The Busie Body | Page 5

Susanna Centlivre
ought I know, for I never spoke to her, but you can
inform me; I am charm'd by the Wit of One, and dye for the Beauty of
the Other?
_Cha._ And pray, which are you in Quest of now?
Sir _Geo._ I prefer the Sensual Pleasure, I'm for her I've seen, who is
thy Father's Ward Miranda.
_Cha._ Nay then, I pity you; for the Jew my Father will no more part
with her, and 30000 Pound, than he wou'd with a Guinea to keep me
from starving.
Sir _Geo._ Now you see Gold can't do every thing, Charles.
_Cha._ Yes, for 'tis her Gold that bars my Father's Gate against you.
Sir _Geo._ Why, if he is this avaricious Wretch, how cam'st thou by
such a Liberal Education?
_Cha._ Not a Souse out of his Pocket, I assure you; I had an Uncle who
defray'd that Charge, but for some litte Wildnesses of Youth, tho' he
made me his Heir, left Dad my Guardian till I came to Years of
Discretion, which I presume the old Gentleman will never think I am;
and now he has got the Estate into his Clutches, it does me no more
good, than if it lay in _Prester John_'s Dominions.
Sir _Geo._ What can'st thou find no Stratagem to redeem it?
_Cha._ I have made many Essays to no purpose; tho' Want, the
Mistress of Invention, still tempts me on, yet still the old Fox is too
cunning for me--I am upon my last Project, which if it fails, then for
my last Refuge, a Brown Musquet.

Sir _Geo._ What is't, can I assist thee?
_Cha._ Not yet, when you can, I have Confidence enough in you to ask
it.
Sir _Geo._ I am always ready, but what do's he intend to do with
_Miranda?_ Is she to be sold in private? or will he put her up by way of
Auction, at who bids most? If so, Egad, I'm for him: my Gold, as you
say, shall be subservient to my Pleasure.
_Cha._ To deal ingeniously with you, Sir George, I know very little of
Her, or Home; for since my Uncle's Death, and my Return from Travel,
I have never been well with my Father; he thinks my Expences too
great, and I his Allowance too little; he never sees me, but he quarrels;
and to avoid that, I shun his House as much as possible. The Report is,
he intends to marry her himself.
Sir _Geo._ Can she consent to it?
_Cha._ Yes faith, so they say; but I tell you, I am wholly ignorant of
the matter. Miranda and I are like two violent Members of a contrary
Party, I can scarce allow her Beauty, tho' all the World do's; nor she me
Civility, for that Contempt, I fancy she plays the Mother-in-law already,
and sets the old Gentleman on to do mischief.
Sir _Geo._ Then I've your free Consent to get her.
_Cha._ Ay and my helping-hand, if occasion be.
Sir _Geo._ Pugh, yonder's a Fool coming this way, let's avoid him.
_Cha._ What Marplot, no no, he's my Instrument; there's a thousand
Conveniences in him, he'll lend me his Money when he has any, run of
my Errands and be proud on't; in short, he'll Pimp for me, Lye for me,
Drink for me, do any thing but Fight for me, and that I trust to my own
Arm for.
Sir _Geo._ Nay then he's to be endur'd; I never knew his Qualifications

before.
_Enter Marplot with a Patch cross his Face._
_Marpl._ Dear Charles, your's,--Ha! Sir George Airy, the Man in the
World, I have an Ambition to be known to (aside.) Give me thy Hand,
dear Boy--
_Cha._ A good Assurance! But heark ye, how came your Beautiful
Countenance clouded in the wrong place?
_Marpl._ I must confess 'tis a little _Mal-a-propos_, but no matter for
that; a Word with you, _Charles_; Prithee, introduce me to Sir
_George_--he is a Man of Wit, and I'd give ten Guinea's to--
_Cha._ When you have 'em, you mean.
_Marpl._ Ay, when I have 'em; pugh, pox, you cut the Thread of my
Discourse--I wou'd give ten Guinea's, I say, to be rank'd in his
Acquaintance: Well, 'tis a vast Addition to a Man's Fortune, according
to the Rout of the World, to be seen in the Company of Leading Men;
for then we are all thought to be Politicians, or Whigs, or Jacks, or
High-Flyers, or Low-Flyers, or Levellers--and so forth; for you must
know, we all herd in Parties now.
_Cha._ Then a Fool for Diversion is out of Fashion, I find.
_Marpl._ Yes, without it be a mimicking Fool, and they are Darlings
every where; but prithee introduce me.
_Cha._ Well, on Condition you'll give us
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