LUKE. But when I met you in the wood--saw you sitting there, so still and yet so bright, so fine and yet so homely. "That"s the maid for me," I says to myself.
JOAN. [Tearfully.] O, Mister Jenner!
LUKE. And if it had been beggar"s rags upon her in the place of satin, I"d have said the same.
JOAN. [Very much stirred.] O, Mister Jenner, and did you really think like that?
LUKE. If all the gold that do lie atween me and you was sunk in the deep ocean, "twould be the best as could happen. There!
JOAN. [Faintly.] O, Mister Jenner, why?
LUKE. Because, very like "twould shew to you as "tis yourself I"m after and not the fortune what you"ve got.
JOAN. Mister Jenner, I"m mighty sorry.
LUKE. Don"t say I"m come too late, Miss Clara.
JOAN. You are. Mister Hooper was before you. And now, "tis he and I who are like to be wed.
LUKE. I might have known I had no chance.
JOAN. [Rising and trying to hide her emotion.] I wouldn"t have had it happen so for the world, Mr. Jenner.
LUKE. [Laying his bunch of flowers on the table, his head bent, and his eyes on the ground.] "Twas none of your doing, Miss Clara.
You"ve naught to blame yourself for. "Tis not your fault as you"re made so--so beautiful, and yet so homely.
[JOAN looks at him irresolutely for a moment and then precipitately leaves the room.
[LUKE folds his arms on the table and rests his head on them in an att.i.tude of deepest despondency. After a few moments CLARA enters.
CLARA. O, Mister Jenner, what has happened to you?
LUKE. [Raising his head and pointing to the window.] There she goes, through the garden with her lover.
CLARA. I wish that you were in his place.
LUKE. [Bitterly.] I"ve no house with golden rails to offer her.
Nor any horse and chaise.
CLARA. But you carry a heart within you that is full of true love.
LUKE. What use is the love which be fastened up in a man"s heart and can spend itself on naught, I"d like to know. [He rises as though to go and take up the bunch of flowers which has been lying on the table. Brokenly.] I brought them for her. But I count as he"ll have given her something better nor these.
[CLARA takes the flowers gently from his hand, and as she does so, EMILY enters.
EMILY. What now if you please! First with George and then with Luke. "Twould be Thomas next if he wasn"t an old sheep of a man as wouldn"t know if an eye was cast on him or no. But I"ll soon put a stop to all this. Shame on you, Luke Jenner. And you, you fine piece of London vanity, I wants my kitchen to myself, do you hear, so off with you upstairs.
[She begins to move violently about the kitchen as the curtain falls.
ACT IV.--Scene 1.
The kitchen is decorated with bunches of flowers. A long table is spread with silver, china and food. CLARA is setting mugs to each place. MAGGIE comes in from the back kitchen with a large dish of salad.
MAGGIE. When folks do come down to the countryside they likes to enjoy themselves among the vegetables.
CLARA. [Placing the last mug.] There--Now all is ready for them.
MAGGIE. [Bending over a place at the end of the table.] Come you and look at this great old b.u.mble-dore, Joan, what have flyed in through the window.
CLARA. [Goes to MAGGIE"S side and bends down over the table.] O what a beautiful thing. Look at the gold on him, and his legs are like feathers.
MAGGIE. [Taking the bee carefully up in a duster and letting it fly through the window.] The sign of a stranger, so they do say.
CLARA. A stranger, Maggie?
MAGGIE. You mind my words, "tis a stranger as"ll sit where yon was stuck, afore the eating be finished.
CLARA. I don"t believe in such signs, myself.
MAGGIE. I never knowed it not come true.
[THOMAS comes in. He is wearing his best clothes and looks pleased, yet nervous.
THOMAS. Well, maids. Upon my word "tis a spread. Never saw so many different vituals brought together all at a time afore in this house.
MAGGIE. "Tis in honour of Miss Clara"s going to be married like, master.
THOMAS. So "tis, so "tis. Well--A single rose upon the bush. Bound to be plucked, you know. Couldn"t be left to fade in the sun, eh, girls?
CLARA. Where shall Maggie and me stop whilst the supper is going on, master? Mistress has not told us yet.
THOMAS. [Nervously.] Mistress haven"t told you--haven"t she? Well- -well--at such a time we must all--all rejoice one with t"other, like. No difference made t"wixt master and man. Nor t"wixt maid and missus. Down at the far end of the table you can sit yourselves, my wenches. Up against George--How"s that?
CLARA. That will do very well for us, Master.
MAGGIE. I don"t expect as missus will let we bide there long.
THOMAS. Look here, my wench, I be master in my own house, and at the asking in marriage of my only sister like, "tis me as shall say what shall sit down with who. And there"s an end of it. That"s all.
MAGGIE. I hear them a coming in, master.
[EMILY, holding the hands of JESSIE and ROBIN, comes into the room.
Her eyes fall on THOMAS who is standing between CLARA and MAGGIE, looking suddenly sheepish and nervous.