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Julia。 Another moment； and I have。
Be warned！ Beware how you abandon me
To myself！ I'm young； rash； inexperienced！ tempted
By most insufferable misery！
Bold； desperate； and reckless！ Thou hast age
Experience； wisdom； and collectedness； …
Power； freedom；everything that I have not；
Yet want； as none e'er wanted！ Thou canst save me；
Thou oughtst！ thou must！ I tell thee at his feet
I'll fall a corseere mount his bridal bed！
So choose betwixt my rescue and my grave； …
And quickly too！ The hour of sacrifice
Is near！ Anon the immolating priest
Will summon me！ Devise some speedy means
To cheat the altar of its victim。 Do it！
Nor leave the task to me！
Wal。 Hast done？
Julia。 I have。
Wal。 Then list to meand silently； if not
With patience。＇Brings chairs for himself and her。＇
How I watched thee from thy childhood
I'll not recall to thee。 Thy father's wisdom …
Whose humble instrument I wasdirected
Your nonage should be passed in privacy；
From your apt mind that far outstripped your years；
Fearing the taint of an infected world； …
For； in the rich grounds； weeds once taking root；
Grow strong as flowers。 He might be right or wrong！
I thought him right； and therefore did his bidding。
Most certainly he loved youso did I；
Ay！ well as I had been myself your father！
＇His hand is resting upon his knee； JULIA attempts to take ithe
withdraws itlooks at hershe hangs her head。＇
Well； you may take my hand！ I need not say
How fast you grew in knowledge； and in goodness； …
That hope could scarce enjoy its golden dreams
So soon fulfilment realised them all！
Enough。 You came to womanhood。 Your heart；
Pure as the leaf of the consummate bud；
That's new unfolded by the smiling sun；
And ne'er knew blight nor canker！
＇JULIA attempts to place her other hand on his shoulderhe leans
from herlooks at hershe hangs her head again。＇
Put it there！
Where left I off？ I know！ When a good woman
Is fitly mated； she grows doubly good；
How good soe'er before！ I found the man
I thought a match for thee； and； soon as found；
Proposed him to thee。 'Twas your father's will；
Occasion offering； you should be married
Soon as you reached to womanhood。You liked
My choice； accepted him。We came to town；
Where； by important matter summoned thence；
I left you an affianced bride！
Julia。 You did！
You did！ ＇Leans her head upon her hand and weeps。＇
Wal。 Nay； check thy tears！ Let judgment now；
Not passion； be awake。 On my return；
I found theewhat？ I'll not describe the thing
I found thee then！ I'll not describe my pangs
To see thee such a thing！ The engineer
Who lays the last stone of his sea…built tower；
It cost him years and years of toil to raise …
And； smiling at it； tells the winds and waves
To roar and whistle nowbut； in a night；
Beholds the tempest sporting in its place …
May look aghast； as I did！
Julia。 ＇Falling on her knees。＇ Pardon me！
Forgive me！ pity me！
Wal。 Resume thy seat。 ＇Raises her。＇
I pity thee； perhaps not thee alone
It fits to sue for pardon。
Julia。 Me alone！
None other！
Wal。 But to vindicate myself；
I name thy lover's stern desertion of thee。
What wast thou then with wounded pride？ A thing
To leap into a torrent！ throw itself
From a precipice！ rush into a fire！ I saw
Thy madnessknew to thwart it were to chafe it …
And humoured it to take that course； I thought；
Adopted； least 'twould rue！
Julia。 'Twas wisely done。
Wal。 At least 'twas for the best。
Julia。 To blame thee for it
Was adding shame to shame！ But Master Walter；
These nuptials！must they needs go on？
Servant。 ＇Entering。＇ More guests
Arrive。
Wal。 Attend to them。 ＇Servant goes out。＇
Julia。 Dear Master Walter！
Is there no way to escape these nuptials？
Wal。 Know'st not
What with these nuptials comes？ Hast thou forgot？
Julia。 What？
Wal。 Nothing！I did tell thee of a thing。
Julia。 What was it？
Wal。 To forget it was a fault！
Look back and think。
Julia。 I can't remember it。
Wal。 Fathers； make straws your children！ Nature's nothing；
Blood nothing！ Once in other veins it runs；
It no more yearneth for the parent flood；
Than doth the stream that from the source disparts。
Talk not of love instinctivewhat you call so
Is but the brat of custom！ Your own flesh
By habit cleaves to youwithout；
Hath no adhesion。 ＇Aside。＇ So； you have forgot
You have a father； and are here to meet him！
Julia。 I'll not deny it。
Wal。 You should blush for't。
Julia。 No！
No！ no： hear； Master Walter！ what's a father
