_Pala._ Pr'ythee do not hang back so: Of an old tried lover, thou art the most bashful fellow! [_Pulling him forward._ _Dor._ Were you so near, and would not speak, dear husband? [_Looking up._ _Pala._ Husband, quoth a! I have cut out a fine piece of work for myself. [_Aside._ _Rho._ Pray, spouse, how long have you been acquainted with this gentleman? _Dor._ Who? I acquainted with this stranger? To my best knowledge, I never saw him before. _Enter_ MELANTHA _at the other end._ _Pala._ Thanks, fortune, thou hast helped me. [_Aside._ _Rho._ Palamede, this must not pass so. I must know your mistress a little better. _Pala._ It shall be your own fault else. Come, I'll introduce you. _Rho._ Introduce me! where? _Pala._ There. To my mistress. [_Pointing to_ MELANTHA, _who swiftly passes over the stage._ _Rho._ Who? Melantha! O heavens, I did not see her. _Pala._ But I did: I am an eagle where I love; I have seen her this half hour. _Dor._ [_Aside._] I find he has wit, he has got off so readily; but it would anger me, if he should love Melantha. _Rho._ [_Aside._] Now, I could even wish it were my wife he loved; I find he's to be married to my mistress. _Pala._ Shall I run after, and fetch her back again, to present you to her? _Rho._ No, you need not; I have the honour to have some small acquaintance with her. _Pala._ [_Aside._] O Jupiter! what a blockhead was I, not to find it out! my wife, that must be, is his mistress. I did a little suspect it before. Well, I must marry her, because she's handsome, and because I hate to be disinherited by a younger brother, which I am sure I shall be, if I disobey; and yet I must keep in with Rhodophil, because I love his wife.--[_To_ RHO.] I must desire you to make my excuse to your lady, if I have been so unfortunate to cause any mistake; and, withal, to beg the honour of being known to her. _Rho._ O, that is but reason.--Hark you, spouse, pray look upon this gentleman as my friend; whom, to my knowledge, you have never seen before this hour. _Dor._ I am so obedient a wife, sir, that my husband's commands shall ever be a law to me. _Enter_ MELANTHA _again, hastily, and runs to embrace_ DORALICE. _Mel._ O, my dear, I was just going to pay my devoirs to you; I had not time this morning, for making my court to the king, and our new prince. Well, never nation was so happy, and all that, in a young prince; and he is the kindest person in the world to me, let me die if he is not. _Dor._ He has been bred up far from court, and therefore-- _Mel._ That imports not: Though he has not seen the _grand monde_, and all that, let me die but he has the air of the court most absolutely. _Pala._ But yet, madam, he--