The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03Dryden, John
General
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03
Dryden, John
English drama -- 17th century
_Beat._ Money, money!----
_Wild._ I am angry, and can hear nothing.
_Beat._ Money, money, money, money!
_Wild._ Do you think it a reasonable thing to put on two disguises in a
night, to tempt a man? (Help me, Maskall, for I want arguments
abominably.) I thank heaven I was never so barbarously used in all my
life.
_Jac._ He begins to anger me in good earnest.
_Mask._ A thing so much against the rules of modesty! So indecent a
thing!
_Wild._ Ay so indecent a thing: Nay, now I do not wonder at myself for
being angry. And then to wonder I should love her in those disguises! To
quarrel at the natural desires of human kind, assaulted by powerful
temptations; I am enraged at that.
_Jac._ Heyday! you had best quarrel too for my bringing you the money.
_Wild._ I have a grudging to you for't: (Maskall, the money, Maskall!
now help, or we are gone.)
_Mask._ Would she offer to bring money to you? first, to affront your
poverty----
_Wild._ Ay, to affront my poverty: But that's no great matter; and
then----
_Mask._ And then to bring you money, sir. (I stick fast, sir.)
_Wild._ (Forward, you dog, and invent, or I'll cut your throat.) And
then, as I was saying, to bring me money----
_Mask._ Which is the greatest and most sweet of all temptations; and to
think you could resist it: Being also aggravated by her handsomeness,
who brought it.
_Wild._ Resist it? No; I would she would understand it; I know better
what belongs to flesh and blood than so.
_Beat._ to _Jac._ This is plain confederacy: I smoke it; he came on
purpose to quarrel with you; break first with him, and prevent it.
_Jac._ If it be come to that once, the devil take the hindmost! I'll not
be last in love, for that will be a dishonour to my sex.
_Wild._ And then----
_Jac._ Hold, sir, there needs no more; you shall fall out, and I'll
gratify you with a new occasion: I only tried you in hope you would be
false; and, rather than fail of my design, brought gold to bribe you
to't.
_Beat._ As people, when they have an ill bargain, are content to lose by
it, that they may get it off their hands.
_Mask._ Beatrix, while our principals are engaged, I hold it not for our
honour to stand idle.
_Beat._ With all my heart: Please you let us draw off to some other
ground.
_Mask._ I dare meet you on any spot, but one.
_Wild._ I think we shall do well to put it to an issue: this is the last
time you shall ever be troubled with my addresses.
_Jac._ The favour had been greater to have spared this too.
_Mask._ Beatrix, let us dispatch; or they'll break off before us.
_Beat._ Break as fast as thou wilt; I am as brittle as thou art, for thy
heart.
_Wild._ Because I will absolutely break off with you, I will keep
nothing that belongs to you; therefore take back your picture, and your
handkerchief.
_Jac._ I have nothing of yours to keep; therefore take back your liberal
promises. Take them in imagination.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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