按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
no inclination。
MASK。 I had laid a small design for to…morrow （as love will be
inventing） which I thought to communicate to your lordship。 But it
may be as well done to…night。
LORD TOUCH。 Here's company。 Come this way and tell me。
SCENE XIV。
CARELESS and CYNTHIA。
CARE。 Is not that he now gone out with my lord？
CYNT。 Yes。
CARE。 By heaven； there's treachery。 The confusion that I saw your
father in； my Lady Touchwood's passion； with what imperfectly I
overheard between my lord and her； confirm me in my fears。 Where's
Mellefont？
CYNT。 Here he comes。
SCENE XV。
＇To them＇ MELLEFONT。
CYNT。 Did Maskwell tell you anything of the chaplain's chamber？
MEL。 No。 My dear； will you get ready？ The things are all in my
chamber； I want nothing but the habit。
CARE。 You are betrayed； and Maskwell is the villain I always
thought him。
CYNT。 When you were gone； he said his mind was changed； and bid me
meet him in the chaplain's room； pretending immediately to follow
you and give you notice。
MEL。 How？
CARE。 There's Saygrace tripping by with a bundle under his arm。 He
cannot be ignorant that Maskwell means to use his chamber； let's
follow and examine him。
MEL。 'Tis loss of time； I cannot think him false。
SCENE XVI。
CYNTHIA； LORD TOUCHWOOD。
CYNT。 My lord musing！
LORD TOUCH。 He has a quick invention； if this were suddenly
designed。 Yet he says he had prepared my chaplain already。
CYNT。 How's this？ Now I fear indeed。
LORD TOUCH。 Cynthia here！ Alone； fair cousin； and melancholy？
CYNT。 Your lordship was thoughtful。
LORD TOUCH。 My thoughts were on serious business not worth your
hearing。
CYNT。 Mine were on treachery concerning you； and may be worth your
hearing。
LORD TOUCH。 Treachery concerning me？ Pray be plain。 Hark！ What
noise？
MASK。 （within） Will you not hear me？
LADY TOUCH。 （within） No； monster！ traitor！ No。
CYNT。 My lady and Maskwell！ This may be lucky。 My lord； let me
entreat you to stand behind this screen and listen： perhaps this
chance may give you proof of what you ne'er could have believed from
my suspicions。
SCENE XVII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD with a dagger； MASKWELL； CYNTHIA and LORD TOUCHWOOD
abscond； listening。
LADY TOUCH。 You want but leisure to invent fresh falsehood； and
soothe me to a fond belief of all your fictions： but I will stab
the lie that's forming in your heart； and save a sin； in pity to
your soul。
MASK。 Strike then； since you will have it so。
LADY TOUCH。 Ha！ A steady villain to the last。
MASK。 Come； why do you dally with me thus？
LADY TOUCH。 Thy stubborn temper shocks me； and you knew it would；
this is cunning all； and not courage。 No； I know thee well； but
thou shalt miss thy aim。
MASK。 Ha； ha； ha！
LADY TOUCH。 Ha！ Do you mock my rage？ Then this shall punish your
fond； rash contempt。 Again smile！ ＇Goes to strike。＇ And such a
smile as speaks in ambiguity！ Ten thousand meanings lurk in each
corner of that various face。
Oh！ that they were written in thy heart；
That I； with this； might lay thee open to my sight！
But then 'twill be too late to know …
Thou hast； thou hast found the only way to turn my rage。 Too well
thou knowest my jealous soul could never bear uncertainty。 Speak；
then； and tell me。 Yet are you silent。 Oh； I am wildered in all
passions。 But thus my anger melts。 ＇Weeps。＇ Here； take this
poniard； for my very spirits faint； and I want strength to hold it；
thou hast disarmed my soul。 ＇Gives the dagger。＇
LORD TOUCH。 Amazement shakes me。 Where will this end？
MASK。 So； 'tis welllet your wild fury have a vent； and when you
have temper； tell me。
LADY TOUCH。 Now； now； now I am calm and can hear you。
MASK。 ＇Aside。＇ Thanks； my invention； and now I have it for you。
First； tell me what urged you to this violence： for your passion
broke in such imperfect terms； that yet I am to learn the cause。
LADY TOUCH。 My lord himself surprised me with the news you were to
marry Cynthia； that you had owned our love to him； and his
indulgence would assist you to attain your ends。
CYNT。 How； my lord？
LORD TOUCH。 Pray forbear all resentments for a while； and let us
hear the rest。
MASK。 I grant you in appearance all is true； I seemed consenting to
