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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
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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 sin
But 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； too
but 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
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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
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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