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to the company for her own and my lord's absence all this while；
she'll retire to her chamber instantly。
MEL。 I go this moment。 Now； fortune； I defy thee。
SCENE XIII。
MASKWELL alone。
MASK。 I confess you may be allowed to be secure in your own
opinion； the appearance is very fair； but I have an after…game to
play that shall turn the tables； and here comes the man that I must
manage。
SCENE XIV。
＇To him＇ LORD TOUCHWOOD。
LORD TOUCH。 Maskwell； you are the man I wished to meet。
MASK。 I am happy to be in the way of your lordship's commands。
LORD TOUCH。 I have always found you prudent and careful in anything
that has concerned me or my family。
MASK。 I were a villain else。 I am bound by duty and gratitude； and
my own inclination； to be ever your lordship's servant。
LORD TOUCH。 Enough。 You are my friend； I know it。 Yet there has
been a thing in your knowledge； which has concerned me nearly； that
you have concealed from me。
MASK。 My lord！
LORD TOUCH。 Nay； I excuse your friendship to my unnatural nephew
thus far。 But I know you have been privy to his impious designs
upon my wife。 This evening she has told me all。 Her good nature
concealed it as long as was possible； but he perseveres so in
villainy； that she has told me even you were weary of dissuading
him； though you have once actually hindered him from forcing her。
MASK。 I am sorry； my lord； I can't make you an answer； this is an
occasion in which I would not willing be silent。
LORD TOUCH。 I know you would excuse himand I know as well that
you can't。
MASK。 Indeed I was in hopes it had been a youthful heat that might
have soon boiled over； but …
LORD TOUCH。 Say on。
MASK。 I have nothing more to say； my lord； but to express my
concern； for I think his frenzy increases daily。
LORD TOUCH。 How！ Give me but proof of it； ocular proof； that I may
justify my dealing with him to the world； and share my fortunes。
MASK。 O my lord！ consider； that is hard。 Besides； time may work
upon him。 Then； for me to do it！ I have professed an everlasting
friendship to him。
LORD TOUCH。 He is your friend； and what am I？
MASK。 I am answered。
LORD TOUCH。 Fear not his displeasure； I will put you out of his；
and fortune's power； and for that thou art scrupulously honest； I
will secure thy fidelity to him； and give my honour never to own any
discovery that you shall make me。 Can you give me a demonstrative
proof？ Speak。
MASK。 I wish I could not。 To be plain； my lord； I intended this
evening to have tried all arguments to dissuade him from a design
which I suspect； and if I had not succeeded； to have informed your
lordship of what I knew。
LORD TOUCH。 I thank you。 What is the villain's purpose？
MASK。 He has owned nothing to me of late； and what I mean now； is
only a bare suspicion of my own。 If your lordship will meet me a
quarter of an hour hence there； in that lobby by my lady's bed…
chamber； I shall be able to tell you more。
LORD TOUCH。 I will。
MASK。 My duty to your lordship makes me do a severe piece of
justice。
LORD TOUCH。 I will be secret； and reward your honesty beyond your
hopes。
SCENE XV。
Scene opening； shows Lady Touchwood's chamber。
MELLEFONT solus。
MEL。 Pray heaven my aunt keep touch with her assignation。 O that
her lord were but sweating behind this hanging； with the expectation
of what I shall see。 Hist； she comes。 Little does she think what a
mine is just ready to spring under her feet。 But to my post。 ＇Goes
behind the hangings。＇
SCENE XVI。
LADY TOUCHWOOD。
LADY TOUCH。 'Tis eight o'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 slow。 I was accusing you of neglect。
SCENE XVII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； MASKWELL； MELLEFONT absconding。
MASK。 I confess you do reproach me when I see you here before me；
but 'tis fit I should be still behindhand； still to be more and more
indebted to your goodness。
LADY TOUCH。 You can excuse a fault too well； not to have been to
blame。 A ready answer shows you were prepared。
MASK。 Guilt is ever at a loss； and confusion waits upon it； when
innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression。
LADY 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
closed。 ＇Kisses her。＇ And thusO who would not lose his speech；
upon condition to have joys above it？
LADY TOUCH。 Hold； let me lock the door first。 ＇Goes to the door。＇
MASK。 ＇Aside。＇ That I believed； 'twas well I left the private
passage open。
LADY TOUCH。 So； that's safe。
MASK。 And so may all your pleasures be； and secret as this kiss …
MEL。 And may all treachery be thus discovered。 ＇Leaps out。＇
LADY TOUCH。 Ah！ ＇Shrieks。＇
MEL。 Villain！ ＇Offers to draw。＇
MASK。 Nay； then； there's but one way。 ＇Runs out。＇
SCENE XVIII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； MELLEFONT。
MEL。 Say you so； were you provided for an escape？ Hold； madam； you
have no more holes to your burrow； I'll stand between you and this
sally…port。
LADY TOUCH。 Thunder strike thee dead for this deceit； immediate
lightning blast thee； me； and the whole world！ Oh！ I could rack
myself； play the vulture to my own heart； and gnaw it piecemeal； for
not boding to me this misfortune。
MEL。 Be patient。
LADY TOUCH。 Be damned。
MEL。 Consider； I have you on the hook； you will but flounder
yourself a…weary； and be nevertheless my prisoner。
LADY TOUCH。 I'll hold my breath and die； but I'll be free。
MEL。 O madam； have a care of dying unprepared； I doubt you have
some unrepented sins that may hang heavy； and retard your flight。
LADY TOUCH。 O！ what shall I do？ say？ Whither shall I turn？ Has
hell no remedy？
MEL。 None； hell has served you even as heaven has done； left you to
yourself。You're in a kind of Erasmus paradise； yet if you please
you may make it a purgatory； and with a little penance and my
absolution all this may turn to good account。
LADY TOUCH。 ＇Aside。＇ Hold in my passion； and fall； fall a little；
thou swelling heart； let me have some intermission of this rage； and
one minute's coolness to dissemble。 ＇She weeps。＇
MEL。 You have been to blame。 I like those tears； and hope they are
of the purest kind；penitential tears。
LADY 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 myself； can you have mercy to forgive the faults I
have imagined； but never put in practice？O consider； consider how
fatal you have been to me； you have already killed the quiet of this
life。 The love of you was the first wandering fire that e'er misled
my steps； and while I had only that in view； I was betrayed into
unthought of ways of ruin。
MEL。 May I believe this true？
LADY TOUCH。 O be not cruelly incredulous。How can you doubt these
streaming eyes？ Keep the severest eye o'er all my future conduct；
and if I once relapse； let me not hope forgiveness； 'twill ever be
in your power to ruin me。 My lord shall sign to your desires； I
will myself 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 every honest way。
SCENE XIX。
MASKWELL softly introduces LORD TOUCHWOOD； and retires。
MASK。 I have kept my word； he's here； but I must not be seen。
SCENE XX。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； LORD TOUCHWOOD； MELLEFONT。
LORD TOUCH。 Hell and amazement； she's in tears。
LADY TOUCH。 ＇Kneeling。＇ Eternal blessings thank you。Ha！ my lord
listening！ O fortune has o'erpaid me all； all！ all's my own！
＇Aside。＇
MEL。 Nay； I beseech you rise。
LADY TOUCH。 ＇Aloud。＇ Never； never！ I'll grow to the ground； be
buried quick beneath it； e'er I'll be consenting to so damned a sin
as incest！ unnatural incest！
MEL。 Ha！
LADY TOUCH。 O cruel man； will you not let me go？ I'll forgive all
that's past。 O heaven； you will not ravish me？
MEL。 Damnation！
LORD TOUCH。 Monster； dog！ your life shall answer this！ ＇Draws and
runs at MELLEFONT； is held by LADY TOUCHWOOD。＇
LADY TOUCH。 O heavens； my lord！ Hold； hold； for heaven's sake。
MEL。 Confusion； my uncle！ O the damned sorceress。
LADY TOUCH。 Moderate your rage； good my lord！ He's mad； alas； he's
mad。 Indeed he is； my lord； and knows not what he does。 See how
wild he looks。
MEL。 By heaven； 'twere senseless not to be mad； and see such
witchcraft。
LADY TOUCH。 My lord； you hear him