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aside all thoughts of the marriage； for though I know you don't love
Cynthia； only as a blind for your passion to me； yet it will make me
jealous。 O Lord； what did I say？ Jealous！ no； no； I can't be
jealous； for I must not love you； therefore don't hope；but don't
despair neither。 Oh； they're coming； I must fly。
SCENE VI。
MELLEFONT alone。
MEL。 ＇After a pause。＇ So then； spite of my care and foresight； I
am caught； caught in my security。 Yet this was but a shallow
artifice； unworthy of my Machiavellian aunt。 There must be more
behind： this is but the first flash； the priming of her engine。
Destruction follows hard； if not most presently prevented。
SCENE VII。
＇To him＇ MASKWELL。
MEL。 Maskwell； welcome； thy presence is a view of land； appearing
to my shipwrecked hopes。 The witch has raised the storm； and her
ministers have done their work： you see the vessels are parted。
MASK。 I know it。 I met Sir Paul towing away Cynthia。 Come；
trouble not your head； I'll join you together ere to…morrow morning；
or drown between you in the attempt。
MEL。 There's comfort in a hand stretched out to one that's sinking；
though ne'er so far off。
MASK。 No sinking； nor no danger。 Come； cheer up； why； you don't
know that while I plead for you； your aunt has given me a retaining
fee。 Nay； I am your greatest enemy； and she does but journey…work
under me。
MEL。 Ha！ how's this？
MASK。 What d'ye think of my being employed in the execution of all
her plots？ Ha； ha； ha； by heav'n； it's true： I have undertaken to
break the match； I have undertaken to make your uncle disinherit
you； to get you turned out of doors； and toha； ha； ha； I can't
tell you for laughing。 Oh； she has opened her heart to me！ I am to
turn you a…grazing； and toha； ha； ha； marry Cynthia myself。
There's a plot for you。
MEL。 Ha！ Oh； see； I see my rising sun！ Light breaks through
clouds upon me； and I shall live in dayOh； my Maskwell！ how shall
I thank or praise thee？ Thou hast outwitted woman。 But； tell me；
how couldst thou thus get into her confidence？ Ha！ How？ But was
it her contrivance to persuade my Lady Plyant to this extravagant
belief？
MASK。 It was； and to tell you the truth； I encouraged it for your
diversion。 Though it made you a little uneasy for the present； yet
the reflection of it must needs be entertaining。 I warrant she was
very violent at first。
MEL。 Ha； ha； ha； ay； a very fury； but I was most afraid of her
violence at last。 If you had not come as you did； I don't know what
she might have attempted。
MASK。 Ha； ha； ha； I know her temper。 Well； you must know； then；
that all my contrivances were but bubbles； till at last I pretended
to have been long secretly in love with Cynthia； that did my
business； that convinced your aunt I might be trusted； since it was
as much my interest as hers to break the match。 Then； she thought
my jealousy might qualify me to assist her in her revenge。 And； in
short； in that belief； told me the secrets of her heart。 At length
we made this agreement； if I accomplish her designs （as I told you
before） she has engaged to put Cynthia with all her fortune into my
power。
MEL。 She is most gracious in her favour。 Well； and； dear Jack； how
hast thou contrived？
MASK。 I would not have you stay to hear it now； for I don't know
but she may come this way。 I am to meet her anon； after that； I'll
tell you the whole matter。 Be here in this gallery an hour hence；
by that time I imagine our consultation may be over。
MEL。 I will； till then success attend thee。
SCENE VIII。
MASKWELL alone。
Till then； success will attend me； for when I meet you； I meet the
only obstacle to my fortune。 Cynthia； let thy beauty gild my
crimes； and whatsoever I commit of treachery or deceit； shall be
imputed to me as a merit。 Treachery？ What treachery？ Love cancels
all the bonds of friendship； and sets men right upon their first
foundations。
Duty to kings； piety to parents； gratitude to benefactors； and
fidelity to friends； are different and particular ties。 But the
name of rival cuts 'em all asunder； and is a general acquittance。
Rival is equal； and love like death an universal leveller of
mankind。 Ha！ But is there not such a thing as honesty？ Yes； and
whosoever has it about him； bears an enemy in his breast。 For your
