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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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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？
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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
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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 humbl