the double-dealer-第12章
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SCENE XVII。
LADY TOUCHWOOD； MASKWELL； MELLEFONT absconding。
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。
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。
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。 ＇Kneeling。＇ Eternal blessings thank you。Ha！ my lord
listening！ O fortune has o'erpaid me all； all！ all's my own！
＇Aside。＇
MEL。 Nay； I beseech you rise。
LADY TOUCH。 ＇Aloud。＇ Never； never！ I'll grow to the ground； be
buried quick beneath it； e'er I'll be consenting to so damned a sin
as incest！ unnatural incest！
MEL。 Ha！
LADY TOUCH。 O cruel man； will you not let me go？ I'll forgive all
that's past。 O heaven； you will not ravish me？
MEL。 Damnation！
LORD TOUCH。 Monster； dog！ your life shall answer this！ ＇Draws and
runs at MELLEFONT； is held by LADY TOUCHWOOD。＇
LADY TOUCH。 O heavens； my lord！ Hold； hold； for heaven's sake。
MEL。 Confusion； my uncle！ O the damned sorceress。
LADY TOUCH。 Moderate your rage； good my lord！ He's mad； alas； he's
mad。 Indeed he is； my lord； and knows not what he does。 See how
wild he looks。
MEL。 By heaven； 'twere senseless not to be mad； and see such
witchcraft。
LADY TOUCH。 My lord； you hear him； he talks idly。
LORD TOUCH。 Hence from my sight； thou living infamy to my name；
when next I see that face； I'll write villain in't with my sword's
point。
MEL。 Now； by my soul； I will not go till I have made known my
wrongs。 Nay； till I have made known yours； which； if possible； are
greater；though she has all the host of hell her servants。
LADY TOUCH。 Alas； he raves！ Talks very poetry！ For heaven's sake
away； my lord； he'll either tempt you to extravagance； or commit
some himself。
MEL。 Death and furies； will you not hear me？Why by heaven she
laughs； grins； points to your back； she forks out cuckoldom with her
fingers； and you're running horn…mad after your fortune。 ＇As she is
going she turns back and smiles at him。＇
LORD TOUCH。 I fear he's mad indeed。Let's send Maskwell to him。
MEL。 Send him to her。
LADY TOUCH。 Come； come； good my lord； my heart aches so； I shall
faint if I stay。
SCENE XXI。
MELLEFONT alone。
MEL。 Oh； I could curse my stars； fate； and chance； all causes and
accidents of fortune in this life！ But to what purpose？ Yet；
'sdeath； for a man to have the fruit of all his industry grow full
and ripe； ready to drop into his mouth； and just when he holds out
his hand to gather it； to have a sudden whirlwind come； tear up tree
and all； and bear away the very root and foundation of his hopes：…
what temper can contain？ They talk of sending Maskwell to me； I
never had more need of him。 But what can he do？ Imagination cannot
form a fairer and more plausible design than this of his which has
miscarried。 O my precious aunt； I shall never thrive without I deal
with the devil； or another woman。
Women； like flames； have a destroying power；
Ne'er to be quenched； till they themselves devour。
ACT V。SCENE I。
LADY TOUCHWOOD and MASKWELL。
LADY TOUCH。 Was't not lucky？
MASK。 Lucky！ Fortune is your own； and 'tis her interest so to be。
By heaven I believe you can control her power； and she fears it：
though chance brought my lord； 'twas your own art that turned it to
advantage。
LADY TOUCH。 'Tis true it might have been my ruin。 But yonder's my
lord。 I believe he's coming to find you： I'll not be seen。
SCENE II。
MASKWELL alone。
MASK。 So； I durst not own my introducing my lord； though it
succeeded well for her； for she would have suspected a design which
I should have been puzzled to excuse。 My lord is thoughtful。 I'll
be so too； yet he shall know my thoughts： or think he does。
SCENE III。
＇To him＇ LORD TOUCHWOOD。
MASK。 What have I done？
LORD TOUCH。 Talking to himself！
MASK。 'Twas honestand shall I be rewarded for it？ No； 'twas
honest； therefore I shan't。 Nay； rather therefore I ought not； for
it rewards itself。
LORD TOUCH。 Unequalled virtue！ ＇Aside。＇
MASK。 But should it be known； then I have lost a friend！ He was an
ill man； and I have gained； for half myself I lent him； and that I
have recalled： so I have served myself； and what is yet better； I
have served a worthy lord to whom I owe myself。
LORD TOUCH。 Excellent man！ ＇Aside。＇
MASK。 Yet I am wretched。 Oh； there is a secret burns within this
breast； which； should it once blaze forth； would ruin all； consume
my honest character； and brand me with the name of villain。
LORD TOUCH。 Ha！
MASK。 Why do I love！ Yet heaven and my waking conscience are my
witnesses； I never gave one working thought a vent； which might
discover that I loved； nor ever must。 No； let it prey upon my
heart； for I would rather die； than seem once； barely seem；
dishonest。 Oh； should it once be known I love fair Cynthia； all
this that I have done would look like rival's malice； false
friendship to my lord； and base self…interest。 Let me perish first；
and from this hour avoid all sight and speech； and； if I can； all
thought of that pernicious beauty。 Ha！ But what is my distraction
doing？ I am wildly talking to myself； and some ill chance might
have directed malicious ears this way。 ＇Seems to start； seeing my
lord。＇
LORD TOUCH。 Start not； let guilty and dishonest souls start at the
revelation of their thoughts； but be thou fixed； as is thy virtue。
MASK。 I am confounded； and beg your Lordship's pardon for those
free discourses which I have had with myself。
LORD TOUCH。 Come； I beg your pardon that I overheard you； and yet
it shall not need。 Honest Maskwell！ Thy and my good genius led me
hither。 Mine； in that I have discovered so much manly virtue；
thine； in that thou shalt have due reward of all thy worth。 Give me
thy hand。 My nephew is the alone remaining branch of all our
ancient family： him I thus blow away； and constitute thee in his
room to be my heir …
MASK。 Now heaven forbid …
LORD TOUCH。 No moreI have resolved。 The writings are ready
drawn； and wanted nothing but to be signed； and have his name
inserted。 Yours will fill the blank as well。 I will have no reply。
Let me command this time； for 'tis the last in which I will assume
authority。 Hereafter； you shall rule where I have power。
MASK。 I humbly would petition …
LORD TOUCH。 Is't for yourself？ ＇MASKWELL pauses。＇ I'll hear of
nought for anybody else。
MASK。 Then witness heaven for me； this wealth and honour was not of
my seeking； nor would I build my fortune on another's ruin。 I had
but one desire …
LORD TOUCH。 Thou shalt enjoy it。 If all I'm worth in wealth or
interest can purchase Cynthia； she is thine。 I'm sure Sir Paul's
consent will follow fortune。 I'll quickly show him which way that
is going。
MASK。 You oppress me with bounty。 My gratitude is weak； and
shrinks beneath the weight； and cannot rise to thank you。 What；
enjoy my love！ Forgive the transports of a blessing so unexpecte
