Lau. I find you are an impostor:  you are not the same Benito:  your language has nothing of the serving-man.

Aur. And yours, methinks, has not much of the waiting-woman.

Lau. My lady is abused, and betrayed by you:  But I am resolved, I’ll discover who you are. [Holds out a lanthorn to him.] How! the stranger?

Aur. Nay, madam, if you are good at that, I’ll match you there too. [Holds out his lanthorn.] O prodigy!  Is Beatrix turned to Laura?

Lau. Now the question is, which of us two is the greatest cheat?

Aur. That’s hardly to be tried, at so short warning:  Let’s marry one another, and then, twenty to one, in a twelvemonth we shall know.

Lau. Marry!  Are you at that so soon, signior?  Benito and Beatrix, I confess, had some acquaintance; but Aurelian and Laura are mere strangers.

Aur. That ground I have gotten as Benito, I am resolved I’ll keep as Aurelian.  If you will take state upon you, I have treated you with ceremony already; for I have wooed you by proxy.

Lau. But you would not be contented to bed me so; or give me leave to put the sword betwixt us.

Aur. Yes, upon condition you’ll remove it.

Lau. Pray let our friends be judge of it; if you please, we’ll find them in the arbour.

Aur. Content; I am then sure of the verdict, because the jury is bribed already. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

  BENITO meeting FREDERICK, ASCANIO, LUCRETIA, and HIPPOLITA.

Ben. Knowing my own merits, as I do, ’tis not impossible, but some of these harlotry nuns may love me.  Oh, here’s my master! now if I could but put this into civil terms, so as to ask his leave, and not displease him—­

Asca. I hear one talking, sir, just by us.

Ben. I am stolen from my post, sir, but for one minute only, to demand permission of you, since it is not in our articles, that if any of these nuns should cast an eye, or so—­

Fred. ’Slife, we are betrayed; but I’ll make this rascal sure.
                                             [Draws and runs at him.

Ben. Help! murder, murder! [Runs off.

Enter AURELIAN and CAMILLO; LAURA and VIOLETTA after them.

Aur. That was Benito’s voice:  We are ruined.

Cam. O, here they are, we must make our way.
                  [AUR. and the Prince make a pass or two confusedly,
                   and fight off the stage.  The Women shriek.

Asca. Never fear, ladies.—­Come on, sir; I am your man.

Cam. [Stepping back.] This is the prince’s page, I know his voice.—­Ascanio?