the sense
Of eloquence
Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!"

Yet all the sense
Of eloquence
Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!"
"Ah, me!", "Ah, me!"

Yet all the sense
Of eloquence
Lies hidden in a maid's "Ah, me!"

[PHOEBE weeps

[Enter WILFRED

WILFRED Mistress Meryll!

PHOEBE [looking up] Eh! Oh! it's you, is it? You may go
away,if you like. Because I don't want you, you know.

WILFRED Haven't you anything to say to me?

PHOEBE Oh yes! Are the birds all caged? The wild beasts all
littered down? All the locks, chains, bolts, and bars
in good order? Is the Little Ease sufficiently
comfortable? The racks, pincers, and thumbscrews all
ready for work? Ugh! you brute!

WILFRED These allusions to my professional duties are in
doubtful taste. I didn't become a head-jailer because
I like head-jailing. I didn't become an assistant-
tormentor because I like assistant-tormenting. We
can't all be sorcerers, you know. [PHOEBE is annoyed]
Ah! you brought that upon yourself.

PHOEBE Colonel Fairfax is not a sorcerer. He's a man of
science and an alchemist.

WILFRED Well, whatever he is, he won't be one for long, for
he's to be beheaded to-day for dealings with the
devil. His master nearly had him last night, when the
fire broke out in the Beauchamp [pronounced Bee'cham]
Tower.

PHOEBE Oh! how I wish he had escaped in the confusion! But
take care; there's still time for a reply to his
petition for mercy.

WILFRED Ah! I'm content to chance that. This evening at half-
past seven-- ah! [Gesture of chopping off a head.]

PHOEBE You're a cruel monster to speak so unfeelingly of the
death of a young and handsome soldier.

WILFRED Young and handsome! How do you know he's young and
handsome?

PHOEBE Because I've seen him every day for weeks past taking
his exercise on the Beauchamp [pronounced Bee'cham]
Tower.

WILFRED Curse him!

PHOEBE There, I believe you'r