The Conscious Lovers

myself from my own interest in the thing, I know no objection she can make to you, or you to her, and therefore hope⁠— Bevil Jr. Dear Myrtle, I am as much obliged to you for the cause of your suspicion, as I am offended at the effect; but, be assured, I am taking measures for your certain security, and that all things with regard to me will end in your entire satisfaction. Myrtle Well, I’ll promise you to be as easy and as confident as I can, though I cannot but remember that I have more than life at stake on your fidelity. Going. Bevil Jr. Then depend upon it, you have no chance against you. Myrtle Nay, no ceremony, you know I must be going. Exit Myrtle. Bevil Jr. Well, this is another instance of the perplexities which arise, too, in faithful friendship. We must often in this life go on in our good offices, even under the displeasure of those to whom we do them, in compassion to their weaknesses and mistakes.⁠—But all this while poor Indiana is tortured with the doubt of me. She has no support or comfort but in my fidelity, yet sees me daily pressed to marriage with another. How painful, in such a crisis, must be every hour she thinks on me! I’ll let her see at least my conduct to her is not changed. I’ll take this opportunity to visit her; for though the religious vow I have made to my father restrains me from ever marrying without his approbation, yet that confines me not from seeing a virtuous woman that is the pure delight of my eyes and the guiltless joy of my heart. But the best condition of human life is but a gentler misery⁠—

To hope for perfect happiness is vain,
And love has ever its allays of pain.

Exit.

Scene II. Indiana’s Lodgings.

	Enter Isabella and Indiana.
Isabella	Yes, I say ’tis artifice, dear child. I say to thee again and again ’tis all skill and management.
Indiana	Will you persuade me there can be an ill design in supporting me in the condition of a woman of quality? attended, dressed, and lodged like one; in my appearance abroad and my furniture at home, every way in the most sumptuous manner, and he that does it has an artifice, a design in it?
Isabella	Yes, yes.
Indiana	And all this without so much as explaining to me that all about me comes from him!
Isabella	Ay, ay, the more for that. That keeps the title to all you have the more in him.
Indiana	The more in him! He scorns the thought⁠—
Isabella	Then he⁠—he⁠—he⁠—
Indiana	Well, be not so eager. If he is an ill man, let us look into his stratagems. Here is another of them. Showing a letter. Here’s two hundred and fifty pounds in bank notes, with these words: “To pay for the set of dressing-plate which will be brought home tomorrow.” Why, dear aunt, now here’s another piece of skill for you, which I own I cannot comprehend; and it is with a bleeding heart I hear you say anything to the disadvantage of Mr. Bevil. When he is present I look upon him as one to whom I owe my life and the support of it; then, again, as the man who loves me with sincerity and honour. When his eyes are cast another way, and I dare survey him, my heart is painfully divided between shame and love. Oh! could I tell you⁠—
Isabella	Ah! you need not; I imagine all this for you.
Indiana	This is my state of mind in his presence; and when he is absent, you are ever dinning my ears with notions of the arts of men; that his hidden bounty, his respectful conduct, his careful provision for me, after his preserving me from utmost misery, are certain signs he means nothing but to make I know not what of me.
Isabella	Oh! You have a sweet opinion of him, truly.
Indiana	I have, when I am with him, ten thousand things, besides my sex’s natural decency and shame, to suppress my heart, that yearns to thank, to praise, to say it loves him. I say, thus it is with me while I see him; and in his absence I am entertained with nothing but your endeavours to tear this amiable image from my heart; and in its stead, to place a base dissembler, an artful invader of my happiness, my innocence, my honour.
Isabella	Ah, poor soul! has not his plot taken? don’t you die for him? has not the way he has taken, been the most proper with you? Oh! oh! He has sense, and has judged the thing right.
Indiana	Go on then, since nothing can answer you; say what you will of him. Heigh! ho!
Isabella	Heigh! ho! indeed. It is better to say so, as you are now, than as many others are. There are, among the destroyers of women, the gentle, the generous, the mild, the affable, the humble, who all, soon after their success in their designs, turn to the contrary of those characters. I will own to you, Mr. Bevil carries his hypocrisy the best of any man living, but still he is a man, and therefore a hypocrite. They have usurped an exemption from shame for any baseness, any cruelty towards us. They embrace without love; they make vows without conscience of obligation; they are partners, nay, seducers to the crime, wherein they pretend to be less guilty.
Indiana	That’s truly observed. Aside.⁠—But what’s all this to Bevil?
Isabella	This it is to Bevil and all mankind. Trust not those who will think the worse of you for your confidence in them; serpents who lie in wait for doves. Won’t you be on your guard against those who would betray you? Won’t you doubt those who would contemn you for believing ’em? Take it from me, fair and natural dealing is to invite injuries; ’tis bleating to escape wolves who