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Thos。 And what should I do？
Fath。 Answer him； Master Thomas； and make him none the wiser。
He'll go mad； when he learns how my lady flaunts it！ Go！ open the
door； I prithee。 Fifty things； Master Thomas； know you； for one
thing that I know！ You can turn and twist a matter into any other
kind of matter； and then twist and turn it back again； if needs be；
so much you servants of the town beat us of the country； Master
Thomas。 Open the door； now； do； Master Thomas； do！
＇They go out。＇
SCENE II。A Garden with two Arbours。
＇Enter MASTER HEARTWELL and MASTER WALTER meeting。＇
Heart。 Good Master Walter； welcome back again！
Wal。 I'm glad to see you； Master Heartwell！
Heart。 How；
I pray you； sped the mighty business which
So sudden called you hence？
Wal。 Weighty； indeed！
What thou wouldst ne'er expectwilt scarce believe！
Long…hidden wrong； wondrously come to light；
And great right done！ But more of this anon。
Now of my ward discourse！ Likes she the town？
How does she？ Is she well？ Canst match me her
Among your city maids？
Heart。 Nor court ones neither！
She far outstrips them all！
Wal。 I knew she would。
What else could follow in a maid so bred？
A pure mind； Master Heartwell！not a taint
From intercourse with the distempered town；
With which all contact was walled out； until；
Matured in soundness； I could trust her to it；
And sleep amidst infection！
Heart。 Master Walter！
Wal。 Well？
Heart。 Tell me； prithee； which is likelier
To plough a sea in safety？he that's wont
To sail in it；or he that by the chart
Is master of its soundings； bearings；knows
Is headlands； havens； currentswhere 'tis bold；
And where behoves to keep a good look…out。
The one will swim； where sinks the other one？
Wal。 The drift of this？
Heart。 Do you not guess it？
Wal。 Humph！
Heart。 If you would train a maid to live in town；
Breed her not in the country！
Wal。 Say you so？
And stands she not the test？
Heart。 As snow stands fire！
Your country maid has melted all away；
And plays the city lady to the height；
Her mornings gives to mercers； milliners；
Shoemakers； jewellers； and haberdashers；
Her noons； to calls； her afternoons； to dressing；
Evenings； to plays and drums； and nights； to routs；
Balls； masquerades！ Sleep only ends the riot；
Which waking still begins！
Wal。 I'm all amaze！
How bears Sir Thomas this？
Heart。 Why； patiently；
Though one can see with pain。
Wal。 She loves him？ Ha！
That shrug is doubt！ She'd ne'er consent to wed him
Unless she loved him！never！ Her young fancy
The pleasures of the townnew thingshave caught；
Anon their hold will slacken； she'll become
Her former self again； to its old train
Of sober feelings will her heart return；
And then she'll give it wholly to the man
Her virgin wishes chose！
Heart。 Here comes Sir Thomas；
And with him Master Modus。
Wal。 Let them pass：
I would not see him till I speak with her。
＇They retire into one of the Arbours。＇
＇Enter CLIFFORD and MODUS。＇
Clif。 A dreadful question is it； when we love；
To ask if love's returned！ I did believe
Fair Julia's heart was mineI doubt it now！
But once last night she danced with me； her hand；
To this gallant and that engaged； as soon
As asked for？ Maid that loved would scarce do this？
Nor visit we together as we used；
When first she came to town。 She loves me less
Than once she didor loves me not at all。
Mod。 I'm little skilled； Sir Thomas； in the world：
What mean you now to do？
Clif。 Remonstrate with her；
Come to an understanding； and； at once；
If she repents her promise to be mine；
Absolve her from itand say farewell to her。
Mod。 Lo； then； your opportunityshe comes …
My cousin also： her will I engage；
Whilst you converse together。
Clif。 Nay； not yet！
My heart turns coward at the sight of her。
Stay till it finds new courage！ Let them pass。
＇CLIFFORD and MODUS retire into the other Arbour。＇
＇Enter JULIA and HELEN。＇
Helen。 So； Monday week will say good morn to thee
A maid； and bid good night a sober wife！
Julia。 That Monday week； I trust； will never come；
That brags to make a sober wife of me！
Helen。 How changed you are； my Julia！
Julia。 Change makes change。
Helen。 Why wedd'st thou； then？
Julia。 Because I promised him！
Helen。 Thou lovest him？
Julia。 Do I？
Helen。 He's a man to love！
A right well…favoured man！
Julia。 Your point's well favoured。
Where did you purchase it？ In Gracechurch Street？
Helen。 Pshaw！ never mind my point； but talk of him。
Julia。 I'd rather talk with thee about the lace。
Where bought you it？ In Gracechurch Street； Cheapside；
