No flaw； or speck； that e'en the lynx…eyed law
Itself could find。 A lord of many lands！
In Berkshire half a county； and the same
In Wiltshire； and in Lancashire！ Across
The Irish Sea a principality！
And not a rood with bond or lien on it！
Wilt give that lord a wife？ Wilt make thyself
A countess？ Here's the proffer of his hand。
Write thou content； and wear a coronet！
Julia。 ＇Eagerly。＇ Give me the paper。
Wal。 There！ Here's pen and ink。
Sit down。 Why do you pause？ A flourish of
The pen； and you're a countess。
Julia。 My poor brain
Whirls round and round！ I would not wed him now；
Were he more lowly at my feet to sue
Than e'er he did！
Wal。 Wed whom？
Julia。 Sir Thomas Clifford。
Wal。 You're right。
Julia。 His rank and wealth are roots to doubt；
And while they lasted； still the weed would grow；
Howe'er you plucked it。 No！ That's o'erthat's done。
Was never lady wronged so foul as I！ ＇Weeps。＇
Wal。 Thou'rt to be pitied。
Julia。 ＇Aroused。＇ Pitied！ Not so bad
As that。
Wal。 Indeed thou art； to love the man
That spurns thee！
Julia。 Love him！ Love！ If hate could find
A word more harsh than its own name； I'd take it；
To speak the love I bear him！ ＇Weeps。＇
Wal。 Write thy own name；
And show him how near akin thy hate's to hate。
Julia。 ＇Writes。＇ 'Tis done！
Wal。 'Tis well！ I'll come to you anon！ ＇Goes out。＇
Julia。 ＇Alone。＇ I'm glad 'tis done！ I'm very glad 'tis done！
I've done the thing I ought。 From my disgrace
This lord shall lift me 'bove the reach of scorn …
That idly wags its tongue； where wealth and state
Need only beckon to have crowds to laud！
Then how the tables change！ The hand he spurned
His betters take！ Let me remember that！
I'll grace my rank！ I will！ I'll carry it
As I was born to it！ I warrant none
Shall say it fits me not：… but； one and all
Confess I wear it bravely； as I ought！
And he shall hear it！ Ay； and he shall see it！
I will roll by him in an equipage
Would mortgage his estatebut he shall own
His slight of me was my advancement！ Love me！
He never loved me！ if he had； he ne'er
Had given me up！ Love's not a spider's web
But fit to mesh a flythat you can break
By only blowing on't！ He never loved me！
He knows not what love is！or； if he does；
He has not been o'erchary of his peace！
And that he'll find when I'm another's wife；
Lost！lost to him for ever！ Tears again！
Why should I weep for him？ Who make their woes。
Deserve them！ What have I to do with tears？
＇Enter HELEN。＇
Helen。 News； Julia； news！
Julia。 What！ is't about Sir Thomas？
Helen。 Sir Thomas； say you？ He's no more Sir Thomas！
That cousin lives； as heir to whom； his wealth
And title came to him。
Julia。 Was he not dead？
Helen。 No more than I am dead。
Julia。 I would 'twere not so。
Helen。 What say you； Julia？
Julia。 Nothing！
Helen。 I could kiss
That cousin！ couldn't you； Julia？
Julia。 Wherefore？
Helen。 Why
For coming back to life again； as 'twere
Upon his cousin to revenge you。
Julia。 Helen！
Helen。 Indeed 'tis true。 With what a sorry grace
The gentleman will bear himself without
His title！ Master Clifford！ Have you not
Some token to return him？ Some love…letter？
Some brooch？ Some pin？ Some anything？ I'll be
Your messenger； for nothing but the pleasure
Of calling him plain 〃Master Clifford。〃
Julia。 Helen！
Helen。 Or has he aught of thine？ Write to him； Julia；
Demanding it！ Do； Julia； if you love me；
And I'll direct it in a schoolboy's hand；
As round as I can write； 〃To Master Clifford。〃
Julia。 Helen！
Helen。 I'll think of fifty thousand ways
To mortify him！ I've a twentieth cousin；
A care…for…nought； at mischief。 Him I'll set；
With twenty other madcaps like himself；
To walk the streets the traitor most frequents
And give him salutation as he passes …
〃How do you； Master Clifford？〃
Julia。 ＇Highly incensed。＇ Helen！
Helen。 Bless me！
Julia。 I hate you； Helen！
＇Enter MODUS。＇
Mod。 Joy for you； fair lady！
Our baronet is now plain gentleman …
And hardly that； not master of the means
To bear himself as such。 The kinsman lives
Whose only rumoured death gave wealth to him；
And title。 A hard creditor he proves；
Who keeps strict reckoningwill have interest。
As well as principal。 A ruined man
Is now Sir Thomas Clifford！
Helen。 I'm glad on't。
Mod。 And so am I；
A scurvy trick it was
He served you； madam。 Use a lady so！
I merely bore with him。 I never liked him。
Helen。 No more did I。 No； never could I think
He looked his title。
Mod。 No； nor acted it。
If rightly they report； he ne'er disbursed
To entertain his friends； 'tis broadly said；
A hundred pounds in the year！ He was most poor
In the appointments of a man of rank；
Possessing wealth like his。 His horses； hacks！
His gentleman； a footman！ and his footman；
A groom！ The sports that men of quality
And spirit countenance； he kept aloof from；
From scruple of economy； not taste； …
As racing and the like。 In brief； he lacked
Those shining points that； more than name； denote
High breeding； and； moreover； was a man
Of very shallow learning。
