4 Care. Then I shall be disappointed indeed. bent not to be instructed. Brisk. I'm forry for him, the duce take me. Mel. Or, what say you, to another Bottle of Ld. Froth. O, for the Universe, not a Drop more I beseech you. Oh Intemperate! I have a flushing in my Face already. [Takes out a Pocket-Glass, and looks in it. Brisk. Let me fee, let me see, my Lord, I broke my Glass that was in the Lid of my SnuffBox. Hum! Duce take me, I have encourag'da Pimple here too. [Takes the Glafss and looks. Ld. Froth. Then you must mortifie him with a Patch; my Wife shall supply you. Come, Gentlemen, allons, here is Company coming. SCENE VI. Lady TOUCHWOOD, and MASKWELL. I'LL hear L. Touchwoo D. no more. - Y are false and ungrateful; come, I know you false. your Ladyships Service. L. Touch. That I should trust a Man, whom I had known betray his Friend! Mask. What Friend have I betray'd Or to whom? L. Touch. Your fond Friend Mellefont, and to me; can you deny it? Mask. I do not. L. Touch. Have you not wrong'd my Lord, who has been a Father to you in your Wants, and given you Being? Have you not wrong'd him in the highest ma ner, in his Bed? Mask. With your Ladyships help, and for your Service, as I told you before. I can't deny that neither.-- Any thing more, Madam ? L. Touch. More! Audacious Villain. O, what's more, is most my Shame, - Have you not dishonour'd me? Mask. No, that I deny; for I never told in all my Life: So that Accusation's answer'd; on to the next. L. Touch. Death, do you dally with my Passion? Insolent Devil! But have a care, - Provoke me not; for, by the Eternal Fire, you shall not 'scape my Vengeance. Calm Villain! How unconcern'd he stands, confeffing Treachery and Ingratitude! Is there a Vice more black! - O I have Excuses, thousands for my Faults; Fire in my Temper, Paffions in my Soul, apt to ev'ry Provocation; oppressed at once with Love, and with Despair. But a sedate, a thinking Villain, whose black Blood runs temperately bad, what Excuse can clear? Mask. Will you be in Temper, Madam ? I would not talk not to be heard. I have been [ She walks about disorder'd] a very great Rogue for your fake, and you reproach me with it; I am ready to be a Rogue still, to do you Service; and you are flinging Confcience and Honour in my Face to rebate my Inclinations. Howam I to behave my self? You know I am your Creature, my Life and Fortune in your Power; to disoblige you, brings me certain Ruin. Allow it, I would betray you, I would not be a Traitor to my self: I don't pretend to Honesty, be because you know I am a Rascal: But I would con vince you, from the Necessity of my being firm to you L. Touch. Neceffity, Impudence! Can no Gratitude incline you, no Obligations touch you ? Have not my Fortune, and my Person, been subjected to your Pleasure? Were you not in the nature of a Servant, and have not I in effect made you Lord of all, of me, and of my Lord? Where is that humble love, the Languishing, that Adoration, which once was paid me, and everlastingly engaged ? Mask. Fixt, rooted in my Heart, whence nothing can remove 'em, yet youL. Touch. Yet, what yet? Mask. Nay, misconceive me not, Madam, when I say I have had a Gen'rous, and a Faithful Paffion, which you had never favour'd, but through Revenge and Policy. L. Touch. Ha! Mask. Look you, Madam, we are alone, Pray contain your self, and hear me. You know you lov'd your Nephew, when I first sigh'd for you; I quickly found it; an Argument that I lov'd; for with that Art you veil'd your Paffion, 'twas imperceptible to all but Jealous Eyes. This Discovery made me bold; I confess it; for by it, I thought you in my Power. Your Nephews Scorn of you, added to my Hopes; I watch'd the Occafion, and took you, just Repulsed by him warm at once with Love and Indignation. Your Disposition, my Arguments, and happy Opportunity, accomplish'd my Design; I preft the yielding Minute, and was bleft. How I have lov'd you fince, Words have not shown, then how should Words express? L. Touch. Well, mollifying Devil! - And have I not met your Love with forward Fire? 2 Mask. Your Zeal I grant was ardent, but mifplacid; 1 plac'd; there was Revenge in view; that Womans Idol had defil'd the Temple of the God, and Love was made a Mock-Worship. - A Son and Heir would have edg'd young Mellefont upon the Brink of Ruin, and left him none but you to catch at for Prevention. L. Touch. Again, provoke me! Do you wind me up like a Larum, only to rouse my own still'd Soul for your Diversion? Confufion! Mask. Nay, Madam, I'm gone, if you relapse, What needs this? I say nothing but what you your self, in open Hours of Love, have told me. Why should you deny it? Nay, how can you? Is not all this present Hea: owing to the same Fire? Do you not love him still? How have I this Day offended you, but in not breaking off his Match with Cynthia? Which e'r to Morrow thall be done,had you but Patience. L. Touch. How, what said you Maskwell, Another Caprice to unwind my Temper? Mask. By Heav'n, no, I am your Slave, the Slave of all your Pleasures; and will not rest 'till I have given you Peace, would you suffer me. L. Touch. O, Maskwell, in vain I do disguise me from thee; thou know'st me, knowest the very inmost Windings and Recesses of my Soul. -Oh Mellefont! I burn; married to Morrow ! Despair strikes me. Yet my Soul knows I hate him too: Let him but once be mine and next immediate Ruin seize him. Mask. Compose your self, you shall possess and ruin him too, - Will that please you ? L. Touch. How, how? Thou dear, thou precious Villain, how? Mask. You have already been tampering with my Lady Plyant. L. Touch. I have: She is ready for any Impression I think fit. Mask. Mask. She must be throughly perfuaded, that Mellefont loves her. L. Touch. She is so credulous that way naturally, and likes him so well, that she will believe it fafter than I can perfuade her. But I don't fee what you can propose from such a trifling Design; for her first converfing with Mellefont, will convince her of the contrary. - - But Mask. I know it I don't depend upon it. it will prepare something elfe; and gain us Leisure to lay a stronger Plot: if I gain a little Time, I shall not want Contrivance. One Minute, gives Invention to destroy, End of the First A&. I ACTII. Lady Froth and Cynthia. CYN THIA NDEED, Madam! Is it possible your Ladyship could have been so much in Love? L. Froth. I could not fleep; I did not fleep one Wink for three Weeks together. Cynt. Prodigious! I wonder, want of Sleep, and fo much Love, and so much Wit as your Lady thip |