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Helen。 If I were she； I'd find a way to escape。
Wal。 What would you do？
Helen。 I'd leap out of the window！
Wal。 Your window should be barred。
Helen。 I'd cheat you still！ …
I'd hang myself ere I'd be forced to marry！
Wal。 Well said！ You shall be married； then； tonight。
Helen。 Married to…night！
Wal。 As sure as I have said it。
Helen。 Two words to that。 Pray who's to be my bridegroom？
Wal。 A daughter's husband is her father's choice。
Helen。 My father's daughter ne'er shall wed such husband！
Wal。 Indeed！
Helen。 I'll pick a husband for myself。
Wal。 Indeed！
Helen。 Indeed； sir； and indeed again！
Wal。 Go dress you for the marriage ceremony。
Helen。 But； Master Walter； what is it you mean？
＇Enter MODUS。＇
Wal。 Here comes your cousin；he shall be your bridesman！
The thought's a sudden one；that will excuse
Defect in your appointments。 A plain dress； …
So 'tis of white；will do。
Helen。 I'll dress in black。
I'll quit the castle。
Wal。 That you shall not do。
Its doors are guarded by my lord's domestics；
Its avenuesits grounds。 What you must do；
Do with a good grace！ In an hour； or less；
Your father will be here。 Make up your mind
To take with thankfulness the man he gives you。
Now； ＇Aside＇ if they find not out how beat their hearts；
I have no skill； not I； in feeling pulses。
＇Goes out。＇
Helen。 Why； cousin Modus！ What！ will you stand by
And see me forced to marry？ Cousin Modus！
Have you not got a tongue？ Have you not eyes？
Do you not see I'm veryvery ill；
And not a chair in all the corridor？
Mod。 I'll find one in the study。
Helen。 Hang the study！
Mod。 My room's at hand。 I'll fetch one thence。
Helen。 You shan't
I'd faint ere you came back！
Mod。 What shall I do？
Helen。 Why don't you offer to support me？ Well？
Give me your armbe quick！ ＇MODUS offers his arm。＇
Is that the way
To help a lady when she's like to faint？
I'll drop unless you catch me！ ＇MODUS supports her。＇
That will do。
I'm better now＇MODUS offers to leave her＇ don't leave me！ Is one
well
Because one's better？ Hold my hand。 Keep so。
I'll soon recover so you move not。 Loves he …
＇Aside。＇
Which I'll be sworn he does； he'll own it now。
Well； cousin Modus？
Mod。 Well； sweet cousin！
Helen。 Well？
You heard what Master Walter said？
Mod。 I did。
Helen。 And would you have me marry？ Can't you speak？
Say yes or no。
Mod。 No； cousin！
Helen。 Bravely said！
And why； my gallant cousin？
Mod。 Why？
Helen。 Ay； why？ …
Women； you know； are fond of reasonswhy
Would you not have me marry？ How you blush！
Is it because you do not know the reason？
You mind me of a story of a cousin
Who once her cousin such a question asked。
He had not been to college； thoughfor books；
Had passed his time in reading ladies' eyes。
Which he could construe marvellously well；
Though writ in language all symbolical。
Thus stood they once together； on a day …
As we stand nowdiscoursed as we discourse； …
But with this difference；fifty gentle words
He spoke to her； for one she spoke to him！ …
What a dear cousin！ Well； as I did say；
As now I questioned thee； she questioned him。
And what was his reply？ To think of it
Sets my heart beating'twas so kind a one！
So like a cousin's answera dear cousin！
A gentle； honest； gallant； loving cousin！
What did he say？A man might find it out；
Though never read he Ovid's Art of Love …
What did he say？ He'd marry her himself！
How stupid are you； cousin！ Let me go！
Mod。 You are not well yet？
Helen。 Yes。
Mod。 I'm sure you're not。
Helen。 I'm sure I am。
Mod。 Nay； let me hold you； cousin！ I like it。
Helen。 Do you？ I would wager you
You could not tell me why you like it。 Well？
You see how true I know you！ How you stare！
What see you in my face to wonder at？
Mod。 A pair of eyes！
Helen。 At last he'll find his tongue＇Aside。＇
And saw you ne'er a pair of eyes before？
Mod。 Not such a pair。
Helen。 And why？
Mod。 They are so bright！
You have a Grecian nose。
Helen。 Indeed。
Mod。 Indeed！
Helen。 What kind of mouth have I？
Mod。 A handsome one。 I never saw so sweet a pair of lips！
I ne'er saw lips at all till now； dear cousin！
Helen。 Cousin； I'm well；you need not hold me now。
Do you not hear？ I tell you I am well！
I need your arm no longertake 't away！
So tight it locks me； 'tis with pain I breathe！
Let me go； cousin！ Wherefore do you hold
Your face so close to mine？ What do you mean？
Mod。 You've questioned me； and now I'll question you。
Helen。 What would you learn？
