l with me, Clifford, as my brother. Be
The jealous guardian of my spotless name!
Scan thou my cause as 'twere thy sister's. Let
Thy scrutiny o'erlook no point of it,--
Nor turn it over once, but many a time:--
That flaw, speck--yea,--the shade of one,--a soil
So slight, not one out of a thousand eyes
Could find it out, may not escape thee; then
Say if these nuptials can be shunned with honour!

_Clif_. They can.

_Julia_. Then take me, Clifford! [They embrace.]

_Wal_. [Entering.] Ha! What's this?
Ha! treason! What! my baronet that was,
My secretary now? Your servant, sir!
Is't thus you do the pleasure of your lord,--
That for your service feeds you, clothes you, pays you!
Or takest thou but the name of his dependent?
What's here?--a letter. Fifty crowns to one
A forgery! I'm wrong. It is his hand.
This proves thee double traitor!

_Clif_. Traitor!

_Julia_. Nay,
Control thy wrath, good Master Walter! Do--
And I'll persuade him to go hence--

[MASTER WALTER retires up the stage.] I see
For me thou bearest this, and thank thee, Clifford!
As thou hast truly shown thy heart to me,
So truly I to thee have opened mine!
Time flies! To-morrow! If thy love can find
A way, such as thou saidst, for my enlargement
By any means thou canst, apprise me of it;
And, soon as shown, I'll take it.

_Wal_. Is he gone?

_Julia_. He is this moment. If thou covetest me,
Win me, and wear me! May I trust thee? Oh!
If that's thy soul, that's looking through thine eyes,
Thou lovest me, and I may!--I sicken, lest
I never see thee more!

_Clif_. As life is mine,
The ring that on thy wedding-finger goes
No hand but mine shall place there!

_Wal_. Lingers he?

_Julia_. For my sake, now away! And yet a word.
By all thy hopes most dear, be true to me!
Go now!--yet stay! Clifford, while you are here,
I'm like a bark distressed and compassless,
That by a beacon steers; when you're away,
That bark alone and tossing miles at sea!
Now go! Farewell! My compass--beacon--land!
When shall my eyes be blessed with thee again!

_Clif_. Farewell! [Goes out.]

_Julia_. Art gone? All's chance--all's care--all's darkness.

[Is led off by MASTER WALTER.]

ACT V.

SCENE I.--An Apartment in the Earl of Rochdale's.

[Enter HELEN and FATHOM.]

_Fath_. The long and short of it is this--if she marries this lord,
she'll break her heart! I wish you could see her, madam. Poor lady!

_Helen_.