Scene VI.

Love for Love

by William Congreve

SIR SAMPSON, VALENTINE, SCANDAL, JEREMY, and LAWYER VALENTINE upon
a couch disorderly dressed.

SIR SAMPSON LEGEND
How now, what's here to do?

VALENTINE
Ha! Who's that? [Starting.]

SCANDAL
For heav'n's sake softly, sir, and gently; don't
provoke him.

VALENTINE
Answer me: who is that, and that?

SIR SAMPSON LEGEND
Gads bobs, does he not know me? Is he
mischievous? I'll speak gently. Val, Val, dost thou not know me,
boy? Not know thy own father, Val? I am thy own father, and this is
honest Brief Buckram, the lawyer.

VALENTINE
It may be so--I did not know you--the world is
full. There are people that we do know, and people that we do not
know, and yet the sun shines upon all alike. There are fathers that
have many children, and there are children that have many fathers.
'Tis strange! But I am Truth, and come to give the world the lie.

SIR SAMPSON LEGEND
Body o' me, I know not what to say to
him.

VALENTINE
Why does that lawyer wear black? Does he carry
his conscience withoutside? Lawyer what art thou? Dost thou know
me?

BUCKRAM
O Lord, what must I say? Yes, sir,

VALENTINE
Thou liest, for I am Truth. 'Tis hard I cannot
get a livelihood amongst you. I have been sworn out of Westminster
Hall the first day of every term--let me see--no matter how long.
But I'll tell you one thing: it's a question that would puzzle an
arithmetician, if you should ask him, whether the Bible saves more
souls in Westminster Abbey, or damns more in Westminster Hall. For
my part, I am Truth, and can't tell; I have very few acquaintance.

SIR SAMPSON LEGEND
Body o' me, he talks sensibly in his
madness. Has he no intervals?

JEREMY
Very short, sir.

BUCKRAM
Sir, I can do you no service while he's in this
condition. Here's your paper, sir--he may do me a mischief if I stay.
The conveyance is ready, sir, if he recover his senses.