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That makes the orient poor！ So with degrees；
Rank passes by the circlet…graced brow；
Upon the forehead； bare； of notelessness
To print the nuptial kiss。 As with degrees
So is't with habits； therefore I； indeed
A gallant of the town； the town forsake；
To win a country wife。
Julia。 His prompt reply
My backward challenge shames！ Must I give o'er？
I'll try his wit again。 Who marries me
Must lead a country life。
Clif。 The life I'd lead！
But fools would fly from it； for O！ 'tis sweet！
It finds the heart out； be there one to find；
And corners in't where store of pleasures lodge；
We never dreamed were there！ It is to dwell
'Mid smiles that are not neighbours to deceit；
Music； whose melody is of the heart；
And gifts； that are not made for interest； …
Abundantly bestowed by Nature's cheek；
And voice； and hand！ It is to live on life；
And husband it！ It is to constant scan
The handiwork of Heaven。 It is to con
Its mercy； bounty； wisdom； power！ It is
To nearer see our God！
Julia。 How like he talks
To Master Walter！ Shall I give it o'er？
Not yet。 Thou wouldst not live one half a year！
A quarter mightst thou for the novelty
Of fields and trees； but then it needs must be
In summer time； when they go dressed。
Clif。 Not it！
In any timesay winter！ Fields and trees
Have charms for me in very winter time。
Julia。 But snow may clothe them then。
Clif。 I like them full
As well in snow！
Julia。 You do？
Clif。 I do。
Julia。 But night
Will hide both snow and them； and that sets in
Ere afternoon is out。 A heavy thing；
A country fireside in a winter's night；
To one bred in the town；where winter's said；
For sun of gaiety and sportiveness；
To beggar shining summer。
Clif。 I should like
A country winter's night especially！
Julia。 You'd sleep by the fire。
Clif。 Not I； I'd talk to thee。
Julia。 You'd tire of that！
Clif。 I'd read to thee。
Julia。 And that！
Clif。 I'd talk to thee again。
Julia。 And sooner tire
Than first you did； and fall asleep at last。
You'd never do to lead a country life。
Clif。 You deal too harshly with me！ Matchless maid；
As loved instructor brightens dullest wit；
Fear not to undertake the charge of me！
A willing pupil kneels to thee； and lays
His title and his fortune at your feet。
Julia。 His title and his fortune！
＇Enter MASTER WALTER and HELEN。JULIA； disconcerted； retires with
the latter。CLIFFORD rises。＇
Wal。 So； Sir Thomas！
Aha！ you husband time！ Well； was I right？
Is't not the jewel that I told you 'twas？
Wouldst thou not give thine eyes to wear it？ Eh？
It has an owner； though；nay； start not；one
That may be bought to part with't； and with whom
I'll stand thy friendI willI say； I will！
A strange man； sir； and unaccountable：
But I can humour himwill humour him
For thy sake； good Sir Thomas； for I like thee。
Well； is't a bargain？ Come； thy hand upon it。
A word or two with thee。
＇They retire。 JULIA and HELEN come forward。＇
Julia。 Go up to town！
Helen。 Have I not said it ten times o'er to thee？
But if thou likest it not； protest against it。
Julia。 Not if 'tis Master Walter's will。
Helen。 What then？
Thou wouldst not break thy heart for Master Walter？
Julia。 That follows not！
Helen。 What follows not？
Julia。 That I
Should break my heart； because we go to town。
Helen。 Indeed？Oh； that's another matter。 Well；
I'd e'en advise thee then to do his will；
And； ever after； when I prophesy；
Believe me； Julia！
＇They retire。 MASTER WALTER comes forward。＇
＇Enter FATHOM。＇
Fath。 So please you； sir； a letter；a post…haste letter！ The
bearer on horseback； the horse in a foamsmoking like a boiler at
the heatbe sure a posthaste letter！
Wal。 Look to the horse and rider。
＇Opens the letter and reads。＇
What's this？ A testament addressed to me；
Found in his lordship's escritoire； and thence
Directed to be taken by no hand
But mine。 My presence instantly required。
＇SIR THOMAS； JULIA； and HELEN come forward。＇
Come； my mistresses；
You dine in town to…day。 Your father's will；
It is； my Julia； that you see the world；
And thou shalt see it in its best attire。
Its gayest looksits richest finery
It shall put on for thee； that thou may'st judge
Betwixt it； and this rural life you've lived。
Business of moment I'm but thus advised of；
Touching the will of my late noble master；
The Earl of Rochdale； recently deceased；
Commands me for a time to leave thee there。
Sir Thomas； hand her to the chariot。 Nay；
I tell thee true。 We go indeed to town！
＇They go out。＇
ACT II。
