MIRABELL. Consider, madam, in reality you could not receive much prejudice. It was an innocent device; though I confess it had a face of guiltiness, it was at most an artifice which love contrived. And errors which love produces have ever been accounted venial. At least think it is punishment enough that I have lost what in my heart I hold most dear, that to your cruel indignation I have offered up this beauty, and with her my peace and quiet-nay, all my hopes of future comfort.

509

FAINALL. That sham is too gross to pass on me-though 'tis imposed on you, madam. MRS. MILLAMANT. Sir, I have given my consent.

MIRABELL. And, sir, I have resigned my pretensions.

550

SIR WILFULL. And, sir, I assert my right and will maintain it in defiance of you, sir, and of your instrument. 'Sheart, an you talk of an instrument, sir, I have an old fox1 by my thigh shall hack your instrument of ram vellum to shreds, sir! It shall not be sufficient for a mittimus2 or a tailor's measure. Therefore withdraw your instrument, sir, or by'r Lady, I shall draw mine. LADY WISHFORT. Hold, nephew, hold! MRS. MILLAMANT. Good Sir Wilfull, respite your valor!

562 FAINALL. Indeed! Are you provided of a guard, with your single beef-eater there? But I'm prepared for you, and insist upon my first proposal. You shall submit your own estate to my management, and absolutely make over my wife's to my sole use, as pursuant to the purport and tenor of this other covenant.-[To MRS. MILLAMANT] I suppose, madam, your consent is not requisite in this case; nor, Mr. Mirabell, your resignation; nor, Sir Wilfull, your right. You may draw your fox if you please, sir, and make a bear-garden flourish somewhere else, for here it will not avail. This, my Lady Wishfort, must be subscribed, or your darling daughter's turned adrift, like a leaky hulk, to sink or swim, as she and the current of this lewd town can agree. 580

LADY WISHFORT. Is there no means, no remedy to stop my ruin? Ungrateful wretch! dost thou not owe thy being, thy subsistence, to my daughter's fortune? 584

FAINALL. I'll answer you when I have the rest of it in my possession.

MIRABELL. But that you would not accept of a remedy from my hands-I own I have not deserved you should owe any obligation to me- or else perhaps I could advise

591

1 sword.

544

2 A writ enjoining a jailer to guard a prisoner well.

MIRABELL. Foible is one, and a penitent. Enter MRS. FAINALL, FOIBLE, and MINCING MRS. MARWOOD. [Aside to FAINALL] Oh, my shame! (MIRABELL and LADY WISHFORT go to MRS. FAINALL and FOIBLE) These corrupt things are brought hither to expose me. FAINALL. If it must all come out, why let 'em know it; 'tis but the way of the world. That shall not urge me to relinquish or abate one tittle of my terms; no, I will insist the more.

624

FOIBLE. Yes, indeed, madam, I'll take my Bible oath of it.

MINCING. And so will I, mem.

LADY WISHFORT. O Marwood, Marwood, art thou false? My friend deceive me? Hast thou been a wicked accomplice with that profligate man? 631

MRS. MARWOOD. Have you so much ingratitude and injustice to give credit against your friend to the aspersions of two such mercenary trulls? 635 MINCING. Mercenary, mem? I scorn your words. 'Tis true we found you and Mr. Fainall in the blue garret; by the same token,

you swore us to secrecy upon Messalina's poems. Mercenary! No, if we would have been mercenary, we should have held our tongues; you would have bribed us sufficiently. 643

FAINALL. Go, you are an insignificant thing!-Well, what are you the better for this? Is this Mr. Mirabell's expedient? I'll be put off no longer.-You, thing that was a wife, shall smart for this! I will not leave thee wherewithal to hide thy shame; your body shall be naked as your reputation.

MRS. FAINALL. I despise you and defy your malice!-You have aspersed me wrongfully-I have proved your falsehood! Go, you and your treacherous-I will not name it, but-starve together. Perish! 655

FAINALL. Not while you are worth a groat, indeed, my dear.-Madam, I'll be fooled no longer.

LADY WISHFORT. Ah, Mr. Mirabell, this is small comfort, the detection of this affair. MIRABELL. Oh, in good time. Your leave for the other offender and penitent to appear, madam. 663

Enter WAITWELL with a box of writings LADY WISHFORT. O Sir Rowland!-Well, rascal!

WAITWELL. What your ladyship pleases. I have brought the black box at last, madam. MIRABELL. Give it me.- Madam, you remember your promise?

MIRABELL. Yes, sir. I say that this lady while a widow, having it seems received some cautions respecting your inconstancy and tyranny of temper, which from her own partial opinion and fondness of you she could never have suspected-she did, I say, by the wholesome advice of friends and of sages learned in the laws of this land, deliver this same as her act and deed to me in trust, and to the uses within mentioned. You may read if you please—(Holding out the parchment) though perhaps what is written on the back may serve your occasions. 716

FAINALL. Very likely, sir. What's here? -Damnation! (Reads) "A deed of conveyance of the whole estate real of Arabella Languish, widow, in trust to Edward Mirabell."-Confusion!

721

MIRABELL. For that, madam, give yourself no trouble; let me have your consent. Sir Wilfull is my friend. He has had compassion upon lovers, and generously engaged a volunteer in this action for our service, and now designs to prosecute his travels.

SIR WILFULL. 'Sheart, aunt, I have no mind to marry. My cousin's a fine lady, and the gentleman loves her, and she loves him, and they deserve one another. My resolution is to see foreign parts-I have set on't and when I'm set on't I must do't. And if these two gentlemen would travel too, I think they may be spared. 763 PETULANT. For my part, I say littleI think things are best off or on.

WITWOUD. Egad, I understand nothing of the matter; I'm in a maze yet, like a dog in a dancing-school. 768

LADY WISHFORT. [TO MIRABELL] Well, sir, take her, and with her all the joy I can give you.

MRS. MILLAMANT. Why does not the man take me? Would you have me give myself to you over again?

774