_Duke._ His holiness, your uncle, shall never be acquainted with your flight, on condition you will wholly renounce my son, and give yourself to me. _Lau._ Alas, sir, for whom do you mistake me? _Duke._ I mistake you not, madam: I know you for Lucretia. You forget that your disguise betrays you. _Lau._ Then, sir, I perceive I must disabuse you: If you please to withdraw a little, that I may not be seen by others, I will pull off my mask, and discover to you, that Lucretia and I have no resemblance, but only in our misfortunes. _Duke._ 'Tis in vain, madam, this dissembling: I protest, if you pull off your mask, I will hide my face, and not look upon you, to convince you that I know you. _Enter_ BENITO. _Ben._ So, now the fray is over, a man may appear again with safety.--Oh, the rogues are caught, I see, and the damsels delivered. This was the effect of my valour at the second hand. _Aur._ Look, look, Camillo! it was my perpetual fool that caused all this; and now he stands yonder, laughing at his mischief, as the devil is pictured, grinning behind the witch upon the gallows. _Ben._ [_To_ MARIO.] I see, sir, you have got your women, and I am glad on't: I took them just flying from the nunnery. _Duke._ [_To_ LAU.] You see that fellow knows you too. _Mar._ Were these women flying from a nunnery? _Ben._ These women? heyday! then, it seems, you do not know they are your nieces. _Duke._ His nieces, say you? Take heed, fellow, you shall he punished severely, if you mistake. _Cam._ Speak to Benito in time, Aurelian. _Aur._ The devil's in him; he's running down-hill full speed, and there's no stopping him. _Mar._ My nieces? _Ben._ Your nieces? Why, do you doubt it? I praise heaven I never met but with two half-wits in my life, and my master's one of them; I will not name the other at this time. _Duke._ I say, they are not they. _Ben._ I am sure they are Laura and Violetta; and that those two rogues were running away with them, and that, I believe, with their consent. _Vio._ Sister, 'tis in vain to deny ourselves; you see our ill fortune pursues us unavoidably. [_Turning up her mask._] Yes, sir, we are Laura and Violetta, whom you have made unhappy by your tyranny. _Lau._ [_Turning up her mask._] And these two gentlemen are no ravishers, but-- _Ben._ How, no ravishers? Yes, to my knowledge they are--[_As he speaks,_ AURELIAN _pulls off his mask._] No ravishers, as madam Laura was saying; but two as honest gentlemen as e'er broke bread. My own dear master, and so forth! [_Runs to_ AUR. _who thrusts him back._ _Enter_ VALERIO, _and whispers the Duke, giving him a paper; which he reads, and seems pleased._ _Mar._ Aurelian and Camillo! I'll see you in safe custody; and, for these fugitives, go, carry them to my sister, and desire her to have a better care of her kinswomen. _Vio._ We shall live yet to make you refund our portions. Farewell, Camillo; comfort yourself; remember there's but a wall betwixt us.