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His locks are raven black； and hers are gold。
Julia。 Love's cunning of disguises！ spite of locks；
Skin； vesture；it is she； and only she
What will not constant woman do for love
That's loved with constancy！ Set her the task；
Virtue approving； that will baffle her！
O'ertax her stooping； patience； courage； wit！
My life upon it； 'tis the princess' self；
Transformed into a page！
Wal。 The dungeon door
Stands open； and you see beyond …
Julia。 Her father！
Wal。 No； a steed。
Julia。 ＇Starting up。＇ O； welcome steed；
My heart bounds at the thought of thee！ Thou comest
To bear the page from bonds to liberty。
What else？
Wal。 ＇Rising。＇ The story's told。
Julia。 Too briefly told；
O happy princess； that had wealth and state
To lay them down for love！ Whose constant love
Appearances approved； not falsified！
A winner in thy loss； as well as gain。
Wal。 Weighs love so much？
Julia。 What would you weigh 'gainst love
That's true？ Tell me with what you'd turn the scale？
Yea； make the index waver？ Wealth？ A feather！
Rank？ Tinsel against bullion in the balance！
The love of kindred？ That to set 'gainst love！
Friendship comes nearest to't； but put it in；
Friendship will kick the beam！weigh nothing 'gainst it！
Weigh love against the world！
Yet are they happy that have naught to say to it。
Wal。 And such a one art thou。 Who wisely wed；
Wed happily。 The love thou speak'st of；
A flower is only； that its season has；
Which they must look to see the withering of；
Who pleasure in its budding and its bloom！
But wisdom is the constant evergreen
Which lives the whole year through！ Be that； your flower！
＇Enter a Servant。＇
Well？
Serv。 My lord's secretary is without。
He brings a letter for her ladyship；
And craves admittance to her。
Wal。 Show him in。
Julia。 No。
Wal。 Thou must see him。 To show slight to him；
Were slighting him that sent him。 Show him in！
＇Servant goes out。＇
Some errand proper for thy private ear；
Besides the letter he may bring。 What mean
This paleness and this trembling？ Mark me； Julia！
If； from these nuptials； which thyself invited …
Which at thy seeking camethou wouldst be freed；
Thou hast gone too far！ Receding were disgrace；
Sooner than see thee suffer which； the hearts
That love thee most would wish thee dead！ Reflect！
Take thought！ collect thyself！ With dignity
Receive thy bridegroom's messenger！ for sure
As dawns to…morrow's sun； to…morrow night
Sees thee a wedded bride！
＇Goes out。＇
Julia。 ＇Alone。＇ A wedded bride！
Is it a dream？ Is it a phantasm？ 'Tis
Too horrible for reality！ for aught else
Too palpable！ O would it were a dream！
How would I bless the sun that waked me from it！
I perish！ Like some desperate mariner
Impatient of a strange and hostile land；
Who rashly hoists his sail and puts to sea；
And being fast on reefs and quicksands borne；
Essays in vain once more to make the land；
Whence wind and current drive him； I'm wrecked
By mine own act！ What！ no escape？ no hope？
None！ I must e'en abide these hated nuptials！
Hated！Ah！ own it； and then curse thyself！
That madest the bane thou loathestfor the love
Thou bear'st to one who never can be thine！
Yeslove！ Deceive thyself no longer。 False
To say 'tis pity for his fallrespect；
Engendered by a hollow world's disdain；
Which hoots whom fickle fortune cheers no more！
'Tis none of these； 'tis loveand if not love；
Why then idolatry！ Ay； that's the name
To speak the broadest； deepest； strongest passion；
That ever woman's heart was borne away by！
He comes！ Thou'dst play the lady；play it now！
＇Enter a Servant； conducting CLIFFORD； plainly attired as the EARL
OF ROCHDALE'S Secretary。＇
Servant。 His lordship's secretary。
＇Servant goes out。＇
Julia。 Speaks he not？ Or does he wait for orders to unfold
His business？ Stopped his business till I spoke；
I'd hold my peace for ever！
＇CLIFFORD kneels； presenting a letter。＇
Does he kneel？
A lady am I to my heart's content！
Could he unmake me that which claims his knee；
I'd kneel to himI would！ I would！Your will？
Clif。 This letter from my lord。
Julia。 O fate！ Who speaks？
Clif。 The secretary of my lord。
Julia。 I breathe！
I could have sworn 'twas he！
＇Makes an effort to look at him； but is unable。＇
So like the voice …
I dare not look； lest there the form should stand！
How came he by that voice？ 'Tis Clifford's voice；
If ever Clifford spoke！ My fears come back …
Clifford the secretary of my lord！
Fortune hath freaks； but none so mad as that！
