The Alchemist Act 4, Scene 5 Summary

  • Meanwhile, Doll (who is playing the part of a lady scholar) is still with Mammon, pretending to have gone nuts because Mammon brought up the subject of religion.
  • Doll has a bizarre talking "fit" and babbles a bunch of stuff that actually comes from a real book called A Concent [sic] of Scripture by the Puritan scholar Hugh Broughton (1549-1612).
  • Mammon's totally freaked and doesn't know what to do. He's terrified that the "Doctor" (Subtle) will find out that he's been sinful and won't be able to give him the philosopher's stone.
  • Right on cue, there's a huge explosion off stage.
  • Face runs in and tells Mammon that there's been an explosion in the alchemical lab. Whoops.
  • The Doctor/Subtle immediately blames Mammon for the explosion—if Mammon hadn't been so lusty, none of this would have happened.
  • (Gee. How convenient. Now Subtle and Face have the perfect excuse not to deliver the philosopher's stone.)
  • They manage to chase Mammon off by telling him that the mad lady's brother just pulled up to the house and he's just as "furious" and "mad" as his sister.
  • Totally defeated, Mammon leaves and he promises to send some money back to the house as penance.