Julia。 Silence； sir！
For shame！
Helen。 Why； Julia！
Julia。 Speak not to me！ Poor！
Most poor！ I tell you； sir； he was the making
Of fifty gentlemeneach one of whom
Were more than peer for thee！ His title； sir；
Lent him no grace he did not pay it back！
Though it had been the highest of the high；
He would have looked it； felt it； acted it；
As thou couldst ne'er have done！ When found you out
You liked him not？ It was not ere to…day！
Or that base spirit I must reckon yours
Which smiles where it would scowlcan stoop to hate
And fear to show it！ He was your better； sir；
And is！Ay； is！ though stripped of rank and wealth；
His nature's 'bove or fortune's love or spite；
To blazon or to blurr it！ ＇Retires。＇
Mod。 ＇To HELEN。＇ I was told
Much to disparage himI know not wherefore。
Helen。 And so was I； and know as much the cause。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER； with parchments。＇
Wal。 Joy； my Julia！
Impatient love has foresight！ Lo you here
The marriage deeds filled up； except a blank
To write your jointure。 What you will； my girl！
Is this a lover？ Look！ Three thousand pounds
Per annum for your private charges！ Ha！
There's pin…money！ Is this a lover？ Mark
What acres； forests； tenements； are taxed
For your revenue； and so set apart；
That finger cannot touch them； save thine own。
Is this a lover？ What good fortune's thine！
Thou dost not speak； but； 'tis the way with joy！
With richest heart； it has the poorest tongue！
Mod。 What great good fortune's this you speak of； sir？
Wal。 A coronet； Master Modus！ You behold
The wife elect； sir； of no less a man
Than the new Earl of Rochdaleheir of him
That's recently deceased。
Helen。 My dearest Julia；
Much joy to you！
Mod。 All good attend you； madam！
Wal。 This letter brings excuses from his lordship；
Whose absence it accounts for。 He repairs
To his estate in Lancashire； and thither
We follow。
Julia。 When； sir？
Wal。 Now。 This very hour。
Julia。 This very hour！ O cruel； fatal haste！
Wal。 〃O cruel； fatal haste！〃 What meanest thou？
Have I done wrong to do thy bidding； then？
I have done no more。 Thou wast an offcast bride；
And wouldst be an affianced onethou art so！
Thou'dst have the slight that marked thee out for scorn；
Converted to a means of gracing thee …
It is so！ If our wishes come too soon；
What can make sure of welcome？ In my zeal
To win thee thine； thou know'st； at any time
I'd play the steed； whose will to serve his lord；
With his last breath gives his last bound for him！
Since only noon have I despatched what well
Had kept a brace of clerks； and more； on foot …
And then； perhaps； had been to do again！ …
Not finished sure； completethe compact firm；
As fate itself had sealed it！
Julia。 Give you thanks！
Though 'twere my death！ my death！
Wal。 Thy death！ indeed；
For happiness like this； one well might die！
Take thy lord's letter！ Well？
＇Enter THOMAS； with a letter。＇
Thos。 This letter； sir；
The gentleman that served Sir Thomas Clifford …
Or him that was Sir Thomasgave to me
For Mistress Julia。
Julia。 Give it me！
＇Throwing away the one she holds。＇
Wal。 ＇Snatching it。＇ For what？
Wouldst read it？ He's a bankrupt！ stripped of title；
House； chattels； lands； and all！ A naked bankrupt；
With neither purse； nor trust！ Wouldst read his letter？
A beggar！ Yea； a very beggar！fasts； unless
He dines on alms！ How durst he send thee a letter！
A fellow cut on this hand； and on that；
Bows and is cut again； and bows again！
Who pays you fifty smiles for half a one； …
And that given grudgingly！ To you a letter！
I burst with choler！ Thus I treat his letter！
＇Tears and throws it on the ground。＇
So！ I was wrong to let him ruffle me；
He is not worth the spending anger on！
I prithee； Master Modus； use despatch；
And presently make ready for our ride。
You； Helen； to my Julia looka change
Of dresses will suffice。 She must have new ones；
Matches for her new state！ Haste； friends。 My Julia！
Why stand you poring there upon the ground？
Time flies。 Your rise astounds you？ Never heed …
You'll play my lady countess like a queen！
＇They go out。＇
ACT IV。
SCENE I。A Room in the Earl of Rochdale's
＇Eater HELEN。＇
Helen。 I'm weary wandering from room to room；
A castle after all is but a house …
The dullest one when lacking company。
Were I at home； I could be company
Unto myself。 I see not Master Walter；
He's ever with his ward。 I see not her。
By Master Walter's will she bides alone。
My father stops in town。 I can't see him。
My cousin makes his books his company。
I'll go to bed and sleep。 NoI'll stay up
And plague my cousin into making love！
For； that he loves me； shrewdly I suspect。
How dull he is that hath not sense to see
What lies before him； and he'd like to find！
I'll change my treatment of him。 Cross him； where
Before I used to humour him。 He comes；
Poring upon a book。 What's that you read？
＇Enter MODUS。＇
Mod。 Latin； sweet cousin。
Helen。 'Tis a naughty tongue；
I fear； and teaches men to lie。