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her these two hours。 The poor creatureI swear； my lord； you don't
love poor little Sapho。 Come； my dear Cynthia； Mr。 Brisk； we'll go
see Sapho； though my lord won't。
CYNT。 I'll wait upon your ladyship。
BRISK。 Pray； madam； how old is Lady Sapho？
LADY FROTH。 Three…quarters； but I swear she has a world of wit； and
can sing a tune already。 My lord； won't you go？ Won't you？ What！
not to see Saph？ Pray； my lord； come see little Saph。 I knew you
could not stay。
SCENE XII。
CYNTHIA alone。
CYNT。 'Tis not so hard to counterfeit joy in the depth of
affliction； as to dissemble mirth in company of fools。 Why should I
call 'em fools？ The world thinks better of 'em； for these have
quality and education； wit and fine conversation； are received and
admired by the world。 If not； they like and admire themselves。 And
why is not that true wisdom？ for 'tis happiness： and for ought I
know； we have misapplied the name all this while； and mistaken the
thing： since
If happiness in self…content is placed；
The wise are wretched； and fools only bless'd。
ACT IV。SCENE I。
MELLEFONT and CYNTHIA。
CYNT。 I heard him loud as I came by the closet…door； and my lady
with him； but she seemed to moderate his passion。
MEL。 Ay； hell thank her； as gentle breezes moderate a fire； but I
shall counter…work her spells； and ride the witch in her own bridle。
CYNT。 It's impossible； she'll cast beyond you still。 I'll lay my
life it will never be a match。
MEL。 What？
CYNT。 Between you and me。
MEL。 Why so？
CYNT。 My mind gives me it won't； because we are both willing。 We
each of us strive to reach the goal； and hinder one another in the
race。 I swear it never does well when the parties are so agreed；
for when people walk hand in hand there's neither overtaking nor
meeting。 We hunt in couples； where we both pursue the same game but
forget one another； and 'tis because we are so near that we don't
think of coming together。
MEL。 Hum； 'gad I believe there's something in it。 Marriage is the
game that we hunt； and while we think that we only have it in view；
I don't see but we have it in our power。
CYNT。 Within reach； for example； give me your hand。 You have
looked through the wrong end of the perspective all this while； for
nothing has been between us but our fears。
MEL。 I don't know why we should not steal out of the house this
very moment and marry one another； without consideration or the fear
of repentance。 Pox o' fortune； portion； settlements； and jointures。
CYNT。 Ay； ay； what have we to do with 'em？ You know we marry for
love。
MEL。 Love； love； downright； very villainous love。
CYNT。 And he that can't live upon love deserves to die in a ditch。
Here then； I give you my promise； in spite of duty； any temptation
of wealth； your inconstancy； or my own inclination to change …
MEL。 To run most wilfully and unreasonably away with me this moment
and be married。
CYNT。 Hold。 Never to marry anybody else。
MEL。 That's but a kind of negative consent。 Why； you won't baulk
the frolic？
CYNT。 If you had not been so assured of your own conduct I would
not。 But 'tis but reasonable that since I consent to like a man
without the vile consideration of money； he should give me a very
evident demonstration of his wit： therefore let me see you
undermine my Lady Touchwood； as you boasted； and force her to give
her consent； and then …
MEL。 I'll do't。
CYNT。 And I'll do't。
MEL。 This very next ensuing hour of eight o'clock is the last
minute of her reign； unless the devil assist her IN PROPRIA PERSONA。
CYNT。 Well； if the devil should assist her； and your plot miscarry
…
MEL。 Ay； what am I to trust to then？
CYNT。 Why； if you give me very clear demonstration that it was the
devil； I'll allow for irresistible odds。 But if I find it to be
only chance； or destiny； or unlucky stars； or anything but the very
devil； I'm inexorable： only still I'll keep my word； and live a
maid for your sake。
MEL。 And you won't die one； for your own； so still there's hope。
CYNT。 Here's my mother…in…law； and your friend Careless； I would
not have 'em see us together yet。
SCENE II。
CARELESS and LADY PLYANT。
LADY PLYANT。 I swear； Mr。 Careless； you are very alluring； and say
so many fine things； and nothing is so moving to me as a fine thing。
