the double-dealer-第7章

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LADY　TOUCH。　　How　does　he　bear　his　disappointment？



MASK。　　Secure　in　my　assistance；　he　seemed　not　much　afflicted；　but

rather　laughed　at　the　shallow　artifice；　which　so　little　time　must　of

necessity　discover。　　Yet　he　is　apprehensive　of　some　farther　design

of　yours；　and　has　engaged　me　to　watch　you。　　I　believe　he　will　hardly

be　able　to　prevent　your　plot；　yet　I　would　have　you　use　caution　and

expedition。



LADY　TOUCH。　　Expedition　indeed；　for　all　we　do　must　be　performed　in

the　remaining　part　of　this　evening；　and　before　the　company　break　up；

lest　my　lord　should　cool　and　have　an　opportunity　to　talk　with　him

privately。　　My　lord　must　not　see　him　again。



MASK。　　By　no　means；　therefore　you　must　aggravate　my　lord's

displeasure　to　a　degree　that　will　admit　of　no　conference　with　him。

What　think　you　of　mentioning　me？



LADY　TOUCH。　　How？



MASK。　　To　my　lord；　as　having　been　privy　to　Mellefont's　design　upon

you；　but　still　using　my　utmost　endeavours　to　dissuade　him；　though　my

friendship　and　love　to　him　has　made　me　conceal　it；　yet　you　may　say；

I　threatened　the　next　time　he　attempted　anything　of　that　kind　to

discover　it　to　my　lord。



LADY　TOUCH。　　To　what　end　is　this？



MASK。　　It　will　confirm　my　lord's　opinion　of　my　honour　and　honesty；

and　create　in　him　a　new　confidence　in　me；　which　（should　this　design

miscarry）　will　be　necessary　to　the　forming　another　plot　that　I　have

in　my　head。To　cheat　you　as　well　as　the　rest。　　＇Aside。＇



LADY　TOUCH。　　I'll　do　itI'll　tell　him　you　hindered　him　once　from

forcing　me。



MASK。　　Excellent！　　Your　ladyship　has　a　most　improving　fancy。　　You

had　best　go　to　my　lord；　keep　him　as　long　as　you　can　in　his　closet；

and　I　doubt　not　but　you　will　mould　him　to　what　you　please；　your

guests　are　so　engaged　in　their　own　follies　and　intrigues；　they'll

miss　neither　of　you。



LADY　TOUCH。　　When　shall　we　meet？at　eight　this　evening　in　my

chamber？　　There　rejoice　at　our　success；　and　toy　away　an　hour　in

mirth。



MASK。　　I　will　not　fail。





SCENE　III。





MASKWELL　alone。



I　know　what　she　means　by　toying　away　an　hour　well　enough。　　Pox；　I

have　lost　all　appetite　to　her；　yet　she's　a　fine　woman；　and　I　loved

her　once。　　But　I　don't　know：　　since　I　have　been　in　a　great　measure

kept　by　her；　the　case　is　altered；　what　was　my　pleasure　is　become　my

duty；　and　I　have　as　little　stomach　to　her　now　as　if　I　were　her

husband。　　Should　she　smoke　my　design　upon　Cynthia；　I　were　in　a　fine

pickle。　　She　has　a　damned　penetrating　head；　and　knows　how　to

interpret　a　coldness　the　right　way；　therefore　I　must　dissemble

ardour　and　ecstasy；　that's　resolved。　　How　easily　and　pleasantly　is

that　dissembled　before　fruition！　　Pox　on't　that　a　man　can't　drink

without　quenching　his　thirst。　　Ha！　yonder　comes　Mellefont；

thoughtful。　　Let　me　think。　　Meet　her　at　eighthumha！　　By　heav'n　I

have　it。If　I　can　speak　to　my　lord　before。　　Was　it　my　brain　or

providence？　　No　matter　whichI　will　deceive　'em　all；　and　yet　secure

myself。　　'Twas　a　lucky　thought！　　Well；　this　double…dealing　is　a

jewel。　　Here　he　comes；　now　for　me。　　＇MASKWELL；　pretending　not　to　see

him；　walks　by　him；　and　speaks　as　it　were　to　himself。＇





SCENE　IV。





＇To　him＇　MELLEFONT；　musing。



MASK。　　Mercy　on　us；　what　will　the　wickedness　of　this　world　come　to？



MEL。　　How　now；　Jack？　　What；　so　full　of　contemplation　that　you　run

over？



MASK。　　I'm　glad　you're　come；　for　I　could　not　contain　myself　any

longer；　and　was　just　going　to　give　vent　to　a　secret；　which　nobody

but　you　ought　to　drink　down。　　Your　aunt's　just　gone　from　hence。



