Lov. Whoe’er she be, all the harm I wish her is, may she love him as well as I do, and may he give her as much cause to hate him!

Pert. Never doubt the latter end of your curse, madam.

Lov. May all the passions that are raised by neglected love, jealousy, indignation, spite, and thirst of revenge, eternally rage in her soul as they do now in mine!

[Walks up and down with a distracted air.

Enter a Page.

Page. Madam, Mr. Dorimant.

Lov. I will not see him.

Page. I told him you were within, madam.

Lov. Say you lied, say I’m busy, shut the door; say anything.

Page. He’s here, madam.

Enter Dorimant.

Dor. They taste of death who do at Heaven arrive, But we this paradise approach alive. [To Loveit.] What, dancing the galloping nag without a fiddle? [Offers to catch her by the hand; she flings away and walks on. I fear this restlessness of the body, madam [Pursuing her.] proceeds from an unquietness of the mind. What unlucky accident puts you out of humour; a point ill washed, knots spoiled i’ the making up, hair shaded awry, or some other little mistake in setting you in order?

Pert. A trifle, in my opinion, sir, more inconsiderable than any you mention.

Dor. Oh, Mrs Pert, I never knew you sullen enough to be silent; come, let me know the business.

Pert. The business, sir, is the business that has taken you up these two days; how have I seen you laugh at men of business, and now to become a man of business yourself!

Dor. We are not masters of our own affections, our inclinations daily alter; now we love pleasure, and anon we shall dote on business: human frailty will have it so, and who can help it?

Lov. Faithless, inhuman, barbarous man!—

Dor. Good, now the alarm strikes.—

Lov. Without sense of love, of honour, or of gratitude, tell me —for I will know—what devil, masked she were you with at the play yesterday?

Dor. Faith, I resolved as much as you. but the devil was obstinate and would not tell me.

Lov. False in this as in your vows to me! you do know.

Dor. The truth is, I did all I could to know.

Lov. And dare you own it to my face? Hell and furies!

[Tears her fan in pieces.