Whitechapel； Little Britain？ Can't you say
Where 'twas you bought the lace？
Helen。 In Cheapside； then。
And now； then； to Sir Thomas！ He is just
The height I like a man。
Julia。 Thy feather's just
The height I like a feather！ Mine's too short！
What shall I give thee in exchange for it？
Helen。 What shall I give thee for a minute's talk
About Sir Thomas？
Julia。 Why； thy feather。
Helen。 Take it！
Clif。 ＇Aside to Modus。＇ What； likes she not to speak of me？
Helen。 And now
Let's talk about Sir Thomasmuch I'm sure
He loves you。
Julia。 Much I'm sure； he has a right！
Those know I who would give their eyes to be
Sir Thomas； for my sake！
Helen。 Such too； know I。
But 'mong them none that can compare with him；
Not one so graceful。
Julia。 What a graceful set
Your feather has！
Helen。 Nay； give it back to me；
Unless you pay me for't。
Julia。 What was't to get？
Helen。 A minute's talk with thee about Sir Thomas。
Julia。 Talk of his title； and his fortune then。
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Indeed！ I would not listen； yet I must！
Julia。 An ample fortune； HelenI shall be
A happy wife！ What routs； what balls； what masques；
What gala…days！
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ For these she marries me！
She'll talk of these！
Julia。 Think not； when I am wed；
I'll keep the house as owlet does her tower；
Alone；when every other bird's on wing。
I'll use my palfrey； Helen； and my coach；
My barge； too； for excursion on the Thames：
What drives to Barnet； Hackney； Islington！
What rides to Epping； Hounslow； and Blackheath！
What sails to Greenwich； Woolwich； Fulham； Kew！
I'll set a pattern to your lady wives！
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Ay； lady？ Trust me； not at my expense。
Julia。 And what a wardrobe！ I'll have change of suits
For every day in the year！ and sets for days！
My morning dress； my noon dress； dinner dress；
And evening dress！ Then will I show you lace
A foot deep； can I purchase； if not；
I'll specially bespeak it。 Diamonds too！
Not buckles； rings； and earrings onlybut
Whole necklaces and stomachers of gems！
I'll shine！ be sure I will。
Clif。 ＇Aside。＇ Then shine away；
Who covets thee may wear thee；I'm not he！
Julia。 And then my title！ Soon as I put on
The ring； I'm Lady Clifford。 So I take
Precedence of plain mistress； were she e'en
The richest heiress in the land！ At town
Or country ball； you'll see me take the lead；
While wives that carry on their backs the wealth
To dower a princess； shall give place to me； …
Will I not profit； think you； by my right？
Be sure I will！ marriage shall prove to me
A never…ending pageant。 Every day
Shall show how I am spoused！ I will be known
For Lady Clifford all the city through；
And fifty miles the country round about。
Wife of Sir Thomas Clifford； baronet …
Not perishable knightwho； when he makes
A lady of me； doubtless must expect
To see me play the part of one。
Clif。 ＇Coming forward。＇ Most true；
But not the part which you design to play。
Julia。 A listener； sir！
Clif。 By chance； and not intent；
Your speech was forced upon mine ear； that ne'er
More thankless duty to my heart discharged！
Would for that heart it ne'er had known the sense
Which tells it 'tis a bankrupt； there； where most
It coveted to be rich； and thought it was so！
O Julia； is it you？ Could I have set
A coronet upon that stately brow；
Where partial nature hath already bound
A brighter circletradiant beauty's own …
I had been proud to see thee proud of it；
So for the donor thou hadst ta'en the gift；
Not for the gift ta'en him。 Could I have poured
The wealth of richest Croesus in thy lap；
I had been blest to see thee scatter it；
So I was still thy riches paramount！
Julia。 Know you me； sir！
Clif。 I do。 On Monday week
We were to wedand areso you're content；
The day that weds； wives you to be widowed。 Take
The privilege of my wife； be Lady Clifford！
Outshine the title in the wearing on't！
My coffers； lands； all are at thy command；
Wear all！ but； for myself； she wears not me；
Although the coveted of every eye；
Who would not wear me for myself alone。
Julia。 And do you carry it so proudly； sir？
Clif。 Proudly； but still more sorrowfully； lady！
I'll lead thee to the church on Monday week。
Till then； farewell and then； farewell for ever！
O Julia； I have ventured for thy love；
As the bold merchant； who； for only hope
Of some rich gain； all former gains will risk。
Before I asked a portion of thy heart；
I perilled all my own； and now； all's lost！
＇CLIFFORD and MODUS go out。＇
Julia。