MEL。　　And　having　trusted　thee　with　the　secrets　of　her　soul；　thou　art

villainously　bent　to　discover　'em　all　to　me；　ha？



MASK。　　I'm　afraid　my　frailty　leans　that　way。　　But　I　don't　know

whether　I　can　in　honour　discover　'em　all。



MEL。　　All；　all；　man！　　What；　you　may　in　honour　betray　her　as　far　as

she　betrays　herself。　　No　tragical　design　upon　my　person；　I　hope。



MASK。　　No；　but　it's　a　comical　design　upon　mine。



MEL。　　What　dost　thou　mean？



MASK。　　Listen　and　be　dumb；　we　have　been　bargaining　about　the　rate　of

your　ruin　…



MEL。　　Like　any　two　guardians　to　an　orphan　heiress。　　Well？



MASK。　　And　whereas　pleasure　is　generally　paid　with　mischief；　what


mischief　I　do　is　to　be　paid　with　pleasure。



MEL。　　So　when　you've　swallowed　the　potion　you　sweeten　your　mouth

with　a　plum。



MASK。　　You　are　merry；　sir；　but　I　shall　probe　your　constitution。　　In

short；　the　price　of　your　banishment　is　to　be　paid　with　the　person　of

…



MEL。　　Of　Cynthia　and　her　fortune。　　Why；　you　forget　you　told　me　this

before。



MASK。　　No；　no。　　So　far　you　are　right；　and　I　am；　as　an　earnest　of

that　bargain；　to　have　full　and　free　possession　of　the　person　of

your　aunt。



MEL。　　Ha！　　Pho；　you　trifle。



MASK。　　By　this　light；　I'm　serious；　all　raillery　apart。　　I　knew

'twould　stun　you。　　This　evening　at　eight　she　will　receive　me　in　her

bedchamber。



MEL。　　Hell　and　the　devil；　is　she　abandoned　of　all　grace？　　Why；　the

woman　is　possessed。



MASK。　　Well；　will　you　go　in　my　stead？



MEL。　　By　heav'n；　into　a　hot　furnace　sooner。



MASK。　　No；　you　would　not；　it　would　not　be　so　convenient；　as　I　can

order　matters。



MEL。　　What　d'ye　mean？



MASK。　　Mean？　　Not　to　disappoint　the　lady；　I　assure　you。　　Ha；　ha；　ha；

how　gravely　he　looks。　　Come；　come；　I　won't　perplex　you。　　'Tis　the

only　thing　that　providence　could　have　contrived　to　make　me　capable

of　serving　you；　either　to　my　inclination　or　your　own　necessity。



MEL。　　How；　how；　for　heav'n's　sake；　dear　Maskwell？



MASK。　　Why；　thus。　　I'll　go　according　to　appointment；　you　shall　have

notice　at　the　critical　minute　to　come　and　surprise　your　aunt　and　me

together。　　Counterfeit　a　rage　against　me；　and　I'll　make　my　escape

through　the　private　passage　from　her　chamber；　which　I'll　take　care

to　leave　open。　　'Twill　be　hard　if　then　you　can't　bring　her　to　any

conditions。　　For　this　discovery　will　disarm　her　of　all　defence；　and

leave　her　entirely　at　your　mercynay；　she　must　ever　after　be　in　awe

of　you。



MEL。　　Let　me　adore　thee；　my　better　genius！　　By　heav'n　I　think　it　is

not　in　the　power　of　fate　to　disappoint　my　hopesmy　hopes？　　My

certainty！



MASK。　　Well；　I'll　meet　you　here；　within　a　quarter　of　eight；　and　give

you　notice。



MEL。　　Good　fortune　ever　go　along　with　thee。





SCENE　V。





MELLEFONT；　CARELESS。



CARE。　　Mellefont；　get　out　o'　th'　way；　my　Lady　Plyant's　coming；　and　I

shall　never　succeed　while　thou　art　in　sight。　　Though　she　begins　to

tack　about；　but　I　made　love　a　great　while　to　no　purpose。



MEL。　　Why；　what's　the　matter？　　She's　convinced　that　I　don't　care　for

her。



CARE。　　I　can't　get　an　answer　from　her；　that　does　not　begin　with　her

honour；　or　her　virtue；　her　religion；　or　some　such　cant。　　Then　she

has　told　me　the　whole　history　of　Sir　Paul's　nine　years　courtship；

how　he　has　lain　for　whole　nights　together　upon　the　stairs　before　her

chamber…door；　and　that　the　first　favour　he　received　from　her　was　a

piece　of　an　old　scarlet　petticoat　for　a　stomacher；　which　since　the

day　of　his　marriage　he　has　out　of　a　piece　of　gallantry　converted

into　a　night…cap；　and　wears　it　still　with　much　solemnity　on　his

anniversary　wedding…night。



MEL。　　That　I　have　seen；　with　the　ceremony　thereunto　belonging。　　For

