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SCENE

XV.

SCENE opening shews Lady TOUCHWOODS Chamber.

MELLEFONT Solus.

MELLEFONT.

RAY Heav'n my Aunt keep touch with her

P Affignation. Oh that her Lord were but swea

ting behind this Hanging, with the Expectation of what I shall fee - Hist, she comes - Little does the think what a Mine is just ready to spring under her Feet. But to my Post. [ Goes behind the Hangings.

T

SCENE XVI.
Lady TOUCHWOOD.

L. TOUCHWOOD.

IS Eighta Clock: Methinks I should have found him here. Who does not prevent the Hour of Love, outstays the Time; for to be dully punctual, is too flow. - I was accusing you of Neglect.

SCE

XVII.

SCENE

Lady ToucHWOOD, MASK WELL,

MELLEFONT absconding.

MASKWELL.

I Confess you do reproach me when I see you here before me; but 'tis fic I should be still behind hand, still to be more and more indebted to your Goodness.

L. Touch. You can excuse a Fault too well, not to have been to blame- A ready Answer shews you were prepar'd.

Mask. Guilt is ever at a Loss, and Confufion waits upon it; when Innocence and bold Truth are always raeady for Expression

L. Touch. Not in Love; Words are the weak Support of cold Indifference; Love has no Language to be heard.

Mask. Excess of Joy has made me stupid! Thus may my Lips be ever clos'd. (Kiffes her.) And thus -Oh who would not lose his Speech, upon Condition to have Joys above it?

L. Touch. Hold, let me lock the Door first.

[Goes to the Door.

Mask. (Afide.) That I believ'd; 'twas well I

left the private Paffage open.

L. Touch. So, that's safe.

Mask. And fo may all your Pleasures be, and se

cret as this Kisfs

Mel. And may all Treachery be thus discover'd.

[Leaps out.

L.

L. Touch. Ah!

Mel. Villain!

Mask. Nay then, there's but one Way.

[Shrieks.

[Offers to draw.

[Runs out.

6

SCENE XVIII.

Lady TOUCHWOOD, MELLEFONT.

MELLEFONT.

AY you so, were you provided for an Escape ? SHold Hold, Madam, you have no more Holes to your Burrough, I'll stand between you and this Sally-Port.

L. Touch. Thunder strike thee dead for this Deceit! immediate Lightning blast thee, me and the whole World-Oh! I could rack my self, play the Vulture to my own Heart, and gnaw it piecemeal, for not boding to me this Misfortune.

Mel. Be Patient.

L. Touch. Be Damn'd.

Mel. Confider I have you on the Hook; you will but flounder your self a weary, and be nevertheless my Prifoner.

L. Touch. I'll hold my Breath and die, but I'll be free.

Mel. O Madam, have a care of dying unprepar'd, I doubt you have some unrepented Sins that may hang heavy, and retard your Flight.

L. Touch. O! what shall I do? say? Whither shall I turn? Has Hell no Remedy?

Mel. None; Hell has serv'd you ev'n as Heav'n has done, left you to your self. - You're in a kind of Erasmus Paradice; yet if you please you may make

it

it a Purgatory; and with a little Penance and my Absolution all this may turn to good Account.

L. Touch. (Afide.) Hold in my Paffion, and fall, fall a little thou swelling Heart; let me have some Intermiffion of this Rage, and one Minutes Coolness to dissemble.

[She weeps.

Mel. You have been to blame. I like those Tears, and hope they are of the purest kindPenitential Tears.

L. Touch O the Scene was shifted quick before me - I had not time to think I was surprised to see a Monster in the Glass, and now I find 'tis my self. Can you have Mercy to forgive the Faults I have imagin'd, but never put in Practice O confider, confider how fatal you have been to me; you have already kill'd the Quiet of this Life. The Love of you, was the first wand'ring Fire that c'er misled my Steps, and while I had only that in View, I was betray'd into unthought of Ways of Ruin.

Mel. May I believe this true?

L. Touch. O be not cruelly incredulons How can you doubt these streaming Eyes? Keep the severest Eye o'er all my future Conduct; aud if I once relapse, let me not hope Forgiveness, 'twill ever be in your Power to ruin me-My Lord shall sign to your Defires; I will my felf create your Happiness, and Cynthia shall be this Night your Bride - Do but conceal my Failings, and forgive. Mel. Upon such Terms I will be ever yours in ev'ry honeft Way.

SCE

SCENE

XIX.

MASKWELL foftly introduces Lord
TouchwoOD, and retires.

MASK WELL.

Have kept my Word, he's here, but I must not I be seen.

SCENE

XX.

Lady ToucHWOOD, Lord TouchWOOD, MELLEFONT.

H

Ld. ToucHWOOD.

ELL and Amazement, she's in Tears. L. Touch. (Kneeling) Eternal Blessings thank you-Ha! My Lord lift'ning! O Fortune has o'erpaid me all, all! all's my own! Mel. Nay, I beseech you rife.

[Afide.

L. Touch. (Aloud.) Never, never! I'll grow to the Ground, be buried quick beneath it, e'er I'll be consenting to so damn'd a Sin as Incest ! unatural Incest!

Mel. Ha!

L. Touch. O cruel Man, will you not let me go - I'll forgive all that's past - O Heav'n, you will not ravish me!

Mel. Damnation !

Ld.

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