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EPILOGUE] THE DOUBLE-DEALER 189
Enter MELLEFDNT disguised in a parsons habit, and pulling
in MASKWELL, followed by Servants.
Mel. Nay, by Heaven, you shall be seen!—Careless, your
hand.—[To MASKWELL.] Do you hold down your head?
Yes, I am your chaplain; look in the face of your injured
friend, thou wonder of all falsehood!
Lord Touch. Are you silent, monster?
Mel. Good Heavens! how I believed and loved this man!
—Take him hence, for he's a disease to my sight.
Lord Touch. Secure that manifold villain.
[Servants seize him.
Care. Miracle of ingratitude!
Brisk. This is all very surprising, let me perish!
Lady Froth. You know I told you Saturn looked a little
more angry than usual.
Lord Touch. We'll think of punishment at leisure, but let
me hasten to do justice, in rewarding virtue and wronged
innorence.—Nephew, I hope I have your pardon, and
Cynthia's.
Mel. We are your lordship's creatures.
Lord Touch. And be each other's comfort.—Let me join
your hands.—Unwearied nights and wishing davs attend
you both; mutual love, lasting health, nnd circling joys,
tread round each happy year of your lonu lives.
Let secret villainy from hence be warned;
Howe'er in private mischiefs are conceived,
Torture and shame attend their open birth;
Like viners in the womb, base treachery lies,
Still gnawing that whence first it did arise;
No sooner born, but the vile parent dies.
[Exeunt omnes.
EPILOGUE
'A favourite actress. Her maiden name was Percival, and she married Mountford
the actor, one of the handsomest men of his day, who was killed by Lord
Mohun for protecting Mrs. Braccgirdlr. She afterwards married Jack Vrrhrugen,
who acted parts in several of Conjjrcvc's plays, including that of Careless m The
Double-Dealer. Mrs. Mountford is described as being "a fine, fair woman, plump,
full-featured, her face of a fine smooth oval." She died in 1730.