on　that　night　he　creeps　in　at　the　bed's　feet　like　a　gulled　bassa

that　has　married　a　relation　of　the　Grand　Signior；　and　that　night　he

has　his　arms　at　liberty。　　Did　not　she　tell　you　at　what　a　distance

she　keeps　him？　　He　has　confessed　to　me　that；　but　at　some　certain

times；　that　is；　I　suppose；　when　she　apprehends　being　with　child；　he

never　has　the　privilege　of　using　the　familiarity　of　a　husband　with　a

wife。　　He　was　once　given　to　scrambling　with　his　hands；　and　sprawling

in　his　sleep；　and　ever　since　she　has　him　swaddled　up　in　blankets；

and　his　hands　and　feet　swathed　down；　and　so　put　to　bed；　and　there　he

lies　with　a　great　beard；　like　a　Russian　bear　upon　a　drift　of　snow。

You　are　very　great　with　him；　I　wonder　he　never　told　you　his

grievances：　　he　will；　I　warrant　you。



CARE。　　Excessively　foolish！　　But　that　which　gives　me　most　hopes　of

her　is　her　telling　me　of　the　many　temptations　she　has　resisted。



MEL。　　Nay；　then　you　have　her；　for　a　woman's　bragging　to　a　man　that

she　has　overcome　temptations　is　an　argument　that　they　were　weakly

offered；　and　a　challenge　to　him　to　engage　her　more　irresistibly。

'Tis　only　an　enhancing　the　price　of　the　commodity；　by　telling　you

how　many　customers　have　underbid　her。



CARE。　　Nay；　I　don't　despair。　　But　still　she　has　a　grudging　to　you。

I　talked　to　her　t'other　night　at　my　Lord　Froth's　masquerade；　when

I'm　satisfied　she　knew　me；　and　I　had　no　reason　to　complain　of　my

reception；　but　I　find　women　are　not　the　same　bare…faced　and　in

masks；　and　a　vizor　disguises　their　inclinations　as　much　as　their

faces。



MEL。　　'Tis　a　mistake；　for　women　may　most　properly　be　said　to　be

unmasked　when　they　wear　vizors；　for　that　secures　them　from　blushing

and　being　out　of　countenance；　and　next　to　being　in　the　dark；　or

alone；　they　are　most　truly　themselves　in　a　vizor　mask。　　Here　they

come：　　I'll　leave　you。　　Ply　her　close；　and　by　and　by　clap　a　BILLET

DOUX　into　her　hand；　for　a　woman　never　thinks　a　man　truly　in　love

with　her；　till　he　has　been　fool　enough　to　think　of　her　out　of　her

sight；　and　to　lose　so　much　time　as　to　write　to　her。





SCENE　VI。





CARELESS；　SIR　PAUL；　and　LADY　PLYANT。



SIR　PAUL。　　Shan't　we　disturb　your　meditation；　Mr。　Careless？　　You

would　be　private？



CARE。　　You　bring　that　along　with　you；　Sir　Paul；　that　shall　be　always

welcome　to　my　privacy。



SIR　PAUL。　　O　sweet　sir；　you　load　your　humble　servants；　both　me　and

my　wife；　with　continual　favours。



LADY　PLYANT。　　Sir　Paul；　what　a　phrase　was　there？　　You　will　be　making

answers；　and　taking　that　upon　you　which　ought　to　lie　upon　me。　　That

you　should　have　so　little　breeding　to　think　Mr。　Careless　did　not

apply　himself　to　me。　　Pray　what　have　you　to　entertain　anybody's

privacy？　　I　swear　and　declare　in　the　face　of　the　world　I'm　ready　to

blush　for　your　ignorance。



SIR　PAUL。　　I　acquiesce；　my　lady；　but　don't　snub　so　loud。　　＇Aside　to

her。＇



LADY　PLYANT。　　Mr。　Careless；　if　a　person　that　is　wholly　illiterate

might　be　supposed　to　be　capable　of　being　qualified　to　make　a

suitable　return　to　those　obligations；　which　you　are　pleased　to

confer　upon　one　that　is　wholly　incapable　of　being　qualified　in　all

those　circumstances；　I'm　sure　I　should　rather　attempt　it　than

anything　in　the　world；　＇Courtesies＇　for　I'm　sure　there's　nothing　in

the　world　that　I　would　rather。　　＇Courtesies＇　　But　I　know　Mr。

Careless　is　so　great　a　critic；　and　so　fine　a　gentleman；　that　it　is

impossible　for　me　…



CARE。　　O　heavens！　madam；　you　confound　me。



SIR　PAUL。　　Gads…bud；　she's　a　fine　person。



LADY　PLYANT。　　O　Lord！　sir；　pardon　me；　we　women　have　not　those

advantages；　I　know　my　imperfections。　　But　a