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Gay。 What means the knave by revels？
Wal。 Knave？
Gay。 Ay； knave！
Wal。 Go to！ Thou'rt flushed with wine！
Gay。 Thou sayest false！
Though didst thou need a proof thou speakest true；
I'd give thee one。 Thou seest but one lord here；
And I see two！
Wal。 Reflect'st thou on my shape？
Thou art a villain！
Gay。 ＇Starting up。＇ Ha！
Wal。 A coward； too！
Draw！
＇Drawing his sword。＇
Gay。 Only mark him！ how he struts about！
How laughs his straight sword at his noble back。
Wal。 Does it？ It cuffs thee for a liar then！
＇Strikes GAYLOVE with his sword。＇
Gay。 A blow！
Wal。 Another； lest you doubt the first！
Gay。 His blood on his own head！ I'm for you； sir！
＇Draws。＇
Clif。 Hold； sir！ This quarrel's mine！
＇Coming forward and drawing。＇
Wal。 No man shall fight for me； sir！
Clif。 By your leave；
Your patience； pray！ My lord； for so I learn
Behoves me to accost youfor your own sake
Draw off your friend！
Wal。 Not till we have a bout； sir！
Clif。 My lord； your happy fortune ill you greet！
Ill greet it those who love yougreeting thus
The herald of it！
Wal。 Sir； what's that to you？
Let go my sleeve！
Clif。 My lord； if blood be shed
On the fair dawn of your prosperity；
Look not to see the brightness of its day。
'Twill be o'ercast throughout！
Gay。 My lord； I'm struck！
Clif。 You gave the first blow； and the hardest one！
Look； sir； if swords you needs must measure； I'm
Your mate； not he！
Wal。 I'm mate for any man！
Clif。 Draw off your friend； my lord； for your own sake！
Wilf。 Come； Gaylove！ let's have another room。
Gay。 With all my heart； since 'tis your lordship's will。
Wilf。 That's right！ Put up！ Come； friends！
＇WILFORD and Friends go out。＇
Wal。 I'll follow him！
Why do you hold me？ 'Tis not courteous of you！
Think'st thou I fear them？ Fear！ I rate them but
As dust！ dross！ offals！ Let me at them！Nay；
Call you this kind？ then kindness know I not；
Nor do I thank you for't！ Let go； I say！
Clif。 Nay； Master Walter； they're not worth your wrath。
Wal。 How know you me for Master Walter？ By
My hunchback； eh！my stilts of legs and arms；
The fashion more of ape's than man's？ Aha！
So you have heard them； tootheir savage gibes
As I pass on；〃There goes my lord！〃 aha！
God made me； sir； as well as them and you。
'Sdeath！ I demand of you； unhand me； sir！
Clif。 There； sir； you're free to follow them！ Go forth；
And I'll go too： so on your wilfulness
Shall fall whate'er of evil may ensue。
Is't fit you waste your choler on a burr？
The nothings of the town； whose sport it is
To break their villain jests on worthy men；
The graver still the fitter！ Fie for shame！
Regard what such would say？ So would not I；
No more than heed a cur。
Wal。 You're right； sir； right；
For twenty crowns！ So there's my rapier up！
You've done me a good turn against my will；
Which； like a wayward child； whose pet is off；
That made him restive under wholesome check；
I now right humbly own； and thank you for。
Clif。 No thanks； good Master Walter； owe you me！
I'm glad to know you； sir。
Wal。 I pray you； now；
How did you learn my name？ Guessed I not right？
Was't not my comely hunch that taught it you？
Clif。 I own it。
Wal。 Right； I know it； you tell truth。 I like you for't。
Clif。 But when I heard it said
That Master Walter was a worthy man；
Whose word would pass on 'change soon as his bond；
A liberal manfor schemes of public good
That sets down tens； where others units write；
A charitable manthe good he does；
That's told of； not the half； I never more
Could see the hunch on Master Walter's back！
Wal。 You would not flatter a poor citizen？
Clif。 Indeed； I flatter not！
Wal。 I like your face …
A frank and honest one！ Your frame's well knit；
Proportioned； shaped！
Clif。 Good sir！
Wal。 Your name is Clifford …
Sir Thomas Clifford。 Humph！ You're not the heir
Direct to the fair baronetcy？ He
That was； was drowned abroad。 Am I not right？
Your cousin； was't not？so succeeded you
To rank and wealth； your birth ne'er promised you。
Clif。 I see you know my history。
Wal。 I do。
You're lucky who conjoin the benefits
Of penury and abundance； for I know
Your father was a man of slender means。
You do not blush； I see。 That's right！ Why should you？
What merit to be dropped on fortune's hill？
The honour is to mount it。 You'd have done it；
For you were trained to knowledge； industry；
Frugality； and honesty；the sinews
That surest help the climber to the top；
And keep him there。 I have a clerk； Sir Thomas；
