goes towards the settle, takes the child from EZRA, and wraps it in
her shawl. She is moving to the door when PHOEBE steps before her and
closes it, then turns and faces JUDITH._)

PHOEBE:
You shall not go.

JUDITH:
And who are you to stop me? Come, make way--
Come, woman, let me pass.

PHOEBE:
I--I'm Jim's bride.

JUDITH:
And what should Jim's bride have to say to me?
Come, let me by.

PHOEBE:
You shall not go.

JUDITH:
Come, lass.
You do not ken me for the thing I am:
If you but guessed, you'd fling the door wide open,
And draw your petticoats about you tight,
Lest any draggletail of mine should smutch them.
I never should have come 'mid decent folk:
I never should have crawled out of the ditch.
You little ken ...

PHOEBE:
I heard your name. I've heard
That name before.

JUDITH:
You heard no good of it,
Whoever spoke.

PHOEBE:
I heard it from the lips
That uttered it just now.

JUDITH:
From Jim's? Well, Jim
Kens what I am. I wonder he lets you talk
With me. Come ...

PHOEBE:
Not until I know the name
Of your baby's father.

JUDITH:
You've no right to ask.

PHOEBE:
Maybe: and yet, you shall not cross that doorsill,
Until I know.

JUDITH:
Come, woman, don't be foolish.

PHOEBE:
You say I've no right. Pray God, you speak the truth:
But there may be no woman in the world
Who has a better right.

JUDITH:
You'd never heed
A doting dobby's blethering, would you, lass--
An old, blind, crazy creature ...

PHOEBE:
If I've no right,
You'll surely never have the heart to keep
The name from me? You'll set my mind at ease?

JUDITH:
The heart! If it will set your mind at ease,
I'll speak my shame ... I'll speak my shame right out ...
I'll speak my shame right out, before you all.

JIM:
But, lass!

ELIZA (_to PHOEBE_):
Nay: let her go. You're young and hard:
And I was hard, though far from young: I've long
Been growing old; though little I realized
How old. And when you're old, you don't judge hardly:
You ken things happen, in spite of us, willy-nilly.
We think we're safe, holding the reins; and then
In a flash the mare bolts; and the wheels fly off;
And we're lying, stunned, beneat