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174 WILLIAM CONGREVE [ACT iv
Mel. Damnation!
Lord Touch. Monsterl dog! your life shall answer this—
[Draws, and runs at MELLEFoNT, is held by
Lady TDUCHWDDD.
Lady Touch. O Heavens, my lord! Hold, hold, for Heaven's
sake!
Mel. Confusion, my uncle! D the damned sorceress!
[Asidc.
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 sec
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 VDU not hear me? Why by
Heaven she lauphs, urins, points to your back! she forks
out cuckoldom with her fingers, and you're running hornmad
after your fortune!
\As Lady TOUCHWOOD retires she turns bac\ 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.
[Exeunt Lord and Lady TOUCHWOOD.
Mel. O 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