t deigning
to give her an answer. Killegrew came next, and the fair Jennings,
partly encouraged by the other's pertness, advanced towards him, and
offered him her basket, whilst Price, more used to the language, desired
him to buy her fine oranges. "Not now," said he, looking at them with
attention; "but if thou wilt to-morrow morning bring this young girl to
my lodgings, I will make it worth all the oranges in London to thee" and
while he thus spoke to the one he chucked the other under the chin,
examining her bosom. These familiarities making little Jennings forget
the part she was acting, after having pushed him away with all the
violence she was able, she told him with indignation that it was very
insolent to dare--"Ha! ha!" said he, "here's a rarity indeed! a young
w----, who, the better to sell her goods, sets up for virtue, and
pretends innocence!"
Price immediately perceived that nothing could be gained by continuing
any longer in so dangerous a place; and, taking her companion under the
arm, she dragged her away, while she was still in emotion at the insult
that had been offered to her.
Miss Jennings, resolving to sell no more oranges on these terms, was
tempted to return, without accomplishing the other adventure; but Price
having represented to her the disgrace of such cowardly behaviour, more
particularly after having before manifested so much resolution, she
consented to go and pay the astrologer a short visit, so as they might be
enabled to regain the palace before the play was ended.
They had one of the doctor's bills for a direction, but there was no
occasion for it; for the driver of the coach they had taken told them he
knew very well the place they wanted, for he had already carried above an
hundred persons to the German doctor's: they were within half a street of
his house, when fortune thought proper to play them a trick.
Brounker had dined by chance with a merchant in that part of the city,
and just as he was going away they ordered their coach to stop, as
ill-luck would have it, just opposite to him. Two orange girls in a
hackney coach, one of whom appeared to have a very pretty face,
immediately drew his attention; besides, he had a natural curiosity for
such objects.
[Gentleman of the chamber to the Duke of York, and brother to Lord
Viscount Brounker, president of the royal society. Lord Clarendon
imputes to him the cause of the great sea-fight, in 1665, not being
so well
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