Scene VIII.

The Way of the World

by William Congreve

MIRABELL, FAINALL, WITWOUD.

WITWOUD
That should be for two fasting strumpets, and a bawd
troubled with wind. Now you may know what the three are.

MIRABELL
You are very free with your friend's
acquaintance.

WITWOUD
Ay, ay; friendship without freedom is as dull as
love without enjoyment or wine without toasting: but to tell you a
secret, these are trulls whom he allows coach-hire, and something
more by the week, to call on him once a day at public places.

MIRABELL
How!

WITWOUD
You shall see he won't go to 'em because there's no
more company here to take notice of him. Why, this is nothing to
what he used to do:- before he found out this way, I have known him
call for himself -

FAINALL
Call for himself? What dost thou mean?

WITWOUD
Mean? Why he would slip you out of this
chocolate-house, just when you had been talking to him. As soon as
your back was turned-- whip he was gone; then trip to his lodging,
clap on a hood and scarf and a mask, slap into a hackney-coach, and
drive hither to the door again in a trice; where he would send in for
himself; that I mean, call for himself, wait for himself, nay, and
what's more, not finding himself, sometimes leave a letter for
himself.

MIRABELL
I confess this is something extraordinary. I
believe he waits for himself now, he is so long a coming; oh, I ask
his pardon.