The greatness that would make us grave Is but an empty thing; What more than mirth would mortals have? 330 SCENE VII. LUCINDA, HODGE. Luc. Hist, hist, Hodge! Hodge. Who calls? here am I. Luc. Well, have you been? Hodge. Been, ay I ha' been far enough, an that be all: you never knew any thing fall out so crossly in your born days. Luc. Why, what's the matter? Hodge. Why you know, I dare not take a horse out of his worship's stables this morning, for fear it should be missed, and breed questions; and our old nag at home was so cruelly beat i'th'hoofs, that, poor beast, it had not a foot to set to ground; so I was fain to go to farmer Ploughshare's, at the Grange, to borrow the loan of his bald filly: and, would you think it? after walking all that way-de'el from me, if the cross-grained toad did not deny me the fa vour. Luc. Unlucky! Hodge. Well, then I went my ways to the King'shead in the village, but all their cattle were at plough: and I was as far to seek below at the turnpike: so at last, for want of a better, I was forced to take up with dame Quickset's blind mare. Luc. Oh, then you have been? Hodge. Yes, yes, I ha' been. 353 Luc. Psha! Why did not you say so at once? Hodge. Aye, but I have had a main tiresome jaunt on't, for she is a sorry jade at best. Luc. Well, well, did you see Mr. Eustace, and what did he say to you?-Come, quick-have you e'er a letter? 362 Hodge. Yes, he gave me a letter, if I ha'na lost it. Luc. Lost it, man! Hodge. Nay, nay, have a bit of patience: adwawns, you are always in such a hurry [rummaging his pockets] I put it somewhere in this waistcoat pocket. Oh here it is. Luc. So, give it me. [reads the letter to herself.] Hodge. Lord-a-mercy! how my arm achs with beating that plaguy beast; I'll be hang'd if I won'na rather ha' thrash'd half a day, than ha' ridden her. Luc. Well, Hodge, you have done your business very well. Hodge. Well, have not I now? Luc. Yes-Mr. Eustace tells me in this letter, that he will be in the green lane, at the other end of the village, by twelve o'clock-You know where he came before. 380 Hodge. Ay, ay. Luc. Well, you must go there; and wait till he arrives, and watch your opportunity to introduce him, across the fields, into the little summer-house, on the left side of the garden. Hodge. That's enough. Luc. But take particular care that nobody sees you. Hodge. I warrant you. Luc. Nor for your life, drop a word of it to any mortal. Hodge. Never fear me. AIR. Hodge. Well, well, say no more; I see the full length of my teather; That I need go to school? I can spell you and put you together. A word to the wise, Will always suffice; Addsniggers go talk to your parrot; I'm not such an elfe, Though I say it myself, But I know a sheep's head from a carrot. 39° 400 C SCENE VIII. LUCINDA. How severe is my case! Here I am obliged to carry on a clandestine correspondence with a man in all respects my equal, because the oddity of my father'stem per is such, that I dare not tell him I have ever yet seen the person I should like to marry-But perhaps he has quality in his eye, and hopes, one day or other, as I am his only child, to match me with a title-vain imagination! AIR. Cupid, God of soft persuasion, Justly those we tyrants call, Those, who would enslave the mind. What is grandeur ? foe to rest, Childish mummery at best. Happy I in humble state ; Catch, ye fools, the glittering bait. 420 SCENE IX. A field with a stile. Enter HODGE, followed by MARGERY; and, some time after, enter YOUNG MEA DOWS. Hodge. What does the wench follow me for? Odds flesh, folk may well talk, to see you dangling after me every where, like a tantony pig: find some other road, can't you; and don't keep wherreting me with your nonsense. Mar. Nay, pray you, Hodge, stay, and let me speak to you a bit. Hodge. Well; what sayn you? 431 Mar. Dear heart, how can you be so barbarous ? and is this the way you serve me after all; and won't you keep your word, Hodge? Hodge. Why no I won't, I tell you; I have chang'd my mind. Mar. Nay but surely, surely-Consider Hodge, you are obligated in conscience to make me an honest 440 woman. Hodge. Obligated in conscience! How am I obligated? Mar. Because you are; and none but the basest of rogues would bring a poor girl to shame, and afterterwards leave her to the wide world. |