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185 WILLIAM CONGREVE [ACT v
be otherwhere employed.—Do you procure her nightgown,
and, with your hoods tied over your face, meet him in her
stead; you may go privately by the back stairs, and, unperccivcd,
there you may propose to reinstate him in his
uncle's favour, if he'll comply with your desires; his case
is desperate, and I believe he'll yield to any conditions.—
If not, here take this; you may employ it better than in the
heart of one who is nothing when not yours.
[Gives the dagger.
Lady Touch. Thou canst deceive everybody,—nay, thou
hast deceived me; but 'tis as I would wish.—Trusty villain!
I could worship thee!
Mask. No more.—There wants but a few minutes of
the time; and Mcllefont's love will carry him there before
his hour.
Lady Touch. I go, I fly, incomparable Mask well. [Exit.
Mask. So, this was a pinch indeed; my invention was
upon the rack, and made discovery of her last plot: I hope
Cynthia and my chaplain will be ready, I'll prepare for the
expedition. [Exit.
CYNTHIA and Lord TOUCHWOOD coming forward.
Cyn. Now, my lord.
Lord Touch. Astonishment binds up my rage! Villainy
upon villainy! Heavens, what a lon^ track of dark deceit
has this discovered! I am confounded when I look back,
and want a clue to guide me through the various mazes
of unheard-of treachery. My wife! damnation! mv hell!
Cyn. My lord, have patience, and be sensible how great
our happiness is that this discovery was not made too late.
Lord Touch. I thank you, yet it may be still too late, if
we don't presently prevent the execution of their plots.—
Ha, I'll do't. Where's Mellefont, my poor injured nephew?
—How shall I make him ample satisfaction?—
Cyn. I dare answer for him.
Lord Touch. I do him fresh wrong to question his 'forgiveness;
for I know him to be all goodness.—Yet my wife!
damn her!—She'll think to meet him in that dressing-room;
—was't not so? and Maskwell will expect you in the chaplain's
chamber.—For once, I'll add my plot too.—Let us
haste to find out, and inform my nephew; and do you
quickly as you can bring all the company into this gallery.
—I'll expose the strumpet and the villain. [Exeunt.