the double-dealer(两面派)-第18节
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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。 ＇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
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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。
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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
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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 …
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