Once served your father； there's the riddle for you。
Humph！ I may thank you for my life to…day。
Clif。 I pray you say not so。
Wal。 But I will say so！
Because I think so； know so； feel so； sir！
Your fortune； I have heard； I think； is ample！
And doubtless you live up to't？
Clif。 'Twas my rule；
And is so still； to keep my outlay； sir；
A span within my means。
Wal。 A prudent rule！
The turf is a seductive pastime！
Clif。 Yes。
Wal。 You keep a racing stud？ You bet？
Clif。 No； neither。
'Twas still my father's precept〃Better owe
A yard of land to labour； than to chance
Be debtor for a rood！〃
Wal。 'Twas a wise precept。
You've a fair houseyou'll get a mistress for it？
Clif。 In time！
Wal。 In time！ 'Tis time thy choice were made。
Is't not so yet？ Or is thy lady love
The newest still thou seest？
Clif。 Nay； not so。
I'd marry； Master Walter； but old use …
For since the age of thirteen I have lived
In the worldhas made me jealous of the thing
That flattered me with hope of profit。 Bargains
Another would snap up； might be for me：
Till I had turned and turned them！ Speculations；
That promised； twenty； thirty； forty； fifty；
Ay； cent…per…cent。 returns； I would not launch in；
When others were afloat； and out at sea；
Whereby I made small gains； but missed great losses。
As ever； then； I looked before I leaped；
So do I now。
Wal。 Thou'rt all the better for it！
Let's see！ Hand freeheart wholewell…favouredso！
Rich； titled！ Let that pass！kind； valiant； prudent …
Sir Thomas； I can help thee to a wife；
Hast thou the luck to win her！
Clif。 Master Walter！
You jest！
Wal。 I do not jest。 I like you！ mark …
I like you； and I like not everyone！
I say a wife； sir； can I help you to；
The pearly texture of whose dainty skin
Alone were worth thy baronetcy！ Form
And feature has she； wherein move and glow
The charms； that in the marble； cold and still；
Culled by the sculptor's jealous skill and joined there；
Inspire us！ Sir； a maid； before whose feet；
A dukea duke might lay his coronet；
To lift her to his state； and partner her！
A fresh heart too！a young fresh heart； sir； one
That Cupid has not toyed with； and a warm one …
Fresh； young； and warm！ mark that！ a mind to boot；
Wit； sir； sense； taste；a garden strictly tended …
Where nought but what is costly flourishes！
A consort for a king； sir！ Thou shalt see her！
Clif。 I thank you； Master Walter！ As you speak；
Methinks I see me at the altar…foot！
Her hand fast locked in mine！the ring put on！
My wedding…bell rings merry in my ear；
And round me throng glad tongues that give me joy
To be the bridegroom of so fair a bride！
Wal。 What！ sparks so thick？ We'll have a blaze anon！
Servant。 ＇Entering。＇ The chariot's at the door。
Wal。 It waits in time！
Sir Thomas； it shall bear thee to the bower
Where dwells this fairfor she's no city belle；
But e'en a sylvan goddess！
Clif。 Have with you！
Wal。 You'll bless the day you served the Hunchback； sir！
＇They go out。＇
SCENE II。A Garden before a Country House。
＇Enter JULIA and HELEN。＇
Helen。 I like not； Julia； this your country life。
I'm weary on't！
Julia。 Indeed？ So am not I！
I know no other； would no other know！
Helen。 You would no other know！ Would you not know
Another relative？another friend …
Another houseanother anything；
Because the ones you have already please you？
That's poor content！ Would you not be more rich；
More wise； more fair？ The song that last you learned
You fancy well； and therefore shall you learn
No other song？ Your virginal； 'tis true；
Hath a sweet tone； but does it follow thence；
You shall not have another virginal？
You may； love； and a sweeter one； and so
A sweeter life may find than this you lead！
Julia。 I seek it not。 Helen； I'm constancy！
Helen。 So is a cat； a dog； a silly hen；
An owl； a bat；where they are wont to lodge
That still sojourn； nor care to shift their quarters。
Thou'rt constancy？ I am glad I know thy name！
The spider comes of the same family；
That in his meshy fortress spends his life；
Unless you pull it down and scare him from it。
And so thou'rt constancy？ Ar't proud of that？
I'll warrant thee I'll match thee with a snail
From year to year that never leaves his house！
Such constancy forsooth！a constant grub
That houses ever in the self…same nut
Where he was born； till hunger drives him out；
Or plunder breaketh through his castle wall！
And so； in very deed； thou'rt constancy！
Julia。 Helen； you know the adage of the tree； …
I've ta'en the bend。 This rural life of mine；
Enjoined me by an unkn