to the bar, we may; and our differences may be decided
by other weapons than by lawyers' tongues. In the mean time, no ill
treatment of your wife, as you hope to die a natural death, and go to
hell in your bed. Bilbo is the word, remember that and tremble.--
[_He's going out._

_Enter_ DOMINICK.

_Dom._ Where is this naughty couple? where are you, in the name of
goodness? My mind misgave me, and I durst trust you no longer with
yourselves: Here will be fine work, I'm afraid, at your next
confession.

_Lor._ [_Aside._] The devil is punctual, I see; he has paid me the
shame he owed me; and now the friar is coming in for his part too.

_Dom._ [_Seeing_ GOM.] Bless my eyes! what do I see?

_Gom._ Why, you see a cuckold of this honest gentleman's making; I
thank him for his pains.

_Dom._ I confess, I am astonished!

_Gom._ What, at a cuckoldom of your own contrivance! your head-piece,
and his limbs, have done my business. Nay, do not look so strangely;
remember your own words,--Here will be fine work at your next
confession. What naughty couple were they whom you durst not trust
together any longer?--when the hypocritical rogue had trusted them a
full quarter of an hour;--and, by the way, horns will sprout in less
time than mushrooms.

_Dom._ Beware how you accuse one of my order upon light suspicions.
The naughty couple, that I meant, were your wife and you, whom I left
together with great animosities on both sides. Now, that was the
occasion,--mark me, Gomez,--that I thought it convenient to return
again, and not to trust your enraged spirits too long together. You
m