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them。
LORD FROTH。 I confess I did myself some violence at first； but now
I think I have conquered it。
BRISK。 Let me perish； my lord； but there is something very
particular in the humour； 'tis true it makes against wit； and I'm
sorry for some friends of mine that write； but； i'gad； I love to be
malicious。 Nay； deuce take me； there's wit in't； too。 And wit must
be foiled by wit； cut a diamond with a diamond； no other way； i'gad。
LORD FROTH。 Oh； I thought you would not be long before you found
out the wit。
CARE。 Wit！ In what？ Where the devil's the wit in not laughing
when a man has a mind to't？
BRISK。 O Lord； why can't you find it out？ Why； there 'tis； in the
not laughing。 Don't you apprehend me？ My lord； Careless is a very
honest fellow； but harkee； you understand me； somewhat heavy； a
little shallow； or so。 Why； I'll tell you now； suppose now you come
up to menay； prithee； Careless； be instructed。 Suppose； as I was
saying； you come up to me holding your sides； and laughing as if you
wouldwellI look grave； and ask the cause of this immoderate
mirth。 You laugh on still； and are not able to tell me； still I
look grave； not so much as smile。
CARE。 Smile； no； what the devil should you smile at； when you
suppose I can't tell you！
BRISK。 Pshaw； pshaw； prithee don't interrupt me。 But I tell you；
you shall tell me at last； but it shall be a great while first。
CARE。 Well； but prithee don't let it be a great while； because I
long to have it over。
BRISK。 Well then； you tell me some good jest or some very witty
thing； laughing all the while as if you were ready to die； and I
hear it； and look thus。 Would not you be disappointed？
CARE。 No； for if it were a witty thing I should not expect you to
understand it。
LORD FROTH。 Oh； foy； Mr。 Careless； all the world allows Mr。 Brisk
to have wit； my wife says he has a great deal。 I hope you think her
a judge。
BRISK。 Pooh； my lord； his voice goes for nothing； I can't tell how
to make him apprehend。 Take it t'other way。 Suppose I say a witty
thing to you？
CARE。 Then I shall be disappointed indeed。
MEL。 Let him alone； Brisk； he is obstinately bent not to be
instructed。
BRISK。 I'm sorry for him； the deuce take me。
MEL。 Shall we go to the ladies； my lord？
LORD FROTH。 With all my heart； methinks we are a solitude without
'em。
MEL。 Or what say you to another bottle of champagne？
LORD FROTH。 Oh； 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 see； let me see； my lord； I broke my glass that was
in the lid of my snuff…box。 Hum！ Deuce take me； I have encouraged
a pimple here too。 ＇Takes the glass and looks。＇
LORD FROTH。 Then you must mortify him with a patch； my wife shall
supply you。 Come； gentlemen； ALLONS； here is company coming。
SCENE VI。
LADY TOUCHWOOD and MASKWELL。
LADY TOUCH。 I'll hear no more。 You are false and ungrateful； come；
I know you false。
MASK。 I have been frail； I confess； madam； for your ladyship's
service。
LADY TOUCH。 That I should trust a man whom I had known betray his
friend！
MASK。 What friend have I betrayed？ or to whom？
LADY TOUCH。 Your fond friend Mellefont； and to me； can you deny it？
MASK。 I do not。
LADY TOUCH。 Have you not wronged my lord； who has been a father to
you in your wants； and given you being？ Have you not wronged him in
the highest manner； in his bed？
MASK。 With your ladyship's help； and for your service； as I told
you before。 I can't deny that neither。 Anything more； madam？
LADY TOUCH。 More！ Audacious villain！ Oh； what's more； is most my
shame。 Have you not dishonoured me？
MASK。 No； that I deny； for I never told in all my life： so that
accusation's answered； on to the next。
LADY 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 unconcerned he
stands； confessing treachery and ingratitude！ Is there a vice more
black？ Oh； I have excuses thousands for my faults； fire in my
temper； passions 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 disordered＇ a very great rogue
for your sake； and you reproach me with it； I am ready to be a rogue
still； to do you service； and you are flinging conscience and honour
in my face； to rebate my inclinations。 How am I to behave myself？
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 myself： I don't pretend to honesty；
because you know I am a rascal； but I would convince you from the
necessity of my being firm to you。
LADY TOUCH。 Necessity； 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
you …
LADY TOUCH。 Yet； what yet？
MASK。 Nay； misconceive me not； madam； when I say I have had a
gen'rous and a faithful passion； which you had never favoured； but
through revenge and policy。
LADY TOUCH。 Ha！
MASK。 Look you； madam； we are alone；pray contain yourself and
hear me。 You know you loved your nephew when I first sighed for
you； I quickly found it： an argument that I loved； for with that
art you veiled your passion '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 nephew's scorn of you added to my
hopes； I watched the occasion； and took you； just repulsed by him；
warm at once with love and indignation； your disposition； my
arguments； and happy opportunity accomplished my design； I pressed
the yielding minute； and was blest。 How I have loved you since；
words have not shown； then how should words express？
LADY TOUCH。 Well； mollifying devil！ And have I not met your love
with forward fire？
MASK。 Your zeal； I grant； was ardent； but misplaced； there was
revenge in view； that woman's idol had defiled the temple of the
god； and love was made a mock…worship。 A son and heir would have
edged young Mellefont upon the brink of ruin； and left him none but
you to catch at for prevention。
LADY TOUCH。 Again provoke me！ Do you wind me like a larum； only to
rouse my own stilled soul for your diversion？ Confusion！
MASK。 Nay； madam； I'm gone； if you relapse。 What needs this？ I
say nothing but what you yourself； in open hours of love； have told
me。 Why should you deny it？ Nay； how can you？ Is not all this
present heat 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； ere to…morrow； shall be done； had you but
patience。
LADY 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。
LADY 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。 O 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 yourself； you shall possess and ruin him too；will
that please you？
LADY TOUCH。 How； how？ Thou dear； thou precious villain； how？
MASK。 You have already been tampering with my Lady Plyant。
LADY TOUCH。 I have： she is ready for any impression I think fit。
MASK。 She must be throughly persuaded that Mellefont loves her。
LADY TOUCH。 She is so credulous that way naturally； and likes him
so well； that she will believe it faster than I can persuade her。
But I don't see what you can propose from such a trifling design；
for her first conversing with Mellefont will convince her of the
contrary。
MASK。 I know it。 I don't depend upon it。 But it will prepare
something else； 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；
What to rebuild will a whole age employ。
A