Chapter 67

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.