The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Ii Part 82

_Fil_. He follows her close, whoe'er they be: I see this trade of Love goes forward still.

_Gal_. And will whilst there's difference in s.e.xes. But, _Harry_, the Women, the delicate Women I was speaking of?

_Fil_. Prithee tell me no more of thy fine Women, _Frank_; thou hast not been in _Rome_ above a Month, and thou'ast been a dozen times in love, as thou call's! it; to me there is no pleasure like Constancy.

_Gal_. Constancy! and wou'dst thou have me one of those dull Lovers, who believe it their Duty to love a Woman 'till her Hair and Eyes change Colour, for fear of the scandalous Name of an Inconstant? No, my Pa.s.sion, like great Victors, hates the lazy stay; but having vanquisht, prepares for new Conquests.

_Fil_. Which you gain as they do Towns by Fire, lose 'em even in the taking; thou wo't grow penitent, and weary of these dangerous Follys.

_Gal_. But I am yet too young for both: Let old Age and Infirmity bring Repentance,--there's her feeble Province, and even then too we find no plague like being deprived of dear Woman-kind.

_Fil_. I hate playing about a Flame that will consume me.

_Gal_. Away with your antiquated Notions, and let's once hear sense from thee: Examine but the whole World, _Harry_, and thou wilt find a beautiful Woman the Desire of the n.o.blest, and the Reward of the bravest.

_Fil_. And the common Prize of c.o.xcombs: Times are alter'd now, _Frank_; why else shou'd the Virtuous be cornuted, the Coward be caress'd, the Villain roll with six, and the Fool lie with her Ladyship?

_Gal_. Mere accident, Sir; and the kindness of Fortune: but a pretty witty young Creature, such as this _Silvianetta_ and _Euphemia_, is certainly the greatest Blessing this wicked World can afford us.

_Fil_. I believe the lawful enjoyment of such a Woman, and honest too, wou'd be a Blessing.

_Gal_. Lawful Enjoyment! Prithee what's lawful Enjoyment, but to enjoy 'em according to the generous indulgent Law of Nature; enjoy 'em as we do Meat, Drink, Air, and Light, and all the rest of her common Blessings?-- Therefore prithee, dear Knight, let me govern thee but for a Day, and I will shew thee such a _Signiora_, such a Beauty, another manner of piece than your so admired _Viterboan, Donna Marcella_, of whom you boast so much.

_Fil_. And yet this rare piece is but a Curtezan, in coa.r.s.e plain _English_ a very Wh.o.r.e,--who filthily exposes all her Beauties to him can give her most, not love her best.

_Gal_. Why, faith, to thy comfort be it spoken, she does distribute her Charms at that easy rate.

_Fil_. Oh, the vast distance between an innocent Pa.s.sion, and a poor faithless l.u.s.t!

_Gal_. Innocent Pa.s.sion at _Rome_! Oh, 'tis not to be nam'd but in some Northern Climate: to be an Anch.o.r.et here, is to be an Epicure in _Greenland_; impossibilities, _Harry_. Sure thou hast been advising with Sir _Signal Buffoon's_ Governour, that formal piece of Nonsense and Hypocrisy.

_Fil_. No, faith, I brought the humour along with me to _Rome_; and for your Governour I have not seen him yet, though he lodge in this same House with us, and you promis'd to bring me acquainted with him long since.

_Gal_. I'll do't this very minute.

_Fil_. No, I'm oblig'd not to engage my self this Evening, because I expect the arrival of Count _Julio_, whose last Letters a.s.sured me it would be to night.

_Gal_. _Julio_! What, the young _Italian_ Count you made me acquainted with last Summer in _England_?

_Fil_. The same, the Amba.s.sador's Nephew, a good Youth, and one I esteem.

_Enter_ Julio.

_Jul_. I hope my Page will bring intelligence who this Beauty is.

_Fil_. Hah, _Julio_! Welcome, dear Friend.

[_Embraces him_.

_Jul_. Sir _Harry Fillamour_! how glad am I to meet you in a Country, where I have power to repay you all those Friendships I receiv'd when I was a stranger in yours. Monsieur _Galllard_ too! nay, then I'm sure to want no diversion whilst I stay in _Rome_.

[_Salutes_ Galliard.

_Fil_. But, pray, what made you leave _England_ so soon?

