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Show 170 The' M i STAKE. Cam, Nay, ben't furpriz'dtttthat, .1 have other Wonders for you. ifab. Quick, let m e hear 'em. "Cam. \\bVe<Lcr.ewzoK' Ifab. Lorenzo .' Molt nicely hit. T h W e r y Man from w h o m your Impoftuie keeps this vaft Eftate ; and who on the 'firft Knowledge of your being a W o m a n wou'd enter into Poileilion of it. This is indeecl a Wonder. Cam Then wonder farther ftill, I a m his Wife. Ifab. H a ! his Wife! Cam. His Wife, ifabella; and yet thou haft not all m y Wonders, I a m his Wife without his Knowledge; he does not even know I a m a W o m a n. Ifab. Madam, your humble Servant, if you pleafe to coon, 1 won't interrupt you, indeed I won't. Cam. Then hear how thefe ftrange things have paft: Lorenzo, bound unregarded in m y Sifter's Chains, feem'd in m y Eyes a Conqueft worth her Care. Nor cou'd I fee him treated with Contempt, without growing warm in his Intereft: I blam'd Leonora for not being touch'd With iiis Merit ; I blam'd her fo long, till I grew touch'd with it m y felf: And the Reafons I urg'd to van-quifh her Heart, infenfibly made a Conqueft of my own: 'Twas thus, m y Friend, I fell. What was next to be done, m y PalTion pointed out ; m y Heart I felt was warm'd to a noble Enterprize, I gave it way, and boldly on it led me. Leonora's N a m e and Voice, in the dark Shades of Night, 1 borrow'd, to engage the Objeft of m y Wifhes. ^1 met him, ifabella, and fo deceiv'd him; he cannot blame m e fure, for much I bleft him. But to fmifh this ftrange Story : In fhort 1 own, I long had lov'd, but finding my'Father moft averfe to my Defires, I at laft had forc'd m y felf to thisfecret Correfpondence*, i urg'd the Mifchiefs w o u d attend the Knowledge on't, i urVd them fo, he thought them full of weight, fo Yielded to obferve what Rules I gave him : they were, to pafs the Day with cold Indifference to avoid even Si-ns or Looks of Intimacy, but gather for the ftill, the fecret Night, a Flood of Love to recompenfe the Lo * ot the Day. I will not trouble you with Lovers Caies, The MISTAKE; I7I nor what Contrivances we form'd to bring this T o W to a foltd Bhfs. Know only, when thfee S wf thus had pafs'd, the fourth it was agreed mouM L k e Ifab. Indeed your Talents pafs my poor Extent; yon fenous Ladies are well form'd for Bufinefs: What wretched }Work a poor Coquet had made on't ? But ftill there s that remains will try your Skill, you have your Man, but ; Ca?n. Lovers think no farther, the Object of that PafTion poiTefles all Defire 5 however, I have open'd to you m y wondrous Situation, if y o u cnn advife r m e |a my Difficulties to come, you will. But fee mv Huf-band ! ; Enter Lorenzo. Lor. You look as if you were bufy, pray tell m e if I interrupt you, I'll retire. Cam. No, no, you have a Right to interrupt us fince you were the Subjeft of our Difcourfe. Lor. W a s I ? Cam. You were 5 nay, r\\ tell you h o w you enter-tain'd us too. Lor. Perhaps I had as good avoid hearing that. Cam. You need not fear, it was not to your dif^d-vantage; I was commending you, and faying, if I had been a W o m a n , I had been in danger; nay I think I laid I fhou'd infallibly have been in love with you. Lor. While fuch an If is in the way, you run no great riique in declaring; but you'd be finely catch'd now, fhou'd fome wonderful Transformation give m e a Claim to your Heart. Cam. Not forry for't at all, for I ne'er cxpecf to find a Miftrefs pleafe m e half fo well as you wou'd do, if I Were yours. Lor. Since you are fo well inclin'd to m e in your Wifhes, Sir, I fuppofe (as the Fates have ordain'd it) you wou'd have fome pleafure in helping m e to a Miftrefs, fince you can't be mine your felf. Cam. Indeed I fhou'd not. H 2 ' Lor. |