Draws off, discovers Mirtilla at her Toylet, dress’d.
Enter Manage, leading Olivia in as Endymion, who falls at
Mirtilla’s Feet, whilst she’s there, sings a Song; she takes him
up.
Mir. Rise, — When Lovers are alone they pardon Ceremony. — I sent for you to end the Night with me; say — how shall we employ it?
Oliv. I’ll sigh, and gaze upon your lovely Face.
Mir. Nothing but sigh, and gaze; we shall grow dull.
Oliv. I’ll tell you Tales of Love, and sing you Songs.
Mir. Thy Voice, ’tis true, can charm a thousand ways; but Lovers time their Joys, these for the Day, those for the lovely Night. And when they would be silently in love, have Musick of soft Sighs and gentler Whispers.
Oliv. Oh, Love inspires all this — What shall I do?
[Aside.
Mir. Nay, think not because I sent for you alone, while Night and Silence favour Lovers Stealths, to take advantage of my yielding Heart.
Oliv. I wou’d to Heaven she were in earnest now.
A Noise. Enter Manage.
Man. Oh, hide your Favourite, Madam — do you hear.
Mir. A jealous Lover only, comes in such a Storm — Dear, to my Heart, whose Safety is my Life. Submit to be conceal’d — but where — Oh Heavens, he comes— ’Tis for you I fear —
[They search for a place.
Man. He comes —
Mir. Here, let my Train secure you — Till now I never found the right Use of long Trains and Farthingals.
[She kneels, Man. puts her Train over Olivia.
Enter Prince and George, at the Door.
Geo. ‘Sdeath, you have made these Pauses and Alarms to give her time to jilt you.
Prince. Pray Heaven she do — I’d not be undeceiv’d for all the Sun surveys.
[Enters.
Mir. My Lord the Prince! now you are kind indeed.
[Goes and embraces him.
— hah! what means this Unconcern?
Prince. I thought I’ad left you sick, extremely sick.
Mir. And are you griev’d to find my Health return?
Prince. No, wondrous glad of it. You’re mighty gay, Mirtilla, much in Glory.
Mir. Can he, who lays his Fortune at my Feet, think me too glorious for his Arms and Eyes?
Geo. Fifty to one the Gipsy jilts him yet.
[Aside.
Prince. Pray Heaven she lyes but handsomly —
[Aside.
— for mine, Mirtilla! Ha — ha —
Mir. Am I not yours? You cannot doubt my Vows.
Geo. She’ll do’t, and make me love her anew for her rare dexterity at dissembling.
Prince. I left you wearied, going to your Bed, but find you at your Toylet gayly dress’d, as if some Conquest you design’d e’er morning.
Mir. Manage, Sir, from the Fire, secur’d these Trifles, and I was trying several Dresses on; that this slight Beauty that you say has charm’d you, might, when you saw it next, complete the Conquest.
Geo. And that thou wilt, if Flattery can do’t.
Prince. Now, were she guilty, as I’m sure she’s not, this Softness would undo me, and appease me.
Mir. You seem as if you doubted what I say.
[This while, Olivia gets off unseen.
By all the Powers —
Prince. Hold, I scorn to need an Oath to fix my Faith; Oh! thou art all divine, and canst not err.
[Embraces her.
Curs’d be the Tongue that dares profane thy Virtue, and curs’d the listning Fool that dares believe it.
Geo. What a poor, wretched, baffled thing is Man, by feebler Woman aw’d and made a Coxcomb!
Mir. Durst any one traduce my Virtue, Sir, and is it possible that you could hear it? — Then perish all the Beauties you have flatter’d.
[Tears her Head-things.
Prince. Come to my Arms, thou Charmer of my Soul! and if one spark of Jealousy remain, one of those precious Tears shall quench the Crime — Oh, come, and let me lead thee to thy Bed, and breathe new Vows into thy panting Bosom.
[Leads her off, she looks back on George and smiles.
Geo. Now all the Plagues of injur’d Lovers wreck thee; ‘Sdeath, where has she hid Olivia? or how am I deceiv’d?— ’Tis Day, and with it new Invention rise to damn this Woman to the sin of Shame; break all the Chains that hold the princely Youth, and sink her with her fancy’d Power and Vanity.
[Exit.