honest man； as I take it； is that nice； scrupulous； conscientious
person； who will cheat nobody but himself； such another coxcomb as
your wise man； who is too hard for all the world； and will be made a
fool of by nobody but himself； ha； ha； ha。 Well； for wisdom and
honesty give me cunning and hypocrisy； oh； 'tis such a pleasure to
angle for fair…faced fools！ Then that hungry gudgeon credulity will
bite at anything。 Why； let me see； I have the same face； the same
words and accents when I speak what I do think； and when I speak
what I do not think； the very same； and dear dissimulation is the
only art not to be known from nature。
Why will mankind be fools； and be deceived；
And why are friends' and lovers' oaths believed；
When each； who searches strictly his own mind；
May so much fraud and power of baseness find？
ACT III。SCENE I。
LORD TOUCHWOOD and LADY TOUCHWOOD。
LADY TOUCH。 My lord； can you blame my brother Plyant if he refuse
his daughter upon this provocation？ The contract's void by this
unheard…of impiety。
LORD TOUCH。 I don't believe it true； he has better principles。
Pho； 'tis nonsense。 Come； come； I know my Lady Plyant has a large
eye； and would centre everything in her own circle； 'tis not the
first time she has mistaken respect for love； and made Sir Paul
jealous of the civility of an undesigning person； the better to
bespeak his security in her unfeigned pleasures。
LADY TOUCH。 You censure hardly； my lord； my sister's honour is very
well known。
LORD TOUCH。 Yes； I believe I know some that have been familiarly
acquainted with it。 This is a little trick wrought by some pitiful
contriver； envious of my nephew's merit。
LADY TOUCH。 Nay； my lord； it may be so； and I hope it will be found
so。 But that will require some time； for in such a case as this；
demonstration is necessary。
LORD TOUCH。 There should have been demonstration of the contrary
too； before it had been believed。
LADY TOUCH。 So I suppose there was。
LORD TOUCH。 How？ Where？ When？
LADY TOUCH。 That I can't tell； nay； I don't say there was。 I am
willing to believe as favourably of my nephew as I can。
LORD TOUCH。 I don't know that。 ＇Half aside。＇
LADY TOUCH。 How？ Don't you believe that； say you； my lord？
LORD TOUCH。 No； I don't say so。 I confess I am troubled to find
you so cold in his defence。
LADY TOUCH。 His defence！ Bless me； would you have me defend an ill
thing？
LORD TOUCH。 You believe it； then？
LADY TOUCH。 I don't know； I am very unwilling to speak my thoughts
in anything that may be to my cousin's disadvantage： besides； I
find； my lord； you are prepared to receive an ill impression from
any opinion of mine which is not consenting with your own。 But；
since I am like to be suspected in the end； and 'tis a pain any
longer to dissemble； I own it to you； in short I do believe it； nay；
and can believe anything worse； if it were laid to his charge。
Don't ask me my reasons； my lord； for they are not fit to be told
you。
LORD TOUCH。 I'm amazed： there must be something more than ordinary
in this。 ＇Aside。＇ Not fit to be told me； madam？ You can have no
interests wherein I am not concerned； and consequently the same
reasons ought to be convincing to me； which create your satisfaction
or disquiet。
LADY TOUCH。 But those which cause my disquiet I am willing to have
remote from your hearing。 Good my lord； don't press me。
LORD TOUCH。 Don't oblige me to press you。
LADY TOUCH。 Whatever it was； 'tis past。 And that is better to be
unknown which cannot be prevented； therefore let me beg you to rest
satisfied。
LORD TOUCH。 When you have told me； I will。
LADY TOUCH。 You won't。
LORD TOUCH。 By my life； my dear； I will。
LADY TOUCH。 What if you can't？
LORD TOUCH。 How？ Then I must know； nay； I will。 No more trifling。
I charge you tell me。 By all our mutual peace to come； upon your
duty …
LADY TOUCH。 Nay； my lord； you need say no more； to make me lay my
heart before you； but don't be thus transported； compose yourself。
It is not of concern to make you lose one minute's temper。 'Tis
not； indeed； my dear。 Nay； by this kiss you shan't be angry。 O
Lord； I wish I had not told you anything。 Indeed； my lord； you have
frighted me。 Nay； look pleased； I'll tell you。
LORD TOUCH。 Well； well。
LADY TOUCH。 Nay； but will you be calm？ Indeed it's nothing but …