_Mrs. F._ What is his import? Whereto tends his Speech? [_Aside_. Of whom, or what, should she be jealous, sir?
_Selby_. I do not know, but women have their fancies; And underneath a cold indifference, Or show of some distaste, husbands have mask'd A growing fondness for a female friend, Which the wife's eye was sharp enough to see, Before the friend had wit to find it out. You do not quit us soon?
_Mrs. F._ 'Tis as I find; Your Katherine profits by my lessons, sir.-- Means this man honest? Is there no deceit? [_Aside._
_Selby_. She cannot choose.--Well, well, I have been thinking, And if the matter were to do again--
_Selby._ This idle bond of wedlock; These sour-sweet briars, fetters of harsh silk; I might have made, I do not say a better, But a more fit choice in a wife.
_Mrs. F._ The parch'd ground, In hottest Julys, drinks not in the showers More greedily than I his words! [_Aside_.
_Selby_. My humor Is to be frank and jovial; and that man Affects me best, who most reflects me in My most free temper.
_Mrs. F._ Were you free to choose, As jestingly I'll put the supposition, Without a thought reflecting on your Katherine, What sort of Woman would you make your choice?
_Selby_. I like your humor and will meet your jest. She should be one about my Katherine's age; But not so old, by some ten years, in gravity, One that would meet my mirth, sometimes outrun it: No muling, pining moppet, as you said, Nor moping maid that I must still be teaching The freedoms of a wife all her life after: But one that, having worn the chain before, (And worn it lightly, as report gave out,) Enfranchised from it by her poor fool's death, Took it not so to heart that I need dread To die myself, for fear a second time To wet a widow's eye.
_Mrs. F._ Some widows, sir, Hearing you talk so wildly, would be apt To put strange misconstruction on your words, As aiming at a Turkish liberty, Where the free husband hath his several mates, His Penseroso, his Allegro wife, To suit his sober or his frolic fit.
_Mrs. F._ As one, In European customs bred, must judge. Had I Been born a native of the liberal East, I might have thought as they do. Yet I knew A married man that took a second wife, And (the man's circumstances duly weigh'd, With all their bearings) the considerate world Nor much approved, nor much condemn'd the deed.