SCENE I。An Apartment in Master Heartwell's House。
＇Enter FATHOM and THOMAS。＇
Thos。 Well； Fathom； is thy mistress up？
Fath。 She is； Master Thomas； and breakfasted。
Thos。 She stands it well！ 'Twas five； you say； when she came home；
and wants it now three…quarters of an hour of ten？ Wait till her
stock of country health is out。
Fath。 'Twill come to that； Master Thomas； before she lives another
month in town！ three； four； five six o'clock are now the hours she
keeps。 'Twas otherwise with her in the country。 There； my mistress
used to rise what time she now lies down。
Thos。 Why； yes； she's changed since she came hither。
Fath。 Changed； do you say； Master Thomas？ Changed； forsooth！ I
know not the thing in which she is not changed； saving that she is
still a woman。 I tell thee there is no keeping pace with her moods。
In the country she had none of them。 When I brought what she asked
for； it was 〃Thank you； Fathom；〃 and no more to do； but now； nothing
contents her。 Hark ye！ were you a gentleman； Master Thomas；for
then you know you would be a different kind of man；how many times
would you have your coat altered？
Thos。 Why； Master Fathom； as many times as it would take to make it
fit me。
Fath。 Good！ But； supposing it fitted thee at the first？
Thos。 Then would I have it altered not at all。
Fath。 Good！ Thou wouldst be a reasonable gentleman。 Thou wouldst
have a conscience。 Now hark to a tale about my lady's last gown。
How many times； think you； took I it back to the sempstress？
Thos。 Thrice； may be。
Fath。 Thrice； may be！ Twenty times； may be； and not a turn too
many； for the truth on't。 Twenty times； on the oath of the
sempstress。 Now mark mecan you count？
Thos。 After a fashion。
Fath。 You have much to be thankful for； Master Thomas。 You London
serving…men have a world of things； which we in the country never
dream of。 Now mark：… Four times took I it back for the flounce；
twice for the sleeves； three for the tuckerHow many times in all
is that？
Thos。 Eight times to a fraction； Master Fathom。
Fath。 What a master of figures you are！ Eight timesnow recollect
that！ And then found she fault with the trimmings。 Now tell me；
how many times took I back the gown for the trimmings？
Thos。 Eight times more； perhaps！
Fath。 Ten times to a certainty。 How many times makes that？
Thos。 Eighteen； Master Fathom； by the rule of addition。
Fath。 And how many times more will make twenty？
Thee。 Twice； by the same rule。
Fath。 Thou hast worked with thy pencil and slate； Master Thomas！
Well； ten times； as I said； took I back the gown for the trimmings；
and was she content after all？ I warrant you no； or my ears did not
pay for it。 She wished； she said； that the slattern sempstress had
not touched the gown； for nought had she done but botched it。 Now
what think you had the sempstress done to the gown？
Thos。 To surmise that； I must be learned in the sempstress's art。
Fath。 The sempstress's art！ Thou hast hit it！ Oh； the sweet
sempstress！ the excellent sempstress！ Mistress of her scissors and
needles； which are pointless and edgeless to her art！ The
sempstress had done nothing to the gown； yet raves and storms my
mistress at her for having botched it in the making and mending； and
orders her straight to make another one； which home the sempstress
brings on Tuesday last。
Thos。 And found thy fair mistress as many faults with that？
Fath。 Not one！ She finds it a very pattern of a gown！ A well…
sitting flounce！ The sleeves a fitthe tucker a fitthe trimmings
her fancy to a Tha！ ha！ ha！ and she praised the sempstressha！
ha！ ha！ and she smiles at me； and I smileha！ ha！ ha！ and the
sempstress smilesha！ ha！ ha！ Now； why did the sempstress smile？
Thos。 That she had succeeded so well in her art。
Fath。 Thou hast hit it again！ The jade must have been born a
sempstress！ If ever I marry； she shall work for my wife。 The gown
was the same gown； and there was my mistress's twentieth mood！
Thos。 What think you will Master Walter say when he comes back？ I
fear he'll hardly know his country maid again。 Has she yet fixed
her wedding…day？
Fath。 She has； Master Thomas。 I coaxed it from her maid。 She
marries； Monday week。
Thos。 Comes not Master Walter back to…day？
Fath。 Your master expects him。 ＇A ringing。＇ Perhaps that's he。 I
prithee go and open the door； do； Master Thomas； do； for proves it
my master； he'll surely question me。
Thos。 And what should I do？
Fath。 Answer him； Master Thomas； and make him none the wiser。
He'll