Pinch. Come, begin:—“Sir”—

[Dictates.

Mrs. Pinch. Shan’t I say, “Dear Sir?”—You know one says always something more than bare “Sir.”

Pinch. Write as I bid you, or I will write whore with this penknife in your face.

Mrs. Pinch. Nay, good bud—“Sir”—

[Writes.

Pinch. “Though I suffered last night your nauseous, loathed kisses and embraces”—Write!

Mrs. Pinch. Nay, why should I say so? You know I told you he had a sweet breath.

Pinch. Write!

Mrs. Pinch. Let me but put out “loathed.”

Pinch. Write, I say!

Mrs. Pinch. Well then.

[Writes.

Pinch. Let’s see, what have you writ?—[Takes the paper and reads.] “Though I suffered last night your kisses and embraces”—Thou impudent creature! where is “nauseous” and “loathed?”

Mrs. Pinch. I can’t abide to write such filthy words.

Pinch. Once more write as I’d have you, and question it not, or I will spoil thy writing with this. I will stab out those eyes that cause my mischief.

[Holds up the penknife.

Mrs. Pinch. O Lord! I will.

Pinch. So—so—let’s see now.—[Reads.] “Though I suffered last night your nauseous, loathed kisses and embraces”—go on—“yet I would not have you presume that you shall ever repeat them”—so—

[She writes.

Mrs. Pinch. I have writ it.

Pinch. On, then—“I then concealed myself from your knowledge, to avoid your insolencies.”—

[She writes.

Mrs. Pinch. So—

Pinch. “The same reason, now I am out of your hands”—

[She writes.

Mrs. Pinch. So—