The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Iv Part 11

_Maun._ Madam, I understand Lovers are best by dark, and shall be diligent: the Doctor has secur'd Sir _Patient_ by a sleeping Pill, and you are only to expect your approaching Happiness.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Lady _Knowell's_ Chamber.

Enter Lady _Knowell_ and _Leander_.

L. _Kno._ _Leander_, raise your Soul above that little trifle _Lucretia_;--cannot you guess what better Fate attends you? fy, how dull you are! must I instruct you in plain right-down Terms? and tell you, that I propose you Master of my Fortune.--Now possibly you understand me.

Enter _Lucretia_, and peeps.

_Lean._ I wish I did not, Madam, Unless I'd Virtue to deserve the Bounty; I have a thousand Faults Dissimulation hides, Inconstant, wild, debauch'd as Youth can make me.

_Lucr._ All that will not do your Business. [Aside.

L. _Kno._ Yet you wou'd have my Daughter take you with all these Faults; they're Virtues there, but to the name of Mother, they all turn retrograde: I can endure a Man As wild and as inconstant as she can; I have a Fortune too that can support that Humour, That of _Lucretia_ does depend on me, And when I please is nothing; I'm far from Age or Wrinkles, can be courted By Men, as gay and youthful as a new Summer's Morn, Beauteous as the first Blossoms of the Spring, Before the common Sun has kiss'd their Sweets away, If with salacious Appet.i.tes I lov'd.

_Lean._ Faith, Madam, I cou'd wish--

L. _Kno._ That I were but Fifteen: but If there be inequality in Years, There is so too in Fortunes, that might add A l.u.s.tre to my Eyes, Charms to my Person, And make me fair as _Venus_, young as _Hebe_.

_Lean._ Madam, you have enough to engage any unconquer'd Heart; but 'twas, I thought, with your allowance I dispos'd of mine, and 'tis a Heart that knows not how to change.

L. _Kno._ Then 'tis a foolish unambitious Heart, unworthy of the Elevation it has not glorious Pride enough to aim at:--Farewel, Sir,--when you are wiser, you may find admittance.

[Goes out.

_Lean._ Stay, Madam--

Enter _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ For what? to hear your Penitence! Forgive me, Madam, I will be a Villain, forget my Vows of Love, made to _Lucretia_.

And sacrifice both her, and those to Interest.

Oh, how I hate this whining and dissembling!

_Lean._ Do, triumph o'er a wretched Man, _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ How! wretched in loving me so entirely, or that you cannot marry my Mother, and be Master of her mighty Fortune? 'Tis a Temptation indeed so between Love and Interest, hang me if ever I saw so simple a Look as you put on when my Mother made love to you.

_Lean._ You may easily guess the Confusion of a Man in my Circ.u.mstances, to be languishing for the lov'd Daughter, and pursu'd by the hated Mother, whom if I refuse will ruin all my hopes of thee.

_Lucr._ Refuse her! I hope you have more Wit.

_Lean._ _Lucretia_, cou'd she make a Monarch of me, I cou'd not marry her.

_Lucr._ And you wou'd be so wise to tell her so?

_Lean._ I wou'd no more abuse her, than I cou'd love her.

_Lucr._ Yet that last must be done.

_Lean._ How!

_Lucr._ Dost believe me so wicked to think I mean in earnest? No, tell her a fine Story of Love and Liking, gaze on her, kiss her Hands, and sigh, commend her Face and Shape, swear she's the Miracle of the Age for Wit, cry up her Learning, vow you were an a.s.s not to be sensible of her Perfections all this while; what a c.o.xcomb, to doat upon the Daughter when such Charms were so visible in the Mother? Faith, she'll believe all this.

_Lean._ It may be so, but what will all this serve for?

_Lucr._ To give us time and opportunity to deceive her, or I'm mistaken.

_Lean._ I cannot teach my Tongue so much Deceit.

_Lucr._ You may be a Fool, and cry, Indeed forsooth I cannot love, for alas I have lost my Heart, and am unworthy of your proffer'd Blessings--do, and see her marry me in spite to this Fop _Easy_, this Knight of Nonsense: no, no, dissemble me handsomely and like a Gentleman, and then expect your good Fortune.

Enter _Antick_.

_Ant._ Madam, your Mother's coming.

_Lucr._ Away then, she must not see us together, she thinks you gone.

_Lean._ But must I carry off no Comfort with me?

_Lucr._ Will you expose me to the incens'd Jealousy of a Parent? go, or I shall hate ye.

[Thrusts him out.

SCENE III. A Garden.

Enter _Maundy_ by dark: Opens the Garden-Door.

_Maun._ Now am I return'd to my old Trade again, fetch and carry my Lady's Lovers; I was afraid when she had been married, these Night-works wou'd have ended; but to say truth, there's a Conscience to be used in all things, and there's no reason she should languish with an old Man when a Young Man may be had.--The Door opens, he's come.--

Enter _Lodwick_.

I see you're a punctual Lover, Sir, pray follow me as softly as you can.

_Lod._ This is some one whom I perceive _Isabella_ has made the Confident to our Amours.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. _Draws off, and discovers L. _Fancy_ in her Night-gown, in a Chamber as by the dark._

L. _Fan._ Oh, the agreeable Confusion of a Lover high with expectation of the approaching Bliss! What Tremblings between Joy and Fear possess me? All my whole Soul is taken up with _Wittmore_; I've no Ideas, no Thoughts but of _Wittmore_, and sure my Tongue can speak no other Language, but his Name.--Who's there?

Enter _Maundy_ leading _Lodwick_.

_Maun._ Madam, 'tis I, and your expected Lover here--I put him into your hands, and will wait your Commands in the next Chamber.

[Exit _Maun._