Well； I must do you this justice； and declare in the face of the
world； never anybody gained so far upon me as yourself。 With
blushes I must own it； you have shaken； as I may say； the very
foundation of my honour。 Well； sure； if I escape your
importunities； I shall value myself as long as I live； I swear。
CARE。 And despise me。 ＇Sighing。＇
LADY PLYANT。 The last of any man in the world； by my purity； now
you make me swear。 O gratitude forbid； that I should ever be
wanting in a respectful acknowledgment of an entire resignation of
all my best wishes for the person and parts of so accomplished a
person； whose merit challenges much more； I'm sure； than my
illiterate praises can description。
CARE。 ＇In a whining tone。＇ Ah heavens； madam； you ruin me with
kindness。 Your charming tongue pursues the victory of your eyes；
while at your feet your poor adorer dies。
LADY PLYANT。 Ah！ Very fine。
CARE。 ＇Still whining。＇ Ah； why are you so fair； so bewitching
fair？ O let me grow to the ground here； and feast upon that hand； O
let me press it to my heart； my trembling heart： the nimble
movement shall instruct your pulse； and teach it to alarm desire。
（Zoons； I'm almost at the end of my cant； if she does not yield
quickly。） ＇Aside。＇
LADY PLYANT。 O that's so passionate and fine； I cannot hear。 I am
not safe if I stay； and must leave you。
CARE。 And must you leave me！ Rather let me languish out a wretched
life； and breath my soul beneath your feet。 （I must say the same
thing over again； and can't help it。） ＇Aside。＇
LADY PLYANT。 I swear I'm ready to languish too！ O my honour！
Whither is it going？ I protest you have given me the palpitation of
the heart。
CARE。 Can you be so cruel …
LADY PLYANT。 O rise； I beseech you； say no more till you rise。 Why
did you kneel so long？ I swear I was so transported； I did not see
it。 Well； to show you how far you have gained upon me； I assure
you； if Sir Paul should die； of all mankind there's none I'd sooner
make my second choice。
CARE。 O Heaven！ I can't out…live this night without your favour； I
feel my spirits faint； a general dampness overspreads my face； a
cold deadly dew already vents through all my pores； and will to…
morrow wash me for ever from your sight； and drown me in my tomb。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； you have conquered； sweet； melting； moving sir；
you have conquered。 What heart of marble can refrain to weep； and
yield to such sad sayings！ ＇Cries。＇
CARE。 I thank Heaven； they are the saddest that I ever said。 Oh！
（I shall never contain laughter。） ＇Aside。＇
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； I yield myself all up to your uncontrollable
embraces。 Say； thou dear dying man； when； where； and how。 Ah；
there's Sir Paul。
CARE。 'Slife； yonder's Sir Paul； but if he were not come； I'm so
transported I cannot speak。 This note will inform you。 ＇Gives her
a note。＇
SCENE III。
LADY PLYANT； SIR PAUL； CYNTHIA。
SIR PAUL。 Thou art my tender lambkin； and shalt do what thou wilt。
But endeavour to forget this Mellefont。
CYNT。 I would obey you to my power； sir； but if I have not him； I
have sworn never to marry。
SIR PAUL。 Never to marry！ Heavens forbid！ must I neither have sons
nor grandsons？ Must the family of the Plyants be utterly extinct
for want of issue male？ O impiety！ But did you swear； did that
sweet creature swear？ ha！ How durst you swear without my consent；
ah？ Gads…bud； who am I？
CYNT。 Pray don't be angry； sir； when I swore I had your consent；
and therefore I swore。
SIR PAUL。 Why then the revoking my consent does annul； or make of
none effect your oath； so you may unswear it again。 The law will
allow it。
CYNT。 Ay； but my conscience never will。
SIR PAUL。 Gads…bud； no matter for that； conscience and law never go
together； you must not expect that。
LADY PLYANT。 Ay； but； Sir Paul； I conceive if she has sworn； d'ye
mark me； if she has once sworn； it is most unchristian； inhuman； and
obscene that she should break it。 I'll make up the match again；
because Mr。 Careless said it would oblige him。 ＇Aside。＇
SIR PAUL。 Does your ladyship conceive so？ Why； I was of that
opinion once too。 Nay； if your ladyship conceives so； I'm of that
opinion again； but I can neither find my lord nor my lady to know
what they intend。
LADY PLYANT。 I'm satisfied that my cousin M