The Alchemist Act 4, Scene 3 Summary

  • Now Face and Subtle start fighting over Dame Pliant. Again.
  • Face argues that Subtle's way too old to satisfy the young widow but Subtle isn't about to budge.
  • Now we find out how the Spanish Count that has just arrived to meet with Doll is none other than Surly.
  • (Remember him? He's Mammon's pal and he's determined to prove that Subtle and Face are conmen and that they're running a brothel.)
  • Face and Subtle think the guy doesn't understand a word of English so they immediately start talking trash about how Doll is going to dupe him out of all his money and "milk" him for all he's worth.
  • Surly's humiliated but he plays along, asking in Spanish if he can see the beautiful lady that Captain Face told him about earlier.
  • Subtle and Face are having a boatload of fun until they realize that Doll's busy entertaining Mammon at the moment.
  • Oops. What to do?
  • After some bickering, Face convinces Subtle that they should introduce Dame Pliant to the Spanish count and convince her to marry him.