Untitled - OUDL Home

94 WILLIAM CONGREVE [ACT iv
she's innocent for me. — Go to him, madam, fling your
snowy arms about his stubborn neck; bathe his relentless
face in your salt trickling tears.
[She goes and hangs upon his neck, and pisses him;
BELLMDUR pisses her hand behind FoNDLEWIFE'S
So, a few soft words, and a kiss, and the good man melts.
See how kind nature works, and boils over in him!
Ltet. Indeed, my dear, I was but just come down stairs
when you knocked at the door, and the maid told me Mr.
Spintext was ill of the colic upon our bed. And won't you
speak to me, cruel Nykin? indeed, I'll die if you don't.
Fond. Ah, no, no, I cannot speak, my heart's so full!
I have been a tender husband, a tender yoke-fellow; you
know I have. — But thou hast been a faithless Dalilah,
and the Philistines — heh! art thou not vile and unclean?
— heh! speak! [Weeping.
Lœt. No — h. [Sighing.
Fond. Dh, that I could believe thee!
Lœt. Oh, my heart will break! [Pretends to faint.
Fond. Heh! how! no, stay, stay, I will believe thee, I will.
— Pray bend her forward, sir.
Lcet. Oh! oh; where is my dear?
Fond. Here, here, I do believe thee. — I won't believe my
own eyes.
Bell. For my part, I am so charmed with the love of your
turtle to you, that I'll go and solicit matrimony with all
my might and main.
Fond. Well, well, sir; as long as I believe it, 'tis well
enough. No thanks to you, sir, for her virtue. — But I'll
show you the way out of my house, if you please. — Come,
my dear. Nay, I will believe thee, I do, i'feck.
Bell. See the great blessing of an easy faith! opinion
cannot err: —
No husband by his wife can be deceived;
She still is virtuous, if she's so believed. [Exeunt.