SCENE II.--LEANDER, MASCARILLE.
MASC. Sir, I have lost my labour; Trufaldin will not keep his word.
LEAND. He himself has told me the whole affair; but, what is more, I
have discovered that all this pretty rigmarole about Celia being carried
off by gypsies, and having a great nobleman for her father, who is
setting out from Spain to come hither, is nothing but a mere stratagem,
a merry trick, a made-up story, a tale raised by Lelio to prevent my
buying Celia.
MASC. Here is roguery for you!
LEAND. And yet this ridiculous story has produced such an impression on
Trufaldin, and he has swallowed the bait of this shallow device so
greedily, that he will not allow himself to be undeceived.
MASC. So that henceforth he will watch her carefully. I do not see we
can do anything more.
LEAND. If at first I thought this girl amiable, I now find her
absolutely adorable, and I am in doubt whether I ought not to employ
extreme measures to make her my own, thwart her ill fortune by plighting
her my troth, and turn her present chains into matrimonial ones.
MASC. Would you marry her?
LEAND. I am not yet determined, but if her origin is somewhat obscure,
her charms and her virtue are gentle attractions, which have incredible
force to allure every heart.
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