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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？
BRISK。 Never anything； but your ladyship； let me perish。
LADY FROTH。 Oh； prettily turned again； let me die； but you have a
great deal of wit。 Mr。 Mellefont； don't you think Mr。 Brisk has a
world of wit？
MEL。 O yes； madam。
BRISK。 O dear； madam …
LADY FROTH。 An infinite deal！
BRISK。 O heav'ns； madam …
LADY FROTH。 More wit than anybody。
BRISK。 I'm everlastingly your humble servant； deuce take me； madam。
LORD FROTH。 Don't you think us a happy couple？
CYNT。 I vow； my lord； I think you the happiest couple in the world；
for you're not only happy in one another； and when you are together；
but happy in yourselves； and by yourselves。
LORD FROTH。 I hope Mellefont will make a good husband too。
CYNT。 'Tis my interest to believe he will； my Lord。
LORD FROTH。 D'ye think he'll love you as well as I do my wife？ I'm
afraid not。
CYNT。 I believe he'll love me better。
LORD FROTH。 Heav'ns！ that can never be。 But why do you think so？
CYNT。 Because he has not so much reason to be fond of himself。
LORD FROTH。 Oh； your humble servant for that； dear madam。 Well；
Mellefont； you'll be a happy creature。
MEL。 Ay； my lord； I shall have the same reason for my happiness
that your lordship has； I shall think myself happy。
LORD FROTH。 Ah； that's all。
BRISK。 ＇To LADY FROTH。＇ Your ladyship is in the right； but； i'gad；
I'm wholly turned into satire。 I confess I write but seldom； but
when I dokeen iambics； i'gad。 But my lord was telling me your
ladyship has made an essay toward an heroic poem。
LADY FROTH。 Did my lord tell you？ Yes； I vow； and the subject is
my lord's love to me。 And what do you think I call it？ I dare
swear you won't guessTHE SILLABUB； ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Because my lord's title's Froth； i'gad； ha； ha； ha； deuce
take me； very e propos and surprising； ha； ha； ha。
LADY FROTH。 He； ay； is not it？ And then I call my lord Spumoso；
and myself； what d'ye think I call myself？