the double-dealer-第5章
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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。
ACT II。SCENE I。
LADY FROTH and CYNTHIA。
CYNT。 Indeed； madam！ Is it possible your ladyship could have been
so much in love？
LADY FROTH。 I could not sleep； I did not sleep one wink for three
weeks together。
CYNT。 Prodigious！ I wonder want of sleep； and so much love and so
much wit as your ladyship has； did not turn your brain。
LADY FROTH。 Oh； my dear Cynthia； you must not rally your friend。
But really； as you say； I wonder too。 But then I had a way。 For；
between you and I； I had whimsies and vapours； but I gave them vent。
CYNT。 How； pray； madam？
LADY FROTH。 Oh； I writ； writ abundantly。 Do you never write？
CYNT。 Write what？
LADY FROTH。 Songs； elegies； satires； encomiums； panegyrics；
lampoons； plays； or heroic poems？
CYNT。 O Lord； not I； madam； I'm content to be a courteous reader。
LADY FROTH。 Oh； inconsistent！ In love and not write！ If my lord
and I had been both of your temper； we had never come together。 Oh；
bless me！ What a sad thing would that have been； if my lord and I
should never have met！
CYNT。 Then neither my lord nor you would ever have met with your
match； on my conscience。
LADY FROTH。 O' my conscience； no more we should； thou say'st right。
For sure my Lord Froth is as fine a gentleman and as much a man of
quality！ Ah！ nothing at all of the common air。 I think I may say
he wants nothing but a blue ribbon and a star to make him shine； the
very phosphorus of our hemisphere。 Do you understand those two hard
words？ If you don't； I'll explain 'em to you。
CYNT。 Yes； yes； madam； I'm not so ignorant。At least I won't own
it； to be troubled with your instructions。 ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Nay； I beg your pardon； but being derived from the
Greek； I thought you might have escaped the etymology。 But I'm the
more amazed to find you a woman of letters and not write！ Bless me！
how can Mellefont believe you love him？
CYNT。 Why； faith； madam； he that won't take my word shall never
have it under my hand。
LADY FROTH。 I vow Mellefont's a pretty gentleman； but methinks he
wants a manner。
CYNT。 A manner！ What's that； madam？
LADY FROTH。 Some distinguishing quality； as； for example； the BEL
AIR or BRILLANT of Mr。 Brisk； the solemnity； yet complaisance of my
lord； or something of his own that should look a little JE…NE…SAIS…
QUOISH； he is too much a mediocrity； in my mind。
CYNT。 He does not indeed affect either pertness or formality； for
which I like him。 Here he comes。
LADY FROTH。 And my lord with him。 Pray observe the difference。
SCENE II。
＇To them＇ LORD FROTH； MELLEFONT； and BRISK。
CYNT。 Impertinent creature！ I could almost be angry with her now。
＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 My lord； I have been telling Cynthia how much I have
been in love with you； I swear I have； I'm not ashamed to own it
now。 Ah！ it makes my heart leap； I vow I sigh when I think on't。
My dear lord！ Ha； ha； ha； do you remember； my lord？ ＇Squeezes him
by the hand； looks kindly on him； sighs； and then laughs out。＇
LORD FROTH。 Pleasant creature！ perfectly well； ah！ that look； ay；
there it is； who could resist？ 'twas so my heart was made a captive
first； and ever since t'has been in love with happy slavery。
LADY FROTH。 Oh； that tongue； that dear deceitful tongue！ that
charming softness in your mien and your expression； and then your
bow！ Good my lord； bow as you did when I gave you my picture； here；
suppose this my picture。 ＇Gives him a pocket…glass。＇ Pray mind； my
lord； ah！ he bows charmingly； nay； my lord； you shan't kiss it so
much； I shall grow jealous； I vow now。 ＇He bows profoundly low；
then kisses the glass。＇
LORD FROTH。 I saw myself there； and kissed it for your sake。
LADY FROTH。 Ah！ Gallantry to the last degree。 Mr。 Brisk； you're a
judge； was ever anything so well bred as my lord？