It cannot be！It should not be！A look；
And all were set at rest。
＇Tries to look at him again； but cannot。＇
So strong my fears；
Dread to confirm them takes away the power
To try and end them！ Come the worst； I'll look。
＇She tries again； and again is unequal to the task。＇
I'd sink before him if I met his eye！
Clif。 Will't please your ladyship to take the letter？
Julia。 There Clifford speaks again！ Not Clifford's heart
Could more make Clifford's voice！ Not Clifford's tongue
And lips more frame it into Clifford's speech！
A question； and 'tis over！ Know I you？
Clif。 Reverse of fortune； lady； changes friends；
It turns them into strangers。 What I am
I have not always been！
Julia。 Could I not name you？
Clif。 If your disdain for one； perhaps too bold
When hollow fortune called him favourite； …
Now by her fickleness perforce reduced
To take an humble tone； would suffer you …
Julia。 I might？
Clif。 You might！
Julia。 Oh； Clifford！ is it you？
Clif。 Your answer to my lord。
＇Gives the letter。＇
Julia。 Your lord！
＇Mechanically taking it。＇
Clif。 Wilt write it？
Or； will it please you send a verbal one？
I'll bear it faithfully。
Julia。 You'll bear it？
Clif。 Madam；
Your pardon； but my haste is somewhat urgent。
My lord's impatient； and to use despatch
Were his repeated orders。
Julia。 Orders？ Well；
I'll read the letter； sir。 'Tis right you mind
His lordship's orders。 They are paramount！
Nothing should supersede them！stand beside them！
They merit all your care； and have it！ Fit；
Most fit； they should！ Give me the letter； sir。
Clif。 You have it； madam。
Julia。 So！ How poor a thing
I look！ so lost； while he is all himself！
Have I no pride？
＇She rings； the Servant enters。＇
Paper； and pen； and ink！
If he can freeze； 'tis time that I grow cold！
I'll read the letter。
＇Opens it； and holds it as about to read it。＇
Mind his orders！ So！
Quickly he fits his habits to his fortunes！
He serves my lord with all his will！ His heart's
In his vocation。 So！ Is this the letter？
'Tis upside downand here I'm poring on't！
Most fit I let him see me play the fool！
Shame！ Let me be myself！
＇A Servant enters with materials for writing。＇
A table； sir；
And chair。
＇The Servant brings a table and chair； and goes out。 She sits a
while； vacantly gazing on the letterthen looks at CLIFFORD。＇
How plainly shows his humble suit！
It fits not him that wears it！ I have wronged him！
He can't be happydoes not look it！is not。
That eye which reads the ground is argument
Enough！ He loves me。 There I let him stand；
And I am sitting！
＇Rises； takes a chair； and approaches CLIFFORD。＇
Pray you take a chair。
＇He bows； as acknowledging and declining the honour。 She looks at
him a while。＇
Clifford； why don't you speak to me？
＇She weeps。＇
Clif。 I trust
You're happy。
Julia。 Happy！ Very； very happy！
You see I weep； I am so happy！ Tears
Are signs； you know； of naught but happiness！
When first I saw you； little did I look
To be so happy！Clifford！
Clif。 Madam？
Julia。 Madam！
I call thee Clifford； and thou call'st me madam！
Clif。 Such the address my duty stints me to。
Thou art the wife elect of a proud Earl；
Whose humble secretary； sole； am I。
Julia。 Most right！ I had forgot！ I thank you； sir；
For so reminding me； and give you joy；
That what； I see； had been a burthen to you；
Is fairly off your hands。
Clif。 A burthen to me！
Mean you yourself？ Are you that burthen； Julia？
Say that the sun's a burthen to the earth！
Say that the blood's a burthen to the heart！
Say health's a burthen； peace； contentment； joy；
Fame； riches； honours！ everything that man
Desires； and gives the name of blessing to
E'en such a burthen； Julia were to me；
Had fortune let me wear her。
Julia。 ＇Aside。＇ On the brink
Of what a precipice I'm standing！ Back；
Back！ while the faculty remains to do't！
A minute longer； not the whirlpool's self
More sure to suck me down！ One effort！ There！
＇She returns to her seat； recovers her self…possession； takes up the
letter； and reads。＇
To wed to…morrow night！ Wed whom？ A man
Whom I can never love！ I should before
Have thought of that。 To…morrow night！ This hour
To…morrow！ How I tremble！ Happy bands
To which my heart such freezing welcome gives；
As sends an ague through me！ At what means
Will not the desperate snatch！ What's honour's price？
Nor friends； nor lovers；no； nor life itself！
Clifford！ This moment leave me！
＇CLIFFORD retires up the stage out of JULIA'S sight。＇
Is he gone？
O docile lover！ Do his mistress' wish
That went agains