When every tongue is praising you,I'll join The praisers'chorus--when you're hemmed about With lives between you and detraction--lives To be laid down if a rude voice,rash eye,Rough hand should violate the sacred ring Their worship throws about you,--then indeed,Who'll stand up for you stout as I?"If so We said,and so we did,--not Mildred there Would be unworthy to behold us both,But we should be unworthy,both of us.
To be beheld by--by--your meanest dog,Which,if that sword were broken in your face Before a crowd,that badge torn off your breast,And you cast out with hooting and contempt,--Would push his way thro'all the hooters,gain Your side,go off with you and all your shame To the next ditch you choose to die in!Austin,Do you love me?Here's Austin,Mildred,--here's Your brother says he does not believe half--
No,nor half that--of all he heard!He says,Look up and take his hand!
AUSTIN.Look up and take My hand,dear Mildred!
MILDRED.I--I was so young!
Beside,I loved him,Thorold--and I had No mother;God forgot me:so,I fell.
GUENDOLEN.Mildred!
MILDRED.Require no further!Did I dream That I could palliate what is done?All's true.
Now,punish me!A woman takes my hand?
Let go my hand!You do not know,I see.
I thought that Thorold told you.
GUENDOLEN.What is this?
Where start you to?
MILDRED.Oh,Austin,loosen me!
You heard the whole of it--your eyes were worse,In their surprise,than Thorold's!Oh,unless You stay to execute his sentence,loose My hand!Has Thorold gone,and are you here?
GUENDOLEN.Here,Mildred,we two friends of yours will wait Your bidding;be you silent,sleep or muse!
Only,when you shall want your bidding done,How can we do it if we are not by?
Here's Austin waiting patiently your will!
One spirit to command,and one to love And to believe in it and do its best,Poor as that is,to help it--why,the world Has been won many a time,its length and breadth,By just such a beginning!
MILDRED.I believe If once I threw my arms about your neck And sunk my head upon your breast,that I
Should weep again.
GUENDOLEN.Let go her hand now,Austin!
Wait for me.Pace the gallery and think On the world's seemings and realities,Until I call you.
[AUSTIN goes.]
MILDRED.No--I cannot weep.
No more tears from this brain--no sleep--no tears!
O Guendolen,I love you!
GUENDOLEN.Yes:and "love"
Is a short word that says so very much!
It says that you confide in me.
MILDRED.Confide!
GUENDOLEN.Your lover's name,then!I've so much to learn,Ere I can work in your behalf!
MILDRED.My friend,You know I cannot tell his name.
GUENDOLEN.At least He is your lover?and you love him too?
MILDRED.Ah,do you ask me that,--but I am fallen So low!
GUENDOLEN.You love him still,then?
MILDRED.My sole prop Against the guilt that crushes me!I say,Each night ere I lie down,"I was so young--
I had no mother,and I loved him so!"
And then God seems indulgent,and I dare Trust him my soul in sleep.
GUENDOLEN.How could you let us E'en talk to you about Lord Mertoun then?
MILDRED.There is a cloud around me.
GUENDOLEN.But you said You would receive his suit in spite of this?
MILDRED.I say there is a cloud...
GUENDOLEN.No cloud to me!
Lord Mertoun and your lover are the same!
MILDRED.What maddest fancy...
GUENDOLEN [calling aloud.]Austin!(spare your pains--
When I have got a truth,that truth I keep)--
MILDRED.By all you love,sweet Guendolen,forbear!
Have I confided in you...
GUENDOLEN.Just for this!
Austin!--Oh,not to guess it at the first!
But I did guess it--that is,I divined,Felt by an instinct how it was:why else Should I pronounce you free from all that heap Of sins which had been irredeemable?
I felt they were not yours--what other way Than this,not yours?The secret's wholly mine!
MILDRED.If you would see me die before his face...
GUENDOLEN.I'd hold my peace!And if the Earl returns To-night?
MILDRED.Ah Heaven,he's lost!
GUENDOLEN.I thought so.Austin!
Enter AUSTIN
Oh,where have you been hiding?
AUSTIN.Thorold's gone,I know not how,across the meadow-land.
I watched him till I lost him in the skirts O'the beech-wood.
GUENDOLEN.Gone?All thwarts us.
MILDRED.Thorold too?
GUENDOLEN.I have thought.First lead this Mildred to her room.
Go on the other side;and then we'll seek Your brother:and I'll tell you,by the way,The greatest comfort in the world.You said There was a clue to all.Remember,Sweet,He said there was a clue!I hold it.Come!