Scene V.

Love for Love

by William Congreve

[To them] FORESIGHT.

FORESIGHT
O Mr Tattle, your servant, you are a close man;
but methinks your love to my daughter was a secret I might have been
trusted with. Or had you a mind to try if I could discover it by my
art? Hum, ha! I think there is something in your physiognomy that
has a resemblance of her; and the girl is like me.

TATTLE
And so you would infer that you and I are alike?
What does the old prig mean? I'll banter him, and laugh at him, and
leave him. [Aside.] I fancy you have a wrong notion of faces.

FORESIGHT
How? What? A wrong notion? How so?

TATTLE
In the way of art: I have some taking features, not
obvious to vulgar eyes, that are indications of a sudden turn of good
fortune in the lottery of wives, and promise a great beauty and great
fortune reserved alone for me, by a private intrigue of destiny, kept
secret from the piercing eye of perspicuity, from all astrologers,
and the stars themselves.

FORESIGHT
How! I will make it appear that what you say is
impossible.

TATTLE
Sir, I beg your pardon, I'm in haste -

FORESIGHT
For what?

TATTLE
To be married, sir, married.

FORESIGHT
Ay, but pray take me along with you, sir -

TATTLE
No, sir; 'tis to be done privately. I never make
confidants.

FORESIGHT
Well, but my consent, I mean. You won't marry my
daughter without my consent?

TATTLE
Who? I, sir? I'm an absolute stranger to you and
your daughter, sir.

FORESIGHT
Hey day! What time of the moon is this?

TATTLE
Very true, sir, and desire to continue so. I have no
more love for your daughter than I have likeness of you, and I have a
secret in my heart which you would be glad to know and shan't know,
and yet you shall know it, too, and be sorry for't afterwards. I'd
have you to know, sir, that I am as knowing as the stars, and as
secret as the night. And I'm going to be married just now, yet did
not know of it half an hour ago; and the lady stays for me, and does
not know of it yet. There's a mystery for you: I know you love to
untie difficulties. Or, if you can't solve this, stay here a quarter
of an hour, and I'll come and explain it to you.