Mod。 The use of lips。
Helen。 To speak。
Mod。 Naught else？
Helen。 How bold my modest cousin grows！
Why； other use know you？
Mod。 I do！
Helen。 Indeed！
You're wondrous wise？ And pray what is it？
Mod。 This！ ＇Attempts to kiss her。＇
Helen。 Soft！ my hand thanks you； cousinfor my lips
I keep them for a husband！Nay； stand off！
I'll not be held in manacles again！
Why do you follow me？
Mod。 I love you； cousin！
Helen。 O cousin； say you so！ That's passing strange！
Falls out most crosslyis a dire mishap …
A thing to sigh for； weep for； languish for；
And die for！
Mod。 Die for！
Helen； Yes； with laughter； cousin；
For； cousin； I love you！
Mod。 And you'll be mine？
Helen。 I will。
Mod。 Your hand upon it。
Helen。 Hand and heart。
Hie to thy dressing…room； and I'll to mine …
Attire thee for the altarso will I。
Whoe'er may claim me； thou'rt the man shall have me。
Away！ Despatch！ But hark you； ere you go；
Ne'er brag of reading Ovid's Art of Love！
Mod。 And cousin！ stopone little word with you！
＇She returns； he snatches a kissThey go out severally。＇
SCENE II。Julia's Chamber。
＇Enter JULIA。＇
Julia。 No word from him； and evening now set in！
He cannot play me false！ His messenger
Is doggedor letter intercepted。 I'm
Beset with spies！No rescue！No escape！ …
The hour at hand that brings my bridegroom home！
No relative to aid me！ friend to counsel me。
＇A knock at the door。＇
Come in。
＇Enter two Female Attendants。＇
Your will？
First Attendant。 Your toilet waits； my lady；
'Tis time you dress。
Julia。 'Tis time I die！ ＇A peal of bells。＇ What's that？
First Attendant。 Your wedding bells； my lady。
Julia。 Merrily
They ring my knell！
＇Second Attendant presents an open case。＇
And pray you what are these？
Second Attendant。 Your wedding jewels。
Julia。 Set them by。
Second Attendant。 Indeed。
Was ne'er a braver set！ A necklace； brooch；
And earrings all of brilliants； with a hoop
To guard your wedding ring。
Julia。 'Twould need a guard
That lacks a heart to keep it！
Second Attendant。 Here's a heart
Suspended from the necklaceone huge diamond
Imbedded in a host of smaller ones！
Oh！ how it sparkles！
Julia。 Show it me！ Bright heart；
Thy lustre； should I wear thee； will be false； …
For thou the emblem art of love and truth； …
From her that wears thee unto him that gives thee。
Back to thy case！ Better thou ne'er shouldst leave it …
Better thy gems a thousand fathoms deep
In their native mine again； than grace my neck；
And lend thy fair face to palm off a lie！
First Attendant。 Will't please you dress？
Julia。 Ah！ in infected clothes
New from a pest…house！ Leave me！ If I dress；
I dress alone！ O for a friend！ Time gallops！
＇Attendants go out。＇
He that should guard me is mine enemy！
Constrains me to abide the fatal die；
My rashness； not my reason cast！ He comes；
That will exact the forfeit！Must I pay it？ …
E'en at the cost of utter bankruptcy！
What's to be done？ Pronounce the vow that parts
My body from my soul！ To what it loathes
Links that； while this is linked to what it loves！
Condemned to such perdition！ What's to be done？
Stand at the altar in an hour from this！
An hour thence seated at his boarda wife
Thence！frenzy's in the thought！ What's to be done？
＇Enter MASTER WALTER。＇
Wal。 What！ run the waves so high？ Not ready yet！
Your lord will soon be here！ The guests collect。
Julia。 Show me some way to 'scape these nuptials！ Do it！
Some opening for avoidance or escape； …
Or to thy charge I'll lay a broken heart！
It may be； broken vows； and blasted honour；
Or else a mind distraught！
Wal。 What's this？
Julia。 The strait
I'm fallen into my patience cannot bear。
It frights my reasonwarps my sense of virtue！
Religion！changes me into a thing
I look at with abhorring！
Wal。 Listen to me。
Julia。 Listen to me！ If this contract
Thou holdest me toabide thou the result！
Answer to heaven for what I suffer！act！
Prepare thyself for such calamity
To fall on me； and those whose evil stars
Have linked them with me； as no past mishap；
However rare； and marvellously sad
Can parallel！ lay thy account to live
A smileless life； die an unpitied death …
Abhorred； abandoned of thy kind；as one
Who had the guarding of a young maid's peace； …
Looked on and saw her rashly peril it；
And when she saw her danger； and confessed
Her fault； compelled her to complete her ruin！
Wal。 Hast done？
Julia。 Another moment； and I have。
Be warned！ Beware how you abandon me
To myself！ I'm young； rash； inex