e first
Your bride, and all this fervour's run to waste!
Do you know you speak sensibly to-day?
The Earl's a fool.

AUSTIN. Here's Thorold. Tell him so!

TRESHAM [returning]. Now, voices, voices! 'St! the lady's first!
How seems he?--seems he not... come, faith give fraud
The mercy-stroke whenever they engage!
Down with fraud, up with faith! How seems the Earl?
A name! a blazon! if you knew their worth,
As you will never! come--the Earl?

GUENDOLEN. He's young.

TRESHAM. What's she? an infant save in heart and brain.
Young! Mildred is fourteen, remark! And you...
Austin, how old is she?

GUENDOLEN. There's tact for you!
I meant that being young was good excuse
If one should tax him...

TRESHAM. Well?

GUENDOLEN. --With lacking wit.

TRESHAM. He lacked wit? Where might he lack wit, so please you?

GUENDOLEN. In standing straighter than the steward's rod
And making you the tiresomest harangue,
Instead of slipping over to my side
And softly whispering in my ear, "Sweet lady,
Your cousin there will do me detriment
He little dreams of: he's absorbed, I see,
In my old name and fame--be sure he'll leave
My Mildred, when his best account of me
Is ended, in full confidence I wear
My grandsire's periwig down either cheek.
I'm lost unless your gentleness vouchsafes"...

TRESHAM... "To give a best of best accounts, yourself,
Of me and my demerits." You are right!
He should have said what now I say for him.
Yon golden creature, will you help us all?
Here's Austin means to vouch for much, but you
--You are... what Austin only knows! Come up,
All three of us: she's in the library
No doubt, for the day's wearing fast. Precede!

GUENDOLEN. Austin, how we must--!

TRESHAM. Must what? Must speak truth,
Malignant tongue! Detect one fault in him!
I challenge you!

GUENDOLEN. Witchcraft's a fault in him,
For you're bewitched.

TRESHAM. What's urgent we obtain
Is, that she soon receive him--say, to-morrow--,
Next day at furthest.

GUENDOLEN. Ne'er instruct me!

TRESHAM.