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SCENE II] LOVE FOR LOVE 211
Tat. And bid me ask Valentine?
Vol. What did I say? I hope you won't bring me to confess
an answer, when you never asked me the question?
Tat. But, gentlemen, this is the most inhuman proceeding—
Val. Nay, if you have known Scandal thus long, and cannot
avoid such a palpable decoy as this was, the ladies have
a fine time whose reputations are in your keeping.
Re-enter JEREMY.
Jer. Sir, Mrs. Frail has sent to know if you are stirring.
Val. Show her up when she comes. [Exlt JEREMY.
Tat. I'll be gone.
Val. You'll meet her.
Tat. Is there not a back way?
Val. If there were, you have more discretion than to
give Scandal such an advantage; why, your running away
will prove all that he can tell her.
Tat. Scandal, you will not be so ungenerous?—Oh. I shall
lose my reputation of secrecy for ever!—I shall never be
received but upon public days; and my visits will never be
admitted beyond a drawing-room: I shall never see a bedchamber
again, never be locked in a closet, nor run behind
a screen, or under a table; never be distinguished amonrr the
waiting-women by the name of trusty Mr. Tattle more.—
You will not be so cruel.
Val. Scandal, have pity on him; he'll yield to any conditions.
Tat. Any, any terms.
Scan. Come, then, sacrifice half-a-dozen women of eood
reputation to me presently.—Come, where are you familiar?
—and see that they are women of quality too, the first
quality.
Tat. Tis very hard.—Won't a baronet's lady pass?
Scan. No, nothing under a right honourable.
Tat. O inhuman! you don't expect their names?
Scan. No, their titles shall serve.
Tat. Alas! that's the same thing: pray spare me their
titles; I'll describe their persons.
Scan. Well, begin then: but take notice, if you are so ill
a painter, that I cannot know the person by your picture of
her, you must be condemned, like other bad painters, to
write the name at the bottom.