That you've not been to me？ Nay； turn not from me；
For at the name a holy awe I own；
That now almost inclines my knee to earth！
But thou to me； except a father's name；
Hast all the father been： the carethe love …
The guidancethe protection of a father。
Canst wonder； then； if like thy child I feel； …
And feeling so； that father's claim forget
Whom ne'er I knew save by the name of one？
Oh； turn to me； and do not chide me！ or
If thou wilt chide； chide on！ but turn to me！
Wal。 ＇Struggling with emotion。＇ My Julia！
＇Embraces her。＇
Julia。 Now； dear Master Walter； hear me！
Is there no way to 'scape these nuptials？
Wal。 Julia；
A promise made admits not of release；
Save by consent or forfeiture of those
Who hold itso it should be pondered well
Before we let it go。 Ere man should say
I broke the word I had the power to keep；
I'd lose the life I had the power to part with！
Remember； Julia； thou and I to…day
Must； to thy father； of thy training render
A strict account。 While honour's left to us；
We have somethingnothing； having all but that。
Now for thy last act of obedience； Julia！
Present thyself before thy bridegroom！ ＇She assents。＇ Good！
My Julia's now herself！ Show him thy heart；
And to his honour leave't to set thee free
Or hold thee bound。 Thy father will be by！
SCENE III。The Banqueting' Room。
＇Enter MASTER WALTER and MASTER HEARTWELL。＇
Heart。 Thanks； Master Walter！ Ne'er was child more bent
To do her father's will； you'll own； than mine：
Yet never one more froward。
Wal。 All runs fair …
Fair may all end！ To…day you'll learn the cause
That took me out of town。 But soft a while； …
Here comes the bridegroom； with his friends； and here
The all…obedient bride。
＇Enter on one hand JULIA； and on the other hand LORD ROCHDALE with
LORD TINSEL and friendsafterwards CLIFFORD。＇
Roch。 Is she not fair？
Tin。 She'll do。 Your servant； lady！ Master Walter；
We're glad to see you。 Sirs； you're welcome all。
What wait they for？ Are we to wed or not？
We're readywhy don't they present the bride？
I hope they know she is to wed an earl。
Roch。 Should I speak first？
Tin。 Not for your coronet！
I； as your friend； may make the first advance。
We've come here to be married。 Where's the bride？
Wal。 There stands she； lord； if 'tis her will to wed；
His lordship's free to take her。
Tin。 Not a step！
I； as your friend； may lead her to your lordship。
Fair lady； by your leave。
Julia。 No！ not to you。
Tin。 I ask your hand to give it to his lordship。
Julia。 Nor to his lordshipsave he will accept
My hand without my heart！ but I'll present
My knee to him； and； by his lofty rank；
Implore him now to do a lofty deed
Will lift its stately head above his rank； …
Assert him nobler yet in worth than name； …
And； in the place of an unwilling bride；
Unto a willing debt or make him lord； …
Whose thanks shall be his vassals； night and day
That still shall wait upon him！
Tin。 What means this？
Julia。 What is't behoves a wife to bring her lord？
Wal。 A whole heart； and a true one。
Julia。 I have none！
Not half a heartthe fraction of a heart！
Am I a woman it befits to wed？
Wal。 Why； where's thy heart？
Julia。 Goneout of my keeping！
Lost； past recovery： right and title to it …
And all given up！ and he that's owner on't；
So fit to wear it； were it fifty hearts；
I'd give it to him all！
Wal。 Thou dost not mean
His lordship's secretary？
Julia。 Yes。 Away
Disguises！ in that secretary know
The master of the heart； of which the poor；
Unvalued； empty casket； at your feet …
Its jewel goneI now despairing throw！
＇Kneels。＇
Of his lord's bride he's lord！ lord paramount！
To whom her virgin homage first she paid； …
'Gainst whom rebelled in frowardness alone；
Nor knew herself how loyal to him； till
Another claimed her dutythen awoke
To sense of all she owed himall his worth …
And all her undeservings！
Tin。 Lady； we came not here to treat of hearts； …
But marriage； which； so please you； is with us
A simple joining； by the priest； of hands。
A ring's put on； a prayer or two is said；
You're man and wife；and nothing more！ For hearts；
We oftener do without； than with them； lady！
Clif。 So does not wed this lady！
Tin。 Who are you？
Clif。 I'm secretary to the Earl of Rochdale。
Tin。 My lord！
Roch。 I know him not …
Tin。 I know him now …
Your lordship's rival！ Once Sir Thomas Clifford。
Clif。 Yes； and the bridegroom of that lady then；
Then loved herloves her still！
Julia。 Was loved by her …
Though then she knew it not！is loved by her；
As now she knows； and all the world may know！
Tin。