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and fortune's power； and for that thou art scrupulously honest； I will secure
thy fidelity to him； and give my honour never to own any discovery that
you shall make me。 Can you give me a demonstrative proof？ Speak。
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MASK。 I wish I could not。 To be plain； my lord； I intended this
evening to have tried all arguments to dissuade him from a design which I
suspect； and if I had not succeeded； to have informed your lordship of
what I knew。
LORD TOUCH。 I thank you。 What is the villain's purpose？
MASK。 He has owned nothing to me of late； and what I mean now；
is only a bare suspicion of my own。 If your lordship will meet me a
quarter of an hour hence there； in that lobby by my lady's bed… chamber； I
shall be able to tell you more。
LORD TOUCH。 I will。
MASK。 My duty to your lordship makes me do a severe piece of
justice。
LORD TOUCH。 I will be secret； and reward your honesty beyond
your hopes。
SCENE XV。
Scene opening； shows Lady Touchwood's chamber。
MELLEFONT solus。
MEL。 Pray heaven my aunt keep touch with her assignation。 O that
her lord were but sweating behind this hanging； with the expectation of
what I shall see。 Hist； she comes。 Little does she think what a mine is
just ready to spring under her feet。 But to my post。 ＇Goes behind the
hangings。＇
SCENE XVI。
LADY TOUCHWOOD。
LADY TOUCH。 'Tis eight o'clock； methinks I should have found
him here。 Who does not prevent the hour of love； outstays the time； for
to be dully punctual is too slow。 I was accusing you of neglect。
SCENE XVII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； MASKWELL； MELLEFONT absconding。
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MASK。 I confess you do reproach me when I see you here before me；
but 'tis fit I should be still behindhand； still to be more and more indebted
to your goodness。
LADY TOUCH。 You can excuse a fault too well； not to have been to
blame。 A ready answer shows you were prepared。
MASK。 Guilt is ever at a loss； and confusion waits upon it； when
innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression。
LADY TOUCH。 Not in love： words are the weak support of cold
indifference； love has no language to be heard。
MASK。 Excess of joy has made me stupid！ Thus may my lips be
ever closed。 ＇Kisses her。＇ And thusO who would not lose his speech；
upon condition to have joys above it？
LADY TOUCH。 Hold； let me lock the door first。 ＇Goes to the
door。＇
MASK。 ＇Aside。＇ That I believed； 'twas well I left the private
passage open。
LADY TOUCH。 So； that's safe。
MASK。 And so may all your pleasures be； and secret as this kiss …
MEL。 And may all treachery be thus discovered。 ＇Leaps out。＇
LADY TOUCH。 Ah！ ＇Shrieks。＇
MEL。 Villain！ ＇Offers to draw。＇
MASK。 Nay； then； there's but one way。 ＇Runs out。＇
SCENE XVIII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； MELLEFONT。
MEL。 Say you so； were you provided for an escape？ Hold； madam；
you have no more holes to your burrow； I'll stand between you and this
sally…port。
LADY TOUCH。 Thunder strike thee dead for this deceit； immediate
lightning blast thee； me； and the whole world！ Oh！ I could rack myself；
play the vulture to my own heart； and gnaw it piecemeal； for not boding to
me this misfortune。
MEL。 Be patient。
LADY TOUCH。 Be damned。
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MEL。 Consider； I have you on the hook； you will but flounder
yourself a…weary； and be nevertheless my prisoner。
LADY TOUCH。 I'll hold my breath and die； but I'll be free。
MEL。 O madam； have a care of dying unprepared； I doubt you have
some unrepented sins that may hang heavy； and retard your flight。
LADY TOUCH。 O！ what shall I do？ say？ Whither shall I turn？
Has hell no remedy？
MEL。 None； hell has served you even as heaven has done； left you to
yourself。You're in a kind of Erasmus paradise； yet if you please you may
make it a purgatory； and with a little penance and my absolution all this
may turn to good account。
LADY TOUCH。 ＇Aside。＇ Hold in my passion； and fall； fall a little；
thou swelling heart； let me have some intermission of this rage； and one
minute's coolness to dissemble。 ＇She weeps。＇
MEL。 You have been to blame。 I like those tears； and hope they are
of the purest kind；penitential tears。
LADY TOUCH。 O the scene was shifted quick before me；I had not
time to think。 I was surprised to see a monster in the glass； and now I
find 'tis myself； can you have mercy to forgive the faults I have imagined；
but never put in practice？O consider； consider how fatal you have been
to me； you have already killed the quiet of this life。 The love of you was
the first wandering fire that e'er misled my steps； and while I had only that
in view； I was betrayed into unthought of ways of ruin。
MEL。 May I believe this true？
LADY TOUCH。 O be not cruelly incredulous。How can you doubt
these streaming eyes？ Keep the severest eye o'er all my future conduct；
and if I once relapse； let me not hope forgiveness； 'twill ever be in your
power to ruin me。 My lord shall sign to your desires； I will myself create
your happiness； and Cynthia shall be this night your bride。 Do but
conceal my failings； and forgive。
MEL。 Upon such terms I will be ever yours in every honest way。
SCENE XIX。
MASKWELL softly introduces LORD TOUCHWOOD； and retires。
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MASK。 I have kept my word； he's here； but I must not be seen。
SCENE XX。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； LORD TOUCHWOOD； MELLEFONT。
LORD TOUCH。 Hell and amazement； she's in tears。
LADY TOUCH。