my lordnay； transported with the blessing。 But could you think
that I； who had been happy in your loved embraces； could e'er be
fond of an inferior slavery？
LORD TOUCH。 Ha！ Oh； poison to my ears！ What do I hear？
CYNT。 Nay； good my lord； forbear resentment； let us hear it out。
LORD TOUCH。 Yes； I will contain； though I could burst。
MASK。 I； that had wantoned in the rich circle of your world of
love； could be confined within the puny province of a girl？ No。
Yet though I dote on each last favour more than all the rest； though
I would give a limb for every look you cheaply throw away on any
other object of your love： yet so far I prize your pleasures o'er
my own； that all this seeming plot that I have laid has been to
gratify your taste and cheat the world； to prove a faithful rogue to
you。
LADY TOUCH。 If this were true。 But how can it be？
MASK。 I have so contrived that Mellefont will presently； in the
chaplain's habit； wait for Cynthia in your dressing…room； but I have
put the change upon her； that she may be other where employed。 Do
you procure her night…gown； and with your hoods tied over your face；
meet him in her stead。 You may go privately by the back stairs；
and； unperceived； there you may propose to reinstate him in his
uncle's favour； if he'll comply with your desireshis case is
desperate； and I believe he'll yield to any conditions。 If not
here； take this； you may employ it better than in the heart of one
who is nothing when not yours。 ＇Gives the dagger。＇
LADY TOUCH。 Thou can'st deceive everybody。 Nay； thou hast deceived
me； but 'tis as I would wish。 Trusty villain！ I could worship
thee。
MASK。 No more； it wants but a few minutes of the time； and
Mellefont's love will carry him there before his hour。
LADY TOUCH。 I go； I fly； incomparable Maskwell！
SCENE XVIII。
MASKWELL； CYNTHIA； LORD TOUCHWOOD。
MASK。 So； this was a pinch indeed； my invention was upon the rack；
and made discovery of her last plot。 I hope Cynthia and my chaplain
will be ready； I'll prepare for the expedition。
SCENE XIX。
CYNTHIA and LORD TOUCHWOOD。
CYNT。 Now； my lord？
LORD TOUCH。 Astonishment binds up my rage！ Villainy upon villainy！
Heavens； what a long track of dark deceit has this discovered！ I am
confounded when I look back； and want a clue to guide me through the
various mazes of unheard…of treachery。 My wife！ Damnation！ My
hell！
CYNT。 My lord； have patience； and be sensible how great our
happiness is； that this discovery was not made too late。
LORD TOUCH。 I thank you； yet it may be still too late； if we don't
presently prevent the execution of their plots；ha； I'll do't。
Where's Mellefont； my poor injured nephew？ How shall I make him
ample satisfaction？
CYNT。 I dare answer for him。
LORD TOUCH。 I do him fresh wrong to question his forgiveness； for I
know him to be all goodness。 Yet my wife！ Damn her：… she'll think
to meet him in that dressing…room。 Was't not so？ And Maskwell will
expect you in the chaplain's chamber。 For once； I'll add my plot
too：… let us haste to find out； and inform my nephew； and do you；
quickly as you can； bring all the company into this gallery。 I'll
expose the strumpet； and the villain。
SCENE XX。
LORD FROTH and SIR PAUL。
LORD FROTH。 By heavens； I have slept an age。 Sir Paul； what
o'clock is't？ Past eight； on my conscience； my lady's is the most
inviting couch； and a slumber there is the prettiest amusement！ But
where's all the company？
SIR PAUL。 The company； gads…bud； I don't know； my lord； but here's
the strangest revolution； all turned topsy turvy； as I hope for
providence。
LORD FROTH。 O heavens； what's the matter？ Where's my wife？
SIR PAUL。 All turned topsy turvy as sure as a gun。
LORD FROTH。 How do you mean？ My wife？
SIR PAUL。 The strangest posture of affairs！
LORD FROTH。 What； my wife？
SIR PAUL。 No； no； I mean the family。 Your lady's affairs may be in
a very good posture； I saw her go into the garden with Mr。 Brisk。
LORD FROTH。 How？ Where； when； what to do？
SIR PAUL。 I suppose they have been laying their heads together。
LORD FROTH。 How？
SIR PAUL。 Nay； only about poetry； I suppose； my lord； making
couplets。
LORD FROTH。 Couplets。
SIR PAUL。 Oh； here they come。
SCENE XXI。
＇To them