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the double-dealer-第4章

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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。







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