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SIR PAUL。 O law； what's the matter now？ I hope you are not angry；
Mr。 Brisk。
BRISK。 Deuce take me； I believe you intend to marry your daughter
yourself； you're always brooding over her like an old hen； as if she
were not well hatched； egad； he。
SIR PAUL。 Good strange！ Mr。 Brisk is such a merry facetious
person； he； he； he。 No； no； I have done with her； I have done with
her now。
BRISK。 The fiddles have stayed this hour in the hall； and my Lord
Froth wants a partner； we can never begin without her。
SIR PAUL。 Go； go child； go； get you gone and dance and be merry；
I'll come and look at you by and by。 Where's my son Mellefont？
LADY PLYANT。 I'll send him to them； I know where he is。
BRISK。 Sir Paul； will you send Careless into the hall if you meet
him？
SIR PAUL。 I will； I will； I'll go and look for him on purpose。
SCENE V。
BRISK alone。
BRISK。 So now they are all gone； and I have an opportunity to
practice。 Ah！ My dear Lady Froth； she's a most engaging creature；
if she were not so fond of that damned coxcombly lord of hers； and
yet I am forced to allow him wit too； to keep in with him。 No
matter； she's a woman of parts； and； egad； parts will carry her。
She said she would follow me into the gallery。 Now to make my
approaches。 Hem； hem！ Ah ma… ＇bows。＇ dam！ Pox on't； why should I
disparage my parts by thinking what to say？ None but dull rogues
think； witty men； like rich fellows； are always ready for all
expenses； while your blockheads； like poor needy scoundrels； are
forced to examine their stock； and forecast the charges of the day。
Here she comes； I'll seem not to see her； and try to win her with a
new airy invention of my own； hem！
SCENE VI。
＇To him＇ LADY FROTH。
BRISK ＇Sings； walking about。＇ 'I'm sick with love；' ha； ha； ha；
'prithee； come cure me。 I'm sick with；' etc。 O ye powers！ O my
Lady Froth； my Lady Froth； my Lady Froth！ Heigho！ Break heart；
gods； I thank you。 ＇Stands musing with his arms across。＇
LADY FROTH。 O heavens； Mr。 Brisk！ What's the matter？
BRISK。 My Lady Froth！ Your ladyship's most humble servant。 The
matter； madam？ Nothing； madam； nothing at all； egad。 I was fallen
into the most agreeable amusement in the whole province of
contemplation： that's all（I'll seem to conceal my passion； and
that will look like respect。） ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Bless me； why did you call out upon me so loud？
BRISK。 O Lord； I； madam！ I beseech your ladyshipwhen？
LADY FROTH。 Just now as I came in； bless me； why； don't you know
it？
BRISK。 Not I； let me perish。 But did I？ Strange！ I confess your
ladyship was in my thoughts； and I was in a sort of dream that did
in a manner represent a very pleasing object to my imagination； but…
…but did I indeed？To see how love and murder will out。 But did I
really name my Lady Froth？
LADY FROTH。 Three times aloud； as I love letters。 But did you talk
of love？ O Parnassus！ Who would have thought Mr。 Brisk could have
been in love； ha； ha； ha。 O heavens； I thought you could have no
mistress but the Nine Muses。
BRISK。 No more I have； egad； for I adore 'em all in your ladyship。
Let me perish； I don't know whether to be splenetic； or airy upon't；
the deuce take me if I can tell whether I am glad or sorry that your
ladyship has made the discovery。
LADY FROTH。 O be merry by all means。 Prince Volscius in love！ Ha；
ha； ha。
BRISK。 O barbarous； to turn me into ridicule！ Yet； ha； ha； ha。
The deuce take me； I can't help laughing myself； ha； ha； ha； yet by
heavens； I have a violent passion for your ladyship； seriously。
LADY FROTH。 Seriously？ Ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Seriously； ha； ha； ha。 Gad I have； for all I laugh。
LADY FROTH。 Ha； ha； ha！ What d'ye think I laugh at？ Ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Me； egad； ha； ha。
LADY FROTH。 No； the deuce take me if I don't laugh at myself； for
hang me if I have not a violent passion for Mr。 Brisk； ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 Seriously？
LADY FROTH。 Seriously； ha； ha； ha。
BRISK。 That's well enough； let me perish； ha； ha； ha。 O
miraculous； what a happy discovery。 Ah my dear charming Lady Froth！
LADY FROTH。 Oh my adored Mr。 Brisk！ ＇Embrace。＇
SCENE VII。
＇To them＇ LORD FROTH。
LORD FROTH。 The company are all ready。 How now？
BRISK。 Zoons！ madam； there's my lord。 ＇Softly to her。＇
LADY FROTH。 Take no notice； but observe me。 Now； cast off； and
meet me at the lower end of the room； and then join hands again； I
could teach my lord this dance purely； but I vow； Mr。 Brisk； I can't
tell how to come so near any other man。 Oh here's my lord； now you
shall see me do it with him。 ＇They pretend to practise part of a
country dance。＇
LORD FROTH。 Oh； I see there's no harm yet； but I don't like this
familiarity。 ＇Aside。＇
LADY FROTH。 Shall you and I do our close dance； to show Mr。 Brisk？
LORD FROTH。 No； my dear； do it with him。
LADY FROTH。 I'll do it with him； my lord； when you are out of the
way。
BRISK。 That's good； egad； that's good。 Deuce take me； I can hardly
hold laughing in his face。 ＇Aside。＇
LORD FROTH。 Any other time； my dear； or we'll dance it below。
LADY FROTH。 With all my heart。
BRISK。 Come； my lord； I'll wait on you。 My charming witty angel！
＇To her。＇
LADY FROTH。 We shall have whispering time enough； you know； since
we are partners。
SCENE VIII。
LADY PLYANT and CARELESS。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； Mr。 Careless； Mr。 Careless； I'm ruined； I'm
undone。
CARE。 What's the matter； madam？
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； the unluckiest accident； I'm afraid I shan't live
to tell it you。
CARE。 Heaven forbid！ What is it？
LADY PLYANT。 I'm in such a fright； the strangest quandary and
premunire！ I'm all over in a universal agitation； I dare swear
every circumstance of me trembles。 O your letter； your letter！ By
an unfortunate mistake I have given Sir Paul your letter instead of
his own。
CARE。 That was unlucky。
LADY PLYANT。 Oh； yonder he comes reading of it； for heaven's sake
step in here and advise me quickly before he sees。
SCENE IX。
SIR PAUL with the Letter。
SIR PAUL。 O Providence； what a conspiracy have I discovered。 But
let me see to make an end on't。 ＇Reads。＇ HumAfter supper in the
wardrobe by the gallery。 If Sir Paul should surprise us； I have a
commission from him to treat with you about the very matter of fact。
Matter of fact！ Very pretty； it seems that I am conducting to my
own cuckoldom。 Why； this is the very traitorous position of taking
up arms by my authority； against my person！ Well； let me see。 Till
then I languish in expectation of my adored charmer。Dying Ned
Careless。 Gads…bud； would that were matter of fact too。 Die and be
damned for a Judas Maccabeus and Iscariot both。 O friendship！ what
ar