o have informed your lordship of
what I knew.

LORD TOUCH. I thank you. What is the villain's purpose?

MASK. He has owned nothing to me of late, and what I mean now, is only a
bare suspicion of my own. If your lordship will meet me a quarter of an
hour hence there, in that lobby by my lady's bed-chamber, I shall be able
to tell you more.

LORD TOUCH. I will.

MASK. My duty to your lordship makes me do a severe piece of justice.

LORD TOUCH. I will be secret, and reward your honesty beyond your hopes.

SCENE XV.

_Scene opening_, _shows Lady Touchwood's chamber_.

MELLEFONT _solus_.

MEL. Pray heaven my aunt keep touch with her assignation. O that her
lord were but sweating behind this hanging, with the expectation of what
I shall see. Hist, she comes. Little does she think what a mine is just
ready to spring under her feet. But to my post. [_Goes behind the
hangings_.]

SCENE XVI.

LADY TOUCHWOOD.

LADY TOUCH. 'Tis eight o'clock; methinks I should have found him here.
Who does not prevent the hour of love, outstays the time; for to be dully
punctual is too slow. I was accusing you of neglect.

SCENE XVII.

LADY TOUCHWOOD, MASKWELL, MELLEFONT _absconding_.

MASK. I confess you do reproach me when I see you here before me; but
'tis fit I should be still behindhand, still to be more and more indebted
to your goodness.

LADY TOUCH. You can excuse a fault too well, not to have been to blame.
A ready answer shows you were prepared.

MASK. Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when
innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.

LADY TOUCH. Not in love: words are the weak support of cold
indifference; love has no language to be heard.

MASK. Excess of joy has made me stupid! Thus may my lips be ever
closed. [_Kisses her_.] And thus--O who would not lose his speech, upon
condition to have joys above it?

LADY TOUCH. Hold, let me lock the door first. [_Goes to the door_.]

MASK. [_Aside_.] That I believed; 'twas well I left the private passage
open.

LADY TOUCH. So, that's safe.

MASK. And so may all your pleasures be, and secret as this kiss--

MEL. And may all treachery be thus discovered. [_Leaps out_.]

LADY TOUCH. Ah! [_Shrieks_.]

MEL. Villain! [_Offers to draw_.]

MASK. Nay, then, there's but one way. [_Runs out_.]

SCENE XVIII.

LADY TOUCHWOOD, MELLEFONT.

MEL. Say you so, were you provided for an es