LADY C. My sorrow will not leave me. But, alas! 'Tis a deserved punishment I suffer For my unjust oppressions; I detain'd Scudmore's estate injuriously, and had No conscience to restore what was not mine, And now all's ta'en away! What then I would not, I cannot now perform, though I desire. _Enter_ FREEMAN, ARTEMIA. FREE. Fear not, Artemia, there shall no means Be left untri'd to save the gentleman. I did approve thy choice, and still will do, If fortune will consent. My Lady Covet, Are you sad still? LADY C. Never had any woman A greater cause of sorrow, Master Freeman; For I protest it does not trouble me So much, that by this cheat I lose the power Of my estate, as that I lose all means Of charity or restitution To any person whom I wrong'd before. FREE. Why, then, you make a true and perfect use Of such a cross, and may hereafter take True comfort from it. LADY C. If my conscience Were satisfi'd, I could forsake the rest. _Enter_ EUPHUES. EUPH. My cousin, I perceive, has made more haste Hither than I; but I have seen a pageant That, in the saddest time, would make one laugh. FREE. What, prythee? EUPH. I have seen your neighbour Earthworm In such a mood, as you would wonder at, And all that ever knew him heretofore. He is inveighing 'gainst Sir Argent Scrape For being so basely covetous, as thus For hope of lucre to betray his kinsman: A thing that he himself would scorn as much, He does protest, as can be. FREE. I have known It otherwise. What may not come to pass, When Earthworm is a foe to avarice? EUPH. But he, they say, has made it good in deeds. FREE. He has been so exceeding bountiful Now to our poor, and vows to be so still, That we may well believe he is quite chang'd, And strives to make amends for what is pass'd. He has, they say, a brave and virtuous son, Lately come home, that has been cause of all. EUPH. It well may be: I know young Theodore. Uncle, he is of strange abilities; And to convert his father was an act Worthy of him. _Enter_ SERVANT, _and_ SIR ARGENT _in his chair_. SER. Madam, Sir Argent Scrape would take his leave Of you. LADY C. When it pleases him. SIR ARG. Get me my litter Ready presently; I will be gone. Madam, I now am come to give you loving thanks For my good cheer, and so bid you farewell. But let me tell you this, before we part: Things might have been carried another way For your own good; but you may thank yourself For what has happened now.