_Jul_. E'en the great business of Mankind, Matrimony. I have an Uncle here, who has provided me Fetters, which I must put on, he says they will be easy; I lik'd the Character of my Mistress well enough, a brave masculine Lady, a Roman of Quality, _Donna Laura Lucretia_; till as luck wou'd have it, at my arrival this Evening, stepping into St. _Peter's_ Church, I saw a Woman there that fir'd my heart, and whom I followed to her house: but meeting none that cou'd inform me who she was, I left my Page to make the discovery, whilst I with equal impatience came to look you out; whose sight I prefer even to a new Amour, resolving not to visit home, to which I have been a stranger this seven years, till I had kist your hands, and gained your promise to accompany me to _Viterbo_.

_Fil_. _Viterbo_! is that your place of Residence?

_Jul_. Yes, 'tis a pretty Town, and many n.o.ble Familys inhabit there, stor'd too with Beauties, at least 'twas wont to be: have you not seen it?

_Gal_. Yes, and a Beauty there too, lately, for his repose, who has made him sigh and look so like an a.s.s ever since he came to _Rome_.

_Jul_. I am glad you have so powerful an Argument, to invite you back; I know she must be rare and of quality, that cou'd engage your heart.

_Fil_. She's both; it most unluckily fell out, that I was recommended by a Person of Quality in _England_ to a n.o.bleman at _Viterbo_, who being a Man of a Temper frank and gallant, received me with less Ceremony than is usual in _Italy_. I had the freedom of the House, one of the finest _Villa's_ belonging to _Viterbo_, and the pleasure to see and converse at a distance with one of the loveliest Persons in the World, a Niece of this old Count's.

_Jul_. Very well, and cou'd you see her but at a distance, Sir?

_Fil_. Oh, no, 'twas all I durst desire, or she durst give; I came too late to hope; she being before promised in Marriage to a more happy man, the Consummation of which waits only the arrival of a Brother of hers, who is now at the Court of _France_, and every day expected.

_Enter_ Petro _like a Barber_.

_Gal_. Hah! Signior _Petro_.

_Fil_. Come, Sir, we'll take a turn i'th' Gallery, for this Pimp never appears, but _Francis_ desires to be in private.

_Gal_. Thou wrong'st an honest ingenious Fellow, to call him Pimp.

_Pet_. Ah, Signior, what his Worship pleases!

_Gal_. That thou art I'll be sworn, or what any man's Worship pleases; for let me tell ye, _Harry_, he is capacitated to oblige in any quality: for, Sir, he's your brokering Jew, your Fencing, Dancing, and Civility-Master, your Linguist, your Antiquary, your Bravo, your Pathick, Your Wh.o.r.e, your Pimp; and a thousand more Excellencies he has to supply The necessities of the wanting Stranger.--Well, Sirrah--what design now Upon Sir _Signal_ and his wise Governour?--What do you represent now?

_Pet_. A Barber, Sir.

_Gal_. And why a Barber, good Signior _Petro_?

_Pet_. Oh, Sir, the sooner to take the heights of their Judgments; it gives handsome opportunities to commend their Faces; for if they are pleas'd with flattery, the certain sign of a Fool's to be most tickled when most commended, I conclude 'em the fitter for my purpose; they already put great confidence in me, will have no Masters but of my recommending, all which I supply my self, by the help of my several disguises; by which, and my industry, I doubt not but to pick up a good honest painful livelihood, by cheating these two Reverend c.o.xcombs.

_Gal_. How the Devil got'st thou this credit with 'em?

_Pet_. O, easily, Sir, as Knaves get Estates, or Fools Employments.

_Fil_. I hope amongst all your good qualities, you forgot not your more natural one of pimping.

_Pet_. No, I a.s.sure you, Sir; I have told Sir _Signal Buffoon_, that no Man lives here without his Inamorata: which very word has so fir'd him, that he's resolved to have an Inamorata whate'er it cost him; and, as in all things else, I have in that too promised my a.s.sistance.

_Gal_. If you a.s.sist him no better than you have done me, he may stay long enough for his Inamorata.

_Pet_. Why, faith, Sir, I lie at my young Lady night and day; but she is so loth to part with that same Maiden-head of hers yet--but to morrow night, Sir, there's hopes.--