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—­

Mel. O, servant, you can testify that I am in his good graces.  Well, I cannot stay long with you, because I have promised him this afternoon to—­But hark you, my dear, I’ll tell you a secret.
                                                   [Whispers to DOR.