SCENE II.

PALAMEDE _and_ DORALICE _meet: She, with a book in her hand, seems to start at the sight of him._

_Dor._ 'Tis a strange thing that no warning will serve your turn; and that no retirement will secure me from your impertinent addresses! Did not I tell you, that I was to be private here at my devotions?

_Pala._ Yes; and you see I have observed my cue exactly: I am come to relieve you from them. Come, shut up, shut up your book; the man's come who is to supply all your necessities.

_Dor._ Then, it seems, you are so impudent to think it was an assignation? This, I warrant, was your lewd interpretation of my innocent meaning.

_Pala._ Venus forbid, that I should harbour so unreasonable a thought of a fair young lady, that you should lead me hither into temptation. I confess, I might think indeed it was a kind of honourable challenge, to meet privately without seconds, and decide the difference betwixt the two sexes; but heaven forgive me, if I thought amiss.

_Dor._ You thought too, I'll lay my life on't, that you might as well make love to me, as my husband does to your mistress.

_Pala._ I was so unreasonable to think so too.

_Dor._ And then you wickedly inferred, that there was some justice in the revenge of it; or, at least, but little injury for a man to endeavour to enjoy that, which he accounts a blessing, and which is not valued as it ought by the dull possessor. Confess your wickedness,--did you not think so?

_Pala._ I confess I was thinking so, as fast as I could; but you think so much before me, that you will let me think nothing.

_Dor._ 'Tis the very thing that I designed; I have forestalled all your arguments, and left you without a word more, to plead for mercy. If you have any thing farther to offer, ere sentence pass--Poor animal, I brought you hither only for my diversion.

_Pala._ That you may have, if you'll make use of me the right way; but I tell thee, woman, I am now past talking.

_Dor._ But it may be, I came hither to hear what fine things you could say for yourself.

_Pala._ You would be very angry, to my knowledge, if I should lose so much time to say many of them.--By this hand you would!

_Dor._ Fye, Palamede, I am a woman of honour.

_Pala._ I see you are; you have kept touch with your assignation: And before we part, you shall find that I am a man of honour. Yet I have one scruple of conscience--

_Dor._ I warrant you will not want some naughty argument, or other, to satisfy yourself.--I hope you are afraid of betraying your friend?

_Pala._ Of betraying my friend! I am more afraid of being betrayed by you to my friend. You women now are got into the way of telling first yourselves: A man, who has any care of his reputation, will be loth to trust it with you.

_Dor._ O, you charge your faults upon our sex! You men are like cocks; you never make love, but you clap your wings, and crow when you have done.

_Pala._ Nay, rather you women are like hens; you never lay, but you cackle an hour after, to discover your nest.--But I'll venture it for once.

_Dor._ To convince you that you are in the wrong, I'll retire into the dark grotto, to my devotion, and make so little noise, that it shall be impossible for you to find me.

_Pala._ But if I find you--

_Dor._ Ay, if you find me--But I'll put you to search in more corners than you imagine. [_She runs in, and he after her._

_Enter_ RHODOPHIL _and_ MELANTHA.

_Mel._ Let me die, but this solitude, and that grotto are scandalous; I'll go no further; besides, you have a sweet lady of your own.

_Rho._ But a sweet mistress, now and then, makes my sweet lady so much more sweet.

_Mel._ I hope you will not force me?

_Rho._ But I will, if you desire it.

_Pala._ [_Within._] Where the devil are you, madam? 'Sdeath, I begin to be weary of this hide and seek: If you stay a little longer, till the fit's over, I'll hide in my turn, and put you to the finding me. [_He enters, and sees_ RHODOPHIL _and_ MELANTHA.] How! Rhodophil and my mistress!

_Mel._ My servant, to apprehend me! this is _surprenant au dernier_.

_Rho._ I must on; there's nothing but impudence can help me out.

_Pala._ Rhodophil, how came you hither in so good company?

_Rho._ As you see, Palamede; an effect of pure friendship; I was not able to live without you.

_Pala._ But what makes my mistress with you?

_Rho._ Why, I heard you were here alone, and could not in civility but bring her to you.

_Mel._ You'll pardon the effects of a passion which I may now avow for you, if it transported me beyond the rules of _bienseance._

_Pala._ But, who told you I was here? they, that told you that, may tell you more, for aught I know.

_Rho._ O, for that matter, we had intelligence.

_Pala._ But let me tell you, we came hither so very privately, that you could not trace us.

_Rho._ Us! what us? you are alone.

_Pala._ Us! the devil's in me for mistaking:--me, I meant. Or us, that is, you are me, or I you, as we are friends: That's us.

_Dor._ Palamede, Palamede! [_Within._

_Rho._ I should know that voice; who's within there, that calls you?

_Pala._ Faith, I can't imagine; I believe the place is haunted.

_Dor._ Palamede, Palamede, all-cocks hidden. [_Within._

_Pala._ Lord, Lord, what shall I do?--Well, dear friend, to let you see I scorn to be jealous, and that I dare trust my mistress with you, take her back, for I would not willingly have her frighted, and I am resolved to see who's there; I'll not be daunted with a bugbear, that's certain:--Prithee, dispute it not, it shall be so; nay do not put me to swear, but go quickly: There's an effort of pure friendship for you now.

_Enter_ DORALICE, _and looks amazed, seeing them._

_Rho._ Doralice! I am thunder-struck to see you here.

_Pala._ So am I! quite thunder-struck. Was it you, that called me within?--I must be impudent.

_Rho._ How came you hither, spouse?

_Pala._ Ay, how came you hither? And, which is more, how could you be here without my knowledge?

_Dor._ [_To her husband._] O, gentlemen, have I caught you i'faith! have I broke forth in ambush upon you! I thought my suspicions would prove true.

_Rho._ Suspicions! this is very fine, spouse! Prithee, what suspicions?

_Dor._ O, you feign ignorance: Why, of you and Melantha; here have I staid these two hours, waiting with all the rage of a passionate, loving wife, but infinitely jealous, to take you two in the manner; for hither I was certain you would come.

_Rho._ But you are mistaken, spouse, in the occasion; for we came hither on purpose to find Palamede, on intelligence he was gone before.

_Pala._ I'll be hanged then, if the same party, who gave you intelligence I was here, did not tell your wife you would come hither. Now I smell the malice on't on both sides.

_Dor._ Was it so, think you? nay, then, I'll confess my part of the malice too. As soon as ever I spied my husband and Melantha come together, I had a strange temptation to make him jealous in revenge; and that made me call Palamede, Palamede! as though there had been an intrigue between us.

_Mel._ Nay, I avow, there was an appearance of an intrigue between us too.

_Pala._ To see how things will come about!

_Rho._ And was it only thus, my dear Doralice? [_Embrace._

_Dor._ And did I wrong n'own Rhodophil, with a false suspicion? [_Embracing him._

_Pala._ [_Aside._] Now I am confident we had all four the same design: 'Tis a pretty odd kind of game this, where each of us plays for double stakes: This is just thrust and parry with the same motion; I am to get his wife, and yet to guard my own mistress. But I am vilely suspicious, that, while I conquer in the right wing, I shall be routed in the left; for both our women will certainly betray their party, because they are each of them for gaining of two, as well as we; and I much fear.

If their necessities and ours were known, They have more need of two, than we of one. [_Exeunt, embracing one another._