_Ca._ Pray don"t ask Questions about that which don"t concern you.
_Eu._ But it does very much concern me, since I can"t be chearful myself, without you be so too. See now, there"s another Sigh, and a deep one too!
_Ca._ There is indeed something that troubles my Mind. But I must not tell it.
_Eu._ What, won"t you tell it me, that love you more dearly than I do my own Sister: My _Katy_, don"t be afraid to speak; be it what it will you are safe.
_Ca._ If I should be safe enough, yet I"m afraid I shall be never the better in telling my Tale to one that can do me no good.
_Eu._ How do you know that? If I can"t serve you in the Thing itself, perhaps I may in Counsel or Consolation.
_Ca._ I can"t speak it out.
_Eu._ What is the Matter? Do you hate me?
_Ca._ I love you more dearly than my own Brother, and yet for all that my Heart won"t let me divulge it.
_Eu._ Will you tell me, if I guess it? Why do you quibble now? Give me your Word, or I"ll never let you alone till I have it out.
_Ca._ Well then, I do give you my Word.
_Eu._ Upon the whole of the Matter, I can"t imagine what you should want of being compleatly happy.
_Ca._ I would I were so.
_Eu._ You are in the very Flower of your Age: If I"m not mistaken, you are now in your seventeenth Year.
_Ca._ That"s true.
_Eu._ So that in my Opinion the Fear of old Age can"t yet be any Part of your Trouble.
_Ca._ Nothing less, I a.s.sure you.
_Eu._ And you are every Way lovely, and that is the singular Gift of G.o.d.
_Ca._ Of my Person, such as it is, I neither glory nor complain.
_Eu._ And besides the Habit of your Body and your Complexion bespeak you to be in perfect Health, unless you have some hidden Distemper.
_Ca._ Nothing of that, I thank G.o.d.
_Eu._ And besides, your Credit is fair.
_Ca._ I trust it is.
_Eu._ And you are endow"d with a good Understanding suitable to the Perfections of your Body, and such a one as I could wish to myself, in order to my Attainment of the liberal Sciences.
_Ca._ If I have, I thank G.o.d for it.
_Eu._ And again, you are of a good agreeable Humour, which is rarely met with in great Beauties, they are not wanting neither.
_Ca._ I wish they were such as they should be.
_Eu._ Some People are uneasy at the Meanness of their Extraction, but your Parents are both of them well descended, and virtuous, of plentiful Fortunes, and very kind to you.
_Ca._ I have nothing to complain of upon that Account.
_Eu._ What Need of many Words? Of all the young Women in the Country you are the Person I would chuse for a Wife, if I were in Condition to pretend to"t.
_Ca._ And I would chuse none but you for a Husband, if I were dispos"d to marry.
_Eu._ It must needs be some extraordinary Matter that troubles your Mind so.
_Ca._ It is no light Matter, you may depend upon it.
_Eu._ You won"t take it ill I hope if I guess at it.
_Ca._ I have promis"d you I won"t.
_Eu._ I know by Experience what a Torment Love is. Come, confess now, is that it? You promis"d to tell me.
_Ca._ There"s Love in the Case, but not that Sort of Love that you imagine.
_Eu._ What Sort of Love is it that you mean?
_Ca._ Guess.
_Eu._ I have guess"d all the Guesses I can guess; but I"m resolv"d I"ll never let go this Hand till I have gotten it out of you.
_Ca._ How violent you are.
_Eu._ Whatever your Care is, repose it in my Breast.
_Ca._ Since you are so urgent, I will tell you. From my very Infancy I have had a very strong Inclination.
_Eu._ To what, I beseech you?
_Ca._ To put myself into a Cloyster.
_Eu._ What, to be a Nun?
_Ca._ Yes.
_Eu._ Ho! I find I was out in my Notion; to leave a Shoulder of Mutton for a Sheep"s Head.
_Ca._ What"s that you say, _Eubulus_?
_Eu._ Nothing, my Dear, I did but cough. But, go on, tell me it out.