[To them] MRS. FAINALL, FOIBLE, MINCING.
MRS. MARWOOD
O my shame! [MIRABELL and LADY go to MRS. FAINALL and FOIBLE.] These currupt things are brought hither to expose me. [To FAINALL.]
FAINALL
If it must all come out, why let 'em know it, 'tis but the way of the world. That shall not urge me to relinquish or abate one tittle of my terms; no, I will insist the more.
FOIBLE
Yes, indeed, madam; I'll take my bible-oath of it.
LADY WISHFORT
O Marwood, Marwood, art thou false? My friend deceive me? Hast thou been a wicked accomplice with that profligate man?
MRS. MARWOOD
Have you so much ingratitude and injustice to give credit, against your friend, to the aspersions of two such mercenary trulls?
MINCING
Mercenary, mem? I scorn your words. 'Tis true we found you and Mr. Fainall in the blue garret; by the same token, you swore us to secrecy upon Messalinas's poems. Mercenary? No, if we would have been mercenary, we should have held our tongues; you would have bribed us sufficiently.
FAINALL
Go, you are an insignificant thing. Well, what are you the better for this? Is this Mr. Mirabell's expedient? I'll be put off no longer. You, thing, that was a wife, shall smart for this. I will not leave thee wherewithal to hide thy shame: your body shall be naked as your reputation.
MRS. FAINALL
I despise you and defy your malice. You have aspersed me wrongfully—I have proved your falsehood. Go, you and your treacherous—I will not name it, but starve together. Perish.
FAINALL
Not while you are worth a groat, indeed, my dear. Madam, I'll be fooled no longer.
LADY WISHFORT
Ah, Mr. Mirabell, this is small comfort, the detection of this affair.
MIRABELL
Oh, in good time. Your leave for the other offender and penitent to appear, madam.
