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LADY PLYANT。 Sir Paul； take Cynthia from his sight； leave me to
strike him with the remorse of his intended crime。
CYNT。 Pray； sir； stay； hear him； I dare affirm he's innocent。
SIR PAUL。 Innocent！ Why； hark'eecome hither； Thyhark'ee； I had
it from his aunt； my sister Touchwood。 Gadsbud； he does not care a
farthing for anything of thee but thy portion。 Why； he's in love
with my wife。 He would have tantalised thee； and made a cuckold of
thy poor father； and that would certainly have broke my heart。 I'm
sure； if ever I should have horns； they would kill me； they would
never come kindlyI should die of 'em like a child that was cutting
his teethI should indeed； Thytherefore come away； but providence
has prevented all； therefore come away when I bid you。
CYNT。 I must obey。
SCENE V。
LADY PLYANT； MELLEFONT。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； such a thing！ the impiety of it startles meto
wrong so good； so fair a creature； and one that loves you tenderly
'tis a barbarity of barbarities； and nothing could be guilty of it …
MEL。 But the greatest villain imagination can form； I grant it； and
next to the villainy of such a fact is the villainy of aspersing me
with the guilt。 How？ which way was I to wrong her？ For yet I
understand you not。
LADY PLYANT。 Why； gads my life； cousin Mellefont； you cannot be so
peremptory as to deny it； when I tax you with it to your face？ for
now Sir Paul's gone； you are CORUM NOBUS。
MEL。 By heav'n； I love her more than life or …
LADY PLYANT。 Fiddle faddle； don't tell me of this and that； and
everything in the world； but give me mathemacular demonstration；
answer me directly。 But I have not patience。 Oh； the impiety of
it； as I was saying； and the unparalleled wickedness！ O merciful
Father！ How could you think to reverse nature so； to make the
daughter the means of procuring the mother？
MEL。 The daughter to procure the mother！
LADY PLYANT。 Ay； for though I am not Cynthia's own mother； I am her
father's wife； and that's near enough to make it incest。
MEL。 Incest！ O my precious aunt； and the devil in conjunction。
＇Aside。＇
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； reflect upon the horror of that； and then the
guilt of deceiving everybody； marrying the daughter； only to make a
cuckold of the father； and then seducing me； debauching my purity；
and perverting me from the road of virtue in which I have trod thus
long； and never made one trip； not one FAUX PAS。 Oh； consider it！
What would you have to answer for if you should provoke me to
frailty？ Alas！ humanity is feeble； heav'n knows！ very feeble； and
unable to support itself。
MEL。 Where am I？ is it day？ and am I awake？ Madam …
LADY PLYANT。 And nobody knows how circumstances may happen
together。 To my thinking； now I could resist the strongest
temptation。 But yet I know； 'tis impossible for me to know whether
I could or not； there's no certainty in the things of this life。
MEL。 Madam； pray give me leave to ask you one question。
LADY PLYANT。 O Lord； ask me the question； I'll swear I'll refuse
it； I swear I'll deny ittherefore don't ask me； nay； you shan't
ask me； I swear I'll deny it。 O Gemini； you have brought all the
blood into my face； I warrant I am as red as a turkey…cock。 O fie；
cousin Mellefont！
MEL。 Nay； madam； hear me； I mean …
LADY PLYANT。 Hear you？ No； no； I'll deny you first and hear you
afterwards。 For one does not know how one's mind may change upon
hearing。 Hearing is one of the senses； and all the senses are
fallible。 I won't trust my honour； I assure you； my honour is
infallible and uncomeatable。
MEL。 For heav'n's sake； madam …
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； name it no more。 Bless me； how can you talk of
heav'n； and have so much wickedness in your heart？ May be you don't
think it a sinthey say some of you gentlemen don't think it a sin。
May be it is no sin to them that don't think it so； indeed； if I did
not think it a sinBut still my honour； if it were no sin。 But
then； to marry my daughter for the conveniency of frequent
opportunities； I'll never consent to that； as sure as can be； I'll
break the match。
MEL。 Death and amazement！ Madam； upon my knees …
LADY PLYANT。 Nay； nay； rise up； come； you shall see my good…nature。
I know love is powerful； and nobody can help his passion。 'Tis not
your fault； nor； I swear； it is not mine。 How can I help it； if I
have charms？ And how can you help it； if you are made a captive？ I
swear it is pity it should be a fault。 But my honour；well； but
your honour； toobut the sin！well； but the necessityO Lord；
here's somebody coming； I dare not stay。 Well； you must consider of
your crime； and strive as much as can be against it；strive； be
sure。 But don't be melancholic； don't despair。 But never think
that I'll grant you anything。 O Lord； no。 But be sure you lay
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；